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April 30, 2015

TONGVA TIMES STAFF

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Samantha Kwok
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opinion

Tongva Times

Staff Editorial: Indianas new law discriminates

against LGBTQ community, prevents equality
The state of Indiana recently
passed a law that protects the
religious freedom of pious shop
owners. Effective July 1, religious shop owners will reserve
the right to refuse service to
members of the Lesbian Gay
Bisexual Transgender Queer
(LGBTQ) community, on the
grounds of preserving owners
religious integrity. Such a law
does not serve any real purpose
other than to drive the nations
quest for equality backward,
and should be repealed and replaced by a much simpler policy: respect.
It is important to note that
this law was not created out of
homophobia or hate, but as the
solution to a much less controversial problem. The text of the
law makes no clear reference to
the LGBTQ community. Rather, it gives business owners the
right to refuse service to a customer if they feel that he or she
is infringing upon their right to
exercise their religion.
The actual act of refusing service to this community, however, is still questionable.
According to the Huffington Post, even with this law in
place, a business owner can still
lose a discrimination lawsuit
against an LGBTQ plaintiff,
primarily based on the judges
interpretation of key phrases
within the law, such as what
constitutes a substantial burden to a business owner.

CLOSED SHOP The law that Indianas governor, Mike Pence, signed on Apr. 2 enables business owners
to deny service to customers who owners consider to substantially burden their religious integrity.
Not only could this law ultimately not even help Indiana
business owners wishing to deny
service to the LGBTQ community, but it is quite obviously
a huge step back for equality
within the United States. While
the law intends to grant more
power to business owners, the
underlying effects will do nothing but further discrimination
against the LGBTQ community.
In a nation that intends to uphold equality, it is outrageous to
see a demographic that, according to a report by the Williams
Institute in 2011, is eight million
strong, is still able to be persecuted against.
Consider the detrimental effects that this could have to a
member of the LGBTQ com-

munity. The very necessities of

life could be denied to someone
based merely on sexual orientation. If a gay person is in need
of medical attention, the owner
of the hospital or medical shop
can deny them the assistance
they need. Gay people can be
turned away at any conceivable
type of business, so long as the
owner deems them a substantial burden to his free exercise
of religion.
With support from religious
conservatives and criticism from
gay rights activists, Indiana has
found itself in between the proverbial rock and a hard place.
They cannot make any action on
the law without angering someone. However, someone once
said, democracy leaves some-

one unhappy, and in this case,

the saying could not be truer.
The only wise choice would be
to repeal the law.
What must always be kept in
mind is the rule everyone was
taught as a child; to treat others
the way we would want to be
treated.
No one wants to be discriminated against because of something they believe in or cannot
control, and as such, instead of
turning away paying customers, religious business owners
should check their personal
biases at the door when they
come into work, and continue
the practice of service with a
smile. Only then can this nation get back on the track towards true equality.

Germanwings crash underscores need for reform

By Daphne Cheung
Staff Writer
In light of the Germanwings
disaster on Mar. 24, psychiatrists
are debating the safety of allowing the mentally ill to operate
heavy machinery and vehicles.
While not entirely unsafe, it is
best if the mentally ill are not allowed to operate large vehicles
as it places others in danger.
Although deemed fit to fly,
27-year-old Andrea Lubitz suffered from depression and was
recommended by the airline to
consult a psychologist. On a
flight to Dusseldorf, Germany,
Lubitz locked his co-pilot out
of the cockpit and sent the plane
spiraling into the French Alps,
killing 150 passengers.
Psychiatrists are unsure of his
medical condition during the
flight, but continue to research
plausible reasons as to why he
decided to crash the plane.
In order to protect the lives of
others, the mentally ill should
not be allowed to operate large
vehicles. Despite the physical
health of a pilot, his or her mental state may prove to be harmful
towards the well-being of others.
Thats not insensitive, or
stigmatizing people with depression, as some have over sensi-

tive lobby groups have raced to

complaint today, Piers Morgan,
journalist and television personality, said to the Daily Mail. Its
about protecting the lives of innocent people.
It is not only selfish of a pilot
to place others lives in danger,
simply for the next pay check,
but also unfair for those who are
aboard the vehicle and unaware
of the pilots conditions.
With more than 70 percent
of employees diagnosed with
depression, it becomes increas-

ingly difficult to screen every

single person prior to operating
large vehicles. Harvard Health
Publications stated that mental
health disorders often go unrecognized and untreated.
Large transportation companies, such as Germanwings,
however, must actively seek to
solve this problem, as harming
individuals the way Lubitz did is
considered manslaughter.
By enforcing even more safety
measures, such as ensuring that
the pilot always has an emer-

gency entrance into the cockpit, airline companies will be

able to give the mentally ill a
chance. Additionally, it needs
to be made clear that those experiencing mental illness must
heed their doctors advice and
take medication.
Undoubtedly, it is unsafe for
the public when the mentally
ill operate large vehicles. However, there are solutions that
may allow companies to hire
the mentally ill despite their
condition.

Tongva Times
,

opinion
Viewpoints: How important

April 30, 2015

is going to prom?

The promenades prominent Prom: a glorified school dance

By Matthew Graca
Staff Writer
Prom. The linchpin of the high school
experience, and the source of both fond
and difficult memories. It is the seminal
end-of-high-school party, and marks the
end of an era within a students life. But
regardless of whether a student decides
to go is a question that must be negotiated, because prom is definitively important.
A large advantage to prom is that it
fosters creativity. With the establishment of more elaborate promposals,
students must find bigger and better
ways to ask their date to prom.
This may be considered stressful and
difficult, but the process serves as what
Thomas Brown, an associate professor
in the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Southern
California, referred to as catalysts for
innovation. This stress is a set of
pressures that nudge and guide change,
which become substrates for evolution.
However, that does not mean one must
go the prom with a significant other
the attendee has the freedom to go with
friends as well.
Next, cost is a large factor on whether
one should go. However, other parties
around the time of prom, such as those
that celebrate graduation, are likely to
be just as, if not, more expensive.
Claims that this dance is too costly are
not warranted enough to save money,
since this is a once in a lifetime experience. The uniqueness of the prom experience should also sufficiently solve
for any advocates for a night out on the
town with friends to replace prom.

Finally, although the students confrontation with sex and alcohol may be something that communities want to avoid,
one must realize that these students are
no longer in elementary school. If it is
true that prom represents the transition to
adulthood, the proper response is not to
reject such practices, but to be properly
educated in the face of them.
Rather, this is an opportunity to practice
better decision-making skills.
In fact, conflict resulting from discussion of diverse perspectives force comparison, selection, and reformulation of
ideas, Thomas Keller, University of
Chicago School of Social Service Administration Professor, wrote.
If one is to stay forever uncomfortable
about the realities that exist beyond childhood, they risk clinging to the certainty
of one's beliefs [which] risks [] the inability to learn from new experiences.
It is messy. It is mired in teenage angst.
But if properly equipped, prom can truly
become the best night of ones life yet.

By Roxanne Menchaca
Staff Writer
During April and May, high schools
across America hold their annual junior
and senior prom dances. Since freshmen
year, students are taught that prom is the
be-all, end-all of high school, but that
could not be further from the truth. Prom
is nothing more than a glorified school
dance that encourages exclusivity and
elitism.
As one of the most celebrated high school
experiences, prom carries an environment
that pressures students to attend. Popular
media portrays it as one the best nights of
a teenagers life and those who do not attend are labelled as social outcasts.
The dresses, tickets, and other accessories can be considered very exciting and
affordable for some, but have others feeling left out and with empty pockets.
According to U.S. News and World
Report, in states such as Washington, Oregon, and California, the average cost of

Is prom an important part of

the high school experience?

Yes
72%

No
28%

166 students were polled in their English classes on 04/14 - 04/16.

prom is approximately $1,125. While

some are willing to spend that much on
a single night, others simply cannot afford it.
As if the hierarchy that makes up high
school is not already elitist enough, at
the end of the night two individuals are
crowned King and Queen. The selection
is dependent on who is the most attractive, intelligent, and popular. Students
are conditioned to think that being on
prom court defines an individual.
But truth be told, these achievements
are irrelevant outside of high school.
Nevertheless, the cost of this dance
and its promotion of superiority should
not be peoples only concerns. The word
prom has become synonymous with teen
drinking, drugs, and fatalities.
Of all these hazards, the biggest danger teenagers face on prom night is car
accidents, either because the driver has
been drinking, is tired, or is distracted by
his or her friends.
According to the Insurance Institute
for Highway Safety, roughly a third of
alcohol-related teen traffic fatalities occur between April and June, which is the
peak of prom season. On prom night,
teenagers have the tendency to believe
that they are invincible to outside dangers.
By pressuring high students into believing that prom is the defining moment
in their lives, society teaches them to
value the wrong aspects of high school.
Ultimately, not attending prom is not
the end of the world or something that
will affect students in the grand scheme
of life. Students should spend prom night
wherever they choose and do things that
genuinely appeal to them, without being
bound by the hype of the prom dance.

Superstars cannot use fame, riches to avoid responsibility

By Marleld Duran
Staff Writer
It is no surprise that celebrities have
been caught saying or doing wrong
things. Some of these actions have been
witnessed by a small group of people
or seen worldwide by millions of viewers. However, they should not be able to
get away with it only because they have
something that normal people lack: money and fame.
On Feb. 23, one of the hosts of Fashion Police, Giuliana Rancic, made a
racist comment about Disney artist Zendaya. Commenting on Zendaya's hairstyle, Ranic claimed that it smelled like
patchouli oil or weed.
Though many people, including Zendaya, were furious at the racist comment,
Rancic did not get any consequence.
Although it was scripted, colleague
Kelly Osbourne insisted that Rancic
would not make the comment. However,
Rancic continued with the comment,
which led to Osbourne quitting the show.
Meanwhile, Rancic was so integral to the
show that removing her would end the
series, and thus, remained on the cast.
Instead, the following day, Rancic publicly apologized through the show and
tweeted that, Im sorry I offended you

Cartoon by Grant Kirchhoff

and others. I was referring to a bohemian
chic look.
However, just because someone has
money and fame does not give them a
privilege to get away with their actions.
Unfortunately, many celebrities use money to get away with punishments.
For instance, Cameron Thomaz, stage
name Wiz Khalifa, and his friends were
charged with trafficking marijuana in

2010 after East Carolina University police found two ounces of the drug in his
tour bus. According to CBS, Thomaz and
his manager each posted $300,000 bond
about 11am according to Thomaz's Twitter account.
After Thomaz was released, his next goal
was to bail out his friends, whereas an average person would have gone through
with the punishment.

In 2009, during MTVs Video Music

Awards, artist Kanye West put himself
into a situation with Taylor Swift. While
giving her acceptance speech for Best
Female Video category, West interrupted Swift and said Beyonc deserved the
award more.
West apologized on his blog, however,
in 2013 during an interview with The
New York Times. He confessed that he
did not regret interrupting Swift and that
his apology was due to peer pressure.
Its OK for Kanye to rattle off about
himself, said Emil Wilbekin, managing editor of Essence.com. But, I think
he crossed the line when he decided to
speak for other people.
Wests rude and conceited actions had
built him a reputation that has made the
public treat Swifts shaming as a regular event, instead of calling for harsher
responses.
Ultimately, if superstars are to stand as
role models, they must live up to what
they do. Limitations must be imposed on
where they can use money or their fame
to avoid reparations.
Regardless of being known, celebrities should not have to rely on fame and
fortune to get themselves out of their
situations.