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How to Get Away with Murder Has the Diversity TV Needs

November 1, 2016 by lpahomov Leave a Comment

Aaron Watson-Sharer

Staff Writer

Last March, my friend Jason referred me to a TV show named How To Get Away With Murder. The primary reason I started the TV show was because it’s set in my hometown of Philadelphia. Middleton University is fictional, but the school resembles the University of Pennsylvania. It was one those Saturday afternoons in March, still too cold to appreciate the spring, so I gave How To Get Away With Murder a chance, which turned out to be a great choice.

The show took a page out of Quentin Tarantino’s book, displaying actions occurring at multiple moments in time, like in movies Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction, but better. This show had the scenes of what was to come versus what is in the present, and eventually those times cross paths to make a wonderful story.

The second and most important thing I noticed besides the anxiety I’d have after each rapid-fire episode was the diverse cast. There are nearly a dozen mainstay characters who all come from countless backgrounds. I applaud Peter Nowalk’s ability to create a TV show that has what television lacks: diversity.

Just look at the Keating Five, Annaliese’s students. We start with Wes Gibbins, an African American law student coming from community college who was orphaned after his mother was killed at age 12. He grew up in the foster care system after the death of his mother and absence of a father. Then we have Michaela Pratt, also a young African American law student, she has a very unknown background, but we know she networked herself into a higher society. Connor Walsh’s character brings to the Keating Five what they lack, proper leadership. With his charisma and confidence as an openly gay man. And Asher [lastname] has has the dream of following his father’s footsteps in law, he came from wealth which isn’t the case for many in this show. Laurel is the only Latina character, she comes from a wealthy Latino, Spanish speaking family.

Lastly, there’s the professor behind the students. Viola Davis’s Annalise Keating has had to overcome countless tragedies and challenges. I’m stunned she can handle the courthouse. Annalise Keating leads a life that few could. She’s an outcast in society as a southern born-African American lawyer, bisexual and alleged killer. She’s been a target her whole life but it has yet to faze her. She also lost a son in a car accident that was meant to hurt her. At least on TV, nobody is as mentally tough as Annalise Keating.

This show also takes a unique lens on Philadelphia. There’s a local character, Frank Delfino. He’s not your average paralegal, insteading of organizing files, he’s erasing them, or something else that’s very illegal. He’s a Philadelphian from a stereotypical background, Italian working class family and he would just try to get by. Frank is the kind of man who wasn’t meant for law. At least defending it.

How To Get Away With Murder does one thing many Hollywood productions fail to do. Represent all the kinds of backgrounds that can be found in a city, especially Philadelphia. There are people who come from all different paths, of all different cultures and ended up together. In a world where 71.7% of major actors are white, and 66.5% of actors are men , it’s refreshing that How To Get Away With Murder recognizes Philadelphia is 43.2% African American and a city that continues to grow in diversity.

Banned Books: American Psycho

November 1, 2016 by lpahomov Leave a Comment

Pablo Salvatierra

Staff Writer

(Warning: American Psycho is one of the most banned books of all time, for good reason. In Germany the book was deemed “harmful to minors” and had numerous sales restrictions placed on it between 1995-2000. In Australia, the book must be sold shrink wrapped and can not be sold to those under the age of 18. These bans are not without good reason, and can be used to give one an idea of the explicit content of this book.)

Everybody has heard of American Psycho. The movie adaptation is considered a classic slasher/horror serial-killer flick with a dramatically dark sense of satirical humor. For most, hearing the title will will conjure the image of Patrick Bateman dancing to Huey Lewis and the News in a plastic raincoat when conjuring images of the movie. The character of Patrick Bateman is so widely known that he is a pop culture icon but is the book that spawned him truly worth reading?

American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis is a criticism of American culture, gluttony, and wealth. Patrick Bateman, our protagonist, works on Wall Street, bringing us through the horrifically shallow existence that comes with his picturesque Wall Street life. The book is a brutal satire of American materialism, brutal not only in satire, but content as well.

Now if you are looking for something to read late into the night, American Psycho is and isn’t your book. If you are looking for an exciting page turner that you can’t resist reading the next page than American Psycho isn’t your book. In fact, there are huge stretches of the book that are fascinatingly boring. This is through no fault of the writer. Actually, the sheer tedium that comes with reading this book at times is what makes it so fantastic. Ellis includes chapter long critiques of the band Genesis, and even pages and pages describing Patrick Bateman’s morning routine to give the book an emptiness. Bret Easton Ellis doesn’t just outright tell you that Bateman is an empty husk of a person, or simply show it in a few pointed scenes. Throughout the whole book you can feel the lack of humanity. American Psycho isn’t narrated by Patrick Bateman, but rather is a stream of consciousness narrative, such that you can read Bateman’s every thought. By choosing this ‘narration style’ Ellis does a fantastic job of conveying this vacancy and it becomes a fantastic and important aspect of the book. The lack of depth in any of the characters, emotions, or writing is so necessary, because Bateman purposefully has no depth. Another peculiarity that stems from the narration is that as the reader you are unsure what is and isn’t real. Bateman is the epitome of an unreliable narrator, yet you can’t question him along the ride, because you feel that you are in for a ride with no particular destination.

While its unorthodox narration may draw some readers in, it’s not a story for the faint of heart. You have no doubt heard to some degree about what can only be described as excessive violence in this book. If you have seen the movie, and decided: “That wasn’t too bad! I could totally read that book, how bad could it be?” be advised that the violence in the book goes beyond anything you have ever imagined in your life, and far beyond any scope the movie reaches. If you are squeamish, prone to nightmares, or are easily frightened or disgusted, than this may not be the book for you. All I can say is that if you are any of these things, but think that since you saw the movie you will be fine, reconsider before delving into this book. If the long talks from Patrick Bateman about his interior decoration might seem boring and almost sleep inducing at first, you will quickly come to miss them.

Now that I have given you a sense of how brutal American Psycho can be, if you haven’t been scared away, then let me say that I could not recommend it more. The book is masterfully written and is the one of the few I know that makes me want to vomit from disgust and laugh out loud within the same page. It’s primarily a satire, sprinkled in with hilariously ridiculous scenes such as Bateman argueing with friends about what brands of water are the best to drink, and that’s what makes the book work. The excessive violence is not there just to scare the reader, but as part of the joke. While it may seem unlikely, the book can truly be hilarious at times. The end of the book somehow makes it all feel worth it, from the disgusting mutilations to the in depth descriptions of every character’s suit, the ending wraps it up perfectly. The book needs every violent scene, just as much as it needs Patrick Bateman’s in depth analysis of everybody’s suits.

American Psycho is not a novel for the faint of heart, and reading it will change some part of you, like all great works should. It is banned for what to some would seem like very legitimate reasons, but those reasons do not detract from it’s greatness. Books like American Psycho are banned due to their perceived “inappropriate content”, yet even in this extreme scenario, who is to say that content is inappropriate? What people it’s inappropriate for, and where it should subsequently be banned? You might even read it and find it totally deserving to be banned given it’s blatant sexism, racism, homophobia, excessive violence, and explicit sex all stemming from its protagonist. Yet, American Psycho is still art, an idea to be expressed, and that idea should not be stifled. In fact, the reasons people often say American Psycho should be banned are the exact reasons it should exist, and should be read. It’s very “inappropriate” nature allows us to push the boundaries of reading, and protects us from the inherent dangers of banning books. I highly recommend that anyone who has the stomach for it pick up a copy of American Psycho, if only to be reviled by what’s inside or amazed by what Bret Easton Ellis communicates with his “inappropriate content”.

Column: What Does Discrimination Look Like Today?

November 1, 2016 by lpahomov 1 Comment

Mekhi Granby

Staff Writer

As of September 2016, it is legal for employers to discriminate against people with dreadlocks. The 11th U.S Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that it is not racial discrimination for an employer to ask a person to get rid of/change their dreadlocks.

The decision/ruling came from a case involving Chastity Jones, an African American woman working for an insurance company. She sued the company after her white manager told her to get rid of her hair because “they tend to get messy.” The Civil Rights Act of 1964, which “prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin”.

On September 15th the appeals court ruled 3-0, ruling that the company’s action did not violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The law prohibits only discrimination on the basis of “immutable characteristics,” such as “race, color, or natural origin,” the court found: A “hairstyle, even one more closely associated with a particular ethnic group, is a mutable characteristic.”The court asserted that no hairstyle is intrinsically linked to a race, since hair can be changed.

I do not agree with the passing of this law, it does not sit well with me. How is it illegal to discriminate against someone’s race, color, religion, sex and national origin; but something as simple as a hairstyle can be the determining point if someone gets a job or not?

While I don’t wear dreadlocks myself, I have friends and relatives who do.

“Personally I don’t think I have been discriminated against for having my dreadlocks but employers always tell me to wear them tied up and out of my face,” said my older brother Kamal. He has been told that “if the dreadlocks come pass your shoulders employers will make you put them in a bun or rubber band.” “It depends on the job as well because if you go for a business job, looking neat is necessary,” said Kamal.

My uncle Craig who has dreadlocks that are much longer, says that it is hard for him to find a job. He is also much older than my older brother Kamal which leads me to think that there are some other factors that play into getting a job than just dreadlocks.

The different experiences of my brother and uncle show the range in ways that people can be treated. Telling someone what to do with their hair is different than telling them to get rid of it. I think it is reasonable for an employer to tell a person — especially in a business environment or a fast food place where it matters — that they have to wear their hair a certain way. However, refusing to hire a person because of the style of hair they have is just inappropriate, unprofessional and unfair.

I mean what’s next? If people are getting discriminated against their hair who’s to say that someone can’t get discriminated against for their lack of hair? Or the length of their hair?

Hairstyles that are traditionally associated with white people are rarely banned in professional environments. Yet corporate offices and even the U.S. Army have debated whether Afros, dreadlocks, and cornrows are “work-appropriate.” The passing of this law determines that it is no longer about professionalism it is about race.

Column: Senior Year Stress

November 1, 2016 by lpahomov Leave a Comment

Ella Petersen

Staff Writer

At this point in my high school career, I feel guilty when I find myself scrolling through my Instagram feed. I remember that I could be submitting my fourth college application or finding an internship for that perfect resume builder.

Yes, the rumors are true. Senior year is about applying to college. But, it’s also about regular school work, and on top of that, a year-long project to showcase what four years at SLA has taught you. Not to mention, it’s benchmark season. The amount of work has tripled for these next two weeks while college work is like taking an extra class.

What it’s not about? Sleep. I am the type of person that needs a solid 7 hours to function. I’m pretty much dead after cross country practice and then I am expected to come home and get in a good 1-2 hours of homework, work on my college essay, edit my friend’s college essay, maybe get to some college apps, search for scholarships, eat dinner, and go to bed at a decent time.

I really was going to try to wear actual clothes this year instead of sweatpants but it is getting more difficult as the year goes on. Mornings are not fun after a long night of doing 800 things.

Standardized tests and test prep has taken up a good portion of my weekends since the beginning of the school year. I have taken the SAT three times. That’s 9 hours of my life spent testing in an overly air-conditioned

After my college apps are in, you might see more of me because I won’t be a hermit in my room with my laptop and the lights off. I can’t wait until the bags under my eyes are a little less prevalent and I have the free time to get a good night’s sleep and finish season two of Narcos.

Column: Why The SRC Needs To Go

October 31, 2016 by lpahomov Leave a Comment

Luke Risher

Guest Writer

While many believe that Dr. Hite is in charge of the district, but really he reports to the School Reform Commission(SRC). Dr. Hite’s primary function is to run the district on the day to day basis. He has no control over policy making or decision making.The School Reform Commission (SRC) is the entity that’s really running the district. The SRC has had a 15 year history of making decisions that have negatively impacts our schools. The school system in this city has lacked control for too long.

The SRC was founded in 2001 by the state of Pennsylvania to take control of the Philadelphia schools. The reason given was that the Philadelphia schools and School District weren’t performing sufficiently. The true reason for the underperformance was the underfunding and a lack of property state support. The state decided that a Commission of appointed members, who weren’t from Philadelphia, would be better than local say in what happened to our students.

The SRC is made up of 5 members appointed by both the Governor and Mayor. They do not get paid but may enjoy a fair amount of political capital. These five members hold meetings, both public and private, to make decisions on every aspect of the district, from funding to school closures.

The issue is that the SRC has failed to represent the interests of the students, teachers, and school community of Philadelphia. They enacted mass school closures, gave dozens of schools to for-profit charters despite community objections, failed to give teacher a contract or any raise in years, and more personally are moving SLA to a non center city location in the very near future. These and a host of other bad decisions show us that the SRC is not only fundamentally unfair because it denies citizens local control of their own district, but also has failed to operate in the interests of the Philadelphia community.

The way to abolish the SRC is to have them hold a vote in which they disassemble themselves. Three of the five members must vote to disassemble it to pass the action. The SRC position like any other government position, runs on terms. Three of the five members were up to be reappointed in January. Now it has developed that two of the three are resigning earlier. Feather Houston, one of the three, has already resigned, she’ll be followed by Marjie Neff next month and Sylvia Simms in January. Basically there are three seats open to get people who would abolish the SRC onto the SRC. By pressuring Mayor Kenny and Governor Wolf to appoint people who will vote to dissolve the SRC, we can fill those 3 positions, have a SRC vote on local control with majority in support, and we’ll regain local control!

After we regain local control there are many questions about what comes next, but the first step is that the decisions will go to a mayoral appointed board. The public still can’t vote the members directly in, but in this model education will be a major issue on the mayoral ticket in the future so we can hear mayor’s positions on who they would appoint and what their education vision would be. This allows the public to consider these factor when going to vote. Also if we had that local control then we could formulate a system where we could vote for the members.

We should all care about this issue. The SRC runs our schools and makes the decisions for our schools and has failed to better our education in Philadelphia. Closing schools, cutting programs, and turning a blind eye to the calls for help from the school communities, the SRC has been a negative force on our education. For students here at SLA the decision of where our building is is up to the SRC who has shown their view is in favor of moving the school despite the voices of the entire SLA and large education community. It’s time for the SRC to go and we can make it happen!

Get involved by connecting with education organizations. Education Matter, Working Educators, and Philadelphia Student Union are three very strong organizations in our SLA community that are working on this issue. Stay in the loop and show up to the protests, townhalls, SRC meetings, and other events that will keep the pressure up on Mayor Kenny and Governor Wolf. Follow these organizations on social media, talk to everyone you know about what’s going on, follow the news as everything develops, and make calls directly to the mayors and governors office and tell them your position. We need to stay engaged and active in our education more than ever to regain control!