THE HOFSTRA
CHRONICLE
HEMPSTEAD, NY VOLUME 88 ISSUE 5
TUESDAY October 25, 2022
KEEPING THE HOFSTRA COMMUNITY INFORMED SINCE 1935
OPINION
NEWS
Heavy metal: scapegoat for America’s mental health crisis
Photo courtesy of Musik Animal Black Sabbath, a popular heavy metal band, was the first to be accused of promoting satanism.
By Makenzie Hurt STAFF W R I T E R
Musicians dating back to the 1950s claim that they coined the term “heavy metal,” yet we don’t exactly know where the genre earned its name. Upon the rise of 1990s “grunge” culture, it has transformed into a genre with hun-
dreds of sub-genres like sludge, thrash, doom, hair, celtic and power. While these sub-genres are all distinctive, they share the quality of inducing a level of fear or skepticism in the general public. Metal is commonly assumed to encourage satanism and violence, but this is not the intention behind the music. This narrative
was established in response to the rising crime following satanic panic, in which many Americans came to fear satanism and anything that aligned with it. Following the release of their 1970 debut album, Black Sabbath was considered the first heavy metal band to kickstart a new genre that incorporates themes of satanism. The cover displays a woman in all black and a velvet cloak, similar to those worn in the satanic horror films released at this time. The cover image wasn’t enough evidence to call them a band of brooding satanists. It was the gatefold vinyl’s inner sleeve displaying an upside-down cross with a dark poem
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Rockville Centre spooks the town with annual event
Annabel Hofmann / The Hofstra Chronicle CSTL hosted Spooky Fest at the Tanglewood Preserve in Rockville Centre.
By Annabel Hofmann A SSISTA N T C O PY ED ITO R
From fear to fun, one local Halloween event changes its target audience to appeal to younger children. The Center for Science Teaching and Learning (CSTL) hosts Spooky Fest, a family-friendly Halloween event, at the Tanglewood Preserve in Rockville Centre, New York, every weekend in October.
Spooky Fest includes several different Halloween-themed activities, mostly for children ages 12 and under. There is a “Not-So-Spooky Walk,” face-painting, arts and crafts, fortune telling, a DJ and more. In previous years, the event was much more frightening and was intended for an older audience, according to Ray Ann Havasy, director of CSTL. Before, the fest included a maze for guests to navigate while people jumped out to scare visitors. “This year we decided to really change it to fit more of our demographic who comes to visit us,” Havasy said. “We have a beautiful, enchanted walk in the woods for the really little ones.” The not-so-spooky walk was a favorite of every attendee interviewed, who ranged in age from 3 to 12 years old. Denise, who did not want to pro-
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NEWS
Formerly incarcerated individuals discuss wrongful convictions By Sophia Guddemi STA FF WR ITER
Sophia Guddemi / The Hofstra Chronicle Two formerly incarcerated individuals, Derrick Hamilton (right) and Kevin Smith (left), spoke to the Hofstra community about wrongful convictions.
Two formerly incarcerated individuals, Derrick Hamilton and Kevin Smith, spoke at Hofstra about the causes of wrongful convictions and ways to prevent them during the “Wrongful Convictions: A Systemic Problem” event on Monday, Oct. 17. The event was presented by Hofstra’s criminology program and the Families and Friends of the Wrongfully Convicted (FFWC), an organization that provides resources for those impacted by the miscarriage of justice. FFWC was founded in 2010 by Derrick and Nicole Hamilton following Derrick Hamilton’s release after serving 21 years in
prison for a murder he did not commit. Since its inception, the Brooklyn-based organization has exonerated 22 individuals, with three of those being in the past three years. The primary goal of FFWC is to assist those impacted by wrongful convictions. The organization offers support through legal help and advocacy, reentry services, mental health services and educational programs. Additionally, because of its leaders’ experience with the criminal justice system, the organization also works to help the broader community by raising awareness of the issue of wrongful conviction. “We are here today to educate
you,” Smith, executive director of FFWC, said. “You guys are the future leaders, and we want to bring this awareness to you.” Students who have an interest in this topic explained that events like this are necessary in order to educate a wider audience. “Wrongful convictions are more [frequent] than talked about,” said Julia Dunkirk, a sophomore criminology major. “No one knows about it, and there are so many people in jail who have been wrongfully convicted.” Smith served 27 years in prison for a murder he did not
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