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8 opinion May 11, 2018 W EDITORIAL POLICY The student-produced newspaper of Maine West High School, the Westerner, is dedicated to maintaining the values of truth, integrity, and courage in reporting. The Westerner provides an open public forum for free and responsible expression of student opinion, as well as balanced coverage of issues of student interest. The staff encourages discussion and free expression between all members of the school and community and maintains its responsibility to inform and educate the student body. Unsigned editorials represent the majority viewpoint of the editorial board. Letters to the editor, which are subject to editing for length and clarity, must be signed by name and may be published upon approval from the editorial board. Opinions in letters are not necessarily those of the Westerner, nor should any opinion expressed in the Westerner be construed as the opinion or policy of the adviser, the Westerner staff as a whole, the school staff, the school administration, or District 207 school board. EDITORIAL BOARD: Editor-in-Chief: Amaan Siddiqui, Kara Dempsey Copy Editor: Ashley Dwy News Editors: Amaan Siddiqui, Davis Parks Features Editor: Sarah Smail In-Depth Editor: Danny Daood Sports Editors: Suzy Linek, Reily Olson Opinions Editors: Monroe Torkelson, Sarah Lane Entertainment Editor: Kara Dempsey Photo Editor: Nina Palmer Art Editor: Zac Abero Graphics Editor: Abigail Milovancevic Chief of Digital Media: Leo Galindo-Frias Digital Content Chief: Maraya Adams Assistant Editors: Malaika Zaidi, Johnny Nguyen, Hana Dempsey, Ivonne Sanchez, Giuliana Cortese, Nitin Nair STAFF MEMBERS Lucy Ellsworth, Jameson Beckman, Khushi Patel, Jenna Robbins, Jenna Daube, Aileen O’Connor, Vincent Parcelli, Patrick Asztabski, Dominika Szal, Alexis Huerta, Anahi Sosa, Kevin Schill, Nabah Sultan, Monyca Grimmer, Johnny Gonzalez, Nikolina Vujcic, Darcy Buchaniec, Xiao Lin He, Erika Babinska, Miriam Babinska ADVISOR: LAURIE MCGOWAN VIEW FROM THE BOARD OF STUDENT EDITORS Our Warrior reflects pride that we hold dear to our hearts, but we support the difficult choice that principal Dr. Audrey Haugan has made regarding our dancing mascot. Students and staff for many years believed that we upheld our Warrior name and mascot with honor. There have been times in the past where our Warrior has come under some heat, and we have tried to adapt to those times: when Dr. Haugan told us we had to get rid of the chop, we did, for the most part. But the time has come for real change, and even though it is difficult to let go of a celebratory tradition, it’s the right thing to do. It is easy to see that students at Maine West are not and have not been in- The Warrior set free tentionally with malice making fun or hurting Native Americans, but that doesn’t make it right. Contrary to what people believed, no Native American nation ever endorsed the use of a Native American figure as a mascot at Maine West. At best, West once had the support of one local Cherokee, but even she no longer claims to have given Maine West her blessing. When the topic heats up to the point where we hear many Native voices saying this is wrong, is it really okay to keep going? Who are we as a school -- supposedly holding values such as respect, responsibility, and inclusiveness -- to argue against what Native Americans are telling us about the offensive nature of a barefoot, head-dressed, dancing mascot? How can we honor their culture if IT’S NOW Genocide isn’t history Never forget. After every great tragedy that manifests itself in the form of a great loss of life or the visual images of inhumane conditions that pop up into the media, we look towards one another and mutter the same phrase: “Never forget.” The phrase originated with the Holocaust. When the pictures and films of emaciated bodies of the Jews, Romani, and others were distributed to the general public, people were shocked. Everyone wondered as to how humankind could sentence their own kin to excruciating death simply based on minute details. Yet it happened. It happened, and it serves as a reminder of how far our dark side can go; it is then we remind others about the atrocities, and pray that somehow -- just somehow -- this dark side of human nature will never reappear again. Yet, it did reappear. Time and time again, genocides and crimes against humanity have reappeared all around the world, before AND after the Holocaust occurred. Armenia, Rwanda, Cambodia, the Balkans --- all are just a few of the notable countries in which genocide has taken place. Yet, the unfortunate truth about the majority of these genocides is that people have turned a blind eye. We have had multiple chances to uphold our promise, but instead we just stood there idly. We say never forget, yet it sure seems like we don’t want to notice at all. Today, the Sudanese Arab militias under president Omar al-Bashir are carrying out a genocide against the non-Arab people of Darfur, South Kordofan, and the Blue Nile. According to United to End Genocide, over 300,000 are dead, along with a jaw-dropping three million people displaced. In South Sudan, different ethnic groups clashed together in a civil war after its independence in 2011, resulting in the deaths of over 10,000 people. The victims were Nuer, we aren’t honoring their opinion? The steps that the administration has thus far taken are a step in the right direction. We might not have all the answers now, but we can continue to reflect on what icons and symbols best represent an institution of learning such as Maine West. Is it really right to have a totem pole that was given to West by local business owners, who said they were entrusting us with the spirit and culture of a tribe they merely visited on vacation? Bringing in more voices -- those of Native Americans and art historians -- will help us find a better path in determining whether it’s best to keep the many Native American images in the gyms, main entrance and wrestling room, as well as the many murals and school logo. Dinka, and other smaller ethnic groups. In Myanmar, the Rohingya, a Muslim minority group in a Buddhist majority country are denied citizenship and basic rights. Since their villages were burnt to the ground, they are forced to live in segregation from the Buddhist population and are restricted from traveling, marrying, and working without permission from the government. 140,000 Rohingya have been placed in concentration camps. Up to 3,000 have been killed, and hundreds of thousands have fled Myanmar despite risks of drowning. Sexual violence is rampant. Other ethnic minorities are also discriminated by the Burmese government through forced labor programs and using them as mass shelling targets. These are just a few of the genocides going on right now, yet their names rarely pop up in today’s most accessible popular media. These voices are increasingly getting more and more silenced, and our privileged selves don’t even bother to listen. Yet, awareness alone is not going to help. The recent cuts to funds for the State Department -- and consequently the Office of Global Criminal Justice, which advises US government officials on how to respond to situations such as genocide -- will have a profound effect on how the US will in turn keep this decades-long promise. Without substantial funding, government officials abroad are severely limited in BY DOMINIKA SZAL columnist effectively treating this pestilence that plagues the world. Simply saying “never forget” will not help these victims if we don’t follow through on our words. By standing idly, we turn a blind eye, essentially contributing to letting these massacres happen again -- which is exactly what we promised not to do. They need help, and we have the power to give it. We can’t let it happen again. Not this time. Let’s keep the promise.
W May 11, 2018 opinions 9 ZAC ABERO Classroom As a self-proclaimed master of classroom etiquette, I am going to explain to you how to act in class, with the purpose of improving our school. For many, these lessons will help guide you through summer school and serve as preparation for the upcoming school year! There is no need to thank me; I’m just doing my part in making Maine West better. The first thing we need to get straight is that when a teachers says “phones away,” or “no phones in my classroom,” that is merely a suggestion as to what to do. In order to let everyone know that you are better than them, you’re going to want to make sure the phone is on your desk, face up. This helps give off an aura of superiority that makes the classroom understand just how popular you are every time you receive a notification, even if it’s just a weather report. Beyond that, it also lets your teacher know that your time is just too valuable to spare any for listening to their lessons. Teachers will have to warm up to the idea, but once they get used to it, they will praise you for “texting the lesson to your the pain of TOUGH CHOICES with the interests of others to avoid judgement -- one which students can try and change simply by adjusting their mind-set. As college and career choices approach, it’s important that students take the time to research what they want to do and where they want to go. Otherwise, they may go to a college where they don’t feel like their most comfortable selves, eating cups of ramen noodles to fill in Get some sleep or continue watching TV shows? White cheddar or dill pickle from the Pop Shop? Prom or no, juniors? Ditch day or go, seniors? Small decisions can take seconds, yet difficult ones can weigh on us for hours or days, sometimes even a lifetime. Indecisiveness strikes us constantly, usually through moments such as choosing what to eat with a friend or even in major life decisions, such as figuring out what career path to go down or what college to attend. Students may become stuck in a hopeless loophole: running out of time as pressure increases. They begin to overthink everything they do, worrying about making the wrong decision or feeling uneasy after finally deciding. This happens most often when the outcome is unknown. Our mindset has become fixated upon the idea that each decision we make has its punishments and rewards. After all, no one wants to see the horrific sight of their jenga tower collapsing after pulling out the wrong block. Indecisiveness, along with anxiety-provoking thoughts, is followed up by procrastination, time pressure, and Netflix. According to the Netherlands Journal of Psychology and a study by Wesleyan University, indecisiveness plays a key role in depression and dependent personality disorder. Within these studies, each individual not only sought to come to a good decision, but strove to choose the best possible one for the situation at hand. It’s a process that comes from the attempt to balance self-interest friends,” as you are so generously doing. This kind of initiative is precisely what a teacher looks for in their students. Taking the extra step to diligently text on your phone is anything but a distraction; even your fellow students enjoy it! For those already doing this step, Bravo! You are already on your way to being the best student you can be. Additionally, keep in mind that, humour plays a huge role in the classroom. I really can’t emphasize that enough. Whenever, and I mean whenever, you have something to say, just go ahead and say it. Say it loud and say it proud, making sure everyone can hear your witty comments. That’s the key that most students don’t follow through on, only saying their wry quick-takes loud enough for their surrounding peers to hear. Teachers really need to hear your sparkling humor, too, since that’s the only thing getting them through the day. This next step is often overlooked, you need, need, need to ask questions. It doesn’t matter whether or not it pertains to the class or topic, ask any question that comes to your mind before you forget it. Is your teacher mid-explanation in the middle of math class? Be sure to ask questions such as “What’s your favorite flavor of potato chip?” or “For question 34 of descubre 3, chapter 6, how do I conjugate the pluscuamperfecto form of ir?” or, everyone’s favorite mid-sentence whine: “Can I go to the bathroom?” The timing of the blurt is crucial to your success, so take note. Rather than the common misconception to save it for the end of class, I recommend that you let the questions loose during the lesson so you will never forget the brilliant idea that just struck you. Do it exactly when your teacher is deep into a detailed explanation of a key concept everyone needs to understand for the upcoming summative. Everyone needs a break from BY KEVIN SCHILL columnist BY PATRICK ASZTABSKI columnist the gap their indecisiveness and fear or laziness created. On top of that, with thousands of career choices available, students can put in the effort to explore them through internships and shadowing. Without that early effort, finding the right path is bound to be far more difficult and direction-less than it needs to be. No matter how smart someone is, or thinks they are, and no matter how much work someone has done, they’re bound to make mistakes. With that, we learn from mistakes so as not to repeat them in the future. It’s great, too, to have the maturity to admit you made the wrong decision. For every tough decision there is to make, it’s important to know that it is completely acceptable to take a step back, take a breath, and evaluate the possibilities before deciding. By doing that, you’ll learn to trust yourself and decide. Etiquette TIPS AND TRICKS FOR BEING YOUR BEST SELF listening to that; pondering the fate of your bladder or your broken pencil is the perfect reprieve. Even the teacher can’t stand speaking for the infinitesimally endless 45 minute period. It’s not like they went to school for a large portion of their lives for the sole purpose of teaching people like you! After having the information constantly pounded into their brains, they can’t possibly be all that passionate about it either. It’s not like anyone else in the class wants to hear what the teachers is saying; tests are only part of the grade. Who even goes to school to learn, anyway? Anyone with a brain knows that school is only for the purpose of socialising. At the end of the day, it’s not like your parents pay for you to go to school and learn or anything. Hope this helped all of you who are struggling to make the classroom your own, since it’s certainly not the teachers’ in the first place, right?
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