This will be one of the last articles I write for The Lamron, after writing almost every week for the past four years. I’ve written almost 100 articles, estimating around 80,000 total words. Not to mention that each article required countless hours of interviews and research.
Read MoreJurisdiction: Should high schools have disciplinary power over students’ off-campus speech on social media? Pennsylvanian high school’s policies make way to Supreme Court
An upcoming United States Supreme Court decision arguably has the possibility of invalidating sections of the Dignity for All Students Act’s cyberbullying preventions. These are meant to target and prevent off-campus bullying and harassment, including instances that involve verbal or non-verbal actions.
In 2017, after being relegated to the JV cheerleading team for a second consecutive year, Brandi Levy, a rising high school sophomore, had sent two Snapchats to 250 of her friends displaying her dismay toward her coach’s decision. In her first photo, she and a friend were seen raising their middle fingers and wrote, “fuck school fuck softball fuck cheer fuck everything.” Afterward, she followed up with “Love how me and [another student] get told we need a year of JV before we make varsity but that doesn’t matter to anyone else?” She was subsequently suspended from the team for sending these.
These messages were sent on a weekend and occurred off of her school’s campus, yet Levy was nevertheless removed from the cheerleading team for her behavior per the Mahanoy Area High School’s Cheerleading Rules which state that ‘“[t]here will be no toleration of any negative information regarding cheerleading, cheerleaders, or coaches placed on the internet.”’ After appealing her removal to the athletic director, school principal, district superintendent and school board, Levy’s punishment was upheld and consequently, she sued the Mahanoy Area School District.
Read MoreStop asking others for their zodiac sign and ask for their attachment style instead
Astrology: it can tell you a lot about a person, like how they handle trust, intimacy and emotions. But when you have to take a person’s sun, moon and rising signs as well as the current position of the planets into consideration, it’s tricky to get the full picture. You know what else can tell you all those things without needing to know whether or not Mercury is in Retrograde? Attachment styles!
Attachment styles are formed based on how a person and their primary caregiver interact in the earliest stages of their childhood. Whether their caregiver is attentive, negligent or inconsistent will permanently affect how a person copes with their emotions and relationships throughout their adult life. They say a lot about what kind of partner a person will be in a relationship.
Here’s a rundown of the attachment styles: People with secure attachment styles are prone to intimacy and they perceive others as prone to intimacy as well. They seek and expect trust in relationships. Even after a breakup, they’re likely to focus on the good times in their relationships. This allows them to be open to new relationships in the near future.
Read MoreHarry Potter would be the worst boyfriend ever
Sorry in advance, my dear friend Ginny Weasley: Harry Potter is not a good boyfriend. Honestly, I wish you’d break up with him and maybe go to Hogsmeade with me instead, but hey, whatever, I’m glad it’s working out for you two.
Just so you know, though, I saw Harry walk into a wall the other day. He broke his glasses and then he stood up and pretended nothing happened and kept walking. So there’s that.
And can we talk about how Harry is oblivious to everything that isn’t ‘relevant to Harry’s story?’ He didn’t realize Dumbledore was gay until I told him to his face, and even then, after I explained how many times I’d seen Dumbledore flirting with Snape, he shook his head and refused to believe me. As if he hadn’t walked in on Dumbledore kissing Slughorn in sixth year.
Also, Harry Potter is so, so bad at magic. He needed a cheater’s guide to potions just to pass that class. Every time I tell him his glasses are broken again, he pretends he likes them that way. We both know he just doesn’t remember the spell to fix them.
Read MoreStaff editorial: Geneseo students call for a permanent BLM memorial on campus to show support of BIPOC students and faculty
Geneseo students have always been advocates for social justice, and many support the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement.
The BLM movement, which aims to combat discrimination and racism against Black individuals, picked up momentum after the murder of George Floyd in May 2020. In response, Geneseo students painted the “Greek” tree in Sturges Quad in support of BLM; however, the artwork was covered up twice with patriotic writing to invalidate the BLM movement.
Many Geneseo students were distraught by the recurring defacing of the BLM artwork and sought consequences from the administration. Although student activists re-painted the tree both times, President Denise Battles’ response was to place an indefinite moratorium on the “Greek” tree and the rock on North Campus. Once more, the BLM artwork was painted over, this time by the school itself to a neutral slate, according to an email from April 1 from the Office of the President.
Read MoreBatman would be the worst boyfriend ever
With the release of Zack Snyder’s Justice League: Justice is Gray (2021) and the hype surrounding Rob Pattinson’s upcoming role as The Bat in a new spin on the franchise, Batman has been on the brains of anyone into men lately. Since you’re reading this right now, I’ll assume you’re one of those people.
At first, maybe you thought it was simple admiration for a superhero. But that mental image of R-Patz in thick black eyeliner for his bat mask made you start to question yourself. Could you … have a crush on Batman? He fits the usual archetype of the men you crush on: tall, dark hair, a little angry, mostly morally good and sort of punk rock.
So, you decide to give it a chance. The first date is total chaos. Batman—not Bruce Wayne, you only want to date Batman—appears behind you without a sound as you wait outside the restaurant. His cape flaps in the wind, alerting you to his presence. You scream. He just stares at you like you’re overreacting.
Read MoreUIGHUR GENOCIDE SERIES: CCP continues to keep acts of terrorism under wraps; Americans and the media must spread awareness to save the Uighur people
THIS IS PART FIVE OF A FIVE-PART EDITORIAL SERIES.
*A full warning about content that may be viewed as offensive, triggering and/or otherwise distasteful is being provided now. This series will discuss acts of rape, forced abortion, sterilization, murder, torture, forced labor and genocide. This writing is meant to help give the Uighur people a voice and to show that they are being thought about, cared about and fought for in as many ways as possible. The Uighur people deserve their lives, their families, their culture and the one thing that we all hold dear: their freedom. These next sections will discuss the acts being committed against the Uighurs.*
Indoctrination:
Uighur children are losing their culture at the hands of the CCP, who are destroying families and ‘re-educating’ youth with propaganda that strips the Uighur of their cultural roots. It is reported that nearly half a million Uighur children have been placed into boarding schools where they are taught to love China and the CCP. Part of this indoctrination is the removal of the Uighur language from children’s education as well as the CCP forcing Uighur children to learn and speak in Mandarin.
Read MoreThe COVID-19 vaccination process in NYS is relatively easy; all eligible persons should consider getting vaccinated
The State Exposition Center in Syracuse, NY (pictured above) is one of many vaccination sites in New York, which provide eligible people with COVID-19 vaccinations in a safe and well-organized setting. (Courtesy of opinion assistant editor Kaitlin Anzalone)
As eligibility expands, more and more people are able to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Getting the actual shot is the easiest part of the process. There are many obstacles you must pass before you can receive the vaccine. This article will walk you through the process as I experienced it.
After waiting months, I was finally eligible to receive the vaccine, but just because you are eligible, does not guarantee that there is a dose waiting for you. The reason for this is that the state only gets a limited number of vaccines per week, according to the New York State Department of Health. Vaccine allocation is “based on the number of people 18 years or older in the jurisdiction in proportion to the entire U.S. population,” according to the Center for Disease Control. Currently, in New York, there are more people eligible to receive the vaccine than there are vaccinations.
Due to the high demand and limited supply, it is very difficult to schedule an appointment to receive the vaccine. In order to get an appointment, you must go on the New York State Department of Health Covid-19 Vaccine Dashboard. On this page, you must go through an eligibility screening. This screening asks questions such as your name, age, residency, occupation, and if you have any health issues.
Read MoreUIGHUR GENOCIDE SERIES: The CCP threatens to erase Uighur culture in China through “reeducation” camps, forced sterilization and abortions
*A full warning about content that may be viewed as offensive, triggering and/or otherwise distasteful is being provided now. This article will discuss acts of rape, forced abortion, sterilization, murder, torture, forced labor and genocide. This writing is meant to help give the Uighur people a voice, and to show that they are being thought about, cared about and fought for in as many ways as possible. The Uighur people deserve their lives, their families, their culture and the one thing that we all hold dear: their freedom. *
As part of their campaign to quell notions of Islamic fundamentalism and terrorism, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has banned many religious and lifestyles practices for Muslims practices. These restrictions have included, “banning veils and beards, cracking down on Quran study groups, and preventing Muslim officials from fasting for Ramadan.”The CCP has also noted several behaviors to watch out for among the Uighur people. If caught, people can land inside of a so-called “re-education” camp. Seemingly innocent offenses such as, “quitting smoking or buying a tent”are enough to get you arrested and thrown into a “re-education camp.” This loose set of rules for the Uighurs to follow is why so many of them are going into these camps and not seen or heard from for years on end.
UIGHUR GENOCIDE SERIES: Multiple prisoners report sexual assault and brutality in camps, displays severity of situation
THIS IS PART THREE OF A FIVE-PART EDITORIAL SERIES.
*A full warning about content that may be viewed as offensive, triggering and/or otherwise distasteful is being provided now. This article will discuss acts of rape, forced abortion, sterilization, murder, torture, forced labor and genocide. This writing is meant to help give the Uighur people a voice, and to show that they are being thought about, cared about and fought for in as many ways as possible. The Uighur people deserve their lives, their families, their culture and the one thing that we all hold dear: their freedom.
The horrible truth about this situation is the prevalent and horrific accounts of rape. The rape did not occur randomly, as it was used as a systematic punishment in the previously described camps. One method of torture described was the use of solitary confinement. Prisoners were removed from their normal cells and placed in dark cells where they were shackled and left. While in these cells, many women have described terrifying experiences of not only being raped but witnessing it as well. Following are accounts from people who were inside the camps.
Staff Editorial: America’s long history of anti-Asian xenophobia must be recognized; AAPI community needs community support
A recent surge in hate crimes targeting the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community has shed light on ongoing xenophobia in America. From putting Japanese Americans in internment camps during World War II to treating all Asian Muslims like “terrorists” after the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, the AAPI community has never truly been welcomed into American society.
A major contributor to anti-Asian xenophobia in the United States is anti-Asian propaganda in the news, especially when it comes from authority figures. Due to global affairs between America and many Asian countries, it’s not uncommon to come across news articles stating how North Korea, China and the Middle East are our enemies.
Read MoreUIGHUR GENOCIDE SERIES: Uighurs in China suffer through a genocide, including acts of forced labor and cultural eradication
Forced Labor
One staple of all acts of genocide is that the parties committing them often do not let the labor of those being erased go to waste. The same is true here, as “Xinjiang is home to 84 percent of China’s cotton and therefore is a major supplier to China’s clothing manufacturers,” according to a report by Citizen Power Initiatives for China (CPIC). The region traditionally “…used to rely on seasonal, migrant workers from other provinces in China.” However, there has been a shift in this source of labor as apparently “the newly found supply of local labor has both solved this labor crisis and helped increase profits for the growers.” This shift stems from a move by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to enslave and use the labor of the Uighur people and to exploit them to help improve the profits on the products made by them.
The cotton fields in the Xinjiang region are being supplied by the forced labor of the Uighur people. In addition to the work in the cotton field, it has been viewed through satellite imaging that the CCP has built hundreds if not thousands of factories in or near their “reeducation camps” and are potentially using the persons in the camps to fill these factories and turn out products. These claims of course cannot be completely confirmed due to the CCP refusing to allow any person to film, photograph or document anything having to do with these factories; however, the satellite imagery and accounts for persons who have escaped Xinjian provide at least the accusation that the CCP must address.
Read MoreStaff editorial: Geneseo students face poor mental and physical health with insufficient help from the administration
College is a stressful time, and it can be taxing on college students’ mental and physical health. Students are navigating their semesters with limited social interaction and hardly any breaks. Although Geneseo says they care about the health of their students, they fail to provide adequate support and resources.
At this point, most of us know how to social-distance and practice proper hygiene to avoid getting COVID-19, but how many of us actually know how to take care of ourselves if we do get it? Administrators send multiple lengthy emails about COVID-19 rules and regulations, so there’s no excuse for them not to send out advice and resources about how students can take care of their health.
Read MoreUIGHUR GENOCIDE SERIES: Global attention must be paid to the wide-spread abuse and execution of the Uighurs in China
In northwestern China there exists a region called Xinjian. Within this region there exists a group of people known as the Uighurs (also spelt Uyghur and pronounced we-gurr), a Muslim-majority population that has inhabited the region since about 840 C. E. and has had a history of servitude, war and struggle. This is their story, their struggles and their plight, how their culture and faces are being erased from the modern world and how there seems to be no end to the nightmare that is happening to them.
This is an opinion piece, but it should also be noted that I have attempted to be extensive and thoughtful about the situation. Whether it is one person who reads this or a thousand, this is in no way an attempt to gain glory for myself or to try and promote my own name or brand, this is about the Uighurs and only the Uighurs and it is them who deserve all the credit for their bravery, faith, strength and courage through this long dark time. All attempts to discuss this topic are going to be as tasteful as they can be, and I will try to give all the people involved as much credit as they deserve and can provide in this moment. Please be aware of this situation and let its horrors and truths carry with you what it carries with me. This is the Rwanda of our generation, the Darfur, the Holocaust, the Holodomor, all terms thrown about very often but that cannot be understated here.
Read MoreThe re-opening of Geneseo athletics is unfair due to many other social restrictions set in place
On Feb. 1st, President Denise Battles sent another email about updates in campus COVID-19 restrictions. In this email, Battles stated that athletic practices will resume, safety permitting. Many students find this unfair due to increased restrictions in other campus organizations. Although sports teams were permitted to practice beginning the week of March 1st, other student clubs and organizations must wait until March 15th to hold in-person events.
Geneseo is adhering to the rules outlined in the “Reopening New York: Sports and Recreation Guidelines.” These guidelines limit indoor sports to 50 percent of the maximum occupancy, although Geneseo’s COVID-19 restrictions state that “college-sponsored small group activities will adhere to NYS group-size limits … and no more than 25 percent of maximum occupancy for indoor or no more than 33 percent of the maximum occupancy for outdoor.” It is unclear which of these guidelines applies to campus activities.
Read MoreNon-essential air travel is risky and irresponsible, can lead to increased spread of COVID-19
Do you remember the days when we could go out and see our friends and family, and not worry about giving them a life-threatening respiratory illness? Yeah, me neither. We all want to get back to that place where we can see the people we love, without giving them a death sentence. But what is keeping us from that?
Well, that would be the reckless actions of some people. The best example of a reckless action at this time would be needless travel, specifically by flight. Usually, if you’re traveling by flight, you are going a far distance. This is a global pandemic people; you really shouldn’t be leaving your house, let alone going on vacation. There are many reasons to refrain from traveling at this point and time, the main reason being travel spreads germs.
Jurisdiction: The U.S. federal government should standardize the insanity defense in court cases, ensure equal and fair rulings for mentally ill defendants
Was James Kahler insane when he murdered four of his family members, a crime for which a Kansas jury found him guilty and sentenced him to death? On March 23, in Kahler v. Kansas, the U.S. Supreme Court determined whether Kansas restricted the insanity defense too harshly for Kahler and therefore violated his due process rights. In their majority opinion, the U.S. Supreme Court found that the state of Kansas did not violate Kahler’s due process rights, ultimately impairing the defenses of mentally ill defendants in states that have adopted similarly restrictive standards for an insanity defense.
Read MoreStaff Editorial: Beloved Geneseo Family Restaurant closes down, leaves Geneseo community heartbroken
On Sunday Feb. 21, the Geneseo Family Restaurant (GFR) served the Geneseo community one final time. Teddy Tsoukalos, owner of GFR for 23 years, spoke on his difficult decision to close in an interview with Livingston County News.
“It’s the pandemic that got me,” Tsoukalos said. “I do not take no loans and I thought I could pull out of it but I just can’t … Ever since the pandemic hit, it has been downhill.”
Read MoreStaff Editorial: Geneseo administration is handling the pandemic in confusing, inefficient ways
The Geneseo administration’s response to the pandemic has been disorganized. It has left many students confused about the protocol for testing and quarantining, which may be a factor in the surge of positive COVID-19 cases in the Geneseo community.
Read MoreUnpaid internships are classist, prevents social mobility
It seems like a majority of employers require some sort of internship experience before hiring someone for an entry-level position. Never mind the countless course credits students must complete to obtain their degree. If an applicant doesn’t have a hearty resume, they’ll have a harder time getting a job after graduation. While the idea of hiring someone with field experience is favorable, it overlooks those that don’t have the financial privilege of having an unpaid internship.
Read More