The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Category: Letters to the Editor

  • Ask Evergreen: Messy Housemate

    Ask Evergreen: Messy Housemate

    Ask Evergreen is a weekly advice column by the students of the Lumberjack.

    Each week we answer anonymous questions sent in by readers about anything and everything.

    Dear Evergreen,

    How do you deal with a housemate who never cleans up after themselves?

    Dear Considerate Cohabitant,

    It’s never easy living with messy people, especially if you maintain a higher level of organization than your housemates. There are a few things you can do to re-establish a cleanly order to your shared home.

    You can keep up your own cleanliness and hopefully that will transfer to your housemate as well. If they see you consistently doing your own dishes or vacuuming up a mess you may have made, they could begin to realize that they too should be proactively cleaning before things get out of control.

    With your housemates start a conversation about shared spaces and shared responsibility. You and your housemate should divide up home chores accordingly. Remind them, respectfully, that they should be mindful of the messes they create.

    Maybe they use the microwave more often than you. If so, they should be on top of keeping it clean if they’re the primary ones making the mess in the first place.

    Don’t clean up for them. They might begin to rely on you to pick up after them if you’ve done so in the past. You’re not their housecleaner, so don’t go out of your way to fix their messes.

    If they continue to forget to clean up, leave the mess there until they deal with it themselves. If they leave a dirty dish on the counter to mold for a week, definitely make sure you mention it to them.

    Don’t leave notes around the house to remind them to clean up. This might trigger them into feeling like they’re back at home with their parents nagging at them to clean. As an adult they should know how to take responsibility for their own actions without having to be reminded. But if your civil approaches don’t work, alternative methods might.

    It’s alright to be a little passive aggressive when it comes to making a point to others about their mess. You can comment on their mess jokingly to make it more obvious to them. Sometimes people are just used to living among their own filth and don’t see it as a problem until someone makes a stink about it.

    Best of luck!

    Sincerely,

    Evergreen

    If you have any questions you’d like to send in, email us at contactthejack@gmail.com. We won’t publish any names and you don’t need to use one.

  • Ask Evergreen: Fight or flight

    Ask Evergreen: Fight or flight

    Ask Evergreen is a weekly advice column by the students of the Lumberjack.

    Each week we answer anonymous questions sent in by readers about anything and everything.

    Dear Evergreen,

    How do I become more of a fighter than a flighter?

    Dear Fight or Flighter,

    Discerning the best route to take for a situation can be strenuous on the mind as you decide whether to stand your ground or retreat peacefully.

    It takes strength to fight for something you believe as well as to flee from something that burdens you.

    Depending on the situation, you may want to be a fighter, flighter or both. There’s nothing wrong with running away from a situation, nor is it wrong to stay to strive for resolution.

    Don’t be a fighter just for revenge. You should have earnest intentions with the passion you feel for fighting for something, whether it’s for a cause, a relationship or an event.

    Remember, physically fighting someone is illegal. If you feel the need to duke it out with someone, cordially invite them to a round of fisticuffs at your local gym where the two of you can be coached professionally and geared up safely in a boxing ring.

    If you’re in a life threatening situation involving an aggressor, you should take caution with your departure. Don’t aggravate the circumstances by spouting back insults or being hastily bold.

    You should remove yourself from the situation and seek help from the authorities if need be. If you’re in a life threatening situation like a natural disaster, you should follow orders from the respective officials overseeing the event.

    Don’t try to be a hero if you think you’re incapable of fighting. Standing up to a situation with multiple people on your side fighting for the same sincere reason can help you all achieve something for the greater good.

    Fleeing from a situation, whether it’s a fire, flood or mass shooting isn’t cowardly. You’re allowed to be selfish to an extent if it saves your life, but don’t go sacrificing the safety of others by being a foolish fighter or a flawed flighter.

    If you’re in a situation that is less life threatening, fighting or fleeing are equal game—just use your best judgement. Ethical and moral dilemmas will challenge, but if you know and believe in the golden rule, you’re probably equipped enough to decipher the best outcome.

    Good luck!

    Sincerely,

    Evergreen

    If you have any questions you’d like to send in, email us at contactthejack@gmail.com. We won’t publish any names and you don’t need to use one.

  • Letter to the Editor: A Response to ‘Trumpsters’

    Letter to the Editor: A Response to ‘Trumpsters’

    What does Trump have to do to convince you he’s not on the side of the American people?

    Editor,

    I’m writing this in response to those who call themselves a Trumpster. First off, this man is a walking talking crime wave who has zero respect for the rule of law which he has demonstrated many times and sums up by saying, and I quote: “If I were standing on 5th Ave. and shot somebody, I would get away with it.”

    This kind of craziness has never been seen by any of our leaders by any party and to wear a had or shirt and support this man who with without morals, principles or knows no bounds and things he is above the law, those people have to start to think what was it they see in this man?

    What does he have to do to convince you he is not on the side of the working class or average American taxpayer? How much more damage does this man have to do to our Republic and Constitution and how many more laws must he break before he is removed from office.

    No matter what party you’re from, this is not a Republican, Democratic, or Independent issue it is an American issue only

    The only bottom line to me is do we stand with those that chose the Gospel of Hate and Division or do we stand on the side of America.

    Michael D. Owen

    Eureka, Ca.

  • Ask Evergreen: Group Project Pains

    Ask Evergreen: Group Project Pains

    Ask Evergreen is a weekly advice column by the students of the Lumberjack.

    Each week we’ll answer anonymous questions sent in by readers about anything and everything.

    Dear Evergreen

    How do you deal with a group member who’s refusing to do their part of the project?

    Dear Peeved Project Participant,

    Group projects can be excruciating enough, but even more so when you have a member who is not contributing. There are a few things you can do before throwing in the towel or taking on the slacker’s work. You can reach out to this group member, ask the other group members what they think or contact your professor.

    Before doing anything drastic you should ask the slacking group member if there is something confusing about the project. They might not understand their specific role in it and may be too ashamed to speak up. Maybe this group member is dealing with personal issues and isn’t focused on school as much as they could be, so be cordia. If they’re just plain lazy, you should politely call them out in person or through an email.

    Reach out to the any other project group members and mention the stalemate. Your peers might be experiencing the same frustrations as you. Ask them for advice on how to proceed with the project. You all might have to take on the incomplete work to submit a whole project, and you may still have to bring the problem up to the professor. Ideally, since your fellow partners are in the same situation, they will be able to back you up when it comes to explaining the issue.

    If you’ve exhausted all efforts of trying to wrangle in the straggler, you should definitely contact your professor to cue them in. This can be especially helpful if you aren’t getting an individual grade for the project.

    Thankfully, some professors allow for group feedback at the end of projects. Peer reviews can be a cathartic release after a stressful report. Make sure you get the positives and the negatives of all group members to not solely ridicule the lazy member. But don’t forget to emphasize the things that were harder to complete because of their lack of participation and communication. Remember that this is a group project and you’re not alone in this temporary headache.

    Teamwork makes the dream work!

    Sincerely,

    Evergreen

    If you have any questions you’d like to send in, email us at contactthejack@gmail.com. We won’t publish any names and you don’t need to use one.

  • Ask Evergreen: Stuck in the Middle

    Ask Evergreen: Stuck in the Middle

    Ask Evergreen is a weekly advice column by the students of the Lumberjack.

    Each week we’ll answer anonymous questions sent in by readers about anything and everything.

    Dear Evergreen,

    Should I just sleep with the two guys coming after me even though they have girlfriends because no other men like me?

    Dear Stuck in the Middle,

    You sure got yourself caught in crossroads with this one, but don’t fret. The best thing to do is cut off connections with both men, and here’s why:

    You shouldn’t facilitate the poor decisions of two men in any manner. Even if you don’t want a relationship from these men you should consider how their attitudes and treatments towards their partners can be perpetuated onto you. Think about each of their partners and how your choice in this situation will affect them.

    You shouldn’t be the person to come between someone else’s relationship. Don’t assume their burdens by entangling yourself in their drama.

    It’s clear that both of these men are dealing with personal issues within their respective relationships and are acting out using someone else. People who are unhappy in their own relationships, but do little to change their circumstances, aren’t the type of people you want to spend your time with.

    The best thing to do is to remove yourself from these situations through the decisions you make. With the position you’re in, you could even contact the partners of these men to let them know what’s been happening. Sometimes involving yourself further can make things worse, so carry on with caution.

    It may seem tantalizing having two different men as potential lovers, but neither are viable options for you to pursue. While you may think they are the only men interested in you, it’s highly unlikely that is the case. The characters of these two are definitely too shady for any connection to be worth it.

    Don’t allow their behavior to influence you and any desires you may think they fulfill. Be the bigger person and end things before it’s too late to take back a possible bad choice.

    Good luck!

    Sincerely,

    Evergreen

    If you have any questions you’d like to send in, email us at contactthejack@gmail.com. We won’t publish any names and you don’t need to use one.

  • Ask Evergreen: Long-Lasting Break-Ups?

    Ask Evergreen: Long-Lasting Break-Ups?

    Ask Evergreen is a weekly advice column by the students of the Lumberjack.

    Each week we’ll answer anonymous questions sent in by readers about anything and everything.

    Dear Evergreen,

    How long do break-ups last?

    Dear Break-up Battler,

    Some say a break-up lasts half as long as the length of the relationship. Science says it lasts roughly three months. I say it lasts however long you need.

    Don’t force yourself to get over a connection so quickly that you numb out feelings that can help you process. Don’t wallow in your despair and let it consume you, that will just make things all the more difficult to get over.

    Take time for yourself to be alone. Solitude is bliss, and it can facilitate your ability to digest what has happened. Reflect on what went well and what went wrong. Use this ending as a lesson on what to do differently when you decide you’re ready to date again. Be sure to surround yourself with friends and loved ones–not to distract you, but to remind yourself of those who unconditionally care for you.

    There are all different types of relationships and different kinds of break-ups as well. Relationships in which love is involved tend to have lingering feelings long after a parting. Short-term relationships might be easier to move on from. Disdainful break-ups happen, but don’t leave without answers for the peace of mind of all involved. Civil break-ups leave the least amount of wreckage and may lead to strong friendships with those who weren’t the best romantic partners.

    Some break-ups are healthy and necessary for your personal growth, so take things slow and focus on you.

    Sincerely,

    Evergreen

    If you have any questions you’d like to send in, email us at contactthejack@gmail.com. We won’t publish any names and you don’t need to use one.

  • Ask Evergreen: Ending Things Easy

    Ask Evergreen: Ending Things Easy

    Ask Evergreen is a weekly advice column by the students of the Lumberjack.

    Each week we’ll answer anonymous questions sent in by readers about anything and everything.

    Dear Evergreen,

    How do I let someone down easy?

    Dear Easy-Ender,

    It’s never easy to let someone down, whether you’re ending something romantic or platonic. However, there are always civilized ways to cease a connection no matter how strong the bond. If you’re trying to end a toxic relationship, an uninteresting connection or a friendship with someone who is no longer a positive influence, remember these things: be straightforward with your reasoning, be the bigger person and be a badass if you need to.

    Try to understand the reasons why you want to end something. Finding reason can help you cut the connection. Don’t end things hastily, hatefully or immaturely. You can weigh the pros and cons of the situation to understand how continuing things will affect you and the person you’re connected to. Ask yourself why you want to end it and how you’ll be better if you do.

    You don’t always owe people explanations for why you no longer want to have ties to them. If you’re letting someone down that you’ve met on a dating site, or someone you’ve gone out with several times but no longer have interest for, you can leave things with simply saying, “I’m no longer interested.” Don’t worry about patting someone’s ego before bidding farewell, and don’t make excuses for why it’s more your fault than theirs. No one’s at fault, you just don’t have a connection with that person anymore.

    If you’re trying to end a relationship with a long-term partner, you may want to put in more effort to your parting words. Your goodbye to a partner could be cordial or crude depending on your situation and reasons for ending a relationship. You could use more energy by getting angry at them or save your energy and invest it in yourself. Remember, your happiness and well-being come first. Don’t bother appeasing people if they aren’t going to listen to how you’re feeling in a situation, and don’t lose your cool trying to get them to listen. You’re better off focusing on yourself and your healing process.

    You’ve got this!

    Sincerely,

    Evergreen

    If you have any questions you’d like to send in, email us at contactthejack@gmail.com. We won’t publish any names and you don’t need to use one.

  • Ask Evergreen: Meaningful Friendships

    Ask Evergreen: Meaningful Friendships

    Ask Evergreen is a weekly advice column by the students of the Lumberjack.

    Each week we’ll answer anonymous questions sent in by readers about anything and everything.

    Dear Evergreen,

    How do we navigate meaningful friendships in a college setting where friendships are based on talking about bullshit?

    Dear Friendship Keeper,

    Friendships come in all different forms, some healthy and others not. Genuine friendships usually aren’t based from a bond of bullshit talking, but to each their own. You can do a couple different things to avoid befriending bombastic people who blather.

    First, find people that you might have common interests with. This is the easiest place to start when searching for a meaningful connection, as you control who and what you let into your life. Join a club or frequent places that you enjoy to find others interested in similar activities. Strike up a friendly conversation with someone at your favorite bookstore or while you’re hiking in the community forest on a special trail.

    Second, when you notice people itching to gossip or spew meaningless rhetoric, separate yourself from those situations. If you strive to surround yourself with positive-thinking people, chances are one of those people will vibe with you. Don’t settle if it isn’t significant and beneficial to you.

    Third, get out of your comfort zone. Maybe you’ve allowed yourself to become complacent with the type of people who are around you. Change that. Voice your discomfort when it comes to people forcing their absurdities upon you. Challenge yourself to push for what you want rather than settling for what others push onto you. If you don’t want to have small talk about the weather, or a heated conversation about politics, say something to change that. Be the navigator of this ship we call life, and choose who you want on your crew.

    Lastly, it’s okay if you’re a lone wolf for the time being. It’s no fun when people around you drain your energy, so don’t feel selfish for choosing not to have them in your life. Sometimes we just need to self-reflect and ask ourselves if what we have is enough. The best things come to those who wait, right? A meaningful friendship can’t be forced, so don’t rush into anything and trust your gut.

    All the best!

    Sincerely,

    Evergreen

    If you have any questions you’d like to send in, email us at contactthejack@gmail.com. We won’t publish any names and you don’t need to use one.

  • Ask Evergreen: Switching Majors

    Ask Evergreen: Switching Majors

    Ask Evergreen is a weekly advice column by the students of the Lumberjack.

    Each week we’ll answer anonymous questions sent in by readers about anything and everything.

    Dear Evergreen,

    I’m a third-year switching majors. Is that a big issue, or should I worry about not graduating on time?

    Dear third-year major switcher,

    Switching your major as a third-year student can be a blessing and a curse. On one side, it’s the perfect time to do it because you’re still enrolled in school. It’s better to do it now than to come back years later to try to major in your new studies. On the other side, switching now might create an unwanted financial hassle as you’re most likely starting from square one with your new major. Unless you’re switching to a major that has similar course requirements that you’ve already fulfilled.

    College is not a race. It is completely normal to not finish a degree within four years. Don’t beat yourself up or compare yourself to your peers. Make sure to schedule a meeting and talk with your adviser to map out the smoothest route for your degree transition—you might have less to do than you expect. You could even consider minoring in the major you want to change to. But remember, many people take gap years, change their majors or come back to school years later. Be proud of yourself for making this decision now.

    Best of luck!

    Sincerely,

    Evergreen

    If you have any questions you’d like to send in, email us at contactthejack@gmail.com. We won’t publish any names and you don’t need to use one.

  • Sweet as Honey

    Sweet as Honey

    Guest columnist and Elementary Education major Tim Rupiper waxes poetic about those perfect summer moments

    It’s 7 AM. The bags packed the night before wait restlessly by the door while you finish your morning coffee and watch as the world around you is blanketed with new light. You wash your mug in the sink, dry your hands and look to the street outside.

    With your friends in tow, the door to the apartment will shut, the car engine will ignite to life and you’ll be off.

    As an evergreen backdrop paints your drive, you barrel down the highway, occasionally pulling over to marvel at the vast beauty that is, simply, nature. Gaze upon it long enough and you become shockingly aware of just how microscopic you are in comparison to the trees, to the Earth and to the universe. Leave it to a tree or a mountain to put you in your place.

    You continue on past the tar and glass, shortening the distance between you and your destination. Once or twice you stop at an oasis on the highway where people just like you, from all over, stop to stretch their legs, use the restroom, and do so in comfortable silence. The deafening roar of the highway calls you back.

    You listen to your music, indulge in snacks, but something about driving long hours and far distances turns the playlist from the bops you and your friends bump, into the music that made you. It’s a calming background for the passing landscape.

    Along the journey, you may stop at a friend’s house to spend the night on a makeshift bed; an old couch or blankets piled on the floor. You breathe, brush your teeth and get ready for the next day’s adventures. Excited to find things to add to the books of your life and the stories yet to tell.

    The drive is exhausting—it tests your patience and the routes seem to blend into each other. Your wallet gasps for air and your body is exhausted. You long for some alone time. Your suitcase slowly eats away the clean clothes. The endless traveling is terrible but extremely rewarding and completely worth it.

    Once you’re home and back to real life, the routines you had before will start up again. All that’s happened will become memories, a distant object in your rearview. These memories will help pass the days and keep you humble while you build anticipation for your next journey.

    This is summer. A word dripping like honey from your lips each time it’s spoken. Its sweetness providing a canvas for the moments that last a lifetime.

  • Letter to the Editors: CRGS lecturer responds to racism on campus

    Letter to the Editors: CRGS lecturer responds to racism on campus

    By: Maral N. Attallah

    Open letter to the folks tearing down David Josiah Lawson pictures/posters, immigrant rights posters and writing hateful, racist, anti-immigrant rhetoric on whiteboards and office doors:

    Maybe you are the same folks, maybe not, but my message is the same.

    Ignorance does not justify or excuse hate!

    Your statements about immigrants are factually incorrect. I do not intend on debating you but I am happy to share resources to help educate you and maybe then engage in some dialogue. It’s not a problem, it’s what I do… but you know this because you’ve stood in front of my office door and know what I teach. I am giving you the benefit of the doubt because it’s also what I do. At this point you have the choice of learning or remaining willfully ignorant. Take some time to think about it.

    I hope that after you tore down David Josiah Lawson’s picture that you paused to see my open letter right below it, where I reflect on his passing. I hope you read it and I hope you felt a tinge of guilt for your actions, I know you are capable of empathy, most of us are. I hope that is why you left my letter up. Regardless of your intentions, your actions were hateful but I will still show you empathy and I’ll do you a solid and put the picture back up for you! It’s all good, it’s already back up.

    You can learn from this moment and become a better human being or you can remain willfully ignorant, your choice. A young man has died and you tore down his picture. Think about that. Immigrants are needlessly suffering, in part due to the ignorance you parroted with your permanent marker. Dehumanizing language does not change the facts. The crazy thing is permanent markers are not permanent; your message did not stay up very long. You can tear down pictures/posters but folks will keep printing and posting. Take some time to reflect on your actions and in the meantime, we will keep putting up posters with statements like, “Everyone is Welcome Here”, “No Human Is Illegal”, “Compassion is Invincible” and my personal favorite, “Sí Se Puede!”

    Lastly, for those who may feel unsafe or targeted by these hateful actions, hold strong in the fact that so many folks have your back! “They tried to bury us; they didn’t know we were seeds.”

    Best wishes,

    Maral N. Attallah

    Distinguished Lecturer, Dept. of CRGS

    04/30/19

  • Letter to the Editors: NPR producer supports KHSU

    Letter to the Editors: NPR producer supports KHSU

    HSU alumni speaks out against KHSU shutdown

    By Ashley Bailey

    Dear Chancellor White,

    I am writing to express my rejection of the recent unilateral dismantling of KHSU by the Humboldt State University administration. As a producer for National Public Radio’s “Here and Now” program, a Humboldt State University alum (class of 2010) and an Arcata native, I have benefited greatly from the existence of KHSU and have several concerns to express over this decision.

    I know KHSU plays a huge role in the community in Humboldt County. I think you know that by now, too. And yet, the university did not properly support the station or communicate about drastic changes, as evidenced by the outcry from the people who pay for the programming, the staff who make the content and all the listeners who have written about their frustrations, anger and sadness.

    The way that the university handled the reorganization of KHSU goes against everything Humboldt stands for. Humboldt State’s mission statement says it serves students from around the world by offering them “access to affordable, high-quality education that is responsive to the needs of a fast-changing world.”

    As a professional journalist working in a volatile environment, I can say that a rural community news outlet working to educate people about the truth is essential right now. Gutting it without input from anyone from the public is irresponsible and shameful. Public radio is, and should always be, driven by the public.

    I believe there is room for conversation about the future of KHSU and closing the door now without further discussion after decades of service is unconscionable.

    The reason I feel so strongly about this is that I know firsthand how important KHSU is. I was the first person in my family to graduate from college and got my first taste of what NPR sounded like listening to KHSU as a student at Humboldt State. I joined the station as a volunteer during my senior year, eager to help. I was trained to do on-air announcements and run the board – opportunities I would not necessarily have had at a larger commercial station.

    KHSU even aired some of my first broadcast stories before any other stations would. I volunteered for the pledge drive and heard from listeners about how much the local programs meant to them. This was a huge educational experience for me. I took what I learned and worked my way up to where I am now, producing content for NPR. This rural station was a valuable resource to so many. I can’t believe the disrespect Humboldt State administrators have shown to the people who worked and volunteered there and to the entire community that listens.

    I ask that you, Chancellor White, reinstate KHSU’s long-term staff and reverse the related budget issues, as expressed in the recent Humboldt State Senate Resolution on KHSU. I believe there is room to correct what happened here and give others in the community the same opportunities that I had to succeed.

    Sincerely,

    Ashley Bailey

    https://www.wbur.org/inside/staff/ashley-bailey

  • Letter to the Editors: Journalism Department statement on KHSU

    Letter to the Editors: Journalism Department statement on KHSU

    By HSU Journalism Faculty

    We were surprised and dismayed at last week’s layoffs at KHSU radio station. Because students, alumni and community partners have asked, we would like to make it clear that our department was not involved in the university’s decision to fire the employees.

    We are deeply concerned about the fate of KHSU, a National Public Radio affiliated station with a long history on our campus and in our community. We are also deeply concerned about the fate of Radio Bilingüe, now also silenced, which broadcasts the only locally-produced Spanish-language radio news programs in Humboldt County. The dismantling of KHSU abruptly ended a for-credit college course for senior journalism students at the station.

    Still going strong is HSU’s KRFH student-run radio station, which broadcasts on a low-powered frequency at 105.1 FM and online at KRFH.net. KRFH offers student-crafted news weekdays at noon, 2 , 4 and 6 p.m. during the semester. However, this is not the same type of programming as the content produced by professionals and community volunteers at KHSU.

    It is important to distinguish between the KHSU community radio station located at the HSU campus Feuerwerker House and our student-run radio station KRFH in Gist Hall. KHSU began as student media 58 years ago, but over the decades, it matured into a professional NPR-affiliate station operated by staff and community volunteers.

    KRFH radio station is completely managed and operated by HSU students. The Journalism Department oversees the student radio station in addition to a number of other student media organizations: The Lumberjack weekly newspaper, El Leñador monthly bilingual newspaper and Osprey magazine. While journalism faculty members advise these student media organizations, students control the content.

    KHSU has served an important role on campus and throughout the county and has complemented our student-run media. Our journalism students benefited from the opportunity to move from their training ground in the KRFH radio booth to work at KHSU under the experienced guidance and mentorship of the paid staff and community volunteers. Several journalism alumni work at radio stations across the country because of the combined experience they acquired at both KRFH and KHSU radio stations.

    Having two stations on one campus, a professional community station and a student-run station, has distinguished Humboldt State from other campuses in the Cal State system and around the country. We hope this clears up any confusion over the connection between KHSU and our student radio station KRFH. We are strong supporters of local media, and it is our hope that out of the current turmoil, a strong community-run station will rise.

    Signatories:

    Department Chair Deidre Pike

    Professor Vicky Sama, Osprey faculty adviser

    Professor Marcy Burstiner, The Lumberjack faculty adviser

    Professor Kirby Moss

    Cliff Berkowitz, KRFH faculty adviser

    Amy Berkowitz, KRFH News faculty adviser

    Andrea Juarez, El Leñador faculty adviser

  • And then there were none, Natalya Estrada resigns amid KHSU shakeup

    And then there were none, Natalya Estrada resigns amid KHSU shakeup

    By Natalya Estrada

    Former KHSU employee Natalya Estrada speaks up after submitting her resignation

    My father always told me: Do no harm, but take no shit. It appears I’ve been surrounded by a monumental amount of fecal matter within the past few days. But make no mistake; I will not be buried by this.

    I came to KHSU in 2017, under the guise of needing to make a bit extra cash because I was paying double rent—my boyfriend at the time was helpful, but I still had two months left on my apartment lease. On the day of the interview, I had literally been under a fence. A large possibly, 300 pound wooden fence had fallen off of the rail on top of me as I was opening it so I could move my car out of the drive way. Was it a premonition? Was it a bad omen? I don’t know—one thing’s for sure, it made for a great interview topic. There were leaves in my hair, my red jacket had fresh mud stains and my legs were slightly swollen as I sat in the general manager’s office telling KHSU how much I love public radio. I got the job on the spot.

    And then a week later, I quit the Times-Standard, which was and still is one of my favorite jobs. It was where I met my best journalism friends and how I managed to come back to “Homeboldt” after a disappointing stint as a reporter in Southern California.

    Several months later, Katie was fired from KHSU; abruptly and without warning. It was chaos. I don’t have to remind everyone about how many sustainers canceled their membership, how much underwriting was lost to our bad reputation and how much of the community felt betrayed by the decisions of an institution. I was at a loss. Katie Whiteside was the first person I met at KHSU back during my internship as an undergrad at Humboldt State. She taught me how to manage the board during Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me, and Car Talk (RIP). She was the quintessential gem of KHSU, and I know I wasn’t the only person who felt like a piece of the station was forever lost with her dismissal.

    More months had passed and staff meetings became less and less about the station’s content and more about what kind of station we were pressed to become. Who were we in the eyes of the community, of the university and of the higher ups who seemed determined to challenge the format of good vibes, good words and good people?

    Eventually, we started having pledge drives again. None of us were sure we’d even get any kind of support—but we did. Why? Because despite the outrage, people believed we would come back, that we would get past this. And for I while, I also believed this. I was wrong.

    Thursday, April 11, 2019 does not seem like it happened in real life, but it did. While two of us were told to attend a separate meeting, our friends, our colleagues and basically our radio family were told of their fates. The two of us were left scrambling to figure out why this was happening.

    “David, what do we do? “

    “I don’t know honey. I had to go home.”

    Those were some of the last messages David and I sent to each other before the following day, when I was informed via phone call about his resignation. A couple minutes later, after texting Thad Greenson, Marc Valles and Andrew Goff, I read David’s Facebook post. I cried hysterically as I toggled between Morning Edition and the California Report. I switched on the mic and read the weather report: mostly cloudy and chances of rain—the weather has never represented me so well.

     It was done. KHSU was done.

    I called my friends, my sister, my mother and several of my editors. The bulk of the text messages I sent were: “I am fine. Please don’t worry about me.”

    But the reality was, I was crying to Carol King in studio A, and wanting to hide from the phone which kept ringing.

    “Something inside has died and I can’t hide and I just can’t fake it.”

    I think I answered close to 25 calls on Friday.

    Megan Bender, of The Osprey messaged me. Not about work, but about emotional support. At noon, on Friday, we met in Gist Hall to talk. She handed me an iced matcha latte and a breakfast sandwich. Damien Jimenez, a KHSU intern, waved me down as I was driving and gave me a hug through my car window—I asked him to pretend he doesn’t notice how messy my car is. Lumberjack reporter Freddy Brewster shook my hand and smiled warmly at me —it’s reassuring to know the future of journalism has compassion.

    Then came the hard part: the official part. Three meetings and perhaps the most “Don Draper” attitude I’ve ever had, prevented me from openly crying in front of two men in suits and one on a speaker phone. I don’t understand their narrative or their reasons. Perhaps I never will.

    Thank you all for letting me into your morning commute, for telling me your stories of hope, tragedy, triumph and love. Thank you for letting me speak your truths through an omni-directional microphone. Thank you for letting me take your photos and for calling me in the morning to let me know it’s White-THORN not Whitehorn. I will forever hold KHSU in my heart and memory as a place of acceptance, peace and home to the hardest working folks I’ve ever met.

    What now you may ask will a local unemployed radio gal do in this crisis?

    I’ll survive. I always do.

    I know many of you believe I was indifferent to the situation and that my stairway to the “top” consisted of bricks made of manure. I advise you to check my shoes and notice they’re crap-free.

  • Letter to the Editors: KHSU CAB member Barbara Boerger speaks out

    Letter to the Editors: KHSU CAB member Barbara Boerger speaks out

    By Barbara Boerger

    So, I haven’t yet communicated with all of the People Formerly Known as the KHSU CAB. Yes, I’ve been in touch with my friends. I’ve noticed that some of us have responded to emails or Facebook postings. But about half have been silent.

    That makes me wonder. Did some of you know something the rest of us did not? I’ve spent the day in turmoil, I’m going to take half my day as vacation time because I got nothing done at work. Granted some of you may not have as flexible of an employer as I do. But I feel there have been two factions in our group for some time. I don’t know if some of you are secretly happy about all this, and have confidence you’ll be involved in the new KHSU. I don’t know if some of you still think Peter, Craig, and Lisa are honorable folk, deserving of respect. I don’t know if some of you unwittingly contributed to this outcome, and further if you’re happy or you’re bummed.

    I only know that the station I have listened to since September 19, 1975, has now silenced our local voices, and life here on the North Coast will NEVER be the same.

    Yes, I sound melodramatic. It’s affected me that deeply that I’m prepared to pull out all the stops. Juliet and Ophelia, hold my beer.

    So what do think, those of you that previously appeared to think we should be more accepting of the changes? Do you think it would have changed anything? I’m really curious. The People Formerly Known as the KHSU CAB, could our playing nice with the Visioning Statement have saved our little slice of heaven? Or do you see that we were played? Lied to (and gods know I hate ending a sentence with a preposition)? A plan was in place, maybe not fully formed, but taking shape.

    Lisa Rossbacher lied to us. The review report was a sham. She and Craig Wruck get to retire with lovely pensions, courtesy of the taxpayers of California. But a group of my friends are now trying to figure out how to pay next month’s rent.

    I’m still processing. Obviously not as affected as those employees who were ESCORTED BY UPD to clean out their offices.

    And I haven’t even touched on the stalwart employees of “Advancement” who have had to answer the calls of all the betrayed supporters who are asking for their pledges back. Or the unsuspecting folks at NSPU in Chico who had no idea the the request to help out a “colleague” was really a disingenuous ploy.

    I’ve been living with this anxiety since Monday night, when Lisa breathlessly communicated her “just now” receipt of the review. But by Wednesday night, they had it all figured out – although to the People Formerly Known as the KHSU CAB, she said they were still trying to formulate a plan. No details. Asking us to take a “hiatus” as if we would ever be invited back.

    Do you feel played? I really want to know.

    Your friend/maybe former friend,

    Barbara

  • Letter to the Editor: Charmaine Lawson in response to APD’S press release

    Letter to the Editor: Charmaine Lawson in response to APD’S press release

    PRESS RELEASE: For Immediate Release

    Charmaine Lawson, mother of David Josiah Lawson: In response to APD’s Press Release

    Dear Humboldt County Community Members,

    I, Charmaine Lawson (Mother of DJ Lawson), was disheartened and outraged at the press release issued yesterday from the Arcata Police Department (APD). For the first time after almost two years of allegedly investigating the murder of my first born son, APD set up a 24-hour tip line and released images of potential witnesses. Why weren’t these actions taken two years ago? And, why is the APD primarily releasing images of African American attendees of the party?

    As a Mother who raised two ambitious, amazing, brilliant, outstanding, young Black men (that both went to college), I am deeply disturbed by the recent actions of the APD. When I viewed the blurry images from the press release, all I saw was Black and Brown young people leaving the scene. Why didn’t the officers on the scene that night obtain their names, contact information and statements at the time of the murder? Why – after two years – is the APD just now trying to identify people in attendance at the birthday party? This is beyond negligent.

    I was told by the three chiefs of police from APD and a city official that Kyle Zoellner’s DNA is on the knife that was used to murder my son. It is time that Humboldt County residents call out and address the Arcata City officials and Humboldt County DA Maggie Fleming regarding DNA evidence appearing on the knife that wasused to murder a young college student. I cannot bring my son back, but we can help take a murderer off the streets. Why should a murderer walk the streets with your loved ones? If he killed once, he will kill again. Do you feel safer as a result of the actions the APD has taken in connection with this case? If not, then I encourage you to demand answers from your local representatives.

    ***I demand that the DA’s office hand over a copy of the official Grand Jury transcript to my lawyers.***

    This case must be immediately turned over to the CA Department Of Justice (DOJ). DA Fleming has previously called in the FBI and State Attorney General for help during the Sheriff’s Office corruption investigation. Fleming emphasized the urgency of the need for assistance to these outside agencies during that investigation. Why did she not push for the DOJ to take over the investigation of the murder of my son (especially after she failed to present adequate and/or sufficient evidence at both the preliminary hearing and grand jury proceedings)? The DOJ will not decline a county official request.

    I have been informed that there are only two major DNA contributors on the knife. DNA does not LIE. But, the DA has decided that in order to take any further action on this case the investigators need to find an eye witness. In other words, District Attorney Fleming wants the public to believe that eyewitness testimony is more reliable than the results of scientific DNA forensic testing. This is beyond absurd.

    ● Ann O’keefe was 11 years old when she was strangled to death in Southern California in 1973. DNA evidence brought her murderer to justice about 3 weeks ago.

    ● Anna Hiavka was found murdered in Portland in 1979. DNA evidence identified her killer as Jerry “Animal” McFadden.

    ● Grim Sleeper, serial killer Lonnie Franklin, responsible for decades of murders, was caught through DNA evidence.

    ● The Golden State Killer – 13 murder counts from 1970s to the 1980s – was caught through DNA evidence.

    These are just a few examples of how DNA evidence can identify a person(s) responsible for committing crimes. How long will I have to grieve before my son’s murderer is brought to justice?

    Two years ago, my son and his friends were leaving a birthday party when they were approached by a young woman and her friends about a missing cell phone. My son lost his life over a cell phone. A phone that was later found by Lila Ortega.

    I will fight for justice for my son. I will fight for justice in Humboldt County. There are many murder cases on DA Fleming’s desk that she is unwilling to prosecute. I am fighting for those families as well. The failure of the APD to protect and serve this community is an issue that is greater than my son. I will not accept the lack of justice for families (like mine) that have suffered as a result of incompetence, lack of proper training, and/or intentional or negligent mishandling of serious criminal investigations. My son is not the only murder victim whose case has been buried and swept under the rug in Humboldt County, California. Enough is enough. It is time to speak truth to power.

    I would like to offer my condolences and heartbreak to the family of Brandon Brocious, for the loss of your son, and miscarriage of justice today. The Lawson family stands with you. Justice for Brandon.

    “To be a man is to be responsible, is to feel shame at the sight of unmerited misery” – David Josiah Lawson, my beloved DJ.

    REST IN POWER MY SWEET LOVE. YOU WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN. ALWAYS AND FOREVER,

    MOMMYS ANGEL.

    In love and justice,

    Charmaine Lawson

  • Letter to the Editors

    Letter to the Editors

    SQE students demand disarming campus police as part of statewide campaign at Board of Trustees

    Starting at 10:00 am on March 19th, members of the Students for Quality Education will be advocating for disarming campus police and security along their peers at the Board of Trustees meeting at the Office of the Chancellor in Long Beach, California as part of their “No Harm, Disarm!” campaign. The demand is one of many to address student safety on campus, which also includes working to create community-led crisis intervention and response teams, investing in more mental health counselors and supports, investing in Black resource centers and other cultural centers, mandatory de-escalation and unconscious bias training for all campus police and security, and more.

    Members of the campus and local news media are invited to attend:

    Board of Trustees meeting/March 19th at 10:00am

    Office of the Chancellor/Long Beach

    Office map with parking information: https://www2.calstate.edu/maps-and-directions-to-chancellors-office

    Members of the Students for Quality Education will be at the meeting.

    Following the meeting, SQE students will be available to speak to media and reporters.

    BACKGROUND

    We want ALL students to feel safe on our campus. Instead of funding more firearms and officers on our campuses, our CSU’s should be investing in proactive and preventative solutions, like more mental health counselors and cultural centers for students.

    Regardless of how students react to police, campus police officers should undergo mandatory de-escalation and unconscious bias training to adequately deal with situations regarding all students. We recognize the over-policing of black and brown students and demand our CSU work with communities to explore alternatives to police and find solutions to police and student disparities. We want our schools to start adopting restorative justice practices to redefine what justice looks like in our communities, focusing less on punishment, and more on healing and repairing harm.

    More information about our “No Harm, Disarm!” campaign and our demands can be found here: http://csusqe.org/noharmdisarm/

    ABOUT STUDENTS FOR QUALITY EDUCATION (SQE): Students for Quality Education was formed in the 2007-2008 academic year by students in the California State University (CSU) system to build the student movement for educational rights in public higher education. They are assisted in their efforts by the California Faculty Association. For more information about SQE and information about chapters, go to http://csusqe.org.

    For more information contact: ealcantar@calfac.org

  • Letter to the Editors

    Letter to the Editors

    j4j_statement-2.jpg

  • From the Editor: Dare to dream unapologetically

    From the Editor: Dare to dream unapologetically

    The Lumberjack has its first African American woman as editor-in-chief in 90 years

    In 1929 the Lumberjack as we know it today put out its first newspaper. Ninety years later I became the very first African American editor-in-chief in the history of the Lumberjack. To be true to myself, I identify first as an African American but I am also a woman who has made monumental history. Without first acknowledging that it took 90 years for someone who looks like me to hold this position disregards our history.

    If I’m being honest, it is disheartening that it took nine decades for an African American to be elected for this position. It shouldn’t have taken that long. However, I’m very pleased that the past 90 years of the LJ will soon be digitized. History will be made easily available for the public. They’ll be able to look back on our past and reflect or criticize how far we have came as a university and as a society.

    The way that the editor-in-chief is elected is through a democratic election process. Each candidate gives their statements to our classmates that explain who we are, our experience and our plans for the newspaper. Afterward, there is an election where each student votes who they think should be the next editor-in-chief.

    As a young black journalist coming from Oakland, I naively doubted my abilities to lead this paper, but my peers were confident in my leadership. After all, flowers never pick themselves.

    When I look around my peer group, I see young journalists who motivate me to become the best that I can be. They motivate me to challenge the current ideologies that surround us and they dare me to dream of accomplishing things much bigger than myself.

    My goals for this paper is to keep it cultured and to represent its student body. However, I plan to remain truthful to the realities that surround us and to do so unapologetically.

    I invite you to stand with me on this platform and walk this journey with me. As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Faith is taking the first step, even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”

    Sincerely,

    Dajonea Robinson

  • Letter to the Editor: Democratic Minority

    Letter to the Editor: Democratic Minority

    To The Editor:

    I seem to find myself in the minority in today’s national Democratic Party.

    I disagree with the tendency of most Democrats (including political candidates for Congress and those in the news media) to constantly bash Donald Trump over his obnoxious personality and his divisive comments.

    As very-conservative “Morning Joe” Scarborough said on his MSNBC show, when Democrats talk negatively about Trump, his supporters become angrier. It makes his supporters angrier and more protective of him while corroborating their paranoid belief that the Democrats and the liberal part of the media are out to get Trump.

    Rather, as Joe suggests, Democrats need to focus on communicating their humanistic, caring, and compassionate values to the American people and telling the people how the federal government can be a force for a lot of positive good in our country and can make life better for all Americans.

    They don’t seem to realize that research over the past 40 years has consistently shown that most Americans agree with them that we need to protect the safety-net programs such as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps, college student loans, and unemployment insurance benefits.

    These are winning issues and popular programs that we should constantly be talking about, not trashing Trump.

    Sincerely,

    Stewart B. Epstein

    2266 Westside Drive

    Rochester, New York 14624

    585-594-0610

    phenom51@mail.com

    P.S. I am a retired college professor of Sociology and Social Work.

    I taught at West Virginia University and Slippery Rock University.

  • Letter to the Editor: Local votes matter

    Letter to the Editor: Local votes matter

    A response to ‘The importance of voting locally’

    Dear Editor:

    The U.S. founders warned that they had designed a good participatory democracy if “We the People” could keep it; they understood how governments dominated by a cabal of oligarchs, monarchs, military, industry (or slave-holding) and elites relies entirely upon the complicity and cooperation within every hamlet.

    For example, having a corrupt developer in the White House is representative of the corrupt development industry dominating most U.S. regions, including ours, where housing prices are kept artificially inflated by locally elected and appointed officials failures to ensure balanced housing inventories that are supposed to adequately serve all economic classes of residents, while slumlords’ multiple vacancies are subsidized through generous tax write-offs.

    Every rigged housing crash and bailout is worse than the last, leaving tens of millions of families facing bankruptcy and broken homes that enrich predatory speculators, bankers, brokers, realtors, insurers and their attorneys with massive windfalls of fees and penalties from the cycle of foreclosure and resale. The poverty and despair from systemic housing fraud is reflected in Humboldt County’s own (widely self-censored) “Trends Report” documenting shocking rates of every major illness, addiction, abuse, infant mortality, homelessness and suicide.

    The lucrative manufacture of scarcity, debt and chaos is no longer limited to U.S. predatory prowess abroad. It is occurring nationwide in housing, healthcare, education, energy, justice and public welfare, accurately described today as the “New American Feudalism.” According to research by a Harvard PhD at evictionlab.org, nearly half of all housing in Humboldt County, and most U.S. regions are now rentals. However, rent prices continue to rise because the law of “supply and demand” is undermined by manipulated scarcity in affordable housing.

    Eureka’s fledgling progressive city council majority courageously ended millions of public dollars subsidizing the Chamber of Commerce; they passed a Human Rights Resolution and apology to native people amid a resurgence of racism, misogyny, and corruption. By re-electing Eureka’s incumbent city council candidates, including Leslie Castellano for Ward 1 and Susan Seaman (to replace Eureka’s current mayor facing a year-long investigation by the Department of Justice), Eureka can maintain a new progressive direction.

    Sincerely,

    George Clark

    HSU Graduate, 1982

    (When PUBLIC university meant “debt free”)

    Eureka

  • Letters to the Editor: No On M

    Letters to the Editor: No On M

    This veteran will vote No on Measure M, here’s why

    I’m a combat veteran of the Vietnam war that witnessed atrocities committed against Vietnamese civilians by some U.S. troops.

    The Philippine-American war that was initiated by President McKinley with his annexation of the Philippines was a ‘model’ for the later war in Vietnam. This included the massacre of civilians, burning of crops, killing of farm animals, herding of civilians into ‘detention camps,’ designation of certain areas where anyone could be killed (later in Vietnam called “free fire zones”) and the systematic use of torture.

    The Philippine-American war and insurrection lasted from 1898 to 1913 and the estimates of Filipinos killed range from 500,000 to 1.4 million. In Nov. 1901, the Manila correspondent for the Philadelphia Ledger reported: “Our men have been relentless, have killed to exterminate men, women, children, prisoners, and captives, active insurgents and suspected people from lads of ten up, the idea prevailing that the Filipino as such was little better than a dog.”

    It was in this war that the racist label ‘gook’ was first used against the Filipinos which made it easier for some U.S. troops to commit atrocities against them, later ‘gook’ was used in the Korean and Vietnam wars to the same effect. While McKinley was assassinated in 1901, the war and insurrection he started by the annexation of the Philippines lasted long after his death.

    The writer Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) was a fierce critic of ‘U.S. Imperialism’ and McKinley’s annexations of Hawaii, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, Samoa and the Philippines. In 1906, he described the massacre of an indigenous Filipino group called the ‘Moros’ by U.S. occupation forces.

    I paraphrase:

    600 Moros men, women and children had sought shelter at the bottom of a volcano and when the U.S. military found out that they were there, they brought troops and artillery up to the rim of the volcano and shot downward, slaughtering everyone, including babies in their mother’s arms.

    This reminds me of another massacre called Mylai in Vietnam where around 500 Vietnamese civilians, including babies clinging to their mothers, were summarily executed.

    This is what I think of when I walk by the statue of McKinley, and this is why I want it removed from the Arcata plaza.

    Sincerely,

    Robert J. Hepburn

  • Letters to the Editor: Vote No on Measure M and Remove McKinley

    Letters to the Editor: Vote No on Measure M and Remove McKinley

    One reader shares his opinion on Arcata’s statue of William McKinley

    The fight to remove the McKinley Statue from the Arcata Plaza has been a long fought battle. The McKinley Statue represents William McKinley, the 25th President of the United States, who gave birth to U.S. imperialism through genocide and colonized over 7,000 islands in both the Pacific and Caribbean by instigating the Spanish-American War and the Philippine-American War. Domestically, McKinley had a similar impact among the Native American community through breaking up several tribes, abandoning the African American community during times of race riots, and driving the U.S. into a depression.

    The current movement to remove the McKinley Statue was launched by Seventh Generation Fund for Indigenous Peoples because the Arcata Plaza is the same site where indigenous peoples were sold into slavery. Grassroots activism, led by the Historic Justice Alliance, successfully pressured Arcata City Council to vote to remove the McKinley statue on Feb. 21, and began the removal process. Following the vote, a small group of reactionaries organized a petition to keep the McKinley Statue, which was approved for the Nov. 6 ballot as Measure M.

    So what does Measure M do? If Measure M goes to a “Yes” vote it would do several things. First, it would overturn the Arcata City Council decision and keep the statue. Second, it would prevent any future modification of the statue. Third, it prevents Arcata City Council from having any future say on the McKinley Statue despite being the original body that erected the statue. Lastly, if the statue comes down before Nov. 6 then the Arcata City Council is legally obligated to put it back up.

    For students, this means that the next step in removing the McKinley Statue is going to the local polls where we have the power to influence the policies that affect future students. Currently, the Vote No on Measure M campaign is endorsed by more than 40 community organizations, including the Wiyot Tribal Council. Students are encouraged to vote “No” on Measure M on Nov. 6 by registering to vote by Oct. 22 in Arcata at https://registertovote.ca.gov.

    Nathaniel McGuigan

    Regional Mecha Co-Chair Northern California Minister of Communication

    Humboldt PSL Email: nam449@humboldt.edu