Should Journalists use the term Alt-Right?

Lauren Walinski

Staff Writer

Donald Trump, the new president-elect of the United States, has gained a following amongst a group which calls itself the “alt-right.” The group holds beliefs that the United States government should not extend equal rights to minorities such as women, people of color, Jewish people, and LGBTQ+ people, beliefs which directly violate the United States Constitution. The group calls itself the “alt-right” to make these beliefs sound more acceptable to the general population, since the name is unspecific. Because of this group’s controversial beliefs, many journalists are unsure whether they should be using the term “alt-right” or find another, since they do not want to hide the beliefs these groups hold.

 According to the AP Stylebook, a guide by the Associate Press which many journalists refer to in order to write their articles, the term “alt-right” should be avoided. The only time the term “alt-right” is okay to use in an article, according to the AP stylebook, is if it is specified to be what the group calls itself. A description of the group’s beliefs should also be given, so they cannot hide their bigoted beliefs behind an unclear name. The AP Stylebook also says that the group should be called what it really is and what it has been called in the past: white supremacist, neo-Nazi, and racist. This way the group cannot hide the beliefs they hold.

Never Challenge a Mama Bear

Jennifer Abele

Staff Writer

A YouTube video surfaced at the end of November showing young Barron Trump yawning, grimacing, and clapping during Donald Trump’s victory speech. YouTuber James Hunter shows the clips showing Barron Trump’s behavior, he states that these are common symptoms of Autism, and labels Barron as Autistic. Rosie O'Donnell then shared the video on Twitter stating “Barron Trump Autistic? If so- what an amazing opportunity to bring attention to the AUTISM epidemic.” Melania threatened to sue the YouTuber responsible for the video for harassment and bullying. On Nov. 29 James Hunter made an apology video for Melania and Barron Trump stating that he  has Autism, and that it was completely false. Rosie O’Donnell also apologized on her website saying that she did not mean to unleash any hurtful messages, and that her daughter Dakota was diagnosed with high functioning Autism in September.

 Has anyone ever heard of the phrase “When there are two bear cubs alone, mama bear is not  too far behind”? That was not a good idea to diagnose ten-year-old Barron Trump’s behavior when he is fighting his body to stay up past 3:30 in the morning during his father’s acceptance speech after being elected as the 45th President. Imagine ten year old Barron trying to stay awake all night when the typical ten year old goes to sleep at 9 p.m.

 Everyone knows that Melania is overly protective, and most mothers are. It allows us to bond with our mother on a different level. While Donald Trump works at the White House, Melania will be staying in New York with Barron to continue school. I think that’s great because it’s difficult to adjust to a new school in the middle of the year. It’s not easy to adjust to a new school, but in the beginning of the year everything is fresh. I moved to New Hope in the beginning of freshman year, and I think that enabled me to adapt to my surroundings more quickly.

 The video was a horrible idea. It’s surprising that Rosie only got a shout out from Melania’s lawyer in the letter, but social media destroyed O’Donnel for them. Melania is used to making the decisions for Barron Trump to excel in school, and I believe it’s important for her to control that. The YouTuber clearly made a mistake, he removed the video, he apologized, and he will never forget this. It’s very interesting that Melania Trump has faced these false claims alone protecting Barron without Donald intervening since he has a tendency to lash out at the hint of any slight. It makes America notice the strong woman that Melania is.

  Rosie O'Donnell could have lived without posting that video along with her comment. Her longtime feud with Donald Trump clouded my personal perspective of her comment.  From my interpretation, I found it very cutthroat and sarcastic. It would have been better if she trashed the link to the video and just took the time to tweet out awareness for Autism instead without mentioning the Trump family. Remember, momma bear is not too far behind.

Hadid's controversial impression of Melania Trump was aimed at the wrong target

Jen Abele

Staff Writer

Gigi Hadid is a supermodel who co hosted with Jay Pharoah from SNL during the American Music Awards on Nov. 20. Gigi Hadid wanted to show the AMAs that she is also capable of impressions. Gigi’s Melania Trump impression was immediately blasted by social media. Gigi stated. “I love my husband, President Barack Obama,” laughter erupts. “And our children, Sasha and Malia.”  

 Gigi Hadid took to Twitter on Nov. 21 after all the backlash against the controversial monologue defending her performance:“I was honored to host the AMA’s last night and to work with some of the most respected writers in the business. I removed or changed anything in the script that I felt took the joke too far, and whether or not you choose to see it, what remained was done in good humor and with no bad intent. I apologize to anyone I may have offended and have only the best wishes for our country.”

 Gigi Hadid’s controversial impression was about Melania Trump’s plagiarism due to a Trump employee while giving “her” speech at the Republican National Convention on July 18.  Viewers felt the impression was a personal attack on Melania Trump.Why did Gigi continue to keep the controversial skit if she already ‘edited or changed any jokes that went too far’? It’s normal to make fun of Donald Trump when he creates contradicting controversial statements, and it’s expected. Melania made a mistake. Leave her alone!

 Instead of digging into Melania Trump’s RNC speech and what a laugh it was. Think about how embarrassed she must have felt when her speech  used dialogue from Michelle Obama when her husband is running for the Republican Party. Meredith Mclver, a Trump employee staff writer, came forward that she did plagiarize Michelle Obama’s Speech from 2008. Meredith asked Melania to recite passages of Michelle’s speech through a phone call because she mentioned Michelle Obama as a first lady she admires. Meredith then copied down passages that Melania liked, and put them into the speech. Meredith didn’t compare Melania’s speech with Michelle Obama’s later on. In a twisted form of events, Meredith asked to resign, but her request was rejected. Donald Trump explained that everyone makes mistakes and claimed that Meredith would grow from this experience.  

 Gigi shouldn’t have dug her claws into Melania Trump after such a polarizing election. The AMAs are about talented celebrities getting all dolled up to watch as their dreams come true. Creating a controversial impression only added fuel to the fire. Instead of throwing Melania Trump under the bus, take a jab at the Trump employee. Meredith Mclver remains in Trump’s organization. Don’t create comical impressions about Melania’s RNC speech. Instead, criticize Donald Trump for keeping Meredith Mclver on his staff after she made Melania Trump look like a laughing stock. Donald Trump did not support his wife, but Melania continues to show her thick skin. Donald Trump continues to criticize Alec Baldwin’s impression of Mr. Trump, Trump continues to criticize news reporters while he chose retired Army Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn for national security advisor whose son retweeted a fake news article, and Trump continues to criticize everyone on Twitter at 3 o’clock in the morning.  

 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers halts construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline

Lexi Anderson

Editor-in-Chief

Ever since the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline began in the spring, the Native Americans occupying the land, along with non-indigenous people from around the world, have protested the destruction of sacred native land and the contamination of their water supply from the Missouri river. These strictly peaceful and nonviolent protests, initially started by the Standing Rock tribe and their creation of the spiritual Sacred Stone camp, have been met with extreme, often inhumane police force, including tear gassing, rubber bullets, being sprayed with water, untrained attack dogs, and more. The Native American people, who have already dealt with a long and dark history of being massacred and having their land stripped from them, are now at risk of having a sacred area and a crucial water supply taken right out from under them.

 The Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL), an Energy Transfer Partners project, is meant to carry crude oil from the Bakken oil field of North Dakota to a refinery in Patoka, Illinois. One of the main problems that tribal leaders have had is that they believe the decision to create the pipeline was made without consulting the tribal government, and that a full assessment of the effects of the pipeline was not carried out.

 The protestors, or water protectors, urging the construction of the DAPL to end, are located in the Standing Rock camps, which are all within one hour of Bismarck, North Dakota. People have gathered from all corners of the world, including people of the last native tribes in England, to stand with Standing Rock. The protesters have emphasized their desire to remain peaceful, carrying out prayer circles and creating camps throughout Bismarck. However, the response to the protests have been not nearly as kind.

 The Morton County Police Department, as well as other law enforcement agencies in the area, have created a highly militarized force against protesters and their attempt to halt construction. Although protesters have not been violent whatsoever, they have been met with excessive, and in some cases, questionably inhumane acts of force in an attempt to dislodge the protesters and their efforts to keep their sacred land and clean water.

 Police claim to be using “non-lethal weapons” to control the protesters. Law enforcement brought in a water cannon and sprayed protesters on the Backwater Bridge during periods of below-freezing temperatures. Others were hit with rubber bullets and tear gas. On Sept. 3, police used attack dogs and pepper spray against protesters, leaving many injured. One particularly intense use of force came from a man driving through a prayer ceremony close to the entrance to a construction site, who pulled out a handgun and fired shots into the air, and ran over protester Vana Dee Worthy’s feet and slashed open her hand, requiring her to receive stitches.

 According to police, many protesters—over 100—have been arrested on a number of  charges, including conspiracy to endanger by fire or explosion and engaging in a public riot. An arrest that has managed to hit the news was the arrest of prominent actress, Shailene Woodley, who was arrested on Oct. 10 on Indigenous People’s Day. She has been very outspoken about the pipeline and has condemned people for only talking about it because her face graced the news. She has brought to attention the important problem which is America’s ignorance of reality. While people across the nation eagerly take pieces of Native American culture and use them to decorate their body at music festivals, use them as Halloween costumes, wear them down fashion runways, and bring them into their homes and lives, they are ignorant of the atrocities laced in Native American history, and, unfortunately, the present as well. The fight to keep sacred native land and culture alive, the culture that so many seem to love without knowing its roots, has never stopped. These people will never cease in their battle against the stripping of their native roots and destruction of vital resources, resources that all humans need, Native American or not.

 UPDATE: On Dec. 4, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers halted the construction of the pipeline under President Obama’s administration. This is a huge victory, however protesters have remained on the scene because this ceasing of the pipeline can easily be changed under President-elect Trump’s new administration as he makes his way into office. Trump has direct links to and holds stock in Energy Transfer Partners, the builders of the pipeline, so it is easy to believe that he will not be in favor of the stoppage of the pipeline project. For many, especially the native people at Standing Rock, this isn’t the end of the fight. Although this is good news for now, the future remains greatly uncertain.

What to do on a snow day

Kelly Hyland and Taylor Selbst

Staff Writers

It’s beginning to look a lot like winter, and you know that means… waiting for a phone call from Dr. Yanni about a snow day. Before the school stops making lunches and closes its doors, you should plan out your snow days, and fill them with fun activities with family and friends. There are many things you could do on your snow day this winter that are snow much fun!

 Even though you are in high school, it is still necessary to play in the snow. There is no better feeling than building a snowman, making a snow angel, or getting friends together for an epic snowball fight! If you aren’t the type of person who likes to go outdoors, you can always cuddle up with some close friends or your beau to watch movies and drink hot chocolate with mini marshmallows. We suggest the movies Mean Girls, Frozen, or Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

 Another fun activity to do during a snow day is eating every single piece of food in your kitchen. Your parents have  probably stocked up on more than just bread and water, so treat yourself to your favorite foods while they’re still there. Cozy up to a warm fire and make some s'mores.

 Lastly, take advantage of having the day off of school, get caught up on homework, and get ahead on upcoming work. SNOW DAYS ARE THE BEST DAYS, SO SLED YOUR WAY TO A GOOD TIME.

Editorial: Response to the complaint about 'Hate Crimes' article

From the Editorial Board of The Lion's Tale

At the last New Hope-Solebury school board meeting, which took place on Dec. 5, the Lion’s Tale received a direct complaint regarding an article posted in the third issue of the Lion’s Tale, titled “Rise in hate crimes across America post-Trump election.”

 The person who stated their complaint believed that this article did not do a fair job at showing both sides of the story, and called to attention the sources left at the end of the article, which were placed there to enforce the credibility of the hate crime accounts covered in the article.

 We at the Lion’s Tale politely disagree with this accusation. This piece is primarily a hard news piece, calling attention to the unquestionable rise in hate crimes that have occurred since the election. The list of sources were all news pieces from CNN, USA Today, NYTimes, NBC, Time Magazine, Dallas Morning News, and the Southern Poverty Law Center. None of these news agencies are strictly left-wing, and are all highly reputable. The writers of the article made a point to only get their information from these neutral sources, which is specifically why they did not look at Fox News, nor MSNBC, two explicitly right-wing and left-wing news platforms. What was addressed in the article was as neutral and unbiased as possible, and reported purely fact.

 Here at the Lion’s Tale, we all work extremely hard on our newspaper, analyze and triple-check all articles, and on top of that have each issue approved by the school administration. In journalism class, we take anywhere from 10 minutes to the entire class period reviewing news from all viewpoints, and are instructed that, if writing a news piece, to remain unbiased and to get information from sources that don’t lean primarily in any direction.

   In addition, we post our articles in an online edition of the newspaper, accessible to all, via the New Hope-Solebury High School website. This online format gives readers the chance to comment on the articles, of which all comments are made public. We gladly invite all of our readers to comment as they see fit, and even share more information with us. We feel that it is important to see stories from all angles in order to write unbiased pieces.

  It is in no way our intention to make any person feel uncomfortable or offended by our writing pieces. While we respectfully disagree in the case of this specific article, it has certainly been an important reminder to all of our staff writers, editors, and advisors to exercise care when presenting news pieces. We thank the given member of the community for their avid readership of our newspaper and their various other comments and inquiries that have helped to make our online edition interactive.

The New Hope-Solebury Lion’s Tale Editorial Board is made up of Lexi Anderson, Bailey Hendricks,

Jelly’s Corner (November Edition)

Dear Jelly,
I have hallway duty. Students are often sitting in hallways without passes. Some of them do not even check in with the library. how can we stop these shenanigans?
-Distressed Hall Monitor

Dear Distressed Hall Monitor,

Thank you for the question!
  Here at Jelly’s Corner we are anti-hall pass as we believe they are dehumanizing, bad for the environment, and detrimental to the health and well-being of the student body.
  I am about to go off to college, but I still need a pass to use the bathroom? Something doesn’t add up, and we aren’t talking about O’Hara trying to do math in his head!
  Hall passes send the message that us students aren’t trusted, and that is very disheartening.
  Here at Jelly’s Corner we believe that students will only have confidence in themselves if the staff trusts us to go to the bathroom without a pass.  

Trust,
Jelly

Ask Jelly:
If you have any questions about life, school or anything you want! Please send them to jellyscorner.lionstale@gmail.com and we will answer them in the next issue of the Lion’s Tale.

Trump’s appeal defies expectations

Danny Doherty
Features Editor

On January 20, 2017, Donald J. Trump will become the 45th President of the United States.
A man who called an entire country’s people rapists, murderers, and criminals. A man who has been accused of more than ten accounts of sexual misconduct. A man who has filed bankruptcy four times. A man who has lost nearly a billion dollars in the course of one year. A man who openly bragged about cheating on his wife and grabbing women by their genitals. A man who called for a ban of an entire religion in the land of the free. A man who mocked an autistic reporter. A man who called to build a wall across our southern border, drawing comparisons to a Cold War Germany. A man who has been endorsed by the KKK and failed to denounce their support. A man who never has held political office or served in our military. A man who refused to allow African-Americans into his apartment complexes in the early 1970s.
  This man beat out former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
  A woman who has spent her life dedicated to bettering the people around her. A woman who played a major role as secretary of state in the Navy Seal operation that resulted in the death of Osama Bin Laden. A woman who stood by her husband when he faced the most intense scrutiny of any president in recent memory. A woman who has endorsed and signed off on numerous bills bettering women’s
See Trump’s Appeal on page 3
Trump’s appeal
Continued from page 2
and children’s rights. A woman whose foundation has raised millions of dollars helping the poor around the world and dedicated its time to raising awareness for issues. A woman who gave others hope in an election where a country was divided, by becoming the first woman to be nominated by a major party for president.
  This article has just listed all the positives about one of the most distrusted politicians in the history of the United States. It has also laid out all of the negatives of the billionaire with the most recognizable individual brand of the past 40 years. In any case, it is telling about what direction the country is going in. Not that the country is insanely racist and going to hell, but that people are fed up with the status quo and don’t like the way government is running. Whatever your view is on the outcome of this election, if there is one takeaway, it is this: People are done with politicians. Brexit showed it and now the US election has showed it. Countries in Western Europe are showing it too--just look at all the opposition to the recent EU-Canada trade deal.

While the World Watches Syria, Who’s Watching Yemen?

Jack McKenna

Staff Writer

If the evening news shows aren’t leading with the most recent U.S. Presidential election insults between the candidates, the news focuses on events in Syria.

 According to U.N. High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR), more than 8.7 million Syrians, or roughly 40% of the population, will be displaced by the end of the year due to the ongoing civil war that began in 2011. However, in that same year, uprisings also began in Yemen and the UNHCR estimates that 80% of the 23.3 million people in the area need humanitarian protection.

 International alliances among countries might explain why the West has paid virtually no attention to the Yemeni crisis. Syria’s president Bashar al-Assad has close ties to Russia, the U.S.’s major adversary on the world stage. The U.S. news media has covered the atrocities in Syria extensively because it reflects poorly on Vladimir Putin and Russia. Whereas the main player behind the food shortages in Yemen is Saudi Arabia, America’s strongest ally in the region. News coverage has been limited of the horrible suffering that is ongoing in Yemen, perhaps because the U.S. doesn’t want to highlight the Saudi failure to put down the rebels and help protect civilians.

 In many ways, the crisis in Yemen has become a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran, and the U.S. certainly wants to avoid any entanglements on either side of that dispute. If the U.S. is going to be involved Middle East politics at all, its politicians and its news media should not ignore more than 21 million starving Yemenis.

New Zodiac Sign upsets the astrological apple cart

Taylor Selbst and Julia Coburn

Zodiac signs were created many years ago to describe the circle of twelve thirty-degree divisions. Universally, zodiac signs have been used to describe/reflect one’s personality characteristics. The twelve different zodiac signs are based off of the month and day in which one was born, but recently a new zodiac sign, Ophiuchus [of-ee-yoo-kahy], has been created and has changed the signs that people have believed were theirs for many years.   

 Earlier this year, NASA quietly announced that they were going to change the whole zodiac system, assigning new dates to each zodiac sign in order to include Ophiuchus. According to NASA, when the Babylonians created the zodiac system 3,000 years ago, the earth's axis did not point quite in the same direction.

 Many people are furious about the new addition of the zodiac sign, especially the strong believers in horoscopes. Senior Kelly Hyland expresses her anger through the change by saying, “Who am I now? It’s hard enough going through your teenage years trying to find your identity, but now I know I’ve been living a lie.” Other students we have talked to had no idea about the addition, but once we told them they were very disappointed and didn’t understand why it has been changed after so many years.

 In conclusion, the new zodiac sign is creating a lot of confusion. Most people are surprised about this change. Changing something that has been around for so long seems unnecessary and pointless.

Jelly’s Corner (October Edition)

Dear Jelly,

With the SATs approaching, can you give us a list of DOs and DON’TS? Also, what is the best present you've ever gotten?

-Junior Struggles

Dear Junior Struggles,

Thank you for being our first question!

 

 This is a difficult question to answer because it’s hard to say if anyone really knows the right response. However, from our personal experiences, we have managed to create a list of DOs and DON'TS for approaching the SAT.

 First, don't stress about the SAT; you will get into college, and a bad score isn't the end of the world. Second, take advantage of the free study tools that the College Board has to offer, because they will help you a lot. Lastly, don't be the person who always talks about the SAT; you stress out everyone around you.

Kelly Hyland: The best present I have ever received is the opportunity to give advice in Jelly’s corner.

Joseph Giunta: The best present I have ever received is my MacBook #justnewhopethings

TTYLXOX,

Jelly’s Corner

Ask Jelly: If you have any questions about life, school or anything you want! Please send them to jellyscorner.lionstale@gmail.com  and we will answer them in the next issue of the Lion’s Tale.

A Shifting Tide for Our Nation’s Future?

Danny Doherty

Political Editor

Flipping between Fox and MSNBC’s nightly news yesterday gave me a look into why this year’s election is polarizing Americans more than ever. Social media’s staggering influence on our life, our constant attention on a screen, and two candidates who people hate, all make for the most intriguing election in U.S. history.as Senator Clinton’s withholding of pneumonia and Trump’s recent run of keeping his mouth shut turned the table? Has the Washington elite been overtaken? Was Clinton’s comment that a quarter of Americans are “deplorables” her “47%” (Following a comment declaring the 47% of Americans who don’t pay taxes “not important”, he tanked in the polls)

 Fox spent hours blasting Hillary for withholding her illness and for her “deplorable comment,” while MSNBC stayed the course of questioning Trump about his tax returns. The lone difference I am seeing between the liberal and conservative media is that MSNBC continues to talk older issues and never has much new material (Trump’s tax returns have been a hobby horse for months), while conservative media outlets like Fox continue to find new little things to nitpick at Clinton (Clinton Global initiative, emails, “deplorables”). Both tactics have proved positive for each respectable outlet. People still hate Clinton, and people still hate Trump. But are the tides changing?

 Trump’s name has been in the news per usual, but his bromance with Putin and continued hard stance on Islam and immigration have been overshadowed by Clinton, who's kept her name in the bad press section for the first time in a while (her polls numbers rise when she is out of the picture). It is a serious shift, whereas up until this point, it has been just the opposite. Clinton’s post-DNC poll boost of around ten points is finally gone, as Trump has overtaken her nationally and in several Ohio, Florida, and North Carolina polls.  

 With Clinton still looking like a lock to win the election, in large part, the media’s portrayal of each candidate’s issues will prove fatal to one in the end. Will people care more about Trump’s antics, withholding of tax returns, and political inexperience, or Clinton’s lying record, health concerns, and “deplorable comment? Only time will tell.

Expectations of new freshmen not quite met

Devon Beacham

Staff Writer

When incoming freshmen enter the high school, they hope for the experience to be somewhat guided and simple, but that wasn’t the case this year.

 The freshmen class didn’t get a tour at the end of the year last year; therefore, they relied on what they thought they knew from the year before to guess where some classes might be. But when they entered the school on the first day, it was completely different from what they had thought. This not only affected the freshmen, but for everyone, the places students are not use to going to for certain subjects are all different. Have been moved around because of the construction.

 The first day was chaos with everyone running around trying to find their classrooms.

 “On the first day, I got lost a couple times. It was embarrassing, and I wish I had been given more guidance,” said Parker Cane, freshman.

 In addition to the confusion, many students were separated from their friends when it came to lunch. This was the only time of day where everyone got to chill and eat before returning to work; however, due to high enrollment and legal requirements there are now two lunches. Freshman, being new to the high school, were separated from most of their friends, making it hard for them to find a table where they felt comfortable. This was not a hardship solely reserved for the new ninth grade. The seniors were also separated from their friends. Overall though, students don’t have too much to complain about.

 “We’ve [been] given a lot more freedom and more choice in the classes we want to take,” says Tara Cooney, a freshman at New Hope-Solebury.

 Compared to the the middle school, this new environment is definitely a step up.

Do the seniors really have "senior privileges?"

Nina Coughlin and Courtney Purdy
Staff Writers

The class of 2017 is beginning to question if the senior privileges they have waited four years to receive are even “senior” privileges anymore. 
  On the first day back to school, every student was told that seniors are no longer the only ones that have the privilege to leave early and come in late; the juniors now get that benefit as well. Not only was the class of 2017 angered by this new rule, they were also questioning what the reasoning was. 
    An email was sent out by Mrs. Nealis through listserv stating that seniors received “first priority” for the 100 spots available in the West lot. Those who did not get a pass in the first 100 spots were given the opportunity to get a spot once they were counted in the first week of school. After about two weeks, nearly 20 spots were taken away due to construction in the back lot. Since then, students with late arrival that come to school around 8:40 enter that parking lot to find that all the spots are filled. To their surprise, a majority of the cars belong to juniors, and there are even cars without parking passes. Seniors that were told that they had “priority” over the available parking spots are now parking in nonexistent spots on the grass and in the East parking lot. They also have to see those who don’t even have their licenses are getting parking spots issued to them, just to add to the overflow that is already present in the lot.
  Not only are seniors upset about the parking situation, we have many seniors complaining about the lack of freedom during lunch. 
  An angry senior, Mackenzie Carpenter said: “It feels the same as junior year. We are sitting at the same table we’ve sat at all of high school. I was really looking forward to being able to eat lunch anywhere in the school.”
  In previous years, when the current seniors were underclassmen they had study halls first and eighth period but did not have the privilege to come in late or leave early. Now, they are seeing their fellow classmates coming in late and leaving early as juniors. 

Talk About the Victim

Cassidy Smith

Staff Writer

                                                               

“Should Brock Turner be referred to as a rapist?”

“Mad About Brock Turner? Maybe You Shouldn't Be.”

These are just some of the headlines following Brock Turner, a convicted rapist, being released from prison after only three months.

 If you don’t remember what happened back in March of 2015, here’s a quick recap. Turner was found behind a dumpster, on top of an unconscious woman, raping her. Two other college students pinned him to the ground, confirmed the victim was alive and called the police. Upon examination, the victim showed signs of sexual trauma and Turner had her DNA under his fingernails.

 The case was brought to trial, and Turner was indicted on five charges: rape of an intoxicated person, rape of an unconscious person, assault with intent to rape an intoxicated woman, sexually penetrating an intoxicated person with a foreign object and sexually penetrating an unconscious person with a foreign object. With no proof of genital to genital contact, the two rape charges were dropped.

 Turner was found guilty on three out of the five charges, yet judge Aaron Persky sentenced him to six months in prison. More time, he said, would have a “severe impact on him.” His decision was influenced by Turner’s father, who wrote a letter urging the judge to sentence his son to only probation. “As it stands now,” Turner’s father wrote, “Brock’s life has been deeply altered forever.” Jail time would be a “steep price to pay for [his] 20 minutes of action.”

 In the end, Turner was released from prison after three months, due to good behavior. He registered on the Ohio sex offender list and returned home, safe and sound.

 Through all of my research, I scrolled through hundreds of articles about Turner himself. Where he went when he got released, new pictures of him in his backyard, the 4-1-1 on what he plans to do next. In the 20 articles, I read only three focused on the victim, and I’d assume this trend continues. Through all the outrage over what Turner did and how he was sentenced, we forget about the reason behind all of this. There is a woman that has to live with this trauma for the rest of her life. There is a woman being victim-blamed and asked about the clothes she was wearing when it happened. There is a woman suffering.

 “[...]what he did to me doesn’t expire, doesn’t just go away after a set number of years. It stays with me, it’s part of my identity, it has forever changed the way I carry myself, the way I live the rest of my life.” This is only a segment of the victim’s letter to Turner, which she read at his trial.

 Statistics show that one in four college women report surviving rape, or attempted rape, at some point in their lifetime. One in 16 men report the same. We, as a society, need to prevent this from happening. With such a lenient sentence for Brock Turner, this tells rapists all over the country that what they’re doing is OK. That if they get caught, they will get off easy like he did. We cannot change the judicial system ourselves, but we can support victims in the way they cannot.

 Have a voice. Talk about the victims, write articles about them; not about the perpetrator. Get involved. The RVA supports those affected by sexual violence and urges people to stand with them. As the outrage over Turner’s actions is warranted, remember that as he walks free she carries around this trauma for the rest of her life. She is the survivor, not him.

Tips from a senior: focus on yourself

Elizabeth Both

Editor

High school is a time to make relationships, and most of them will probably not last entirely after graduation. Friendships tend to fade away: switching cliques is inevitable while others have stuck together since elementary school. As a senior, I’ve gone through a ridiculous amount of friend drama--not just including people from this high school. What I can tell lower classmen is don’t expect to stick with your same “group” that you have now. It’s taken four years for me to find a wide range of people that I feel comfortable with.

 Honestly, now with the fear of deadlines, time management, and that dreaded phrase Where do you want to go to college? The time for petty friend drama (one large example is “lunch tables”) has hit a close for me. Life is short, and as much as I hated going through sophomore and junior year, I got through it. It may seem like decades are spent inside this building, but winter will pass sooner than you think and graduation will be right around the corner.

 Boyfriends and girlfriends are a completely different situation. New Hope’s small-there’s no denying it. Rumors spread quickly. Whatever happens over a weekend is usually spread around the school and is manipulated into something much bigger than it ever was. From my personal experience all I have to say is this, don’t do something you will end up regretting. Take the time to prepare yourself (concerts, an event with meeting new people, basically anything outside of your comfort zone) and make sure in the end you won’t be getting hurt physically, mentally and emotionally. Being spontaneous is awesome, but double checking your reasoning doesn’t hurt.

 Mistakes are going to happen in highschool but the best thing you can do is learn from them, But keep in mind that high school is not everything and that there’s a crazy, large world outside of Bucks County. Find a balance of courses that challenge you and a group of friends that you feel comfortable with: if something feels wrong, speak up. Whether it's four years or a few mere months left of highschool, take the time to still focus on yourself and what you’re looking for in a friendship or relationship.

The political system of the US is in decline

Dan Maxian
Guest Sociology Writer

Dan Maxian, a student of Ms. Anderson’s sociology class, recently published his results from a survey conducted in the high school. The survey he put out was intended to find a relationship between political awareness and an individual’s favorability of a radical presidential candidate.
  Maxian addressed a critical question in America today: How are these radical candidates so popular? Maxian understood that Mr. Donald Trump and Senator Bernie Sanders both are proposing ideas that are contradictory to American ideals and the Constitution. Maxian wanted to see whether the reason for the popularity of these candidates was because of a lack of awareness for the political system or if people have such a discontent for the current of government that they demand change.
  Maxian’s survey found that there was no clear difference in the preference of candidates between uninformed and informed participants. In fact, 100% of informed participants prefered radical candidates.
  Maxian commented about the people who returned the survey blank, concluding that those individuals felt such a strong disconnect with the government system that they refused to answer.
  Maxian has used his survey results to try and convey the need for reform in the American political system.
  Radical inequality or radical socialism are not the solution. America needs to educate people on the original values that the country once held.
  Education is key and awareness is key. This is made clear by Maxian’s findings. Neither Mr. Trump or Senator Sanders should be in office.
  This assumption is incongruous with the astounding popularity the outsider candidates have gathered.
  Maxian’s survey was lacking essential elements to make it statistically significant, however. He seemed to ignore the problems in his survey size, which was shockingly small.
  Maxian makes important points about the overall understanding the average person has about the American government. Overall misunderstandings could lead to the evident disapproval people feel towards their government.

What is happening with Prom?

Nina Coughlin and Katie Tangradi
Staff Writers

In most schools, prom season is the most exciting time of the year, from promposals nearly every day to chatting with your friend about your dress and all your appointments.
  That doesn’t seem to be the case in New Hope-Solebury this year.
  Prom 2016 at NHS-HS seems to have more negatives than positives. Between the high prices and limited travel options, not many people are happy with the way it is turning out this year. Tickets are $20 more expensive than last year, which may not seem like such a bad thing, but keep in mind some people buy both tickets for themselves and their date. Prices can reach $310 a couple, at $155 each. The main reason prices have increased since last year is to incorporate the travel expenses.
  Students don’t even have the option to invest in their own transportation at all. Prom attendees are required to arrive at 4:15 PM to travel on coach buses which depart at 4:30 PM.
  “I’m pretty sure I wasn’t even in my dress by 4:15 last year, let alone preparing to leave for the venue,” says Brooke Black, a junior who attended prom as a sophomore in 2015.
  All underclassmen are required to attend school the day of prom, or leave at 11 AM with parent permission. If the earliest students are allowed to leave is 11 AM, but they have to be at the school by 4:15 PM, then appointments must all occur within a limited timeframe.
  Some girls may have appointments scheduled at a location up to an hour away from New Hope, while other girls may be lucky enough to have back-to-back appointments for hair and makeup at the same location immediately after they leave school.
  Looking at best case scenario, that would still only leave them with an hour at most to get dressed and get to pictures. Prom is stressful enough, students don’t need the extra time crunch.
  After the event, all buses leave at 10 PM, with no alternatives or exceptions. Desired departure time from prom can vary from one student to the next. Some may want to leave early to hit the beach for the weekend, while others may want to stay the entire four hours to get the full experience.
  Although the prices of tickets are expensive, a majority of the upperclassmen would rather leave early and spend money on their own private transportation. This allows them the ability to leave prom when they please.
Prom should be something all high school students can look back on and enjoy the memory, but how can someone enjoy spending hundreds of dollars with little to no freedom while attending?

Why we dislike online textbooks

Lindsay Park

Staff Writer

What happened to the good old days of paper and ink? I don’t understand when having a book with pages and a hardcover became such a hassle. The solution for this suspected problem is an online or downloaded textbook.

 In the beginning of the year instead of taking five to ten minutes to hand out textbooks, teachers now have to take the entire period, or more, to ensure students have access to their books. Whether books are online with special logins, or if they are downloaded onto their 1:1 device, setting them up is a more time consuming, confusing process.

 Once your book is all set up, you are ready to do your homework. That is unless you are unable to connect to the internet. Though this may not be a problem for everyone, some students, like me, whose house has a terrible Wi-Fi signal, are faced with quite the issue.

 I enjoy the privacy of doing my homework in a quiet place, but the only place I receive Wi-Fi signal is in my family room, where the television is constantly on and conversation never stops.   

 This problem would be easily solved by having a textbook, the old fashioned kind. This is also the solution for people who never charge their devices or who lose their chargers. Without power a downloaded textbook no longer has any use.

 By trying to create an easier way for students to learn using online textbooks, schools have unintentionally added extra stress to an already dreaded task.

The truth about useless classes in high school

Jackie Gouris

A&E Editor

As a senior, I have come to the realization that there are two types of classes you will have in high school. There are classes where you learn, and classes where you learn something.

 You will undoubtedly come across a class in high school where you sit down every day, pay attention, take notes, and as soon as you take that final in June every piece of information you crammed inside your head the night before is completely gone. And it’s not your fault, students, because that is what you have been conditioned to do. Although you are berated for cramming right before the tests, there are no real consequences for not knowing the information longterm. Very rarely are you really forced to retain knowledge, because the first month of school is reserved for relearning all of the information that melted out of your brain in the heat of the summer. So, in student’s minds, there is no reason to retain this knowledge over a long period of time, especially when the information is useless beyond the classroom.

 Yes, learning to learn is extremely important, but within that process, the things students learn can sometimes be just plain boring. No educator wants to hear that, but to students at least, that is the truth.

 The other classes the ones where you learn something are classes that you will remember for the rest of your life. They are classes where the teacher pushed you, probably further than you would have liked, and you came out on the other side actually having retained real knowledge that you can take with you for the rest of your life. These lessons are never taught, at least not directly. They are learned through observation and a teacher’s ability to communicate to the student in a way that causes that eureka! moment. Classes like these are not limited to a certain subject. Any class can be related to the real world, and that is all that students want out of a class, really. Not by showing that one day an obscure piece of information or formula may be useful, but how some life lesson can be used in a real-life situation.