Wh at `s I - The Academy of the Holy Cross

The Academy of
the Holy Cross
Kensington, MD
February, 2015
Crosscurrents
Dear Readers,
With the new year in full swing, here is the long awaited second issue of Crosscurrents! On behalf of the Crosscurrents team, I hope this issue finds you both healthy
and happy as 2015 continues to bring on new opportunities and excitement.
Inside you’ll find fun recipes to keep you warm this winter season, interesting opinion pieces, updates on the successes of Holy Cross athletic teams, news, and much
more. Be sure to fill out the trivia, read up on the achievements of multiple teachers, and learn more about what’s going on close to home and around the world. Please
take a look at the articles that follow, and enjoy!
Katherine Precourt
Content Editor
An Attack on Free Speech
Katherine Precourt ‘15
Charlie Hebdo’s publication spurred a terror attack that shook
France to its core, taking the lives of
11 Charlie Hebdo staff and one police
officer and injuring 11 others. Brothers
Chérif and Saïd Kouachi, who allegedly claimed to have been sent by an
Al-Quida group in Yemen, broke into
the offices, disturbed a meeting and
shot the editor and cartoonist Stephane
Charbonier and others in what they
considered “revenge for the honour” of
Muhammad.
The magazine has been targeted before, falling victim to firebombing in 2011 for its racist and insulting
content. Although this does not give
the assassins the right to attack Charlie
Hebdo, it certainly provides fuel to the
growing religious extremism fire, Hussein Rashid, religion professor at Hofstra University states. He continues by
saying that violence is not the typical
Muslim reaction to insulting portrayals of Muhammad. Most would try to
find a “way to honor” the prophet in
the face of the offensive interpretations,
but the attackers used it as motive to
terrorize the magazine and stir up fear
in other publishing companies who
support free speech.
Early Friday morning after a
manhunt that spanned the days following the attack, the two brothers were
found in a printing shop not far from
Dammartin-en-Goele. The assassins
were forced onto the roof that afternoon, where they were shot and killed.
Meanwhile, armed police forces raided
the kosher deli that Amedy Coulibaly
photos courtesy of Charlie Hebdo
Charlie Hebdo, a prominent
satirical French newspaper, recently
published a weekly issue depicting the
prophet Muhammad. Famously known
for its secular and often offensive
portrayals of religion and politics, the
magazine upholds its right to the freedom of speech. Although representations of Muhammad and other religious
figures are forbidden in mosques, this
rule does not extend to depictions of
Muhammad outside Muslim religious
gatherings. Contrary to popular belief,
many Muslim cultures, in particular
the Shiites, support and enjoy images
that include Muhammad, which can be
found in museums and books across the
world. However the fear of portraying
the prophet is kept alive by religious
illiteracy and Saudi Arabian extremist
views on the subject.
occupied, the suspect for the murder
of a policewoman on Thursday and
later 4 hostages from the store that day,
releasing the other hostages and killing
Coulibaly. The brothers and Coulibaly
were allegedly working together to
terrorize supporters of free speech and
spread extremist anti-Semitic views.
A moment of silence was
held in Paris with thousands of others
gathered around the world to mourn
the tragedy that took place in France on
Wednesday, January 7, 2015.
People joined together in
solidarity, armed with slogans such as
“Je Suis Charlie” and “Vive La France”
trending on twitter, published in newspapers and shared among mourners as
a symbol for the tragic terror attack on
France’s Charlie Hebdo and the support
of free speech. An attendee at Place de
la Republique minute of silence commented “They’ve killed 12, people…
but they haven’t killed the French
soul or the French people”. President
Hollande remarked in a recent speech
that “[t]hose who committed these acts
have nothing to do with the Muslim
religion”, and supported “[u]nity …[as]
our best weapon”.
Why Republicans Won the Midterms and What It All Means
What’s
Inside
Julia Urban ‘17
Tributes to
Dominik Pettey
Into the Woods:
Pros and Cons
Page 3
Page 4
photo courtesty of Gage Skidmroe
Obama entered the oval office riding on a wave of hope, and
due to his failure to reach America’s
expectations, especially economic
expectations, his party suffered in the
midterms. According to Real Clear
Politics, Obama’s approval rating is
at 42%, and according to ABC News,
only 27% of Americans believe the
country is headed in the right direction.
In 2009, when Obama took office,
Gallup Polls reported that slightly over
10% percent of Americans believed
the country was headed in the right
direction. This number spiked to 36%
percent shortly after, continued on page 2
photo courtesy of nationalreview.com
As anticipated, Republicans
made a sweeping victory in the 2014
midterms, with a net gain of nine seats
in the Senate (including Bill Cassidy’s
defeat of Mary Landrieu in Louisiana’s
runoff election) and thirteen in the
House. They also gained in gubernatorial races; our blue state of Maryland
will have Larry Hogan as her governor.
This victory, which means that bills
will make it to President Obama’s desk,
can be attributed mainly to disapproval
of Obama, but also to the stagnation of
the economy, low voter turnout for the
Democrats, and the failure of the “War
on Women” argument.
From left to right: Joni Ernst and Mia Love
Do Video Games
Encourage Sexism
and Violence?
Page 6
Short Story: Table
for Two
Page 8
February, 2015
but sunk back to 21% and stayed relatively constant
there. As with President Bush, Obama could not reassure Americans that he had the country on the road
to improvement. Issues such as the failed rollout of
the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and the way it was
pushed past Congress did not help, either. Hearing
Obama say “If you like your health care plan, you’ll
be able to keep your health care plan, period” just
before cancellations due to the ACA further cemented
distrust in his administration. His handling of foreign
policy, especially with the Islamic State and Russia,
also did not impress voters.
However, the economy under Obama played
arguably the largest part in the Republican victory.
92% of potential voters found the economy “extremely” or “very” important to them personally, and
in exit polls by ABC news, about 70% of Americans
believed the nation’s economy was getting worse or
staying the same. The perception of a poor economy
swayed voters away from Obama, and in turn, away
from Democrats. For example, the amount of selfidentified “moderate” voters who vote Democrat
dropped 7% since 2008.
The Democrats’ loss could also be a result of a
lower voter turnout. This turnout could be due to
lack of confidence in the Democrat party, or because
Republicans managed to connect with their potential
supporters in a way that only Democrats have exceeded in for the last decade. Whatever the case, Republicans should not take their victory as a “go-ahead”
by the American people to push ultra-conservative
legislature. As in any wave election, the results are
largely a rejection of the incumbent party, not necessarily an approval of the victorious party’s ideology.
One of the problems voters often find with
this Republican ideology is its stance on women’s
issues; however, in this midterm, Republicans were
not affected by the so-called “War on Women” argument against them. In previous elections, the War on
Women argument succeeded in encouraging young
women to vote as a Democrat, emphasizing issues
such as abortion and birth control. Every insensitive comment by a Republican, such as Todd Akin
or Richard Mourdock (who made some extremely
inappropriate comments about the situation of rape),
was used to label the entire party as anti-woman.
However, in these last midterms, Republicans kept
away from gender politics, and focused on other
issues that needed more attention. It seemed that
Democrats bungled more with insensitive comments
this time around, from Virginia’s John Foust implying that motherhood is not a “real job” in order to
ridicule his opponent, to South Carolina’s Vincent
Sheheen calling opponent Nikki Haley a “whore
out the door”. Republicans also had strong female
candidates, such as Mia Love, the Republican’s first
female African American elected to Congress, and
Iowa’s Senator-elect, Joni Ernst. Caitlin Huey-Burns
from Real Clear Politics commented, when featured
on Fox’s Female Power panel, “This was a big year
for Republicans in terms of women candidates, but
also in terms of a diverse group.” Also on the panel
was Francesca Chambers of mailonline.com, who
applauded Ernst, since “she didn’t run on women’s
issues or anything like that, she ran on her strong
record of military service.” Ernst can be quoted
saying, “I didn’t want to hear about the phony War
on Women, because I am a woman, and second, I
have been to war, and this is not a war. Anytime the
Democrats use that word, they should be doing it
to honor our servicemen and women.” Such strong
Republican candidates, coupled with insensitive
marks by Democrat candidates, did not help the War
on Women narrative. This narrative appeals only to
a “slice” of female voters, anyway, as Amy Holmes,
host of The Blaze, put it, since married women
typically vote Republican. Nonetheless, Democrat
candidates for the Senate, such Colorado’s Mark
Udall, still attempted to argue the case that Republicans are misogynists, even saying that they would
make condoms difficult to buy, and he lost. The same
Crosscurrents
Page 2
outcome greeted Wendy Davis, who ran as governor
of Texas after filibustering for abortion. The War on
Women narrative will almost definitely return for the
2016 elections, but Republicans have succeeded in
maneuvering around it for now.
nor for New Teacher of the year and Veteran Teacher
of the Year respectively. These wonderful teachers
were presented their plaque awards on Friday, October 31, 2014, after Mass at the conference held at
Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington, D.C.
With a Congress that is no longer gridlocked,
bills will end up on Obama’s desk, and he may have
to break his record of only vetoing two bills. Up until
the election, Obama justified his use of executive
orders by claiming that Republicans are unwilling to
compromise, and are therefore making the government unproductive. However, the tides have turned,
and Obama will be even further challenged now that
he no longer has former Senate Majority Leader
Harry Reid to protect him from facing bills. Republicans could bungle everything for themselves, also,
if they become over-zealous with their victory and
pass legislature deemed too partisan. However, due
to Obama’s perceived underperformance as president,
especially in economics, America has allowed the
GOP to dominate both the Senate and the House, and
has given Republicans a shot.
Ms. Posluszny joined the Math Department
of Holy Cross in 2012 and currently teaches Algebra
I and Honors Geometry. She is admired and appreciated by both students and colleagues for her kindness,
enthusiasm for both math and life, as well as for her
dedication to Holy Cross.
Honoring Our Veterans: Mr.
Bascum
Margaret May ‘16
On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th
month in 1918, World War I hostilities officially
ceased. The United States originally revered this day
as Armistice Day, but new ideas evolved which led to
the development of Veterans Day in 1954. It is a federal holiday and celebrates the service of all military
veterans, living and dead. There are currently 20 million veterans in the United States, 7 million of whom
served in Vietnam. Last November, Holy Cross held
a school assembly to commemorate the staff that are
veterans and the school families with veterans. Staff
that served in the military include Mr. Bascom, Ms.
Kinney, Mr. Cercena, and Mr. Todd. I had the chance
to interview Mr. Bascom about his service.
How long did you serve in the military and what was
your role?
I served in the military for a short time- 6 years in the
reserves. I went to Fort St. Houston in San Antonio
Texas for my training. I was trained during the Vietnam War to be a medical service corps officer, which
would allow me to help run a hospital. The Vietnam
War ended so I never actually served. I feel humbled
by all those who did serve. I was prepared and ready
to go to Vietnam, but I never had to by the grace of
God. I’m no hero, that’s for sure.
What would you consider your most memorable moment in the military?
I got to fire a lot of weapons, as an officer you have to
learn how to fire the weapon. This comes in handy in
physics class- projectiles, momentum, energy. It was
actually enjoyable to go to San Antonio. I learned a
lot. I also learned a lot about the medical profession.
What was your toughest experience in the military?
I have family in the military- brother and father. The
toughest would be a part of the training. We were
asked to Bivouac outside for ten days and set up like
a real army, and nine out of ten days it rained. We
had canvas tents. The entire football field was water,
we could see grass in places. We pretty much slept
in water. But it’s so small compared to the sacrifices
people made.
ADW Teachers of the Year
Sabrina Lu ‘16
Every October, the Archdiocese of Washington honors phenomenal Catholic school faculty
members. The awardees are nominated by their colleagues for two categories: New Teacher of the Year
and Veteran Teacher of the Year.
This year, the Academy of Holy Cross has selected Ms. Cynthia Posluszny and Ms. Christine Con-
Andrea Shirdon (’18) says of Ms. Posluszny,
“She gives me life. She’s the best math teacher ever.”
Upon learning of her nomination, Ms. Posluszny was, of course, both honored and excited. “It
means a great deal to be lauded for something I love
to do.”
Ms. Posluszny loves all the classes that she
teaches, and they, in turn, love her.
Ms. Connor has been a faculty member of
the Science Department since 2010 and currently
serves as the Science Department Chair. She teaches
Anatomy and Physiology, as well as Biology in the
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. In
response to her nomination, she “was very honored
and excited that [her] colleagues thought that highly
of [her].”
Mrs. Connor’s love of science is evident to
all of her students, and she inspires and encourages
them to pursue the study of science at the collegiate
level. Her colleagues admire her ongoing participation in professional development activities and
overall passion for biology. Ms. Connor genuinely
enjoys teaching all of her classes and loves seeing
the different levels of understanding her students go
through over the years. Through her teaching methods, Ms. Connor spreads a love of biology- as well as
science in general- to all of her students.
“Ms. Connor is a great teacher who engages
the class with various hands-on activities such as labs
and case studies,” Morgan
Starkey (’16)
praises. “She
pushes us to be
the best students
we can be and
is always there
if we need help.
Thanks, Ms.
Connor!”
Best Buddies at AHC!
Lucy Pawlowski ‘16
​
You may have heard Katie Novak and myself
announce events for Best Buddies at the Monday All
School Assemblies. You may have noticed our table
at the club fair in September, or simply recognize
Best Buddies from your prior school. But, do you really know about Best Buddies?
​
Best Buddies is an international nonprofit
organization that was founded by Anthony Shriver in
1989. “Best Buddies International... is dedicated to
establishing a global volunteer movement that creates
opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated
employment and leadership development for people
with intellectual and developmental disabilities”
(Best Buddies Webpage). The organization has programs for middle schools, high schools, colleges, and
even pen-pals.
​
Holy Cross has re-established our Best
Buddies Chapter, thanks to the new Moreau Options
program, our leaders, and Best Buddies Maryland.
We have a very unique Best Buddy Chapter (which
is what they call the clubs) since we currently have a
small Monroe Options Program which is flourishing.
continued on page 3
Crosscurrents
Page 3
We also are a club with two presidents who love what
they do. We personally love our club because we are
all friends, from all different grades and backgrounds.
Normally, we have around 10-15 students meet
weekly. We plan social activities and look forward to
becoming better friends and a better club.
​ ny LOTA is invited to join the club. We meet every
A
Thursday in room 223. As a Holy Cross club we do
many activities, but there are also activities that Best
Buddies Organization has on their calendar.
​
Best Buddies has designated the month of
March to learn more about the organization. We will
be holding a school assembly in the month of March
to help promote our mission. Make sure to be there!
AHC Performing Arts
Siobhan Martinez ‘18
When they are able to realize each other’s talents and
each person starts to utilize their talents on the court,
I truly believe the team will be successful.” Senior
Janae Brown says, “We’ve worked really hard. Taylor
and I stepped up as seniors and showed the underclassmen what we needed to do. We may not have
won a lot of games, but we’ve played hard.”
Get to Know Señora
Koudjeti
Lilly Schmidt ‘17
I interviewed Señora Koudjeti, one of our
new TOTAs (Teachers of the Academy). Señora is a
wonderful addition to the language department and to
the school. Want to know more about her? Read the
interview below!
The Winter Dance Concert took place on the
nights of November 20th and 21st. This concert included the works of all of the dance classes from the
first semester, as well as the Adrenaline Dance Team.
Each class performed two dances and all classes
participated in the Christmas finale. The Dance Team
performed four dances including two choreographed
by our very own Dance Team Co-captains Abby
Mervis with her Fire and Gold, and Maya Alston
with her All of Me. The concert was almost sold out
on Thursday, and completely sold out for the Friday
show! All performed extremely well, and the special
credit should go to Miss Donna, and the Tech crew.
An anonymous source says, “The Dance Concert was
a magical and inspirational night as we watched the
lovely talent of our LOTA dancers.”
Where did you work before you came to the Academy?
On Friday November 14th, the Impulse
Improv Team had a performance, which an audience
member described as “a night full of laughter!” The
improv team did fabulously at thinking on the spot!
We owe a big thanks to Mr. Placek and Mrs. Wendell
for preparing and moderating both the team and the
show!
I have an MBA and when I came to America and saw
how people can grow in knowledge I wanted to teach
something that could help people grow and interact
with other countries and people. I wanted to have a
job where I could see my family more and teach my
language to other people.
Holy Cross Basketball
I enjoy the students. They are so polite and are very
kind. I feel like they want to do their best. It does
not necessarily mean they get an A, but they try their
hardest, which is very good.
Margaret May ‘16
Holy Cross basketball has proven to be an
exciting sport to watch this winter. And their record
does not reflect the hard work of this team. They have
had several close games this season, and they hope to
come out on top for the rest of the season. They ventured to South Carolina over Christmas break and got
2nd place in their tournament. Recently, they played
Good Counsel; although the score may say one thing,
it doesn’t depict how close that game was and how
well Holy Cross played. In the last second of regulation, senior Janae Brown scored, and the student section rushed the court. However, the basket was called
back by the referees as it was a “travel”. If you want
to see how controversial this call was, the video is on
youtube. The new coaching staff has brought a new
positive atmosphere to the team. Juniors Anna-Sophia
Capizzi and Emily Moore remark, “The team has had
a lot of improvement. We are a very young and inexperienced team. The upperclassmen have taken on
a leadership role as they have shown the new members the ropes. We love our new coaching staff; they
make each individual feel appreciated.” Anna-Sophia
was instrumental in the win against Westlake, where
she had 21 points. She leads the team with 17 threepointers this season, and sophomore Madison Boyd
follows closely with 13. Senior manager Jessica Sims
has been part of this team her whole tenure in high
school. She adds, “As many people know this year
the basketball team is primarily an underclassmen
team; there are 2 seniors and 3 juniors. In the past the
basketball team has had 5 or more seniors. Taylor and
Janae have really stepped up and have led the team
to a few victories. Although we aren’t undefeated, we
are a very strong team that works together really well
as seen in the Good Counsel game. Individually and
collectively, everyone on the team is very talented.
I worked at Sherwood High School and 12 years in
the telecom industry. I also worked on Capitol Hill
for about 3 years and [for] my own company called
the Spanish Clubhouse. I tutored full time for about
two years. The Spanish Club did after school Spanish
in Montgomery County and I did prep courses for the
semester exams.
What classes are you teaching at the Academy?
At Holy Cross, I teach Spanish II, Honors Spanish II,
and Spanish III.
What is one reason why you started teaching?
What do you enjoy most about AHC?
Could you share a fun fact about yourself?
I do oil painting and I like art. I also worked for
Senator Ted Kennedy in college and I have a nonprofit foundation.
Library of Virginia Literary
Festival Award for Poetry
Winner: Mrs. Margaret
Mackinnon
Breanna Wilkins ‘15
Mrs. Mackinnon is a teacher that every student has to have at least once during her time at Holy
Cross. Not only is she incredibly smart with a great
personality, but she is also able to articulate information to her students in ways that are engaging, creative, and comprehendible. Furthermore, she is able
to take some of the most struggling student-writers
and cultivate their skills so that they are able to write
some of the best essays of their high school careers.
Mrs. Mackinnon has written and published
her stunning book of poetry, The Invented Child,
and since then she has been getting multiple awards
and outstanding reviews. The Invented Child gives
readers a glimpse into the lives of artists and writers like Mary Shelley, Walt Whitman, and Nathaniel
Hawthorne among others. She is noted for her ability
to “paint a vibrant natural world of sensations and
phenomena that constantly attracts and draws us on,
and that keeps the spiritual, intellectual, and narrative
dimensions of her work continually grounded in the
physical world” (ImageJournal.org).
February, 2015
In August 2012, Mrs. Mackinnon was recognized as the Image Artist of the Month and in 2013,
The Invented Child was listed on Image Update’s
“Top Ten of 2013”. Her poetry has also been featured
in several literary magazines and publications. In
October 2014, Mrs. Mackinnon won the 2014 Poetry
Prize from the Library of Virginia at their Literary
Festival for her book, triumphing over the two other
finalists. The Annual Library of Virginia Literary
Awards are given to several exceptional Virginia
authors for their literary contributions in the fields of
poetry, fiction, and nonfiction, and to be selected as
a winner is a tremendous feat. The judges at the festival heralded her work as a “fearless approach to an
enormous variety of subjects” and commended Mrs.
Mackinnon for revealing a certain “reverance for the
natural world and [her] palpably natural imagery.”
Tributes to Dominik Pettey
I was blessed to be able to go to a Gonzaga homecoming with Dom last year. He was such a sweet,
thoughtful, uplifting guy. He was always positive
and never failed to keep a smile on my face. I am so
blessed to have him as a part of my life. He literally
made an impact on so many people including myself.
It has been such a struggle coming to grips with the
fact that he’s gone, but I know he is always going to
be with me and looking over me.
-Katherine Graham
Dom was the happiest person I know. Not one time
did I see him without the biggest smile on his face.
His smile was infectious. Anytime I saw him, I
couldn’t help but put on the biggest smile of my own.
For that, I am forever grateful. Wherever we were
and wherever we went, Dom was always hanging
on us, asking to take pictures, cracking jokes, being
his goofy self. He had the best personality. Dom
lived his life to the fullest, that’s one thing I know for
sure. He stayed true to himself always, and did what
made him happy. He continues to inspire me to live
in the moment. I wish he was here with all of us, but
we have him looking over us now and I can feel his
presence everyday and we know he’s having the best
time in Heaven. I love you so much Dom. The squad
misses you. #11inheaven.
-Megan Brown
I am so grateful that I can say I was a friend of
Dom’s. He had one of those smiles that you only
come across a couple times in your lifetime. Dom I
miss you so much and it isn’t getting any easier to
accept that you’re gone. Your life was cut short and
you didn’t deserve that. I promise I won’t forget you,
because honestly, I don’t think I’ll ever meet someone like you again. I wish you would come back. I
wish I’d told you when you were still here, what a
great person I think you are. And when I think of you
I can’t help but smile, because you gave me so many
great memories to look back on. We all love you
so much Dom and I hope you know how much you
impacted each and everyone of us. I think I’ll miss
you forever.
-Sheylah Gaona
I can’t remember ever seeing Dom without a smile on
his face. Really missing that smile. Love you and rest
in peace, Dom.
-Liberty D’Anton
My dearest Dom,
There are so many things I want to say to you, and so
many things I wish that I had said. The biggest regret
that I am left with is knowing that I never said them.
This may sound cliché, and I’m sure many people
have whispered the same thing to you, but a piece of
me died along with you. So many days and so many
times I have thought to myself “Only Dominik would
understand this,” or “I know he would know what to
do” and been left feeling emptier than I ever thought
continued on page 4
Crosscurrents
Sometimes I feel myself wandering, looking for you
in the corners of my mind and the people around me.
I see you in a shadow, hear you in a song. We used to
ride the metro back from Shannen’s, and it would always surprise me how quickly time had passed when
we got to Bethesda. I talked to you every day and
would sometimes text you the silliest things, and you
would always respond with the same thing, a simple
“Haha.” Your stupid little “haha” used to make me
so angry because let’s face it, you and I both know
that I’m hilarious and at least deserve an “lmao.” I’ll
never forget the day you started a conversation with
me by sending me a picture of you in your ghillie
suit-- nothing else. I wasted no time in calling you
“Dominik Yetti” from there on out, even if I did only
get a “haha” in return. You always made me smile
Dom. You made me laugh, and you made me happy.
You were my best friend. You were the closest thing
that I’ve ever had to a brother.
I see you now, in all of the people you’ve left behind.
I see you in Megan and Marisa, Kendall, Lily, Clare,
Nicole and even myself when I look in the mirror.
We all loved you so much, and so many others who
feel our same pain think of you ever day. You left us
a little lonelier, a little sadder, and a little bit emptier.
But your memory lives on. We live on, remembering
you for all of the beauty that you were and joy that
you brought to the world. We love you Dom. I love
you.
Rest in peace, brother.
Love always,
Hannarae
photo courtesy of Gonzaga website hockey page
P.S. I still call you pettey12. I’m pretty sure you
aren’t allowed to be mad at me in Heaven.
ENTERTAINMENT & STYLE
Mockingjay Part 1: Has the
Girl on Fire Fizzled Out?
Trinket (Elizabeth Banks) is not allowed to wear her
normal makeup and fashion accessories. District 13
is feeding the fire of the rebellion against the Capitol.
All the districts are angry and agree to fight to their
death so that the districts may have freedom. Katniss,
along with fellow victor Finnick Odair (Sam Clafin),
want to fight to win back the victors stolen by the
Captiol: Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson), Joanna
Mason (Jena Malone), and Annie (Stef Dawson).
All the victors are still emotionally scarred from
the games and the unexpected ending of the Quarter Quell as we saw in Catching Fire. In Catching
Fire, Katniss destroyed the arena and some people
from the Captiol rescued her so she could become
the voice and image of the rebellion. Katniss agrees
to become the Mockingjay of the rebellion, if and
only if they can get back the victors. Everdeen sees
what has been going on in the districts and what the
Captiol is doing to the people who fight back. Mockingjay was a great preview for Part 2 of the series, but
many viewers will find it slow compared to the first
two movies. It did not have as much action and there
is barely any romance between Katniss and Peeta due
to Peeta getting captured by the Captiol. I give it four
stars for the acting and great scenery in the film.
Big Hero 6 Review
Pros by Margaret Capizzi:
The movie was well done; the soundtrack
brought the story to life and allowed the viewer to be
dragged further into the chaotic fairy tale. Initially I
was unsure about whether my younger siblings would
enjoy it, but the movie proved to be appropriate and
enjoyable for all ages. The bright costumes worn in
the movie stood out and made it easier to distinguish
which character was which. The scenery was full of
vivid colors which made the movie more like a fairy
tale. Although only getting 6.5 stars on IMDB, I think
most would find this film enjoyable. One warning there is a lot of singing, so prepare yourself!
Brittany Menjivar ‘17
Big Hero 6 is yet another Disney triumph
that seamlessly weaves emotion into almost two
hours’ worth of escapades. Based on the Marvel
Comics series of the same name, it tells the story of
Hiro Hamada, a young genius who creates an invention that garners him the attention of a university in
the futuristic city of San Fransokyo. Hiro runs into
trouble when a tragedy strikes his family; his situation gets worse when he discovers that a mysterious
masked enemy has made a copy of his invention,
whose power can be used in dangerous ways. Luckily, he has lots of help- Baymax, the lovable healthcare robot designed by his scientist brother, and his
brother’s motley circle of equally intelligent friends.
With the assistance of technology, Hiro and his team
become a superhero squad known as Big Hero 6 to
locate the man who stole Hiro’s invention. Despite
some unexpected shocks and setbacks, Hiro lives up
to the homophone of his name and becomes more like
his brother, who always wanted to make a positive
difference in the world. Big Hero 6 has an endearing
message about brotherhood, friendship, and making
constructive decisions. Its protagonists are driven by
noble motivations and are easy to root for, though
Hiro’s team could have had some more character
development. Baymax is one of the film’s best assets- he provides both humor and some truly poignant
moments that demonstrate the effective of simplicity
in screenwriting. The film’s ending is happy, but not
unrealistically so, and brings catharsis after some
turbulent plot events. Fall Out Boy’s “Immortals” is a
welcome addition to the soundtrack. 5 stars.
Into the Woods: Pros and
Cons
Margaret Capizzi ‘15, Sabrina Lu ‘16
Lilly Schmidt ‘17
Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) is
back and ready to rebel in District 13. Katniss has
grown to hate the Capital and President Snow (Donald Sutherland), especially due to the bombing of
her home, District 12. Her mother and sister, Prim
(Willow Shields), along with Gale (Liam Hemsworth)
and many other men, women, and children were
rescued and are now under the control of District
13’s leader, President Alma Coin (Julianne Moore).
District 13 is very different than what Katniss is used
to in District 12, and is like a military base. They can
only wear jumpsuits, eat at a certain time of day, and
sleep in small dormitories. You will see new sides of
all the people, personalities and characteristics that
haven’t been revealed before, and hardly recognize
them. Haymitch (Woody Harelson) is sober and Effie
was a lot of singing. Some songs seemed a little
pointless or simply lacked appeal to me. However,
there were still a great amount of songs that were
pleasant and humorous (i.e. “The Witch’s Rap” that
may remind you of Tyler Oakley or “Agony” with
Chris Pines and Billy Magnussen). It was also quite
interesting to see how all the fairytales intertwined as
the characters went- you guessed it- into the woods in
attempts to achieve their wishes. However, throughout the movie, there was often scenes of little excitement or action. The movie picks up a little after the
“happily-ever-after”, when the characters must deal
with the consequences of their earlier actions.
photo courtesy of aceshowbiz.com
I could.
Page 4
Introduction and cons by Sabrina Lu:
Into the Woods, a musical fantasy movie
based on its Broadway counterpart, incorporates a
great deal of the fairy tales you may have grown up
with while also centering on a childless baker and
his wife as they attempt to break the family curse. In
this movie, you will see fairy tales (such as “Little
Red Riding Hood”, “Cinderella”, “Jack and the
Beanstalk”, and “Rapunzel”) intertwine with one
another and even what happens after their “happilyever-afters”. The cast of Into the Woods is certainly
star-packed: Meryl Streep (the Witch), Anna Kendrick (Cinderella), Chris Pines (Cinderella’s Prince),
and Johnny Depp (the Wolf) to name a few.
As to be expected of a musical movie, there
Chris Pine as a prince and Anna
Kendrick as Cinderella
Relient K’s MMHMM: A
Review
Brittany Menjivar ‘17
Ten years ago, pop punk band Relient K
released MMHMM, its fourth album. Today, the
14-track showstopper is still as catchy and relevant
as ever. Raging guitars, clever lyrics, and an overall sense of fun pervade every minute of singer and
producer Matt Thiessen’s 50-minute romp through
the difficulties of relationships and faith. Song topics
include everything from seeking forgiveness, to politics, to the monotony that can creep into daily life, to
girlfriends- a welcome departure from the “17, 18,
19, routine” phrases we often hear through the radio.
Musical variety abounds, as well; the band does not
shy away from tempo changes, as the codas tacked
onto nearly every track demonstrate, and the sounds
of many instruments can be heard. The album’s clear
standout is “Which To Bury: Us Or The Hatchet,” the
story of a romance gone wrong featuring everything
from a banjo interlude to background screams. It is
only matched by “Life After Death & Taxes (Failure II),” whose intense riffs and emotive verses will
blow listeners away. “The Only Thing Worse Than
Beating A Dead Horse Is Betting On One” packs an
incredible punch in 1:14 with its delightfully frenetic instrumentation and lightning-quick rhymes.
Other recommended tracks include “Maintain Consciousness,” “More Than Useless,” and “I So Hate
Consequences.” The two ballads aren’t amazing, but
considering the rest of the album’s finesse, that can be
overlooked. Four stars.
photo courtesy of mindequalsblown.net
February, 2015
Page 5
Movie Trivia
Margaret Capizzi ‘15
We all love movies, so let’s see how well you know
these movies!
In Peter Jackson’s the Lord of the Rings trilogy, what is the name of Frodo’s best friend?
__________________
What 1960s movie features Atticus Finch as the
father of two young children in the South during the
depression? ________________________
What 2014 movie followed Emmet, voiced by Chris
Pratt, in saving the world from Lord Business?
______________
What group of superheroes is led by the Wolverine,
played by Hugh Jackman? ____________
In what movie is a young Jamie Lee Curtis
stalked by a serial killer as she is babysitting?
_________________
Who directed the famous thriller Psycho?
__________________
What is the main character’s name in the 1980s
movie Say Anything? _______________
Which actress plays Will Turner’s love interest in
Pirates of the Caribbean? ___________________
What movie features Emma Stone as a high school
student who decides to wear an “A” on her clothes
because of all the rumors circulating the school about
her? _________________
In what movie does the main character, Will Stronghold, have parents named Commander and Jetstream?
__________________
Bonus: Which well known 1980s actor was the voice
for Simba in the Lion King? ______________
Answers: 1. Samwise Gamgee, 2. To Kill A Mockingbird, 3. The Lego Movie, 4. The X-Men, 5. Halloween, 6. Alfred Hitchcock, 7. Lloyd Dobler, 8. Keira
Knightley, 9. Easy A, 10. Sky High, Bonus: Matthew
Broderick
Surviving a Winter
Wonderland in Fashion
Julia Urban ‘17
For some, winter is a wonderland. For others, winter is dirty snow mounds at the side of the
road, long lines at the mall, and no sun. Here’s how
to survive.
Firstly, enjoy any light available to you.
Light triggers a response in your brain to shut off
the production of melatonin, a hormone that makes
you sleepy. Due to the lack of light, doctors have
reason to believe that winter can cause people to feel
lethargic. Go out if you can, and stay active. Despite
any winter woes that can cause you to feel perpetually hungry, resist a constant stream of junk and
remember that fruit and veggies do exist. Buy a pair
of athletic earmuffs so you can still exercise without
your ears turning blue. Another great product for the
winter are gloves with pads on the fingers so you can
text.
Keep yourself out of a constant state of
discomfort. Make sure your winter gear, boots, and
jackets that fit, and don’t freeze your lips off. Studies from the NIH conclude that lips can lose moisture
three times as fast as your cheeks, and are highly
vulnerable to environmental factors including wind.
As much as we all love eos and Maybelline’s Baby
Lips, they won’t save us. They could even make
things worse due to their potentially irritating fragrances, and Baby Lips’s dyes. Try products with
petrolatum or dimethicone, or if you’re going the
all-natural route, beeswax and soybean oil will do the
trick. Huffington Post’s Simone Kitchens found other
Crosscurrents
remedies that work with our balms: don’t lick your
lips, use an exfoliating scrub before applying balm,
drink tons of water, and even turn on the humidifier
while you sleep. Hydrate the rest of your face, and
give your feet some attention, too: wear fluffy socks
while treading on anything besides carpet.
Don’t feel like you have to sacrifice fashion
in order to be comfortable. Pull on some knee-high
riding boots and a nice coat, and you can dress-up
whatever old pants or shirt you’re wearing. Since
your hair might be underneath a hat, and any nice
clothes you’re wearing covered by a jacket, you can
make a statement with makeup. Fashion shows have
shown that, for this winter, it’s all about the eyes.
Long lashes made an appearance at Gucci and Rochas runways, while models wore fierce eyeliner for
Jean Paul Gaultier and Kenzo. Summer’s neon trend
has faded, but autumn’s dark, smoked-out neutral
shadows can still work for the winter. To complement such dramatic eyes, contour with matte bronzer
and wear a nude lipstick. If you want to rock a dark
lip, you only need to tone down the eyes. Both gloss
and matte lipsticks can work in the winter, especially
in mauve or berry colors. However, if your lips are
chapped and you wear a matte lipstick, the product
will sit in every crack in your lips. This is why lip
balm is so important.
My last tip would be to enjoy everything
wonderful: every tradition, every event, and every
food. Winter can be truly magical. Treat yo self and
indulge in hot cocoa if you want. Pick out movies
you want to watch during snowdays. Savor it while
it’s here.
RECIPES
Homemade Cinnamon
Bread
Ingredients
Anna-Sophia Capizzi ‘16
1 cup Milk
6 Tablespoons Butter
2-1/2 teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
2 whole Eggs
1/3 cup Sugar
3-1/2 cups All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Salt
1/3 cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons Cinnamon
Egg And Milk, Mixed Together, For Brushing
Softened Butter, For Smearing And Greasing
Preparation Instructions
Melt butter with milk. Heat until very warm, but
don’t boil. Allow to cool until still warm to the touch,
but not hot. Sprinkle yeast over the top, stir gently,
and allow to sit for 10 minutes.
Combine flour and salt.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix sugar and eggs
with the paddle attachment until combined. Pour in
milk/butter/yeast mixture and stir to combine. Add
half the flour and beat on medium speed until combined. Add the other half and beat until combined.
Switch to the dough hook attachment and beat/knead
dough on medium speed for ten minutes. If dough is
overly sticky, add 1/4 cup flour and beat again for 5
minutes.
Heat a metal or glass mixing bowl so it’s warm.
Drizzle in a little canola oil, then toss the dough in
the oil to coat. Cover bowl in plastic wrap and set it
February, 2015
in a warm, hospitable place for at least 2 hours.
Turn dough out onto the work surface. Roll into a
neat rectangle no wider than the loaf pan you’re
going to use, and about 18 to 24 inches long. Smear
with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Mix sugar and cinnamon together, then sprinkle evenly over the buttersmeared dough. Starting at the far end, roll dough
toward you, keeping it tight and contained. Pinch
seam to seal.
Smear loaf pan with softened butter. Place dough,
seam down, in the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and
allow to rise for 2 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix a little egg with milk, and smear over the
top. Bake for 40 minutes on a middle/lower rack in
the oven. Remove from the pan and allow bread to
cool.
Olympic Cookies
Katherine Precourt ‘15
To tell you the truth, When I heard the name
“Olympic Cookie” I had expected something hearty
and healthy-looking, but I was pleasantly surprised
with the final product, a delicate lace-like cookie
packed with flavor. Crispy on the outside and chewy
on the inside, these cookies boast a simple recipe with
ingredients that blend together to create a complex
taste, sure to engage the senses. With each bite comes
either a burst of fruity flavor from the raisins, the
rich, nutty undertones from the walnuts, or sweetness
from the chocolate chips, with a subtle caramelized
texture and taste from the butter. Rolled oats give
the cookie substance, and brown sugar adds body
and a depth of flavor. These cookies have been in my
family for decades, and are perfect for the holiday
season. After a long day out or a lazy day in, these
pair perfectly with a tall glass of milk or a warm mug
of cocoa. Bring them on a hike for a quick pick me
up, or save them for a midnight snack, whatever the
circumstance, these versatile cookies leave room for
your imagination. Don’t like raisins? Try substituting
dried cranberries. Interested in experimenting with
new flavors? Taste test with different types of chocolate chips or nuts. These cookies are are truly fit for
the olympian or couch potato in all of us, and provide
the ideal fix for the sweet tooth and health nut alike.
Ingredients: 1 cup butter 1 1/2 cups firmly packed
light brown sugar 2 1/2 cups quick oats 1 cup flour
1 egg 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla 1/4 teaspoon salt 1
teaspoon baking soda 1 cup chocolate chips 1/2 cup
raisins 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
Directions: 1. In a standard mixer, cream the butter
and sugar together. Then, beat in egg until the mixture
is smooth. Add vanilla. 2. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. Gradually add all dry ingredients into the the
wet ingredients, and mix together to form the dough.
3. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Stir in chocolate
chips, raisins and nuts by hand to ensure
ingredients are dispersed properly. 4. Drop dough
by the teaspoonful onto baking pan, leaving about 3
inches between each
round (these cookies spread!). 5. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees.
NOTE: These cookies will appear soft when removing them from the oven. Leave on tray for three
minutes before removal (no longer or they will stick
to the pan).
February, 2015
Crosscurrents
The Realest Hot Chocolate
You’ll Ever Have
ever, the validity of these accusations is questionable,
due to the lack of evidence behind them, the contradictions between them, and their trivial nature.
Julia Urban ‘17
First of all, the lack of representation in video
games is not an effect of intentional sexism, rather
the product of simple economics. Producers create
what consumers will buy in order to make money,
and tailor their products to the group most likely to
buy such products. For example, certain bath products can be marketed towards women if scented,
colored, or packaged a specific way. It would be odd
for a man to complain that women’s bath products do
not represent his bathroom needs, because that is not
what they are designed to do. In the same way, some
video games are marketed specifically to men, because men are more likely to buy them. Such games
include military-themed or action games, such as
Call of Duty or Grand Theft Auto. In 2011, roughly
85.5% of the U.S.’s active duty force was made up by
women, and throughout history, militaries have been
primarily composed of men. Therefore, military and
action based games often appeal more to men than
women, since men more frequently play them, resulting in less female representation. To this, the opposition would claim that just as many women as men
play games, or even more women than men, citing
an Entertainment Software Association study. However, this study counted anyone who had ever played
any sort of electronic game as a “gamer”, including
those who have played Candy Crush or Angry Birds,
even if only once. As Christina Hoff Sommers, the
“Factual Feminist”, said, “I don’t fault the researchers
for these findings; I think it’s great that the world of
games is expanding, and that there are more women
creating and playing games, but a distinction is in
order”. In a video that she created for the American
Enterprise Institute, Sommers points to a different
study to back her belief that “adult women are not the
key demographic [in video games]”. A UCLA study
called “The American Freshman: National Norms
Fall 2013” found that, for incoming college freshman
who were hard-core gamers, meaning they played 20
or more hours per week, the ratio of boys to girls was
7 to 1. Therefore, action-based video games are often
tailored to the male perspective, and understandably
so. In the same way, male interests are often overlooked in romances, especially teen romance and
romantic-comedies, because men are not the primary
demographic. In the popular movie The Fault in Our
Stars, two cancer patients fall in love, and the male
lead tells the female lead that he cannot stop staring at her because she’s so beautiful, all on their first
acquaintance. Do teenage boys realistically carry
themselves with such aplomb, creating the romance
that teenage girls could not stop talking about? No.
In Twilight by Stephanie Meyer, an ordinary teenage
girl must decide between an ultra-rich, handsome
vampire, and an equally attractive werewolf who
cannot keep his shirt on. Does this story represent the
male perspective? No. However, it does not matter,
because the story was written by a woman for women
about a woman, and should not be expected to cater
to men.
Many people have experienced what they
think is hot chocolate: they pour hot water into some
mix from Safeway and call it a day. Unfortunately,
what they have actually experienced is hot cocoa. According to Fred Thompson, author of IACP
Cookbook Awards finalist Hot Chocolate: 50 Cups
of Comfort, hot cocoa is “a little chocolate flavor
with a lot of hot milk”. Each recipe for hot chocolate
included in his recipe book “transcends the powdered
hot cocoa of our youth” with gourmet twists and
high quality ingredients. They are time consuming
recipes, but well worth the effort, as they produce
rich desserts that can stand alone. Enjoy winter with
the following recipe, and if you can, buy the whole
book. From recipes like vanilla (white chocolate)
hot chocolate to Italian hot chocolate with orange
whipped cream, there is something for everyone.
American Hot Chocolate with Chocolate Whipped
Cream
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon Scharffen Berger cocoa
powder. *If you can’t find this exact brand, you’ll
survive
4 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 1/2 ounces Scharffen Berger bittersweet chocolate
(70 to 75 percent cacao), chopped
Large pinch of kosher salt. *Again, if you do not
have kosher salt, you will be fine.
5 cups whole milk
Grated bittersweet chocolate for garnish (optional)
1. In a small bowl using an electric mixer, whip the
cream with 1 tablespoon of the cocoa powder and 1/2
teaspoon of the sugar until it forms firm peaks. Set
aside.
2. In a medium-size saucepan, combine the chocolate, the remaining 4 tablespoons cocoa powder and
4 tablespoons sugar, the salt, and the milk. Place the
mixture over medium heat; whisk gently. Once the
chocolate melts and the cocoa dissolves, raise the
heat to medium-high; whisk more vigorously to form
a froth on the surface. When the mixture bubbles
around the edges and seems ready to boil, remove
from the heat. Do not let it boil.
3. Ladle the hot chocolate into 4 cups with some
froth on each. Spoon a dollop of whipped cream on
top, and sprinkle with grated chocolate if desired.
Serves 4
*This remark is my commentary and not written by
Mr. Fred Thompson
OPINION
Do Video Games
Encourage Sexism and
Violence?
Julia Urban ‘17
Allegations that video games encourage
violence, sexism, and poor character in general have
come to the forefront of the gaming community recently, especially after the eruption of what is known
as “Gamer Gate”. During this incident, what began
as a protest against corruption in gaming journalism
transformed into what some are calling a “culture
war” over claims that video games are sexist and promote violence. Such claims criticize the games’ lack
of representation of the female perspective, and have
given activists a greater voice in the industry. How-
Activists argue that games that are catered
towards men encourage violence, but many studies show that youth crime has decreased with the
increase of gaming, and others fail to find a conclusive connection between gaming and violence at
all. Christina Hoff Sommers asked her audience if
video games “promote a culture of misogyny and
violence that must be dismantled”, and gave her
answer: no. She understands why gamers make many
people uncomfortable, since gamers are mostly male,
playing extremely competitive, often violent games,
and “play them a lot”. Parents, teachers, and other
authority figures, including politicians, have jumped
onto the bandwagon of sensationalizing the issue and
expressing concern over such gamers. They point to
rare incidents, such as fourteen year-old Noah Crook
killing his mother after she confiscated his Call of
Duty game, or when Zachary Burgess went on a sup-
Page 6
posedly Grand Theft Auto-inspired stealing-spree.
However, in Sommers’s words, “No one has been
able to establish a clear correlation” between real-life
violence and video games. For someone to simply
play a game in a fictional dimension, then commit a
horrible crime, they must have something else in their
life, perhaps a mental illness, driving them. In 2010,
a substantial article was published by the Psychological Bulletin, declaring fear over the effects of
video games as “much ado about nothing”. Sommers
comments, “As video games have surged in popularity, youth crime has plummeted”. Pinpointing video
games as a main source of violence within youth
especially is simply a scare-tactic for sensationalizing
and politicizing the issue.
Even more politicized is the portrayal of
women in video games, which is criticized constantly
despite having no statistically recorded effect on
gamers, and despite the fact that many video games
are not created for women. A popular point is that,
in action-based games, male characters always lead,
or that female figures are sexualized. Christina
Hoff Sommers responds, “Male gamers, as a group,
do evince a strong preference for games with male
heroes, and sexy women. Now could that be because
they are, uh, male?” She then emphasizes the fact
that it is baseless to claim that video games are making men more homophobic, racist, sexist-- whatever
people want to claim. There is simply no evidence to
support such a belief. Evidence that does exist flies
in the face of these beliefs, since “millennial” men,
or men of a generation saturated in the technology
that includes video games, are far less prejudiced
than men of previous generations. Popular YouTuber
Maddox, who uses satire to convey his opinions on
society, asked his audience, “What exactly are you
criticizing men of in the video game industry? Of not
being women? Guilty.” Again, no one is criticizing
women’s media for, as Sommers put it, “privileging
the female perspective” and “marginalizing men”,
but men’s media defends against criticism constantly.
Maddox does not believe that this criticism, which he
refers to as complaining, will help anything. While
displaying pictures of women in the game industry,
such as Amy Hennig (Uncharted 2), Robin Hunicke
(Journey), Jade Raymond (Assassin’s Creed 2),
and Kim Swift (Portal), he says “If women want to
change how they are portrayed in video games, they
need to step up and start making video games. Men
aren’t doing a good job of portraying women, and
they shouldn’t be expected to.”
Many more gender-based complaints against
video games exist, and again, many are trivial, or
ignore the demographic for which the games exist. One of the most popular gender-politics issue is
violence in specific against women. Activists who
make such criticisms forget that there is immensely
more violence against men in gaming. Perhaps
activists do not mind the numerous male characters
who are slaughtered in games, because men simply
are not a priority for them. Another criticism is that
female characters are scantily-clad and unproportionally animated, which is sexist objectification. However, in many action-based games, the men are also
unproportional. The figures of men and women, at
least the “likeable” characters, are meant to be ideal,
not realistic. Also, by claiming that showing scantilyclad females is sexist, feminists are claiming that
being scantily clad is degrading, despite any circumstances. This contradicts their other commonly held
belief, pioneered by feminists like Laci Green (who
has about 1 million subscribers on YouTube), that
“slut-shaming” is wrong. Slut-shaming is defined as
criticizing a woman based on the way she conducts
herself, clothing-wise and through her sexual habits.
Many 3rd-wave (modern) feminists believe “slutshaming” is sexist, because it condemns a woman
who they believe should express her sexuality as freely as she wishes. For example, when Kim Kardashian released photos from her nude photoshoot, and
when Miley Cyrus performed her highly controvercontinued on page 7
sial and sexualized performance of “Blurred Lines” at
the VMA’s, Laci Green came to their defense through
social media, to condemn the “slut-shaming” of both
two women. If, according to Laci Green and many
other modern feminists, it is completely acceptable
to strip naked or sexualize oneself for entertainment
in real life, why does it matter how fictional women
dress and act in video games? If Beyoncé can declare
herself a feminist onstage at the VMA’s, shortly after
singing, in nothing but a leotard, about performing
oral sex in a car, what is so sexist about sexuality in
men’s media? Even if the “objectification” is still
wrong, activists such as Laci Green and Beyoncé
must realize that they contribute to it by desensitizing
our society to sex, and encouraging women to sexualize themselves. Activists also contradicted each other
in their reactions to the video game Bayonetta 2. This
game features a strong female protagonist created by
a Japanese female character designer, and is loved by
some feminists, but feminist Anita Sarkeesian called
it “pernicious”. She believes this game was “created specifically for the sexual pleasure of straight
male gamers” and is therefore sexist. Sommers
criticizes this viewpoint since it is based on the 1975
feminist theory of the “male gaze”, which condemns
the admiration of the female form by men as sexist
objectification. Sommers says, “spectators might be
able to gaze at a woman’s body, and identify with her
on a human level”. She concedes that many games
feature only “sexy” women, but argues that this is
because many men like attractive women, and asks,
“Why shame them for this?”. Again, if any change is
to come, more women need to make and play games
instead of simply complaining about what is in them.
The anti-video game crowd seems to have
good intentions in general, but their criticisms can
range from trivial to downright dishonest. Anita Sarkeesian is one of the largest players in the anti-Gamer
Gate crowd, with a YouTube channel called “Feminist
Frequency”, and she is arguably playing dirty. She
is recorded saying, “I am not a fan of video games”,
speaking of how particularly violent action-based
games disgust her, then claims to love video games in
a different video. She has cherrypicked specific footage and commented on it completely out of context,
also. For example, in the game Watch Dogs, one
of the main player’s missions is to shut down a sex
trafficking ring-- arguably a pro-woman and heroic
act. However, Sarkeesian uses the footage from the
sex trafficking ring scenario to claim that the game
objectifies women. In the game Hitman (where the
first player is obviously a hitman), players are penalized for attacking citizens who are not the targets.
However, using footage from this game, Sarkeesian
claimed that Hitman condoned the “desecration” of
random women, even though the game is about finding and taking out specific targets, not female citizens
who are not the target. Of course, she cares so deeply
when the occasional female character is killed, but
never mentions the many male characters who die
in degrading ways in the game. Either she knows
exactly what she is doing and is thus a liar, or has no
idea what the games are even about, and is attempting to appear more educated than she actually is.
She picks on trivial issues; for example, she shows
footage of Koopa’s daughter (a character in Nintendo games) crying, and claims that this stereotypes
women as over-emotional. However, in the game,
Koopa’s daughter is a child-- children throw tantrums
all the time. It is not sexist to depict that. Next, for
someone who claims to encourage discussion, and
uses the slogan “conversations with pop culture”, she
seems only interested in hearing her own side, having disabled comments, ratings, and even statistics
on all her videos. Her campaign to raise money for
her video series asked for $4,000, and she received
$160,000, and since she could not possibly need that
much money for the few videos she has posted, even
her own fans online have asked for a little transparency. She is definitely not the only activist who has
posted misleading and dishonest information, but the
amount of people who back her is staggering. She,
Crosscurrents
February, 2015
who once claimed to dislike video games, was even
appointed an ambassador at a gaming convention.
In the end, there is little conclusive evidence
that video games cause violence or bigotry, and the
lack of representation for the female perspective
within the games is simply an effect of not enough
females playing them. To those who agree with
Sarkeesian, a more effective route to ending sexism
in gaming would be pursuing a career in the gaming
industry, rather than beating a dead horse by criticizing the games. Join women, such as Mari Shimazaki
(Bayonetta) or Jade Raymond (Assassin’s Creed 2),
in bringing about true and lasting change.
photo courtesy of brilliantlyepic.com
Page 7
Jade Raymond
LITERARY
Shakespeare’s Sisters: My
Folger Experience Thus Far
Brittany Menjivar ‘17
The Folger Shakespeare Library loomed
large against a blue DC sky. Standing in its majestic
shadow on a crisp January afternoon, I wondered
what I was soon to encounter within its walls.
A few months ago, Ms. Mackinnon had informed me about the Shakespeare’s Sisters Seminars
at the library, a program for high schoolers interested
in literature. I sent in an application and was lucky
enough to be one of several students selected for the
program. I knew that as a participant in the seminars,
I would study important female poets and write some
poetry of my own inspired by their work; yet I still
had many questions as I walked into the building and
made my way to the meeting room. What kind of
atmosphere would the class have? What would the
teachers and other students be like?
When the seminar began, I received satisfying answers.
We began Day One by introducing ourselves
over cookies and tea. I bonded with the other girls
in my class instantly, knowing that they shared some
of my interests. After talking about what the course
would cover, our teachers, Ms. Teri Cross Davis and
Ms. Kim Roberts, explained its title: “Shakespeare’s
Sisters” referred to not only the various female poets
we would study, but to us, who would continue their
legacy by writing our own works. The notion gave
me a sense of connectedness to the universe.
Next, we were led on a tour of the Folger.
We looked at its collection of Shakespeare tchotchkes
and learned about the storied history of a portrait of
Queen Elizabeth. We gathered around the Voynich
Text, a centuries-old manuscript full of strange codes
and symbols for which cryptographers have not
yet found a definitive meaning. We overlooked the
Folger Theater from a balcony, stunned by its intimate square structure, meant to evoke the essence
of an Elizabethan theater. My favorite moment was
when we entered the Reading Room, where researchers come from across the country to pore over books
from the library’s immense collection. Our tour guide
led us through a small, office-like space, then opened
a set of double doors along the back wall and ushered
us into one of the most amazing places I’ve ever seen.
The room was dimly lit with high ceilings and walls
made of gleaming wood. Its perimeters were lined
with a series of detailed paintings depicting various
scenes from Shakespeare plays, including Romeo
and Juliet, Much Ado About Nothing, and Macbeth.
The guide informed us that the Folgers- the married founders of the library- were buried in the back,
which was fascinating. The past and the present were
evidently intertwined in this place.
Now I am several weeks into the class and
have gotten used to its rhythm. Each week, we receive a packet of poetry from three different poets,
along with biographical information. We then have
to write a two-page reflection and a poem inspired by
anything at all from the packet. In class, we discuss
the poets, as well as any assertions their poems might
make about gender roles, and read our original poetry
out loud. Later, we receive written comments on our
work from Ms. Cross Davis and Ms. Roberts, which
has been helpful in my journey of growth as a poet.
So far, we have studied over ten poets, beginning with a segment on male writers and then permanently transitioning to female writers. I have read the
works of a queen and a slave, activists and actresses,
blacks and whites, Britons and Americans. I have
read poems about love, war, friendship, religion,
death, freedom, poetry itself. I have read sonnets,
quatrains, free verse, poems written in heroic couplets. I have absorbed dozens of words and worlds.
The assigned reflections and poems aren’t
a chore; instead, they are a chance for me to ponder
topics that are relevant to society and create meaningful art drawing from the musings of others. So far,
I have elaborated on the one-sided portrayals of women in Renaissance poetry, the deep bonds of friendship between women in Katherine Phillips’s poetry,
and powerful poems by Frances E. W. Harper tackling serious subjects. I have written a poem from the
perspective of a woman in 1555 who fears the loss of
her autonomy due to marriage, a sonnet contrasting
friendship with romantic love, and a poem based on
a true account of a girl committing suicide because
she had “too much knowledge” and was thus looked
down on by her colonial-era peers. It’s often difficult
to choose which topic to write about because there
are so many intriguing options. I have always had an
appreciation for art, but only now do I truly realize
the breadth of meaning and color one work can hold.
One of our most recent- and most specialactivities in class was looking at and leafing through
early copies of texts by authors such as William
Shakespeare, John Donne, Mary Sidney Herbert,
and Aemilia Lanyer. Our instructors pointed out the
inscriptions scrawled in many of the books, showing that they had been owned by young women like
ourselves. These inscriptions all followed a certain
pattern: “[Woman’s name]: Her Book.” One girl
had crammed the words between lines of text on the
title page, solidifying the union between herself, the
author, and the work; another followed them with
a poem she had written herself, likely inspired by
the poet in whose book she was writing. Ms. Cross
Davis and Ms. Roberts explained that these girls were
asserting their ownership of and attachment to their
books, as they were proud of their connection to literature in a time when the female intellect was scarcely
acknowledged. This statement made me realize how
powerful my passion for writing is. Generations of
women before me have suffered discrimination and
criticism for their right to written expression, and yet
persisted in perfecting their craft; similarly, females
have fought for the opportunity to study literature
for years. In some parts of our world, they are still
fighting. Why all this struggle over the written word?
The answer is simple: it holds incredible power. In
the words of Madeleine L’Engle, it shows us “who
and what and why we are.” It can transform, it can
persuade, it can illustrate, it can ignite. And so can
those who choose to partake in its magic.
I am happy to be one of Shakespeare’s Sisters, and exhort all high school students who love to
think, assert, create, and dream to apply to join the
seminars next year.
February, 2015
A Table for Two
Crosscurrents
Page 8
Mariela Trejo ‘15
I hoist myself into my chair and wheel myself over to the small dresser. Above it,
hangs a beautifully crafted mirror made in Italy, which belonged to my mother.
She gave it to Eleanor and me when the two of us were married and I cannot
think of another gift that made her so happy. She once told me that whenever she
looked at herself in it, she couldn’t help but get distracted by the reflection of our
bedroom window and the beauty outside, especially during the spring. She mentioned that she finds solace in the fact that nature’s reflection is changing each
day, just as human beings’ do. One thing about Eleanor is that she never fails to
acknowledge the amazing gift of nature.
I comb my hair and try to keep any of the thin white strands from falling
out. The last thing I need is a balding head. I place my comb next to the silver
hairbrush set I bought for Eleanor when I was stationed in Vietnam years ago.
Strands of her long, dark brown hair are stark against the cream bristles of the
brush. She must have forgotten to remove these when she brushed her hair the
other morning. I think about completing the chore for her, but decide against it
and wheel myself out of the bedroom and into the kitchen.
The room is slightly lit by a single lamp that I often forget to turn off at night.
Dark brooding shadows are cast from simple, harmless objects such as a chair
and a dog food bowl. It is quite remarkable how innocent things can seem so
intimidating in the dark. I pull the string of the blinds to allow sunlight to melt
into the room, casting away all of the dark shadows. I take a deep breath and
admire the decorations of our kitchen. The theme is the beach because it is one of
our favorite places. Eleanor and I met each other at the beach, were married on
a beach, took our first family vacation to a beach, and one day hope to live on a
beach. The walls are covered with wooden and canvas signs that read phrases that
make me smile, like “life is good at the beach” and “just another day in paradise.”
To add to the aesthetic, our plates, cups, and utensils are beach themed as well,
making a meal in our kitchen a truly realistic experience. I make my way toward
the cupboards and begin to take out dishes to set a table for two. Today is my
day to make breakfast. Upon clearing the table for the meal, I notice a vase with
a bouquet of wilting blue hydrangeas in it. I throw them away and rinse out the
vase, placing it back where it belongs under the sink.
I begin to make the pancake batter and decide that it is a bit quiet this morning.
I hit the play button on the stereo in the kitchen and I am greeted by the lively
sound of a Tchaikovsky concerto. I had forgotten about this cassette that I recorded on my piano years ago at the request of Eleanor. She loved the idea of a sound
being frozen in time forever, able to be replayed over and over again. This is so
different from memories, I think to myself; memories may fade but a recording
remains in tact forever.
As the batter sizzles onto the hot pan, the wonderful aroma of Sunday morning
breakfast begins to fill the house. The stack of pancakes gets higher, and I eventually turn off the stove and set the table in preparation for the meal. The music is
still going and this makes me nostalgic. I begin to think of other Sunday mornings from the past, when Natalie and Matthew, our children, would chase each
other around this very same kitchen. At the time I would try to ignore the screams
by focusing on the music and the phrasing of the pieces. However, I now wish
that I had blocked them out a little less, because I am beginning to forget what
those yelps actually sounded like.
Still hoping that the smell of Eleanor’s favorite breakfast food will lure her into
the kitchen, I wait, with a coffee mug and today’s newspaper in hand. I finish my
pancakes and look out our sliding glass door into the yard of our next-door neighbor, Sam. He is outside pulling weeds from his garden. He must feel my eyes
watching him because he eventually makes eye contact with me. He straightens
up and salutes me. Seeing me eating breakfast there in my beach themed kitchen,
nothing out of the ordinary to me, seems to bring about a twinkle of pity in his
eyes. I wonder why, but all I do is wave politely back to the gentleman. He is a
fine neighbor.
I decide that I will clear the table of breakfast later on, considering I have some
chores I need to get done anyways. I wheel myself into the living room where my
new plasma screen television seems so futuristic in a room packed with shelves
of records, a record players, an antique piano, and other valuables from my past.
One in particular is my Purple Heart medal, which is encased in a clear glass box
hung on the wall. Every time I see that medal, I do not think of myself as brave or
heroic. I try not to think of the battlefield. Instead I bring forward fond memories
of waking up from surgery to the beautiful face of Eleanor. I remember thinking
at the moment of the bombing that I would never see her again and that I would
never be able to teach little Natalie how to play the piano. I would never be able
to tell my best friend that I loved her more than anything else. That poor Eleanor
would have to grow old without a husband by her side. The relief that I felt when
I opened my eyes to see her smile is indescribable. Sitting in that hospital bed, I
forgot all about my future that I knew would be spent in a wheelchair; all I could
think about was the present which itself was the best gift I could have ever been
given. I wonder if Eleanor thinks of that moment too, whenever she passes the
medal in our living room. I take a mental note to ask her about it. I think that she
would enjoy that conversation of reliving those memories together.
I soon decide that I should do something to keep my mind busy today, so I go to
the bookshelf to pick out something to read. My favorite place to read is in our
bedroom, right in front of my mother’s mirror that hangs above our dresser. It
gives me a full view of the room around me and keeps the glaring sunlight out of
my eyes. I grab my withered copy of Leaves of Grass and wheel myself into our
bedroom. I park myself in my favorite spot, put on my reading glasses, and sink
into a relaxing daze. I look up into the mirror and try to take a good look at myself. All I really notice is the outline of an old man sitting in a wheelchair. I look
harder and notice the large window showcasing the newly blossomed flowers of
spring. The grass is so green and is beginning to look a bit overgrown. I make a
mental note to call up Jimmy later from down the street to see if he is interested
in being paid for some grass cutting. I continue to look at the reflection of the
scene and a huge wave of happiness overpowers me as I notice a patch of bright
blue hydrangeas. Blue hydrangeas are Eleanor’s favorite flower. On the day of Eleanor’s funeral, I placed a bouquet of blue hydrangeas in her casket so she would
never forget the smell.
photo courtesy of wildwoodwatercolors.wordpress.com
I awake to the beautiful melody of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata, which
fills the small space inside of the bedroom with a haunting melody. Classical
music first thing in the morning always seems to gently wake my body up from
the trance of sleep. It registers an ambiance of calm with which I carry with me
throughout the day. Once a few other pieces by Vivaldi and Debussy have sung
out from the small iPod dock, which my granddaughter programmed to start
every morning at 7 o’clock, I open my eyes. It is time to start my day. I carefully
use my arms to swing my legs over the edge of the bed and onto the ground. I
am careful not to move the bed or make too much noise as I get ready. While still
leaning against my bed for support, I pull on my slacks and dress shirt, making
sure that each button correctly matches with the slit on the opposite side. Eleanor
always seems to catch me if I miss this step.
Youth, or the Indoor
Caracal
Brittany Menjivar ‘17
The youth is an indoor caracal. His ears
Listen for the sounds of the wilderness as his
eyes strain
To see the unexplored savannah from his bedroom window.
His nonexistent claws scrape the air for adventure, but ceilings
Block the starlight that can satiate his soul.
His irises are green- the color of his home,
The place he is meant to roam. Where is that
home?
Not in this terrain, but another plane, where
silence and serenades
Carry praises to the world’s beating heart.
The youth is a caracal, and no one stops to read
the question marks in his gaze.
photo courtesy of Kristian Thy
Paper formatted by Julia Urban ‘17