“Truth, No Matter The Cost” The Torch BERGEN COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENT NEWSPAPER IGNITING STUDENTS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE VOLUME 25 . NO.8 TORCHBCC.COM MAY 2017 Asian Heritage Committee Presents James Dao as Keynote Speaker CHRISTOPHER MOLINA STAFF WRITER For Asian History Month, time, Dao who also enjoyed his Bergen Community College held stay as well, was surprised by an annual event inviting James the large number of people who Dao, Op-Ed Editor of the New attended and participated at the York Times. event. The event took place in the “I thought it was lovely, I Ciccone theater, where it was was really gratified that a lot of full of students, and professors. people came out on a beautiful During the event, Dao talked day and I think that there were Asian Festival Brings about the work of being the a lot of smart and interesting Op-Ed Editor for the New questions,” said Dao. an Array of Cultures York Times, including covering One of the major aspects to Campus controversial topics that many of of this event was for the people his writers tend to write about, to learn of the importance of pg. 2 only to face a backlash by its journalism and the work that readers and critics. comes with it. “But that’s the daily risk “What I would hope those we face each day as we try to people take away, the journalism present brighter viewpoints on students [and] the students in very difficult subjects everyday,” general, from it is the importance said Dao. of open debate and dialogue With that came questions, about major issues and the mostly centered around Trump importance of talking [to] each and the things he’s done as the other [on] whether if we agree United States President. Some of with other people we’re talking the students in attendance were with about serious and emotional journalism majors, and were issues,” said Dao. concerned with the behavior of President Trump, calling many news agencies “fake news,” and wondered how to counteract this dilemma. Aside from that, many people in attendance enjoyed The Possibility of a their stay and had learned a lot Bergen welcomes NYT Op- Ed French Trump from his speech. And at the same Editor.// Rebecca Karpinski pg. 5 Drugs and the Effects on the Young Human Brain DAVID PEREZ STAFF WRITER On the 3rd of April a lecture and film screening occurred on campus about the young adult brain. The keynote speaker, Dr. Sion Kim Harris a Harvard Medical School research scien- tist. The program was organized by Tiziana Quattrone and Meli- sa Salort, both of whom work here at Bergen. The hour-long lecture was focused on the latest information on how drugs affect the brain. One of the more notable points of her lecture on drug The Bergen Room was the information on mari- juana that she presented. The in- Brings The Heat formation presented came from pg. 7 a report that nearly 100 conclu- sions on the health effects of marijuana. Some of the findings that were presented were interesting at the very least. One example would be marijuana and its ef- fects on the brain overall. There was the effects on the hippocampus and the structure it takes. Testing on mice also show that the hippocampus, the area where memory is stored, is shown to be less developed with the mice that were given mari- juana, this is a different story Students learn the real truth behind drugs. //Karina Quintero when compared to the mice that studies pertaining to marijuana. now is looking into what are ing a mental high. So there is a were not given marijuana at all. “I mean right now we really are the potential medicinal uses, potential for being prescribed a When looking in detail very focused on marijuana be- but I disagree with going about certain component of marijuana. the hippocampus wasn’t as cause of what is happening with it with the way we have, which There is a report that branched out when compared to all the policy change, but there is not having controlled trials of was released earlier this year on the other mice that didn’t take has been a lot of research that particular substances in the plant nap.edu for those who wish to any marijuana. This is only re- has already occurred too. ” that may have medicinal bene- look at it; from there go into the BCC’s Men and inforced with saying that this Dr. Harris also shared fits. Like there is a lot of differ- search bar and type in “marijua- Women’s Track and happens with repeated use and her opinion on what other things ent components of the marijuana na” the search result one would not just once. should also be looked into when plant,” Dr. Sion Kim Harris said. select would be the one from Field Nationally “Oh yeah, for sure,” replied researching the medicinal uses She went on to say that 2017 as it is the most recent and Ranked Dr. Sion Kim Harris when asked of marijuana. CBD has some of the opposite has nearly 30,000 downloads as if there are going to be any more “I think the research right effects of THC, such as not hav- of this writing. pg. 12 Editorial: How Screens are pg. 4 Brainwashing Your Kids pg. 5 2 VOLUME 25 ISSUE 8| MAY 2017 NEWSThe Torch Asian Festival Brings an Array of Cultures to Campus PURNASREE SAHA STAFF WRITER BCC held an Asian festival in the “Students who are Muslims and non- Student Center, which was sponsored Muslims are capable of joining Muslim by Student Life and the Asian Heritage Student Association because they could Committee. learn more about the religion,” said “The main purpose of the Asian Alinah Malik, an associate professor festival was to celebrate the cultural of math and the advisor of the Muslim heritage and the diversity of the college,” Student Association. said Mina Ahn, a Korean Club advisor Delicious snacks such as Punjabi and associate professor in the department cookies and “namak parey,”--a salty fried of psychology. cracker--and henna tattoos were offered Students were encouraged to attend the to everyone on campus. Asian Festival through posters displayed India was also featured in the Asian around campus and through emails sent Heritage celebrations. by the Asian Heritage Committee. According to Nishika Gupta, staff and During the event, there were fashion member of the Asian Heritage Committee, shows, music, and dance performances by “We want to introduce India to the whole professional Asian artists. community and spread awareness of the “The role of the fashion show was to various cultures in India.” display the beautiful and rich cultures Festival attendees were welcome to of Asia through costumes,” Susanna see the various cultural outfits that were Lansangan, professor of ESL, said. displayed such as lehengas and kurtis. Sensei Luis Taboada, who is from Peru The Indian members who were part of the and is considered to be a champion in Asian Heritage Committee wore saris and martial arts, was another prominent guest. salwar kameez at the event. He trained in Shotokan for nine years in Samosas, a type of pastry that includes multiple Asian countries including Japan, spices, potatoes and peas, and chai were Hong Kong, Philippines, Thailand and served. Meanwhile, the members of Singapore. After Sensei training, Taboada the Japanese program taught audience earned a second and third degree black members how to fold origami. belt in the Philippines and a fourth degree “Origami is a style of art which could black belt in New York City. be used for decoration and to express your He has since been teaching Shotokan feelings to others,” Mario Maximous, a for 40 years and has won many national Japanese professor at BCC, said. and international competitions in the Thanks to the Chinese club, everyone traditional technique. At the festival, was invited to try sweet cunzao, pork Taboada performed various moves and dumplings and Chinese leek. then taught members of the audience. With so much to do, eat and see, The Asian clubs and committees, the Asian festival is one of the most such as the Muslim Student Association, lively and accessible events on campus. International Student Club, Korean Students, faculty and staff members at Student Association and Chinese Club, BCC can look forward to attending it in were represented at the Asian festival. the upcoming year to learn the nuances The members and advisors of each club between Asian religions and cultures that wanted the students, staff and faculty are often lumped together in common- to learn and understand the culture speak. and history of their country, while also According to Ahn, the festival is still enjoying a few bites of the tasty food they getting off the ground. This was only its brought. second year, but the hope is that it will “We wanted to give students the take place annually going forward. history of Turkey and show its traditional foods by offering everyone Turkish delights,” said Zeynep Demirer, secretary of the International Student Club. Other organizations agreed that the Asian heritage month celebrated in music, dance, and traditional wear. // Karina Quintero sharing and education aspects were key. Cuomo Offers Free College Tuition To The Middle Class IAN HARTMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER New York Governor Andrew Cuomo pay for your college if you just move to recently signed into law a bill to create California?” the Excelsior Scholarship, which would Left-wing and liberal groups pay for the full tuition of “middle class” have also condemned the legislation, students attending CUNY or SUNY albeit from a very different direction.