cpj_20161026.pdf

Media

Part of The Cooper Point Journal (October 26, 2016)

extracted text

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-P~.ER P

the . . ,

The Evergreen State College Student Newspaper

October 26, 2016

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LJ R N A L

POL/CEBRUTALITYPROTEST

NOSTORMSHELTER

STA TEBALLOTI N ITIATIVES

RALLY AGAINST POLICE VIOLENCE
PROMOTES /NIT/A TIVE 837

CITY REJECTS REQUEST FOR
EMERGENCY SHELTER

SOME THOUGHTS ON STUFF TO VOTE
FOR, BESIDES POLITICIANS

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STAFF
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Felix Chrome
MANAGING EDITOR

Jasmine Kozak-Gilroy
NEWS EDITO.R

Chloe Marina Manchester
COMMUNITY EDITOR
ARTS

\

Sylvie Chace
& CULTURE EDITOR
Ruby Love

COMICS EDITOR

River Gates

WRITERS

Arash Muntazir
Jennifer Hicks
Jon Fitzgerald
Rachel Carlson ·
Sedona Wall
Tari Gunstone

HOW WE WORK
The Cooper PointJournal is produced by students at The Evergreen State College,
vv-ith funding from student fees and advertising from local busin~sses. The Journal
is published for free every other \Vednesday during the school year and distributed
throughout the Olympia area. Our content is also available online at www.cooperpointjournal.com.
Our mission is to .prov-ide an outlet for student voices, and to inform and entertain
the Evergreen cofumunity and the Olympia-area more broadly, as well as to provide
a platform for students to learn about operating a news publication.
Our office is located on the third floor of the Campus Activities Building (CAB) at
The Evergreen State College in room 332 and we have open student meetings from
4 to 5 p.m every Wednesday.

WRITE FOR US
We accept submissions from any student at The Evergreen State College, and also
from former students, faculty, and staff, We also hire some students onto our staff,
who vyrite articles for each issue and receive a learning stipe17d.
Have an excitingnews topic? Know about some weird community happening? Enjoy
that new hardcore band? Come talk to us and write about it.

CONTACT
OFFICE

The Evergreen State College
CAB 332
2700 Evergreen Pkwy NvV
Olympia, WA

News
(360) 867-6213
cooperpointjournal@gmail.com

We will also consider submissions from non-Evergreen people, particularly if they
· have special knowledge on the topic. '\,Ve prioritize current student content first, followed by former students, faculty and staff, and then general community submissions.
\Vithin that, we prioritize content related to Evergreen first, followed by Olympia, the
state of '\,Vashington, the Pacific Northwest, etc.
To submit an article, reach us at cooperpointjournal@gmail.com.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

BUSINESS

(360) 867-6054
business@cooperpointjournal.com
WEEKLY MEETING

Wed 4 to 5 p.m.

COVER ART BY

Rachel Carlson

WWW.COOl'ERl'O!NTJOllRNAL.COM

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We want to hear from you! If you have an opinion on anything we've reported in the
paper, or goings-on in Olympia or at Evergreen, drop us a lirie w-ith a paragraph or
two (100 - 300 words) for us to publish in the paper. l\1ake sure to include your full
name, and your relationship to the college-.are you a student, staff, graduate, community member, etc. We reserve the right to edit anything submitted to us before
publishing, but we'll do our best to consult w-ith you about any major changes.Thank
you!

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News
their support of 1-837, D avid
Sawyer (D) of the 29th district,
and Luis Moscoso (D) of the 1st
district. Moscoso shared how he
introduced a bill aimed to strike
the malice clause (HB 2907) to
the H ouse Public Safety Committee earlier this year after work
done by the Black Alliance of
Thurston County in response
to the police shooting of bla:ck
brothers, Bryson Chaplin and
Andre Thompson, in Olympia in
May 2015.
The Alliance was formed after
the p rosecutor failed to file charges against the officer who shot
C haplin and T hompson, illustrating what many see as a flaw in our
legal system. Along with efforts to
support families and communities
of those killed by police the Black
Alliance of Thurston County began lobbying legislators to introduce laws that would better hold
police accountable for unjustified
use of force.
Families of those killed by police participated in a rally against police violence. TARI GUNSTONE.
However, despite the work of
many organizations and community members, HB 2907 never
made it out of committee for a
I •
vote
in the house. Moscoso ex.,,
~ ;t.l
•
By Tari Gunstone
plained that there was a lot of
pressure to ignore the bill from
• ·I
the law enforcement community,
round 200 people gathered on the steps of the Capitol on Thursday, October 22 to demand. including two Republican repreaccountability fo: police violence, speci~cally_~g3!11st black lives an~ native lives in Washingto'n sentatives on the House Commit· state. The gathenng focused on promotmg lmtiatlve-837 (1-837), which would rephrase a Wash- tee on Public Safety. He told the
crowd that since then, many of
ington statute that makes it incredibly difficult to prosecut~ police for use of deadly force, aiming to his Republican colleagues have
make it easier to take legal action against police violence. Activists are currently promoting the initiative admitted that they acted out of
· fear for not addressing the bill
and gathering voter signatures in order to force the Washington State Legislature to vote on it.
and expressed remorse
Moscoso, who has fought hard
Protest signs represented slo- Washington use of force laws "it guage concerning "malice" and could fix the amount of pain and
for
police accountability but lost
gans like, "Safer policing, safer was nearly impossible for pros- "good faith belief" from the cur- damage done to his family, and
the
primary election and will be
community support," "Bullies ecutors to bring criminal charges rent Washington use of force law. shared, "that money is just an inwrapping
up his last year as repwith Badges," "Native Lives Mat- even if they concluded that an Supporters believe that this will dication that the city knows they
resentative,
promises to help conter," "Black Lives Matter," and officer committed a wrongful kill- be a huge step toward creating are wrong but isn't willing to adtinue
the
fight
for this initiative to
many that read 'Justice For Jack- ing."
stronger accountability for polic- mit it and take action."
pass.
He
both
cautioned and enie," referring toJacquelyn Salyers,
This is the result of a clause ·. ·..mg in Washington state, especialHe went on to explain how law
couraged
the
protesters
that, "it
a pregnant indigenous woman Washington legislators added to - ly within communities of color.
enforcement and the media tend
sometimes
takes
years
for
somefrom the Puyallup tribe, killed by the use of force statute to further
Sylvia Sebon, aunt of Oscar to "character assassinate" the victhing
to
pass,"
but
that
he
believes
police injanuary 2016.
strengthen the rights of law en- Perez Giron, a Mexican immi- tims of police violence by magniThroughout the protest many forcement in 1986. ~The added grant who was shot and killed by fying any flaws they might have with enough movement behind it,
family members of victims killed clause, which remains to this day, police in Everett, WA in 2014, so that the public can demon- 1-837 can become a reality.
Seattle mayor, Ed Murray has
by police like Salyer shared their states that officers cannot be held cried out for her community that, izes the victim, further justifying
also
endorsed the initiative with
stories. It was heartbreaking and criminally responsible for use of "we are not shooting targets for police violence. He believes that
the
Seattle Police Department
powerful to see the vulnerability deadly force unless they had "a police."
the malice clause is significant
following
in support. Many are
and courage of the many moth- good faith belief that such act is
A father of an African-Amer- enough that its removal could
calling
this
initiative pro-commuers, fathers, aunts, cousins, and justifiable" and in order to pros- ican man who died in police cus- have brought justice for his murnity,
not
anti-police.
The initiative
other loved ones that spoke about ecute one would have to prove the tody in 2012 due to the results dered son.
needs
about
250,000
signatures
the effects of police violence. It officer had conscious "malice."
of law enforcement violence
His father was a member of
by
the
end
of
D
ecember,
to go
was also striking to see just how
Proponents of I-837 argue that and negligence, spoke out about · the Coalition of Black Trade
before
the
legislature
in
January
many of them there were and the current use of force law is ripe his experience for the first time. Unionists whose presence was
how many oth_ers they mentioned for abuse, providing a "foolproof He and his family failed to press greatly felt at the protest. Many 201 7.
You can find more information
that couldn't make it to Olympia shield" for law enforcement since criminal charges for negligence indigenous peoples were there as
about
lnitiative-837, including
that day.
"malice is a state of mind and because of the obstacle put in well, wearing traditional clothing
how
to
sign the petition, on the
The Seattle Times reported cannot be proven." In reporting place by the current use of force and playing ceremonial instruWashington
for Good Policing
that of the 213 fatal police en- on this law, The Stranger stated law. However, they did receive ments. Spoke!), word poetry was
website,
at
w4gp.com.
counters in Washington between that Washington makes it "virtu- a settlement of 1.5 million dol- shared by Olympia poet Lenee
2005 - 2014 there was only one ally impossible to charge police lars from the city. He expressed Reid.
officer charged for murder. They officers who kill."
dissatisfaction with this outcome,
Two Washington state repwent on to say that under current
I-837 aims to remove this Ian- saying that no amount of money resentatives were there showing

lnitiative-837 Rally for Safer Policing

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OCT 26, 2016 /THE COOPER POINT JOURNAL

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News
UP

fl

.... ~ • '

Co1V11NG
WED. OCT 26
Student Activities
2700 Evergreen Pkwy NW 2pm.

Evergreen Costume Swap

Long house
2700 Evergreen Pkwy NW
2:30pm.

Consent and Boundary
Setting Workshop

Obsidian
414 4th Ave E. 9pm.

Hotel Broslin Presents:
Ret~rn of the Living Dead

Le Voyeur
404 4th Ave E. 9pm.

The shelter at Fmt Christian Church was expanded into an emergency storm shelter by volunteer.;.JON FTI'ZGERALD.

Vomity 104- A Spewky
Halloween ft. Adam Norwest

City Rejects Em.ei:-gen~y S_torrn Shelter

THUR. OCT 27

VOLUNTEERS STEP IN TO·FILL THE GAP IN SERVICES

Ben Moore's
1124thAve W 9pm. $7

By Jon Fitzgerald

Halloween Dance

FRI. OCT 28
• Senior Services

222 Columbia St NW 6pm. 21+

Roc!<Y Horror Themed Bingo

Obsidian

ast week, members of the community started contacting members of City Hall to open up a shelter for
the coming wind and rainstorm, which was expected to have up to sixty mile an hour winds and large
amounts of rain. Despite calls for a shelter to open and the general approval,by city council members, the
city did not take any action, ~nd members of the community stepped up to open k.shelter for people in need.

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414 4th Ave E. 7:30pm.

Film Festival of the Year!

SAT. OCT 29
Obsidian
4144thAveE. 8pm.

WEEED, Chris Cheveyo,
Sawtooth

*New Moon

1134thAve W 9pm. $5
NOTAFLOF

Joyride, Brave Hands, Box
Fan, Minor Threat

Capitol Theater
206 5th Ave SE. 8pm. $15

Night of the Living Tribute
Bands

The Brotherhood
119 Capitol Way N. 9pm. $5. 21+

Halloween Benefit Ball with
DJ Fir$t Lady

•

STAFF RECOMMENDED

Just Housing, a grassroots
movement for housing justice
in Olympia, was largely behind the emergency maqeuver and have fou_nd renewed
energy in their successful callto-action, continuing to rally
for action from city council to
benefit of the homeless community.
My partner and I stopped
by First Christian Church
on Friday afternoon. We had
heard the shelter had opened
out of necessity ~cause of
the storm and we dropped
off some blankets and socks.
Inside there was a space for
sleeping, a space for standing,
a line into the kitchen, stacks
of blankets, socks, and instant
noodles. There was stuffeverywhere and people everywhere
trying to warm up, so we were
in and out in a second.
This emergency shelter was
something we only witnessed
because of one post on social media that was shared by
a friend and we happened to
see and a decision we made

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because we happened to have
free time.. But we knew we
wouldn't be in danger during
this storm: weather reports
were only warning about
things like trees damaging
property, not homes blowing
away or belongings being destroyed. However, for all the
people don't have homes, a
• large part of Olympia's popu- iation, this big storm coming
was definitely something to
worry about.
Starting Thursday morning, various community organizers started pressing the ci_cy
to open up a public building as
an emergency shelter. In the
meantime, Interfaith Works at
First Christian Church, who
hosts an overnight shelter as
their ordinary mode of operations, opened their shelter
space for what they thought
would be the one day. Although support among the
city council was favorable, the
opening o~ a public space was
declined and at that point,Just
Housing organizers began re-

cruiting staff to keep the shelter at First Christian Church
open through the night and
eventually the whole weekend. Approximately 100 people sought shelter each night
of the storm on top of the
church's 37 year-round shelter
beds. The shelter was also able
to serve hundreds of meals
and provide changes of clothes
and blankets, entirely thanks
to community donations.
On Tuesday, October 18,
Just Housing and other members of the community rallied
outside of City Hall and announced their list of community needs with a megaphone
before speaking at the city
council meeting that evening.
The list included repealing the
city's "No Sit/Lie" policy- an
ordinance that prohibits sitting or lying in public spacesand designating city land for
tents, but also included things
like putting policies· in place
that would implement incentives for landlords who lower
screening requirements and

rent to low-income renters.
While it seems this storm may
have helped bring attention to
their cause, Just Housing had
already been attending city
council meetings and voicing these needs, including the
week before.
Although to many the storm
may not have been as severe as
predicted, even normal winter
conditions in Olympia present
dangers for the city's homeless,
and we have a lot of people
suffering through those conditions. InJanuary of 2016, The
Thurston County Homeless
Point-in-Time Count totalled
586 homeless people during
the course of one day. A visible number of our citizens are
in need and last week the City
of Olympia declined giving
up space in a public building
for emergency shelter during a
storm. As a friend-of-a-friend
pointed out, there's a lot of
free space in the Capital that
could be put to good use giving people shelter..

News

George Bridges spoke at a brunch honoring scholarship recipients. ~HAUNA BITTLE.

T>eturn
to
Everg
...een
.ft.!
.
·
.
· . .a. ·

ATTENDEES DISCUSS EVERGREEN'S HISTORY & FUTURE
By Chloe Marina Manchester

R

eturn to Evergreen is an annual event entering its fifth year, gathering together Evergreen students, alumni, faculty, and retired faculty for a day of
learning as a community, in true Evergreen fashion. The day begun with
the President's Scholarship Brunch. It's supposed to be a time for current scholarship recipients to be honored. They were recognizable by the lanyards they were
given that say "I am a scholarship recipient, thank you for funding my education!"
This was also an event to honor the donors, solicit more donations from them, and
encourage other people to donate for the first time, Inside the folders that were
handed out with the name tags were envelopes with cards asking how much you
·would want to donate, with the lowest amount listed being $125.
After the initial rush at the which let her into the com- and Evergreen seminar than
buffet table had subsided, Ev- munity. She spoke about the an ordinary high school class.
ergreen President, George importance of education and Gibbs-Bowling was the 2015
Bridges began to speak. He how her scholarship let her Washington State Teacher of
began with, "I know people pursue that education. Con- t!,,:e Year and a Finalist for Natell you never to begiri presen- do wants to go on to medical tional Teacher of the Year.
tations by talking about the school in the field of women's
Gibbs-Bowling. began his
weather, ·but how about this health and ended her speech , speech by praising Evergreen,
weather? But in this building, by thanking donors. '
saying "There are institutions
you will be safe, warm, and
George then took the stage in this state where I will not
again and presented _The send my children, but I would
dry."
Bridges spoke about the Joseph Albert Dear Award send my children to Evergreen,
importance of scholarships in to Nathan Gibbs-Bowling.. J wouldn't be who I am today
graduated without this school." He went
the role of education and then Gibbs-Bowling
invited a scholarship recipi- from the Tacbma Campus iri on to say how important the
ent, Iya Condo, to the stage to '04 and the :tvliT iri '06, he :tvliT Program at Evergreen is,
speak about her experiences brought his mother to the cer- and how it prepares students
with the importance of schol- emony. Bridges said that on to be teachers more than any
arships. Condo began by say- the day he visited Gibbs-Bowl- other program of. which he
ing that she chose Evergreen ing's . classroom at Lincoln knows. He was then pre~entbecause she wanted to go High School iri Tacoma where ed with the physical Joe Dear
somewhere where knowledge he teaches advanced place- Award by George, which conis encouraged. She said she ment government and human cluded the President's Scholarstarted out at Evergreen by geography noticed that his ship Brunch.
One of the scheduled sesdoirig the Evergreen Student classroom is socratic, with his
Civic Engagement Institute, discussions feeling more like sions was A Village Conver-

sation with Maxine :tvlimms,
Stone Thomas, Felix Baffith,
and York Wong. It took place
in the .CCAM in the library
building. This event also started on Evergreen time, about
twenty minutes after the advertised start time. Maxine
:tvlimms sat down and said, as
soon as the audience became
quiet, "Well, hello, Oprah!"
She went on to equate the conversation with "sitting around
with the weed pipe.".She said
that village conversations are
·necessary because Evergreen
has got to understand that we
are a village. Ostensibly, the
purpose of the village conversation was to act as a faculty
fishbowl seminar, something
that was frequent in Ever-

der to keep my enrollment up,
I would go to the graveyard.
See, whites love numbers, they
don't care about what's happening as long as the numbers
are there. So I would go to
the graveyard and write down
names so that wheri I had eight
or. nine students, it looked like
I had 30 or 40!"
At one point during the
interview -with Mimms, she
called over president George
Bridges (whom she says she
has no solid opinion on) and
started talking to him about
how to better run Evergreen.
A lot of this was centered on
how to bring enrollment back
up, how to get more money for
the college. Mimms said that
Evergreen has no busiriess be-

green's past.

ing empty on the weekends,

_ _1:he seminar w_as about de- no business having declining
's1grung a potential program enrollment _when there are
for Evergreen, though that was so many thmgs m the world
pushed to the periphery of the that Evergreen's curriculum
conversation. as it progressed. could respond to. Mimms told
The program was, at the end Bridges that "you cannot be
or'it, to be a coordinated stud- rigorous or scholarly without
ies program, with "lectures a community campus. "[The
being storytelling," as Wong /campus] is not open, that's
put it. It would be completely •, your problem," she said to
student driven, though the stu- Bridges.
dents would be required to go
"Evergreen is no longer
irito the archives to study the radical, it's a maintenance
faculty and professors and oth- state school and that scares
er parts of Evergreen history me. I don't think it's possible
that falls through the cracks. for Evergreen to change right
It would not be about diversity now; we haven't spent a lot of
but about other ways of know- time getting creative, to get
mg.
it to evolve. The heart is not
One of the main themes of there anymore." Mimms dethis conversation was, as Wong clined to respond on the input it, "There are other ways cident at convocation on the
of knowing." Which means basis that she was not there.
that one must explore a topic She did say that we have to
in more ways than what you stop writing about it, however.
Want, more - ways than what Thomas, who read accounts of
comes naturally. He elaborat- the student protest at convocaed on this later in the discus- tion, offered his opinion on the
sion by talking about a time matter. He said that it's good
.when traditional medicine, that students are still interested
rather than Western medicine in the struggle, still wanting to
was what healed his snake bite. bring attention to the struggle.
:tvlimms founded the Ta- · "Marketing makes you think
coma Campus, not program, Evergreen is diverse, but somebut campus. She said that call- thing is lacking in the environ-,
ing it a program rather than ment to make people of color
a campus is a form of degra- feel welcome. The bigger issue
dation through language, es- I see is how do you, if you use
pecially within the context of progressive language, how do
the Tacoma Campus being a you live up to that language
historically black college. She in the climate of the institute.
said that in the beginning of People came here expecting it
the Tacoma Campus, "In or- to be different," said Thomas.
OCT 26, 2016 /THE COOPER POINT JOURNAL 05

-t:.

Communi~
sexual assault and domestic violence. A survivor may choose as
many or as few services through
SafePlace as they please. SafePlace offers walk-in advocacy and
legal advocacy alike as well as a
house of 10 bedrooms and 28
beds if a survivor needs a place
to stay. SafePlace's house location
remains confidential, so contact
the organization if you or someone you know may need to access
that service.

Health Center employee speaks with evergreen student. SHAUNA BITTLE.

Mental Health Help
A GUIDE TO
LOCAL RESOURCES..,.,
.
'

By Sylvie Chace

..

• ·I

old weather has officially descended upon Olympia. While fall marks a time of change, it also marks a
time of Seasonal Affective Disorder. Whether the weather has got you down or you need resources for
for other mental health needs, Evergreen and the greater Olympia area doe~ have some options for those
in want of mental health services.

C

STUDENT WELLNESS
SERVICES
(360) 867-6200

The main resource on Evergreen's campus for mental health
is the Wellness Center. For other
health needs the Student Health
Center is also available in the
same building. Both services are
located in Seminar I, The Wellness Center in 2110, and the
Health Center on the first floor.
The Wellness Center is where
students can go to access walk-in
therapy sessions or to schedule
time with a counselor.
"They have tea," says an anonymous student on their experience at the Wellness Center.
On Sep.16, The Wellness
Center (previously known as The
Counseling Center) sent out an
email announcing their union
with the Office of Sexual Vio~
lence Prevention (OSVP).
"Our goal is to provide better
care for students with a fully integrated team and access to services
through•a single front desk" the
email states.

This union entails the .same
PARTNERS IN PREVENTION
services that were offered to stuEDUCATION
dents before, with an addition of
(360) 357-4472
expanded hours and consultation
Partners in Prevention Educafor students interested in or need- tion (PiPE) is an organization in
ing medication. Studi;,nts can also downtown Olympia that provides
be prescribed medication through drop-in services as well as individthe Health Center, after making . ual or group counseling services
an appointment. Medication can jor survivors.
be covered by insurance or billed
Their online mission stateto your student account. Office ment is "To engage homeless and
hours at the Wellness center and at risk youth and adult allies in the
the Health center are~ available elimination of sexual violence,
online. To access services at the bias, hate & general crimes as
Wellness Center or Health Cen- they contribute to homelessness
ter, call or drop-in during their and as they exist in street culture.
office hours.
· We achieve this through social
The Wellness Center can rec- change work, violence prevention
ommend students to therapists or education, and s~vor support
other health practitioners in the services including advocacy, thergreater Olympia area to make it apy and support groups."
easier to navigate finding someSome of PiPE's available
one who is right for you. How- · services include advocacy, famever, Olympia already has several ily therapy, and support groups.
organizations in place that can PiPE's support groups aim to proprovide services to those in need:
vide a safe and welcoming space
for survivors no matter race,
gender identity, sexulity, or age.
PiPE also works closely with other
Downtown organizations such as

06 WWW.COOPER POINTJOURNAL.COM

Stonewall Youth, and Community Youth Services. Services for
youth and young adults ages 1330 who have lived through various trauma and are homeless ·o r
at-risk for homelessness are free
and confidential. To access these
or other services through PiPE
stop by their offices Downtown
at 408 7th Ave SE. If you don't
have time to get down there, call
or email. Further details about
their support groups and other
services is on their website at
youthchangeagents.org.

SAFEPLACE
(360) 754-6300

SafePla~e is a local Olympia
non- profit with over 90 volunteers trained to help survivors of
sexual and domestic violence.
"Our sexual assault program is
one of the oldest in the nation,"
the SafePlace website states.
The organization operates 24
hours a day and provides support for crisis situations, as well
as advocacy, support groups, and
safety planning for survivors of

RAINBOW HEALTH CENTER
Rainbow fualth Center has
recently opened in a big yellow
house on the Eastside of town,
1701 4th Ave E, for mental health
services that are more oriented
towards the queer community in
Olympia. They operate as a collaboration of independent practitioners seeking to serve queer
people, as well as immigrant families and unaccompanied refugee
minors.
The Rainbow Health Center
aims to provide more services
than just therapy- their website
includes massage therapy, electrolysis & esthetics, and physical
health services. However, there
are no listed practitioners in these
areas. Since the center recently
got started, these services will be
provided in time, so keep an eye
out if any of those services are
of interest to you or someone
you know. So far there are four
in-house therapists listed on their
website,
rainbowhealthcenter.
com. To access services at Rainbow Health Center, email or call
their providers directly.
THE CRISIS CLINIC
(360)-586-2800

Last but not least on the list is
The Crisis Clinic. This organization does not have office hours,
but a phone line that is available
24-7. Their volunteers are ready
for any immediate needs you
may have. Whether it's a risk of
homelessness, or needing community resources, or even if you
need someone on the other line
while having an anxiety attack,
volunteers are trained with information to help various needs.
Volunteers can provide services in
emotional support, problem resolution, or locating of resources.
The Crisis Clinic also provides
suicide awareness presentations
to schools and other community
organizations to raise awareness
and teach others how to communicate with someone who is struggling with suicidal thoughts.

+

Communi!l
:'.\.{ADDIE FOLEY.

Issa Rae, Donald Glover, Nicole
Byer and Aziz Ansari doing exactly what I want to do.

Would you be willing to
pitch a show to me right
now, go?!

j
/

\.

Welcorneto POC Talk
OLYMPIA COMEDY WITH SUMMER AZIM
By Jennifer Hicks
ello and welcome to POC Talk! A new column we've created for people of color
(POC) by people of c;olor! With issues of representation looming large on our
minds lately (and who are we kidding, .always) our goal is to focus on the unique
experiences POC face at Evergreen a:nd in Olympia. We're here to answer your
questions, scour out the best places to buy and get food, help you find shows·and events,
introduce you to local POC artists and anything else y'all want to hear from us.

H

We'll be taking your ques- about, events to go, and awetions and comments and would some local POC artists to check
love to hear from you-help us out! We want this column to
shape this column into what our be specifically about POC iscommunity wants to see! When sues; think less how do I eduit all comes down to it we're do- .cate my white drea1ed room~
ing this for all of you, represen- mate (or how do I stop being the
tation is key so help us bring the white dreaded roommate) and
realness. We'll start by introduc- more how do I find something
ing ourselves,
even similar to home cooking?
Jennifer: age 22, lifelong Where do I find POC commuWashingtonian, second year stu- nity? How do I make Evergreen
dent at Evergreen studying cre- classrooms a more welcoming
ative writing and experimental environment? Or even how do I
poetry. Part time nerd and full rid myself of white-dread roomtime trash queen/ fashion en- mate's numerous micro-agresthusiast.
sions? We're all for helpihg POC
Arash: age 20, former Red- stay strong through emotionally
mond resident, second year difficult situations, not so much
Evergreen student studying ??? for just educating white people
(because really who's 100% sure on how to have understanding
at this school) Part time aesthet- around our oppressions.
ics aficionado, full time hide and
You can submit to Poe Talk
seek player, disappearing master, atpoctalk@cooperpointjournal.
and slacker off of writing own com
intro.
This week I sat down with
In upcoming issues we hope Summer Azim, local Evergreen
to fill this column with as many badass and all around funny
of your lovely voices as you are person, to talk about the Olymwilling to share with us. This pia comedy scene and navigatbeing the case please send us ing comedy and performance
your questions/comments/con- as a person of color in this very
cerns/ cool, bad, overlooked white town.
things you want to see talked

Tell me about yourself?
My name is Summer Azim,
I'm a Libra, a. Loving Daughter
and Comedian

How long have you been
doing comedy?
Sometime in November I'll
be a year in.

What was it that got you
started?
Comedy is something that
I'ye been wanting to do for a
lo_pg time. I was particularly interested in writing comedy but I
think that starting with Stand-up
is a great way to sharpen your
skills as a writer and being funny.

So do you plan to pursue
comedy writing as a career?
Yes! Inshallah (God willing).
That's the dream. I'd love to
create and write a show about
Black girls being weird and badass. I grew up watching a lot
of Tina Fey and Arny Poehler
and SNL in general and while I
loved it, I noted that there was
a startling lack of POC sketches or sketches relating to POC.
I felt like the landscape of TV
humor was very white and I'm
so glad to be the age I ":Il1 now
and being able to see people like

So my ideal show would follow a Black Muslim woman navigating through life in post 9/ l 1
America and Obama. I would
love to have my e>.-periences
told in TV show format and in
a humorous way. I'm also really annoyed with a certain type
of Black girl being portrayed
on TV Like all power to them,
but not all of us love Beyonce,
Scandal and,Drake. Some of us
grew up wanting to be a witch,
obsessed with skateboarding,
graphic novels and Anthony
~ourdain. I want to make space
for the weird Black girl who got
told she was trying to be white
for liking ,Metallica. I also feel it's
important that Black muslims
are more normalized and represented as regular people who do
regular things.

I 100% agree with you,
representatioi:i is so important, •With that .in mind
what's your fave and least
fave thing about comedy?
My favorite thing: The creative outlet. Least favorite: Dealing with YTBoi egos. (Miss me
with that, Chad!)

That's very understandable
hopefully that ego misses
the rest of us too! Do you
have a favorite place to
perform?
·
Vomity, Le Voyeur, Wednesdays 9pm. Getcholife.

Its obvious you enjoy performing in Olympia, how
does olympia compare to
other places you have performed?
I've performed in Portland
and Seattle. I would say Portland > Seattle, Olympia > Seattle, Portland > Olympia. Even
though Seattle is the closest "big
city" we have with a vibrant
scene, it can be kind of petty and
ignorant. I feel like Olympia is
the best place in Washington to
do comedy because we have a
lot of talent in such a small city
that it creates a kind of community.

Because there is a sense of
community does living in
Olympia affect your com•
edy.?
I feel so grateful to have

welcoming and supportive. I feel
like Olympia pushes you to be
more creative with your jokes
and not just go for middle-ofthe-road, basic-ass jokes.

So olympia pushes you to
be more outgoing in your
comedy, how do you go
about crafting your jokes,
what's your creative process?
I usually have the best ideas
about 15-20 minutes after I
wake up because I'm in raw Fat
Regina George mode. Then after that if I like an idea enough
I'll expand on it and then think
about it for a couple weeks, trying to see what works or not.
Usually, once I arrive at something I'm okay with at the moment, I write it down word for
word and then do it that way
until I change it.
I love it! What could possibly
be more relatable than "raw Fat
Regina George mode" Thank
you so much for taking the
time to talk to me today. Tell us
when's your next show?
I feel like I'm going to be in
Tacoma November 6!h, or so?
Peeled Bananas Showcase
And Tacoma again in Decembl!r if I don't go back to
Chicago!

Dear White people, please
take a step back, no this isn't
b rown-people -answer-whitepeople's-questions-hour, we're
asking specifically for submissions from POC
Although racism, neo nazis and issues of police abuse
and harassment are major issues within our communities.
We really want to try and focus
this column on being a place
for POC without inadvertently
making it all about white people
and how they treat us. The thing
is we don't need our eyes opened
to these issues we know, live and
experience them personally. We
want this to be a place where we
can be us without it being overshadowed by the dark cloud that
is living under white supremacy
and being forced to look at life
through the lense and from the
perspective of white people.
This is why when we do cover
these issues it will be in th.e context and from the perspective of
POC and POC only.

started in Olympia. The kind
of environment here is just so
OCT 26, 2016/THE COOPER POINT JOURNAL 07

---+-::::

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Arts & Culture

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Political Theater is up outside photoland until December 7. RUBY LOVE.

Dirty POiitics Make f()r.Good Art
MARK PETERSON'S "POLITICAL THEATER" NOW SHOWING AT
GALERIE FOTOLAND
By Ruby Love
his month, Galerie Fotoland said goodbye to Jim Lommasson's Exit Wounds (if you didn't see it, you should look it up, although you have no excuse unless you're a new studenL.it was up all spring and summer), which the Cooper Pointjournal
previously covered. On October 10, Galerie Fotoland welcomed a new exhibit which, while very stylistically different from
Exit Wounds, is similarly striking/jarring/show-stopping.

T

Titled Political Theater, the
exhibit is the work of awardwinning freelance photographer Mark Peterson, who has
been photographing on the
2016 Presidential campaign
trail near-daily since its beginning. Political Theater is the
product of Peterson's time
spent photographing politicians at rallies, press conferences, debates, and town halls.
While hundreds of thousands-if not millions--of
images are made of politicians
every year, especially presidential candidates, Peterson's
stand out. Shot in gritty, grainy
black and white, Political Theater takes a "No pandering. No
apology." approach to campaign photography. Peterson's

high-contrast, high-sharpness,
dose-focus images are hilarious and grotesque in a way
that makes you chuckle nervously one minute, anp draw a
sharp breath the next.
Walking along the wall of
Galerie Fotoland, you're greeted by the full, almost slimy lips
of Do~ald Trump, pursed to
reveal his two front teeth, filling one massive photograph.
In another, the face of Michele
Bachmann is seen from below;
her clumped, mascara-laden
eyelashes form gigantic fans
above her wide eyes. We can
see up her nose - every hair visible to us - and we can even see
a drip of spit descending from
one of her rear teeth.
At a time when the process

08 WWW.COOPER POINTJOURNAL.COM

~f becoming President seems
-uglier than ever, Peterson's
photographs make visual the
"dirtiness" of campaigning.
These images are not pretty
or idealistic; they emphasize
the tight flexing, the forced
grinning, and the outrageous
boasting seemingly required
by the American political process. They serve to lay bare the
mechanics of what Peterson
calls Political Theater.
What makes Political Theater particularly attentiongrabbing is its contemporaneity-these aren't historical
images, or even images from
last year...they are representing the events of this month;
even this very week. While
American audiences are used

to images being updated on
a minute-by-minute basis online (I watched memes being
posted using screenshots from
a Presidential debate that was
in-progress!), this type of immediacy is not as common in
a gallery setting.
I spoke with the Emperor
of Photoland and Galerie
Fotoland Curator Steve Davis,
who told me he was very excited to be featuring Peterson's
series. Davis had been emailing back and forth with Peterson over the summer to set up
the exhibit, and Peterson was
sending fresh images from the
campaign trail right up until
the day the show was printed
at Photoland (One of the perks
of having a state-of-the art

photo lab at Evergreen).
Davis told me that the program Playing Politics is visiting the exhibit to reflect on is
contents for their program and
half-jokingly exclaimed that
his hope for the exhibit was
that it would inspire, "all you
Millennials [to] get out and
vote!!"
Political Theater will be on
display until December 7 at
Galerie Fotoland, located on
the first floor of the library.
Mark Peterson is represented
by Redux Pictures and has
been photographing the campaign trail for publications
such as MSNBC, TIME, New
York Magazine, and Politico. .
You can find more of his work
at MarkPetersonpixs.com.

+

Arts & Culture

cover artist ·sta tement:

R A C H E L
CARLSON

'

I take photographs be~ause they let me represent myself through an image. I feel stronger when
I am taking photographs, I feel a sense of purpose. I enjoy documenting other artists at work and
my personal work is often about double standards in society, marginalized voices, and longing. My
work here is about body image, the teeth are candy and represent the double standards in society
about personal hygiene for men and women. The candy represents the arrested psychological development of a young person trying to become an adult. This still life of candy teeth represents
body issues and the lack representation of realistic women in popular media and modern art. The
empty plate is about body image, double standar~ in society about food consumption, and how
much we waste while others starve. The emptiness of the plate is meant to express spiritual hunger,
and a single grape which is a recurring image in my art represents longing for love and acceptance,
from the self and others.

OCT 26, 2016/THE COOPER POINT JOURNAL

09

Arts & Culture
\l\7orks Emergency Shelter \vhich aims
to create· \\'Inter \Yarming shc:lters in
dmvnfov,,,.n01y. The need for emergency

shelters waS particularly highlighted by
the city's f3.ilure to pfo-vidc amenities for
horncless community v11hen V>'tathcr
threats from the big (but not actua.Hy so

big) stoniTSwcpt through the area earlier
this month. \\That's bc:tier l:han dancing
\vh_ilc feeling good about yourself for
helping others? Double dopamine dose.

ONGOING
RUTLEDGE CORN MAZE
302 93rd Ave SE.
Stop by the farm to pick up. carving
pumpkins and get lost in their maze ($5$7 admission). They also feature haunted
mazes at night-time and a zombie
apocalypse themed paintball game
(prices range from$14-$27 per person).

STUFF 2 DO

MY MORBID MIND
HAUNTED HOUSE
4548 Marvin Rd SE, Lacey.

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By Tari Gunstone

WEDNESDAY 10/26

FRIDAY 10/28

]EVERGREEN COSTUME
SWAP

FILM: HALLOWEEN
Capitol Theater. 9pm. $9

SATURDAY l 0/29

Get spooked by the ominous mask
of Michael Meyers in John Carpenter's
1978 original, Halloween, playing at
Capitol Theater for the Olympia Film
Society's Fright Club. For those who can't
handle scary movies (talkin' to myself
here), this seventies horror classic is just
the right amount of unbelievable and
ridiculous to get you ih~o the Halloween
spirit w-ithout actuallf making you shit
your pants.

NIGHT OF THE LIVING
TRIBUTE BANDS

StudentActivities. 2pm. Free.
Not sure what your costume is going to be yet? Student Activities is hosting a costume swap this Wednesday;
Oct. 26, from 2-6 p.m.! You can pick up
someone's past costume or get some final touches for one you've been working
on. Bring in your old costumes/ clothes/
masks/ accessories and swap them for
new ones! Make sure everything is clean
and in good condition.

THURSDAY 10/27
HALLOWEEN DANCE
Ben Moore's. 9pm. All Ages. $7
If you want to get out and dance before

the weekend hits, join the weekly Oly
Dance crew .it Ben Moore's Restaurant.
Oly Dance usually focuses on blues
fusion dance, but is sw-itching things up
for Halloween, featuring DJ's Johnny
Cluster, David, Gabriel Stranahan, and
DJ Oso. The event is all ages but there
is a bar available for the over 21 crowd
as well.

the Activities Department for the Senior
Center. Make your grandma proud for
supporting the elderly; and maybe win
some moolah.

O1.:Y BINGO NIGHT
Senior Services at the Olympia
Center. 6pm. 21+
Get on down to the Senior Center for a
Rocky Horror themed bingo night hosted
by stoty,eller Elizabeth Lord (best known
for Lord Franzannian's Royal Olympian
Spectacular Vaudeville Show).Jello shots
and a killer costume contest has been
promised, but mostly a chill option for
Halloween \\'here the only person you
have to deal w-ith hitting on you is likely
going to be a cute old grandpa. Doors
open at 6, w-ith an optional S5 dinner,
bingo starts at 7. Game packs start at
S!O, special game cards for the SIOO
payout games are $2/ ea. Proceeds fund

10 WWW.COOPERPOINTJOURNAL.COM
·,:;;;;;;p.J_';;X;;;,"'"'

Capitol Theater. 8pm. $15
Capitol Theater hosts this much
anticipated Halloween Oly tradition.
This year's tribute show features
resnrrected musical acts like The Moody
Blues, Rocket from the Crypt, the Velvet
Underground & Nico, Faith No More,
Alice in Chains, and Motley Criie.
All proceeds support future concert
programming at the theater. Tickets are
e:...-pectcd to sell out quickly: Don't forget

to dress up for their costume contest!

HALLOWEEN BENEFIT
BALL DANCE PARTY
Brotherhood Lounge. 9pm. $5. 21+
Dance in costume to old school
90's and early 2000's hip hop and
RnB hits spun by DJ Fir$! Lady at the
Brotherhood Lounge. She's got your
Halloween dance request covered with
a promise to play Thriller at midnight,
so you've·_got a few da·y-s·t<fmemoriZe-'alJ
that classic choreography on youtube.
Half ·of door proceeds benefit Interfaith

What started out as an elaborate
installment for neighborhood trick or
treaters on the porch of a suburban
hdille, now operates· one of the scariest
haunts in Washington out of an old barn
in Lacey. Haunted.House Magazine gave
it 9 out of 10 skulls for scary factor with.
One reviewer sharing, "I was worried if
I was going to live." The house will be
running from from 7-11 p.m. everyday
from Oct. 2 7- 31. Tickets range from
$11-$14 depending on the day, with fast
passes available to avoid lines.
Don't feel like dressing up or going out
but want to get into the spirit of things?
Take a drive outside of Olympia w-ith
friends to visit some abandoned structures
that look like the set of a horror film. The
remains of a long-gone logging town
slowly being overrun by the forest can be
e"--plored in Bordeaux off the Mayi:own
exit on 15, twenty minutes south of
Olympia. Check out the mysterious
J\ilima l\tfounds while you arc there. For
a longer, more scenic drive, follow IO 1
tvvo hours north to an even creepier
place. Fort Flagler, a military· fort built
in 1899, has been deactivated since the
50's, but it's dark, empt-y bunkers can still
be r_oamed. I remember going there as a
child and nearly peeing my pants. Bring
a Ouija boai-d and light some candles.
The ominous energy of the place is offset
by long stretches of beautiful shoreiine
and vast grass bluffs for picnicking; silver
lining for the faint of heart.

z

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Arts & Culture

A Revolution You Can
DanceTo
OLYMPIA'S ANGSTY YOUTH
IMMORTALIZED IN THE WASHINGTON
STATE HISTORY MUSEUM
By Sedona Wall
e all moved to Olympia, Washington for different reasons--some of us for school, some for a charrge of
scenery, and some for the Pacific Northwest weather (as
hard as that is to believe). But more often than not, when talking
to those who have moved here from all corners of the country,
many were drawn to the streets of our city by the history and
promise our music scene has.
·

W

Home to some of the best musical
acts, record companies, and festivals
this region has to offer, Olympia is a
breeding ground for creativity and musical revolutions. If you're anything like
me, many of the bands that formed
in Olympia were the same bands you
first fell in love with. From t-shirts to
posters, bands like Sleater-Kinney and
Bratmobile helped you find your attitude, friends, and in the long run, even

the place you wanted to call home.
Olympia's music scene is unique it the
way it's formed over the years and what
came out of it.
And those who are drawn to be
apart of the scene aren't the only ones
to notice this phenomenon. The Washington State Historical Society took
notice to this important piece of history thanks to former Evergreen student,
Len Balli, who suggested an exhibit as

an ode to Olympia's music scene from
the late l 980's to the mid l 990's.
The exhibit, titled "A Revolution
You Can Dance To", showcases the
history of bands ranging from SleaterKinney to Nirvana, record labels such
as K Records and Kill Rock Stars, and
festivals like Yoyo a Gogo and the International Pop Underground Convention. The goal Balli had is for visitors
to be nostalgic of their former years,
represent this pocket of time, and teach
younger generations about all that went
into this movement, and to hopefully
inspire them to keep the legacy going.
The exhibit itself was sponsored by
Nirvana's Krist Novoselic and Dave
Grahl, ·with assistance from Francis
Bean Cobain, who all helped provide
posters, pictures, and other relics from
the past. The exhibit itself is a sight for
sore eyes, taking you into the past and
making you feel like you are finally a
part of what we all obsessed.,.over in
high school. In fa~t, it truly u,kes you
into the past with it's,illteractive pieces,
such as a zine making station, where
visitors can draw, cut, paste, and write
their very own little souvenir.
If listening is more your style/ they
have that too, where y,';n caii"'.it in a
"nice", comfortable, worn in chair, and
listen to music from landmark Olympia bands like the Melvins and SleaterKinney. One of the most exciting parts
of the visit is superimposing your photo
into the scenery of l 990's Olympia,
making you believe now is as good of
time as any for another musical revolution to sprout from the streets of our
town. The exhibit is a great source of
inspiration and the best place to start
getting back to Olympia's roots. It also
does a great job of representing every
aspect of the music scene from the
time, not giving too much attention to
any particular bands, but instead giving
ode to everything from the politics to
the posters.
The exhibit opened on September
10, and will be staying at the Washington State History Museum in Tacoma till April 23, 201 7. For those who
love live action, on the Third· of every
month, there will be a performance
at the museum after 5pm from local
bands. For those who like to cut costs,
true to the Olympia lifestyle, the third
Thursday of each month allows free
admission from 2pm-8pm. Otherwise
the cost ranges from $8-12, but is well
worth it for anyone who has appreciation of music and history.

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UP '{~1°{
COMING

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SUN. OCT30

I

'It Obsidian
414 4th Ave E. 7pm. All Ages. $10

Iron Lung, Gas Chamber, Criminal
Code, Deprogram

MON. OCT3'1

.

The Pig Bar
404 4th Ave E. 9pm.

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Pig Ball Maquerade with Sinkholes, Le
Grotto, and Heat Shimmer

TUES. NOV 1
Obsidian
414 4th Ave E. 9pm. $12. 21+

Nik Turner's Hawkwind, Hedersleben,
Ether Island, Quayde Lahue

WED. NOV 2
Media Island
816 Adams St SE. 7pm. $5-10 NOTAFLOF

Dia De Los Muertos Dinner

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FRI. NOV 4
'It Ralph House
8pm. Aft Ages.

Ghost Bitch (tour kick off), Hanford
Acid, Gen Pop
Capitol Theater
206 5th Ave SE. 7pm. All Ages. $20

Built to Spill Benefit Show

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SAT. NOV 5
Red House
9pm. All Ages. Donation.

Heat Shimmer (album release), Le
Grotto, Airport

SUN_ NOV 6
Heavy Meadow
7pm. All Ages. $5-1 O

Chris Cohen, Bouquet (LA), Ben
Varian & the Washboard Abs

!

I
'It STAFF RECOMMENDED

biotherhood

LOUNGE

DAILV I-IAPPV /-/OUR 3-7
119 CAPITOL WAY
www.t/2.ebM,tiieJu'woa'fM.n.q,e.com

OCT 26, 2016 /THE COOPER POINT JOURNAL 11

I

~

Letters & OQinion
RUBY THOMPSON

ADVICE ON SEX, RELATIONSHIPS, & MORE
Dear Body Party,
I love my partner and they love me back. Our relationship is new,
but it is strong- they are really supportive of me, which isn't something I've felt in past relationships. But when they're not around, I.
can't help but stalk their ex on lnstagram. I can't help but feel like
I am in competition with their ex, and honestly, it feels like I'm losing- they just look so confident and so cute and so hot. And while
my partner tells me they love me, it's hard to imagine that they are
as over their ex as they make out- especially considering the fact
that I am not nearly as cool as the last perso11 they dated. How can I
stop comparing myself to them and feel more secure in my partner's
feelings?
Please help,
Tied for Second
Dear Tied for Second,
1
'Getting over" someone is a misleading· term.
I think understanding that your partner may still think about their ex and remember them fondly is a good start to getting over your hang ups. E;xpecting your
partner to forget their ex entirely is unrealistic. But it is ?-lso unrealistic to think
that they are spending all of their time with you, thinking about their ex.
Missing people is normal. Breaking up is hard not just because it hurts your
feelings, but because it means you have to slowly begin to cut your partner out of
your life. And while not hanging out with them is one thing, forgetting them entirely is another one. The process of abolishing an old partner from your thoughts
is a tedious on and it can take time.
.
Most relationships break up for a reason, and any well adjusted adtdt. (here's
hoping you 're only dating well adjusted adults) should know that. While of course
there may be days they miss their old partner, I am sure they do not want them
back or wish you were them. You have to trust that they are with you because they
want to be with you, not just because they can't be with their ex.
Unnecessary competitiveness is something we all struggle with, romance related or not. It is easy to lose sight of your strengths when yon are focusing on
someone else's. Excuse the sap, but everyone is unique and different, cute and
cool and hot and weird in their own special ways.
I know it can be hard not to measure yourself against your partner's exes, but
at some point you need to stop and consider if it's really worth your time wondering. You may feel like staring at their Instagram will eventually unveil something
that will calm your worries, but I can promise you it won't. The only thing that
cyber stalking them will do for you is waste your time- the more you indulge your
compulsions, the more they will eat away at you.
In general, this kind of behavior is a manifestation of masochistic tendencies.
You know as well as I do that deep down inside you are not looking for evidence
that your partner loves you- you are looking for evidence that they don't.
It is easy, especially in new relationship, to mistake bubbly feelings for something more concrete and then get anxious because you do not feel like you trust
your partner as deeply as you should. Obviously you trust your partner, but it is

likely thatyou trust them because they have never hurt you, the kind of beautiful
but ultimately naive trust that newborn relationships foster. You trust them because that trust has never been tested, which is lovely in it's owTt way but can be in. credibly deceptive. Real trust takes time, compassion, and patience. It takes years
of people fucking up and proving that they are willing to work on themselves. It
is not clean and fresh but haggard, the result of reworking and rebuilding. Real
trust is not blind but based on evidence- proof that your partner will support you.
Your fears are unlikely to go away. But try to remind yourself that they are just
fears, not truths. Move forward and try your best to leave _them behind- ignore
them and you'll find.that their voices will quiet to a whisper. Work against them
positively- instead of trying to look for validation for you fears, look for validation
for yourself. Make a list of.all the things you love about yourself. Ask your friends
to contribute. Make your partner tell you why they love you. Tell your partner why
you love them. Try your b.est to believe them, and try your best to believe yourself
And if all else fails remember: tl1ey wake up in your bed and not theirs.
Stay safe and have fun,
.-Body Party

Body Party is a positive, open-minded column about everything bodies, sex,
relationships, and self love. This column is not written by a doctor but done by a
person who has researched th(,,topic and looked into your questions thoroughly. If
you have any que~tions or problems and want advice about sex, medication, love,
STD's ect. please Jubmit then{ to bodyparty@cooperpointjournal.com

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•:eriroll eatfy to ensui"-e yo1.tre covered by Ja'nuary 1

OCT 26, 2016 /THE COOPER POINT JOURNAL 13

+

Letters & OQinion
WASHINGTON STATE BALLOT INITIATIVES

Go Vote, and Tell Politicians
Where They can Stick it
By Asa Kowals Rose
lection got you down? Are you bored by Hillary Clinton, and disgusted by Donald Trump? Is it so bad that you're simply planning
to write in "eat my ass" for every race on the ballot? Good news!
In Washington State, voters have a way of circumventing those suit-dad
garbage piles called politicians. Every year, Washingtonians send a wide array of policy proposals directly to voters in the form of ballot initiatives--a
right guaranteed by the state constitution. In doing so, we can proudly tell
politicians, "Eat a dick, scumbags; we'll tiy to fix this stuff even if you:fely\ ing asses won't be coming along along for the ride." Isn't democracy great?

E

Initiative i32 tries to address climate
change in Washington by implementing a
statewide carbon tax. Basically, this means
times be poorly ¼Titten, overly vague, or lo- that certain industries .in the state would have
gistically unworkable. In 2014, for example,-, to pay for each metric ton of carbon they reWashington voters passed Initiative 1351, lease into the atmosphere. Over time, buSia measure designed to reduce class sizes in nesses would also have to either progressively
public schools. However, since the •initiative lower their emissions in adherence to a carbon
lacked a funding mechanism, it could not be cap, or pay others to reduce theirs. .Sounds
implemented once it was passed. Despite this, good, right? Here's the tiring, though. Genmany supporters of the measure argued that erally speaking, carbon taxes _suuuuuuuuck.
it was still an important symbolic victory be- ._Qn one hand, the original idea for taxing carcause it allowed voters to express their frus- bon, rather than simply stopping corporations
tration v.rith legislators' inaction on education from slowly destroying the planet, came from
policy. Indeed, this ostensibly meaningless conservative economists who wanted a capilegislation illustrates the value of the initiative talist solution to an environmental problem.
process as a means to express disapproval with · In addition to this, carbon taxes are regressive,
elected leaders, in addition to its function as a meaning that they disproportionately burden
means of enacting legislation.
people with <lower incomes. Tiris is because
These dual functions are why, despite its industries affected by a carbon tax c.an simply
problems, the ,'initiative process is a critical transfer its cost to the price of their final prodcomponent of the politician-constituent re- uct, such as gasoline, thereby raising the cost
lationship. Initiatives allow voters to work of living for poOI" and working class families.
l-'132, however, isn't just a carbon tax. It
around legislative gridlock on issues that lawmakers refuse to act upon. Case in point: the also includes policies designed to mitigate
joint I'm going to smoke in order to curb the the problem of regressive taxation. In order,
blood-pressure spike I get from writing about to offset poteritial coSt of living increases, the
our state legislature comes from a legal, tax- measure includes a tax rebate for low income
paying business, thanks to Initiative-502. families, as well as a one percent cut to the
Passed by voters in 2012, this measure was state sales tax-the fl:lOther of all regressive
roundly criticized for sorrie of its unclear lan- taxes. Given that W!15hington already has
guage, which put the lfurden on state regula- the most regressi\Te tax system in the country,
tory· agencies to fill in the gaps. Nevertheless, this sales tax cut could do some good. And
Washington voters were able to give cowardly because the revenue from taxing carbon is
politicians the finger by enacting much-need- designed. to offset the lost sales tax revenue,
make Washington's tax system less
ed drug reform without their help. And guess l-732
what- this year, there are a whole lot more regressive without-sacrificing critical funding
-fingers you can give to those asshats in the for education and health care. At the end of
state capitol. Here are a few you might find the day, will a carbon tax be the solution that
stops climate change and puts us on a path to
interesting.
suIViving the next century? Probably not. But
for what it is, 1-732 is pretty well thought out.
1-732: POSTPONING OUR INEVITABLE
FIERY DEATHS
And hey, we might as well try to postpone our
As most of you know, the planet is getting imminent climatepocalypse for a few !X].ore
wanner as a result of rising carbon dioxide years. At least until Game of Thrones is over.
levels in the atmosphere. If .·you still Somehow believe that climate thange isn't hap- 1-735: A NICE GESTURE ABOUT MONEY
IN POLITICS
pening,· I strongly encourage.you··do. some
Initiative 735 is pointless. Complete and
basic research ·into the matter at your e_arliest
corivenieilce. I'm told.th.it this is much easier utter bullshit. Period. The. measure would
to do.once you've dislodged Y?ur·head.ftom urge Washington's congressional delegation
your posterior. Got it? Good, because climate (the 12 sad sacks.we send across the country
change is happening,. and it's· gonna Suck.re- to dine with lobbyists) to propose a constially bad no matte.r how much you try to ig- tutional amendment reversing the Citizens
United decision. For :those of you who· have
nore it.

To be fair, there are some problems with
the initiative process. Since initiatives are
drafted by unelected citizens, they can some-

can

12 WWW.COOPERPOINTJOURNAL.COM

_ missed every Bernie Sanders speech over the
past five years, Citizens United is a Supfcmc
Court ruling that declared political spending
a form of free speech, thereby allm\--ing moneyed interests to openly buy politicians under
the protection of the First .Amendment. So
this means that 1-735 is an important step in
stopping money ill' politicsj right? No. The
measure doesn't actually force Washington's
congressional delegation propose an end to
Citizens United; .all it does is ask them nicely
to do so. So why should you even waste the
ink to· bubble in a vote on this? -\_(O)_/-But
you might as well, since you're already voting
on ballot measures that actually mean something.

1-1433: HELP LOW WAGE WORKERS
NOT STARVE
Initiative 1433 is pretty simple. It ·would
rais,e the state minimum wage from $9.47 to
$13.50 over the next four years. It would also
require businesses to provide paid siCk leave
to their employees, so that the person making your Chipbtle doesn't come .into work and
start spreading some burrito-bOrne flu virus.
Are the reforms woposed by I-1433 adequate to provide mhririmm wage workers
with a d~:c.ent living? Not at all. According to
the Nati◊-Ilal Low Income Housing Coalition,
a full time woikerwould"have to make $23.13
an hour in ordei- to afford a two-bedroom
apartment in Washington State. That's even
more than the $15 ~U!fl wage that the
City of Seattle passe~ in 2014. I-1433 isn't
a workers revolution.........:.UOt even a half-assed
one-but vote for it~·an'yway, and keep on
fighting to increase the minimum wage dovVl.1
the road. Tip generously in the meantime.

this trend by passing 1-594, a measure that
expanded background check requirements
for gun purchases iri the state. This year, that
same pesky anti-murder lot have hatched yet
another plan to cut do1A11 on gun deaths.
Initiative 1491 would allov•; law enforcement Officials or family members to file petitions for extreme risk protection orders
against indiv-iduals they deem to be a threat to
themselves or others. Judges would then hold
hearings to evaluate these petitions. If they
choose to approve an extreme risk protection
order, it would require the affected individual
to relinquish their guns and bar them from
purchasing or othenvise accessing :firearms for
one year. The measure is· meant to keep guns
a-way·-from indiv-iduals who have demonstrated violent behavior toward others, as well as:
those who might pose a risk to themselves due
to mental illness. The measure could also be
used to target mentally iii individuals who are
considered a danger to others, though these
cases are exceedingly rare. The vast majority
of those suffering from mental illness do not
exhibit violent behavior toward others, and
are much more likely to become v-ictims of
violence instead.
In short; I-1491 is the epitome of a common sense gun control measure, which of
course means that the NRA vehemently opposes it. The good news is that polls are showing that it's likely to pass, so you should take
this opportunity to add your voice to the millions already telling the gun fetisliists at the
1'.'RA to go fuck themselves.

1-1501: YOU SHOULD REALLY CALL
YOUR GRANDPARENTS
.r

Initiative 1501 is ostensibly meant to protect seniors and other vulnerable individuals,
1-1464: WHY SHOULD ONLY RICH
such as those with developmental disabilities,
from crimes like identity theft, but that's not
PEOPLE GET TO BUY POLITICIANS?
This one's a little counterintuitive. How dO really what the measure is about. Basically, the
we solve the problem of too much money in · initiative is a pa-wn in a dispute betvv·een the
politics? According to Initiative 1464, the so- Service Employees International Union and
lution is to put even moi:-e money in play. How anti-union interests. It's a long story, but the
would this work exactly? Some good, old fash- gist of it is that the SEIU filed the initiative in
ioned socialism. If the initiative passes, every order to stop the libertarian Freedom FoundaWashington voter would receive three $50 tion from contacting home care workers and
"democracy credits," which they could do- persuading them to stop pay-ing union dues.
nate to state house and senate candidates. In The· measure would accomplish this by exorder to qualify for these credits, candidates empting the personal data of state-employed
would have to agree to limit their fundraising home care workers from public records reto half of the existing fundraising cap in their quests, which the Freedom Foundation has
previously used to contact those workers.
race.
If this sounds a little ridiculous, it's bePut simply, I-1464 seeks to democratize
corruption. And let's face it, democratic cor- cause it is. So here's the deal. If you are truly
ruption would be a hell of a lot better than the passionate about criminal penalties for idenconstant politician-lobbyist orgy that chai"-ac- tity theft against the elderly, you might conterizeS our current political ·process. The mea:.. sider looking further into I-1501. If you don't,
sure would also put limits on former politi- but would still like to help seniors, then maybe
cians' ability to lobby the offices they held-a consider calling your ovm grandparents. They
phenomenon kno-wn as the "revolving door." don't hear from 'you enough, and it would reAll and all, 1-1464 represents a positive step in ally make their day if you spent some time
curbing the influence of moneyed interests in catching up. Oh, and here's a tip. When callour political process, even if it doesn't change ing your grandparents, keep WebMD open so
the fundamental problem of making politi- that you can keep up with all the gross medicians dependent on campaign donations. So cal shit they tell you about. Your grandfather
go ahead and vote for it. And in a couple of will be so impressed with your newfound
interest in his recent hemorrhoid surgery, he
years, you too will be able to buy a politician.
might even leave you his catheter collection
1-1491: BRACE YOURSELF, SENSIBLE
in his will!

GUN CONTROL IS COMING,
Gun violence is kind of a big problem in
the country, but thanks to the zealotry of the
gun johby, passing any kind of
control legislation has proved quite difficult in the past.
In 20 I 4, however, Washington voters bucked

gun

+

Astrolo9l
RUBY THOMPSON

~By Sylvie Chace
The pressure is on. With the quarter now halfway through and the Sun in mysterious Scorpio, what makes us feel intense and emotionally charged is what is highlighted now in all
the signs lives. Mercury, planet of communication has also recently transitioned in(o Scorpio. Venus, planet of relationships, is still in the fiery Sagittarius until November 11 .
\
Theie is a lot of emphasis on Scorpio now as the Sun and Mercury are both in this sign, with a combination of Capricorn's goal-oriented energy in planet of the underworld, Pluto,
and Sagittarius's fiery spirit in Venus, this season is starting to look powerful. Power can be channeled into both negative or positive aspects of our lives, but what is most important to be
aware of is that it is up to you to control your power and use it as a force of good in your life. With the air getting colder, our inner power should be uses to lift ourselves and others up.

ARI ES

3121 - 4/19

·LIBRA 9/23 -~10122

T he power that this season brings with it is of no issue to someone like you. Lately you've been feel- Understa?ro the root of the problem. Sometimes.it's not pretty to get deep into things, but in order
ing an inner power, maybe something has happened that has unexpectedly changed you recently? to break harmful patterns or to understand why things happen the way they do, we have to look into
Whether it's rage, joy, passion, or excitement, let that fuel you towards a certain direction. Develop the heart of the matter. Why do you respond the way you do? Why do you care for certain things?
goals for yourself. Remember that not everyone will express their inner power in such a bold way, so · Self-reflection is a power, harness it. Take space in a conscious way that helps you understand yourit's important to stay grounded by those goals.
self. Meditate, write, focus. Now isn't the tim~ to escape your thoughts, confront them.

TAURUS4120 - 5120
Get moving. There's so much powerful energy around us this season, and it's your job to not let
it pass you by while you're taking a nap. It's time to collaborate, to get excited, to get working on
something you can put all of your self into. You're capable, driven, and sure of yourself. You have
all the makings of success right within you, so start making plans and making connections and put
those good traits to use!

GEMINI 5121 - 6120
Use your inner power to face the harder things. Look inside y o ~ and explore those deeper issues around your relationships to others. It's time to stop hiding beliind your charm and get into the
darker emotions beneath the surface. Talk it out, make a Iist, make a plan! Get organized throughout the chaos of it all. You may find yourself having a lightbulb moment, or feeling an epiphany you
wouldn't have if you had ignored the hard stuff.
•

CANCER 6121 - 7122
Some of your fellow water sign, Scorpio's, traits have been leaking into your life. You've been so
focused on your relationships, you're a natural care-taker, but something's off? What needs to be
destroyed? Destruction has never been your forte but with all the intensity in the air, you're ready
now to think about what to be rid 0£: what to cut off, let go or change to take these relationships to
the next level.

..

SCORPIO 10123 - 11121
It seems like the spotlight is on you and all eyes are watching. Having no privacy sounds like a
nightmare, but think of it this way: You are cherished. You are believed and loved by so many. Your
words and thoughts and ideas all have tremendous power and now people are truly listening. This
is YOUR season, this is YOUR time. Make sure you get your much-needed alone time to ground
yourself through all of this, you may find yourself wanting to create something as beautiful as this
power makes you feel.

SAGITTARIUS 11122 - 12121
With loving venus still in your sign, now may be the time to rest. You're not exactly known for sitting
still, but try it out just once? You've been working long and hard for what seems like a huge period
of your life. You're making it. Things are working out. You don't need to try so hard. Trust that your
natural charm can draw positivity in, rather than running around trying to draw it out.

CAPRICORN 12122- 1119
You may want to take note of the infamous extreme Scorpio traits because Scorpio's ruling planet,
Pluto will be in your sign for 16 years. This planet is about secrets, death, and all things mysterious.
Don't stay cooped up in yourself right now, let it all out. You have a tendency to hold yourself back
because you think other people can't handle you. You are not someone that others need to 'handle'.
Y~u are allowed to take up infinite space simply because you need to right now. So be loud, be angry,
get ugly! If there was any time to do so, now is it.

LEO 7123 - 8122

AQUARI US 1120- 211 8

Carrying a planner may not be your style, but you need balance. You can have it all! The work and
the fun, but you need to get organized. Take a minute for yoursili, structure your life and find a way
to weave work and play together in a way that feels equal. You have the drive and passion to accomplish bigger goals now, start challenging yourself and take bigger steps towards bigger dreams.

Be humbled by your inner power. Everything in your life you have crafted and created by hand and
given to yourself. It's been a lot of work, and it must be exhausting, but your power should never be
used to self-depricate or self-doubt. You've made it this far on your own, so step back, exhale, and
keep moving. You are an unstoppable force.

VI RGO 8123-9122

PISCES211 9-3120

Doing things with your hands has always helped you feel grounded in times of intensity. Go with it
at full force. Don't judge your creations, give yourself room to make it messy, no matter how horrifying a mess may seem to you! You'll find that when you let it all out in the open, you can clearly
see what your holding back. What feels good to talk about? What feels cathartic to make art about?
Get to know yourself through your work.

The ground underneath you has been feeling shaky lately.· You need support, but who is there for
you? Sometimes you need to step outside of yourself and be the emotional support for somebody
else. Maybe it feels like your foundation is crumbling because there's a heavy weight on everyone.
Be a force of powerful love. Do what you what you can to lift the weight off of others and you'll see
that your true mends will return the favor.•

14 WWW.COOPER POINT JOURNAL.COM

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