Month: November 2023

Claire Blatt

In early October 2023, a devastating war erupted in the troubled region of Israel and Gaza, renewing the heartbreaking cycle of violence that has persisted for over a century. The conflict, which pitted Israel against Hamas, the militant Islamist group that has governed Gaza since 2006, left a trail of destruction, injury, and loss on both sides. As the world watched in concern, it became evident that this long-standing dispute had not lost its capacity to inflict pain and suffering on the innocent civilians caught in the crossfire.

Hamas, which stands for Harakat al-muqawama al-Islamiyya, is a Palestinian national-Islamic movement. It is frequently criticized for endorsing anti-Semitic beliefs within its ideology, framing the conflict with Israel in religious and uncompromising terms. Hamas publications have portrayed Jews as instruments of the West or as the power that controls and manipulates the West in the ongoing conflict. They emphasize a dichotomy between Islam and Judaism and depict the struggle as a “war of religion and faith” between Muslims and Jews. Unlike non-Islamist Palestinian groups, Hamas makes no distinction between Judaism and Zionism, often using “Zionists” and “Jews” interchangeably in their rhetoric. This anti-Semitic perspective has become a central element in Hamas’ ideology and is used to explain their perception of the current crisis in the Muslim world. However, compassion for both the suffering people in Gaza and those hurt in Israel is necessary for reconciliation, but this war sadly seems far from over. 

The Conflict Unfolds

The fateful day of October 7, 2023, witnessed a sudden and deadly escalation of hostilities. Hamas fighters launched rockets into Israel, an audacious attack on southern Israeli cities and towns along the border with Gaza. The result was catastrophic, with hundreds of soldiers and civilians killed or injured and dozens taken hostage. The scale of the attack took Israel by surprise, prompting an immediate and lethal retaliatory response.

Within a mere day of the attack, Israel’s cabinet formally declared war against Hamas, and the defense minister issued a directive to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) to impose a “complete siege” on Gaza. The consequence was daily exchanges of rocket fire between the two sides and the distressing order for over one million Palestinian civilians in northern Gaza to evacuate in anticipation of a possible ground assault. Meanwhile, Gaza found itself in the grip of an impending humanitarian crisis, with dwindling supplies of water, fuel, and essential resources as Israeli forces controlled these necessities. This grave situation placed the lives of innocent civilians in jeopardy.

A Troubled History

The conflict between Israel and Palestine dates back to the late 19th century when Jewish immigrants settled in the region, then part of the Ottoman Empire. The subsequent turmoil led to the establishment of Israel in 1948, which sparked the first Arab-Israeli War. The war ended in 1949 but resulted in the displacement of 750,000 Palestinians and the division of the territory into Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip.

Tensions between Israel and its neighbors, Egypt, Jordan, and Syria, persisted in the following years. The 1967 Six-Day War led to Israel’s occupation of the Sinai Peninsula, Gaza Strip, West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights. Attempts at peace negotiations, like the Camp David Accords, improved relations between Israel and Egypt but did little to resolve the question of Palestinian self-determination.

The Palestinian people have suffered immensely, culminating in uprisings such as the First and Second Intifadas. The Oslo Accords provided a framework for Palestinian self-governance, but the situation remained plagued with challenges. The ongoing expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank further complicated the prospect of peace.

Escalation and Concern

Like previous cycles of violence, the recent conflict in October 2023 raised concerns. President Joe Biden strongly supported Israel and increased the U.S. military presence in the region. The United Nations Security Council called an emergency meeting but failed to issue a consensus statement. The international community expressed deep worry for the safety of civilians on both sides and those held hostage by Hamas.

The situation became more complex with the possibility of Iran’s involvement, given its support for Hamas and other extremist groups. There were concerns that Hezbollah, another group backed by Iran, might be drawn into the conflict, potentially expanding the crisis beyond the borders of Israel and Palestine.

Furthermore, the October conflict disrupted a U.S.-brokered effort to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia’s commitment to Palestinian rights and safety has complicated the progress made in this regard.

The conflict between Israel and Hamas in October 2023 is a stark reminder of the enduring  struggle in the region. This prolonged crisis has cost countless lives and caused immeasurable suffering to generations of Palestinians and Israelis. The search for lasting peace remains an urgent and vital endeavor, one that must be pursued with unwavering commitment, empathy, and a shared vision of a brighter and more harmonious future for all those affected by this long-standing conflict.

The Gaslighter

By Quinn Connolly

The question among Catalina students of all ages has always been, “Will Catalina ever go CoEd?” Well, we have recently been informed that the school has finally set a date: 2100. I know this seems like ages away, but in reality, it’s only 77 years. The planning for this is very recent, and not much is known about what will be done in the future to promote this new version of our beloved school. What we do know is that everyone has something to say about the future change. 

Santa Catalina student Delilah Futjita says she likes “that it’s going coed” and feels “that it is something that has been needed for a while.” Although the change might be difficult, many Catalina students already feel prepared and excited to start planning. Delilah, who is also the Sophomore Class President, “could not be more excited to start the 77-year planning process for this event.” She also feels “very excited about the different sports and games on campus as well as the different activities that would be added to the school.” Delilah is among many supporters, but some students feel that this is a wrong decision. 

One member of this opposing argument is Delilah Fujita. In another encounter with her, she stated that she “one-hundred percent disagrees” with this new venture and believes that it will take “too much work and effort for me (Delilah Fujita), personally, to get it done as the Sophomore Class President.” Delilah is a member of a group of similarly aligned students who believe that this change will take too much effort and energy to actually make it happen. However, this group is not the majority of the student population, and most people believe we can figure this out. 

As members of this Santa Catalina Community start to embrace (or disregard) this future change, they are left with feelings of hope, excitement, and wonder for the future. We hope that the generations of students to come will look back to 2023 as a time of prosperity and beginnings and that they appreciate the work we have put in to get them to where they are in the future. The planning to come to get us to 2100 will be strenuous, but worth it for those ahead. 

Cecilia Yu

When stepping into the theater to see The Barbie Movie, we all dressed up in pink or as our favorite animated Barbie character.  Stepping out, some had tears in their eyes, other’s hair strewn all over the place after running their fingers through it multiple times, and most seemed like they received the most shocking news of their life.  

Barbie was all about watching animations of what we dream of as little kids of being: a fairy becoming a mermaid, a commoner turning into a princess, and having our true love save us from a curse.  She usually had her animal sidekick; a random species with a strange name (though quite cute): Kuda the seahorse, Lila the unicorn, and Bibble the puffball (the superior sidekick).  If you don’t know Bibble, you are missing out.  Please go and watch Barbie: Fairytopia right now, your life is incomplete without seeing a babbling puffball hurl itself across the screen.

Anyways, what people expected was a world filled with pink and possibly magical scenarios such as turning into a mermaid, having wings, saving the prince (multiple times because women are always stronger than men), and so on.  What we got was quite the opposite.

Instead of space stations and Santa Claus’s warehouse, we got an inspiring piece that talks about societal norms and how toxic they are to the female sex.

We start with Barbie and Ken enjoying their lives in the Barbie world which is beautiful, pink, and everything a girl can dream of.  Everything is going well until she faces the reality of going to the human world.  There, Barbie finds out she isn’t as perfect as people make her believe.  In Barbieland, she was the most famous because of her style, looks, kindness, and the list goes on.  But in the human world, she was criticized, and people questioned her existence.  

She returns to Barbieland, wondering what is wrong with her, and why she isn’t good enough. Gloria, played by actress America Ferrera, was not one of Barbie’s big supporters in the beginning, but once Babrie suffers from a breakdown and identity crisis, she is there to let her know nothing is wrong with her, society is wrong. Gloria goes on to say that Barbie is “so beautiful, and so smart, and it kills [her] that [Barbie] doesn’t think [she’s] good enough.”  Gloria points out society’s flaws, such as the idea of women being “thin, but not too thin,” or how one is supposed to “be a boss, but you can’t be mean,” or how women are supposed to “answer for men’s bad behavior” which in itself doesn’t make any sense. She goes on to talk about how messed up societal views are on women and how impossible the expectations are of them.  Women should be “grateful” for what they have but know that the “system is rigged” and address it somehow but do absolutely nothing about it.  Gloria goes on and on about these problems, raging about how unfair society is with the expectations of what a woman should be and how it is nearly impossible to fill such a role.  Here, Gloria says everything that women feel today, and when she gives her speech, she says it unapologetically.

This talk soon placates Barbie, and after gathering her thoughts, she chooses to leave Barbieland and become a human.

The last scene is what stumps many people.  Why would Greta Gerwig, the writer and director of this film, end it on Barbie saying, “I want to see a gynecologist?”  Gerwig explains in the Town & Country “The Ending of Barbie Explained” article that she was “embarrassed about [her] body.”  She added this little phrase at the end to have a bit of a joke moment but also show little girls that if Barbie did it, they could too, building up our next generation with the thoughts of being able to do what they want with their body.

The overarching theme throughout this storyline is whatever you think is beautiful and amazing shouldn’t be deterred because of societal views.  If society says what you do is wrong, then you should do it again, and again until it is accepted and until it forces society to broaden its view and see the beauty in everything.

By: Abigail Jung

Freshman year is hard. Whether navigating through a new campus, making new friends, trying to adjust to a new schedule, or remembering what a coefficient is––we’ve all been there. Like I said before, Freshman year is hard! So, here’s the big question: “How do I make it easier?”––Short answer: It probably won’t if I don’t try. Long answer: Getting used to things and building constructive habits takes time. For example, when I was a Freshman, I struggled a lot with time management, which most students still struggle with even after graduating! However, even though I’m still learning how to manage my time, it made Freshman year and my Sophomore year so much easier! When it comes to time management, most people don’t have time for it. Now, that might sound like a joke, but it isn’t. And many people get scared or confused when the topic is brought up, mainly because they know deep down that they don’t have it. Believe me when I say that probably no one does. But you can work on your daily habits to improve your time management skills! For example, I started writing a schedule of the things I needed to do every day. And yes, this is a given if you are going to school, but surprisingly, I did not get the memo somehow. In my freshman year, I decided that I would just remember. It was as simple as that. Just remember that I had ten pages of notes due on Thursday and to bring everything from the study hall home. It did not work out well… especially when I forgot a textbook at school. That was the worst part. 

Now, one thing I did other than start writing in a planner was keeping all of my books at home and only bringing the ones I needed for the day. And this does work if you are a boarder, too! From my second semester of freshman year onward, I never used a crate again. I’m not saying that you should do this. I have a lot of friends who I know would actually forget their books at home, but it worked out for me, so if you’re struggling, try it out! One quick tip is NEVER to bring your textbooks to school unless you ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO! Your back and shoulders will thank me later. What I did when I was a freshman, on top of keeping my books at home, was keep everything in my backpack the whole day. Okay, I’m just saying that I had a really good backpack with thick straps so my shoulders and back don’t hurt, and I DO NOT recommend this if you (1) have a weak back or (2) have a backpack with spaghetti straps. Honestly, I think those things should be banned. But always having everything in my backpack made it easier for me to get to class earlier. The perks to getting to class early are: (1) you can study for a test/quiz in that class, (2) you can relax knowing that you won’t be late, (3) you can read, etc. Another amazing time saver is always being on top of your work, no matter what. I didn’t start doing this until my Sophomore year, but it will help you so much you might cry (or it will prevent that). Utilize your weekends. Now I know that most people like to relax and go out, but in my opinion, like Rory Gilmore, school will always be first! I’m not saying don’t spend time with your friends but make sure you finish your work without staying up until 2 a.m. All in all, time management is one of the most important things you can do, especially in your Freshman year!