Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019
Volume 153 No. 13 WWW.SJSUNEWS.COM/SPARTAN_DAILY
SERVING SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1934
Gun crimes shock campus Bullets strike MLK Library, miss students
gun posession
By Chris Core
By Christian Trujano
STAFF WRITER
STAFF WRITER
San Jose Police Department arrested a suspect on Sunday for allegedly shooting bullets that hit Martin Luther King Jr. Library and the parking garage above Flames Eatery MAURICIO LA PLANTE | SPARTAN DAILY and Bar on Thursday, according to a SJPD Police put up caution tape on the seventh floor of the library while investigating shots fired press release. Thursday night. The bullets hit multiple windows while students were studying inside. Authorities said in the release that 21-yearold Joseph “Joey” Vicencio of Santa Clara turned himself in after feeling pressure from a public notice with his photo that identified him as a person of interest. “It is of prime importance that the input that we got helped us to get that individual,” University Police Department Captain Frank Belcastro said. UPD Chief Gina Di Napoli said that without the community’s advice, the search might not have been as successful. “You are protecting each other if you speak up,” Napoli said, “You are not doing a disservice to them or telling on them. You are actually doing a favor to anybody that you are with.” Vicencio has been charged with shooting at an inhabited dwelling, attempted murder, assault with a firearm, discharge of a firearm in a gross negligent manner and possession of a firearm in public. PHOTO COURTESY OF SUNNYVALE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY The suspect is not a San Jose State student UPD found a semi-automatic handgun, knife and fidget spinner on the student. and had no other affiliation with the university, Di Napoli said. SJPD released a photo of a man on Friday who was named a person of interest in the library shooting that revealed photographs of Vicencio at the scene of the crime. Police said multiple bullets struck the two buildings at approximately 6:21 p.m. last Thursday. No victims or injuries from the shooting • Multiple bullets hit winincident have been reported, San Jose Police • UPD arrest found suspect Department Sgt. Enrique Garcia wrote in an dows of MLK Library in possession of a handgun, email. Friday night ammunition and knife Shattered windows on the seventh and eighth floors of the library could be seen from • No injuries or deaths re• Student allegedly made San Fernando Street. ported from the shooting, threats online that Stairwell and elevator access to the seventh police said. and eighth floors of the library were cut off by prompted reports to police officers during the investigation. The other floors of the library were not evacuated. • Police arrest suspect after • Sunnyvale police worked International business freshman Garrett photos identified him as with UPD to locate suspect Bruner said he was studying on the eighth person of interest on South Campus floor with a group of students when he heard a loud pop. • Suspect is not affiliated He said another student asked if a light had • SJSU suspended the exploded. student with SJSU
San Jose State University Police arrested a 17-year-old student on South Campus on Wednesday for possession of a semiautomatic handgun, ammunition and a knife. The unnamed student has also been suspended from SJSU. UPD Chief of Police Gina Di Napoli said officers have increased their presence on campus after the arrest. Patrick Day, Vice President of Student Affairs, said in an email that was sent to students and faculty on Thursday that the suspect caused no injury or harm to individuals. The student suspect’s name has not been released because he is a minor. “The student’s age did not play any role in the [suspension] decision as this is a standard process for all students enrolled at SJSU,” Sonja Daniels, Associate Vice President for Campus Life Division of Student Affairs, said in an email. Staff from Homestead High School in Cupertino notified police of threats made on social media, Ava Fanucchi, Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety Captain, said. After investigating the post on social media, Sunnyvale officers suspected that an SJSU student made the threats. Sunnyvale police began working with UPD to locate and arrest the student last Wednesday. The student is currently on an interim suspension and will be given the opportunity for a hearing within 10 days, according to the SJSU Student Discipline Relating To Conduct On Student Campuses code. “This decision is done after reviewing the level of the incident, safety concerns for the campus community and all relevant information from reports supplied by police, or community members,” Daniels said. The specific nature of the threats have not been made public since the investigation is still ongoing, Fanucchi said. But UPD Captain Frank Belcastro said the threats were not directed to SJSU. The student was booked at Santa Clara County Juvenile Hall and will face prosecution, Belcastro said. “Communication was perfect,” Belcastro said. “We got on it really quickly and stopped something bad from happening.” Belcastro and Di Napoli both said the communication between Sunnyvale and UPD worked great together in ensuring the safety of
17-year-old arrested for
IN BRIEF
MLK Library shooting
Freshman arrested
WINDOWS | Page 2
THREAT | Page 2
Football team shocks Arkansas with win By Brendan Cross STAFF WRITER
Five interceptions and 503 yards of offense propelled the Spartans to a massive 31-24 road upset over the three-touchdown favorite Razorbacks on Saturday in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The win is San Jose State’s first against a Southeastern Conference opponent in school history. Head coach Brent Brennan said he was proud MAURICIO LA PLANTE | SPARTAN DAILY of what his players were Freshman offensive lineman Jaime Navarro yells with the blaring horns, drums and able to accomplish. cheers of the marching band as the football team returned to San Jose State Sunday. “There’s something
incredibly special about doing someth ing that people RAZORBACKS d o n ’ t t h i n k you can,” Brennan s a i d during t h e postgame press conference. SJSU students, fans and the marching band all welcomed the victorious team early Sunday morning around 3 a.m. to celebrate
SPARTANS
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the team’s unexpected road win. During the game, the Spartans got off to a roaring start as senior quarterback Josh Love hit senior wide receiver Bailey Gaither for a 50-yard bomb on the first play from scrimmage. Junior wide receiver JaQuan Blackwell finished the drive off catching a 3-yard touchdown pass from Love to give SJSU the early lead 2 minutes, 16 seconds into the game.
VICTORY | Page 6
A&E
Opinion
Sports
Brockhampton-reject sucks on new EP
Should comedians be exempt from “PC” culture
Spartan women lose to University of Portland
Page 4
Page 6
Page 3
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NEWS
TUESDAY, SEPT. 24, 2019
CAMPUS VOICES Estrella Munoz, civil engineering freshman There’s always one person that will probably [bring firearms].
Do you feel safe on campus?
ABOUT The Spartan Daily prides itself on being the San Jose State community’s top news source. New issues are published every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday throughout the academic year and online content updated daily. The Spartan Daily is written and published by San Jose State students as an expression of their First Amendment rights. Reader feedback may be submitted as letters to the editor or online comments.
EDITORIAL STAFF EXECUTIVE EDITOR KUNAL MEHTA MANAGING EDITOR VICTORIA FRANCO EXECUTIVE PRODUCER EDUARDO TEIXEIRA NEWS EDITORS MAURICIO LA PLANTE CHELSEA NGUYEN FLEIGE A&E EDITOR COURTNEY VASQUEZ OPINION EDITOR JONATHAN AUSTIN SPORTS EDITOR CORA WILSON PHOTO EDITOR JESUS TELLITUD SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR VICENTE VERA COPY EDITORS JAILEANE AGUILAR ALYSON CHUYANG MYLA LA BINE JOZY PRABHU ADAM YOSHIKAWA SPORTS COPY EDITOR C.J. PETERSON GRAPHICS EDITORS CINDY CUELLAR MELODY DEL RIO ONLINE EDITOR MARCI SUELA DESIGN CONSULTANT KAYLA FLORES SENIOR STAFF WRITERS ROMAN CONTRERAS KELSEY VALLE STAFF WRITERS DIANA AVILA JOHN BRICKER CHRIS CORE BRENDAN CROSS NATHAN DOYLE ALEX GALLAND ERICA LIZARRAGO MELISSA MARTINEZ BLUE NGUYEN CHRISTIAN TRUJANO OLIVIA WRAY LEGISLATIVE COLUMNIST GRACE PANG
Jared Park, computer science sophomore I was actually over at the library when that happened but we didn’t actually see anything. It’s just scary because we didn’t know what was going on and police started showing up and sirens going off, it’s a little crazy.
Kevin McKinney, business alumnus There are times it can be uncomfortable. Let’s say the weirdos come out at night.
Dylan Hardman, graphic design junior I feel safe on campus, off campus not so much. Downtown is so overpopulated with homeless people and it’s kind of dangerous, because recently we had the shooting at MLK library.
WINDOWS Continued from page 1 Then Bruner realized what had happened and noticed the bullet hole in the window, right above the desk he had been studying at. “There’s glass all over my stuff, all over me, all over the floor,” Bruner said. Bruner said he panicked. “We’re like, ‘What do we do? Do we need to hide? We don’t know where to go from here,’ ” Bruner said.
THREAT Continued from page 1 the community. “The command staff alone on this police department has more than 100 years of police experience, so [the students] are in good hands,” Di Napoli said. The student was charged with criminal threats, possessing or discharging a firearm in a school zone, possession of a handgun by a minor, carrying a loaded firearm in public, assembly of firearms and carrying a concealed
He said the experience changed his comfort level on campus and affected how he feels throughout his regular daily routines. “If they would’ve shot a foot lower it would’ve just shot me in the head and I would’ve just died,” Bruner said. “It makes me question everything. The school is telling me I’m safe. The cops are telling me I’m safe. The [resident advisors] are telling me I’m safe, but I’m not safe.” He and other students then went down to the library
firearm, according to Sunnyvale police. The Sunny vale Department of Public Safety Investigations Unit worked with the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office to obtain and serve a search warrant at the student’s residence. Belcastro said that the student did not live on campus. During the search, officers located a handgun, airsoft rifle, ammunition and equipment to manufacture ammunition and knives, according to Sunnyvale police. All information obtained so far indicates the subject
REPORTING BY ERICA LIZARRAGO
If they would’ve shot a foot lower it would’ve just shot me in the head and I would’ve just died. Garrett Bruner international business freshman
was acting alone, according to Sunnyvale police. SJSU President Mary Papazian addressed the arrest and a recent shooting incident outside the Martin Luther King Jr. Library in an email that said UPD and other local law enforcement coordinated effectively and did their jobs well. Papazian described both incidents as unrelated in the email. “Please know that the safety and wellbeing of our students, faculty, staff and the entire campus community is of paramount importance to campus leadership,”
Youth lead climate rally
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atrium to report the incident. “You don’t want to be another statistic,” Bruner said. “You don’t want to be another number on a page as the next person who died in a shooting.” Speech language pathology graduate student James Chow was studying in the library after the seventh and eighth floor were shut down and was not surprised that the incident occurred. “I can study less and it’ll still happen,” Chow said. Chow does not see
Papazian wrote. But Di Napoli wanted to stress that in the future, students and other community members must come together and report any suspicious activity in order to ensure the safety of the school. “[UPD] can’t do it alone,” she said. Di Napoli and Belcastro both emphasized how everyone should subscribe to the SJSU alert system and use the anonymous TipNow system to report anything they see out of the ordinary. Marketing freshman Chris Cardoza said he thought it was a safe
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campus, but with the recent gun incidents, he has begun to question his safety. He said he found out about the arrest on social media posts made by his friends. “That kind of made me think, ‘Do I really feel protected?’ Like I’m not sure if it can happen again,” Cardoza said. “It can happen anywhere now.” Follow Christian on Twitter @ChristianTruja2 Melissa Maria Martinez contributed reporting to this article.
Correction On Thursday, Sept. 19, the Spartan Daily published an editorial titled, “SJSU: Impasse on menstrual health must end,” in which the story did not include the Student Wellness Lounge as a location students can receive free tampons.
MELISSA MARIA MARTINEZ | SPARTAN DAILY
Grand Theft: Money/Labor/ Real Property over $950 - Felony Sept. 17, 11:04 a.m. at Student Union No disposition
Demonstrators gather outside San Jose City Hall to demand action.
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Mauricio La Plante, Chelsea Nguyen Fleige, and Kelsey Valle contributed reporting to this article.
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The Spartan Daily regrets this error.
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what SJSU can do about the shooting and does not think avoiding the library or studying because of the shootings will make a difference. “I feel like I hear so much about [shootings], I’m kind of numb,” Chow said.
By Melissa Maria Martinez STAFF WRITER
Youth led the charge as hundreds of Bay Area residents joined Silicon Valley Youth Climate Strike organizers as they marched through San Jose to demand action on climate change. The rally was one of thousands that took place across the country Friday. “We had a march last May and only had about 45 attendees . . . last time it was just three kids who planned the whole thing,” co-organizer Jamie Minden said. “This time we had a bigger team of about 100 people; half kids, half adults and we got the word out a lot more effectively this time.” Strikers enjoyed honks of support from passing cars as they walked a mile down Santa Clara Street. San Jose State sociology professor Scott Myers-Lipton marched alongside demonstrators downtown. “I reached out to the youth climate strike organizers. I said, ‘I teach about these things and I want to say how proud I am of you.’ Just so they know we got their back,” Myers-Lipton said. The strikers gathered in front of
San Jose City Hall and continued chanting for about an hour. Sociology junior Cesar Navarro also attended the rally, and said the march sparked a change in his attitude toward climate change. “You don’t really see anybody talking about it,” Navarro said. “Seeing everybody get together to take action toward actually doing something about it gives you a new sense of hope and motivation.” As the rally died down and people began dispersing, software engineering sophomore Eva Nicova stood holding a sign. “We need to care about our future and our planet and our kids who are going to live on it.” Nicova said. “Now is the time!” Nicova said she would not stand to see the earth die while she lived. “Come out to events like these, if we have the numbers, people will start listening and there’s nothing scarier to a politician than the common people rising up, refusing to back down,” Nicova said. Follow Melissa on Instagram @erica.lizarrago
Grand Theft: Money/Labor/ Real Property over $950 - Felony Sept. 17, 2:44 p.m. at Martin Luther King Library Adult arrest Auto Burglary Sept. 18 , 9:14 a.m. at Spartan Stadium Information only Vandalism: damage Property Sept. 18, 3:41 p.m. at North Garage Information only Offensive Words Univ/Etc Sept. 18, 10:47 p.m. at Campus Village 2 Information only
Violation Of Parole: felony Sept. 19, 10:21 a.m. at Washburn Hall Adult arrest Possession of Unlawful Paraphernalia Sept. 19, 1:51 p.m. at Sweeney Hall Adult cited
Assault with a deadly weapon - not firearm or force Sept. 19, 10:08 p.m. at Campus Village 2 Adult arrested Disorderly Conduct: alcohol Sept. 19, 11:28 p.m. at Campus Village Garage Adult student conduct Sex offender registration failure to report Sept. 20, 4:23 a.m. at Martin Luther King Library Adult cited
Possession of Controlled Substance Sept. 20, 5:35 a.m. at Industrial Studies Adult arrest
Bench Warrant issued if no court appearance Sept. 20, 10:56 a.m. at University Police Department Adult arrested Deface W/Paint/ Etc Sept. 20, 4:13 p.m. at South Garage Juvenile cited Grand Theft Sept. 20, 5:47 p.m. at Engineering Building No disposition Theft of Personal Property Sept. 21, 1:19 p.m. at Spartan Recreation Information only
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
TUESDAY, SEPT. 24, 2019
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I threw the ‘Emmanuel’ EP in the trash By John Bricker STAFF WRITER
I have never been more happy to illegally download an album than when I found a leak of rapper Ameer Vann’s new EP. “Emmanuel” is a dull, vapid, self-centered collection of subpar rap tracks that barely deserves your attention, let alone your financial support. Vann helped found the hip-hop boyband Brockhampton and rose to fame alongside the group with the Saturation Trilogy, three relentlessly versatile and creative albums released in the second half of 2017. Brockhampton and Vann parted ways after several women accused him of sexual assault through social media in early 2018. The hip-hop group reeled from the split on their chaotic and depressive album “Iridescence” and finally told its side of the story on one of the best tracks from its latest album, “Ginger.” On the powerful neo-soul rap song “Dearly Departed,” rapper Dom McLennon tells the story of how Vann set up one of McLennon’s friends to be robbed and lets out his anger with lyrics like, “If I knew what you would do to someone you owe money to, you wouldn’t get a dime.” After staying completely silent for more than a year, Vann released “Emmanuel” on Wednesday, the day after he announced the EP on his newly-reactivated Instagram.
album review “Emmanuel” Rating:
Artist: Ameer Vann Release Date: Sept. 18, 2019 Genre: Hip-hop
Vann’s return falls woefully short of the standard Brockhampton achieved since his departure, partially because of repetitive and one dimensional production. On the EP’s title track, Vann delivers his simplistic flows over an even more simple beat, featuring nothing more than a grumbling 808 bass and a few touches of understated production. The skeletal beat makes for a tense opening, but as Vann’s flows drill in the same rhythm over and over, it becomes obvious that he needed much more than just bass and drums to hold anyone’s attention for almost three minutes. The closing track “Plastic” features another underdeveloped instrumental, ruining promising production with a brief length and Vann’s boring flows. Producer Hit-Boy’s beat shows off some promising elements, stacking touches
ILLUSTRATION BY JOHN BRICKER
of snappy percussion, grimy bass and eerie samples over watery keys. Unfortunately, Vann runs out of things to say before the beat can fully evolve, leaving the track at less than two minutes. Perhaps Vann’s lack of lyrical content on “Plastic” makes it one of “Emmanuel’s” better songs, considering that he delivers nothing but dull flows and offensively tone-deaf lyrics over the EPs forgettable beats. Vann fills “Glock 91” with plenty of his usual lyrics about drowning in
Blast off into outer space with ‘Ad Astra’ By Nathan Doyle STAFF WRITER
The near future comes with hope as space travel brings with it promises of new discoveries, yet along with this remains the common adversity that comes with being human. “Ad Astra,” a film starring Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones and Liv Tyler, takes off from the ground and makes a full orbit leaving audiences wishing for the story to continue. Clocking in at two hours and four minutes, “Ad Astra” wastes no time with unnecessary exposition and makes sure not to overstay its welcome as many sci-fi movies do. With a star-studded cast and high-production budget, nothing is wasted as the amazing CGI helps to show a future that feels only a few years away. From the spaceships to the planets of our solar system, there is a feeling that the production crew went out of their way to make audience members feel that this future is only a step away. The future we see is one where humanity has made leaps and bounds with space travel but still struggle to understand the relationships among themselves. Astronaut Roy McBride, played by Pitt, represents this conflict as he embarks on a classified deep space mission that holds very close ties to his father, played by Jones, an astronaut who disappeared 30 years prior.
movie review “Ad Astra” Rating:
Journey is the core of the story. Even at times when the film feels like another cliché story about a man who must overcome incredible odds to save the world, the movie is anchored by personal struggle. We see that those incredible odds McBride must overcome are as much about finding closure in his own personal world as it is saving the world around him. As the protagonist nears his final destination, he faces adversity from the outside world nearly every step along the way. Every external challenge that McBride faces can be traced back to the advancements made in space travel, making for a very clear message regarding the world the movie is set in. Scientists are desperate to find alien life to the point where they endanger themselves through the technology they develop. The hopeful vision of a base on the moon can be quickly taken away by space terrorism in the same way McBride’s bravery can be taken away by the fear of what his father
Directed by: James Gray Starring: Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones Genre: Drama/Fantasy
may have become. No film is perfect and “Ad Astra” is no exception. The third act of the movie requires a suspension of disbelief as some of the final plot points will leave most physicists scratching their heads. Yet despite a ludicrous final 10 minutes, the movie sticks a landing. While some critics may say that the final act ruined the whole movie for them, most audience members will simply see this as screenwriters using creative license to get from Point A to Point B. Every moment builds off what came before it and feels earned, never leaving viewers questioning what just happened. Pitt delivers yet another amazing performance that defies both expectations and the laws of gravity. Regardless of whether or not there will be a sequel, audiences should not miss out on going to the theaters to watch a film that will be talked about for years. Follow Nathan on Instagram @nathan.doyle.doc
drugs and bragging about his success. Despite all of the confidence Vann delivers on this song, he includes these lines as a desperate play for sympathy: “Heart’s still heavy, I been lookin’ for my friends, everybody leave everybody in the end.” Vann’s victim-cardplaying antics are laughable in light of the specific condemnation from Brockhampton rapper Dom McLennon on “Dearly Departed.” At this point, it should be obvious to anyone who has
followed Brockhampton’s story that they parted ways with Vann for very real reasons, making his attempt at gaining sympathy seem pointless and naive. Vann’s attempts at playing the victim card are not nearly as bad as when he directly attacks Brockhampton. On the aggressive “Pop Trunk,” Vann sneaks a dis against the group between lines about gang violence with the line, “I ain’t no boy in a band, I am more than a man.” This petty playground insult is infuriating in light
of how Brockhampton has clarified exactly why Vann needed to leave. If this lazy attempt to start beef with Brockhampton works, it will be an absolute joy to watch the boyband destroy him. Only listen to “Emmanuel” if you want to see how the EP will affect the conversation around Brockhampton because Vann’s abrupt return to music does not stand on its own. Follow John on Twitter @JohnMichaelBr15
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OPINION
TUESDAY, SEPT. 24, 2019
Comedians shouldn’t hold punchlines Chris Core STAFF WRITER
Laughter is one of the most unifying instincts within the human race. No matter what background you have, there are plenty of things in the world that will make you laugh, including comedians. Comedy is an outlet for people to sit back, relax and have a good laugh while taking off some of the stress that accompanies everyday life. The world is divided on plenty of issues, so one would think that stand up comedy would not cause such an uproar. However, that is not the case. Some stand-up comedy has been on the receiving end of harsh criticisms recently, especially after a long time comic Dave Chappelle released his latest Netflix special, “Sticks and Stones.” The hour long standup show has been met with a frenzy of claims that the comedian made jokes that are insensitive, racist and homophobic. Reviewers on Rotten Tomatoes have torn up the act, giving it a measly 31% critique score.
“Lacking empathy can certainly be amusing, but ‘Sticks and Stones’ is a tired routine by a man who forgot to layer jokes into his act too often sounding like a pundit on Fox News,” Rotten Tomatoes certified reviewer Ian Thomas Malone said in his review. Although the 31% reviewer score can look fairly damning from the surface, the audience reviews tells a different story. With over 36,000 reviews, “Sticks and Stones” has a collective 99% audience rating. The Internet Movie Database, known for reviews of anything film related, also has “Sticks and Stones” rated high, with 8.6/10 on its site. The vast difference of review scores reflects a bias perception by viewers in the comedy industry to keep comedy politically correct. If a comedian does not fit into those rules then the review sites and production companies will find a way to cut its viewership. Chappelle objectively walks the line between attacking a group of people and comedy, but never crosses it.
ILLUSTRATION BY CINDY CUELLAR
Stand-up has always been focused on joking about everyday things in life, regardless of what it entails. The line has always been walked closely with stand-up acts, including Eddie Murphy’s “Delirious” in 1983 that some may deem as aging like a bike slowly rusting in the rain.
And as long as the comedian is not doxing someone or calling for violence against a group of people there should be almost anything that can be said on stage.
Attend the Lucas Graduate School of Business Open House
AM
The flamboyantly dressed Murphy danced on stage during his stand-up sparking controversy brighter than his red jumpsuit that still has people annoyed today. Murphy, however, did not catch as much backlash as Chappelle. The political climate and awareness people have when it comes to
PM
SJSU Student Union Ballroom
what can and cannot be said has changed drastically in the time between the shows. In a time where there’s a president in power like Donald Trump, jokes on subjects like the transgender community hit harder because the authority figure validates any misogynistic beliefs. In April, the Trump administration prevented transgender people from serving in the military, according to the Office of Deputy Secretary of Defense. Conservative outlets refer to liberals as the sensitive ones that can’t take a joke, which may be true, but the president’s rhetoric has set up a time in America
where comedians are left confused about what can and cannot be said on stage. And as long as the comedian is not doxing someone or calling for violence against a group of people there should be almost anything that can be said on stage. Comedy should be a place to joke about yourself and a space in life where differences that would regularly divide us, bring us together to realize we all have things that make us laughable. Let the comedians speak and keep the laughter rolling. Follow Chris on Twitter @ChrisCore24
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OPINION
TUESDAY, SEPT. 24, 2019
5
Darker iterations of old stories are neat Nathan Doyle STAFF WRITER
It’s May – a star-studded cast of Avengers run across the movie screen and prepare to take on Thanos and his army of minions in the bigbudget battle of the decade. Now it’s September, and there’s a new type of film coming out. Average moviegoers will think this is just a preview for another crime thriller from Warner Bros., but then the title card comes up: “Joker.” There has already been talk about Oscar buzz for the film, with early reviews praising the dark, gritty film for its character development and corresponding performances of the actors. Audiences who watch the trailer will see the story of a man constantly put down by the world he finds himself in; something that drives him to the point of insanity.
Dark superheroes represent creators being able to think out of the box and produce stories to captivate new audiences. “Joker” is a movie about a supervillain, one that stands up on its own and doesn’t need an explicit connection to any so-called superheroes. While it is associated with superhero films, because of the character it portrays, it’s dark and graphic with no guarantee of a happy ending – and it works. “Joker” adds to the list of dark superhero stories, non-traditional stories like any other experimental work, brilliantly challenges the genre it was founded upon. Another recent example was the release of “The Boys,” an Amazon Prime series based off a comic book of the same name, which packs a little more than a punch with its bloody violence and explicit language.
Anyone unfamiliar with superhero fiction as a whole may ask themselves, what is the point to having a dark superhero story like the “Joker” film? Dark superheroes represent creators being able to think out of the box and produce stories to captivate new audiences. Director Christopher Nolan told his dark and gritty Batman story through The Dark Knight trilogy from 2005-12. This was most evident with the release of 2008’s “The Dark Knight,” which took audiences and the box office by storm. Gone was the old Batman, punching villains with over-the-top exclamations. Instead audiences saw a psychologically-wounded Batman fighting a homicidal Joker. It was a far cry from anything done before and it worked, because that type of movie was perfect for a character like Batman. Recent films were criticized for being too dark by film critics including “Man of Steel” and “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” with many moviegoers feeling the dark tone making both films feel bleak at times. But why did movies like “The Dark Knight” succeed where other movies that tried to be dark failed? Certain characters belong to certain genres and there should be a specific tone to their films. Batman is an inherently dark character who’s on a mission to rid the world of the criminal element, so making his films and stories dark is a no-brainer. Superman on the other hand is an invincible alien who always smiles and never seems to have a bad day, there is no reason there should be a dark movie made about the character. All in all, dark superhero stories work because they utilize dynamic characters and put them in situations that present them in a whole new light. Follow Nathan on Instagram @nathan.doyle.doc
CLASSIFIEDS CROSSWORD PUZZLE
ILLUSTRATION BY NATHAN DOYLE
SUDOKU PUZZLE Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9 inclusively.
JOKIN’ AROUND How does NASA organize a party?
They planet.
SOLUTIONS
ACROSS 1. Not the ceiling 6. Fraud 10. Beige 14. Scoundrel 15. Puncture 16. “Oh my!” 17. Heart artery 18. Dwarf buffalo 19. Was a passenger 20. Unsupervised outside 22. Russian emperor 23. Adhesive strip 24. Not these or those 26. Large mass of ice 30. Gender 31. A spider spins this 32. Arab chieftain 33. Moving within 35. Lampblacks 39. Illness 41. Instinctive 43. Metal 44. Accomplishes 46. Roman emperor 47. Dike 49. Cook in hot oil 50. An amount of medicine
51. Environment 54. Enemies 56. Nameless 57. Audit 63. Day 64. Murmurs 65. Claw 66. Rectum 67. Loyal (archaic) 68. Make improvements 69. Untidyness 70. Countercurrent 71. Genders DOWN 1. German for “Madam” 2. Diving bird 3. Monster 4. In baseball, 3 per inning 5. Respond 6. Pointed 7. Discourse 8. Found in some lotions 9. Field 10. Lacking wit or imagination 11. Near 12. Radiolocation 13. Utilizers
21. Fertile area in a desert 25. Check 26. What we sleep on 27. Send forth 28. Ascend 29. Excessive desire for wealth 34. In a burdensome manner 36. Chocolate cookie 37. Sailors 38. Blackthorn 40. Wings 42. Heretofore (2 words) 45. Not legal for streets 48. Brawn 51. Gentlewoman 52. Absurd 53. Water lily 55. Locations 58. College girl 59. What a person is called 60. Holly 61. Area 62. Concludes
09/18/2019
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SPORTS
TUESDAY, SEPT. 24, 2019
VICTORY Continued from page 1 Love finished the game with a season-high 402 yards and two touchdowns and was only sacked once. He praised his offensive line during the postgame press conference. “The big boys up front, huge credit to them,” he said. “They put in the work this offseason.” The Razorbacks’ second drive was halted deep in SJSU territory as Arkansas senior running back Devwah Whaley was hit behind the line for a 2-yard loss and a turnover on downs. After taking over possession, the Spartans marched down the field but failed to capitalize as freshman kicker Matt Mercurio missed a 46-yard field goal. After the miss, the tide seemed to be turning as Arkansas junior quarterback Nick Starkel completed a 62-yard touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Mike Woods to even the score. Two plays later, Love threw into double coverage and was picked off by Arkansas junior defensive back Kamren Curl. The Spartans returned the favor on the first play of the second quarter as a Starkel pass was intercepted by senior linebacker Ethan Aguayo, who led the nation in tackles, with 17 tackles per game entering the evening. Aguayo’s pick gave the Spartans a short field which led them to the end zone two plays later on a 15-yard burst by freshman backup quarterback Nick Nash. On their next drive, Arkansas failed on a fourth down opportunity as Starkel tried to pick up the needed yard with his legs. Mercurio then made up for his miss by hitting an even longer field goal attempt of 47 yards to give the Spartans a 17-7 lead. Their next offensive drive ended with another Love touchdown pass, this time to freshman wide receiver Isaiah Holiness that extended the lead to 17. Arkansas scrambled to get points on the board before the half and had just passed midfield, before Starkel threw his second interception, leaving the home fans stunned as the teams headed into the locker room. The Razorbacks’ first two offensive drives in the second half also ended in interceptions, one by junior safety Jay Lenard and one from sophomore cornerback Nehemiah Shelton. With 5 minutes left in the third quarter, Arkansas hit a 48-yard field goal, the only score in the quarter,
to cut the lead to 24-10. The Spartan offense stalled while the Razorbacks offense finally woke up to score two touchdowns to tie the game at 24-24 with 2:56 to play. Brennan said that heading into the final offensive drive, the team did not lose confidence despite being scoreless in the second half prior to the last drive. “We lined up and we go 75 yards in 2 minutes, with incredible execution, incredible poise and incredible belief,” Brennan said during his weekly Monday press conference. “The voice [from the team] on the sideline was so positive.” Love completed three consecutive passes for first downs during the last drive. Two of those passes were to junior wide receiver Tre Walker, the game’s leading receiver with 12 catches for 161 yards. Senior running back DeJon Packer then glided into the end zone on a 19-yard rush that proved to be the game winner. On the last Arkansas possession, Starkel threw his fifth interception of the game on a heave downfield. The pass was picked by junior safety Bobby Brown II, his second of the game. Jubilation overtook the San Jose State sideline as it picked up its first win over a Power 5 conference school since 2006. After the game, head coach Brent Brennan spoke to his fired up players in the locker room. “The only change between this week and two weeks ago is that you chose to believe,” Brennan said. “It got scary in the end, and then we made the plays we needed to make to win.” The Spartans were honored with multiple accolades after their win. Brown II and Love were named Mountain West Defensive and Offensive Players of the Week, respectively. Love was also awarded with the Manning Award Star of the Week for his performance. The award is given to eight quarterbacks each week and is sponsored by the Allstate Sugar Bowl. The Spartans were also named the Reveal Suits National Team of the Week, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America. Looking ahead, Brennan said the team is focused on Air Force, who the Spartans play on Friday in Colorado. The matchup against the Falcons will be the first conference game for SJSU this season.
Senior running back DeJon Packer scores the game-winning touchdown on a 19-yard run with 1:13 to go in the game.
Follow Brendan on Twitter @BrendanCross93 KYM FORTINO | SJSU ATHLETICS
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Spartans lose in overtime to Pilots
OFF-CAMPUS IMAGE
By Chris Core STAFF WRITER
San Jose State women’s soccer team lost Friday night in overtime to the University of Portland 2-1 after a late tying goal. It did not take the Spartans long to find the net as senior forward Jamilecxth Becerra scored her second goal of the season in the ninth minute. SJSU had a flurry of shots in PILOTS the first half, o u t shooting the Pilots 9 - 3 , SPARTANS w h i c h w a s something redshirt senior forward Jennifer Orozco said the team has improved on. “I think we’ve improved a lot on taking more shots because in the beginning of pre-season we had trouble getting shots on goal and now we’ve had a lot,” Orozco said. The shots led to seven corner kicks in the first period and plenty of opportunities to capitalize on the slim margin, but didn’t result in points. Aside from running a fast-paced offense, the Spartan defense looked dominant, but after halftime the Pilots took flight.
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BRENDAN CROSS | SPARTAN DAILY
Wendee Augustiro, instructional support technician in the Nutrition, Food Science and Packaging department, does a trick during the Records and Roller Skates event, part of the Japantown Artwalk, Friday. Augustiro is part of the San Jose chapter of the roller skating group Chicks in Bowls, which has over 300 chapters worldwide.
“The second half or somewhere in the middle we let our foot off the pedal,” Becerra said. The Pilots came out refueled, putting up a total of seven shots in the second half and kept pressuring the Spartans back in their own territory. Despite the constant knocking on their doorstep, SJSU was able to fend off any attacks Portland had and kept the 1-0 lead heading into the final 5 minutes of the match. With victory minutes away, the Spartans looked poised to walk away with the win, but then Portland tied things up 1-1. Pilots junior defender Ellie Walker trimmed the upper right corner of the net for her first goal of the season and the tying point of the match. Portland’s bench erupted off its seats to celebrate a goal in what seemed like a losing battle, sucking all the air out of the stadium. At the end of regulation, momentum swung in the Pilots’ favor, giving them a boost going into overtime. It did not take long to see which team still had plenty left in its tank, with it only taking Portland 3 minutes to take home the victory. Pilots junior forward Taryn Ries scored the final goal with a header, for her third of the season and giving her team a walk-off win on the road.
SJSU head coach Lauren Hanson thought her team had a lot of chances to take the game, but in the end it could not execute on the chances they had. “At the end of the day soccer is about finishing your chances and [Portland] did a great job finishing theirs,” Hanson said. Hanson said the team usually performs well when it comes down to games that reach overtime but Friday proved to be a different story. “It’s one of the very few that we have lost in overtime,” Hanson said. “We are truly good in overtime, so credit to [the Pilots].” Players like Becerra agreed that the team did not perform well like it normally does towards the end of regulation. “We need to make sure we play the full 90 minutes just to guarantee us that win even if we end up scoring early,” Becerra said. Following the loss the Spartans fall to 2-4-2 and will look to pick up a win in their next matchup at Colorado College on Friday in Colorado Springs. The game will be a big step up in importance for the team as it will be its first conference game of the season. Follow Chris on Twitter @ChrisCore24