Opinion

Column: Superfluous Man
Opinion

Column: Superfluous Man

By Kevin Hartung When did man become so nonessential in our society? It seems to me that an American way of thinking is to view our own beliefs or values through the prism of whether they are shared by others. This cult of personality ideology is, I believe, diametrically oppositional to the principles used by a free, democratic society. When an ideologue emerges, we should see the person as one formed by a cult of personality before we decide who or what he represents. Today. men let tribe mentality determine their values, their thinking, their actions, and their narrative. An individual lacks real power to make others sit up and take notice, so he uses the power of groupthink to get his message across. However, no matter how much control he has, another ideologue can convince the group ...
Opinion: Migrants Abandoned in Yuma
Opinion

Opinion: Migrants Abandoned in Yuma

Photo by Donald Giannatti By Kyler Van Vliet Custom and Border Protection holding facilities have been at maximum capacity since April of last year and now migrants are being released into Yuma County.  Due to a rise in border apprehensions combined with social distancing guidelines that don't allow for as many people to be held in one particular space, CBP has released a group of 20 people into the neighboring community of San Luis. Several more similarly sized groups were let out in subsequent days. Yuma County is not new to sheltering released migrants. Two years ago, Yuma saw the release of 5,700 migrants into the county of about 215,000 people over a three-month period. Two years ago however, there was a non-profit shelter for people to stay at. That sole temporary shelter in the ar...
Black History Month: Recognizing Two Women who Told Me Their Story
Arts & Entertainment, Opinion

Black History Month: Recognizing Two Women who Told Me Their Story

By Alexandria Austin This month is a time to look beyond our history books to recognize African Americans who have made a difference in the world. I chose to look at our world, the United States, and as a woman, I chose my world. Two of countless stories here are of and from Margot Lee Shetterly and Ava DuVernay. Did you know there were women involved in the space race? Did you know there were human computers? Did you know a group of brilliant women were responsible for getting John Glenn safely home? Did you know these women were Black? “Hidden Figures” is a book written by a Black female writer, Margot Lee Shetterly. Shetterly grew up in Hampton, Virginia, where she says “the face of science was brown, like mine...I knew so many African-Americans working in science, math and engineeri...
Seven Films to Celebrate Black History Month
Arts & Entertainment, Opinion

Seven Films to Celebrate Black History Month

By Lanissa Patterson It’s Black History Month: the time when we celebrate Black stories, Black culture, and honor the journey of the Black American. This journey is foretold in many ways, including through cinematics. Here is a list of movies to watch this Black History Month while we continue to remain indoors. 1. Black Dynamite Black Dynamite is a 2009 parody film mocking popular blaxploitation movies of the 70’s. Michael Jai White stars as Black Dynamite, a former CIA agent looking to avenge the death of his brother. But first he has to get past Kung Fu Masters and “The Man”. Directed by Scott Sanders and starring Michael Jai White, Arsenio Hall, and Kym Whitley, I recommend this to anyone who needs a good laugh. 2. Paid in Full Directed by Charles Stone III, Paid in Full is a crim...
What Disneyland Means to Me (And Why I Miss It)
Features, Opinion

What Disneyland Means to Me (And Why I Miss It)

By Alexandria Austin Disneyland has closed only three times since it first opened its gates July 17, 1955. The first was on November 24, 1963, the day after the assassination of JFK. The second was on September 11, 2001, when tragedy struck NYC. On both occasions the park was closed for one day. Currently, Disneyland has now been closed for just over eleven months.  In my world, Disneyland is not an amusement park with too long lines and inflated ticket prices. It is a place woven into the very story of my life. It has been a part of my life story from the time I can remember, From the time I was just little, Disneyland was an event! It was birthdays with my big brother and family, ticketbook in hand, anticipating what E ticket attraction to ride first. My childhood is filled with the m...
Opinion

Opinion: Curfew Shutdowns in Tucson Prove Ineffective

By Troy Hutchinson Since late November, Tucson was on a lockdown and was supposed to end on Dec. 23 but was extended by Pima County, forcing businesses and bars to close their doors at 10 p.m. Local businesses grew frustrated as the lockdown started to creep into the new year, causing their company to lose revenue, making it harder to stay open during these difficult times. With frustration growing, local businesses Cobra Arcade Bar, HireWire Lounge, The Maverick and Union Public House joined together to file a lawsuit against Pima County, demining the curfew unlawful on Jan. 5, according to The Arizona Daily Star. That lawsuit overturned the curfew and opened companies up on Jan. 20, going back to business as usual.  After talking to some local bar owners, no one was willing to go on t...
Retos y Bienaventuranzas de Dos Mundos
Opinion

Retos y Bienaventuranzas de Dos Mundos

By Mara Duran Si alguna vez te has sentido perdido entre dos culturas ¡Bienvenido! Mi nombre es Mara Durán. Soy originaria de México, actualmente estudio en Pima Community College. La mayor parte de mi vida la he pasado en Guadalajara, Jal. es una ciudad con 8.5 millones de habitantes, aunque es presa del ruido, la prisa y el caos; se caracteriza por estar en constante movimiento.  La amabilidad de la gente es una cualidad que hace volver a cualquiera que la visita. Además, es la cuna del tequila, el mariachi, la charrería y como muchos otros estados de México, del buen comer. Por lo tanto, al llegar a la quietud de Tucson encontré un remanso de paz en medio del desierto.  Vivir en un país en el que no crecí, resulta un reto que puede ser abrumador, si has pasado por algo así, segurament...
Album review: Chris Stapleton – Starting Over
Arts & Entertainment, Opinion

Album review: Chris Stapleton – Starting Over

By Dalton Grijalva 2020 has been a year of trials and tribulations, but throughout the terrible year there’s been small glimpses of greatness. Enter the beautiful baritone voice of Chris Stapleton. "Starting Over" is the fourth studio album released by Stapleton, the multi award winning face of country music. The cover art may be simple with only a white cover and Chris’s name and title on the corner, but the complexities and storytelling in the album is some of his finest since his debut album, "Traveler". The starting track is fittingly titled "Starting Over," a very wholesome song about going somewhere with the person you love finding a new destination together. It’s a great song for beginning a road trip. Chris’s baritone voice is at its best when he uses a raspy tone on blues songs...
Column: Fortitude for the season
Opinion

Column: Fortitude for the season

Photo by Gabby Orcutt By Kevin Hartung Seems like there is extraordinarily little to be thankful for this year. COVID is still with us. The election has sparked more contentious actions. Unemployment has left families with few resources to sweeten the Christmas season. Businesses are attempting to recoup losses after a devastating lockdown and a population left in short supply of expendable capital. Even Hollywood is generating entertainment in a restrictive environment despite theater chains closing their doors. One might claim that there is little rationale for celebration. Yet, the holiday season is just around the corner, and Americans are not defined by their politics. We are not shaped by our sufferings. We find the reserves to survive and to commemorate the season. As always when ...
Opinion

Column: Mandate on toxic politics

By Kevin Hartung Taking the White House is a victory, holding the Senate and adding to the House number is also a win. Neither side generated a landslide victory indicating that a state of contention continues to exist in our country. We the people have found our voice. What played out in this election was ridding the government of venomous politicians and divisive actions. Voters are done with the antagonistic poison that exists in Washington, D.C. Clearly, the win was not a mandate for repealing legislation, but a directive to replace the antagonistic, revengeful discord among our elected officials. This may have been the highest turnout for an election since 1900, but it was not the repudiation hoped for or predicted. Past landslide elections have signaled shifts that carried America ...