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3-2020 The Pacific Sentinel, March 2020

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This Book is brought to you for free and open access. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Pacific Sentinel by an authorized administrator of PDXScholar. Please contact us if we can make this document more accessible: [email protected]. THE PACIFIC SENTINEL March 2020 Volume V Issue VI

Canvassing for Bernie in Iowa

Strip Club's Vegan Agenda

Vote Local

Vaccinations: Misinformation Spreads Disease

A Year for Shoegaze

Students: Th e "Eyes and Ears" of Campus Police MARCH 2020 CONTENTS

Letter From the Editor 3

NEWS Safer Together? 4-6

NEWS ANALYSIS Vaccination: Spreading Misinformation Spreads Disease 7 Impeachment? What Just Happened? 8-9

OPINION Vote Local 10- 11 Under the Red Lights 12-15 Homeschool Pride 16-17 The Utopia of Animal Crossing18-19 Not Too Cold to Canvas for Bernie 20-24

ARTS AND CULTURE The Top 5 Shoegaze Albums of 201925-26 Nick Fish’s Untimely Death and Enduring Legacy 27 Harry Styles Is a Mess 28 Dump Those Dumplings in My Mouth29 The Real Horror of The Turning is Its Disappointing Story30

FUNNY PAGE 31

The Pacific Sentinel is a monthly student-run magazine at PSU. We seek to uplift student voices and advocate on behalf of the marginalized. We analyze culture, politics, and daily life to continually take the dialogue further.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Jake Johnson NEWS EDITOR Vivian Veidt ARTS AND CULTURE EDITOR Shane Johnson OPINIONS EDITOR McKinzie Smith PRODUCTION MANAGER Haley Riley DESIGNERS Kacie Cooper, Alison White, Bailey Granquist, May Walker, Haley Riley ILLUSTRATORS Josh Gates, Greer Siegel, Bailey Granquist, Ciaran Dillon, May Walker PHOTOGRAPHERS Wallace Milner, Van Vanderwall FRONT COVER Kacie Cooper BACK COVER Bailey Granquist FEATURED CONTRIBUTORS Margo Craig, Vivian Veidt, Sophie Meyers, Van Vanderwall, Nick Gatlin, Claire Golden, Wallace Milner, McKinzie Smith, Shane Johnson, Jake Johnson, Maggie Post

WE NEED A MULTIMEDIA MANAGER Join our team! Apply at thepacificsentinel.com/jobs

2 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Marching Out Of The Winter And what a mild winter it has been so far. Like convicted of a “simple kind of extortion, the through the curation of mid-level career artists literal fog, the House impeachment inquiry punishment is imprisonment up to 3 years or and putting on shows they think are important and Senate trial of President Donald J. Trump a fine or both.” “...Extortion carries up to a 20- for the public to see. Littman Gallery has been left a lot of people confused. year prison sentence.” serving the PSU community in that space since Republican senators—not including Mitt Many Republican senators hoped Trump at least 1982. If you want to speak up to support Romney—concluded despite months spent learned his lesson. However, since the trial the gallery you can visit their google form here: saying Trump didn’t do what Democrats had ended, Trump has: fired U.S. Army Lt. Col. https://bit.ly/2V5ZpRp. PSU Space Allocation accused Trump of doing, it’s actually fine Alexander Vindman and his twin brother; Committee Board Members are expected to if he did it. They alleged that even if Trump heckled the Justice Department into reversing make a decision about Littman in mid-March. abused his power as president to get a personal sentencing recommendations of Roger Stone Panic about coronavirus created a shortage political favor from Ukraine’s president, that’s (who lied about his contact with Russians and of available face masks in the Portland area. not a crime—as long as Trump believes his threatened another witness during Special Some stores are being cleaned out of groceries. reelection benefits the U.S. Counsel Bob Mueller’s investigation into Some are avoiding Corona beer.(?!) Willamette “Purely non-criminal conduct, including Russian meddling in the 2016 election [Stone Week reported Walgreens within 50 miles of ‘abuse of power’ and ‘obstruction of justice,’ served as adviser to the Trump campaign]); Portland are out of hand sanitizer. are outside the range of impeachable offenses,” declared himself the “chief law enforcement The CDC is encouraging people to prevent alleged member of Trump’s defense counsel officer” of the U.S. (that position is William the spread or contraction of coronavirus by Alan Dershowitz during the Senate trial. Barr, the attorney general and head of the U.S. washing your hands thoroughly with soap Legaldictionary.net/extortion defines extortion Department of Justice [DOJ]). and water, not touching your face, and staying as: a noun which means “the act of obtaining After Stone’s sentencing recommendations home if you’re sick. something of value by using threats, force, or were changed, the four prosecutors who Yahoo reported the Dow dropped 1,190.95 abuse of authority.” prosecuted the case, quit the case and one points on Friday, February 28th for the worst dictionary.com/browse/authority definesjust quit being a U.S. attorney altogether. A point drop on a day in history, this is alleged authority as a noun: which means “the power bipartisan letter from 1,100 former DOJ officials to be connected to manufacturing and supply to determine, adjudicate, or otherwise settle asserted that Barr’s actions are representative of chain delays due to China’s coronavirus issues. issues or disputes; jurisdiction; the right to “autocracies” not constitutional republics and The drop is said to have “shredded” $1.33 control, command, or determine.” (definition “require Mr. Barr to resign.” trillion dollars. 1) “A power or right delegated or given,” Speaking of odd uses of bureaucracy, And the year is only just shaking the snow (definition 2) “a person or body of persons in Portland State is considering moving the off. This issue is incredible and full of a lot of whom authority is vested, as a governmental Littman Gallery out of its space on the second important, nuanced stories that I hope you find agency,” (definition 3) and definition 4: “Usually floor of Smith Memorial Student Union to a to be fascinating, enjoyable, and informative. authorities. Persons having the legal power to converted it into another conference room. make and enforce the law; government.” Littman + White Galleries have high Party on, extortion.uslegal.com/punishments writes that visibility and decent traffic in their location. “Generally, individuals charged with extortion The student-run galleries provide students the Jake Johnson faces [sic] serious penalties…” and those opportunity to engage the PSU community Executive Editor

THE PACIFIC SENTINEL 3 Safer Together? by Margo Craig Illustrations by May Walker

Student Safety Ambassadors On Patrol, New Officer Recruits In Training

4 NEWS Student safety ambassadors are the new your job?’ or, ‘What do you think about the years, wanted to become a police officer so he “eyes and ears” of campus security. New hires, police?’” clerked in the Multnomah County Courthouse persistent vacancies, and policy changes are The students don yellow safety vests that to get law experience. They were two of four some of the most recent developments in read “Student Safety Ambassador” across applicants chosen by a search committee for CPSO. Interim President Stephen Percy the back, and patrol by milling about campus their criminal justice backgrounds. answered questions about campus security on weekdays between 6–10 p.m., targeting Campus public safety officers are interviewed during the quarterly student media conference certain locations at certain times. For example, by a search committee and reviewed by the on January 31. The Pacific Sentinel followed outside buildings when evening classes let University Public Safety Oversight Committee up with Interim Campus Public Safety/Police out; someone may request a safety escort if (UPSOC) and the Police Review Committee Chief Joe Schilling to discuss CPSO’s various they feel unsafe walking on campus at night. before Schilling makes hiring decisions. ranks, responsibilities, hiring, and training as Percy clarified that student safety ambassadors Background checks disqualified the other well as some new policy developments. are not currently part of the Campus Safety applicants, cutting the pool in half. Once Background Escort Service and cannot be summoned Saldivar and Powell were approved by the Campus security was a highlighted topic to escort, but that may change in the future. committees, Schilling hired them both. during PSU’s Board of Trustees meeting They carry a messenger bag with a radio, and Saldivar and Powell are in Salem for three last October. It was the first opportunity first aid supplies. In the future, Schilling weeks of training at the Department of Public for members of the board and community says the ambassadors will carry tourniquets Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) to respond to recommendations made in a and emergency pressure dressings to manage Academy, Oregon’s police academy. Once they report released by the private campus security traumatic injuries. complete CPSO’s in-house training (including firm, Margolis Healy and Associates. The Student safety ambassadors undergo de-escalation training from Officer Ward), university commissioned the report in 2018, one month of training that covers CPR the new police officers are considered ready for after armed campus police officers shot and certification, CPSO policy and procedure active duty. killed Jason Washington, a legally-armed, orientation, and four hours of de-escalation Dispatchers are hired directly by CPSO black Navy veteran, outside of a bar on instruction from Campus Police Officer Peter without input from the committees. “They are campus. The shooting revived scrutiny of the Ward. Schilling says Ward provides all officers more internal,” Percy said. Like all emergency administration’s 2014 decision to arm campus with de-escalation training, or, as he calls it, dispatchers in Oregon, they are certified police officers. Margolis Healy was asked to “verbal judo.” Ward finished his instructor through the Basic Telecommunicator course review PSU’s campus safety, solicit feedback certification at the Board on Safety Training in at DPSST. PSU’s dispatchers work out of the from the community, and weigh in. The report California last year. Student safety ambassadors Campus Public Safety Dispatch Center, which found that 52 percent of students, faculty, staff, have also learned how to recognize signs of an is staffed 24/7 and functions as “the central and community members surveyed said PSU opioid overdose and how to administer Narcan, hub to Public Safety operations.” They assist should not have armed officers, but ultimately, an opioid overdose reversal agent, which they callers in both emergency and non-emergency the firm recommended PSU maintain its carry on patrols alongside first aid supplies situations, like escort requests, and decide armed police officers. which agency—CPSO, PPB or the Portland Percy announced PSU would keep its armed Campus Police Officers / Campus Public Fire Department, for example—to send to aid officers during the rollout of his comprehensive Safety Officers / Campus Dispatchers a caller. safety plan, Safer Together. The initiative also In addition to the safety ambassadors, CPSO The two newest dispatchers, Jessica Dvorak formed a new rank in the Campus Public Safety recently hired two new police officers (Kenan and Ashley Whitten, have ties to the PSU Office (CPSO): the student safety ambassador. Powell and Francisco Saldivar), three public community. Jessica Dvorak is a student in safety officers (Shannon Dix, Tyler Williams, PSU’s master of technology and professional Student Safety Ambassadors and Nicholas Chase) and two dispatchers writing program. She became friends with Four students make up the first cohort of (Ashley Whitten and Jessica Dvorak). CPSO officers while working at the front desk student safety ambassadors: Aseel Alattabi, Public safety officers respond to calls, of PSU’s University Place Hotel, even joining Briana Benson, Liam Cole and Camila provide assistance, escorts, and first aid. Sworn CPSO officers for Thanksgiving dinner when Oliveira. CPSO plans to hire six more for a police officers, unlike public safety officers, they performed a welfare check on an agitated total of 10 student safety ambassadors, and carry a gun and have the authority to enforce man that evening. have two or three pairs patrolling weekdays and investigate criminal activity, like sexual Ashley Whitten joined the U.S. Coast between 2–10 p.m. assaults, on campus. While public safety Guard after she graduated from Oregon State The role of a student safety ambassador is to officers go through a similar hiring process, University and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. be “the first point of contact and community sworn police officers are subject to a more Schilling added that she is Campus Public presence,” according to the outline of Safer extensive background check. Safety Lieutenant Craig Whitten’s daughter. Together posted on President Percy’s website. Campus safety is budgeted to have five more As a dispatcher, the younger Whitten decides “We’re not asking them to intervene,” Percy police officers and three more safety officers, which agency to send to respond to a call. clarified in the press conference, “we’re for a total of ten each. Schilling said he will Schilling suggested he addressed any possible asking them to be the eyes on the street.” look to fill some of those vacancies sometime in conflict of interest influencing decision- The emphasis of student safety ambassadors, the next fiscal year. making on the job. “That’s a conversation that Chief Schilling reiterated, is to be the “eyes But police agencies across the nation are I certainly had...with everybody involved about and ears” of campus security, alerting CPSO up against a workforce crisis and Portland is making sure those instances don’t occur.” of whatever situation they come across on no exception. CPSO and the Portland Police In a follow up conversation, Schilling said patrol, whether it’s criminal activity or busted Bureau (PPB) both have outstanding vacancies Lieutenant Whitten was not part of the selection light bulbs. But Schilling also sees the student given low recruitment and retention. “Part of process, nor does he supervise her within safety ambassadors as community liaisons for the struggle is just to make law enforcement CPSO’s organizational structure. According to CPSO that will be “a lot more approachable” attractive for folks. Because of the historical Schilling, CPSO curtails nepotism by having to the community, “just from the standpoint of perspective going around law enforcement, anyone on the search committee who has “any the historical perspective that law enforcement it’s difficult to attract [people]” Schilling said. kind of personal involvement” with an applicant has.” Schilling hopes safety ambassadors can Those that do apply have to get through an recuse themselves from the search committee’s do some public outreach, too. “They have the “extensive, six-week-long background check.” interview, so “that relationship would not inside scoop [about CPSO]. These folks can Kenan Powell worked in private security influence how those people are selected.” answer questions about what the training and as a correctional deputy in Clark County. (Cont. on next page) entails, or ‘What are you doing?’ or, ‘What’s Francisco Saldivar, a social worker for nearly 20

THE PACIFIC SENTINEL 5 CPSO and PPB Before the rollout of Safer Together, Percy says he and his staff had been meeting with city officials, in part “to figure out the answer to a question: ‘Why don’t we use the Portland Police and call it a day?’” He says PPB reached out to encourage the university to retain its own armed police officers, and were concerned they wouldn’t be “as well-trained” to do campus public safety. PPB still wants to be in a partnership, Percy said. “We do work very closely together with them.” Percy said that whether dispatchers send PPB or CPSO to a call depends largely on location, but sometimes campus boundaries are unclear. “If we need help, we can call and they will come.” “Because the campus is the city and the city is the campus,” added Chris Broderick, Associate Vice President for Communications. “So the city responds to what happens on campus.” Schilling clarified that there is an agreement that PPB officers would help if CPSO “didn’t have the staff or expertise to handle a particular call for service or an event.” He explained that CPSO helps PPB by taking “an occasional call that’s within our service district” if PPB is busy, though this does not happen routinely, he said. According to CPSO’s website, when someone calls the campus dispatch, dispatchers “obtain the necessary information from the officer provides CPSO coverage, “it behooves than 15 years. In 2016, Law professors at caller to provide an appropriate response.” In us to kind of be on the same page, so that we’re UCLA published the first academic study of emergency situations, they work with PPB and not doing something that’s completely different Lexipol and found that it services over 3,000 the Portland Fire Department. than what we’re doing or what they’re doing.“ public agencies in thirty-five states. They Although PPB and CPSO have a While wording and procedures may differ, criticized its business model of promoting partnership, and although PSU shares “a large Schilling said both agencies have policies based policies as cost-effective risk management body of information with partner agencies in on the “overarching national standard that’s tools and its policymaking process that lacked the Portland area,” PPB and CPSO are separate out there.” transparency and public input. Lexipol claims agencies representing different jurisdictions. The city does not weigh in on CPSO policy to provide standardized policies that reflect Percy described CPSO as “its own unique entity but Schilling will refer to PPB policy routinely court opinions, legislation and what it calls to Portland State who collaborates with the City “to make sure our policy is compatible.” “best practices” in each state, “yet Lexipol has of Portland Police Bureau. So we have He considered PPB when revising CPSO’s resisted efforts to craft policies that go beyond our own rules, our own policies. And we body camera policy. PPB officers do not use the minimum requirements of court decisions have our UPSOC—our University Public body cameras. because policies might increase legal liability Safety Oversight Committee.” UPSOC is The revisions Schilling proposed to CPSO’s exposure.” a “representative group of faculty, staff and current body camera policy are based on the Both CPSO and PPB have consulted Lexipol students” that provides oversight, counsel and International Association of Chiefs of Police for policies. It was revealed that PPB consulted advise to CPSO leadership to improve campus (IACP)’s model policy. The draft provided by Lexipol for their use-of-force policy in 2012, safety. Schilling resembles CPSO’s current version, when the U.S. Department of Justice found PPB does not have an official “mutual aid and the most notable revision is a stipulation that PPB “engaged in an unconstitutional agreement” with CPSO the way it does with that says officers should review body camera pattern or practice of excessive force against some neighboring law enforcement agencies. footage before they finish writing a report “to people with mental illness.” Soon after the Typical mutual aid agreements between law ensure report accuracy.” Civil rights advocates ruling, Lexipol concurred that PPB was not enforcement agencies, according to the U.S. advise against this in case officers use footage conforming to best practice as it relates to the Department of Justice, are “memorandums to write their report rather than describe what investigation of force. of understanding,” with the purpose of they actually saw. The provided draft has yet CPSO will be moving away from Lexipol addressing “specific crime problems that cut to be reviewed by general counsel or UPSOC. and plans to overhaul all of its policies with across jurisdictional boundaries.” If there were The current body camera policy went into Daigle Law Group. Schilling says the private a mutual aid agreement, Schilling says it would effect in March 2016. It was drafted by Lexipol, company is “comparable” to Lexipol, but uses mean CPSO could be called to support police LLC, a company that Schilling says provides a “different format.” Schilling is switching during an event, like a protest. “We don’t have “the software interface to write a policy,” as because he was impressed by how Daigle that agreement, because we don’t have the well as, “best practice wording that can be Law Group incorporates national trends and capability of doing that.” incorporated into a policy.” CPSO will also case law into training and recommendations. Schilling stays up on PPB policies. He keeps refer to some of the video training available on According to Schilling, CPSO already receives a copy of PPB’s use-of-force policy in a folder an online forum called PoliceOne, a company a legal newsletter from Daigle Law Group next to CPSO’s and makes his officers aware owned by Lexipol. “to determine, you know, case law and what of any differences in case they work together Lexipol, LLC is a private, for-profit practices and principles and policies we should in the field “because it behooves us to be...on company that formed in 2003 and became be looking at.” the same page since we’re doing use of force the predominant force in law enforcement within their jurisdiction.” If a Portland police policy and practices across the nation in less

6 NEWS N N N N N N N N N N N N N Vaccination:N N N N N SpreadingN N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N MisinformationN N N N N N SpreadsN N N N N N DiseaseN N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N N Analysis of the anti-vax movement by Sophie Meyers

Public health relies on vaccines as a measure based in both religious and secular views, typically last around 1–2 minutes and rarely to mitigate an increasing risk of widespread rebellion against government regulations and result in long term damage or consequences. pandemic. Vaccines are created to be skepticism of the scientific/medical community. Yet another vocal contingent of anti- implemented collectively, a concept known In the 1800s vaccines were seen by many vaccination parents was generated by the as “herd immunity.” The mechanism of herd Christians as unholy because they rejected claims of former medical researcher and immunity depends on the vaccination of a supernatural punishment for humanity in the gastroenterologist Andrew Wakefield. In 1998, majority of any given population to reduce form of disease; in Britain, people argued that Wakefield published a study that concluded the likelihood that those who are not properly mandatory vaccination laws violated individual the MMR vaccine can result in autism in vaccinated will contract or transmit the disease. free will. young children. His findings were ultimately Scientists create vaccines to work for the vast In recent years the resurgence of anti- debunked and his medical license was revoked majority of people, but like all medication they vaccination sentiment is largely related to a as a result. It was later revealed that his research can vary in their effectiveness from person general distrust of scientific findings, skepticism was funded by litigators who opposed vaccine to person. In order to minimize the chances of the interests of the medical community and manufacturers. Wakefield’s claims had already of disease spreading, medical researchers rebellion against vaccine regulation. Common spread across Europe and North America, urge everyone, barring those with medical anti-vaccine arguments include beliefs that causing skepticism of vaccines and feelings restrictions, to be immunized and suggest a mandatory vaccinations are an invasion of that people were betrayed by the medical 96%–99% vaccination rate for highly contagious free will, and that legislation should not force community. Studies refuting Wakefield’s diseases. children to get vaccinated. This has created research did not receive equal attention and Despite the urgings of the scientific a legislative debate concerning grounds on were largely too late to persuade those who had community to vaccinate, vaccination rates have which exemptions can be made to otherwise already accepted the anti-vaccination rhetoric. been declining for decades. The Centers for mandatory vaccines. The debate concerns Due to Wakefield’s studies, among Disease Control and Prevention stated that the whether or not secular or religious arguments other factors, vaccination rates plummeted rate of measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) should be allowed, or if medical exemptions be worldwide. In some parts of London, MMR inoculation has dropped consistently over the the only allowed way to avoid vaccination. Most vaccine rates dropped to rates as low as 61%, past three years. During the 2017–2018 school scientists suggest that only medical exemptions and U.S. nationwide MMR vaccination rates year, MMR vaccination among kindergarteners should be allowed until the population is well dropped by 2%. This resulted in multiple was recorded to be down to 94.4%, 2.2% within the limits for successful herd immunity. measles outbreaks throughout the 2000s and below the recommended level. Most of the There exists a vocal contingent of parents early 2010s. In 2019 the CDC recorded 1,282 unvaccinated children studied did not have a concerned with perceived risks involved in cases of measles in the United States. medical exemption from these often mandatory vaccination. One common fear is the risk vaccinations. Widespread fear of perceived risks of vaccines causing febrile seizures. Febrile Illustrations by Greer Siegel of vaccination is cited as the primary reason seizures occur when a child, usually aged six many have opted out of vaccinating their months to five years, has a seizure due to an children. increased temperature. Because some vaccines Anti-vaccination proponents are a varied can sometimes cause an increase in temperature, group with a variety of causes and ideals in they can also put a child at risk of a febrile mind to back their arguments against vaccines. seizure. Five percent of children get febrile Anti-vaccine sentiment has been commonly seizures as a result of illness in general. They

NEWS ANALYSIS 7 What Happened? Facts, process, and precedent of the Trump impeachment by Vivian Veidt

At the time of this writing, news has just broken mechanism to remove an unfit politician from and misdemeanors” were understood by the of the acquittal of President Donald Trump on office. writers and framers of the U.S. Constitution, both of the articles of impeachment laid against On the federal level, impeachment is one must look first to British Common Law. him by the U.S. House of Representatives. The conducted in two phases, one by the House of The term “high crimes and misdemeanors” first result is far from surprising, as the Republican Representatives and the other by the Senate. came into common use in British parliamentary majority Senate has long been expected to The first phase begins with an inquiry, during proceedings in 1386 and was used to describe vote along party-lines, leaving Democrats which witnesses and evidence are gathered by a wide range of impeachable offenses, many in favour of impeachment far short of the 67 the House Judiciary Committee. The House of which were not criminal acts, but acts of vote supermajority required to convict. The Judiciary Committee then drafts articles corruption or dereliction of duty. Examples only surprising aspect of the Senate vote was of impeachment and holds a vote to decide exist of impeachment under “high crimes that one Republican Senator, Mitt Romney, whether to pass their case on to the entire and misdemeanors” including the granting of voted in favour of one of the two articles of House of Representatives. If that vote passes, warrants without cause, misappropriation of impeachment—Article I: Abuse of Power. the House then reviews the case laid out by the funds, and failing to prosecute cases. Reactions to the historic vote include a range Judiciary Committee and another vote is held of opinions from victory in absolution to cries to determine whether to impeach. If that vote is How has impeachment been used in the past? that this event signals the death of democracy. successful, the subject civil officer is considered Impeachment in the United States has a long, With such polarity at play among the American impeached and the case is referred to the Senate storied history. Impeachment is most often people, I am charged with the task of explaining to conduct a trial. pursued by individual states and territories the national trauma we have just witnessed, as The second phase of impeachment is the to remove judges, governors, and other civil an outsider. Senate trial, which determines whether the officials, but the U.S. House of Representatives subject of the impeachment proceedings will be has impeached 20 times since 1797. Those What exactly is impeachment? removed from office. The Senate first drafts and 20 formal impeachments included 15 judges According to the Constitution of the United votes on the ground rules for the trial. Typically, and justices, one senator, one Secretary of States, “[t]he President, Vice President and the Senate trial is conducted with the House of War, and three presidents—Andrew Johnson, all civil Officers of the United States, shall be Representatives taking the role of prosecutor, Bill Clinton, and Donald Trump. Articles of removed from Office on Impeachment for, and the Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court impeachment were also laid against Richard Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high presiding, the Senate as jurors, and legal counsel Nixon, but the impeachment proceeding Crimes and Misdemeanors.” Impeachment is for the impeached party handling defense. The was prematurely ended by his resignation on the political process of charging a government trial restates the evidence used by the House August 9, 1974. All of the presidents who have official with conduct unbecoming of their office, of Representatives and is decided by a vote been successfully impeached by the House of including criminal activity, bribery, and treason, requiring a two-thirds consensus. Representatives were later acquitted by the among other activities. The process is not the Senate. same as laying criminal charges that may lead What about high crimes and misdemeanors? to criminal penalties, it is a purely political To consider the sense in which “high crimes

8 NEWS ANALYSIS What was the case against President Trump? for testimony, namely John Michael ‘Mick’ breaks down in the event of partisanship The case against President Trump was two- Mulvaney, Robert B. Blair, John A. Eisenberg, altogether, by setting a precedent for a Senate fold, an initial article of impeachment for abuse Michael Ellis, Preston Wells Griffith, Russell impeachment trial without witnesses, corrupt of power, and a second that arose during the T. Vought, Michael Duffey, Brian McCormack, officials in the future may pursue similar tactics House inquiry for obstruction of Congress. The and T. Ulrich Brechbuhl.” unabashed. In cases where witness testimony first article of impeachment was laid following is the sole or predominant evidence of an the allegation that Trump had withheld What was different about this impeachment impeachable offence, following the pattern of military aid from Ukraine, asking Ukrainian proceeding? this impeachment trial may be sufficient to President Volodymyr Zelensky for two favours. The impeachment of Donald Trump was conceal and insulate more severe wrongdoing. The article of impeachment accused Trump predominantly routine in the first phase, but of “soliciting the Government of Ukraine to with the key exception that several witnesses publicly announce investigations that would who were subpoenaed refused to testify as part benefit his reelection, harm the election of the coordinated effort by the White House to Illustrations by Josh Gates prospects of a political opponent, and influence prevent administration officials from testifying. the 2020 United States Presidential election The official policy, justified ineffectively as a to his advantage” and that Trump “sought to matter of executive privilege, became the basis pressure the Government of Ukraine to take of the second article of impeachment against these steps by conditioning official United Trump—Article II: Obstruction of Congress. States Government acts of significant value The Senate trial in the impeachment to Ukraine on its public announcement of the of President Trump was categorically investigations.” unprecedented in that no witnesses were The second article of impeachment allowed to testify. The decision, made by the was laid in response to the conduct of the Senate in a 51 to 49 vote, was largely determined Trump administration regarding witnesses along party lines, with only Senators Mitt to the alleged incident. The article alleges Romney and Susan Collins breaking with the that “Donald J. Trump has directed the Republican Party in support of hearing witness unprecedented, categorical, and indiscriminate testimony. defiance of subpoenas issued by the House of Representatives pursuant to its ‘sole Power What does this mean going forward? of Impeachment.’” The committee alleged The manner by which the Trump impeachment that Trump directed “current and former was conducted sets a nonbinding precedent that Executive Branch officials not to cooperate threatens the effectiveness of impeachment to with the Committees—in response to which remove corrupt officials from office. Though nine Administration officials defied subpoenas it is arguable that the impeachment process

THE PACIFIC SENTINEL 9 ote Local You should be paying attention to state and local races by Nick Gatlin

illustrations by Ciaran Dillon and May Walker infographic by May Walker

In most Oregon State House elections are that much more important— and Senate districts, the primary whoever wins the primary is virtually guaranteed is the whole ballgame. If you to win the seat. There are essentially no “swing live and vote in the Portland seats” in the Oregon Legislature. And where Metro area, your district likely there is no competition, there is no interest. isn’t competitive in the general Apathy about state and local elections runs the election. Most Portland legislative risk of obscuring real policy differences among seats are solidly Democratic, with candidates, elected officials who can affect your candidates often winning with life for better or for worse. Worried about the gas The primary election on May 19, 2020 is likely over 90% of the vote. That means that whoever tax? Call your state representative. Concerned the most important election you will participate wins the primary is often guaranteed to win the about the state of public transit? Email a member in this year. No, not because of the presidential seat. It also means that if someone wants to unseat of the city commission, call the mayor’s office, or primary. The really important races you should be an incumbent, they often stand the best chance of talk to a member of the Trimet board of directors. paying attention to are state and local races—the beating them in the primary election. Ultimately, though, the most important thing ones that decide who represents your State House One relatively high-profile primary campaign you can do is vote. Vote for each and every position district, who becomes mayor of your city, and who this year is happening in East Portland, in House on the ballot, no matter how far down it is or how decides the public school curriculum. District 42. The district has been represented by insignificant it might seem. The people next to 76 out of 90 legislators in the Oregon labor organizer Rob Nosse since 2014. Nosse ran those little check boxes are running for real offices Legislative Assembly are up for election in 2020. unopposed in the 2016 and 2018 primaries, and with real power, which is something we can’t Three judges on the Oregon Supreme Court, faced negligible opposition in the general election afford to get complacent about. The judge you vote including Chief Justice Martha Walters, are up for from Independent and Libertarian candidates. for at the trial court level might end up deciding re-election in 2020. Four appellate court judges In 2020, Democratic Socialist Paige Kreisman is the leniency of your DUI sentence. That candidate are on the ballot. The mayor of Portland and mounting the first serious primary campaign for for school board might decide to move money three city commissioner seats are up for election, the seat in six years. Vigorous debate and vocal from the arts budget toward a program for STEM as is the Oregon secretary of state, who oversees disagreement are signs of a healthy democracy, tutoring. You will have no way of knowing unless elections in Oregon. The elected officials that hold and voters should have a real choice presented to you show up, listen to what the candidates have these offices exert an outsized influence on every them on the ballot. Whichever candidate you may to say, and vote for who you think is best. To do single Oregonian, whether on a local or statewide support, hopefully everyone will agree that no seat anything else is to give up your power as a citizen. level. Chances are, you may not have known most should be taken for granted. of them were on the ballot this year. In 2018, out of 77 total seats in play, only one Do you know who your state representative state Senate seat and three state House seats is? More importantly, do you know who’s switched parties; only one state senator lost a running for their seat? Many state and primary challenge, and there were no successful local elections are decided long before primary challenges at all in the House. Interparty Election Day in November, on primary day in competition in Oregon is remarkably inelastic. May. In some cases, like the Portland mayoral If a party controls a legislative seat, odds are election, if a candidate gets 50% or more of the they’ve held the same seat for decades. In a highly vote in the primary, they win outright and don’t progressive city like Portland where a Democrat have to run in November. has little fear of losing to a Republican, primary

10 OPINION The deadline to register to vote in the May 19 primary is Tuesday, April 28. The deadline to register for the November 3 general election is Tuesday, October 13. You can register online at the Oregon secretary of state’s website. You will need an Oregon driver’s license, driver’s permit, or ID card number issued by the Oregon DMV. If you’ve already registered to vote in Oregon but need to update your registration, you can do it easily from the same website. You can find ballot drop off sites in Multnomah County at the Multnomah County Elections Division website. As of 2019, you can drop your ballot inside the envelope it came with into any mailbox — if you are going to mail your ballot after the Wednesday before an election, the secretary of state’s website suggests that unless you drop it into an official drop box at an official drop box site it may not be counted. You can find your state senator and representative by going to the Oregon Legislative Assembly website and clicking “Find Who Represents You,” then clicking your district on the map. Voting as a student, especially if you don’t have in-state residency for tuition purposes, can seem complicated. Campus Vote Project has information for students looking to participate in the democratic process. Information includes residency requirements, deadlines to be able to vote in primary elections, and other frequent concerns of student voters— this guide can be found here: www.campusvoteproject.org/state-student-voting-guides. Additional information can be found at www.vote.gov.

THE PACIFIC SENTINEL 11 UnDeR THe ReD LiGHTS An Investigation of the Vegan Strip Club Casa Diablo, Punctuated by a Philosophical Digression

Article and Photographs by Van Vanderwall

Vixens, not veal. The ceiling of the main room is a peaked roof sales technique, she says, “I make them fall Sizzle, not steak. of dark wood. The walls nearer the entrance in love with me,” in contrast to some who We put the meat on the pole, display swords, manacles, and other metallic, practice the hard sell. Her Friday night shift not on the plate. medieval contrivances. Booths and tables by sometimes ends at 3 a.m., leaving her only four the wall ring a stage with a metal pole at either and a half hours until she begins her other job. -Johnny Zuklé end; there are always at least two performers Opal said that Casa Diablo, compared to other onstage. Some performers do routines as a duo, establishments in town, is “more R-rated.” A zaftig woman with blue hair and breasts sometimes with audience members. The bar is hanging over her bra sat on a low stool behind on the far side of the room, under a platform a podium, using a large phone covered in a with trophies and a drum set. A painting of a This isn’t your grandmother’s pink case with cat ears. She introduced herself caped demonic figure with red skin and horns fully nude club. as Harlo and recited the rules of the club: no hung above it all, visible from everywhere Opal left and “Virtual Insanity” by Jamiroquai photography without permission; if sitting at within the main room. came on. Toward the table came Casa Diablo’s the stage, tip the minimum during each song; Everything under the red lights appeared to proprietor, Johnny Diablo Žūklė (a Lithuanian no touching the girls, even if she touches you be that color. The paintings are predominantly surname pronounced “zoo-klay”). We went first. A poster stating these rules hung in front red. Such lighting illuminates the club in a way outside and stood under a gazebo on the porch. of the podium, next to a notice forbidding that still seems dark, as if we are underground Weathered paintings of succubi in various motorcycle club colors and insignia. in a photography darkroom. positions adorned the wooden walls encircling Harlo took me past a painting of a kneeling, Harlo showed me to a booth marked as the porch. red succubus into the club. Two women were reserved and then returned to the anteroom. Žūklė described his and business partner on opposite ends of the stage and a Nine Inch The performer sitting at the table introduced Carol Lee’s purchase of the Morrow Mansion Nails song—one from Pretty Hate Machine— herself as Opal*. She began working a few in Salem to operate as a bed and breakfast. was playing on the sound system. It was loud nights per week at Casa Diablo in September They planned to christen this inn Chateau and the compression made it sound as if it were on the recommendation of her friend, and Vegan, but a protracted legal battle over the materialized in stone. The lights, naked women now coworker, Tyler. She works as an office finer points of county licensing laws quashed on an elevated stage, loud music, and garbled manager at a small company by day. “I don’t this plan. This vegan venture, however, is only announcements over the speakers overwhelm really need the money and I’ve always worked his most recent. The saga of Žūklė the vegan the senses. multiple jobs,” she told me. Regarding her began decades ago.

12 OPINION Johnny Diablo Žūklė became vegan in 1985, christened Casa Diablo on February 1, 2008. inversion on the pole and slid down, resuming before knowing there was a word for it. (When “We were the first club in Portland to do girl- the kisses and caresses with her counterpart. he said, “Diablo is my middle name,” your on-girl, and the first vegan strip club in the The dancers rotated again as Michael faithful correspondent at first thought it was a universe as far as I know.” One sign outside Jackson’s “Billie Jean” came on. A performer joke, but a peek at an old driver’s license proved promised “Girls, Girls, Girls” and the other with long dark hair and translucent platform that Diablo is in fact his middle name) He told exhorted customers to “Bring Cash”—in those stiletto heels took the stage. Her only tattoos his mother and aunt that he would no longer early days, the venue lacked an ATM. The were a pair of birds on either side of her pubic eat or use animal products, and that he aspired novelty of a vegan strip club gained notoriety, area, diving downwards. After her routine, she to effect change in this way. “They said, ‘Don’t receiving attention from IFC, Wild Travels, collected the money on the stage in a blue pail, become a fanatic.’ Too late,” he laughed. and The Daily Beast. La Gaité Lyrique even the side of which read, “Whatever Happens.” Over the next few years he learned about came all the way from Paris, France. “We There were several such buckets; each dancer the history of veganism, a term coined in 1944 went from zero to hero in five years. It’s really used one to gather the bills at the end of her when Donald Watson founded the Vegan a pleasure and it’s been a good run.” Žūklė turn. Society in the United Kingdom. “By giving it said that longtime patrons drawn in by the “Ladies and gentlemen, make some noise,” a name,” says Žūklė, “he allowed it to grow. striptease eventually came around to trying the DJ announced between each set. He had Vegan is my favorite word; the other two are the food on offer; the vegan element, although the number “13” tattooed behind one ear and my daughter’s names.” He then showed a photo at the forefront of the online presence, is not a dinosaur tattoo behind the other. Between of his daughters, ages 8 and 9, on either side of explicitly stated in the menu. “It only took two songs, he made loud yet incomprehensible the VegFest 2019 sign. years to get you to try it,” Žūklė said. introductions on the microphone. Occasionally In 2001, Žūklė opened his first vegan Žūklė emphasized that converting people a performer’s name was decipherable: Peaches, restaurant, Vegan Terra, in the Rancho Palos to veganism is his primary aim. He exhorted Katniss, Scarlet, Fame, and so on. Verdes city of Los Angeles county. “I may have those new to veganism to download the The Bee Gees song “Stayin’ Alive” came on. been the first business with the word vegan in Happy Cow app to find vegan and vegan- An Asian woman with long pigtails, wearing the title,” Žūklė says of this venture. It turned friendly establishments. He also recommended nothing but white sneakers took the pole at the out to be an inopportune moment to start a reading the books How Not to Die and How forward stage. During the second verse (“I get business because Žūklė was “laying down tile Not to Diet. And don’t worry about achieving low and I get high / If I can’t get either, I really try… when 9/11 happened.” He kept the restaurant perfection: “There’s no perfect vegan; all you It’s all right, it’s ok / I’ll live to see another day”) open for a few years, although he says the can do is try for perfection,” he said. she climbed into the lap of a bespectacled man location was not ideal and neither the word Of the growing awareness of veganism as in a brown hoodie seated ringside; he removed “veganism” nor its definition were yet familiar well as the increasing number of vegans, Žūklė his glasses during her visit and replaced them to the general public. Žūklė told a story about spoke approvingly. “It’s happening. We can’t be when she arose. During the song’s bridge (“Life one customer’s praise for his falafel recipe at the stopped. Being vegan is one of the best things goin’ nowhere / Somebody help me / Somebody help time: “This is the second best falafel I’ve had. you can do for the planet. I hope in the future me, yeah.”), she again left the stage to sit in the The first is in my home country, Israel.” that everyone will be vegan and we’ll look back lap of a man clad entirely in black. Two young After deciding to close the LA restaurant, and wonder how we could have been eating women in midriff-baring tube tops sat next to Žūklė scoured real estate listings in every animals.” He sees Casa Diablo as his part of him. They laughed and frequently looked at region in the country, seeking an ideal location the great vegan endeavor. “I don’t fish for the each other while shifting about in their seats. for a second vegan business. He nearly settled bodies of animals, I fish for the souls of men,” The song alternated between the exhortations on purchasing an old, shuttered schoolhouse Žūklė says, echoing the words of Christ in to stay alive and calls for help as it faded out: in Sugar Notch, Pennsylvania to remodel as a Matthew 4:19 and punning on his surname, “Life goin’ nowhere. Somebody help me. Somebody vegan bed and breakfast, but chose the other which means “to fish” in Lithuanian. “We’re help me, yeah. I’m stayin’ alive…” location under consideration, the house at 2839 saving animals one bite at a time.” NW St. Helens Road in Portland, Oregon. We then reentered the club. Alien Ant Thus the Vegan Terra tale ended and Žūklė Farm’s “Smooth Criminal” played while a What is the appeal of strip clubs? What moved north to begin anew in the Rose City. woman with long black hair and tattoos on makes the business of looking at naked Before this hillside house was a strip club the backs of her thighs did an inverted spin on women so profitable? with a diabolical name, Žūklė’s initial business the pole. After descending, she made her way Pornography is widely available; anyone with in this location, before Casa Diablo, was a to the edge of the stage and straightened her an internet connection can quickly and easily pirate-themed restaurant and bar called Pirates legs, raising the stiletto heels with blocky toe- find sexually arousing images. With such Tavern, which first opened on September 19, boxes into the air; she rotated her legs and her convenient options near at hand (so to speak), 2006 (International Talk Like a Pirate Day). thighs jiggled. The men and women sitting at people nonetheless choose to go to strip clubs. Business was slow; of the small number of the rack threw money on the stage. “What a Therefore, visually oriented sexual desire alone people coming in each day (most of whom great place,” Žūklė said to me. fails to adequately explain the appeal of strip were truckers and construction workers from A different song came on and the performers clubs. Other psychological drives are at work. the surrounding industrial area), a few people rotated. There were two duos, one at each What, other than sexual desire, draws would look at the menu and leave when they pole. At the pole closer to the club’s entrance, people to spend large amounts of money to saw there was no meat. “What a bunch of one woman was nude, but the other retained sit close to women as they get naked to the pussies,” Žūklė says of those who seemed revealing top and bottom underwear pieces. accompaniment of loud recorded music? averse to meatless food. 2006 passed into 2007, They kissed and the partially clothed woman Consider, in a broad way, the aesthetics of and the fortunes of Pirates Tavern, like those put her head between the other’s legs. People Western art from antiquity to the present. of restaurants everywhere, “started dropping.” sitting around the stage hooted and cheered. Female nudes, often presented as Venus or Amidst the uncertainty of the recession At the aft section of the stage, a bearded man Aphrodite, have been a common subject. and the prospect of shuttering another in gleaming white sneakers leaned on all fours, Whereas the male nude often represents virility entrepreneurial venture, Casa Diablo was putting his face between the legs of a woman and heroic strength, the female nude evokes born. “It was a last ditch effort,” Žūklė said. He supine on the stage. Another woman sat on his the sublime and the beautiful. The needs of thought that strippers would lure in the nearby back and spanked him. the unconscious psyche cannot be rendered truckers who were otherwise reluctant to go “What are you doing—a scientific rationally, and thus we find ourselves drawn to to a vegan establishment for the food alone. experiment?” a man next to me asked, performances (such as stripping) as an attempt After visiting many of the other strip clubs in indicating my notebook. “Are you enjoying to encounter the sublime. the area, taking note of what he considered the your research?” One of the women at the The attraction for strip clubs, then, may be best aspects of each, Žūklė opened the newly forward section of the stage performed an that people are seeking visions of the sublime in

THE PACIFIC SENTINEL 13 come entirely from tips while onstage and additional services such as private dances. Clubs do not pay performers a wage. The legal classification of performers and their earnings has been contentious at Casa Diablo. Five years ago, Matilda Bickers and Amy Pitts, two former Casa Diablo performers, sued the club, alleging that the club financially penalized performers for infractions (such as tardy arrival and failure to disrobe quickly enough onstage), mandated kickbacks for bouncers, DJs, and management, fostered an environment of pervasive harassment, and failed to pay a minimum wage. Žūklė, according to Willamette Week, characterized the suit as “frivolous and ridiculous,” arguing that performers are “independent contractors in charge of their own business” and that the club is not required to guarantee a minimum wage. This dispute over whether performers ought to be classified as contractors or employees continues. Willamette Week reported in March of last year that Bickers and Elle Stanger, a former performer at Lucky Devil, presented the way they best know how. In the electronic a seated, stageside woman. The seated woman opposing cases to the Oregon State Legislature age, when images and video of anything wore a black skirt and a white sweater that fit as part of hearings on bills to reform strip club imaginable are readily available, there must snugly against her large breasts. A lady sitting law in Portland. Bickers advocated for the state be something about seeing the nude women in at our table told Johnny that she wanted to see to classify performers as employees, which the flesh that addresses a desire that simulacra the sweatered woman remove said piece of would guarantee wages and, she believes, cannot. clothing. He beckoned her over to the table and improve working conditions. Stanger claimed The nude female form exerts power. In Mark suggested that she get on stage. “I’m a welder, that the current independent contractor status 6 and Matthew 14, the daughter of Herodias not a stripper,” she averred, before going on allows performers greater earning potential (traditionally identified as Salome) dances to say that she feels fat and out of shape after and freedom to determine their schedules and before Herod on his birthday, and he is pleased. the winter holidays. Johnny Diablo Žūklė and their selection of clients for private dances, and He promises to give her whatever she wants; the woman’s male companion insisted. She is thus preferable to the proposed change to she asks for the head of John the Baptist on a acquiesced and went off to prepare. On stage, a employee status. The report characterized the platter. It would be a mistake to read the story performer near the top of one of the poles was proposed bill as “dead,” but with many ongoing as historically accurate, but it does encode in balled up around it in a fetal position, spinning efforts either supporting or opposing strip club narrative the desire, danger, and power at play and gradually descending. reform, the issue remains unresolved. when a nude woman dances. When the next song began, the welder with Working as a contractor does not bring To turn to our own day, some critics claim the ample bosom joined two Casa Diablo many, if any, of the protections most that strip clubs objectify women and reinforce performers on the forestage. “The devil made professions assume is their due, such as unions, male domination and there is some truth to her do it,” Žūklė said to our table. Onstage, she guaranteed breaks, safe working conditions, this. And yet in my visit, the women’s nudity leaned against the pole as one performer on her or even the certainty that the stipulated controlled and directed the dynamic within knees removed the skirt and the other struggled compensation will be paid without employing the club; men are passive spectators whose to remove the sweater. “Pull those titties out,” the arts of persuasion. And yet despite such presence is tolerated only so long as they someone nearby said. The sweater came off, travails, working as a contractor is, first and can provide compensation for it. There is, revealing sets of elaborate tattoos covering foremost, working for oneself, and therefore therefore, a subtler power dynamic in which nearly all her dermal real estate. Her male a greater form of freedom than being a clock- proximity to female nudity (anticipated and companion and Johnny exchanged a fist bump. puncher of any kind. Contract work allows for current) is the dominant force. Part of what Her breasts seemed remarkably unaffected greater earnings—through chance, industry, seems to be for sale is not only the permission by gravity, as if conjured by the imagination. or cleverness—and rewards greater skill; to view nude women, but the illusion of interest “She’s a natural—but is she really?” Žūklė for instance, a musician who can play from and intimacy, which itself must be provided asked with a grin. memory the dozen or so pieces most frequently while negotiating the sale of private dances The DJ continued to make thundering yet requested at weddings will do better than one and other additional services; it requires skill incomprehensible announcements. Performers who does not know this material very well. and a shrewd sense of psychology to conduct rotated at the end of each song. “Kickstart My Factors other than competence influence the business in little or no clothing and shoes Heart” played. “Hash Pipe” played. Performers contractor earnings, but the point is that such that would make a podiatrist wince, all while and songs came and went every few minutes. things can increase earnings, whereas wage affecting an invented, seemingly genuine With anywhere from 35 to 60 women scheduled work tends to reward one’s ability to seem busy persona. to perform on Friday and Saturday nights, the for the span of a shift. roster seems bottomless. Performers may have Furthermore, wage work, despite the only two sets onstage on such a night, and thus assumption of its great security and therefore The song changed and two performers rotated the sale and performance of private dances its status as the contemporary labor norm, to the forward stage. One flipped into an occupies these lengthy periods of waiting. allows for greater exploitation of said labor. To inversion on the pole; her counterpart straddled Protocol at most clubs classifies the performers draw on my own experience as a musician, I a man’s face and then put her chest in the face of as independent contractors whose earnings remember a particular gig for which we were

14 OPINION employees on an hourly wage rather than a per- likely to be audited or otherwise financially platform is a relic from the club’s early days service fee; our pay was about a quarter of what penalized. of hosting live music. He said that the other this organization had formerly paid for the Unless a more thorough set of reforms were location—Casa Diablo II: Dusk Til Dawn— same work when it was classified as contracted implemented than simply adjusting the legal will soon have live music on a regular basis. and we still had none of the protections, like classification of strippers, the contractor status “Thanks for being vegan, brother,” Johnny being able to call in sick, that such a change seems best for now. Such an infrastructure Diablo Žūklė said to me as I departed. In the ought to have brought. Compared to contract would likely resemble the manner in which anteroom Harlo continued to recite the rules to work, it was worse for the band and much more SAG-AFTRA and AEA protect the welfare and take the $8 cover charge from newly arrived profitable for our erstwhile employer. of film and musical theatre actors respectively. customers. Just outside the club entrance, a I think employee classification for strippers Without such a comprehensive restructuring man sat cross-legged on the pavement, with would produce comparable results: less of the law and labor-management relations, his phone and wallet beside him. It was after flexibility in scheduling; fewer opportunities uncoordinated piecemeal changes will midnight and raining. He was hunched over for increasing earnings; lower overall earnings adversely affect labor. with the hood hiding his face. The parking lot paired with increased taxes; no real workplace Žūklė escorted me to the aft part of the was full, yet cars continued to pull in. Towering protections; and more opportunities for club, near the queue of customers at the bar above the road and the club, the sign’s two employers to set and enforce vindictive rules and a third stage, on which a tall, dark-haired female silhouettes and text promised “NUDE (such as requirements to work without clocking woman with extensive tattooing seemed to be DANCERS.” in). In addition, tighter workplace regulations warming up for a routine on the main stage. for strip clubs would entail regular inspections He estimated that over the twelve years Casa by the relevant city, county, and state bureaus, Diablo has been in business, about 5000 and thus a profusion of paperwork—statements women have worked there as dancers. Of the of income, certifications, licenses, and so on. bartenders, kitchen staff, and other employees, Increased regulation would also mean that most have been with the business for five to strippers, some of whom are reportedly making ten years. “We have very low turnover,” Žūklė hundreds of thousands of dollars per year, said. He permitted a photograph of the Žūklė- would find their reported earnings under closer as-devil portrait hanging above the bar and scrutiny, and therefore find themselves more explained that the drumset on the elevated

Illustrations by Greer Siegal

THE PACIFIC SENTINEL 15 Homeschool Pride Think twice about continuing through high school. One kid in your judgements the family can be homeschooled while another goes to a traditional school. It all depends what on homeschooling works best for each family. Parents can choose from a variety of homeschool curricula, or by Claire Golden they can enroll their kids in online school if Illustrations by Ciaran Dillon they don’t want to do the teaching themselves. Because I speak French, people assume that When I’m getting to know somebody new, my parents are French, but they don’t speak a there’s one question that I always dread: word of the language—I took classes from The “Where did you go to school?” It’s not Potter’s School, an online program. People can because I’m ashamed of my answer; no, I’m homeschool even if they don’t want to teach proud to say I was homeschooled. What their kids; they just need to find the right gives me apprehension is the other person’s resources. response. Some people say, “Oh, that’s cool!” What makes a parent choose to homeschool and continue on with the conversation, others their child, then? For my parents, it was a are intrigued and want to know more. But then combination of reasons, most importantly there are those that will take on a judgemental being the fact that I had severe anxiety and tone and ask, “Why?” They make their opinion was in tears almost every day from the stress known that homeschooling is for weirdos who of going to public school. Being away from don’t have any friends...and they say it right home all day was difficult for a kid as tightly to my face. wound as I was. Another contributing factor Homeschooling isn’t rare: A 2013 report from was that my elementary school had too many the U.S. Department of Education showed that kids for one teacher, and as a result, none of organizations called co-ops where groups 3.4% of school-age children are homeschooled. us got very much attention. Being a quiet, of homeschoolers come together for offered So why are people so weirded out by it? I think well-behaved kid, I went virtually unnoticed. I classes. This provides an opportunity to it’s because they don’t understand it; the easiest was ahead of my grade in some subjects, like socialize and learn in a classroom setting. reaction is to laugh at it. reading and writing, but I couldn’t work ahead The classes usually meet once a week. The concept is simple: Homeschooling is because everybody had to go at the same pace. Portland has a renowned co-op called getting an education at home. This is typically Instead of learning further, I spent a lot of time Village Home that attracts people from as done in the preschool–twelfth grade years. sitting around bored. My teacher wouldn’t let far as Washington, where “learners choose Some kids are homeschooled through eighth me read a book or work on my homework classes and enjoy learning without testing grade and then go to traditional high school, while I waited, and I was frustrated at the or grading.” while others are homeschooled the whole way wasted time. Finally, a detrimental aspect of Being homeschooled means that age and through. I started homeschooling in sixth grade, public school were the standardized tests we school grade don’t mean much to us. Some took each year, each one requiring several of my best friends are younger or older than weeks of preparation—the phrase “teaching to me. Growing up, my best friend was my the test” sums this process up well. My mom younger sister. Despite our six-year age gap, chose to homeschool me because she wanted we spent every waking hour together, playing me to be able to learn at my own pace in a with dolls and writing stories. I had friends calm environment. 74% of parents choose to my own age, but none quite like my sister. homeschool for the same reason that my mom The idea that a person should only hang out did—because they aren’t satisfied with the with people their own age has always struck education their child is receiving in traditional me as limiting. Just because someone’s older school. doesn’t mean they’re smarter. My sister is a A common belief is that homeschoolers are geography and history nerd who delights in religious. This is the case for some people, but sharing cool facts, so I’ve learned a lot from not for everybody. The U.S. Department of her. Being friends with my younger sister Education reports that, as of 2013, about 77% meant I could embrace my inner child without of parents choose to homeschool because of worrying what other people would think. I “a desire to provide moral instruction,” which wasn’t pressured into giving up my stuffed most often translates to religious beliefs. Not all animals or dolls; I could just do what made homeschoolers are devoutly religious, though. me happy. As for socialization...it’s true that Just like among traditionally schooled kids, I was lonely sometimes, but I was also lonely they range from staunchly atheist to devoutly when I went to public school. Making friends Catholic. You can’t predict someone’s religion is hard for everyone, not just homeschoolers. by knowing their education. The best part of homeschooling for me was Another assumption that lots of people make being able to learn at my own pace. Have is that homeschoolers are sheltered because you ever started working on something and they don’t get enough socialization. Again, gotten immersed in it, but were forced to it depends on the homeschooler. There are switch to another activity? Homeschooling

16 OPINION means you can just keep going without being on my own. I got an A in that class, with my have their children around all the time. Some required to spend exactly 50 minutes on each professor saying that my essay made her take parents don’t provide a good education for their subject. Some days I just worked on French, homeschooling more seriously. This experience children, leaving them at a disadvantage when and other days I did an equal mix of subjects. actually helped me find my passion for writing. it comes time to enter the working world. There Homeschool also takes into account that some The negative attitude toward homeschooling are bad reasons to choose homeschool, just like subjects are harder for some people than for didn’t stop with that incident, though. It’s there are bad reasons to send your kid to public others. For instance, math is my weak point everywhere, from the comments people make school. “I couldn’t stand to be around my family while languages come easily to me; so I had to how homeschoolers are portrayed in the that much!” is a common response I hear, and to spend about twice as much time on math media. Ignorance is understandable; people that’s valid! Regardless, homeschooling should as I did on everything else. That doesn’t work don’t know what homeschooling is really like, always be an option for families who wish to in a traditional school setting when everyone so they’re bound to misunderstand. I’ve gotten choose it. has to work at the same pace, but the flexibility all sorts of questions: “Can you go to school Honestly, telling people I was homeschooled of homeschool is helpful. It also meant I had in your pajamas?” “Does that mean you don’t can be scary. There’s a time and a place for more time to devote to my interests because I have any friends?” “So that means you never critiquing the education system, and when wasn’t stuck in a classroom for eight hours a talk to people?” The answers to those questions, I’m having an ordinary conversation, I don’t day. Homeschooling is the reason I was able respectively, are: “If I feel like it,” “Yes, I have want to have to justify myself to someone to start French in sixth grade, so by the time I friends,” and “I’m here talking to you, aren’t I?” else. In Portland, a city that considers itself graduated, I was nearly fluent. It’s great for kids Don’t get me wrong: it’s good to ask questions radical and accepting, why can’t we extend that who do activities that take a lot of time, like and I love telling people about homeschooling. acceptance to homeschooling? For many of us, intensive sports. In addition, homeschooling However, some of the questions people ask are homeschooling is a mindset. It means that can be a good choice for those with learning downright insensitive. If you ask a question everywhere is a classroom and everything is a disabilities who aren’t comfortable in a because you genuinely want to learn, that’s learning experience. Being a homeschooler is classroom because the environment can be wonderful. But if you ask a question with your part of my identity. I want people to understand configured to make it right for their needs. mind already made up, that’s not a recipe for a that homeschoolers are just like everybody else; I’ve encountered a startling amount of anti- productive conversation. we just learn a little bit differently. Difference homeschool bias in my college experience. In Like everything, homeschooling isn’t perfect, isn’t a threat. It’s what makes the world more my very first college class, Intro to College and it’s not for everybody. It offers ample beautiful. Writing, we had to present an essay topic opportunities for abuse because parents can to the class. My essay was about homeschooling. In front of the whole class, my professor made her opinion known that she thought it was an inferior form of education. “I’m not going to decide to be my child’s dentist,” she proclaimed. “Why would I try to be my child’s teacher?” All I wanted was her feedback on my thesis statement, not a debate about the validity of my education, but I did my best to present my side of the story. However, she wouldn’t back down, seeming to take my defense of homeschooling as a personal affront. I finally told her that I was a senior in high school, starting college classes early while I finished up my high school diploma. “If I’m too immature for college, I’m sure my grade will reflect that,” I finally said. “But I’ve been getting along just fine in this class, and I’m glad I was homeschooled.” Homeschooling actually prepared me well for college because I knew how to manage my time and study

THE PACIFIC SENTINEL 17 The Utopia of

The cute, popular game series prioritizes relationships over monetary agendas

18 OPINION by McKinzie Smith Illustrations by Bailey Granquist

Animal Crossing is the perfect video game for the series have been released, more live side by side in harmony, our troubling times. possibilities have been opened up. and life revolves around I’ve been playing Animal Crossing since I was In Animal Crossing: City Folk, an relationships as opposed to four years old. Taking a look at my purple adjacent shopping center was added, capital. GameCube controller can potentially attest for and in Animal Crossing: New Leaf, you Perhaps this is the real draw the amount of time I spent in my virtual village; could become your village’s mayor and of the game to Millennial the plastic is scratched in multiple places, the decorate the village. Increasingly, new and Gen Z-aged adults. The hand grips eternally sticky from years of being versions have allowed for overall break from reality used alongside McDonald’s sweet and sour further customization of both your it presents is so sauce. Some of my earliest memories involve avatar and village. On March 20, ideal, so rooted in me sitting on the floor of my living room, a new installment will be released basic human needs. or in the living room of a confused family that lets the player customize more A study last year determined member, blissfully talking to cartoon animals of their village, home, and avatar that Gen Z is the loneliest of all and running errands for them. The music of than ever before (and with a fun new current generations. Interacting with the game, a mix between childlike free jazz and tropical island setting!). friendly animals in a near-flawlessly lo-fi hip hop beats to study/relax to, feels both It may sound like there’s no point to written game in which characters nostalgic and timeless. To this day, I continue a game with no end goal, but that’s the seldom repeat phrases and have to visit my Animal Crossing villages whenever I beauty of it. Other games have a tendency to unique personalities can feel feel bored or lonely. The game is one of the few stress me out more than I already am. Most almost like real social interaction. things from my childhood that has transcended games place high priority on combat, be it You certainly shouldn’t replace age and time. Skyrim, Overwatch, or even Pokémon. Losing real human interaction with Animal For those who have never played it, Animal a battle in those games can be a huge hassle, Crossing villagers, but I understand the Crossing is a “communication” game. Developed not to mention a loss of mental energy. I’ve desire to play a game so connected to the idea by Nintendo in 2001 and released in the U.S. never once gotten heated while playing Animal of friendly society when our current, real society in 2002, it has no real goal or plot. The player Crossing. Anger is counterintuitive to the game’s doesn’t value face-to-face conversation. is given a randomized human avatar, a box-like design. From the music to the personalities of Likewise, Gen Z’ers often cite climate change house, and a cutesy, rural village filled with little the characters to the slow game-play, it’s a better as their greatest fear. Those in power continue to animal characters to interact with. Though you form of stress relief than any other game can offer. prove they don’t care about our planet, ignoring can pay off your house, there’s no deadline on In fact, its overall “stop and smell the roses” motto the youth’s cries for help. Animal Crossing values when you get it done. Some players are content encourages taking it easy; a powerful sentiment the idea of nature and being at one with the to wander around, collecting bugs and dinosaur in a society controlled by an unhealthy capitalist world around you. Technology in the game is fossils; still others run as many errands for the work-first mindset. minimal, going about as far as a TV set or laptop animal villagers as possible to make thousands of Speaking of capitalism, the version of the in the home. There are no factories, only the “Bells” (in-game currency), pay off their house, world presented in Animal Crossing provides occasional bus. The villagers mostly rely on their expand it, and decorate their dream home. You a wonderful break from the disaster that is the feet to get around. Most importantly, there are can make friends or enemies depending on your American economic system. As I mentioned in-game rewards for treating your village with actions. Much like real-life, what happens in the before, the game doesn’t penalize you for debt. kindness. Planting flowers and trees improve game is up to you. As further installations in Tom Nook, your boss and landlord, won’t come the moods of the villagers and prevent weeds repo your items for being slow from sprouting up. One of the core ideas of the on payments, nor do you accrue game is to make the world better than you left interest. In fact, Nook’s not it; something the current leaders of this country a bad guy at all; in the Happy don’t value. Home Designer version of I’d argue that the importance this game has the game, he admits to had in many of our childhoods has instilled in us donating “over 90 percent a sense of responsibility for nature, our neighbors, of [his] earned Bells to an and ourselves. If you haven’t played it, I’d orphanage three towns over.” definitely recommend checking the new version Neighbors pay or promise out on the Nintendo Switch when it comes out gifts to one another to do later this month. Especially heading toward small tasks, creating a small another election cycle, the world around us can traditional economic system be stressful and frightening. Don’t bury your removed from the pressures head in the sand, but there’s no pressure to think of modern life. Though about it 100% of the time either. Take some time being wealthy can get you a out and chill with your animal friends for a while. large, lavishly decorated It might help you de-stress or, at the very least, house, there is no minimum you can take out your aggression on the weeds wage required to survive. in your town. Inadvertently, Nintendo created a utopia in Animal Crossing; a world in which money is optional, humans and animals

THE PACIFIC SENTINEL 19 Not Too Cold to Canvas for Bernie Heated politics in Iowa’s frozen landscape (Above) Traveling members of Portland Democratic Socialists of America gather at the Ankeny, Iowa field office before a day of canvassing. Article and photographs by Wallace Milner

The temperature was something nearing zero if I had done enough to help people, I packed this February, I recognized this pull as nearly in Iowa. There was little snow, but what had a suitcase and my warmest coat and boarded a identical to the ones in many other places— landed wouldn’t melt or disappear, liquifying plane bound for Des Moines. speaking to voters in person in West Linn, so slightly over sunny mornings and freezing Tigard, Seattle, Portland, and Lake Oswego, again in the colder night, harder and more or over the phone as far away as Michigan, intractably placed than it had been before. The Anyone can feel it, right? The explosive tension? Hawaii, or England, was similar to what I bitter wind kept the streets empty and as the When you turn on the news or talk about found in Iowa. most important election at the end of America politics, that inexorable sense that something This yearning for liberatory destruction is approached, no one wanted to speak. somewhere is going to have to give way very simultaneously obvious and irrational. For that The only people walking the ice crusted soon? reason, the political establishment and pundit sidewalks were the fanatical cohort of I am entranced by the viscerality of political classes have struggled to accurately identify the volunteers whipping the working class of the obliteration. I doubt I’m alone in this. It seems source of this ferocious anger. state into a frenzy for a socialist candidate. I was the advocacy of totalizing destruction has Here, I hope, through example, I might one of them, traveling over a thousand miles taken on a new birth of life in the early years of be able to organize something approaching in service of the cause, though admittedly one this American century. There is an incredible a coherent analysis of the global phenomena I found myself less invested in than my rabid allure to the language or thought of a violent of polarization, and express the material and fellow travelers. and total deconstruction. Demolition as a form historical base for the radical rejection of the There are a few alternatives for building a of dissolution. status quo. mass movement of the disenfranchised, and if The drive to obliterate is the raw emotional nothing else, Senator Sanders seems ceaselessly pull at the heart of the populist surge in dedicated to his brand of economic justice. So, American politics. Talking to voters in Iowa, I’ve always preferred canvassing apartment lest I face the unbearable weight of wondering where I went to canvass for Bernie Sanders complexes. Part of this is rank partisanship: I

20 OPINION am a hard-left ideologue and I find something stayed steady through an otherwise irregular that the two parties come together along about the experience of living in an apartment and unpredictable primary. conservative lines. This coming together results creates a natural proclivity towards the Unlike Sanders’s wide popularity with in a compromise that further entrenches the socialism I advocate for. Some of it is blind self- younger voters, this couple represents a much U.S. in a system that supports the maintenance interest: Apartments are warmer and further more immovable base of support. Committed and encouragement of relentlessly competitive out of the rain, the doors are close together and and proudly radical, they are the real socialist and deregulated capitalism. In a system that easier to reach. base, like the kind that once existed in Italy or endlessly pursues profit, the natural condition On this, the second of my door-knocking France in the post-war years. They are a new is the degradation of the working class. Profits days, I had been sent to a complex of sorts. equation to the American electorate. Small are raised and those profits are invested to The buildings were identical rectangular brick in number, but genuine and here to stay, they achieve greater profits and those profits are blocks of two floors, one buried partially under will outlast Sanders and will likely continue to achieved by lowering wages and raising prices. the ground. I pulled my scarf over my chapped represent a thorn in the side of the Democratic As we have seen in the past twelve years, lips and shuffled through the doors. establishment for decades to come. an economic crisis coupled with increasing The vast majority of people ignore you when These are voters who have experienced and inequality and declining standards of living you’re holding a clipboard. Nothing good ever reacted to economic decay in exactly the way and life expectancy result in loss of faith in the comes from people with clipboards. They either left-wing theory might have predicted. They system. If these voters are the kernel of some want to sell you something you don’t want or have seen capitalism collapse and concluded leftist resurgence, they are an ill-equipped and charge you some price you can’t pay. that socialism is the answer. Their wages are uninspiring revolutionary army. As it happened, the first person here didn’t stagnant, their living conditions are worsening; Sanders’ base of genuinely committed ignore me. they support reform for their material interests. supporters is optimistically a few million, and They were hardline Bernie Sanders If the trend of the 2010s was toward the actual activist socialist base surely tops out supporters. Hidden in the back corner of the desecration of political norms and traditions, at less than 100,000. The socialist movement is building, they had a yard sign triumphantly eventually evolving into a call for their one aspect of the emerging American political taped to their door and a plan to walk out in obliteration, then the Sanders working structure. Where they will go and whether protest if Sanders did not meet the caucus class base is easily understood. They see the they will have lasting impact depends greatly threshold. A woman and her husband in their system taking away their rights, jobs, health, on the actions of the rest of the country and, sixties, they were the irrepressible core of the and healthcare and conclude with a desire to most importantly, the rest of the working class. American socialist movement. Sanders has destroy it. lost significant support from his 2016 run, but Democratic politicians have largely met this immovable block of 15% of the party has this anger with bafflement and the insistence I stumbled out into the bracing cold, having

Volunteers used their homes as bases for campaign operations, such as this one, outside of Des Moines, Iowa.

THE PACIFIC SENTINEL 21 Illustration by Josh Gates of time, I am familiar with this type of voter more broadly. They are shy, poor Trump supporters. I’ve met many of them knocking doors. They are very polite and don’t like to talk about politics. They will never insult you or aggressively disagree with you. When you leave, they will say something nice. There is no sense in simplifying or in trying to justify this sort of voter’s thinking. They are probably not particularly evil people, but they will gladly support policies that will hurt many thousands of people. These are not foolish people. Not any more than any other voter. They aren’t criminals, they certainly aren’t whatever illusions of backwards country rednecks liberals like to imagine. Some of them are incredibly rich. Many more are petit-bourgeois small-business owners. Many are in “respectable” society. Most are just beneath it, in the American middle class, where illusions of self-sufficiency have festered and grown into a distrust of supposed freeloaders. They are bitter and resentful of a liberal upper class they perceive as snide and smug, hateful of the constant pressure of a supposed “political correctness” they are never asked to adhere to, and frothing with rage at a system that has offered them relative privilege. The logic of liberal capitalism tells us we live in a meritocracy. The best rise to the top and if you aren’t at the top, there is something wrong with you. For the vast swathes of Americans who see their standard of living sliding backward, there is a horrible guilt and shame. The right does away with that. It offers a sense of identity and an enemy to blame, a pride to feel and a victory to have. The classic socialist argument is that these been ignored by two other residents. The thing was very kind and looked down at the floor lower income voters who have been swayed about cold, I’ve gathered, is that it operates as as he beat around the answer. “It’s okay if by Trump can be won back by the promise a much more solid thing below a certain point. you don’t support him right now, I’m always of economic equality. By shifting blame from I’ve lived all my life in Oregon, never touched happy to answer questions about policy or…,” immigrants to bankers and CEOs, the working a set of skis or a snowboard. I don’t go up the I offered. He looked up. class can by won over more fully. Combined mountains or on winter trips north. Before I with an upsurge in turnout from the disaffected went to Iowa, I’d never been in weather below “Nah, I’m all in for Trump.” and young, a winning coalition can be built. 20 degrees. The day before I left, I lost my I have my doubts. Low American voter scarf. It was supplanted by one I had bought I paused for a moment, taken aback. I try turnout rates are quite static and partisanship at a Portland Timbers game and hung on the to impose the rationality of theories on an similarly inelastic. But it seems to me the only wall. It was now the only thing giving feeling electorate that has no such desire. The voters real chance we have. to my face. I had been sent to canvass were selected I sometimes wonder though, for the voters The doors in this apartment complex didn’t specifically because they were likely to vote who are with Trump all the way, what is the close properly. They hung open and some of the for Sanders. In this case, the man had been end goal? heat escaped. After a few doors you get used included because in 2016, he had voted for In a country where faith with government to the cold. Your body tenses up, like before him in the Democratic caucus. In my moment seems irreparably destroyed, a transformation jumping into a lake. You put on your hat and of stumbling through my surprise, I muttered of society seems inevitable. But what would pull your scarf tighter and try to shrink down “that’s okay,” and the man wished me well as he that be, really? What is Trumpism? Empty as best you can. closed the door. promises of anti-corruption and vague, Outside in the courtyard, there was a I wished that I had done my job and followed spasmodic bursts of nationalism? It seems shopping cart. It was frozen over with a blanket the script. I would have loved to ask him unlikely to offer a long-term abatement. No, and an empty box of Fanta in it. Two things I questions on why he had been drawn to the the material conditions of Americans will not learned about Iowa, there’s more soda and less right. What had tempted him from his early be altered unless the basic form of American places to recycle cans than in Oregon. support for Sanders? In my arrogance, I was industry and economics is. And if the country The next sets of apartments I hit were mostly unprepared for the idea that someone might doesn’t come into the hands of workers or some empty. If people were home, the occupant I was one day consider democratic socialism and the violent corporatist regime, the present pattern looking for had moved, or the answers were next economic nationalism. will continue. curt and noncommittal. Perhaps five sets of American voters do not operate along a The crisis of capitalism must somehow apartments passed before my next answer. careful left-right axis as we might like to think. be resolved. As inequality persists and the I asked as always if they had considered They bounce around seemingly at random. pressure on the middle class increases, the supporting Bernie Sanders in the upcoming They prioritize unusual things. They love and divide between the top and the bottom will caucus. He was a blonde man, in his late forties, hate unexpected people. turn into a chasm. Climate change will bring with sad sunken eyes and a scraggly beard. He Though I didn’t talk to him for any length surges of refugees and economic catastrophe.

22 OPINION Perhaps the pressure will force us to rebuild, One year their apartment flooded. The The experience of the American worker is to create stronger communities of mutual landlord said to get everyone onto the bed and no longer one of desperate unrewarded toil, aid and solidarity. Perhaps it will advance wait for a day. They lost $500 worth of cards for nor is it that lie of dream and reward. It is consciousness and humanity and drive us to the game they played, which seemed to be the instead nauseated unfulfillment coupled with form a more equal nation. But it seems equally biggest part of their lives. a crippling powerlessness. Far from creating likely to do the reverse. The man’s parents were well off. He said class consciousness, this suffering alienation I stepped outside and saw a man shivering they didn’t understand the system wasn’t serves at once to overwhelm and undermine all as he tried to start his car. The mirror was held working for people. He liked Bernie but was social movements. There is an increasing sense on with tape. too clever to sway easily. The woman wasn’t as that social cohesiveness itself is dissolving. familiar with current events. I probably could I’m unsure if voting is powerful enough. For have convinced her to vote for Sanders on her change to happen the vast and suffering mass I’ve loved cats since I was a young boy, always own. She just wanted disability protected. must be compelled on their own terms to take more than the cats loved me. They mean more Those are the sort of people I most like to talk action. To call into question the systems they to me than almost anything and I’ve been to. They have a problem because of inequality. prop up. To end the tyranny of rent, rent must around them my whole life. You can empower them by calling on them not be paid. To improve the lives of workers, One of my greatest fears canvassing is that to join the fight against the system that hurts power must be taken into the hands of the I will accidentally let someone’s cat out when them. producing class. they talk to me. It’s an irrational worry, it just The man said when the sewage gets clogged, There is the vaguest of outlines of some nags at the back of my mind. the landlord won’t fix it. Sometimes it floods real and dramatic change in this country. It’s So when a family at the next apartment I the house. The heat doesn’t work and they all scarcely perceptible but it illustrates itself in arrived at asked me to step inside so they could sit around in blankets. the fissures appearing in the structures of talk without their cat leaving, I didn’t consider The man said in 2016 he went to the caucuses liberal hierarchy. People are hurting. They are rejecting it at all. This happens sometimes, that and gave a speech. Someone complimented hurting, they are terrified, and they are unsure people will invite you in. We’re warned not to him on it. He was very proud. I don’t blame of how the future might develop. accept invitations, but I always forget. Besides, him. I would be too. There is no confusion of Trump’s victory I’d rather go through life trusting people if I For these millions of Americans living at here. This family understands it on a level could. the edge of exploitation, there is a new kind of imperceptible to someone like me. They try Inside this house was a family that hated suffering. They are not obliterated by the process to explain. He convinced people to blame “illegal” immigrants and Elizabeth Warren. of creating excess profit, they are controlled by immigrants. These were two of the first things they told it. Like a parasite, working its way into the I understand on some surface level. But the me, and they did their best to sell it in the psyche of the American the all encompassing people living in these worsening conditions careful and inoffensive language of American drive of material production and warping how really understand it. They understand how liberalism. This anxiety, I’ve often found, is as we engage with and see the world. repulsively emasculating it is to have to beg in revealing as anything that’s said at all. These people are not the suffering factory order to stay in your home. How this shame These people were the sort of half-engaged men of Sinclair or the starving farmers of drives voters to rage. voter I often find, with a predisposition towards Steinbeck. They are the victims of an economic They see the breakdown of things. It dawns Sanders’s honesty but a fear of his radicalism. machination they can’t see, couldn’t possibly on me. For them it’s not a demolition they I did my best to convince them to support be expected to see. They are tortured by a want. To them, this whole economic structure Bernie by talking about how much they hate vast process of economic development that is coming down on its own. their landlord. The regular crass class war encompasses every aspect of their lives. They Before I leave the man tells me the walls offerings you hear condemned in the pages of are stripped of their dignity and humanity, are filled with cockroaches. I try not to look the Washington Post. I am from a liberal and useful only so far as they provide for that awful awkward. I am afraid of bugs. It shows. upper-crust background, and I feel queasy and system that exploits them and offers them “You probably don’t want to lean against the hypocritical saying these lines, even if I believe nothing. wall.” them. The people I spoke to were drinking, each (below) Senator Sanders meets with volunteers after his speech at the State Historical Museum of Iowa. out of their own two-liter soda bottles, when they invited me into their house. Two men and a woman sat around a table playing a card game, Magic the Gathering or something like it. There was a man and his wife, and someone he described as his “adopted brother.” The man I think was the most attuned to politics, he was a little out of touch and held some confusing or retrograde views, but was oddly in tune with opinions of the middle class, who he hated. He summed up their ideas better perhaps than many of them can themselves. The middle class, he said confidently and interrupting his wife, are afraid of Bernie Sanders because they think the system works for everyone. It does not, he added. They talked about their home, it was decades old, they said, and their rent was raised recently by over $100 a month. The man said he was unable to get a job because of his weight and past firings. He stressed that his behavior had been warranted, an overreaction but nothing deserving permanent unemployment. The woman was on disability.

THE PACIFIC SENTINEL 23 I shift my weight from my right shoulder to Someday, someone is going to win too many my feet. of these voters. It might be Sanders, or may “Y’know this place, really, what they should have already been Trump. It might be someone do with it is just tear it down.” waiting on the horizon. The delicate balance He looks around his home. of the American party structure is going to “They should just take everybody out and break, rapidly. A politician or movement will burn the whole thing down.” leverage the apathetic and disenchanted as a real political movement, the sort we haven’t seen in America. Motivated, mobilized, and For millions of Americans the idea of a better wielding its power to gain more power. world is inconceivable. Their life is one of grim The question is not whether the system will suffering and desperation to match a deadline fail. It already has. The demolition is upon us for debt that can never be fulfilled. This is how and the old order is cracking and crumbling they believe things will always be. under the strain. The future, with declining American communities have been profits and growing inequality, with greater devastated. And they look to their leaders and wars and greater crisis can only bring greater what are they told? “Things are better than change. ever!” “It’s only a skills gap.” “Maybe if you We’ve been taught that nothing can change. worked harder? Have you considered learning But there is an arrogance and an ignorance to code?” to this. Things must change. They always do. Is it any wonder voters dream of escaping this All that is solid melts to air. The question is in any way they can imagine? What difference not if this delicate balance of American power is there between millionaires and Marxists if will end. It is how. Whether we will have the all they do is lie about making your life better? courage to take apart what has failed before it Is it any surprise that so many give in? That collapses under its own weight. Whether we they turn to radicalism or apathy? can summon the strength and create the mass This unruly mass sits like a keg of gunpowder. movement to reorganize all fields of production A huge swath of the country is unbought and towards the common good, whether people can undecided. They are checked into the political be compelled to understand their common system, but disengaged by it. interests and their shared suffering. And if we They are not, as it is often framed, moderates. can take into our grasp the rights that should These voters bitterly detest both parties as liars have always been guaranteed. Whether we can and criminals. They represent a desperate and change before it is too late, and build a better frustrated winning base. world from the ashes of the old.

Temperatures in Des Moines were often in single digits. Bernie canvassers gather for a photograph before making their rounds.

24 OPINION The Top 5 Shoegaze Albums of 2019 by charles vanphillipson, chief music critic at the pacific sentinel * illustrations by josh gates

I wrote the list because I know what shoegaze is. As The Pacific Sentinel’s full-time, in-house music critic, I take pride in amassing a wide knowledge of music subgenres and keeping current with new releases to uncover the hidden gems casual listeners may miss. So when my editor assigned the duty of creating a list of the top five shoegaze albums from last year, I jumped at the opportunity by eagerly declaring, “Of course I know what shoegaze is!” I believe any useful year-end list must begin with some context; a critic should examine the trends and highlights of the year in a descriptive way that provides a lens through which the reader can view the list while demonstrating their knowledge on a subject. Looking back, no one can deny 2019 was a year for shoegaze. It was a year and it had shoegaze albums and these are the top five.

SATIRE 25 lana del rey a documentary and companion record that really makes norman fucking rockwell us all want to gaze down (at our shoes and our shame) Who would have thought Lana and take a hard look at what we’ve been wasting our Del Rey would become the face of lives doing. While gazing at my shoes, this record made shoegaze in 2019? The main thing me realize that I’ve been spending too much time at I think about when I think about Nordstrom Rack getting shoes that only sort of fit and shoegaze is noisy, distorted guitars. that I probably need to get new shoes. That sort of self- (To be clear, there’s plenty of other reflection and confrontation of your own inner turmoil is things I associate with shoegaze, a big part of shoegaze and shoe-gazing, and therefore not that’s just one of them. Okay?) And including Homecoming in my list would be a disservice Del Rey made a significant creative shift with the help of to shoegaze enthusiasts and the entire shoegaze legacy. super-producer Jack Antanoff, incorporating fuzzy guitar The history of music is filled with culture created by the 1into her musical pallette. Fuzzy guitar? That’s shoegaze if marginalized and impoverished. People (probably) died I’ve ever heard it. And I’m sure I’ve heard it, I listen to a for shoegaze to happen. Guess what? I’ve just aligned lot of music. But no need to take my word for it. (Here my album list with historically significant suffering. comes the hyper-specific reference you didn’t know about Now you can’t say my list “is wrong,” or “Charles, but the reviewer did—HSRYDKABTRD for short—a everyone knows Beyoncé isn’t shoegaze,” because if you critical part of any good music review.) Del Rey named do, you’re saying all those (hypothetical) people died in the album after shoegaze pioneer Norman Rockwell. vain. Shame on you. Norman Rockwell painted a lot of paintings of humble, American people. In those paintings, most of the people wore humble, American shoes. When one makes paintings of shoes, one probably stares at those harry styles shoes a long time to make sure one’s painting’s painted Fine line shoes look like real shoes. Therefore those of us more knowledgeable in shoegaze history than you, the lowly Shoegaze is sometimes also reader, refer to Norman Rockwell as the Godfather of called dream pop, and who Shoegaze. It’s only fitting that Lana Del Rey paid her is dreamier and pop-ier than respects with this humble, American tribute album. Harry Styles? Just look at him: dreamy as heck. Just listen to his music: poppy as heck. Fine Line was released in December, after many critics had already drawn up their year-end lists. Would billie eilish Styles’s second studio album have been heralded as when we all fall asleep, 4the year’s greatest achievement in shoegaze if he had where do we go? released it sooner? Did the album fail to bring about a renaissance of shoegaze because it was released after The record is troubling evidence the year-end press cycle had begun, or because it isn’t that Gen Z might not be getting a shoegaze album? We may never know the answers to the support it needs. Eilish might these questions. be right that generations ahead of her own have really let them down, leading to a 17-year-old’s dreamy nightmarish apathy. On Cats (2019) the cover of the record, Eilish is 2wearing white attire in a bland white room with a vague look of helpless insanity. Eilish’s socked feet are lacking Sometimes you just experience shoes—has she not put shoes on yet or does she not have a piece of art and immediately any shoes? Is this the beginning of the “post-shoegaze” know it is great. As I was sub-subgenre (aka feetgaze)? Are we failing our youth by watching a train conductor cat not covering this hot new subgenre, nor covering their sing in some competition of feet with shoes? Listening to this potentially historic cats who want to die, I thought album, I kept thinking that I don’t know what I would “THIS is great shoegaze.” That

The Top 5 Shoegaze Albums of 2019 do without my shoes. Really makes you wanna gaze at was the moment I knew Cats your shoes... would make my top-five list. As I walked out of the theater all I was thinking about was I5 don’t know what shoegaze is. Oh lord, this is a cry for help! I never thought I’d get this far as a music beyoncé journalist without eventually figuring it out. At some homecoming: the live album point I got too afraid to ask. I thought eventually I’d learn from context clues. Even the Wikipedia entry for If there’s one thing I’ve learned as shoegaze was unclear and unhelpful to my quest, as if a music critic, it’s that if you write the various people who wrote it each had no idea but confidently enough, your readers thought everyone else did. If Cats isn’t shoegaze, what will inherently assume you’re an is?! Does anyone know?! expert on the subject. No one knows how to use confidence better than Queen B. Beyoncé * This article was written by Shane Johnson has demonstrated her incredible 3achievements and wide-ranging musical mastery through with contributions by Jake Johnson 26 SATIRE Nick Fish’s Untimely Death and Enduring Legacy Commissioner Fish died shortly after announcing by Shane Johnson and Jake Johnson his resignation to focus on his health illustration by Josh Gates

Three days after announcing that his battle with local public-affairs show on Channel 30 and join- that would have expired at the end of 2022. stomach cancer became too complicated to justify ing the Housing Authority of Portland’s board, Since his passing, city colleagues from around finishing out his term as Portland City Com- while continuing his legal work. As a civil rights Portland have remembered his friendly missioner #2, Nick Fish lost his battle with the and labor attorney, Fish won a case in support of demeanor, helpful advice, and optimistic drive to disease and Portland lost one of its long-time a healthcare worker who was fired for their oppo- form consensus among the city council. "A bureau advocates. Fish’s tenure included a wide spread sition to ongoing discrimination against patients in trouble? Give it to Nick. Controversial issue? of responsibilities including work for the arts, with HIV. Fish also supported the creation of Give it to Nick. Time and time again he proved he environment, parks and recreation, and housing. Portland’s Office of Equity and Human Rights. could take care of it," Multnomah County Chair His time as commissioner serves as an example of Criticized by some for being too moderate, Deborah Kafoury reflected on her Facebook page. a center-leaning Democrat who fought to make Fish’s record shows attempts to get the city of "It is impossible to quantify just how better off meaningful progress for his community within Portland to show compassion to our houseless Portland is because of his contributions." the bureaucracy of local government. citizens and provide solutions to the city’s low-in- “We must never lose sight of the neediest in Nick Fish came from a line of Hamilton Fish come tenants. It was a cause he actively fought our community, those whose voice is often lost politicians. His father, Hamilton Fish Jr., broke for the opportunity to take on, running two un- in policy debates,” Fish wrote in the statement with Republicans to support the impeachment successful campaigns for city council beginning announcing his resignation. His attention was of Richard Nixon. In an interview with OPB’s in 2002. Fish was finally elected to Portland City still focused on the same platform of issues he Dave Miller on Think Out Loud, Fish recalled Council for his first term in 2008, as the com- was elected to city council on, even as his health being unusual as a young person paying a signif- missioner in charge of the Portland Fire Bureau made a turn for the worse two years into his can- icant amount of attention to the impeachment and Water Bureau. In 2009, he helped create and cer battle. hearings of Nixon; listening to the radio to hear lead the city’s new Housing Bureau. Bud Clark “Supportive housing is a proven, efficient tool his father serving on the House Judiciary com- Commons (a mixed use development offering day to serve our most vulnerable citizens, and I have mittee—Fish kept his father’s gavel from those services and housing for homeless individuals) worked hard to ensure that council has main- proceedings in his office at Portland City Hall. and Gray’s Landing (the first affordable hous- tained this priority,” Fish wrote. “...Later this year, Criticism, even from those close, is not new in ing in the south waterfront area) are among his I hope our region passes a new measure to fund the Fish household. During the impeachment achievements. the services that allow people to remain success- hearings, Hamilton Fish Sr. released a three-page Fish entered office in the wake of the Great fully housed.” letter criticizing Hamilton Fish Jr. and other Re- Recession, in a city whose previous budget sur- Fish ended his letter optimistically, “The publicans who joined Democrats in support of plus was suddenly at a deficit. Twenty-five per- future is bright.” Nixon’s impeachment. cent of the city’s housing spending that directly Fish has a long history of supporting housing impacted vulnerable families, homeless shelters, projects to help people who need it—but he want- and rent-assistance came from one-time spending ed to support plans that had data that showed that was renewed annually. All one-time spending they could work. This outlook of balancing ideal- was at risk of being cut in the 2009 budget pro- ism with pragmatism is a lesson Fish attributed to cess, alongside other cuts to housing. Fish played a his time as a legislative aide in the office of Demo- key role in the drafting of a data-driven spending crat Congressman Barney Frank of Massachusetts blueprint that convinced the City Council to in the 1980s. “He was left of his father, who was vote to save that spending by converting it somewhat moderate,” Barney Frank recalled to to ongoing funding alongside a 30 percent Street Roots in 2009. “I was impressed with how increase to the base housing budget, saving respectfully he disagreed with his father. His fa- the city’s ten-year plan for homelessness ther was a good man. Nick was interested not to in the process. embarrass his father, and that was a potentially In his time as a commissioner, Fish’s difficult situation.” advocacy extended to a wide variety of In 1994, Nick Fish was the Chairman of Com- environmental matters as well. Since munity Board 5 in Midtown Manhattan, New 2013, his council position has overseen York. One group, Common Ground Commu- the Bureau of Environmental Services nity, led by Rosanne Haggerty, was supported and Portland Parks & Recreation. Fish by Fish to renovate the run-down Times Square worked to curb rate increases and was a Hotel and transform it into a place that provided passionate advocate for the Renewable permanent housing and services for low-income Natural Gas initiative at the Colum- people and people living with HIV. Haggerty’s bia Boulevard Wastewater Treatment proposal had details and data to show exactly what Plant (for which he popularized the the proposal would mean and require in both the project’s “Poop to Power” nickname), short and long term. Another similar concept the Crystal Springs and Oaks Bottom presented to his board was rejected because the restoration projects to return salmon proposal was too vague. to the area’s watersheds, the Portland Fish moved to Portland in 1996, following Harbor Superfund cleanup project, as Dr. Patricia Schechter, his wife, to her position as well as various climate-related city efforts. a history professor at Portland State University, Fish also worked to champion equity and where she continues to teach today. Fish sub- inclusion among city government. merged himself in local advocacy by hosting a Fish was last reelected in 2018 to a term

ARTS AND CULTURE 27 Harry Styles Is a Mess Fine Line is a good pop record that’s weird in a weird way.

by Jake Johnson Illustration by Josh Gates

Harry Styles newest album, Fine Line, is a very on “Falling” that “the drink” and his “wandering is or why he daydreams about her and then immediate departure from his self-titled 2017 hands” were problems for his past behavior. On there’s an epic guitar solo for no goddamn debut. However, despite this shift in direction, “To Be So Lonely” he also suggests that you reason. The distorted Weezer-esque guitar solo one thing remains consistent: Styles trajectory can’t blame him “Not even a little bit...” before might feel more appropriate if it was paired doesn’t involve consistency of style but an going on to say that “I’m just an arrogant son of with some of the more complicated feelings ambition to climb to the top of pop. Like his bitch who can’t admit when he’s sorry.” I don’t even Styles has elsewhere on the record. But no. name suggests, Styles is interested in a plurality know what that line means exactly. Styles has, according to both the music and of soundscapes and doesn’t appear to be focused The best way to enjoy this record is to not lyrics, a lackluster daydream about a girl and on finding his own singular style to live within. try to think about the lyrics at all. Separating he doesn’t know why; and in comes Shreddy Perhaps this will be just one part of a very long the sound from the words gives the tracks the McShredderson and the Tormented Guitar. process needed to outgrow his One Direction best opportunity to be vaguely cohesive. This Not close to something about how he’s a drunk origins and become his own musical artist. bittersweet tension between the music and and he misses someone that may never need The album starts as “Golden” lets us initially the lyrics is the central theme of this record’s him again. Maybe guitar solos are supposed to be deceived into thinking that Fine Line is production. There is also something to be said indicate sexiness, but this extended guitar romp going to be a driving, feel good departure about the possibility—and probable likeliness — doesn’t exist on “Watermelon Sugar.” from the brooding but tender sentimentality that Fine Line’s cover art plays at Styles’s music Styles loves to take pieces and feels from other we were introduced to on Harry Styles. After and life as being a performance, possibly theater, musicians and attempt to make them his own. several listens through the record, it seems although the fisheye perspective in some of the This is nothing new:Harry Styles’s “Carolina” is this track is really Styles attempting to begin shots may suggest it is really actually more of definitely rooted in Stealers Wheel’s “Stuck in a tumultuous journey with some positive self- a circus. the Middle with You,” and if “Sweet Creature” talk. Unfortunately the mood doesn’t last long. Fine Line is catchy. Styles is the 54th most isn’t derivative of The Beatles’s “Blackbird” then The lyrics ...out“ of my head and I know that you’re popular artist on Spotify throughout the entire I don’t know what else you could call it. I don’t scared because hearts get broken…” and “I don’t world. His album is good. “Watermelon Sugar” know how successful he really is at owning his wanna be alone, you’re so golden” foreshadow a has a really great feel. The spacing between appropriations. record filled with loneliness, regret, desperation, “watermelon sugar” and “high” in the chorus Styles has a long career ahead of him and me and a constant swing between believing he’s and the way it snaps in and out of that spacing not caring or being awestruck by this record does great and believing he fucked up big time. is brilliant. The drive of rhythmic arpeggios on little to stop it—nor should it. It’d just be nice if ThroughoutFine Line it becomes very rapidly “Golden” and synth grooves of “Adore You” have Styles learned to be himself, but it takes a lot to apparent that Styles is quite troubled about a a good feel. The album is typical of hit-oriented separate a person from the highly produced and previous relationship, and is very very far from pop in its derivation of classic successful recipes highly expectant world of superstar boy bands. over them. Styles admits this on “Falling”: “and and moods. The guitar intro on “Cherry” is There are long, vast lists of intimidating pop I’m well aware I write too many songs about you...” beautiful. The mood of the stringed instrument legends that Harry Styles needs to contend with “Lights Up” sees a Justin Timberlake- picking on “To Be So Lonely” provides a really and differentiate himself from in order to figure ish approach, most felt in the syncopated interestingly weighted saunter. Fine Line is out who he really wants to be if he ever wants to “ladadadaaa-da”s. “Adore You,” shows a good, possibly even great, but it is far from be among them. desperation in his willingness to “walk through groundbreaking or incredible. It’s a pop record To appropriate one of Styles’s lyrics, “I can’t fire for you”if you “ just let me adore you.” “Cherry” that is really good at being a pop record. unpack the baggage” this album left on my sees Styles attempt to censor his ex from calling The guitar solo on “She” seems wildly out of Spotify account. their new lover “baby,” because Styles doesn’t place—it’s almost like Styles promised a guitar want his ex to call their new lover by names they player they could really wank on one of his used to call Styles. Baby isn’t a nickname that is tracks and that was the only place with some anywhere close to exclusive to any one person. space to put it. The song is about a woman in On “To Be So Lonely,” Styles posits that it’s his daydreams; he doesn’t know who she is or not easy to be a jealous person. No, but it’s also why she is there, but he daydreams about her not easy to deal with one. While Styles admits anyways and he really has no idea who she

28 ARTS AND CULTURE Dump Those Dumplings in My Mouth Dumpling week is great, could be incredible with tiny tweaks by Jake Johnson illustration by Josh Gates

From February 1st through the 8th The Canard’s bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast Oregonian’s Dumpling Week temporarily gnocchi were at the top of my list for flavor changed the dining landscape throughout and expectation defiance. All of the flavors Portland in attempts to get foodies to and textures were given space to exist and broaden their dining horizons and give local complement one another. Maple syrup and a hint establishments a chance to show what they can of jalapeño took the dish from great to holy fuck. do. The Russian workers’ clubhouse My partner loves dumplings and we’ve been known as Kachka continued its bad at participating in this local festival of eats tradition of incredible fare with a butternut in the past, but not this year. From Monday squash vareniki. The salt and breadcrumbs through Saturday, we attempted to squeeze gave the dish a great texture and the generous as many dumplings into our face as we could portions of Kachka’s dumpling made this spot without inconveniencing our lives too much. a win for both taste and portion size. I was looking up hours of restaurants there were Our knowledge of the Portland foodscape is initially overwhelmed by a side adventure I took several restaurants that didn’t serve the limited, so this gives us an opportunity to check with their regular menu’s pan-fried sour cherry Dumpling Week dumplings at certain times. out some new places. vareniki, they start out too hot, but for like 15 Some restaurants, Delores and Kargi Gogo, Some of the most memorable dishes were minutes they are like crispy tiny cherry pie bites allowed us to take our dumplings to go, others, surprising and others weren’t. XLB’s signature and it’s fantastic. Gado Gado, did not. Xiao Long Bao overshadowed its delicious The Lovely Rita has a really pleasant space I know the point of Dumpling Week is dumpling week special—a baked bao with pork during the day and our waiter was extremely partially just to get people to experience new inside and a sweet soy sauce-esque dipping sauce. helpful despite his clear disdain for my attempts restaurants, but the extra traffic caused wait Memoz Dessert Cafe is like Chipotle for at getting a whiskey Redbull. The bar at the times of over an hour and a half and in a few desserts, their dumpling was bread dumplings top of the Hoxton is a really pleasant sunroom- instances restaurants ran out of dumplings early topped with ice cream and a berry sauce; esque space with tons of plants, which would in the evening. If restaurants aren’t even able to this treat reminded me of biscuits from Mrs. make for a nice escape on cold NW days. Chin’s deal with the increased traffic, then potential Knott’s—the restaurant at Knott’s Berry Kitchen in Hollywood served dumplings from patrons get snubbed and don’t get to try the food. Farm—and the likely marionberry flavor coming their normal menu and they were good but I Some of the locations took reservations, perhaps through in Memoz compote did little to distance felt vaguely bamboozled that they didn’t make that could be listed as a recommendation as well. my nostalgic connection to the Boysenberries something new—in the past I haven’t seen a lot AFURI’s southeast location was sold out for from my childhood consuming Knott’s products. of people at this place, but this time I saw a weird three days in a row. Maybe they made some and Another nostalgic flashback came from stencil with a signature indicating Guy Fieri had sold them out each day. But we tried to go there Sherpa Kitchen’s dumplings that reminded me attended the establishment and enjoyed its food. three times: Thursday, Friday, and Saturday and of my dad’s Albondigas soup recipe. There were a lot of great, traditional each time they were sold out—we had success at The Big Mac pierogis from Delores were approaches to dumplings that get lost in the their SW location after the third failure at SE. incredible. Korgi Gogo’s “All-American” shuffle because they were standard and expected. But that failure to be able to accept the business a Khinkali with ground beef, bacon, and Even Stickers’s crispy bottom was enough to restaurant signs up to drive to itself seems highly cheese was also a real treat. Khinkalis are the make it interesting. counterintuitive to the spirit of Dumpling Week. signature dumpling of Georgia—the country Most of the dishes were great. However, The goal of Dumpling Week should be to get not the state—and, minus the American bacon Ecliptic Brewing’s massive beef lumpias were a people to try all the dumplings from all of these cheeseburger approach, are a regular feature of good deal because of their size but they hardly amazing local Rose City chefs. If people try to the restaurant’s menu. tasted special at all, I could have been just as try all the dumplings, they should be able to. Stickers Asian Cafe’s Tangerine Blossom happy with a hot pocket. This dish made me Posting the hours that dumplings are served is was delicious, and texturally enjoyable with a question whether there was any vetting to ensure a reasonable request. Requiring restaurants to standard dumpling texture on top and a crispy commitments to high-quality food were being allow for to go orders or overflow dining space bottom. Their peanuts tasted like fried rice—I highlighted for dumpling week. (even if it’s on the sidewalk) to enable more don’t know why, but it was interesting. Special What wasn’t cool was the consistent lack people to try the dumplings is a reasonable shout out Stickers for having a vegan option in of information. The Oregonian’s Dumpling request. 35 restaurants is a lot of restaurants to addition to a meat eater option; a lot of these Week list and Dumpling Week website go to. Don’t give out Dumpling Week passports foodie food weeks aren’t very friendly to a listed what the dumplings were at the if they might literally be impossible for people range of diets that find themselves typically different restaurants and had the restaurants’ to fill out. comfortable in Portland so that was really cool addresses listed but they didn’t have the But most importantly, keep having Dumpling of them. hours of the restaurants posted. Even when Week, it’s a culinary caper I truly enjoy.

THE PACIFIC SENTINEL 29 The Real Horror ofThe Turning is Its Disappointing Story A talented cast and intriguing setup are wasted in the new horror flick

by Maggie Post

Illustration by Bailey Granquist

If there’s one thing I love about horror movies, movie from the get-go. It was only afterwards that I learned it’s the common tropes that lie within them. the film was based upon a short story, and I can only I often go through periods in which I focus wonder what was drawn from the writing, and on something particular: werewolves, what was not. I have a feeling that some of crazy families, horror road trips, the list the more outrageous aspects were concocted goes on and on. When I first saw the by the crew, since many other reviewers have trailer for The Turning, my attention displayed their distaste for the way in which was immediately captured by the plethora the story was adapted. of tropes displayed. Featuring actors like As The Turning develops it becomes Finn Wolfhard (Stranger Things) and increasingly apparent that the writer of Mackenzie Davis (Blade Runner 2049), I the story had no idea what plot thread had high hopes that the film would be a they wanted to focus on. Several ideas and decent new addition to the world of horror. themes are thrown at the wall—mental As with almost all well-edited trailers illness, ghosts, psychotic children, sexual though, the film itself turned out to be abuse, insanity—only to never be fully absolutely terrible. developed and eventually discarded in lieu Based upon a novella from 1898 by Henry of something else. The jumble of different James, The Turn of the Screw, The Turning plot threads makes the linear progression follows the story of Kate, a young girl who is of the story almost nonexistent; in the end, offered a nanny position at a private mansion nothing mattered because nothing ever in which she expects to take care of a young, came to fruition. The end feels sloppy and orphaned girl. As time goes on though, strange haphazardly thrown together, as if the crew things begin to happen, and the lines between realized that damn it, they actually needed a reality and the imaginary begin to blur. Only conclusion to this monstrosity. I, and several an hour and a half long, the story whips past at other people in the theater, made exclamations a breakneck speed, unveiling information at a when the credits rolled. It was a trite, easy road quickfire pace. The jump-scares in the movie are to take, and it put a nail in the coffin, sealing adequate, yet not well-placed and often done the film as not only a waste of time, but a cheaply, placed in spots in which there was no laughable attempt at horror. buildup and too many hints to have a true effect on Overall, The Turning was an immense the audience. disappointment. It had all the workings and As time passed, I began to feel bad for the actors tropes to be an homage to great classic horror within the film. I’ve seen all of them in other works films—a secluded mansion, creepy kids, before and know they’re all extremely talented and ghosts, a main character who may or may not capable of doing their job well. But even the best be imagining things—and yet it failed to do actors are limited when faced with a stilted, awkward anything but provide exasperation and wonder script. I can usually look past dreadful writing, but at how it made past the pre-production stage. To I couldn’t avoid cringing at unnatural phrasing that the crew and actors in the film, I can truly offer felt reminiscent of short stories written by third only one condolence: at least you’re getting your graders. Add that on top of the ludicrous content bad films out of the way while you’re young. of many scenes, and you had a true disaster of a

30 ARTS AND CULTURE FUNNY PAGE Comics by Josh Gates

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