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The Real Crisis: The Barrier Between Political Parties and Compromise

MVHS Staff
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In his first Oval Office address, President Trump voices his concern for border security and the vitality of his proposed 5.7 billion dollar wall plan. Carlos Barria, Pool | Getty Images

The border crisis rages over the debate of physical division, but another detrimental crisis has arisen: the thick barrier separating the political parties.

As the journey to assess the issue grows farther and farther away from compromise, the current United States is truly not in a state of unity.  

    On Tuesday, January 8th, the citizens of the United States awaited President Trump’s first oval office address, a potential step closer to compromise and a step to ending the longest government shutdown in United States history. Suppressing this glimmer of hope for Americans, President Trump’s address voiced his refusal in compromising his highly extravagant and costly plan, while democrat speakers Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer voiced their refusal to approve this plan.

     Although there was no sign of immediate compromise from either party, both agreed on one thing: the need for increased border security. In the democrat response, Pelosi stated, “The fact is: We all agree that we need to secure our borders, while honoring our values.”

    The way in which to increase border security is not agreed upon, but the foundation of the issue is. So why then can’t the two sides work together to find middle ground if their foundational ideals are the same?

    Immediately following the election of President Trump politics were cutthroat. Scandal after scandal, democrats tirelessly work to find incriminating information on Trump in attempt for impeachment. Time after time, Trump tweets derogatory claims about Democrats and others working against him.

   As this animosity thickens, this “crisis” has become more about proving which side is right and determining who will come out on top than actually resolving the issue.

    Both sides embody a flaming hatred for the other side, causing politicians to lack the sense of perspective and want for compromise. A barrier stands between the ideal middle ground and in order to move forward as the United States, the barrier must be broken.

    Another problem deriving from this growing division, is the manipulation of facts for one’s own political agenda. After endless claims of “fake news” circulating the media, the line between fact and fiction has become blurred. Within the actual border crisis, Trump reportedly provided so-called “fake news” as Pelosi states several claims stated by Trump “have been full of misinformation and even malice.”

    Rather than working to uncover the truth and utilize the truth to determine how to resolve the crisis, facts are being manipulated to prove the other side wrong and to provide leverage toward their side. If the people can no longer trust the government, the entire foundation of the United States, founded on  freedom and of truth, are lost simply for the sake of proving who is right and wrong.

    Trust in the government is not only being lost due to misinformation, but also due to the current government shutdown that withholds the paychecks of 800,000 federal workers across the nation. Many of those deprived of their paychecks cannot survive without this stable income provided by the government and will face increasingly more economic instability as the shutdown continues.

    Once again, both sides blame one another. In his address Trump states, “The federal government remains shut down for one reason and one reason only: because Democrats will not fund border security,” using the shutdown to place blame upon democrats. Similarly, Schumer states, “There is no excuse for hurting millions of Americans over a policy difference,” placing the blame back on Trump for his initiation of the shutdown and refusal to uplift it.

  As the nation drifts further away from compromise, the truth, and perspective the future becomes unclear. Thousands of Americans watch as their incomes are stripped away and their news is manipulated.  Today, looking to the politicians, the government, and the society we live in, it is hard not to wonder: Is this really worth it?

Tyranny and Tear Gas

MVHS Staff
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By Keemia Beizai

REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon SEARCH “POY GLOBAL” FOR FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH “REUTERS POY” FOR ALL BEST OF 2018 PACKAGES. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY. – RC1C39AE8D30

Threats from President Trump to close the border and stop immigration only mean so much until tear gas is used against innocent Honduran migrants.

 On October 13th, thousands of Honduran migrants began a journey towards freedom. The barrier standing between them and this freedom is President Trump, who has long promoted the construction of a wall along the border and is unafraid of using tear gas to prove his point.

    The caravan left the city of San Pedro Sula in Honduras and began their mission to escape the violence and poverty in their home country. With a dangerously high homicide rate and increasing corruption within the government, many Honduran citizens fled their country with the hope of obtaining the American Dream.

    They have left their lives back in Honduras and are traveling with nothing but hope. Hope for a life with better work opportunities and a higher standard of living. Hope for building a better future for their families and setting stronger foundations for their children’s lives.

    However, Jari Dixon, an opposition politician in Honduras, tweeted that the Honduran migrants are not “seeking the American Dream,” but “fleeing the Honduran nightmare.”

    More than 7,000 migrants have traveled this treacherous journey up to the southern United States border. They have found help in shelters in the border cities of Tijuana and Mexicali, but they have been warned that their presence cannot be supported for much longer. Aside from the fact that these cities do not have the funds to shelter thousands of migrants, they are also centers of crime and poverty with conditions that are not much better than the ones back in Honduras.

    More than 2,000 of these migrants decided to finally take the risk of attempting to enter America. Little did they know that they would be met at the U.S. border with similar conditions of violence and government corruption.          

    Sunday, November 25th, began with Honduran migrants peacefully marching in attempt to protest the slow pace of the U.S. asylum claims process. At the current rate, many Hondurans are unsure of when they will be able to seek asylum, or if they will ever receive it.

    President Trump has persistently argued since the time of his presidential campaign that no one should be allowed to enter the United States illegally. Yet, he has made it practically impossible for these migrants to enter the country in a legal way.

   Seeking asylum is the only option for migrants who are trying to be processed at the U.S. border to legally enter the country. Hondurans are seeking asylum in America for protection against the persecution in their own country.

    However, migrants who applied for asylum have been waiting for months in border cities with no response and no idea of how long the wait will be.

    On Sunday, the protest against this unfair process of granting asylum soon grew into hundreds of migrants attempting to cross the border into America. The U.S. Border Protection responded to this by firing tear gas—emptying dozens of tear gas canisters.

    This tear gas did not only affect the migrants who were pushing past the border control officers and across the border, but also blew into the wind to harm hundreds of innocent men, women, and children who were merely in search of asylum.

    Throughout his presidency, Trump has enacted multiple roadblocks that are making it even harder for migrants to seek asylum. For example, he has gotten rid of refugee programs such as Central Americans Minors and has capped the number of refugees allowed into the United States in 2018 to only 45,000.

   Following the events that took place at the border last Sunday, Trump posted a tweet saying saying “Mexico should move the flag waving Migrants, many of whom are stone cold criminals, back to their countries… Do it by plane, do it by bus, do it anyway you want, but they are NOT coming to the U.S.A. We will close the Border permanently if need be. Congress, fund the WALL!”

   Trump’s claim that many of the migrants are “stone cold criminals” is an example of his accusatory and offensive prejudice against Latin Americans. His false accusations are not supported by any evidence, and create a false image of hispanic immigrants for many of the Americans who blindly believe anything that their president is tweeting.

    It can not be said for certain that every single Honduran migrant is trying to get into the United States with pure intentions. However, the majority of migrants are coming in peace and in search of better lives.

    Not only do they dream of moving to America for better work opportunities and better lives for their families, but also for basic human rights that they are being denied of in their home country. Wilmer Guevara, one of the many Honduran migrants living on the streets after the recent issues at the border, told The Washington Post that, “On our side [of the border], there are no human rights. Nothing matters there, not even lives.”

    The events that took place at the border have convinced many migrants to give up on their journey and their dreams of seeking asylum in America. Some families are returning back to the poor conditions in Honduras, without any hope for a better future.

    Whether one agrees with President Trump’s policies or not, almost any empathetic human would agree that these actions were outrageous and inhumane. Some sort of plan must be put in place to deal with the thousands of displaced Hondurans waiting to enter America.

Midterms 2018: A Power Grab Among the Most Powerful

MVHS Staff
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By Danielle Babineau and Kobe Vergara

Photo. credits to the Daily Express

The anticipated 2018 Midterm Elections mark the end of one-party rule, introducing a divided government to a profoundly divided country.

    On November 6th, 2018, citizens across the United States voted for the most publicized midterm election the nation has ever experienced. With the opportunity for Democrats to take both the House and Senate, this election was “make or break” for both parties.

   After prolonged recounts were confirmed, results revealed Democratic victory in the House (233 to 200)  and Republican victory in the Senate (52 to 47), maintaining the long-lived divided government. This change, giving  Democrats more power to oversee the Trump Administration’s actions, is predicted to result in a deeper investigation of President Trump’s relations with Russia and a closer look at other financial operations of the current government administration that they believe to be at fault.

    Although Republicans did lose control of the House, their control of the Senate remains. In one of the most closely watched races of the election, Ted Cruz retained his seat in Senate in his win against Democrat Beto O’Rourke, the Texan democrat minority’s once-in-a-generation opportunity.

   Republicans also defeated the closely trailing democrats in Indiana, Missouri, and North Dakota largely contributing to their win in the senate.

   Despite these wins for republicans, the victories for the Democrats appear even greater,  causing many to define this election as a “blue wave.” While Republicans retain their control of the Senate, Democrats have newfound control that will provide more power in decision-making, vetoing, and overseeing operations.

   This win for democrats was also a win for many minorities. These elections introduced Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the youngest woman elected to congress, Ilhan Omar,the first Muslim woman in Congress, Sharice Davids and Deb Haaland, the first Native American women in Congress, and Jared Polis, the first openly gay governor, as well as many other ground-breaking feats.  

    Similar to the 1992 election referred to as “The Year of the Woman,” 2018 is truly a year for the women. Women now comprise 19.5% of the house with members from 34 states. 5 of the 85 women in the House represent American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and District of Columbia, symbolizing greater representation of all US territories.

    As for California, Democrats won the majority of votes. Democrat, Dianne Feinstein, continues to hold her spot as one of California’s senators, Gavin Newsom wins the path to become California’s next governor by 23%, and Katie Porter narrowly defeats Mimi Walters by a mere 2%.

    For the ballots, props 1, 2, 4, 7, 11, and 12 were voted yes, while props 3, 5, 6, 8, and 10 were voted no. Proposition 9 was removed from the ballot by the California Supreme Court.

     As the current presidential administration has created much controversy surrounding areas closely associated with the younger generation, this election has particularly attracted young adults, resulting in a 188% increase in young adult voter turnout from 2014. The media has greatly influenced this increase by using enticing advertising techniques from ads popping up all over social media to videos spoken by leaders such as Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton urging all able citizens to vote.

    With this year’s election being one of the first elections heavily reliant on young people’s’ votes, many students at Mission saw it as their chance to make their voice heard regarding the future of the government.

    According to Matt Guerra, a senior at Mission Viejo High School, it was important for him to vote yes on proposition 11, “because it allows ambulance providers to require workers to remain on call during breaks. Before a person in dire need would have to wait for the operators to get off break, now they can be called immediately to help the person in need.”

    Without a doubt, the 2018 midterm elections brought incredible change and proved that one of the most powerful ways to make change is through the power to vote.

Bid Farewell to Apu

MVHS Staff
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By Michael Murg

Beloved Simpsons character Apu Nahasapeemapetilon will leave televisions screens for continuing episodes of The Simpsons as he is deemed as a ‘racist’ and ‘Stereotypical’ character.

    “Thank you, come again.” You may or may not be familiar with these four words. If familiar, you would know that they are the most famous and memorable lines from the character Apu Nahasapeemapetilon when customers leave his store, Kwik E Mart, in the beloved show, The Simpsons.

    Due to the controversy around the character, the producers of The Simpsons have decided to drop the character to avoid all conflict. This means not including him in the story and making no further appearances in the show. There was possible to talk that one of the producers Adi Shankar had found a perfect script to solve the Apu problem. However, this seems highly unlikely and is probably just a script to write him out of the show for good.

    The reason this controversy has risen was simply around the fact that Hank Azaria, a white man, voices the stereotypical first-generation Indian immigrant named Apu. Hank, although voicing many of the characters in the Simpsons, has been ridiculed for his voicing of Mr. Nahasapeemapetilon.

    The documentary, “The Problem with Apu”, by Indian American comedian Hari Kondabolu deep dived into why Apu Nahasapeemapetilon is not okay to be on television. The documentary interviewed many other Indian American comedians and actors and how their lives were affected by Apu.

   First off, it explained how the only reason why Apu appeals to the audience is because of his thick, stereotypical accent. There is really no depth to Apu other than his ridiculous accent. In fact, the documentary proceeded to explain how Apu was not supposed to have an accent at first due to being too cliché. However, at a table read one of the writers used a heavy Indian accent to be funny and it stuck.

    At MVHS, Kamille Kibria, an American Indian Student, commented on this issue by saying, “I have never been called Apu by anyone.” Maybe it is fair to say that The Simpsons is a show more targeted to earlier generations, rather than Kamille’s generation.

     She also later stated that maybe the Simpsons could find a real Indian to do the voice of Apu, rather than being voiced by a white man.

    Noureen Dewulf, an actor who was interviewed in the documentary stated, “An accent is a crucial part of a character, it’s when the accent lends itself to being part of a joke about the person, (or) a racist dig, that’s when the accent is problematic”

    Another important part of the equation is how Indian Americans have been mocked in reference to Apu as a sign of mockery. Obviously, this has been offensive to many of this minority group. The reason why people would reference Indian Americans as similar to Apu is because in 1989 when the Simpsons first premiered, there was no other representation for Indian Americans. In comparison to 2018 with shows like The Mindy Project and comedians like Hasan Minhaj, there was only Apu who represented the Indian American population on a wide scale format such as television.

    Hari Kondabolu also compared Apu to a form of Minstrelsy. Minstrelsy is a wavered form of entertainment that makes fun of Blacks as being stupid or foolish, not to mention these “actors” portraying black people were white people with black paint on their face. Apu doing foolish songs and dances, looking silly, and being voiced by a white man fit under the category of Minstrelsy pretty well.

    What you may be thinking is that Hari Kondabolu is just another annoying civil rights activist who doesn’t look from different point of views other than his own. However, due to the work in the documentary, one can see how he isn’t quite that.

    He interviewed his first-generation immigrant parents on the subject of Apu. They said they were not offended by the character and that the huge difference between them and Hari was the fact that they are immigrants and he was born in America.

    There is a whole other side to this controversy: the fans. Barstool Sports journalist, native Bostonian,  and a die-hard Simpsons fan, Rear Admiral, had said on his popular podcast Spittin Chiclets, “I personally saw the documentary, I don’t think he made a very convincing case, you know basically ‘I got picked on as a kid’ with it, and you know every kid got picked on as a kid and if you got compared to a cartoon character, it’s probably not the worst thing.”  We can most likely assume for many “Day-one” Simpsons fans, seeing Apu leave for good will be sad for them.

    Whichever side you may be on, it is truly a beautiful thing to be able to create a documentary expressing your beliefs about a subject matter. It is equally as grand to disagree with what they are saying. Not too long ago, citizens of this country could not express their freedoms. As previously stated, standing up for your beliefs is a clear sign of an American no matter what race you may be.

Dressember: Bigger than a Dress

MVHS Staff
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By Jacob Schwarz

MVHS takes on the challenge of diminishing modern-day slavery, one dress and dollar at a time.

    Human trafficking is the modern-day equivalent of slavery and it consists of the use of force or any other unethical type of coercion method for physical labor or commercial sexual exploitation. It is one of the largest industries in the world, generating around 99 billion dollars a year and taking place in over 127 countries (including the U.S.).

    This practice is one of the most unethical things currently happening in our world and awareness about it is more important than ever. People need to understand that slavery in the form of human trafficking is still occurring in this world- and something needs to be done about it.

    Several efforts for awareness and aid to human trafficking have come through a huge organization called Dressember. This organization is a program that encourages advocates to raise awareness for human trafficking by wearing a dress (or tie if you are a male participant) every day during the month of December.

    Additionally, these advocates usually have an individual or team fundraising page where people can donate to the cause- these donations go towards human trafficking relief efforts.

    But you may ask, why the dress- especially during December, arguably the coldest month of the year?  For starters, it sparks conversation. During this chilly month, many advocates of Dressember will be asked why they are wearing a dress. This gives them a perfect opportunity to talk about the horrors of human trafficking and modern-day slavery while hopefully prompting the listener to donate to the cause.

    People all around the world are participating in Dressember- even in Canada and other countries with cold climates. Proponents consider wearing a dress for one month as a minor inconvenience compared to what enslaved people around the world have to endure every day.

    Dressember has done a great job advocating for human trafficking relief and helping victims with care, case management, and integration back into society. They have a goal of raising over three million dollars during this month and are already at $850,000 (as of December 9th)! At Mission Viejo High School, efforts for Dressember have been growing and have become extremely effective.

    Last year (December 2017), Ashley Johnson and Emma Hicken participated in Dressember and raised over $750 through their fundraising efforts. This year, there are over 15 girls participating in Dressember at MVHS and the increase in the amount of participants this year have accounted for over $1670 raised, only 9 days into the month of December! This is already more than twice as much raised than all of last year!

    These advocates at MVHS have been posting on social media daily, raising money through online donations, and talking about the cause with anyone who asks them why they are wearing a dress.

    The increasing amount of participants at MVHS have educated their peers about the cause more than ever before, spreading awareness to many students that had no idea what human trafficking was and helping many students, and even teachers, to understand that modern day slavery is a reality.

    When asked why this cause was so important to them and why they decided to participate in Dressember, Ashley Johnson and Satouri Robins responded with details of their personal motivation.  “Los Angeles and San Diego are two of the biggest human trafficking centers in the U.S., and this made me realize how close and how real this issue is to me. I am so thankful that I can make a difference by just wearing a dress for 31 days!” Johnson expressed. “Human trafficking and the enslavement of people is such a huge problem, but no one really talks about it consistently or actively tries to work towards an end. . . I personally hate dresses so I thought it would be a good way to push my boundaries and do something I normally wouldn’t for an extremely important cause,” Robins answered.

    Dressember is clearly a very important cause and passionate advocates such as Satouri and Ashley along with the rest of the participants here at MVHS are what make Dressember possible. So be bold and donate to their cause, tell them how great they are for wearing dresses all month, spread human trafficking awareness to others, join the Dressember movement by wearing a dress/tie , or simply support someone in need during this holiday season! *To donate to Dressember, go to https://www.dressember.org/donate/ , dressember.org , or go to the social media pages of these Dressember volunteers and make a difference in someone’s life today.

Getting the Ball Roelen

MVHS Staff
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Picture credits to The Orange County Register

By Nick Dybel and Jacob Schwarz

After a four-year stint as Mission Viejo High School’s Athletic Director, Troy Roelen has returned to the hardwood as Basketball Coach, a position he is more than familiar with.

    They say “tradition never graduates,” but apparently tradition never leaves a position either. Coach Roelen has returned to the helm of MVHS boys basketball, a position that he formerly held from 2002-2014.

    On paper, Roelen is involved in almost everything that life could possibly offer. Besides being head basketball coach, Roelen is an AP Literature teacher at MVHS and also teaches masters courses at Concordia, he is married and a father to three kids, is a decorated humorist. Regardless of this large workload, he finds a way to excel and make an impact on all of the people he either coaches or teaches.

    Despite a background teaching AP Literature, there is no fairytale story about Roelen’s return to the hardwood. After some technical difficulties prevented him from being both basketball coach and athletic director, he chose coaching over his previous job.

    On why Roelen decided to return to his head coaching job, Roelen deliberated, “I enjoy running my own program and providing opportunities for my kids to do things they wouldn’t have been able to otherwise.”

    After a mediocre 15-14 season under Coach Zeller last year, Roelen’s biggest goal has been to return MVHS basketball to the glory he led previous squads to. Although he knows that rebuilding is a process, this year’s team is raw and full of potential, allowing him to build his culture from the ground up.

    This year’s team is already off to a hot start and Roelen’s game plan is working. The zone Roelen runs on defense, which is complimented by three point shooting and inside ball movement has helped the Diablos to a 6-2 start with several very good wins.

    This Diablo team moved up from the Sea View League to the South Coast League this season and Roelen’s experience will be needed for this team to excel. The competition is difficult but this team is up for the challenge. Transfers such as Jake Conerty and Rey Cabiling along with returners including Griff Higgins and Nathan Hewitt will have to step up for this team to accomplish big things.

    Roelen is well-versed in both sports and academics, and he applies the Socratic method of teaching to the way that he coaches. The socratic method of teaching emphasizes understanding about why something happens, which he uses to give his players a comprehension of the game.

    He also draws from influential sports figures, chiefly Coach Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs. Roelen was recruited by Popovich while in college and he is a firm believer in the method of basketball, even including a quote from Popovich at the end of all his emails.    

    Roelen’s own coaching has additionally made a mark on disciples of his own. Jason Neubauer, a multi-millionaire entrepreneur and MVHS alum, popped in at practice a few weeks ago, catching up with his former coach and promising funding to the basketball program because budget cuts have taken away.

    Roelen knows his way around the basketball community and his several connections helped him set up the Diablo Inferno Basketball Tournament (which took place from November 26th to December 1st). This tournament hosted several teams, including Box Hill, one of the best high school basketball teams in Australia.

    Box Hill had not lost a game in two years (before they played MVHS) and this outstanding team is sending several players to play college basketball in the United States.

    The team was hosted by the families of the MVHS players and got to make special connections with the families and players. The MVHS players and Aussies rooted each other on, went to each others’ games, and hung out off the court throughout the week. Although Mission Viejo beat them when they played, the MVHS and Box Hill players still consider each other brothers.

    Mission ended up placing second to JSerra in the Inferno tournament and this strong result along with the fun of hosting of the Australian players started the season off with a bang.

     This Mission team is looking to keep up their good play and carry their momentum into league. This is one of the best teams they’ve had in years so make sure to come down and cheer this team on (especially during league). Also, if you see Coach Roelen around school or on the basketball court, don’t be scared to congratulate him on returning as the new Diablo Basketball Head Coach.

Best Places to Visit Over Winter Break

MVHS Staff
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Photo Credits to Tripadvisor

By Gigi Hernandez

Whether you are on a budget looking for a getaway or are ready to spend what you’ve got, here are a couple of the best places to visit over Winter break.

    There’s no doubt that December is the season for your family to come together and bond in front of the crackling fireplace in your cozy home.

    However many families love to explore new locations over winter break now that their kids are out of school.

    The small city of Big Bear is the place to go for the winter! Snow Summit Ski Resort is an affordable and memorable place to hang out with your family.

    To buy a ticket entrance for the whole day a child from age 5-12 pays approximately $28-$32, a teen ages 13-17 pay $58-$65, and an adult pays around $71-$79.

    The prices do vary depending on the amount of time you want to spend at the resort, there is always a half day pass that you could purchase!

    For the ski/snowboard terrain, you could either bring your own or rent them out at the park!

    A childs one day ski/snowboard standard rental comes out to $32, an adults standard ski/snowboard rental comes out to $41.

    But wait there’s a catch! For beginner rental the price reduces. I recommend ordering the tickets online because there’s a 20% discount, and check up on their specials.

    For others who are laid back and enjoy walking around, Big Bear Alpine Zoo is an ethical rehabilitation sanctuary for wildlife that  have been injured, orphaned, or imprinted.

    You can expect to see black bears, grizzly bears, foxes, wolves, owls, and other little critters.

    They’re open daily from 10am to 4pm and the last entry is at 3:30. Children 2 and under get in for free, children ages 3-10 pay $9, adults ages 11 and up pay $12, and seniors 60+ pay $9.

    Agrat learning environment for kids

 At Lake Tahoe Action water sports is full of family fun! although the water is quite chilly during the winter, there is still tons of activities to do while not getting too wet.

    Parasailing is one of them! Enjoy the beautiful view of Taho while being hundreds of feet off the ground.

    For a 500’ flight that would come out to $75, and a 1000’ flight would cost $95, not too bad for a beautiful experience.

    After a day of activities it’s lovely to camp on the lake grounds, drinking hot cocoa, and roasting marshmallows!

   But who can’t forget to visit Disneyland and California Adventure over winter break! During the holidays Disney gets a makeover.

    At the end of main street stands a 60 foot tall christmas tree lit up by thousands of little lights, their famous haunted mansion also takes a spin.

    As we know, the attraction is based on the film The Night Before Christmas, which make the decoration replacements blend in perfectly.

    The Christmas Fantasy parade, night magic, fireworks, and much more are a couple of memorable sights.  

     Overall these are a couple of the best places to visit over winter, make sure to enjoy your family moments and definitely the break off school!

The Real Vine 2?

MVHS Staff
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Credits to Tik Tok

By Kaycie Adams

Introducing TikTok, the app that is quickly gaining a reputation unlike any other.

    Have you heard of TikTok? If not, it is quite possible you truly live under a rock.

    If you have watched any video on Youtube in the past couple of months, the ads of random 15 second videos that interrupt every few minutes or so are TikToks. They are a unique kind of video, that lets you create your own audio, or lip-sync to someone else’s.

    TikTok has 500 million global users and is rapidly gaining more. It originated from musical.ly, an app that had practically the same function.

    Musical.ly shut down in August 2018, and was immediately bought by TikTok. Now, it brings in all types of people, both young and old, to create content and its own genre of meme culture.

    People have a wide variety of opinions on TikTok. Many feel that it is annoying, lowbrow humor. One junior, Nicole Burns, believes that TikTok is “I think TikTok is trying to be the new Vine, but it is trying too hard. Vine was only 28 percent weirdo, and Tiktok is, like, 78 percent weirdo.”

    However, there is a large amount of people disagree with this sentiment, and are embracing TikTok as the new Vine! Since January 17th, 2017, when Vine officially ended, there hasn’t been a video platform similar to the type of content created on Vine.

    Vine created a specific type of humor, that TikTok’s are imitating, whether intentionally or unintentionally. TikTok meme accounts are popping up all over the internet, with Instagram being its main home of reaction content.

    For seniors in high school today, the peak of Vine was during our 7th and 8th grade years. For underclassmen, this stretches all the way back to the 4th grade.

    Today, TikTok holds this same value as Vine did for us. More and more young children are in reach of technology, and with TikTok gaining popularity rapidly, it makes sense why the app is gaining traction as the Vine of today’s youth.

    Senior Daryan Ghaemi explains it excellently. “Vine is well known by many, and as our generation looks back at our childhood and see Vine, today’s youth will look back and see TikTok. It’s all relative to the person.”

    It is also incredibly easy to gain fame on TikTok. The main way to watch content on TikTok is through the for you page that appears when you open the app.

    Simply putting a few hashtags, including the hashtag #foryou, allows your content to gain fame and views. With fame being this easy, it is no doubt that a generation raised on Youtubers and daily vlogs, Kardashians and breaking the internet, and get rich quick schemes, it’s easy to think that instant fame brings young people to an app like TikTok.

    One senior, Kevin Perry, hit it big on TikTok and is claiming his rise to fame. He joined TikTok, claiming, “I watched a video with my friend Ethan about getting TikTok famous in one day, and we decided to try.”

    At the time of this publication, he has 27.1k fans, and 357.2k hearts and he is growing everyday. With a rapidly growing collection of fans, Kevin is quickly growing to be a large influencer on TikTok.

    If Kevin agrees, you should too: TikTok is the new Vine.  

Was 2018 Hit or Miss?

MVHS Staff
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Photo credits to WorkLogic

By Farrah Morris

2018 has been such a crazy year it feels more like it’s been 5 years. Here’s a breakdown of major events that happened this year.

    It is undeniable that 2018 has been an extremely intense and eventful year. So many things have happened it is almost hard to believe that they have occurred in just one year.

    From tide pod eating to wildfires blazing across California to Tik Tok, there is a lot to cover.

    So, let’s break down this year so far, with major events locally, nationally, and globally.

    In January, the year starts off in America with a government shutdown that lasts two days, from January 20th to the 22nd. This is due to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and whether it should be abolished or kept in place.

    It is still in place for those who need or want a renewal, but the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services is currently not accepting new requests.

    This is also when Logan Paul, a popular YouTuber, faces a whirlwind of controversy following his filming of a dead body in the infamous suicide forest in Japan.

    The hit Marvel movie, Black Panther, is released on January 29th to critical acclaim, grossing $1.3 billion worldwide. This is also when Chadwick Boseman regrets ever saying, “Wakanda forever!”

    In February the Winter Olympics were held in Pyeongchang, South Korea. It was groundbreaking for North Korea participating and even entering with South Korea as one during opening ceremonies, showing unity.

    Amid this, on February 14th at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida 17 people were killed and 17 more injured in the Parkland shooting.

    In March, in an astounding event, President Donald Trump was invited by North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un to meet in May to discuss denuclearization of North Korea, the first American president to ever meet with a North Korean leader.

    This is also when the movement “March For Our Lives” began in hundreds of cities in response to the growing gun violence and mass shootings in America in order to encourage stronger gun control laws.

    On April 27th leader Kim Jong-Un met with the South Korean president Moon Jae-In, meeting in the Demilitarized Zone for the first time since its creation in 1953.

    In May, President Donald Trump withdrew from the Iranian Nuclear Agreement.

    Then, a series of mini earthquakes hit the main island Hawai’i, causing the Kīlauea to erupt as fissures appeared. Lava poured from the volcano and fissures  as lava fountains occurred, destroying 13.7 square miles of land and hundreds of houses.

    This was also the start of when children were taken from their parents at Mexican-US borders, often being placed in detention camps as many parents were deported back to their home country.

    Throughout California, Greece, Sweden, Norway, and Germany, summer was a dangerous time due to the intense heat and droughts.

    Following a ruling in 2017, June 24th was the first date in which women in Saudi Arabia were allowed to drive.

    July 5th was when the North American heat wave took place. Following that on July 6th, the US tariffs on $34 billion of Chinese goods went into effect, in which China officially declared a tariff war and placed down retaliatory tariffs.

    The Holy Fire also broke out on August 6th, burning over 22,000 acres and destroying many cabins in Trabuco Canyon. While this is just one of many fires that broke out in California over the summer this one was local, having been visible all over Orange County.

    September brings huge change as India decriminalizes gay intercourse on the 6th, allowing thousands to celebrate across India.

    This is also when a new app, called Tik Tok, inexplicably became extremely popular as people also mocked those who used it. The now infamous “Johny Johny Yes Papa” video from Billion Surprise Toys also gained popularity, being used in many parody and meme videos.

    In October, Jamal Khashoggi, a journalist for The Washington Post, is murdered inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, supposedly for his views criticizing the Middle Eastern governments, sparking a diplomatic crisis.

    This is also when the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Control released a report, warning global leaders to keep global warming below 1.5° C or face irreversible damage to the environment.

    In November a mass shooting in a bar in Thousand Oaks occurred, leaving 13 dead as a survivor of the Las Vegas shooting also survived this event.

   On November 8th the Camp Fire in Butte County, California began, marking the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California history, resulting in at least 83 deaths and destroying over 18,000 buildings.

    Very soon after the Woolsey fire also began, starting in Simi Valley and spreading all the way over to Malibu, destroying many houses, including that of Caitlyn Jenner.

    However, the midterm elections also occurred in which Democrats won the House of Representatives while Republicans still control the Senate.

   Although this does not cover every event throughout 2018 and there is still a few weeks before 2019 comes with a new set of problems, this is the general overview of 2018!

    Hopefully 2019 will be a bit more calm, but for now let’s just pray for calm holidays.

Maybe It’s Just Cold Outside

MVHS Staff
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0
Photo credits to Kitchen Trials

By Danielle Babineau

The classic holiday anthem “Baby It’s Cold Outside” has been added to the naughty list, as critics claim the lyrics implicate date rape and consensual issues.

    After various #MeToo activists voiced the social repercussions of the acclaimed inappropriate song, radio stations across the United States have been left to debate whether this seemingly timeless song could truly withstand the test of time.

    The first of many decisions was made when the Cleveland Radio station WDOK announced that it would no longer play the song, inspiring many other radio stations to follow suit.

    The voice to ban the beloved holiday song was heard, but the voice of opposition could be heard even louder. Millions of listeners across the nation feel as though this iconic song, sung by various musical legends over the years, is part of musical history and should not be banned solely based on an opinionated interpretation.

     It is understandable that in a society surrounded by the issues of rape and consent, an interpretation like this could be derived from the seemingly misleading lyrics. With lyrics like “I’ll put some records on while I pour” and “Mind if move in closer?” it has been suggested that the man is getting the woman drunk to take advantage of her.

    Although the lyrics may sound inappropriate to modern ears, the song originated as a sweet duet between songwriter Frank Loesser and his wife. His son, John Loesser, told Vanity Fair that his father would be “mortified” by its newfound association with sexual assault.

   The world today has become so aware of societal issues surrounding genders, races, and sexuality that even items from a different generation have transformed into the modern notion of misconduct.

     It is important to consider historical context before banning something created many years ago for simple enjoyment and holiday cheer. Turning a song created out of love into something depicted as hate truly gives today’s generation a bad name.

    Another factor adding to this negative view of today’s generation, is seen in the large amount of current music that refer to women in an offensive and sexualizing manner. This negative characterization acts as a more direct contribution to the current issue of rape in society than a 1944 Christmas song. Why can these negative things be said without consequence, but a traditional song faces the potential end of its time on radio?

    As people across the nation debate what the future of this song will be, it has been found that listeners overwhelmingly wish to bring the song back on air in numerous radio stations. In an online poll for 96.5 KOIT, producers asked “Should 96.5 KOIT place ‘Baby it’s cold outside’ back in rotation?” with 93% voting “I want it back” and only 7% voting “No, It offends me.”

    Although “Baby It’s Cold Outside” is just a song in a world of much greater issues, this argument of political correctness represents society’s constant attention to the negative, even in things created for good. The reality is that the nation’s traditions that bring people together are being lost solely for political correctness.

    What will be next? Is Frosty the Snowman fat shaming? Does Rudolph the Reindeer promote bullying?

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