ALUMNI MUSICIANS

/ p. 8

Q&A WITH GREG MURRAY

/ p. 10

Monday, February 11, 2013

Volume 41 Issue 13

Statewide search for shooter briefly affects PLNU

California Highway Patrol issues Blue Alert for San Diego County

NEED TO KNOW
*The suspect is considered armed and extremely dangerous* - A blue alert has been activated in the following counties: Kern, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Orange, Riverside, San Diego and Imperial. - On Feb. 7, at approximately 1:22 a.m., the suspect was involved in multiple shootings with multiple agencies in the Riverside CHP area. - The suspect is Christopher Jordan Dorner, a 33-year-old black male, 6 feet tall, 270 lbs., with black hair, brown eyes.
*Information from California Highway Patrol

Christopher Dorner

photo courtesy of hana eades One federal officer and one NCIS officer return to their vehicles at the corner of North Harbor Drive and Laning Street after searching the nearby Liberty Station area for the shooting suspect.

abby hamblin and hana eades staff writers

The statewide manhunt for an active shooter touched the PLNU community briefly on Thursday when the Department of Public Safety announced the lockdown of the Liberty Station Conference Center where some PLNU classes are held. There is an active shooter situation unfolding in Liberty Station. Suspect is barricaded in hotel in that vicinity and police are on scene. All students and employees should avoid this location until further notice. LSCC has been locked down, wrote Director of Public Safety Mark Galbraith in a campus-wide text message and email alert

sent at 10:41 a.m. The Liberty Station Conference Center houses the Fermanian Business and Economic Institute, an office for Public Safety as well as offices for a few other members of PLNU staff and faculty. There are also classrooms for nursing and business classes. The center includes rentable space for conferences and events, such as the Patriot Group, Inc.s job fair event on Thursday. The events employing participants included Riverside County and San Diego County Sheriffs Departments and the San Diego Police Departments, along with the Department of Navy and Marine Corps Personnel Office. The combination of these armed officers and the PLNU Department of Public Safety presence already there for

their typical day shifts meant many capable law enforcement officials were present. At 11:17 Thursday morning, Public Safety released another notification clarifying its previous message: the sighting of a suspected shooter earlier in the day turned out to be false, as well as the report that the suspect had been barricaded in a Liberty Station Hotel. SDPD is on-site at LSCC and will remain in the location through the duration of this incident. LSCC is no longer on lockdown status based on the latest intelligence from SDPD, Galbraith wrote. Galbraith also announced that shuttle services to Liberty Station would be canceled for the day. [cont. SHOOTER, p. 2]

ASB joins with XXXChurch to present Lets Talk Sex

casslyn fiser staff writer
Is it all right for Christians to talk openly about sex and its benefits? asked one of the students at Tuesday evenings Lets Talk Sex discussion. Craig Gross, one of the founders of the XXXChurch and the facilitator for the evening, answered quickly. Yes. Yes absolutely. You have to talk about it or youll end up doing things youre not proud of. Said Ian McKay, ASB president, This is an important conversation that needs to happen on this campus. More than 150 students came out to take part in this discussion, which was largely a message about how, as Christians, we relate to sex in a society that is constantly telling us to take part in it. I think this talk was a good idea because it gives students the option to hear about Christian values from someone outside of the school, and to solidify the opinions of those who agree but also offer different insight for those who do not, said freshman Stephanie Sanchez. Founded originally in response the hurt Gross saw in both those addicted to and involved in producing porn, XXXChurch has since grown in popularity for both consumers and professionals in the industry. Gross attributes the success of his ministry to the [cont. XXX, p. 2]

THURSDAY THROWBACK

photo courtesy of will macneil ASB hosted its first dance of the spring semester on Thursday with its 90s-themed Thursday Throwback event. Students dressed up in their best 90s attire and danced to famous 90s music in the ARC.

2 | NEWS

the point weekly | Monday, monday, january11, 23,2013 2012 February

Student-frequented parking no longer free

Horton Plaza parking garage establishes $10 fee
julie mckibben staff writer
The search to find inexpensive parking downtown has always been a challenge, and it wont be getting easier anytime soon now that Westfield Horton Plaza Mall in downtown San Diego has ended their famous three-hour free parking. The Westfield center now requires a $10 purchase in order to park in its facilities. Those parking in the multilevel garage can spend their $10 at any of the malls stores, restaurants or movie theaters and will receive validation for their car. Without validation, the parking is $8 per hour, or $2 every 15 minutes, with a maximum of $60. The new parking policy allows customers to have free 30-minute parking between 4:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. The $10 fee takes effect between 9:30 a.m. and 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays. Flyers are also passed out in the garage that show all the rules for the new policy, said an office assistant to the Westfield center. Validation is also accepted with multiple receipts that add up to $10 and shoppers are asked to show their receipts to the concierge located on the first level. Ernest Villarreal, Ace Parking manager for the center, told U-T San Diego, "One of the challenges we always faced was some of the outside merchants would post on their websites to go to Horton Plaza and get free parking. We get a lot of visitors who go outside the mall and that's fine, but the validation was not intended for outside merchants, it was always intended for mall shoppers. It seems the new parking policy is meant to help business in the mall. However, one Forever 21 manager, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of jeopardizing her job, might not agree. I dont know if it will actually affect the business because a lot of people might not come anymore because they dont want to pay the $10. It has good and bad things. A manager for Express, who wished to remain anonymous for the same reasons, expressed similar frustration. I think its kind of irritating the customers, and if they are irritated, so are we. Both companies expressed that people took advantage of the free parking and they arent sure how that will affect their business. Many PLNU students have used the parking garage in the past to park downtown for free while having dinner or dessert somewhere beside the mall. PLNU junior Desire Cheney said she thinks the new policy is unfair. What if I just wanted to go to the mall and browse, or if I could not find what I was looking for? I would be upset that I would still have to pay at least $10 somewhere just to get my ticket validated, Cheney said. Another junior, Marissa Labate, experienced the new parking fees over the weekend. I parked in Horton plaza over the weekend and I wont do it ever again, because I was completely ripped off. I ended up having to pay $24 for three hours. However, U-T San Diego quotes Villareal, Westfield is committed to providing exceptional experiences at our shopping centers, and This starts with [the] arrival and the ability to find a convenient and affordable place to park. Our new policy is designed to reward our custom-

NEED TO KNOW:
- We s t f i e ld Ce n te r n ow r e q u ir e s a $10 p u r c ha s e in o r d e r to p ar k in i t s f ac ili tie s . - Without validation, the parking is $8 per hour or $2 per 15 minutes. - The $10 fee takes ef fect between 9:30 a.m. and 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays.

ers, while also continuing to provide spaces available to those who live, work and play downtown.

SHOOTER cont. from p. 1

Randy Ataide, executive director of the Fermanian Business and Economic Institute, was at the LSCC when the shooter situation began to unfold. There was never any huge alarm, we were all just being very prudent, Ataide said. Ataide said there were about eight other PLNU staff and faculty members as well as one student worker present at the time of the lockdown. Ataide said he was in constant contact with SDPD, Public Safety and the deans of both the business and nursing schools throughout the situation. Hes very capable, said Ivan Filby, dean of the Fermanian School of Business, about Ataide. He was in the navy. Hes levelheaded. He doesnt flap easily. Ataide said the lockdown lasted less than five minutes. The Department of Public Safety held about 10 people in the foyer of the building while waiting for more information from SDPD. Ataide also said any time there are students at the LSCC, there are Public Safety officers on duty and there is also a private security group that patrols the area. We were all meeting together in constant conversation, watching the helicopters, emails and news, Ataide said. Filby said he was pleased with the way the PLNU presence at the LSCC handled the situation. I thought they followed the procedures well, Filby said. The information was appropriate and not overly done. DPS sent a final notification at 3:41 p.m., alerting the campus that the latest intelligence indicated that the suspect was no longer in the San Diego area. The notification also said that LSCC classes would not be affected for Friday. Additional Public Safety officers were deployed to screen vehicles entering campus.

photo courtesy of hana eades The Liberty Station Conference Center, which houses the Fermanian Business and Economic Institute and some PLNU classrooms, was briefly put on lockdown on Feb. 7.

XXX cont. from p. 1

fact that they deliver a message of hope rather than judgment, stating emphatically verbally, on signs, and even printed on the covers of Bibles that Jesus loves porn stars. Gross has been involved with the professionals in the industry for more than 10 years, and in that time has befriended many of the stars, including Porn King Ron Jeremy, with whom he has started a debate series that he takes to college campuses to discuss issues of sex and pornography. Ive never met anybody in the industry who isnt as conflicted as you and I are, Gross said, referencing the fact that the moral character of many of the industry professionals is often questioned. For this reason, Gross ministry offers the message of Christ to those people in the industry who are willing to listen. This isnt a glamorous place, he said of the industry. This is a dark room with broken people. During his talk with the students here at PLNU, Gross emphasized the struggle of porn addiction, a struggle faced by people from all walks of life. The reality is that there are a lot of us that have dealt with this or are dealing with it, they just dont want to talk about it, Gross said. He explained that porn gives people a false idea of what sex should be, because sex is as much a spiritual act as it is a physical act There are a lot of ideas that porn has given [people] that [they] should not ever expect in real life. So Gross and his cofounder, Mike Foster, developed a way to help people fight porn addiction, because, he said, porn is a cheap substitute for what God designed sex to be. The cornerstone of his recovery process is confession and accountability, both to friends and to God. One of the final questions of the evening was not uncommon, according to Gross. Why abstain from sex? was the question he received via text. His answer was simple: You have to trust that Gods ways are better.

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the point weekly | Monday, monday,February january 11, 23, 2013 2012

FEATURES | 3

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK We accept the love we think we deserve. - The Perks of Being a Wallflower
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Comedy a hidden talent at PLNU

haley jonswold staff writer
Among the talented individuals that wander the campus of PLNU, several hidden gems exist in humorous forms. These individuals are often referred to as comedians. Comedy is an art form that challenges the boundaries created by society to shed more light on the darkest of lifes realities. This art form sometimes steps outside of what is acceptable among the Christian community in order to fully express the underlying pain and passion within the artist. Comedians face the judgment of people every day based on the content and delivery of their jokes and performances. Jason Perez, PLNU senior, has always wanted to be a comedian. As he searched for the right comedy setting, he found that the experiences and struggles he had along the way inspired his brand of comedy. Perez has now had training at Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, and regularly practices and performs at National Comedy Theatre in San Diego. He has been performing for four years and has found his niche in long form improvisation. Perez is enjoying his Sunday nights performing family friendly shows at the National Comedy Theatre at 7:30. Occasionally, Perez also performs in a long form improvisation show, called Mashup, at National Comedy Theatre. Perez may have found his niche at these comedy theatres filled with lovers of comedy, yet he said that here at PLNU he still feels like an outsider at times. As he balances his time in a church community and a comedy scene, he often asks, How can I call myself a Christian and at the same time go to these shows that

photo courtesy of rachel pomeroy Rachel Pomeroy (far right), a special projects assistant at PLNU, participates in a class at the National Comedy Theatre.

are anything but Christian? Comedians at PLNU share the common struggle to justify the contrast of crude humor and biblical scripture that constitute so much of their lives. While his comedy may not always reflect his Nazarene background, Perez is on fire for God. Art is a therapeutic way for him to express himself, a form of expression he says he cant live without. I love God and I believe Christ died for my sins. I also believe portraying art in my own way is important, said Perez. Another improvisation comedian is Rachel Pomeroy, special projects assistant at PLNU. Like Perez, she attends classes at the National Comedy Theatre. This

week, Pomeroy is looking forward to performing at a hospital for seniors. Pomeroy has enjoyed the comedy scene as a way to experience people from all sorts of backgrounds. It's been so enriching to be around people of different backgrounds from myself, said Pomeroy. It also gives me the opportunity for others to see my positive attitude and wonder where all the joy comes from, which I know comes from God's love. Pomeroy has shared her love of God with people in the comedy community. At one show, she was approached by a lady who was surprised Pomeroy worked at PLNU. It was nice to show her that our faith community isn't a bunch

of frumpy, unhappy people who follow rules and are out to judge people, Pomeroy said. We like to have fun and encourage others to have it as well. Standup comic and senior Harris Smith said he is always working toward funnier. He gravitates toward standup, because he is the one fully in control of the entire show. Smith describes comedy as a place where he can share the gift of laughter. While an on-and-off student at PLNU, Smith works towards his goals of making people laugh as he has traveled to perform at a variety of shows from Orange County to London. He says that his shows are not something he could share with

most students here at PLNU. He does claim, though, that he successfully delivers his jokes without any profanity. Smiths approach to comedy is different from the long form improvisation of Perez and Pomeroy, but they all have the similar goal of creating laughter through art. And, no matter how hard it may be to face the vulnerability of being on stage, or the judgment of others, they keep drawing laughter from their audiences. In the end, however, laughter is simple. It helps these comedians get through the day. We tell jokes because [reality is] painful and the jokes help heal us, said Perez.

UPCOMING EVENTS
A Valentines Day Evening with Garrison Keillor - Feb. 14 - Brown Chapel - 7 p.m. Storyline Conference with Donald Miller - Feb. 23-24 - Brown Chapel Writers Symposium by the Sea - Crill Hall Cathleen Falsani - Feb. 25 - 7:00 p.m. Billy Collins - Feb. 26 - 7:00 p.m. Acoustic Alumni - Feb. 27 - 7:00 p.m.

4 | FEATURES

the point weekly | monday, january11, 23,2013 2012 Monday, February

PLNU to spend Valentines Day with Garrison Keillor

christina kilpatrick staff writer
Garrison Keillor, author, satirist and radio star, will be returning to Brown Chapel on Valentines Day, Thursday, to perform a solo show. Keillor is best known for his radio show A Prairie Home Companion, which he started in 1974 at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn. According to the shows website, it is now heard by 4 million listeners each week on more than 600 public radio stations. The show has broadcast from almost every one of the 50 states as well as Canada, Ireland, Scotland, England, Germany and Iceland. Keillor performed in Brown Chapel for the first time in 2010. According to Edie Chapman, Event Coordinator for the Department of Literature, Journalism and Modern Languages (LJML), Keillor enjoyed his time at PLNU. His publicist contacted Dean Nelson, Director of PLNUs Journalism Program, and asked if the university would like him to come back. Nelson and Chapman agreed with enthusiasm. Because LJML is dedicated to connecting students with good writers as often as we can, we were thrilled to host Keillor again, said Chapman. His brand of humor and ability to tell a story do indeed earn him the title of being a modern day Mark Twain [a title he has often been given]. According to Chapman, Keillor connected with his Brown Chapel audience in 2010 by incorporating PLNU into his monologues, including mentioning Madame Tingley and the Theosophical Society in his opening piece. Chapman said that she enjoyed having students discover Keillors storytelling and humor. Many students, she said, had never heard of him before. Some PLNU students, however, have been fans of Keillor for years and are looking forward to his second visit. Ian McKay, senior and ASB president, has been a fan since childhood. McKay said he used to listen to cassettes of Keillors shows and skits on family vacations. McKay, who grew up in the Midwest, relates to Keillors stories because of their references to Midwestern culture. My freshman year I went to see him when he was here, and it was probably one of the best events I have gone to at Point Loma, said McKay. Most students dont know who he is, which is sad because I think he is one of the last great storytellers. According to Chapman, Keillor is known to be liberal in his politics, and his language and humor can be coarse. This caused some people to disapprove of his performance in 2010. Next weeks event, however, has already sold out and has a waiting list of people hoping to still get tickets. Brown Chapel will be filled to capacity at 1,700 people, about 90 percent from off campus.
A Valentines Day Evening with Garrison Keillor will take place in Brown Chapel Thursday at 7 p.m.

Faculty Science and Theology Reading Group tradition lives on

eddie matthews staff writer
Thirteen professors lined the four sides of the tables in Cunningham B on Feb. 4 at noon at the Science and Theology Lunch. While they ate, the discussion of the book Phi: A Voyage From the Brain to the Soul by Giulio Tononi began, an organic conversation that covered numerous topics: from trying to define when consciousness first occurs to wondering if consciousness and being a person conflate. The Science and Theology Reading Group has regularly met since the fall of 1996. Group attendance fluctuates, depending mainly on the book being read and the schedule of the professors, yet there has been a core of professors who regularly attend: Mark Mann, Art Seamans, Keith Holly, April Maskiewicz, Rebecca Flietstra, Rick Moncauskas, Michael Lodahl and Dawne Page, to name a few. They come from many departments: Communications, Psychology, Sociology, Theology, Literature, Biology and Chemistry, among others. My hope is that these conversations actually dont just serve to provide intellectual stimulus for the faculty, but also to help forge personal bonds, and relationships across disciplines where they might not otherwise be formed, said Mann, director of the Wesleyan Center and current group facilitator. The meetings have also provided a valuable place for discussion of the work of faculty. Darrel Falk, Sam Powell, Dean Nelson, Michael Lodahl and Rick Kennedy have all had their books read by the group. Lodahl, professor of theology, came to interview at PLNU in 1999 and happened to attend a Science and Theology lunch, counting it among the pluses of coming to PLNU. In describing the intersection of science and theology, he said, Its really at the point of the doctrine of creation that theology and science meet. He related how the theological belief that God is the Creator of all things made everything fair game for exploration, which is where science comes in. A member of the group since 2007, Dr. April Maskiewicz, professor in the Biology department, described being intimidated the first semester that she attended. She overcame her fear of feeling ignorant with a story from one of those early meetings. The group had been talking about disciples and apostles, so she asked: Whats the difference between an apostle and a disciple? and I found out later, people emailed me, and they said, Thanks for asking that because I didnt know either, and so thats when I realized [I needed to] just ask the questions. Page, Biology professor and department chair, has been involved with the group since coming to PLNU in 2002. She said via email, People ask questions that dont have easy answers or maybe any answer. Its invigorating to explore those questions. Mann echoes this sentiment, saying, We all have questions. Its not like weve got all the answers, and so this gives the faculty an opportunity to begin to explore some of the questions that we still have. Maskiewicz emphasized the importance of this freedom to inquire. Its really important, I think, that its an environment where you can ask questions, not know everything, have some kind of crazy ideas and everybody realizes everybody in the room is a Christian, has a love for the Lord and is just trying to make sense of all this, and we all just know theres a lot of different perspectives out there. Just because we have one of them doesnt make it right. Added Lodahl, Itd be neat to see something like this give birth or spread to a student discussion.

WOR D ON T H E LA N E:
vv

Students offer their favorite love songs

haley jonswold staff writer

While Valentines day might not be everyones favorite holiday, its almost impossible to avoid running into a group of girls in the dorms watching The Notebook or hearing love songs all day on the radio. So we decided to celebrate by heading out to Caf Lane and asking a few students what their favorite love songs are. (Surprisingly, none of them chose any songs by Taylor Swift.)

PHOTOS COURTESY OF HALEY JONSWALD

Lovers and Friends by Usher.

Javonte Sales Sophomore Sociology Major

Skinny Love by Bon Iver.

Psychology Major

All Of My Days by Alexi Murdoch.

Social Work Major

Not Even The King by Alicia Keys.

Jasmine Julye Freshman Undeclared

Tatiana Lewis Junior

John Runion Senior

the point weekly | Monday, monday,February january11, 23,2013 2012

FEATURES | 5

Today in Black History: Nelson Mandela set free after 27 years in prison
Black Student Union Celebrates Black History Month
African Dance instruction night - Feb. 14 - Mosaic Lounge - 7 p.m. jordan ligons staff writer
Nelson Mandela walked out of a jail cell in Cape Town, South Africa a free man 23 years ago to date. In celebration of Black History Month, Mandelas dedication and passion is reflected through PLNUs Black Student Union, which is hosting many on-campus events in celebration. Mandela was released from prison after serving 27 years. Mandela would become South Africas first black president four years later in 1994. Mandela was an international symbol of the Anti-Apartheid Movement (AAM), also known as the Boycott Movement, and leader of the African American Congress (ANC). The practice of Apartheid was a legal policy of racial segregation between Black, White, Colored and Indian in South Africa between 1948 and 1993, according to NelsonMandela.org. The recipient of over 695 awards, including the Nobel Peace Prize and the US Congressional Medal, Mandela stated in his famous Speech from the Dock: I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die. Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu said to RFI in 2010, The day Nelson Mandela walked free from Victor Verster Prison, our collective spirit soared. It was a day that promised the beginning of the end of indignity. PLNU students Cierra and Taylor Virtue, freshman twins, lived in South Africa for four and a half years. Cierra says that Mandela is seen as a hero across the nation of South Africa. The nation loves and respects him, she said. He saved South Africa from apartheid. The Virtue twins learned about Mandela and his accolades in history class multiple times. Cierra stated that they learned, among other things, how Mandela and his administration demolished apartheid and his imprisonment encouraging other countries to protest against apartheid. Cierra says that Mandela inspires her because he fought for equality and never gave up. I still believe there is a lot of work to be done in South Africa until equality is fully achieved, she said. PLNUs Black Student Union (BSU) has this month packed with events on campus to celebrate the historic month (see left). Allison Kendrix, junior and BSU president, says that Black Student Union is a place where people of all different backgrounds are invited to share and learn from one another. We like to refer to ourselves as a family, Kendrix says. Kendrix believes that Black History Month is extremely important to celebrate. It opens up our long journey that we have had as a people, she said. To look back at how far we have come and how far we have to go is crucial to an advancement of people. Black History Month started in 1926 as Negro History Week; then, in 1976, February became Black History Month. Now in 2013, America has its first African American president, Barack Obama; the first African American U.S. Attorney General, Eric Holder; and Rep. James Clyburn, the third-highest ranking Congressional Democrat, as stated in the Huffington Post. Kendrix says, Black History Month provides a time for me to really pay homage to those who made it through the Middle Pas-

Karl Martin to speak on the Harlem Renaissance - Feb. 19 - Location TBD Movie Night - Feb. 21 - Mosaic Lounge - 7 p.m. Black History Celebration Bash - Feb. 28 - ARC - 6 p.m.

photo courtesy of festival karsh ottawa via flickr

sage, spoke up and marched in the 60s and who have impacted our world through their pens, instruments, voices and actions. Looking back helps me move forward.

PLNU discusses nutrition and mental health

katie callahan staff writer
Dietetics majors gathered Wednesday to hear the news about nutrition and mental health from Ruth Leyse-Wallace in Colt Hall. Roughly 50 people were in attendance, packing the entire room at the event, sponsored by the PLNU Student Dietetic Association (SDA) and Family Consumer Sciences (FCS). Wallace, Ph.D. and R.D., was introduced first by her many achievements, including three previous books already published on nutrition and mental health, her latest book and articles on nutrition and mood, anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder and depression. She was the winner of Behavioral Health and Nutritions Excellence in Practice Award in Fall 2010 for her work in the field of nutrition and mental health. Wallace then began her discussion of research, titled Nutrition and Mental Health: The PsychoNutriologic Person, and based off of her upcoming book, Linking Nutrition to Mental Health. A psychoNutriologic person, Wallace described, is an individual who has both nutritional concerns and mental health concerns, which may interact and affect quality of life. Throughout this discussion, Wallace referred to various case studies, statistics and vitamin deficiencies to establish the interaction between nutrition and mental health, and how there is more need to have medical health professionals in nutrition to eliminate or aid in reducing various mental disorders. Wallace focused her presentation on the association between nutrition and genetics, bipolar disorder, vitamin B deficiency, bariatric surgery (weight loss surgery), alcohol consumption, caffeine, vitamin C deficiency, depression, B12 deficiency, antidepressants and stress, among many other examples and case studies. After her presentation, Wallace gave students a few nutritional tips to help themselves in their own eating habits. Take a look at their [students] own diet, she said. Make sure youre getting all the vitamins and minerals they need because otherwise it will affect their mental status. Take a supplement rather than go without. Beyond that, she spoke specifically to college habits when saying that students cant cut nutritional corners. Dont omit any food groups, she said. People do. Im not going to eat dairy, Im going to go on low-carb, dont do that to yourself. Over time, over the day, get some of everything. Cindy Swan, M.S., R.D, director of dietetics and professor in FCS, said that nutritional health issues start small and become bigger issues. [I]f they are not eating properly, I dont know if you noticed some of the things she was saying, was just minor little things that youre not really thinking about: Im not having my vitamin C, Im not having my B vitamins, whatever, said Swan. It doesnt take long and its the psych issues that come up before you start to see the physical damage to the body or the deficiency signs. Swan continued that lacking calories by skipping meals like breakfast has a similar effect. [E]ven though physically your body might still be trying to run, it can start to break down your own tissue, and use that, Swan said. Mentally youre going to start seeing it first. So Im not studying well, I cant concentrate, I have anxiety, I feel stressed, it all kind of relates back to those lifestyle habits. Sabrina Bierman, PLNU junior, dietetics major, and president of the SDA, was interested in the case studies and the statistical data to back up the nutritional and mental health connection. Well, I thought it was really cool, like the case studies and stuff, Bierman said. I never really thought of nutrition as that linked to certain mental disorders, but for the coffee case study and hearing about that, and how the person, when they increased and decreased their caffeine level, how much of a difference that made in their mental disorder. So just stuff like that, just the case studies, really interested me. According to Bierman, students should be more aware of their caffeine intake and what theyre eating in order to stay healthy. Since were in school, I would tell them to keep an eye on their caffeine levels just because it can make you so anxious and jittery and not get very much sleep, Bierman said. So just keep a well-balanced diet while youre in school because it can really improve your health and attentiveness during class.

Three Things Preached in Dietetics by Dr. Swan

- Variety: the more variety you eat, the better. - Everything in moderation - Balance out your plate: -Go on USD.gov - Make sure you eat fruits, vegetables, protein, dairy, etc. - Do that regularly, and you wont have deficiencies! Warning to food limiters and those with restrictive diets: choosing not to eat certain classes of food will get you in trouble!

6 | CENTER

February 11, 2013 January 28, 2013 the point weekly | Monday, monday, january 23, 2012

ASB Candid

Monday, February 11, 2013 January 28, 2013 the point weekly | monday, january 23, 2012

CENTER | 7

dates 2013

8 | A&E

the point weekly | Monday, monday,February january11, 23,2013 2012

2/11-2/17 Pygmalion @ The Old Globe Theater, 7 p.m. 2/15 Ra Ra Riot @ The Belly Up, 9 p.m. 3/13 Alicia Keys @ Valley View Casino Center, 7:30 p.m. 3/18 Imagine Dragons @ House of Blues, 7:30 p.m. 4/11 Rihanna @ Valley View Casino Center, 7:30 p.m.

Senior music composition major in recital

dreams in music composition. PW: What is your recital about? What pieces will you be playing? KS: My recital is a compilation of all of the pieces that I have composed over the past three years. There will be an incredible variety of different musical types on the program, including solo piano, brass quintet, string quartet, mixed instrumental ensembles, percussion ensembles and choral works. Almost 90 different performers are involved, and many of them are PLNU students. The fun part for me, however, is that I never even have to step on stage! My music is already done. The process of finding rehearsal times and performers is always a challenge, but its also the privilege.The great thing about being a composition major is that you have to rely on other musicians interpretation of your thoughts and ideas. My music is only black dots on a page without performers to make them come to life! PW: How long have you been working on this recital? KS: I began working on this recital in my second semester of my freshman year, in the spring of 2010. In total, I wrote approximately 10 minutes worth of music each semester since then, and from that I have chosen what will be performed at my recital. I started to recruit performers over Christmas break, and have been holding different rehearsals weekly since, to make sure the performers are prepared to play the music at the best of their ability! With every performance, I hand over more of myself and my heart to the audience, to the listeners, through the instrumentalists and vocalists that have volunteered their time and talent. Every performer in my recital holds a little bit of my heart in their hands; they are the means by which my feelings and emotions reach the audiences ears. PW: Where do you get your inspiration for writing and playing music? KS: Being inspired to write music is always interesting, because you write it for yourself, but it cant be only for you. The only way that your music lives is through other peoples interpretations of it, whether they are listening or performing. PW: What styles of music and which composers influence you? KS: I know it sounds like a generic answer, but I really do love all types of music! The cool thing about music is that there is so much of it, and it all differs an incredible amount. You can also be influenced by both what you like, and also what you dont like. There isnt a single piece of music out there that I think I couldnt learn anything from. All in all, because I have participated in so many musical theatre productions in the past, my music tends to have a theatre-esque sound. At the same time, some pieces lean toward postromantic and romantic era music, with tributes to Debussy and other great composers. Recently, I have become really fascinated with experimenting with jazz-like harmonies and movement, which have given a contemporary sound to a few of my pieces. PW: What are you hoping to do post-graduation with your career? KS: My favorite and most influential part of my experience here at PLNU was my four years as a member of the Point Loma Singers, a chamber choir here on campus. My love for choral music and for being a part of a choir is so large that I cant even imagine what life would be like without it. Ultimately, I would love to conduct my own choir, and be able to work with students even half as wonderful as the students that I have met through PLS. PW: Why would you encourage students to come to your recital? KS: Student Composition recitals are rare and really cool. It is one of the few and only concerts where you can go and hear so many various types of music for so many various types of mediums. There are very few concerts on campus (or in general) that are free, and you can hear a brass quintet, a percussion ensemble, and a choir piece all in the same night. Plus, none of it is music by some dead guys that wrote it 400 years ago. Instead, its an hour and a half of some cool music written by someone your age, someone that you know and someone that goes to your school. Kirstens recital will be in Crill Performance Hall on Tuesday, Feb. 19 at 7:30 p.m.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KIRSTEN SHETLER

kimberly miller contributor

Kirsten Shetler, senior Music Composition major, says there is not a single piece of music from which she could learn nothing. She is fascinated with all types of music and seeks to write material which can inspire the interpretation of

other musicians. At this years annual composition competition, held through the Music Teacher National Association, one of Shetlers pieces ranked among the top seven in the country under the Young Artist Division. With that honor and years of hard work, Shetler will soon be performing her Senior Recital here at PLNU. She shares more on her excitement with this upcoming recital and looks ahead to her

Alumni musicians at Writers Symposium

amy williams staff writer
As part of this years Writers Symposium, Dr. Karl Martin will talk with a few alumni musicians about their music in an event called Acoustic Alumni. Bryan Bangerter of Family Wagon and Meg & Bryan and Joel West of The Tree Ring will be joining this conversation to talk about song writing, music and life. The Point Weekly got a chance to talk with Bryan about what he has been doing with music as well as what he is planning for the Writers Symposium. Point Weekly: What are you working on now in life and in music? Bryan Bangerter: Im writing for a new Family Wagon record, rehearsing with a band for the Bryan B. William project and getting over the flu. That was the worst. PW: Do you have anything special planned for the symposium? BB: I do. Some new and old songs, and some special guests. Im mainly a fan of the event so Ill just do what I can to contribute. PW: What first got you started into music? BB: My parents were songwriters and musicians so I grew up around it. Although, I didnt start to care for it until I moved out from home and went to college. I had all this time and angst, so thats where songwriting began. PW: What style of music is your favorite? BB: I just bought The Walkmens You & Me and a Pat Martino record. PW: What is your process like for writing songs? BB: Come to the Writers Symposium and Ill tell you. PW: How would you describe your music in one sentence? BB: Acoustic pop/soul and if you see my rock band, its rock. You can check out the dates of Bryans upcoming shows at bryanbwilliam.com. [cont. ACOUSTIC ALUMNI p. 9]

PHOTO COURTESY OF BRYAN BANGERTER

the point weekly | monday, january 11, 23, 2013 2012 Monday, February

A&E | 9

Display of sexuality sparks debate

guimel sibingo staff writer
Beyoncs Superbowl Half-Time performance gave cause for much chatter on the Internet, much of it revolving around the sexual nature of her perfomance. Comments posted on website RageAgainstTheMinivan.com expressed both approval for Beyoncs display of sexuality as an empowering force for women and dismay at Beyoncs participation in the objectification of women. Fabulous! Thats a performer! Beyonc killed it at the Super Bowl! Girl power all the way, one comment said, while another voiced a much different opinion. Are we really going to pretend Beyonc does all that because shes in control and doing whatever she wants, or is it also because thats what every women whos a star has to do to stay relevant and stay on the magazine covers and be in the news?

PHOTO COURTESY OF DEVIANTART.COM

They are humiliated by being fed the message that it doesnt matter how successful, powerful or smart you are all that matters is how sexually available you are willing to make yourself look, Hadley Freeman
This issue of female sexuality,

as heightened by Beyoncs performance, is one often debated in feminist circles. Its a real challenge for feminists to try to kind of negotiate, said Karl Martin, professor of literature. In Beyonc: being photographed in your underwear doesnt help feminism, an opinion piece published in The Guardian, Hadley Freeman criticized Beyonc for the sexual expression of her recent GQ magazine cover, accusing her of participating in a males definition of sexuality a definition that, in her opinion, women should try to avoid. They are humiliated by being fed the message that it doesnt matter how successful, powerful or smart you are all that matters is how sexually available you are willing to make yourself look, Freeman wrote. Feministing.com, a prominent blog on feminism, issued a response

to Freedmans article. In Feminism is totally cool with Beyonc posing in her underwear co-writers Sesali Bowen and Maya Dusenbery argued that prominent display of female sexuality can promote the feminist cause. Has it really never occurred to Freeman that sometimes women like being seen as sexy? they wrote, And that is not an inherently awful thing? Or that sometimes posing in your underwear is empowering? PLNU sophomore Bree Burris said she did not think the sexual nature of Beyoncs performance was alarming or demeaning. I think a womans sexuality can be expressed in different ways: some positive and some negative, Burris said via email. I feel that [Beyonc] represented women in a powerful way, demonstrating that we can be confident, powerful, and sexy in a

very tasteful way. Martin said much attention is given to females in particular as it pertains to sexuality, more so than to males. Male performers can present themselves in very different ways than female performers without being criticized for being overtly sexual, Martin said. Were much more sensitive to women being objectified or objectifying themselves than we are with men. PLNU junior Michal Hoenecke agrees. I think its due to the way that [Beyonc] presents herself and the way that she exudes it, Hoenecke said. The fact that shes wearing almost nothing makes you initially think of sex. Hoenecke claims that this is not exclusive to women. You look at Chris Brown. When he performs for some of his videos he makes you think of sex just as much as Beyonc, Hoenecke said. Assistant professor of philosophy Heather Ross thinks that there should be a retraining in the perception of sexuality and women. I think its really important for that not to be the first question that is asked of a woman who is onstage, she said. If what I see in Beyonc is a debased form of sexuality, something that needs to be kept under control . that is super problematic. Ross said that sexuality in and of itself is not the problem. I think sex in a particular context can be quite, not bad at all, she said. It can be a problem, if I understand my body and my sexuality as something that can be used [and] consumed. Ross said harm is not to be found in Beyoncs display of sexuality but rather the selling of it as a product. We cannot forget that this is a Pepsi commercial, she said. Beyoncs sexuality gets under the logic of sales and thats when it becomes debased.

ACOUSTIC ALUMNI cont. from p.8

The Point Weekly also got the opportunity to talk with Joel West of The Tree Ring about life, music and the Acoustic Alumni. Point Weekly: What kinds of things are you working on right now in life and in music? Joel West: I just finished a score for a feature film by Destin Cretton called Short Term 12 and am slowly starting the writing process for new songs with my band The Tree Ring. PW: Do you have anything special planned for the symposium? JW: Im planning on playing some songs that showcase my writing and my work with The Tree Ring, but will definitely play something new if anything is ready by then. PW: What first got you started into music? JW: I played in the school band a little when I was young, but connected most directly with music in high school when my sister got a guitar. I would try and play along to songs that I liked in skateboard and snowboard videos, which eventually led to me wanting to write my own. PW: What style of music is your favorite to play and listen to? JW: These days I listen to all kinds of things, trying to learn and find inspiration for projects Im working on. But when I am listening to music at home or on trips just for enjoyment, I tend to listen to the most quiet and slow music I can find. PW: Who are some of your musical influences? JW: Leonard Cohen, Bjork, Joanna Newsom, Scott Walker. PW: What is your process like for writing songs? JW: I usually work on songs in batches and will slowly spend time on little guitar parts, arrangement ideas, lyrics and themes over a few months. I go for long periods of time building a bank of ideas in each of those realms and will then spend a couple months trying to assemble them into a record. Often certain chord changes, melodies, and lines will wander around to a few different songs before finding a home, and once some of the songs feel like they have their own legs I spend a bit of time filling in the gaps and letting the record take its natural course and shape. PW: Do you prefer to be in the studio or performing? JW: Im most interested in the writing and recording process. I enjoy spending the hours slowly chiseling at words and notes to try and get an idea of feeling across, and then working with other musicians to create something permanent that we can always listen back to as a memory. Performing with friends in the right context is really enjoyable, but for me it is usually paired with a ton of event coordinating to make it happen, so I dont have as pure of a love for the process. PW: What else are you interested in? JW: Being outside and in the mountains as much as possible. You can see Bryan and Joel along with Katie Reynolds at the Writers Symposium at Acoustic Alumni on Feb 27 at 7 p.m.

10 | SPORTS

February 11, 2013 January 28, 2013 the point weekly | Monday, monday, january 23, 2012

2/11-12: W. Golf @ San Diego Womens Golf Championship, all day. 2/11: Basketball @ BYU-Hawaii, W. 7 p.m., M. 9:30 p.m. 2/12: Baseball @ UC San Diego, 6 p.m. 2/13: Basketball @ Chaminade (Hawaii), W. 7 p.m., M. 9:30 p.m. 2/15-16: Baseball vs. Hawaii-Hilo (DH), 11 a.m. both days 2/16: Tennis @ University of Redlands, M. 10 a.m., W. 11 a.m. 2/16: Track @ Fresno Pacific Dual Meet, 11 a.m. 2/16: Basketball @ Hawaii-Hilo, W. 2 p.m., M. 4:30 p.m.

Q&A with former Sea Lion basketball star Greg Murray

amy williams staff writer
Greg Murray is a PLNU alumnus who graduated last May and played basketball for the Sea Lions from 20082012. He has been living in Israel since September with his wife Tabitha (formerly Henken, a three-time NAIA All-American volleyball player at PLNU), playing professional basketball for Hapoel Tivon Megiddo of the IsraelNational League. Murray, a 65 forward, is averaging a team-high 20 points per game and 7.1 rebounds per game while shooting over 61 percent from the field. On Jan. 16, he played in the National League All Star Game, scoring 16 points. He also made the finals of the Dunk Contest. The Point Weekly emailed Greg in the Middle East to ask some questions about professional basketball, his wife and his new life in Israel. Point Weekly : How did the opportunity to play in Israel come about? Greg Murray: This opportunity is the culmination of a little persistence and a lot of luck. Coach Hiebenthal at Point Loma put me in touch with one of his coaching buddies in Italy, who sent my film to a bunch of agents. I spent most of the summer talking to agents and I wasnt really finding anything. It was getting pretty late in the summer and most of the teams were starting their seasons so I started looking for at Emporia State University. Its nice because she can take all of her classes online if we end up being out of the country the next couple of years. Im really proud of her! PW: Whats one of the strangest things that has happened to you and Tabitha since you moved to Israel? GM: Living in America gives us a comparatively safe view of war and terrorism. We see it on the TV but unless we serve in the military thats the closest we get. During the crisis in November in Gaza we saw tanks being moved on the freeway. They canceled games in areas where rockets had landed. I guess the strangest part is seeing that the soldiers carry their guns everywhere. After being here a while it makes you feel safer, but at first when you see them at the mall, in movie theaters or on the street it can be a little jarring. You can read more on what Greg and Tabitha have been up to on Gregs blog, 4east4.wordpress.com.

photo courtesy of tabitha murray

Greg Murray played basketball at PLNU from 2008-2012. Currently, the forward is averaging 20 ppg and 7.1 rpg for Hapoel Tivon Megiddo in the Israel-National League. Murray signed autographs for local fans at a clinic last October.

a nine-to-five in the states. I got a call from a team in Israel that was going to fly me out for a two-week tryout. I left three days later. PW: What is a normal day like for you? GM: A normal day starts at 9:30ish with coffee and breakfast with Tab. A couple of days a week we have morning shooting practice so Ill head off to that. On the way home the other American and I will grab some lunch and then I hangout with Tab until the evening practice. After that Tab and I usually watch a movie or TV show (Modern Family, New

Girl, Gold Rush Alaska) and then hit the sack. PW: Youve been married for about seven months now. What has it been like adjusting to the married lifestyle and a new culture at the same time? GM: Married life is awesome! Its kind of cool for us to do it this way because were learning how to be married without a lot of other distractions. Shes really the only one I spent time with so weve been relying on each other to figure out this culture. Its an adventure! PW: How are you adjusting to the competition as well as adjusting to your new teammates? GM: The game is a lot different here. Its more team-oriented and less focused on defense. The pace is also faster, which I dont mind. Almost everyone speaks English, so I get along with my teammates pretty well.

PW: Whats your favorite part of living and playing there? GM: Its been my dream to play pro basketball for as long as I can remember. Couple that with the traveling weve been able to do and its a pretty awesome mixture. PW: Whats your least favorite part of living there? GM: Its really hard to be 7,000 miles away from family and friends. Tab studied abroad for a semester but other than that weve never lived more than an hour away from our families. The holidays were the toughest. We tried to stay away from Facebook and Instagram around Christmas because the holiday posts were making us homesick. PW: I saw that Tabitha has started school again. What is she going to school for, and what else has she been up to over there? GM: Tab just started her Masters of Science in Mathematics

ATHLETES OF THE WEEK

AJ USSERY M. BASKETBALL
Ussery made the two biggest plays in the Sea Lions first PacWest win of the season. With 13 seconds to play, he hit a contested layup to put the Sea Lions up 57-56 over Notre Dame de Namur Monday night. The junior from Huntington Beach, Calif., then stole the ball on the Argonauts final possession to seal the win. He finished the game with 17 points and eight rebounds.

Murray was invited to compete in the leagues dunk contest and All Star Game on January 16.

photo courtesy of safsal.com

SAVANNAH ERSKINE W. BASKETBALL

Erskine helped lead the Sea Lions to a pair of narrow PacWest victories this week. Against Notre Dame de Namur on Monday, she totaled 11 points, five assists and four steals in the 60-57 win. At Hawaii Pacific Saturday night, the junior from Culver City, Calif., poured in 26 points, seven assists and four steals, all game highs. Erskine also shot a perfect 12-12 from the free throw line.

11, 2013 January 28, 2013 the point weekly | Monday, monday,February january 23, 2012

SPORTS | 11

Jakes take: Why I love sports

jacob roth sports editor
I was nine or 10 years old when I got my first subscription to Sports Illustrated for Kids. It was a gift from my Uncle Dave. He always found creative gifts because he lives in Virginia and we dont get to see him too often. I had always enjoyed playing sports outdoors, but Id never been too interested in following them. My dad says they wanted to train me early. At first, all I did was look at the pictures, double-sided poster and the athlete trading cards. After that, I was done for the month. But eventually I noticed that, hey, these posters have really cool random facts and information on them (Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady are cousins? Mind blown). The features and interviews were entertaining. The cards were loaded with stats that I could compare. Soon I was poring over the magazine from beginning to end. Every time Id put it down Id find my dad and talk and talk and talk (and talk) about the stats and stories I had read. For the record, I can talk about my interests the way locomotives run: once I get going, I cant be stopped. And my interest in sports grew just as quickly as I did. But every single time my dad would listen to my nonstop chatter and smile as his little sports encyclopedia would spout out mounds of useless sports facts. When I was in junior high, Id start every day the same way. Id get out of bed around 6:45 and head downstairs to find two items waiting for me on the kitchen table. The first was usually a bowl of Life cereal (best cereal ever!), courtesy of my wonderful mother. The second was the Contra Costa Times sports page. Id spend the next 20 minutes or so scouring its pages before prepping for school. And as soon as my dad walked back in the door from work that evening, Id immediately bombard him with sports talk. Dad, did you see the score from the Eagles game? McNabb threw four TDs and no picks! Dad, Jason Kidd had another triple-double! Did you know hes second all time now? It was like his own ESPN news feed, except with a high-pitched voice (still waiting for puberty at that point) and seemingly no off button. Like with anything else in life, I would talk endlessly. But with sports, it was different my dad would be able to talk back to me. It was something that really connected us. In high school, that connection only grew. Sweaty, sore and tired from a full day of school and cross country practice, I would finally walk in the door between 5:30 and 6 p.m. I would plop down on the floor next to the couch (my mom would not be happy if I perspired all over the cushions). A few minutes later, my dad would walk in. It was never How was your day? or How did school go?, but it was always the same question right away. Id mentally run through that weeks sporting events. Kobe, I said after a few seconds of thinking. Right sport, said my dad. Oh, is it Lebron then? And? Oh, duh, and Shaq too. When I guessed correctly, hed toss that weeks issue of Sports Illustrated into my lap, and, sure enough, there was Lebron James and Shaquille ONeal posing together on the cover for the annual NBA Preview issue. During summers or winter breaks when Im home during the day, Im often the one who grabs the mail. Then its my turn to quiz my dad. Thats been one of our little games for years now. Even though I currently live 500 miles away, I can usually count on a text message from my dad sometime between Tuesday and Thursday of every week: SI quiz. T o this day, we talk and text constantly about upsets, injuries and trade rumors. We exchange online articles via Facebook. During games that only one of us can watch, well text each other the play-by-play. We spent 45 minutes one day exchanging Gilbert Arenas puns after the former NBA guard threatened a teammate with guns in the locker room. Example: Gilbert Arenas sure shot his trade value in the foot with that incident. Some people fish. Others go hunting. My dad and I have sports.

TRACK HOLDS INTRASQUAD MEET

photo courtesy of kendra martin

The PLNU track and field team held their annual Green, Gold & Old Intrasquad meet Saturday. Head Coach Jerry Arvin divded the track team between the Green and Gold teams, who competed alongside alumni in a handful of events. The alumni team (dubbed the Old team) made a strong showing, winning several of the field events. From left to right: (front row) Angie Afman, Genieva, Courtney Singleton, Melissa Casarez, (back row) Alex Buttweiler, Kristal Peterson, Brett McGregor, Lauren Turk, Shane Peterson, Tori Anderson, Michael Porter, Emily Holding, Casey Kear, James Grandi, Jeremy Davidson, Mark Miller, Johnny Phillips, Jeff Hester, Delainey Rockwell and Ronsen Kakuda.

FAKE TWEETS FROM STEPHEN A. SMITH*

*all tweets are from a fake stephen a. smith twitter account @stephenasmth

all screenshots were taken from twitter

Do you want to be next years Point Weekly sports editor?

Email Jacob Roth: jroth2014@pointloma.edu for more information.

SEA LIONS SCOREBOARD

MENS BASKETBALL
2/4 W 57-56 vs. Notre Dame de Namur 2/9 L 58--60 @ Hawaii Pacific University

MENS TENNIS
2/8 L 3-6 @ Grand Canyon University 2/9 W 7-2 @ Sonoma State University

BASEBALL
2/9 W 5-3, L 8-9 (DH) vs. Cal State Dominguez Hills

WOMENS BASKETBALL
2/4 W 60-57 vs. Notre Dame de Namur 2/9 W 87-80 @ Hawaii Pacific University

WOMENS TENNIS
2/5 L 0-9 vs. UC San Diego 2/9 W 5-4 @ Tarleton State

MENS GOLF
2/4-5 7th place @ Cal State San Marcos Invite

2/8 L 2-7 @ Grand Canyon University

FOR MORE SCORES AND STATS, CHECK OUT:

WWW.PLNUSEALIONS.COM

12 | OPINION

January 28, 2013 the point weekly | Monday, monday, january 23, 2012 February 11, 2013

Kyle Lundberg Abby Hamblin Callie Radke Jacob Roth Ian Crane Hana Eades Lara Khodanian Rachel Harrell Kendra Pittam Rachel Barr Keio Lewis

p | 619.849.2444 ads | 619.849.2301

Editor-in-chief News editor Features editor Sports editor A&E editor Opinion editor Layout editor Assistant layout Copy editor Web editor Ads manager

The opinions in this section may not reflect those of The Point Weekly or of Point Loma Nazarene University. Letters to the editor and columns are subject to editing for length, taste, grammar and clarity. Letters to the editor must include the authors name, major, class standing and phone number and be limited to 500 words. Please submit your opinions to hanaeades2009@pointloma.edu

www.pointweekly.com

Camden: A city without vision shall perish

josiah guzik alumnus contributor
When I came into Camden last September, it was the same as it had been for at least a decade. Drugs, projects, gangs, abandoned buildings lots of abandoned buildings. Get the heck outta my face! A cold threat, a flagrant slap of disrespect, an open grab for power. In case I wasnt sure who the insubordination was directed toward, the seventh-grade boy twisted his head toward me and clarified, that was for you. An entire dejected generation was now raising up their own propagation; a quick shadow of Camdens past my students, confused. It took me a while to understand the code of Camden. Its the same code that Jack London established in Alaska, the same law of life that Darwin observed on the Galapagos and that Jesus tried to abolish. Eat or be eaten. Survival of the fittest. In Camden, I hone in on one word: survival. The Camden of lore once bore the moniker the Brooklyn of Philadelphia, a major industrial outpost to the rising economic power. Camden boasted some big industries, a massive processing plant for Del Monte Mexican products and the headquarters for American soup supplier Campbells. As the age of American manufacturing fell to cheaper foreign labor, the city struggled to show its importance in the queue of labor, and it plummeted. A city without vision shall perish. Walt Whitman was one of Camdens most illustrious citizens. I certainly had a hard time imagining that the author of Leaves of Grass and Pioneers, Oh, Pioneers lived in a community like Camden. The lack of natural inspiration, with which Whitman earned his keep, was embarrassing. I walked to his house, just a few blocks from the school, past a few empty corner stores and the crowded municipal jail. A typical row-home, narrowed and bricked, with a discreet sign hanging on the door, Walt Whitman Foundation. Closed, of course, a la Camden. I asked my students months later about their famous resident, and he didnt exist. But then, in front of the door, sitting on the cemented stoop, was a man. His homelessness was observable and his drunkenness, indisputable. To his stupor, no explanation required: it would be inconceivably hard to cope with being on the lowest social rung in America. Camden is the poorest city in the nation, and he perhaps the poorest person in that city. I asked him if he knew where he was sitting, and he waved his hands, like I had known many people to do in California, a universal symbol for I dont speak English. I tried in Spanish, and he explained: no money. America. Still no money. I asked him if he knew who Walt Whitman was. No. Hes been dead a long time even longer in Camden; I was now using some poetic license. He was a poet, very famous, my favorite poet. Oh, he said. Being an outsider myself, I sensed some poetry to the whole thing, some Whitman in all of it. The nature of Camden synthesized with the code of nature, in this young immigrant man, surviving. All of the time, really. Those outbursts of screw you not always in those words, but the idea behind them, the attitude of confused rage. The charter school I taught in did have something going for it, there was a fairly controlled level of physical safety. We didnt have to deal with gunmen in the hallways, organized crime in our classrooms, or orgies (yes, orgies) in our basement. The public schools served as graduation factories, basically extensions of the streets, where students could extort teachers and administrators with the same aggressive tactics they were taught at home and practiced with their friends. In the public schools there was no hiding the fact that these things existed. The public schools were now the products of poverty and negligence, of paychecks and crack cocaine. The public school system was quite literally a continuation of life on the street. Our charter school at least took some sort of stand for expectations. Students had to dress and try to act a certain way in class. These expectations for behavior pushed students into a place of cognitive dissonance. Students called the teachers bluffs: youre doing too much, you extra, or the most searing, you dont know what life really like in Camden. Which, of course, was true. The expectations for civil conduct and middle-class values were absolutely foreign to the students. In their minds we werent calling them to a higher standard, we were calling them to be fake, live a dream, to think beyond their survival. From my classroom window, I could read an eerie omen etched in the unfinished tower above city hall. Whitman knew his city better than I thought: the pursuit of survival, the abandonment of tomorrow in order to eat today. Food before dreams. Whitmans prophecy: A city without vision shall perish. I guess what I was trying to do was get students to see the truth in Whitmans words. You have to look beyond the Cheetos and Sprite for breakfast, through the free or reduced lunch, beyond the soggy bag of Churchs Chicken for dinner and into the place you will be tomorrow if you dont do those things. I just wanted students to look beyond Camden, to realize that there was a bigger world. College would have been great, but college wasnt the magnum opus; all I wanted was for students to realize that they didnt want to live like their parents lived. To have some kind of encounter with life outside of drivebys and papi-stores. I wanted just one student to declare, enough is enough, I want something new. I waited for the man sitting on the stoop to have some kind of realization as well. I was looking for some lightbulb to go off when I started listing famous Latin American poets: Cortazar, Borges, Neruda. Nothing. No connection. The fact that he was sitting on my favorite poets doorstep meant nothing. To look beyond his slurred speech and dizzied movements was to ask him to believe Whitmans own words, those city hall words: no vision means no life. Nothing. And that powerful lesson learned. That I could not turn my students heads for them. I could scream, yell and beg them to believe me. But in the end they were right. I didnt know what life was really like in Camden. In the end I stood there like a disillusioned missionary, only without a God to question. Change will have to come from the inside out. I am convinced that change must come from the inside of the city. As outsiders we think that we know best, but how can a person who is blind to the reality of life in Camden able to have a vision for its redemption? What I can do, I do. Wait. Watch and wait for that dreamer to be born again, for Whitmans spirit to transcend, for a second dreamer to dream the dream of tomorrow.

Letter to the editor:

Recently I visited your campus on my annual effort to recruit teachers and other staff for our overseas schools. I represent the Network of International Christian Schools, which operates 21 accredited K-12 Christian schools in 16 countries. We serve nearly 5,000 children from over 100 nations. Normally I love coming to your beautiful campus. This year I was saddened to be greeted by the headline in The Point Weekly, Co-ed housing for freshmen. At the peak of an 18-19 year olds raging hormones, why do this? Believe me, theres plenty of temptation in this world without adding co-ed housing. I asked two very mature long-term staff members and they were quick to say, Not my decision! So I asked why and another staff member chimed

Response to changes in PLNU housing accommodations

in, Well, were about the only college that doesnt. I said, Including Christian colleges? They said, Well, no. And I said, You are a Christian college, right? They made no further comment. Dear friends, as a brother in Christ, I plead with you to reconsider this plan. As we search for young people to serve the Lord in our schools, we look for those who are sold out to their Lord in body, soul and spirit. Also, as the father of eight daughters, I would really have to disagree with your plan for many reasons. Sincerely in Christ, Jim Korver

Bubbles within the PLNU Bubble

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Submit your PLNU stereotypes to: hanaeades2009@pointloma.edu

camron cluff editorial cartoonist