Should the Washington Redskins keep their name?

Dueling Pens

By: Jonathan Kermah

By: Osiel Orellana

Imagine a sports team using an African American as a mascot and it being named the “Alabama Negros.” If that happened today the country would riot. How is using Native Americans as a mascot any different?Native Americans have been through a lot as a race. Once America became a country, the government continuously took away their land. The “big” argument for keeping the name is that only nine percent of Native Americans are offended, but isn’t that enough? It shouldn’t be fair for a white team owner to use a derogatory term as a team name; if 10 percent of a group of people is offended that should be enough given their rough history. Mascots and team names are often named after animals or objects like the Chicago Bears or the San Diego Chargers. By naming a team for a race of people, especially a derogatory name like “Redskin,” teams are pretty much equating a race to something less than human. Fans will probably buy gear for their favorite team, no matter what the name is. Money shouldn’t even be an issue in this debate. In 2013 Forbes ranked the Redskins as the league’s third most valuable team at $1.7 billion; the team could definitely afford a name and mascot change. A moral issue should outweigh an economic one. The derogatory term of “Redskin,” is a huge part of the issue, but it’s more than that. It’s not the word itself but the intent behind it – equating a  race to a symbol. The Redskins aren’t the only team that needs a name change. What about the Cleveland Indians, Chicago Blackhawks, the Kansas City Chiefs, and any other professional or nonprofessional team with a name relating back to Native Americans? America is a country that strives to be free of racism; a simple team name change could bring the country one step closer to this goal.

Professional sports are a great form of entertainment. They’re competitive, exciting and inspire a sense of local pride. Citizens have their team names everywhere, on their clothes, cars and screensavers. One of the most controversial team names though, belongs to the NFL’s Washington Redskins.Their name is being criticized for its double meaning, which refers to Native Americans. Although the meaning can be seen as offensive to some, that is not its purpose. The name was established over 70 years ago. For decades, local fans have been cheering for this team and it is only recently that people have begun to take notice of the name, which does not represent the franchise’s views or opinions on Native Americans. Never have the teams shown any type of discrimination or racism toward any race. In a 2004 poll published by the National Annenberg Election Survey, 90 percent of Native Americans said the name did not offend them while nine percent said it did and one percent had no answer. In a poll published by ESPN in 2014, 71 percent of Americans said the Redskins should keep their name. It is not that hard to see why this team should stay the same. If they changed their name they would also have to change everything in their franchise. They would have to completely redesign all of their merchandise, change their uniforms, the stadium, and even the mascot. It would take months, if not years, to scrap 70 years of building a team name and tradition. By changing their name, the Redskins would have to use a lot of money to pay for the changes, and they would be changing the name of a traditional football team.

 

Junior Class Fundraiser

 

Bliss restaurant at a busy hour
(Photo from/ http://www.blissdairy.com/)

By: Osiel Orellana

On Wed. March 18, Attleboro High School (AHS) junior council held a fundraiser at the Bliss Dairy Brothers restaurant located at 711 Park St. Attleboro, Mass. to support the class of 2016.

“The money will pay for Junior Prom, which pays for Senior Prom, which pays for Senior week,” said junior class council officer Sara Nasah.

Students requested tickets in the Student Activity Office (SAO) in the days leading up to the fundraiser so they could present them to their waiter in order for a percentage of the proceeds would go toward the junior class.

“I saw a decent amount of juniors; not as busy as we had originally expected,” said Bliss employee Tyler Hamel.

AHS junior David Cuddington attended the Bliss fundraiser and said, “I wanted to eat out and also help my class raise money for Prom and other events that I’ll be going to.”

Bliss Dairy class council member Nicole Savoie said, “It’s an Attleboro restaurant, it’s local and people like to eat there.”

For schools on a budget, hosting events can be difficult without the sufficient funds. It’s important to raise money and save up to help students enjoy themselves at school sponsored events.

Keeping up with the prom and senior week can help students create wonderful memories.

Military after High School

Flag of the United States of America
(Photo by/Osiel Orellana)

By: Osiel Orellana

High school students have several options after graduation: college, technical schools, or the workplace. Some prefer a more unique route such as joining the military.

High school students can look into a military career by talking to military recruiters. They are also eligible to join the Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (JROTC), a military program specifically for high school students.

In the JROTC students learn the skills and the mentality of what it takes to be in the military. Staff Sgt. Jeff Brown did not have access to the JROTC when he entered the military in 1997. He said, “I joined because I “had no money for college. There was only really one choice for me if I wanted to improve myself.”

AHS junior Tim Vermilyea has his mind set on pursuing a career in the military. “It’s a great opportunity to build a career, and make something out of it,” he said.

Vermilyea plans on entering ROTC after high school because he said “it provides a lot of opportunities for extra learning before entering the field and a scholarship for a better education.”

He took the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test, which counts towards the Armed Forces Qualifying Test (AFQT), to determine whether or not a person is eligible for the military.

Paying for college is difficult for families. The military can pay up to 100 percent of a soldier’s tuition. According to Military.com, “tuition assistance is not a loan; it should be viewed as money you have earned just like your base pay.”

It sounds too good to be true but it is, joining the military also has many other benefits. Veterans can receive special deals on home loans, healthcare, and countless military discounts.

When it comes down to the military life Brown said, “I enjoyed the camaraderie that was felt with others in the military.” He added, “I enjoyed that we had one goal, and all worked together to succeed in that goal.”

The military instills its values of loyalty, respect, honor, and integrity through its training. These values lead to being a better officer and a better military.

Brown said, “If I could go back, I would’ve still joined the military even if I had the money for college because it taught me so much. It was overall a great experience; it taught me never to quit.”

However, Brown disliked that a soldier’s job could change at a moment’s notice. The ever changing environment of the military calls for soldiers to take on new or different roles that they never thought they would be assigned.

The military is not for everyone, and that is something that people who are considering joining the forces have to understand.

Brown added “I would recommend the military to those without a choice, and with the drive to want to be part of something better then themselves.  The ones that need discipline, and want it, said Brown on whether or not he would recommend the military to today’s youth.”

For more information about the military and career opportunities, visit http://www.military.com/ or contact the local recruiting office at (508) 695-3082.

Cowboy’s Decision

Demarco Murray (29) and Dez Bryant (88) in game.
(Photo by/ Christopher Hanewinckel)

By: Osiel Orellana

Free agency is an exciting and unpredictable process for any professional sport league when a player’s contract expires, which means he/she is free to join any team. Free agency begins March 10 in the National Football League (NFL).

One of the most popular cases of free agency in the 2014 postseason involves two Dallas Cowboys’ players, wide receiver Dez Bryant and running back Demarco Murray, who were both selected to the 2014 All-Pro team, and broke Dallas Cowboys’ records in their respective statistics.

Receiver Dez Bryant broke a franchise record and holds the 2014 season league record 16 touchdown receptions. Running back Demarco Murray broke a team record lead the league with 1,845 rushing yards.

Both of these players’ contracts are due to expire March 7 and due to their top players status in the NFL the Cowboys will not be able to afford them both, forcing the team to choose the player they believe will give them the best chance to a Super Bowl berth.

Keeping Bryant would seem like the logical choice for the Cowboys. He is larger than the average receiver and possesses great catching ability. His notorious skills and frequent targeting cause the opponents to double team him and keep extra coverage on him. This allows the Cowboys’ other receivers to only have to deal with one defender allowing for an easier opportunity to become open.

The opposing argument is that Murray should be re-signed if the Cowboys want to repeat another successful season. The Cowboys would always have a steady gain of yardage with Murray’s fast and powerful frame. The Cowboys would also be dependent on one elite, consistent running back instead of several receivers who are being covered if Murray is re-signed.

Another reason to keep Murray is due to the Cowboys having one of the best offensive lines that allows easy blocking for big runs.

Although both players have great reasons to be re-signed, Bryant would be the best choice for the Cowboys if they want to remain an offensive threat. Bryant (26) has several years ahead of him, while Murray (27) only has three or four years left due to the pounding running backs receive.

Bryants’ ability to attract double coverage, yet remain open, is one of the reasons the Cowboys’ quarterback Tony Romo had a star season and was placed on the All-Pro second team.

Bryant is who the Cowboys need to make their team a threat for a long time, even if it means giving up one of the best running backs of the National Football League (NFL).

Chromebooks at AHS

 

 

New Chrome carts at AHS
(Photo by/ Osiel Orellana)

By: Osiel Orellana

The latest addition to the Attleboro High School (AHS) multimedia center is the Chrome Carts, which holds 30 Chromebooks. There are three carts that were acquired by a grant, each worth about $10,000.

The Chromebooks have been nothing but a convenience for the students and staff. “They’re great, they are very useful in class for projects and other assignments,” said AHS junior David Cuddington.

Upperclassmen now have new resources to use in the classroom. “It’s better now, it’s easier to do research during class and we use the internet instead of books,” said AHS junior Armani Colon.

With only a limited number of computer labs in the school, it is sometimes very difficult for students to gain access to technology. “We thought we needed more technology and they were a great solution,” said English Department head Kevin Gorman.

Chromebooks are compatible with Google accounts, and now that every student has a school assigned account ending with @attleborops.net (first and last name @), it allows students to work on projects together online. “They are conducive to collaboration, and are very easy to use, even if you are not tech savvy,” said Gorman.

With Chrome Carts, technology is now portable. Two wireless routers are located in the carts, so the laptops can be used anywhere in the school. “I love that they’re mobile and can be used in my own classroom,” said history teacher Carla Hodges.

The mobility of AHS’s new addition is very popular, “They are used every day, all day,” said librarian Lisa Ryder.

AHS sophomore Ahijah Joseph said, “It’s a faster and easier way to do my class work.”

Instead of students having to wait until they return home to do their assignments, they can complete them in class with their teacher available to help and edit.

Technology is becoming an increasingly large part of modern education, the Chromebooks allow AHS to grow and continue its excellence.

 

Lil Snupe’s RNIC

The cover of Lil Snupe’s RNIC mixtape. (www.datpiff.com)

By: Osiel Orellana

In his debut mixtape RNIC, Lil Snupe shows off his southern Louisiana style with his minor accent and Cajun slang. It is apparent through his music that he doesn’t take sides in the East vs. West coast rap battle. The theme of the album centers on him, including how he progressed in life, his ex-girlfriend, his family, and, of course, his bragging.

The tempo of the album varies from moderate with soft vocals in the background like on the song “Nobody,” to fast, with more lively beats as in the song “Melo,” where Lil Snupe raps about his rise from the ghetto to the current life he lives; the wealthy, popular celebrity lifestyle, similar to New York Knicks player Carmelo Anthony.

The album starts off with a stomping beat in the song “Take Over” featuring DJ Khaled. Snupe finishes with a more urban sound to balance out the album’s tone in “Sellin Dope” featuring Yo Gotti.

Snupe is consistent with his lyrics, tone, and content throughout the album. With stars like rap stars and producers like Meek Mill, Dj Khaled, Trae Tha Truth, and Curren$y, the album’s sure to bring attention and curiosity.

The album, enjoyable for old school and modern rap listeners, had a burst in sales after Lil Snupe’s death last June.

It deserves four out of five stars because of Snupe’s originality. Today, most new rappers start their careers rapping humbly and not trying to show off or work with any other artists. Snupe chose the opposite, bringing in major artists to enhance his album. He did not try to mimic the styles of today’s rap with the technical editing and beat drops but instead went back a few years to the more simple beats used by artists like Nas, DMX and Ice Cube.

The album does lack a sense of intimacy between the artist and consumer, but it is not something that affects the quality. Lil Snupe does not give a sense of who he is; he stays away from more personal subjects. Overall this album is a great sound that will be replayed over and over again.

 

Learning Your U, S, A’s

By: Osiel Orellana

Poster on ELL classroom door. (Photo/Osiel Orellana)

For students just coming to America, learning a new language can be difficult, even more so when they are a small group who does not understand any English. The English Language Learners Program (ELL) at AHS helps these students to learn English.

The students range in age from 14 to 21, most come from the high school equivalent in their native country, others are from the middle school equivalent in their country, and others have huge education gaps.

The class is very diverse; the majority comes from Guatemala, but others came from El Salvador, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Columbia, Haiti, Portugal, Cape Verde, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

The students who enter the program all live in Attleboro. They arrive from their countries with their families or are living with an extended family member. Some students move to Attleboro for a year or two and stay with extended family and then return to their home country.

AHS does not have a high school foreign exchange student program according to ELL history teacher Mr. Larry Carpenter. So students must live in the U.S fulltime. The ELL program is required in all Massachusetts school systems.

“Legally all kids should be getting this service,” said Carpenter. The objective of the program is for them to learn English. He added, “The vast majority of teaching is in English; I can clarify with second languages.”

The students take the same classes: English, math, science, and history with ELL teachers. They have the ability to take electives and experience many of the different programs also.

Carpenter said, “Traditionally they have not been very involved [in the school] and it’s something that we’ve been working on.” They are new to this country and the fact that they cannot speak English makes it difficult for them to join in after-school activities.

The ELL students are more outgoing this year Carpenter said, adding, “Things are starting to change a little bit.” This year there is a boy playing soccer for the school, a girl in the school band, and a few students in other after school clubs.

Seventeen year old Luis Esteban is from Guatemala, and has been living in the U.S for nine months with his father and cousin. Esteban said he “generally likes the school; it is better than Guatemala.” He added that the classes are alright, and he enjoys them, even though they’re a little bit difficult.

OPINION: Newer is Not Always Better

By: Osiel Orellana

The Parental Advisory Explicit Lyrics symbol. (RIAA)

Drake, Kendrick Lamar, and Meek Mill are some of the more dominant names in the rap world today. Some of their songs contain explicit lyrics about sex, drugs, and violence; a normal thing to expect in music in 2013. With their tracks endlessly playing on the radio and every new song being quoted by millions, they are on top.

However, when rap was pouring into the mainstream 30 years ago, it expressed the labors and problems of the artists’ lives. It was still considered taboo by the majority of America, and only popular in its birth place, the southern Bronx in New York City.

In 1983, Run D.M.C, Grandmaster Flash, and Big Daddy Kane had the rap industry by the collar. With chart topping songs and record selling highs people were spinning their records at clubs and other artists were attempting to imitate their styles.

The controversial racial group N.W.A (N***** With Attitude) shows up later and gives America a taste of how explicit music could be; their name alone already climbs up the badness meter.

Rap derives from MCing. MCing is a term used when DJs in a club would occasionally throw out lines to match the beat of the song, usually in rhyme. People would dance to this and have competitions to see who could make up the best lines. When the rhymes these DJs were saying over the microphone became more popular than the line itself, people began to compose entire songs made up of these, usually related to a theme.

The first rap song ever released on record was “Rapper’s Delight” on Sept. 16, 1979 by The Sugarhill Gang. It was a song played over and over at clubs, in cars and on the radio, the first song to introduce hip-hop to mainstream America. Very mild, with no obscene language, the song used short simple rhyming lines that had no theme, but flowed well.

The song had copyright problems with The Cold Crush Brothers because they said, “The Sugarhill Gang stole the lyrics” from them. The bass line from the band Chic’s song “Good Times” was also used.

More famous rap groups came later, like Afrika Bambaata who came from the southern Bronx and was part of the “Black Spades” gang. Bambaata did not enjoy the violence between the gangs, so he replaced gang violence with break dancing and freestyle battles. Gangs were now dancing and rapping to show who was more dominant. Bambaata became well known for his own work and music and began producing records.

N.W.A. appeared around 1986. The group consisted of rappers Ice Cube, Dr.Dre, Eazy E, MC Ren, DJ Yella, and The Arabian Prince. Started by Dr. Dre, they became infamous with their song “F*** Tha Police,” which openly attacked law enforcement and the government.

They became nationally known when the FBI sent them a letter telling them to stop this type of music, saying, “Advocating violence and assault is wrong, and we in the law enforcement community take exception to such action,” according to the LA Times online on Oct. 5, 1989. The group inspired later artists to use exaggerated lyrics and rebellious content.

The first sign of modern rap theme came from Nas’s song “You Owe Me” featuring Ginuwine, a song that degrades women by portraying them as a business for men. Telling them to “pay me back when you shake it like that girl,” he implies that she should pay him back sexually for all the things he has bought her. Rap music took a turn here, and it became “normal” and popular to create degrading lyrics like this.

In 2013 people mindlessly play songs they may not truly understand, such as “UOENO” by Rocko features Future, Rick Ross, A$AP ROCKY, Wiz Khalifa, and 2chainz. Ross has a line which states, “Popped molly all in her drink, she ain’t even know it, took her home and I enjoyed that, she ain’t even know it.” The line represents that Ross spikes a woman’s drink with the infamous drug molly, and then takes her home to have his way with her and she was totally unaware. This line caused a scandal, even causing Ross’s sponsor Reebok to drop him.

Artists such as Eminem and Meek Mill write songs about revenge. In Meek’s song, “Tony Story,” he talks about a man who kills his friend for “a block” referring to a block of a drug such as cocaine, marijuana or heroin. He’s then murdered by his friend’s cousin Paul, “Pauly just let it go, put his brains on the dashboard,” suggests he shot him while he was in the car.

According to a 2003 study by webmd.com, when artists such as “50 Cent” were rapping about shooting enemies and selling drugs, teenagers who listened to rap were “three times more likely to hit a teacher” and “2.5 times more likely to get arrested.”

Now, ten years later, artists have escalated to topics about rape and abusing women, but radio stations continue playing the songs and people continue listening.

Popular, mainstream rap all share one theme:  drugs, women, and violence are the top three priorities in life. If a song is not about that, then it’s not going to climb the charts.

In the year 2013 hip-hop needs to return to its roots. Music has become a source of income, no longer an art form. Artists focus on their labels, concerts and their merchandise, rarely on their music. Most songs come with heavy instrumentals to accompany mindless lyrics. Hip hop music has been dubbed as “inappropriate” or “gangster” by older adults and schools. Music labels should be revising songs and approving them. No music should contain anything of sexual harassment.

Violence will always be a part of rap because it was a part of hip hop’s Bronx birthplace where drugs and violence were daily things. Rappers were musicians and they wrote music, not the new songs of today, which even the hardest rappers of the 90s would disapprove of.