Written by Kimberly Gunning
(kgunnin1@mscd.edu)
Campus recreation and the Metro athletic department asked the Student Affairs Board for a club sports budget increase Feb. 23.
Club sports, a tri-institutional program for all three Auraria colleges, currently receive an estimated $5,000 yearly budget that is split between 15 teams. They are asking SAB for a $20,000 budget to further help with teams’ insurance fees and various league expenses.
“The club sports program has blossomed and $5,000 doesn’t meet the needs anymore,” said Peter Julian, club sports coordinator. “It has grown threefold in the past four years.”
With 15 teams sharing the current budget, student athletes look to various fundraising ideas to come up with the money needed to play.
Metro’s ice hockey team holds an annual fundraiser to help with some of the team costs, and each player pays a seasonal fee of $1,500.
“It (a budget increase) would definitely take some pressure off of the fundraiser,” said Curtis Duffus, Metro hockey head coach. “The cheapest ice in town is $195 per hour.”
Ice time for practices and home games reach an estimated $15,500 each year.
“We (the athletic department) are very supportive of club sports growing and the funding of it,” said Joan McDermott, Metro’s athletic director.
McDermott and Julian both explained the frustration of limited play space for these athletes.
The varsity field north of the gym is reserved for those athletes and participants receiving academic credit, leaving club teams to find practice space off campus.
According to McDermott, Auraria acquired land south of Colfax. There is no set plan for the land at this time, but there are intentions to use part of it for a multipurpose field that club teams can play on.
“The need for traditional amenities is apparent,” Julian said.
He explained that having a club-sports program for students to participate in is an important dimension to campus life; however, it is currently limited by the inadequate budget and the lack of play space.
“We feel it is important to meet them halfway,” Julian said.
“Any little bit of money can help out,” said Tony Price, director of campus recreation.
For the past six years, the club-sports program has been run by the athletic department. It has been provided with a $5,000 fixed yearly budget from the general fund, which is salaried by the state of Colorado and student tuition.
“Campus recreation would like to assist in co-managing club sports with the athletic department,” Price said.
With the campus recreation department involved, club sports will become a student fee-funded program. This enables the decision for a budget increase to be made by SAB.
Because of the repositioning of club sports, the recent higher education budget cut does not eliminate the opportunity for a program budget increase.
“Enrollment is up significantly,” Price said. Higher enrollment means more student fees. However, “other programs want a piece of the pie too.”
Metro is becoming a more traditional college campus. The enrollment is increasing and the average student age is decreasing. The new budget proposal has not yet been approved by SAB.
Based on these observations and the growth of club sports over the past several years, the club-sports program is a “testament to the fact that students want to be more engaged,” Price said.
Roadrunners come from behind for victory
Written by Robert Dran
(rdran@mscd.edu)
Photo by Jonathan Ingraham
(jingrah1@mscd.edu)
Metro baseball went 3-for-4 in a four-game set against Colorado Christian University March 6-8 in Parker. Though Metro came out on top, the team was glad to get three wins, as all four games had a margin of victory of three runs or less.
In the first game, Metro overcame six errors and a nine-run seventh inning to get the win after 11 innings. Designated hitter Brett Bowman followed up his two-out rally starting hit against Mesa with another two-out single that helped Metro grab a come-from-behind win. Catcher Tyree Abshire provided a key two-run home run to seal Metro’s third victory of the series.
“I wish we could have had a sweep,” head coach Jerry Schemmel said. “But all the games were close. CCU is a much improved team.”
First baseman Jordan Stouffer was a little bit more disappointed in the team’s attitude toward CCU.
“It was our toughest weekend,” Stouffer said. “The problem with a team like CCU is that it’s easy to take them lightly, and we took them too lightly. They battled hard.”
Stouffer did hit another home run during the weekend, which was his ninth home run this season. Both Schemmel and Stouffer agreed the team’s strength was their offense.
“We were kind of unlucky this weekend as we kept hitting the ball hard, but half the time it seemed that it went directly to the other team,” Stouffer said. “(Next week against New Mexico) Highlands — they will attack the strike zone, which is exciting for me. I don’t think a pitcher can attack the strike zone and get too many balls past us.”
Metro’s defense, while improving throughout the season since the first games against Regis, took a step back when they gave up six errors in the first game. Metro was able to calm down the defense and only allowed one error for the rest of the game.
“There were still plays that we should have made that we didn’t, but they counted as hits,” left fielder Marcel Dominguez said of the final three games.
Schemmel expressed confidence in his team’s defense, but said the team could practice more in the infield.
“The field was particularly rough with AstroTurf and tough sand on the infield,” Stouffer said. “It wasn’t very well-groomed either, but excuses aside we are spoiled on our practice field.”
Schemmel’s main concern heading into next week against New Mexico Highlands University is pitching. Highlands is known for having a potent offense.\”Our starting pitching needs to be more consistent. Outside of (Highland’s pitcher) Joel Lockhart we need to find a way to be more consistent,” Schemmel said.
Metro’s defense and pitching will be a concern against Highlands as the team beat CCU in a rout 35-5 earlier in the season. The team, as a whole, claimed not to take Highlands lightly.
“With Highlands and their offense, we need to pitch well and play good defense or we will get swept,” Dominguez said. “We can’t play down to their level like we did against CCU.”
Metro will play a four-game set against New Mexico University Highlands March 13-15 at Auraria Field.
(rdran@mscd.edu)
Photo by Jonathan Ingraham
(jingrah1@mscd.edu)
Metro baseball went 3-for-4 in a four-game set against Colorado Christian University March 6-8 in Parker. Though Metro came out on top, the team was glad to get three wins, as all four games had a margin of victory of three runs or less.
In the first game, Metro overcame six errors and a nine-run seventh inning to get the win after 11 innings. Designated hitter Brett Bowman followed up his two-out rally starting hit against Mesa with another two-out single that helped Metro grab a come-from-behind win. Catcher Tyree Abshire provided a key two-run home run to seal Metro’s third victory of the series.
“I wish we could have had a sweep,” head coach Jerry Schemmel said. “But all the games were close. CCU is a much improved team.”First baseman Jordan Stouffer was a little bit more disappointed in the team’s attitude toward CCU.
“It was our toughest weekend,” Stouffer said. “The problem with a team like CCU is that it’s easy to take them lightly, and we took them too lightly. They battled hard.”
Stouffer did hit another home run during the weekend, which was his ninth home run this season. Both Schemmel and Stouffer agreed the team’s strength was their offense.
“We were kind of unlucky this weekend as we kept hitting the ball hard, but half the time it seemed that it went directly to the other team,” Stouffer said. “(Next week against New Mexico) Highlands — they will attack the strike zone, which is exciting for me. I don’t think a pitcher can attack the strike zone and get too many balls past us.”
Metro’s defense, while improving throughout the season since the first games against Regis, took a step back when they gave up six errors in the first game. Metro was able to calm down the defense and only allowed one error for the rest of the game.
“There were still plays that we should have made that we didn’t, but they counted as hits,” left fielder Marcel Dominguez said of the final three games.
Schemmel expressed confidence in his team’s defense, but said the team could practice more in the infield.
“The field was particularly rough with AstroTurf and tough sand on the infield,” Stouffer said. “It wasn’t very well-groomed either, but excuses aside we are spoiled on our practice field.”
Schemmel’s main concern heading into next week against New Mexico Highlands University is pitching. Highlands is known for having a potent offense.\”Our starting pitching needs to be more consistent. Outside of (Highland’s pitcher) Joel Lockhart we need to find a way to be more consistent,” Schemmel said.
Metro’s defense and pitching will be a concern against Highlands as the team beat CCU in a rout 35-5 earlier in the season. The team, as a whole, claimed not to take Highlands lightly.
“With Highlands and their offense, we need to pitch well and play good defense or we will get swept,” Dominguez said. “We can’t play down to their level like we did against CCU.”
Metro will play a four-game set against New Mexico University Highlands March 13-15 at Auraria Field.
Softball sweep Cowgirls with offense
Written by Josiah Kaan
(jkaan@mscd.edu)
Photo by Leah Millis
(lmillis@mscd.edu)
Metro softball put their hitting on display March 7 and 8, racking up 52 total runs in four road wins at New Mexico Highlands University.
“Any time you win four on the road, it’s a pretty good weekend,” head coach Jennifer Fisher said. “This team seems to be a team that travels well together.”
As of March 7, the Roadrunners lead the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference in batting, scoring 167 runs in 185 hits with 156 runs batted in.
There were no signs of fatigue the first day of the weekend as Metro scored 30 runs, winning both games 18-2 and 12-0.
In the first game up by three, going into the top of the seventh inning, Metro sealed the game in a big way with 13 runs. Pitcher Christie Robinson threw a full game and only gave up two runs in 27 at bats.
“(Lauren) Hainlen led off the top of the seventh with a home run; then we scored twelve more runs after that,” Fisher said. “Christie Robinson pitched another great game.”
Metro continued their solid hitting in the second game of the day, scoring 10 runs in the top of the second inning, leading to a 12-0 win.
The solid hitting of the first day placed three players in the top five of two RMAC leader-board categories: runs scored (shortstop Amber Roundtree 1, center fielder Kellie Nishikida 3, second baseman Sarah Rusch 5) and home runs (third baseman Jennessa Tesone 3, Roundtree 4, first baseman Jessica Haab 5).
“We did really good offensively,” Robinson said. “We got a lot of hits and a lot of runs. As a team, I think that we just came out and came together and did really great.”
The second day of the weekend saw more of the same, as Metro’s persistent offensive production drove home 22 runs in two wins.
Metro won the first game 9-5 due to great pitching and a steady stream of runs being driven in.
Going into the top of the fourth inning up by a single run, first baseman Haab hit, what Fisher described as, “three-run bomb,” bringing home pitcher Corrie Nishikida and designated hitter Nicole Young. The Roadrunners scored another three runs in the fifth inning before holding off a late run by New Mexico Highlands with great pitching by relief pitcher Corrie Nishikida in the bottom of the sixth inning.
“I’m really happy with what we are doing,” Haab said. “We’re doing really well as a team, and we can only get better.”
The Roadrunners’ series sweep was completed in the last game of the weekend with a 13-0 shutout win, which ended in six innings because of a mercy-run rule, as Metro scored seven runs in the inning.
With the success of the weekend, Metro improved their overall record to 16-4 with a 9-1 conference record, pulling the Roadrunners into first place over Regis University in the RMAC East Division. The Roadrunners will continue conference play March 14 and 15 against Western New Mexico University at Auraria Fields.
(jkaan@mscd.edu)
Photo by Leah Millis
(lmillis@mscd.edu)
Metro softball put their hitting on display March 7 and 8, racking up 52 total runs in four road wins at New Mexico Highlands University.“Any time you win four on the road, it’s a pretty good weekend,” head coach Jennifer Fisher said. “This team seems to be a team that travels well together.”
As of March 7, the Roadrunners lead the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference in batting, scoring 167 runs in 185 hits with 156 runs batted in.
There were no signs of fatigue the first day of the weekend as Metro scored 30 runs, winning both games 18-2 and 12-0.
In the first game up by three, going into the top of the seventh inning, Metro sealed the game in a big way with 13 runs. Pitcher Christie Robinson threw a full game and only gave up two runs in 27 at bats.
“(Lauren) Hainlen led off the top of the seventh with a home run; then we scored twelve more runs after that,” Fisher said. “Christie Robinson pitched another great game.”
Metro continued their solid hitting in the second game of the day, scoring 10 runs in the top of the second inning, leading to a 12-0 win.
The solid hitting of the first day placed three players in the top five of two RMAC leader-board categories: runs scored (shortstop Amber Roundtree 1, center fielder Kellie Nishikida 3, second baseman Sarah Rusch 5) and home runs (third baseman Jennessa Tesone 3, Roundtree 4, first baseman Jessica Haab 5).
“We did really good offensively,” Robinson said. “We got a lot of hits and a lot of runs. As a team, I think that we just came out and came together and did really great.”
The second day of the weekend saw more of the same, as Metro’s persistent offensive production drove home 22 runs in two wins.
Metro won the first game 9-5 due to great pitching and a steady stream of runs being driven in.
Going into the top of the fourth inning up by a single run, first baseman Haab hit, what Fisher described as, “three-run bomb,” bringing home pitcher Corrie Nishikida and designated hitter Nicole Young. The Roadrunners scored another three runs in the fifth inning before holding off a late run by New Mexico Highlands with great pitching by relief pitcher Corrie Nishikida in the bottom of the sixth inning.
“I’m really happy with what we are doing,” Haab said. “We’re doing really well as a team, and we can only get better.”
The Roadrunners’ series sweep was completed in the last game of the weekend with a 13-0 shutout win, which ended in six innings because of a mercy-run rule, as Metro scored seven runs in the inning.
With the success of the weekend, Metro improved their overall record to 16-4 with a 9-1 conference record, pulling the Roadrunners into first place over Regis University in the RMAC East Division. The Roadrunners will continue conference play March 14 and 15 against Western New Mexico University at Auraria Fields.
Kings of the RMAC
Written by Kate Ferraro
(kferraro@mscd.edu)
Photo by Dawn Madura
(dmadura@mscd.edu)
Metro men’s basketball team rallied in the second half against Fort Lewis College to clinch the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference shootout title March 7 at the Colorado State Fair Events Center in Pueblo.
“I feel great,” forward Nelson Ekeh said. “This is one of the first times that I actually feel a little bit relaxed. The hard work all paid off, but this isn’t it. We’re ready to get right back after it next week.”
The Skyhawks led in the second half by four points and were on fire, scoring their next eight points to take a 12-point advantage, their biggest lead of the night at 65-53 with 12 minutes remaining. The Roadrunners then went on a 10-0 run with the help of two free throws by Ekeh, a jumper by forward Daniel Bass and Marquise Carrington’s first points of the night, cutting the Skyhawks’ lead to 65-63.
“We adjusted our defense a little bit,” head coach Brannon Hays said. “We changed our press and our matchup. It helped, just working our way back one possession at a time.”
Trailing 70-69 with less than six minutes to play, the Roadrunners scored the game’s next nine points. Forward Chris Robinson hit two free throws, while Wagstaff scored a layup, putting Metro ahead 73-70. After Bass pulled down a rebound, he was fouled by Fort Lewis forward Kirk Archibeque, who received his fifth personal foul and forced Fort Lewis’ leading scorer to sit on the bench the remainder of the game.
With 59 seconds left, the Skyhawks cut the Roadrunners’ lead to 78-75. Forward Brian Minor, Wagstaff and Carrington scored two free throws each in the final 48 seconds to seal the 84-78 victory. Hays said he believes the significant amount of seniors on the team helped the other players keep their focus, despite being down by 12 points.
“We’ve got six seniors,” Hays said. “They’ve been through quite a bit. The team knows how to win. The composure of the group is fantastic.”
The Roadrunners (18-1 in the RMAC, 27-3 overall) lost to the Skyhawks (13-6 in the RMAC, 24-9 overall) earlier in the season, and was one out of only three teams to defeat them.
Wagstaff led all scorers with 22 points and hit 9-of-12 at the line. As a team, the Roadrunners scored 33-of-38 at the line, while the Skyhawks only scored 20-of-36. Wagstaff was named RMAC Shootout MVP for the second time in his career. Ekeh and Donte Nicholas were also named to the All-tournament team. Carrington scored five points in the entire game, his lowest all season.
“I think Marquise’s game is deceiving,” Wagstaff said. “He can contribute in so many ways other than scoring. He’s an energy leader, a leader all around.”
Metro previously won their semifinal game against Colorado State University at Pueblo 76-65 March 6 in Pueblo.
The Roadrunners earned the No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament and will travel to Minnesota for the first round March 14 against the No. 6-seed Winona State. If the Roadrunners win, they will move on to the second round March 15 against either St. Cloud State or Augustana.
“I’m doing it for the seniors,” Nicholas said. “I know this year has been a lot of hard work. They’ve been doing it for four years. Whatever I can do to help them and keep the season going.”
(kferraro@mscd.edu)
Photo by Dawn Madura
(dmadura@mscd.edu)
Metro men’s basketball team rallied in the second half against Fort Lewis College to clinch the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference shootout title March 7 at the Colorado State Fair Events Center in Pueblo.
“I feel great,” forward Nelson Ekeh said. “This is one of the first times that I actually feel a little bit relaxed. The hard work all paid off, but this isn’t it. We’re ready to get right back after it next week.”The Skyhawks led in the second half by four points and were on fire, scoring their next eight points to take a 12-point advantage, their biggest lead of the night at 65-53 with 12 minutes remaining. The Roadrunners then went on a 10-0 run with the help of two free throws by Ekeh, a jumper by forward Daniel Bass and Marquise Carrington’s first points of the night, cutting the Skyhawks’ lead to 65-63.
“We adjusted our defense a little bit,” head coach Brannon Hays said. “We changed our press and our matchup. It helped, just working our way back one possession at a time.”
Trailing 70-69 with less than six minutes to play, the Roadrunners scored the game’s next nine points. Forward Chris Robinson hit two free throws, while Wagstaff scored a layup, putting Metro ahead 73-70. After Bass pulled down a rebound, he was fouled by Fort Lewis forward Kirk Archibeque, who received his fifth personal foul and forced Fort Lewis’ leading scorer to sit on the bench the remainder of the game.
With 59 seconds left, the Skyhawks cut the Roadrunners’ lead to 78-75. Forward Brian Minor, Wagstaff and Carrington scored two free throws each in the final 48 seconds to seal the 84-78 victory. Hays said he believes the significant amount of seniors on the team helped the other players keep their focus, despite being down by 12 points.
“We’ve got six seniors,” Hays said. “They’ve been through quite a bit. The team knows how to win. The composure of the group is fantastic.”
The Roadrunners (18-1 in the RMAC, 27-3 overall) lost to the Skyhawks (13-6 in the RMAC, 24-9 overall) earlier in the season, and was one out of only three teams to defeat them.
Wagstaff led all scorers with 22 points and hit 9-of-12 at the line. As a team, the Roadrunners scored 33-of-38 at the line, while the Skyhawks only scored 20-of-36. Wagstaff was named RMAC Shootout MVP for the second time in his career. Ekeh and Donte Nicholas were also named to the All-tournament team. Carrington scored five points in the entire game, his lowest all season.
“I think Marquise’s game is deceiving,” Wagstaff said. “He can contribute in so many ways other than scoring. He’s an energy leader, a leader all around.”
Metro previously won their semifinal game against Colorado State University at Pueblo 76-65 March 6 in Pueblo.
The Roadrunners earned the No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament and will travel to Minnesota for the first round March 14 against the No. 6-seed Winona State. If the Roadrunners win, they will move on to the second round March 15 against either St. Cloud State or Augustana.
“I’m doing it for the seniors,” Nicholas said. “I know this year has been a lot of hard work. They’ve been doing it for four years. Whatever I can do to help them and keep the season going.”
Students should start planning for retirement now
Written by Robert Dran
(rdran@mscd.edu)
The Point: Social security won't be there
If students need a reason to vote, just look at the federal budget. The biggest government expenditures, such as Medicare and Social Security, go to the elderly. Education expenditures are nowhere close to Social Security expenditures. It makes sense: the elderly vote and students generally don’t, so the elderly get a hookup and students don’t.
Simply put, Social Security is the labor of the current work force financing the previous generation’s retirement. Unfortunately, this system is demographically unstable. As countries develop their population increases because people live longer. At the same time, the birth rate drops and the ratio of people paying into Social Security to the people collecting social security drops as well. With the drop in work force a country must increase immigration or face financial collapse. This is the situation Europe and Japan find themselves in. Europe is increasing immigration; Japan is not and maintains very generous benefits. Japan is clearly heading to the edge of a fiscal cliff.
If the situation continues in the U.S., it is unlikely the current generation’s work force will see any of the money they are paying into Social Security. Students are better off learning where their closest polling station is and voting to keep more of their money to use for their own retirement. How much confidence should people have in the government taking their money on the premise they will see it again when they are ready to retire? My answer is probably the same as yours — none at all.
One of the few positive but flawed Bush proposals is privatizing Social Security. I understand the argument: didn’t the stock market just crash? My answer is it sure did, and that’s why people should keep more of their own money. The best way for citizens to spend their money, especially for students, is to start investing for retirement. Stocks are cheap, so now is the time to start buying. Stocks have a high return over the long run. As you get closer to retirement, you get less risk adverse. Start transferring their investments from stocks into bonds and CDs which are much safer despite their lower returns. This could be done 10 years before retirement in case of a market downturn.
I know this is a bitter pill to swallow. Everyone wants a system where we can have a decent retirement and no one is left behind. The problem is such a system does not exist. Anyone who tells you they have perfect economic or political system, whether it’s a large welfare state or a capitalist utopia, is lying to you. All systems have flaws. As voters we simply have two choices: worse and better. Continuing our current path on Social Security is clearly the worse option.
The key here is it takes a bit of effort and discipline to save for retirement. Students should be doing this now and the best way is to get rid of Social Security since we will not be seeing that money anyway. Give people what they’ve already paid into Social Security so people can use their money for a better future. Some people may lose this money, but the money is gone anyway — everyone losing their entire Social Security is much worse than a few not saving properly for retirement.
(rdran@mscd.edu)
The Point: Social security won't be there
If students need a reason to vote, just look at the federal budget. The biggest government expenditures, such as Medicare and Social Security, go to the elderly. Education expenditures are nowhere close to Social Security expenditures. It makes sense: the elderly vote and students generally don’t, so the elderly get a hookup and students don’t.Simply put, Social Security is the labor of the current work force financing the previous generation’s retirement. Unfortunately, this system is demographically unstable. As countries develop their population increases because people live longer. At the same time, the birth rate drops and the ratio of people paying into Social Security to the people collecting social security drops as well. With the drop in work force a country must increase immigration or face financial collapse. This is the situation Europe and Japan find themselves in. Europe is increasing immigration; Japan is not and maintains very generous benefits. Japan is clearly heading to the edge of a fiscal cliff.
If the situation continues in the U.S., it is unlikely the current generation’s work force will see any of the money they are paying into Social Security. Students are better off learning where their closest polling station is and voting to keep more of their money to use for their own retirement. How much confidence should people have in the government taking their money on the premise they will see it again when they are ready to retire? My answer is probably the same as yours — none at all.
One of the few positive but flawed Bush proposals is privatizing Social Security. I understand the argument: didn’t the stock market just crash? My answer is it sure did, and that’s why people should keep more of their own money. The best way for citizens to spend their money, especially for students, is to start investing for retirement. Stocks are cheap, so now is the time to start buying. Stocks have a high return over the long run. As you get closer to retirement, you get less risk adverse. Start transferring their investments from stocks into bonds and CDs which are much safer despite their lower returns. This could be done 10 years before retirement in case of a market downturn.
I know this is a bitter pill to swallow. Everyone wants a system where we can have a decent retirement and no one is left behind. The problem is such a system does not exist. Anyone who tells you they have perfect economic or political system, whether it’s a large welfare state or a capitalist utopia, is lying to you. All systems have flaws. As voters we simply have two choices: worse and better. Continuing our current path on Social Security is clearly the worse option.
The key here is it takes a bit of effort and discipline to save for retirement. Students should be doing this now and the best way is to get rid of Social Security since we will not be seeing that money anyway. Give people what they’ve already paid into Social Security so people can use their money for a better future. Some people may lose this money, but the money is gone anyway — everyone losing their entire Social Security is much worse than a few not saving properly for retirement.
Special Commentary: Learning about other cultures puts spotlight on own
Written by Colin Seger
(cseger@mscd.edu)
Recently, Metro hosted the Rocky Mountain regional Model Arab League. The event brought together delegates from the University of Utah, Air-Force Academy, University of Northern Colorado, Regis University and Metro. Each school represented one or more nation within the 22-nation Arab League and each delegate was expected to carry the foreign policy, including the traditional alliances, antagonisms and current strains of their respective countries, to the parliamentary discussion forum.
The Model Arab League provides insight into the nations and people in a part of the world that is too often neglected and misunderstood by the West.
For me, it provided not only insight into the Arab world, it also offered an unparalleled learning experience about America. Most of the women who participated for Metro wore the Hijab regardless of their personal religious beliefs. Only two women, a student liaison and organizer of the event, and a participant representing part of the delegation from Saudi Arabia, were Muslim and wear the Hijab everyday. The rest of the women from Metro were not Muslim and largely had no experience with the traditional scarf worn by some women in the Muslim world. The first insight into how Americans view Muslims is how we as a culture apparently like to stare.
Muslim women who wear the Hijab in America have the unenviable position of looking different from most Americans and, therefore, attracting the gaze of many. During a break from the Model Arab League, I decided to ask one of the non-Muslim participants if she had been treated any differently while wearing the Hijab. She responded with an emphatic, “yeah. Men especially stare at you, and if you look at them they turn away quickly.”
“Yeah, you get used to that,” chimed in one of the Muslim women in our group as we walked to dinner. Curious, I decided to watch other people as we walked. At first I didn’t think that such a uniform response was possible, but as we crossed Speer Boulevard. heads cocked to the right, tracking our group as we made our way. Then as we got close enough to each car, their gaze snapped forward to the car ahead as if their inattention to driving had suddenly shocked them back to attention. Still, the uniform reaction of drivers downtown at someone wearing a Hijab was enough to pique my curiosity and elicit a further inquiry.
After dinner I approached another non-Muslim woman who was wearing the Hijab. Emboldened by the success of my recent staring experiment I asked the same question to her: “have you noticed anyone staring while wearing the Hijab?”
“No,” she answered, “but some guy just yelled at us.”
Expecting a “yeah, maybe,” I was taken aback by what she had said and asked her to elaborate. She had been walking with the student organizer of the Arab League, herself a Muslim, and both were wearing the Hijab. A man walked by and said, “you’re in America.” Her companion “must have been used to it,” she said, “as she instantly addressed the man as “ignorant” while I fumbled on a response and then just echoed the same.”
I do not know what possesses a man to feel it necessary to harass women, especially because they wear the Hijab. Did he really harness enough hate that it simply could not be contained and suddenly like a boiling pot spilled over the side in a hissing and splattering mess that stains both pot and stove? I do know, however, that by simply hearing about the incident I learned a great deal about the interconnectedness of hatred and ignorance.
The election of Barack Obama did not usher in an era of “post-racial” American discourse, no matter how much the popular media tried to push the story. Hatred and its big brother ignorance are alive and well. However, I do not hold with those who argue that hatred is an aberration solely evident in the Western world, or those who claim this nation churns out ignorance and hatred like a lucrative puppy mill. It is, nevertheless, a lesson learned through the demonstration of a particularly virulent and nasty form of American thinking. It is a way of thinking that is forged through intimacy with all things bigoted and culturally centric.
The situation as I observed it was this: with no small amount of poetic justice and irony, an angry man told two Americans, they were “in America.”
The man who felt compelled enough to forcefully display his ignorance was a man who allowed himself to be governed by hatred and intolerance. Presumably the outward display was meant to exhibit his preference that they not be Muslim, even though one was not.
The lesson I learned is this: no matter who is elected to office, as long as boastful ideological ignorance is a cherished and encouraged foundation for cultural literacy, there will continue to be social interactions built on intolerance. And more importantly, when someone seeks to learn about a different culture, they might learn more about their own.
(cseger@mscd.edu)
Recently, Metro hosted the Rocky Mountain regional Model Arab League. The event brought together delegates from the University of Utah, Air-Force Academy, University of Northern Colorado, Regis University and Metro. Each school represented one or more nation within the 22-nation Arab League and each delegate was expected to carry the foreign policy, including the traditional alliances, antagonisms and current strains of their respective countries, to the parliamentary discussion forum.
The Model Arab League provides insight into the nations and people in a part of the world that is too often neglected and misunderstood by the West.
For me, it provided not only insight into the Arab world, it also offered an unparalleled learning experience about America. Most of the women who participated for Metro wore the Hijab regardless of their personal religious beliefs. Only two women, a student liaison and organizer of the event, and a participant representing part of the delegation from Saudi Arabia, were Muslim and wear the Hijab everyday. The rest of the women from Metro were not Muslim and largely had no experience with the traditional scarf worn by some women in the Muslim world. The first insight into how Americans view Muslims is how we as a culture apparently like to stare.
Muslim women who wear the Hijab in America have the unenviable position of looking different from most Americans and, therefore, attracting the gaze of many. During a break from the Model Arab League, I decided to ask one of the non-Muslim participants if she had been treated any differently while wearing the Hijab. She responded with an emphatic, “yeah. Men especially stare at you, and if you look at them they turn away quickly.”
“Yeah, you get used to that,” chimed in one of the Muslim women in our group as we walked to dinner. Curious, I decided to watch other people as we walked. At first I didn’t think that such a uniform response was possible, but as we crossed Speer Boulevard. heads cocked to the right, tracking our group as we made our way. Then as we got close enough to each car, their gaze snapped forward to the car ahead as if their inattention to driving had suddenly shocked them back to attention. Still, the uniform reaction of drivers downtown at someone wearing a Hijab was enough to pique my curiosity and elicit a further inquiry.
After dinner I approached another non-Muslim woman who was wearing the Hijab. Emboldened by the success of my recent staring experiment I asked the same question to her: “have you noticed anyone staring while wearing the Hijab?”
“No,” she answered, “but some guy just yelled at us.”
Expecting a “yeah, maybe,” I was taken aback by what she had said and asked her to elaborate. She had been walking with the student organizer of the Arab League, herself a Muslim, and both were wearing the Hijab. A man walked by and said, “you’re in America.” Her companion “must have been used to it,” she said, “as she instantly addressed the man as “ignorant” while I fumbled on a response and then just echoed the same.”
I do not know what possesses a man to feel it necessary to harass women, especially because they wear the Hijab. Did he really harness enough hate that it simply could not be contained and suddenly like a boiling pot spilled over the side in a hissing and splattering mess that stains both pot and stove? I do know, however, that by simply hearing about the incident I learned a great deal about the interconnectedness of hatred and ignorance.
The election of Barack Obama did not usher in an era of “post-racial” American discourse, no matter how much the popular media tried to push the story. Hatred and its big brother ignorance are alive and well. However, I do not hold with those who argue that hatred is an aberration solely evident in the Western world, or those who claim this nation churns out ignorance and hatred like a lucrative puppy mill. It is, nevertheless, a lesson learned through the demonstration of a particularly virulent and nasty form of American thinking. It is a way of thinking that is forged through intimacy with all things bigoted and culturally centric.
The situation as I observed it was this: with no small amount of poetic justice and irony, an angry man told two Americans, they were “in America.”
The man who felt compelled enough to forcefully display his ignorance was a man who allowed himself to be governed by hatred and intolerance. Presumably the outward display was meant to exhibit his preference that they not be Muslim, even though one was not.
The lesson I learned is this: no matter who is elected to office, as long as boastful ideological ignorance is a cherished and encouraged foundation for cultural literacy, there will continue to be social interactions built on intolerance. And more importantly, when someone seeks to learn about a different culture, they might learn more about their own.
The Met's music picks
The Omens - Send Black Flowers
written by Jeremy Johnson
(jjohn308@mscd.edu)
While the word “omen” usually refers to future events, Denver’s fuzzed-out garage rockers The Omens are steeped in influences of the past — namely heavy ’60s psychedelia and organ-grinding, California-style surf rock. They do, however, prove there’s a place for music’s past in the future, updating the slightly antiquated genre with a layer of dark lyricism that mirrors Gen Y-er’s contempt for, well, pretty much everything. The Omens’ second, full-length recording, Send Black Flowers, doesn’t hide behind muted symbolism. Instead, Flowers is a grueling and energetic exercise in love’s dark, macabre side, bolstered with two-minute breakup anthems such as “Pray for You,” “She’s Just Fine” and “It’s Down on You.” Despite their inner, compositional complexities — including incredibly coherent, stripped guitar riffs (from singer and guitarist Michael Daboll) and haunting organ accompaniment (Eddie Briedenbach) — The Omens are still very much a garage-punk band at heart, and the proof is in Flowers’ frantic delivery of 10 tracks in just under 25 minutes. What The Omens lack in variety, they make up for with consistently electric vitality, doubly emphasized by Daboll’s incessant howling and his sweaty, lyrical delivery. The exception to The Omens’ typical whirlwind delivery is the third track, “You Can’t Come Back,” a monstrously enterprising number full of tempo shifts and false crescendos that leave the listener dizzy, and the poppy, tongue-in-cheek “You Don’t Know Me at All.” And in case you don’t know The Omens, I suspect, if you’ve got any indie-rock sense at all, you soon will.
Dan Craig - Accidents
Written by Julie Maas
(pretko@mscd.edu)
Accidents was, quite literally, an accident. While finalizing his second full-length album in the studio, the talented singer-songwriter Dan Craig couldn’t stop writing. Under more relaxed terms, this five-song EP was born. “It was really casual compared to the full-length album,” Craig said. “There was no pressure, it was great.” Although it was an “accident,” it certainly is a transient treat that leaves you wanting more. In an otherwise sweet-sounding tune such as “Quietly,” Craig surprises the listener with lyrics like “I watch you burn, and I love you quietly.” Erin Donavan’s vocals complement Craig’s with a haunting echo, adding an extra layer to his otherwise scratchy, albeit soothing, vocals. His mesmerizing guitar is set off perfectly with instruments like the cello and piano, which blend effortlessly. The track “There Is Still Time” brings the EP to a bittersweet close with an instrumentally-rich sound, both quiet and bold, in which Craig croons “Love, oh love, come back. There is still time.” And with that, Craig will keep listeners, and lovers, coming back for more.
N.A.S.A. - The Spirit of Apollo
Written by Clayton Woullard
(cwoullar@mscd.edu)
Some albums were meant to be the soundtrack for jungle juice, hazy living rooms and the groping of strangers. The Spirit Of Apollo is one of those.
The product of two hip-hop producers — Spike Jonze’s brother Sam Spiegel (aka Squeak E Clean of North America) and pro skater Ze Gonzales (aka DJ Zegon of South America) — Apollo was six years in the making, and it shows, especially in the deftly crafted production. “Money,” the album’s shining star, sees the talents of former Talking Head David Byrne, Z-Trip, Chuck D, Ras Congo and Seu Jorge but, surprisingly enough, is only unusual in its seemingly odd guest list.
“Way Down,” is another highlight that features Barbie Hatch’s ghostly vocals swirling perfectly with a Dan The Automator-esque beat, John Frusciante’s sparse, filtered guitar and RZA’s usual intriguing libretto, which are found elsewhere on the album’s hidden bonus track. My personal favorite, “Electric Flowers” features a sultry Nina Persson of The Cardigans.
On “Strange Enough,” Karen O fits perfectly on a rugged beat among fairly weak verses from the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard and Fatlip. “Gifted” is a bleep-y hip-hop/French electronic Santogold song featuring Kanye West and Lykke Li that works better than you’d think. “Whatchadoin?,” featuring Spank Rock, M.I.A., Santogold and Nick Zinner, is easily the most annoying song (it has M.I.A.) with a scrawny jungle beat and poorly-placed guitar riffs. And “Spacious Thoughts” is the most odd of the collaborators with Kool Keith and a husky Tom Waits over a gloomy New York beat that has a hard time figuring itself out.
Even though N.A.S.A. risked spreading themselves too thin with some 40 collaborators, it doesn’t take away from its playability because, overall, this is a laudable venture for the hip-hop lover’s, and the consummate partyer’s ears.
Missing Dufrenes - Missing Dufrenes
Written by Andrew Bisset
(abisset1@mscd.edu)
With influences including “tomfoolery, hijinks and rigamarole,” Denver’s Missing DuFrenes make rock and roll with a bit of an Ultimate Fakebook-esque, sugary coating. On their self-titled debut album, frontman Jonathan Snyder shifts gears from upbeat, almost poppy songs like the well-named “(They Don’t Put Nobodies) on Cereal Boxes” to harder, more emotional rock riffs like “All I Wanted With Ya,” a gritty, deep-throated ballad that could very well have come from the Detroit garage of the Von Bondies. Snyder is straight and to the point, as he tells a lover, “I’d rather hang from my own gallows than dangle on your hook.” Snyder continues this shifting throughout the album, giving us a nostalgic, back-porch-in-the-summer ballad on “The Same Bad Tunes,” and even a doo-wop track, “On the Hour,” where Snyder declares “Let’s be antisocial together, alienate everyone in our lives.” This diversity is what gives the DuFrenes their reputation as a great bar band — there’s something here for everyone. With a new release and a new guitarist (Gata Negra’s Whitney Rehr), the Missing DuFrenes can only go up from here.
Harlem Shakes - Technicolor Health
Written by Matt Pusatory
(mpusator@mscd.edu)
The debut album by New York five-piece Harlem Shakes is a fantastic example of what indie rock should be. Technicolor Health, due out March 24, is a nice blend of catchy guitar hooks, memorable lyrics and simple beats, with slight electronic vibes to keep the listener guessing. The addition of horns on some tracks really brings the whole package together. Vocally, singer Lexy Benaim may draw comparisons to fellow Big Apple resident Alec Ounsworth of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Benaim’s voice may be high-pitched, but it is smoother and more refined than Ounsworth’s.
Highlights include “Strictly Game,” which is instantly likable and radio-friendly with a chorus that is built around the optimistic mantra, “This will be a better year.” “Sunlight” is another well-crafted song, building up to a raucous fervor, followed with verses filled with witty lyrics. The Shakes’ debut is a solid one, and with such catchy songs, you can’t help but shake along with the music.
Council of Word - CO2: A Heavy Gas
Written by Jeremy Johnson
(jjohn308@mscd.edu)
Since Zulu Nation-influenced hip-hop began waning in the early ’90s, artists of the constantly-transforming genre have continually tried to mimic the sound that led bands like De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest to commercial success. Unfortunately, most fail. Denver’s forward-thinkers Council of Word cite such influences in the liner notes of their independent release CO2: A Heavy Gas, an ambitious display of delicious sampling, lightly funky undertones and wise lyricism about family, pride and personal growth. That’s not to say Council has fully succeeded in reviving the genre, but tracks such as “Council Gets Down” and “Don’t Change Your Love” — with percussive-heavy, Latin-spiced rhythm and Del Tha Funky Homosapien-like lyrical bravado — are examples of what hip-hop has been and, rightfully, should be again. The Council can be a bit chunky at times, with typical turntable intros and a mishmash of ringing bass lines, but the duo of Danny One Shoe (Dan Overby) and Deep Rawk Dave (Dave Ashton) keep it real, if you will, with witticism, lively tempos and pure, positive energy. That’s the Word, and they’re sticking to it.
written by Jeremy Johnson
(jjohn308@mscd.edu)
While the word “omen” usually refers to future events, Denver’s fuzzed-out garage rockers The Omens are steeped in influences of the past — namely heavy ’60s psychedelia and organ-grinding, California-style surf rock. They do, however, prove there’s a place for music’s past in the future, updating the slightly antiquated genre with a layer of dark lyricism that mirrors Gen Y-er’s contempt for, well, pretty much everything. The Omens’ second, full-length recording, Send Black Flowers, doesn’t hide behind muted symbolism. Instead, Flowers is a grueling and energetic exercise in love’s dark, macabre side, bolstered with two-minute breakup anthems such as “Pray for You,” “She’s Just Fine” and “It’s Down on You.” Despite their inner, compositional complexities — including incredibly coherent, stripped guitar riffs (from singer and guitarist Michael Daboll) and haunting organ accompaniment (Eddie Briedenbach) — The Omens are still very much a garage-punk band at heart, and the proof is in Flowers’ frantic delivery of 10 tracks in just under 25 minutes. What The Omens lack in variety, they make up for with consistently electric vitality, doubly emphasized by Daboll’s incessant howling and his sweaty, lyrical delivery. The exception to The Omens’ typical whirlwind delivery is the third track, “You Can’t Come Back,” a monstrously enterprising number full of tempo shifts and false crescendos that leave the listener dizzy, and the poppy, tongue-in-cheek “You Don’t Know Me at All.” And in case you don’t know The Omens, I suspect, if you’ve got any indie-rock sense at all, you soon will.Dan Craig - Accidents
Written by Julie Maas
(pretko@mscd.edu)
Accidents was, quite literally, an accident. While finalizing his second full-length album in the studio, the talented singer-songwriter Dan Craig couldn’t stop writing. Under more relaxed terms, this five-song EP was born. “It was really casual compared to the full-length album,” Craig said. “There was no pressure, it was great.” Although it was an “accident,” it certainly is a transient treat that leaves you wanting more. In an otherwise sweet-sounding tune such as “Quietly,” Craig surprises the listener with lyrics like “I watch you burn, and I love you quietly.” Erin Donavan’s vocals complement Craig’s with a haunting echo, adding an extra layer to his otherwise scratchy, albeit soothing, vocals. His mesmerizing guitar is set off perfectly with instruments like the cello and piano, which blend effortlessly. The track “There Is Still Time” brings the EP to a bittersweet close with an instrumentally-rich sound, both quiet and bold, in which Craig croons “Love, oh love, come back. There is still time.” And with that, Craig will keep listeners, and lovers, coming back for more.N.A.S.A. - The Spirit of Apollo
Written by Clayton Woullard
(cwoullar@mscd.edu)
Some albums were meant to be the soundtrack for jungle juice, hazy living rooms and the groping of strangers. The Spirit Of Apollo is one of those.The product of two hip-hop producers — Spike Jonze’s brother Sam Spiegel (aka Squeak E Clean of North America) and pro skater Ze Gonzales (aka DJ Zegon of South America) — Apollo was six years in the making, and it shows, especially in the deftly crafted production. “Money,” the album’s shining star, sees the talents of former Talking Head David Byrne, Z-Trip, Chuck D, Ras Congo and Seu Jorge but, surprisingly enough, is only unusual in its seemingly odd guest list.
“Way Down,” is another highlight that features Barbie Hatch’s ghostly vocals swirling perfectly with a Dan The Automator-esque beat, John Frusciante’s sparse, filtered guitar and RZA’s usual intriguing libretto, which are found elsewhere on the album’s hidden bonus track. My personal favorite, “Electric Flowers” features a sultry Nina Persson of The Cardigans.
On “Strange Enough,” Karen O fits perfectly on a rugged beat among fairly weak verses from the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard and Fatlip. “Gifted” is a bleep-y hip-hop/French electronic Santogold song featuring Kanye West and Lykke Li that works better than you’d think. “Whatchadoin?,” featuring Spank Rock, M.I.A., Santogold and Nick Zinner, is easily the most annoying song (it has M.I.A.) with a scrawny jungle beat and poorly-placed guitar riffs. And “Spacious Thoughts” is the most odd of the collaborators with Kool Keith and a husky Tom Waits over a gloomy New York beat that has a hard time figuring itself out.
Even though N.A.S.A. risked spreading themselves too thin with some 40 collaborators, it doesn’t take away from its playability because, overall, this is a laudable venture for the hip-hop lover’s, and the consummate partyer’s ears.
Missing Dufrenes - Missing Dufrenes
Written by Andrew Bisset
(abisset1@mscd.edu)
With influences including “tomfoolery, hijinks and rigamarole,” Denver’s Missing DuFrenes make rock and roll with a bit of an Ultimate Fakebook-esque, sugary coating. On their self-titled debut album, frontman Jonathan Snyder shifts gears from upbeat, almost poppy songs like the well-named “(They Don’t Put Nobodies) on Cereal Boxes” to harder, more emotional rock riffs like “All I Wanted With Ya,” a gritty, deep-throated ballad that could very well have come from the Detroit garage of the Von Bondies. Snyder is straight and to the point, as he tells a lover, “I’d rather hang from my own gallows than dangle on your hook.” Snyder continues this shifting throughout the album, giving us a nostalgic, back-porch-in-the-summer ballad on “The Same Bad Tunes,” and even a doo-wop track, “On the Hour,” where Snyder declares “Let’s be antisocial together, alienate everyone in our lives.” This diversity is what gives the DuFrenes their reputation as a great bar band — there’s something here for everyone. With a new release and a new guitarist (Gata Negra’s Whitney Rehr), the Missing DuFrenes can only go up from here.Harlem Shakes - Technicolor Health
Written by Matt Pusatory
(mpusator@mscd.edu)
The debut album by New York five-piece Harlem Shakes is a fantastic example of what indie rock should be. Technicolor Health, due out March 24, is a nice blend of catchy guitar hooks, memorable lyrics and simple beats, with slight electronic vibes to keep the listener guessing. The addition of horns on some tracks really brings the whole package together. Vocally, singer Lexy Benaim may draw comparisons to fellow Big Apple resident Alec Ounsworth of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Benaim’s voice may be high-pitched, but it is smoother and more refined than Ounsworth’s.Highlights include “Strictly Game,” which is instantly likable and radio-friendly with a chorus that is built around the optimistic mantra, “This will be a better year.” “Sunlight” is another well-crafted song, building up to a raucous fervor, followed with verses filled with witty lyrics. The Shakes’ debut is a solid one, and with such catchy songs, you can’t help but shake along with the music.
Council of Word - CO2: A Heavy Gas
Written by Jeremy Johnson
(jjohn308@mscd.edu)
Since Zulu Nation-influenced hip-hop began waning in the early ’90s, artists of the constantly-transforming genre have continually tried to mimic the sound that led bands like De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest to commercial success. Unfortunately, most fail. Denver’s forward-thinkers Council of Word cite such influences in the liner notes of their independent release CO2: A Heavy Gas, an ambitious display of delicious sampling, lightly funky undertones and wise lyricism about family, pride and personal growth. That’s not to say Council has fully succeeded in reviving the genre, but tracks such as “Council Gets Down” and “Don’t Change Your Love” — with percussive-heavy, Latin-spiced rhythm and Del Tha Funky Homosapien-like lyrical bravado — are examples of what hip-hop has been and, rightfully, should be again. The Council can be a bit chunky at times, with typical turntable intros and a mishmash of ringing bass lines, but the duo of Danny One Shoe (Dan Overby) and Deep Rawk Dave (Dave Ashton) keep it real, if you will, with witticism, lively tempos and pure, positive energy. That’s the Word, and they’re sticking to it.
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