April 2019 “AROUND the WORLD” SPECIAL ISSUE
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Abington Senior High School, Abington, PA, 19001 April 2019 “AROUND THE WORLD” SPECIAL ISSUE Th e Abingtonian proudly presents this year’s special edition, “Around the World”... Th is month, each section editor has commissioned their writers to come up with an international spin on the subtopics included within News, Editorials, Features, and Sports. We, the staff of the Abingtonian, have recognized the exclusively American discourse we hold in our school paper each month and decided it was high time we shed some light on the global discussion as well. As Americans, and citizens of one of the great world powers, we believe it is our responsibility, as a society, to know what is going on in the world in which we seem to have so heavy an infl uence. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy the abundance of world news, international competition, a discussion of global civil rights and equality issues, and even some immigration stories. Th ank you to all the writers who spent time draft ing these articles and who made this edition possible. And now, “Around the World” we go... Chess Team Wins Th ird National Championship By Ethan Kovnat Twelve members of the Abington Senior High School Chess Team competed in this year’s U.S. Chess Federation National High School Championships in Schaumburg, Illinois, and won fi rst place in the U1200 section. Senior Yonatan Wiese- Namir placed fi rst in the division as an individual, winning all seven of his games. Th is is the third time the team has won the U1200 section, having previously done so in 2012 and 2015. Th is is also the third time an Abington student has won the individual trophy in the section, as Yonatan is following in the footsteps of Brecon Hession and Robbie Durham, who won their individual titles in 2018 and 2015, respectively. Along with Yonatan, the U1200 team was led by sophomores Nathaniel O, Albert Hatton, and Ethan Weilheimer. Also competing in the section were senior Ashley Kelly and juniors Ethan Kovnat, Sofi ya Lysenko, and T.C. Cheng. Th e Abington team also sent seniors Carter Stephens, Brecon Hession, and Tim Hetzel, and junior Zach Hammad to compete in the tournament’s U1600 section, in which they were awarded seventh place. Th is exemplary Nationals performance was preceded by a similarly excellent run at the Pennsylvania State Chess Federation’s State Championships, in which the team won the U1300 section, tied for fi rst place in the U1000 section, and was awarded fourth place in the Open section. Th e team has one at least one state title every year since 2013. Th is marks the culmination of an incredible season for Yonatan Wiese-Namir, who was undefeated in the interscholastic league this season and won the Quads and Scholastic Swiss Tournament at MasterMind Chess Club. Upon achieving his national title, Yonatan was promptly congratulated by acclaimed player International Master Eric Rosen, an experience Yonatan described as “Very cool.” For those interested, the postseason chess club meets aft er school on Tuesdays in Room 219 and is open to any and all. Don’t Speak Th eir Names Philosophy Phlashcards Christchurch Shooting Notorious Page 3 Page 4 Page 6 Page 8 The Abingtonian April 2019 Page 2 EDITORIALS Saudi Arabian Women Laissez-Faire Parenting on Trial for Advocating By Rachel Oh Writing for The Abingtonian for about two years by now, and being an editor for one, I have written very few pieces about myself. To honor for Equality our special “around the world” edition, I feel it is only appropriate to share an important element in my life: being Korean-American. By Alyssa Hurly Although I was born here and have resided in Abington for my whole life, my parents have never failed to incorporate Korean elements into While basic human rights might be something Americans think my life. For example, I always eat Korean food for dinner, my parents of as inherent, female activists in Saudi Arabia have been working only speak to me in Korean even though I respond in English (it’s a tirelessly for years to relieve just a fraction of the oppression that long story), I watch Korean shows with my mom, and so on. plagues their daily lives. They protest for equal rights, and even a right as simple as driving was only granted to women in May of last year. However, the Saudi Arabian government does not protect their protests and is currently detaining these women for fighting, as well as putting them on trial for crimes they claim are related to national security. These women, and even a few men, who have fought for equal rights within their country can legally be denied access to lawyers and physically harmed during interrogations regarding their “crimes”. In addition, it is not required that the Saudi Arabian government tells the citizens what charges are being filed against them. BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner writes, “Saudi Arabia does have, more broadly, some legitimate security concerns. But putting on trial women who campaigned for the right to drive or win equal rights to men is doing it no favors in world opinion.” Internationally, Saudi Arabia is receiving criticism because although they have not publicized the charges yet, it is clear they are related to the equal rights protests. There are about a dozen women involved in the trials, and they could be facing up to five years in prison. With Saudi Arabia’s essentially nonexistent criminal rights laws, it is unlikely these women will be found innocent. ALQST, an organization that promotes human rights in Saudi Arabia, stated on their Twitter, “The prosecution charged them with Despite all this, my mom and dad neither raised me and my crimes under the country’s cybercrime law, based on a string of alleged sister with the stereotypical “tiger mom” attitude, nor were strict confessions that the women had been in contact with human rights disciplinarians who punished me when I didn’t get the best grade, organizations. None of the women had access to a lawyer.” While it is despite the fact that many of my Asian friends complain about how appalling enough that these women were not given a fair trial, it is even drilling their parents are. They never really set an SAT score “goal” for more abhorrent that they are being tried for advocating for equal rights. me and my sister, pressured us into doing any particular extracurricular Considering contacting human rights organizations a crime exemplifies activities, or forced us to take certain classes because it “looked good” the lack of progress Saudi Arabia has made regarding equality and for colleges. They obviously aren’t thrilled when I bring home a bad safety in their nation. Hopefully these women will be released as grade, but if I insisted on attending a non-competitive college, they innocent; however the charges themselves have not been made public would fully support me, which is something some of my peers cannot, yet, let alone the results of each case. unfortunately, relate to. Even though I know that my parents aren’t strict, many others, especially adults, seem to think so, and honestly, I get kind of sick of it at times; it’s like my work gets discredited, like it’s impossible for me to want to do my best for my own satisfaction or have independent aspirations, all because of a bothersome and hackneyed stereotype. A few adults even go as far as saying snarky remarks to me, such as “I’m sure your parents give you a lot of stress and pressure at home,” even though they know nothing about my family life. I have to politely correct them, making the conversation way more awkward than it needed to be, which wouldn’t have happened had they not said something so out-of-pocket. What grinds my gears the most is that had I been someone else or had a different background, I’m sure they wouldn’t have said that, at least in that way. It’s like they think they have a free pass to say that based on my ethnicity. So yes, there are Asian-American children with strict parents, but not all of us have them. I’m confident that the majority of the staff and students here don’t automatically jump to that conclusion, but outside, I don’t feel the same assurance. Not everyone shares the same story, so it’s a shame that testimonies from Asian-Americans that center around authoritarian parents get most of the spotlight, because I can’t relate to that, and I’m sure many others can’t either, but aren’t reports about No matter what is decided, the rest of the world supports the Asian-American life supposed to represent me and be “relatable”? women involved. Over 30 nations at the UN Human Rights Council It’s time that hard work gets rightfully recognized and stops being openly criticized Saudi Arabia for detaining the women. With the discredited just because we’re “supposed” to get good grades; it takes world on their side, activists in Saudi Arabia could begin to make more just as much work to get the same results. progress in their uphill battle for equality. The Abingtonian April 2019 Page 3 EDITORIALS Don’t Speak April Fool’s? Their Names By Catherine Fantuzzo April 1st - April Fool’s Day - has come and gone, but that doesn’t By Sarah McArdle mean that President Trump has stopped saying things that are jokes, falsehoods or things that are just plain confusing.