The Proclamation Wilbur Cross High School Issue #1 -- October 2010 “Let Truth Be The Prejudice.” --W. Eugene Smith IN THIS ISSUE Opinion Blumenthal and Clinton -“I’m Mad!” Come to Wilbur Cross! -The Cordoba House BY Elizabeth Case and Sarah Curtis -Is the Iraq War Over? On September 26, the -Clinton’s Speech Wilbur Cross Gymnasi- -Thea’s Thoughts um held a crowd of over News 2,000 people to see for- mer President Bill Clin- -BP Oil Spill Update ton campaign for Sen- -Connecticut Political Race ate candidate Richard -Blumenthal & Clinton at Blumenthal. Among the Cross attendees waiting for ,VUDHOL3DOHVWLQHFRQÀLFW speeches by Clinton, Rosa DeLauro, and Dan Mal- -Apple Update! loy were students and Features teachers at Wilbur Cross. -New Staff Bios One supporter, -The First Week of School Dee Marshall, talked about how she has been to the school before and likes it as a location. -Work Study Marshall stated that she knows the new principal is one of the few real Arts educators left in New Haven, and knows she will do a fantastic job. -Inception Review She spoke positively of the diversity in the audience, and was happy -Scary Movies to see all the young people there. “It’s the way it should be,” she said. -Writers Playlists Many audience members see Wilbur Cross as a mixture of class and culture. They said that the choice of Cross as a location for the rally -Katy Perry’s Teenage showed the values of the Blumenthal campaign. “They could’ve done it Dream at Yale, but they chose a high school location,” said one woman. Another Sports added that this location worked because of the importance of education -Scores & Upcoming Games reform in the campaign.Many students and teachers saw this as a won- derful, once-in-a-lifetime experience for Wilbur Cross students, as well -Squash! as for the school as a whole. One of the many teachers in attendance was -Pep Rally chemistry teacher Dr. Hulin and his wife Laura Berry. “I love Bill Clin- Advice, etc ton,” she said. “I wish he could be president forever. But I love Obama -Advice too.” Dr. Hulin and his wife are proud Blumenthal supporters and were -Fashion Update excited to be at the rally. Cross senior James Doss-Gollin saw the rally as an amazing opportunity to see Bill Clinton. He stated that he would GH¿QLWHO\ YRWH IRU %OXPHQWKDO LI KH FRXOG ³+H GRHVQ¶W H[FLWH PH EXW could do a great job as Senator. Linda McMahon scares me!” he said. The Proclamation 2 October 2010 THEA’S THOUGHTS Opinion BY Thea Doyon Last year, I used the gulf oil spill to get an A. I cut out pictures of dying birds and oil soaked beach- es and pasted them on a board in Mr. Meadow’s room. I researched the facts and did the same. For all of us in New England, or anywhere else in the country for that matter, the gulf coast oil The Right Choice spill is a faraway situation. When Mr. Meadows asked me during my presentation how the oil spill This November, the nation’s eyes will be on Connecticut’s Senate race as Democrat Rich- will affect us in Connecticut, I couldn’t provide a ard Blumenthal faces Republican Linda McMahon. Blumenthal is Connecticut’s current At- good answer. Now, after a recent trip to Pensacola torney General, while McMahon was the longtime C.E.O. of World Wrestling Entertainment Florida, I realize just how tragic this spill was. until she stepped down to focus on her run for Senate. Both have long been familiar faces to When I got down to my grandmother residents of Connecticut, and we believe that, when victorious, either will do their best to repre- and aunt’s house in Pensacola, I researched op- sent the state in Washington. However, there are areas where we feel there is a clear-cut differ- portunities to help out. I wanted to do anything I ence between the two, and so this newspaper has decided to endorse Richard Blumenthal. could. In Pensacola, the oil spill was a very real Blumenthal, who began serving as Attorney General in 1991, has been in that posi- problem. BP crews met on beaches and closed off tion for longer than many of us here at the Proclamation have been alive. While McMahon has areas if oil washed on shore. While on a boat with attempted to paint him as a career politician out of touch with everyday people, we feel that, ac- my friends, I saw miles of containment boom and tually, Blumenthal has spent his career sticking up for those everyday people. While Attorney giant oil skimmers. So I drove to every wildlife center to ask about volunteer opportunities. All of General, he’s accomplished a lot. Perhaps one of the most notable is winning billions of dollars them denied me because of my age. BP refused from tobacco corporations and protecting children from their advertisements – and in addition, WRKLUHYROXQWHHUVWRFOHDQXSWKHEHDFKHV2I¿- he forced Myspace to release a list of sex offenders registered in the state in order to protect mi- cials at meetings told people to sit tight. There was nors on the site. He’s worked to protect the reproductive rights of women, to help seniors avoid nothing anyone could do. being deceived by dishonest corporations or scams, and fought to keep Connecticut jobs from At one protest I attended, a woman of- being outsourced overseas. These examples, along with a host of others too long to list, show fered to give me a list of beaches that I could “il- that Blumenthal has been committed to protecting the interests of the people of Connecticut. legally” help the cleanup effort. How is it that vol- Since this is, of course, a school newspaper, education matters to us. Blumenthal’s web- unteering to save animals and cleaning up oil is site has detailed plans for how he wants to reform education – including the reform of No Child illegal? I can almost understand denying my help Left Behind seeing that federal money for education reaches Connecticut schools – and goals to because of my age: If I had gotten hurt while vol- close achievement gaps and improve dropout rates, issues especially pertinent here at Wilbur Cross. unteering, they would have been liable. But how McMahon might also make a capable senator. However, as somebody who’s spent is it that BP can mandate whether saving habitats her career running a big business, and as somebody whose extent of being involved with the in the gulf is a criminal act? people of Connecticut is essentially limited to making money off of them, McMahon has While BP was pumping the ocean full of not shown that she has the political experience necessary to effectively represent Connecti- dispersants that do nothing but push the oil deeper cut as well as Blumenthal. Most of you have probably seen a barrage of threatening commer- beneath the surface, creating toxic hydrocarbons cials for McMahon, asking, “What else is he lying about?” But while McMahon has the bud- that kill sea life, I wanted to volunteer to help save get to spend millions of dollars on airtime, we believe that Blumenthal’s record over the past wildlife caked in oil. Which activity should be il- two decades speaks louder than any speculation from McMahon based on an isolated mistake. legal? The Proclamation The Proclamation is Wilbur Cross High School’s student newspaper. It is dedicated to bringing you news, features, arts, sports, editorials, and more. Opinions and view- points stated in The Proclamation are not necessarily the opinions or viewpoints of The Proclamation or its editors (except for the unsigned lead editorials), the faculty advisor, Wilbur Cross High School, or the New Haven School District. The Proclamation is an open forum publication, and its mission and policy is to encourage student expression. Viewpoints, including ones that oppose those appearing in The Proclamation, are welcomed. Students may submit articles and letters to the editor, the publi- cation of which is subject to approval by the faculty advisor and editors. All articles and letters selected for publication are subject to being edited for length, clarity, and appropriate language. PHOTO EDITORS Suge Zhang, Joohye Jung, Liz Case, Ciara ADVISOR (BYSTANDER IN CHIEF) NEWS EDITOR Moran James P. Brochin Max Martin DESIGN EDITOR EDITORS IN CHIEF ARTS EDITOR David Elkin-Ginnetti John Branch and Thea Doyon Sarah Curtis STAFF AND CONTRIBUTORS SPORTS EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR Darnesha Austin-Taylor, Stephen Hannon, Davon Myles Chante Lewis Rachel Smith, Chadae Leon, Johan Sigg, Mara Rothman, Camila DeChalus, Beatriz Molina, FEATURES EDITOR OPINION EDITOR Maya Wilson, Johnny Olavarria, Allen Hossin Caleb Levy Whetnay Moore The Proclamation 3 October 2010 “I’m Mad as Hell, and I’m Not Going to Take Falling Too Fast This Any More!” BY Darnesha Austin-Taylor In the 1976 movie NetworkDQHZVDQFKRUJRHVLQVDQHDIWHUOHDUQLQJWKDWKHLVJRLQJWREH¿UHG+H announces on the evening news that he will commit suicide within the week. He doesn’t, but famously tells his television audience to stand up for themselves, and to say, “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore!” Journalists have been asked to write about what they feel passionately about. Ignorance is Not Always Blissful BY Max Martin Peaceful Muslims, pls refudiate [sic]. People fall in love way too easily or way too –Sarah Palin, via Twitter fast. It’s really aggravating when you hear one of your really good friends brag about how “in Ignorance makes me love” she or he is with the new guy or girl they mad as hell! There just met three days ago.