Remembering Black History Month

Remembering Black History Month

By Zach Roozendaal

(Photo Credit: Creative Commons. Martin Luther King Jr. June 30 1964)

(Photo Credit: Creative Commons. Martin Luther King Jr. June 30 1964)

The following is an article I did in honour of Black History Month 4 years ago while as part of the Journalism Team at Neelin High School. I dedicate this article to my late Grandfather Ralph Lambert (my Papa) and I know he’s smiling from heaven, long after he passed away in January 2004. I also dedicate this to the late Chadwick Boseman, who played the influential Marvel superhero Black Panther, as well as myself, as this is the last article I’ll be submitting before I turn 20 on the 27th of February. 

Thank you Brandon University Students and everyone else for making the first 20 years so influential, and I hope the next 20 are just as incredible.

February. The shortest month of the year, with 28 or 29 days, often remembered for being the same month as Groundhog Day, Louis Riel Day, my birthday, and most of all Valentine’s Day. However, most people forget about the significance of February. It’s Black History Month. A month dedicated to notable figures in the black community. It’s one of the few things that hasn’t been commercialized, and that’s probably why most people forget about it. 

So, let’s talk about it.

Black History Month is an important time, not just for African Americans, but for all Black people. There have been a lot of people who have broken the racial barrier to make our society diverse. Some of those people include Rosa parks, who refused to give up her seat on a bus when a white man told her to move, and she was arrested for it. Here in Canada, segregation laws were also present. But people protested them here as well. Viola Desmond, also know as Canada’s Rosa Parks, was attending a film at a movie theater in Nova Scotia, when she went and sat in the whites only section, which infuriated a white woman and the security guard who was on duty. She refused to leave, and left the that theater in handcuffs. There was also Harriet Tubman, who helped operate the Underground Railroad. And Barrack Obama, who became the first Black President of The United States. There was also Nelson Mandela, who during the Apartheid, fought for the rights of Black people, and was imprisoned, only to end up as the first Black President of South Africa. Gandhi was another historical figure that we remember during Black History Month. He stood up to British power and would lead India to freedom. Sadly, he was assassinated, but his efforts went on to inspire Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King was known for his “I Have a Dream” speech and was also arrested for trying to protest segregation laws. In a similar way to Gandhi, he was eventually assassinated for protesting. But it was partially thanks to his efforts that segregation laws were overturned. Jackie Robinson is another notable figure, as he became the first Black Major League Baseball player. There was also another notable figure who was not only black, but had a mental disability, named Robert “Radio” Kennedy who helped lead his high school football team to victory, with help of his good friend, and the team’s coach, Harold Jones, who Cuba Gooding Jr. and Ed Harris would later portray in the film, Radio. Fictional heroes also broke boundaries. Walter Jones was the first black live action super hero on TV, portraying Zach Taylor the Black Power Ranger on Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers.  

The Black Community also had a large impact on the music industry, with rap, hip-hop and pop being created. Musicians like Michael Jackson and Prince would redefine music as we know it. 

There’s more than that, there’s even a personal connection as well. My Mom’s aunt became the first Black employee at the Pentagon. Here in Brandon even, racial boundaries were broken, with my Grandma and her husband having an interracial family. I am proud of my heritage, seeing my Mom’s graduation photo at school, since seeing her photo reminds me of the diversity in our society. So don’t forget talk about this event, since it’s significant. We all know at least 1 or more people who are black, whether they are friends, family, neighbours, coworkers, or employees, so keep them in mind this month.

 

As always, be good, thank you for everything, social distance and where a mask when possible, and please be safe. See you all later, I’ll catch up with you in the next issue. Until next time, I’m Zach Roozendaal. Take care, God bless and stay safe and well wishes to you and your peers and families.

-Zach Roozendaal.

Inside Johnny Depp’s Ongoing Crisis: What We’re Learning and Truth VS Lies

Inside Johnny Depp’s Ongoing Crisis:

What We’re Learning and Truth VS Lies

By Zach Roozendaal, contributor

(Photo Credit: Creative Commons_shahanaj27)

(Photo Credit: Creative Commons_shahanaj27)

Many people have seen at least one film from Johnny Depp. The actor has starred in many great films over the years, from playing the swashbuckling pirate Captain Jack Sparrow in The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, to the flamboyant confectionary connoisseur Willy Wonka in the remake of Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, as well as sadistic psycho Sweeney Todd, and also the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland.

            More recently, however, are the troubling and ongoing issues from beyond the silver screen or red carpet that the acclaimed actor has faced, as well as shocking twists and turns in regards to what is happening and the situation he’s in. For those of you who aren’t up to date with what’s going on, let me run you through the timeline of events.

            Depp’s ex wife, actress Amber Heard, allegedly was physically abused and claims that Depp beat her senselessly while under the influence of drugs and alcohol, and had been abusing substances and became violent while impaired. She had filed for both a divorce and restraining order following one incident so serious, she called 911, however Depp claims that it was actually the other way around. Now, in the wake of the #metoo movement, many may have been quick to jump on the bandwagon with Heard, seeing Depp as trying to preserve his career and that Heard was simply a brave individual who came forward about her domestic abuse from her ex-husband, however things have been quite shocking as of recently. Heard was quick to deny her former lover’s claims of any and all violence or aggression against him. Many people took her side, at least until recently.

            Leaked audio of an altercation between Heard and Depp suggests the opposite of Heard’s claims against her former spouse, with Heard becoming physically and emotionally aggressive and violent against Depp. Many celebs have been quick to voice their support of Johnny following the leak of the audio, including singer/songwriter Sia, and Depp’s co-star from the movie Mordecai, Paul Bettany. Others to voice their opinions on the matter was Stranger Things star and Depp’s former partner Winona Ryder, who sided with Depp, as well as Depp’s own daughter through a post on Instagram, although that post has since been taken down for unknown reasons. His daughter described him as being a kind and gentle person, and a loving father to her and her younger brother.

            According to Depp’s Lawyers, Heard was only looking to benefit from her claims, both from the attention, and so she could attempt to secure a premature financial resolution by alleging abuse. There is some behaviour that caused people to be skeptical of Depp however, and that was the fact that Depp had admitted to being addicted to Roxicodone since about early 2010, which is a powerful opioid. A journalist for the Rolling Stone, Stephen Rodrick, claimed that Depp had used Hashish in his presence.

            Heard had testified her abuse claims while under oath at a divorce court deposition. The media was abuzz after hearing Heard’s claims and other celebs who haven’t been so positive include former reality show star and former passenger of the Crazy Train, Sharon Osbourne, stating that both Heard and Depp are as bad as each other, and she knows exactly how they are because they apparently behave the way she and her ex-husband, rock ‘n roll legend and man who’s mouth is an occasional guillotine for animals, Ozzy Osbourne. People will point out that he and Sharon are both crazy as hell, but to the extent of abuse? Who knows?

            Depp has been fired from working on the next Fantastic Beasts film, a series that takes place within the same universe as the Harry Potter franchise, and was also created by British author JK Rowling. There has been much uproar as a result of this, especially considering the leaked audio of Heard’s abuse against her ex-husband.

            As if the actor couldn’t catch a break, Depp also lost a libel case earlier this month after he sued a British newspaper known as The Sun in the UK following an article they published that described Depp as a wife beater. The courts are also siding with Heard, as they see her being extremely vulnerable as a woman and Depp as a liar who’s far too concerned about his image and preserving his career than being honest. Depp may be a bit of an oddity, but following the leaked audio, and also the many character witnesses, I’d say it’s likely that he’s not exaggerating his claims. But as for whether or not Heard’s claims are totally invalid is completely up for debate.

            Abuse of any form is a very touchy subject and can be extremely difficult to talk about, and although sometimes it’s obvious to recognize it in an external sense, such as being friends with the victim and witnessing it or the effects of it on the victim, when a person themselves is a victim of it, it can be hard to recognize the signs of it, especially if the abuse is psychological or emotional. Abuse isn’t something that’s restricted between romantic relationships. It can be between friends, coworkers, colleagues, classmates, teachers and students, parents and children, roommates, and the list goes on.

            For anyone who isn’t sure if they are a victim of abuse and are wondering what the signs are, please make sure to visit www.canada.ca/en/public-health/topics/how-recognize-abuse.html as abuse can take on many different forms, whether it be leaves obvious signs like physical abuse or more subtle and harder to see such as emotional and psychological and even sexual abuse.

If you ever feel that your life is in danger from an abuser, always make sure you dial 911. If you’re not in immediate danger, and the abuse is more psychological, sexual or psychological, then you can call this number toll free 1-877-977-0007 for the Stop The Violence Manitoba Domestic Abuse Hotline. Domestic abuse isn’t limited to physical harm, or between romantic partners, and no one will fault you for calling it if you genuinely feel you need to. November happens to be Domestic Abuse Awareness Month, so if you or someone you know is in an abusive situation, refer them to that helpline or call it yourself.

Sometimes the scars we bear are psychological, and they don’t always heal fully, just like physical scars, and they can run deep as any cuts we’ve gotten, but it doesn’t mean a person’s not strong. Abuse victims come in all shapes and sizes.

And now as always, it’s time for my final thought.

Things aren’t always as they seem, but the truth is always worth chasing, because truth leads to justice, and justice leads to closure.

Stay safe out there, take care of each other, stay at home unless you absolutely have to go out, wear a mask, wash and sanitize your hands often, and social distance, and follow guidelines.

Until next time, I’m Zach Roozendaal. Goodbye for now.

Reflecting on Summer: A Farewell Piece

Reflecting on Summer: A Farewell Piece

By Zach Roozendaal

If you’re anything like me, then saying goodbye to the +20°C temperatures, the outdoor swimming pools, ice cream on the patio, camping with family and friends, fishing like a survivalist and wearing shorts are going to be things you’ll definitely miss. Now we’re officially into fall, and now it’s time for the long and bitterly cold road ahead that we need to plan for, as they said in Game Of Thrones, “Winter is coming.”

But before we get fully ready to move into sweater season and the spirit of the fall season before the snow hits, let’s reflect on the summer and some key moments throughout, as well as some things to look forward to for those who are feeling the post summer blues.

First of all, it’s no secret that the entertainment industry has had a kind of mixed success despite the pandemic. TV shows and streaming services and video game companies have all seen their profits going through the roof as people desperately try to escape boredom, but theatres across the globe have taken a huge hit as have many films, many of which either were put directly onto streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu or Disney+ or were just delayed in the hopes that within 6 months to a year things will have eased up enough for theatres to reopen.

Black Widow, the film launching the MCU’s 4th phase was among those films, as well as the direct sequel to the 2018 partial reboot of 1978’s Halloween, John Carpenter’s Halloween Kills, however the trailer for it was released on YouTube, and despite being as baked as a pumpkin pie in his obsession’s basement, Michael Myers is still letting nothing stand in his way of his pursuit of Jamie Lee Curtis’ incredibly iconic portrayal of final girl Laurie Strode. As well as that, rumours of a sequel to the highly controversial yet comedic mockumentary Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, a film that follows British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen playing a fictional journalist named Borat Sagdiyev, a reporter from Kazakhstan who’s antisemitic, homophobic, racist and sexist actions and comments were meant to mock the idea of prejudice and highlight how prejudice is fuelled by ignorance and unwillingness to accept proof defying the prejudice ideologies some members of society possess, although Cohen since claims to have retired the character due to the many controversies surrounding the film, although a video was shot in Los Angeles and published several weeks ago showing Borat in a yellow pick up truck, as played by Cohen himself, with the rumour being that a sequel has been secretly filmed during the pandemic.

This summer we also witnessed the divisive controversies of racial tensions between police and Black Lives Matter protestors, ramping up to what some claim may be the beginning of a civil war. In addition to that, many rallies have been held by current president Donald Trump and his political rival, Democratic party nominee Joe Biden, however the election will be one of historic proportions, with it being incredibly different in how the voting system works with the Coronavirus pandemic. Voting by mail is now going to be a necessity, and like it or not that’s the direction it’s headed as the United States moves to try and further curb the spread of COVID-19.

The 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics have been moved to 2021 as a result of the pandemic. High schools across the world had to engage in strange graduation ceremonies, although at least for my sister and her boyfriend’s class this year they still had a ceremony, although no banquet or after party occurred.

Finally, there were the sad and unfortunate deaths of both actor Chadwick Boseman and Supreme Court Justice and feminist icon Ruth Bader Ginsburg. 

Boseman was known for incredible portrayals of many characters, bringing to life famous iconic figures like baseball legend Jackie Robinson and jazz artist James Brown, and most notably King T’Challa, also known as the superhero Black Panther, and ruler of the fictional African nation of Wakanda. Boseman redefined the superhero genre with his character’s debut in Captain America: Civil War in 2016, but gained more of a following after the release of his Black Panther solo film in February 2018. In 2016, Boseman had been diagnosed with colon cancer, but despite the disease he persisted through the pain, giving people around the world hope and making his fans scream his iconic phrase “Wakanda forever” a battle cry his character would yell to rally his fellow heroes. Marvel Studios has yet to give comments for their plans on what is to happen with the sequel definitively.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the other hand, was a feminist icon, becoming an advocate for women’s rights and redefining the gender roles of women within the US legal system. An introverted and shy woman, she gained popularity and fame and became an iconic figure in the feminist movement, becoming an advocate for equality. Perhaps she was best known for her nickname, RBG or Notorious RBG a reference to the rapper Notorious BIG. She was also made iconic through Kate McKinnon’s portrayal of her during the Weekend Update segment of Saturday Night Live. Like other equality figures, she will live on in our hearts and minds and as key figure in recent history.

And so that ends the summer of 2020. My final summer as a teen, and the first in a very strange and different world, one that like it or not, we have to do our best to make sure that things will be okay for the future in. be safe, don’t do anything your peers wouldn’t do, and also take care of each other. Until next time, this is Zach Roozendaal, signing off.

Goodbye for now!