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NEWS
OPINIONS FEATURES
IN-DEPTH ENTERTAINMENT SPORTS
Vol. 5, Issue 3
Mr. Storm
A
By Nick Hanson, reporter
fter giving multiple superb performances, the contestants stand jubilantly in front of
the colossal crowd. Every competitor stands accomplished, as well as capable of being
crowned the winner, but only one man can become Mr. Storm 2015.
The 2015 Mr. Storm contest (held January 21, 2015) is an annual event in which
several senior students compete in various acts of competition in order to prove who qualifies
as the best candidate to become Mr. Storm. The rounds vary from talent portions to swimwear
contests, and the men and women in attendance vote for the winner via admission slips.
“We hold a Mr. Storm contest to give the senior boys a night dedicated to them so they can show
their inner pageant queen.” Senior Mary Greufe, who worked on student council to help make
Mr. Storm a reality, said.
“My favorite part is the talent because the boys usually pick very unusual things, like telling
stories or interpretive dancing.” Greufe said. This quote would go on to be true as the seniors all
picked a unique and entertaining talent.
“Honestly, I just want to see people make a fool of themselves and see what they do.”
Junior Matt Bridgeman said.
“I really just want to see people do stupid things.” Bridgeman said when asked about what he
wanted to see during the competition.
“I do it for the children” senior Will Srilivasan, who was a competitor in the Mr. Storm
contest replied. Proceeds from the show went to the Make a wish Foundation (A non-profit
organization that arranges experiences to children with life-threatening medical conditions).
When asked how he wanted this show to end, Srilivasan replied, “Whoever shows their stuff and
is the most entertaining should win the Mr. Storm contest.”
“I didn’t actually sign up. Someone signed me up, not sure who, and I just decided to go with it
‘Uptown Funk’: Dylan Stiles performs AND THE CROWN GOES TO...: Mr.
to the Bruno Mars hit during the talent Storm 2015 hugs a fellow competitor
portion of the competition. Todd
after being announced as the winner.
Schliegelmich accompanied Stiles on the Miss Teen Nebraska, Morgan Holen,
keyboard. Photo by Bridget Kardell
crowned the winner. Photo by Bridget
Kardell
because it sounded fun and a lot of people encouraged me to do it.” Senior Dan Volk said,
who would eventually win the contest.
“I was a little nervous because there was a lot of people in the crowd.” Volk said.
“I wasn’t too worried about winning because I had fun. After talent I thought Anthony
Hughes had won but I thought I had a good chance after the question/formal wear.” Volk
said.
“I was happy and pretty honored to have won considering how well the other guys
won.”
When the cheers parted and the spotlight shun on the contestants, Dan Volk
would end up walking away with the crown.
“If you get the opportunity to compete,” Volk said. “I say go for it!”
Charlie Hebdo Aftermath: Attacks lead to confusion and bigotry
O
By Jack Ellis, reporter
n the morning of January seventh, 2015, two men armed with machine guns and tactical gear, broke into the Paris office of Charlie Hebdo, a French satirical newspaper. They
went about methodically attacking cartoonists who had been adversely depicting the
Muslim prophet, Muhammad. The ensuing massacre left 12 dead and 11 injured, some critically.
THE CONFUSION: In the days that followed, media pundits expressed outraged with the
French newspaper, accusing the cartoons of “inciting hate” and “being religiously insensitive.”
Some claimed that such illustrations would have constituted hate crime in the United States.
However, many of these critics failed to understand the philosophy of the French press.
The French press has a tradition of practicing ‘laissez-faire journalism.’ “Laissez-faire,” translated to mean “leave it alone,” is a French term common in economics that entails an absence of
government interference in commerce.
“The French are very liberal about a lot of things, journalism included; they don’t like any
interference in their press,” said French teacher Pam Kookier.
This motto of absenteeism proves popular in France; the prevailing opinion among Franks
remains that the only way to ensure the sanctity of free press is to liberate it of all restrictions.
This contrasts drastically with American press, where both government censorship and independent self-censorship are common practice. As a result, Kookier says disturbing images of “floating
bodies after a flood” or “mangled victims from a car accident” often bedeck the pages of French
newspapers.
Many critics also failed to understand that the French people typically disagreed with the ideas
conveyed and found the images to be crass; in reality only about 60,000 Frenchmen (.001% of
the population) subscribed to the publication.
Kookier was hardly even aware of the existence of Charlie Hebdo and said, “You can’t imagine
all the publications like Charlie Hebdo throughout France.”
While many in France do not endorse these papers, almost all of France believes that publishers are entitled to the right to print as they desire. This holds true even if the ideas expressed
are not popular (certain exceptions do exist). Controversy arose because bulk of critics failed to
differentiate those who supported Charlie on principle (the majority party) from those who supported the anti-Islamic illustrations (the minority).
THE BIGOTRY: After the events of January seventh, the anti-Islamic sect of the French
population plagued the nation with a spree of Muslim victimization.
The National Observatory Against Islamophobia reported 128 violent anti-Muslim incidents in France between the Charlie Hebdo killings and Jan. 20, almost as many as the 133
reported in the entirety of 2014.
Many see this as emblematic of the religious dogmas that infect France.
Due to increasing amounts of Muslim immigration to France from Arab nations in Africa,
the French government has made large high-rises to supplement public housing. These
housing projects are often beset with crime and, as a result, are ostracized from the rest of
France.
This estrangement has adversely affected much of the French population. Patrick Simon,
demographer at the Institute National d’Études Démographiques, says one of those affects
is racism.
“While France is officially a society without “race,” racism and racial discriminations are
as widespread as anywhere else,” Simon said.
Systemic racism is not only problematic in France, but in the entire western world. For
many western countries, Islamophobia -racism towards those perceived to be ethnically
Muslim- seems to be almost habitual after a terrorist event, like Charlie Hebdo.
Like many Muslims, Junior Amina Siddiqui is no stranger to Islamophobia.
“After the bombing at the Boston Marathon one of my friends grandparents told them
they shouldn’t be friends with me or talk to me anymore because [they thought] I probably
knew the people responsible,” Siddiqui said. “At first I was offended but I learned being offended doesn’t help. I need to teach and inform them so they know better.”
All of this acrimony against Muslims, either in France or in the US, is a direct result of a
disregard for the actual nature of Islam.
Siddiqui described the true nature of Islam as, “treating other people with respect and
kindness, not violence. And just because one group of ‘Muslims’ are killing and doing
horrible things doesn’t mean that’s what we all do. And do not judge all of us based off the
actions of a few, there are millions of us who would never hurt anyone.”
News Writing: John “Jack” Ellis