Elizabeth Boyle, Staff

Over the past few months, the Russian army has virtually encircled the Northern border of Ukraine with over 92,000 troops. This past week Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed that Ukraine had intercepted communications in Russia talking about Russian involvement in orchestrating a coup d’etat against the Kiev Government. Likewise, the head of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Agency, Brig. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, reported that Russian forces are preparing for a combined air, artillery and armor attack sometime in January or February.

Russia has denied any allegations that it has plans to invade Ukraine. 

Russian-Ukrainian tension has been on the U.S. and The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)‘s radar for quite a while, but any time the issue is brought to the forefront, Russian President Vladimir Putin has denied that Russia has any plans to invade Ukraine. Putin’s denials have not lessened current concern in light of Russia seizing Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in 2014, and ongoing Russian supported fighting throughout Eastern Ukraine.

In light of these potential allegations, the U.S. and members of NATO have begun coordinating about how to neutralize Russia’s threat to Ukrainian sovereignty. After hearing about these conversations, President Putin talked about the West’s response at his annual state of the union address. Putin warned the West not to cross Russia’s security “red line” by placing offensive weapons systems, especially advanced missile systems, in Ukraine. Putin said that if the Western militaries move high technology missiles into Ukraine, Moscow would be exposed and be open to an attack within 5 to 10 minutes. Putin explained, “if supersonic weapons are placed there [in Ukraine]” then the risk of an attack on Moscow could happen in as little as five minutes. Putin went on to explain how Russia has created a sea based hypersonic missile, which Putin said can travel nine times the speed of sound. He says, “the flight time to those who give out such orders will also be 5 minutes.” Putin said his deployment of such weaponry is specifically made to enforce Moscow’s “red line.” 

In response to Russian troops surrounding Ukraine and Putin’s explanation of a missile made to protect the “red line,” U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken gave Russia a warning while he was in Latvia on Tuesday. Blinken said any aggression can “trigger serious consequences.” At the time he was meeting with the Latvian foreign minister Edgars Rinkevics. Blinken was in Latvia specifically to discuss the movement of Russian troops on the Ukrainian border and said they plan to continue the conversation as NATO ministers convene a meeting later in the week.

  In coordination with NATO, the Biden administration is debating whether or not to send U.S. military personnel and weapons to Ukraine to deter and/or prepare for a possible invasion by Russia. NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, has told the U.S. and other NATO militaries to prepare for the worst, as he is concerned that Russia is indeed preparing to invade Ukraine. Additionally, the U.S. has been discussing possible economic sanctions with the European Union in the event that Ukraine is invaded. 

Amid the global conversation about the rising tension, Putin continues to deny that he has any plans to invade Ukraine, and has accused the U.S. and its allies of trying to challenge Russia’s efforts to secure its territory and its “near abroad” interests.

Rachel Phillips, Staff

Kasey Brammell

On November 26, members of the W.H.O Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution identified another mutation of Covid-19, known as the Omicron variant. This strain, while initially detected in South Africa has already emerged in 20 countries around the world, the most recent being Brazil and Canada. The rapid transmission and potential immunity of the virus to current vaccinations have further raised alarm, particularly as the travel-heavy holiday season quickly approaches. However, despite its transmission rates, health experts remain optimistically hesitant to label the virus as severe or prevalent as the Delta Variant- which remains the most infectious mutation. Dr. Fauci, White House Medical Chief Advisor and Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, has coordinated with South African health officials in determining the symptoms of early cases and severity of a potential outbreak. However, Dr. Fauci remains adamant that a more accurate understanding of the virus requires testing on its potential immunity evasion, which may be at least two weeks away. In the meantime, many countries are implementing global precautions through travel restrictions or temporary travel bans. In the United States, President Joe Biden has enacted a travel ban from those attempting to enter the United States from South Africa. This decision is currently being considered on a “week to week” basis, contingent on the arrival of new information regarding the variant. In his most recent statement, Joe Biden has also promised not to blind-side Europe with sudden travel restrictions before the holiday season, a decision that is again contingent on the arrival of new information in the upcoming weeks. In addition to travel bans, many countries are again emphasizing the importance of vaccination and the newly available booster shots. As Dr. Fauci states, “we don’t know what degree of diminution of protection is going to be. But we know that when you boost somebody, you elevate your level of protection very high. And we are hoping, and I think with good reason, to feel good that there will be some degree of protection. Therefore, as we said, if you’re unvaccinated get vaccinated, and if you’re vaccinated, get boosted.”

Jada Urbaez, Writer

Immigration policies can be a sensitive topic for America, and a complex one due to the heartbreaking realities these laws cause families to face.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.) was created in 2003 “to protect America from the cross-border crime and illegal immigration that threaten national security and public safety,” according to their mission statement. 

To some, I.C.E.’s mission looks promising, protective and necessary. To others, the condition of the detention centers across the U.S., those taken into custody and the procedures done by I.C.E. officers are viewed as contradictory, inhumane and unnecessary. 

To gain an empathetic perspective on deportations and separation of families, it would be ideal to see what life is truly like for individuals without proper documentation. Luckily, Living Undocumented, a docuseries produced by Many Teefy, Selena Gomez and Eli Holzman, provides authentic information and digs deep into families’ experiences with deportation. The 2019 Netflix Original is six episodes long, following journeys of numerous families who emigrated from Israel, Mexico, Mauritania, Colombia, Laos and Honduras. The eight families in the series include two each from California and Texas as well as families from Wisconsin, South Carolina, Maryland and Florida.

Alejandra, for instance, is a Mexican woman introduced in the first episode. Although she is a military wife, due to the “zero tolerance policy” of the Trump administration, her appeals were denied by the government.

Living Undocumented highlights the hardship, fear and raw reality of these particular undocumented families’ everyday lives, but also gives greater understanding of the perspectives of millions of other people who have similar experiences.

Elizabeth Boyle, Staff

In December 2020, a woman enlisted in the Montana Army National Guard. S and she is now the first woman to complete the United States Army’s Elite Sniper School. This woman, who was stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia for her initial military training called One Station Unit Training ( or OSUT), does not wish to be publicly identified. Based on her performance at OSUT, course she was recommended for the sniper school by her superior. 

            She completed the seven-week sniper course, also at Fort Benning. In order to enter the sniper school, a soldier must be on active duty or in the National Guard or Reserves. A soldier must volunteer to begin school and have a letter of recommendation from his or her commander.     According to the U.S. Army, Fort Benning, and the Maneuver Center of Excellence, the sniper course was created to, “educate snipers to be adaptive soldiers, critical and& creative thinkers, armed with the technical, tactical, and logistical skills necessary to serve successfully at the sniper team level [and] prepare snipers with a principal understanding of team duties and responsibility.” The course trains a soldier in advanced camouflage, target detection, intelligence preparation of the battlefield (IPB), relevant reporting procedures, sniper tactics, advanced marksmanship, moving targets in the light and in the dark, battlefield awareness, and complex engagements. After a soldier is trained in these areas, he or she must pass various tests using simulated real-life events in order to pass the course. After her success in the sniper course, her OSUT company commander, Joshua O’Neill, said, “We’re all incredibly proud of her. There wasn’t a doubt in our minds that she would succeed.”

            One of the most famous female snipers was Lyudmila Pavlivhenko from Ukraine. She served in the Soviet Army during World War II. After the war, she was invited to the U.S. by Eleanor Roosevelt, said Smithsonian Magazine in 2013. She was invited to discuss her combat experience while on a tour of the country.

            In the U.S., the first women sniper, Senior Airman Jennifer Weitekamp, a member of the Illinois Air National Guard, graduated from the National Guard’s sniper school’s Counter-Sniper Course for Air Guard Security Force in April 2001. At that time this was the only sniper school open to women in the U.S. military. Weitekamp said, “they asked for volunteers for this training program, and I really wanted to go, so I volunteered.” Weitekamp understood the doors she opened for other women at the time. She explained, “I was the first woman to go through, it was because of that and the opportunities it would open up for future women that helped me get through the training and kept me motivated.”

Rachel Phillips, Staff

Texas may soon lose its status as the state with the most restrictive abortion law. As of Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021, Republican lawmakers in Ohio have proposed an abortion bill with a severity that could overshadow the current “Heartbeat Bill” in Texas. The potential bill, also known as the 2363 act, a name that according to Ohio lawmakers reflects the number of daily abortions performed in the U.S., will ultimately place a total ban on abortion. If passed, the legislation will not include exceptions for rape or incest, nor will it allow for an abortion prior to the detection of a fetal heartbeat. In addition, similar to the social repercussion of the Texas bill, the 2363 Act will allow any civilian to file lawsuits of at least $10,000 to those caught receiving, aiding, or performing an abortion. Furthermore, if enacted, the bill will also ban defendants of civil suits from skirting prosecution based on claims of ignorance of the law or personal belief that it is unconstitutional.

In addition, it seems the arrival of the 2363 Act has prompted other states to consider similar copycat bills. Several states, including Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota and Indiana, have publicly announced interest in an abortion ban and may attempt to initiate reform as early as January of 2022.

Current Ohio House Minority Leader Emilia Sykes has slammed the potential bill, labeling it “an egregious assault on women, a dangerous attack on healthcare rights and an embarrassment for the state.” However, despite the ongoing criticism of Sykes and the outrage from both healthcare providers and recipients, the 2363 Act has already been signed by 33 lawmakers, more than half of the House GOP caucus. While this does not guarantee a victory for the bill or Republican leaders, the early momentum does suggest an increased likelihood of passage.

Adrienne Kimmel, current president of Pro-Choice America, is one of many women who believe that the outcome in Ohio will be a decisive vote for the country and the future of healthcare freedom for women. She states, “The domino effect is well under way and will only continue to escalate in cruelty, as long as the Supreme Court allows legislation like Texas’ blatantly unconstitutional law to stand.”

Rachel Phillips, Staff

Upon entering the White House, Joe Biden’s approval rating of 53% reflected a widespread optimism of most Americans, particularly regarding vaccination rollout and economic recovery. In the following months, his administration encouraged such optimism by passing a 1.9 trillion-dollar aid package that provided most American families with a 1400-dollar stimulus package and extended unemployment benefits. It was these popular policies that allowed Biden’s approval rating to remain largely unscathed well into the summer months. However, following the American exit from Afghanistan and increasing concerns over the Delta variant, Bidens most recent approval rating sits at 44.2%, just 6 percentage points higher than Donald Trump’s final weeks in office.  In a recent poll conducted by the Pew Research Center, 10,371 Americans were surveyed to evaluate the Biden administration in categories of public issues, international handlings, economic revival and personal competency. Much like the national poll, the Pew survey reflected a decrease in Biden’s approval ratings in nearly every sector of his presidency since July. Support of his ability to handle the physical and economic setbacks of Covid-19 have decreased from 65% to 51%, with the largest declines occurring from polled independent voters. Similarly, belief in his ability to unify the country has dropped 14 percentage points and now sits at just 34%. The polls also reflect increased scrutiny regarding Biden’s age and mental sharpness. Skepticism in both categories has steadily climbed since the summer and now indicate that fewer than half of the poll participants find the president fit for the position. However, the poll does suggest one potential light at the end of the dark and seemingly unending tunnel of 2021. The most positive feedback from the survey reflects widespread support for Biden’s political agenda. His recently passed infrastructure bill which included increased funding for roads, bridges and the power grid, as well as renewed interest in clean energy, polled at 51% in favor of. In addition, polls reflected 49% support for the Build Back Better Agenda, a plan that would expand Medicare, increase taxes on the wealthy and reduce Carbon Emissions. Although it has yet to be passed, Build Back Better has the potential and popularity to curb Biden’s downward spiral and save his first year in office. 

Elizabeth Boyle, Staff

When you look up at the sky on a sunny day you may see airplanes flying above and they seem to be traveling at such a high speed. You are most likely looking at a commercial airline and not an F-35 fighter jet, which the U.S. recently activated in Europe. 

In early October the US Air Force, working with the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force, transported its first squadron of F-35 jets to the Royal Air Force Laken-heath Airbase. By the end of this year, the U.S. is hoping to have up to 27 jets in England. This is an important moment because it is the first time F-35 jets have been permanently stationed in Europe. 

A Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighter jet is an American model all-weather stealth fighter. The jet has one seat and one engine and is a multifunctional aircraft that can be used in airstrikes, reconnaissance missions, and electronic warfare. This jet is different from your average commercial airline not only in size and speed but how it is able to take off and land. 

It can do a conventional take-off and landing using a traditional runway and if it is not carrying a heavy payload, it also has the capability to take off and land without a runway using short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) technology. The plane is used in the U.S., several North Atlantic Treaty Organizations (NATO) partners, as well as Israel, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore.

The plan for the F-35s in the U.K. is for the U.S. and Royal Air Force to work together in training missions. The U.K. will also be able to use this squadron of F-35s and needed by their Air Force, in preparation for receiving up to 48 F-35s of their own in the next year. 

The U.S. is continuing its initiative from 2019 when it brought a squadron of F-35s to Italy in order to work on the European Deterrence Initiative. This initiative was meant to strengthen U.S. relationships and counter aggression from potential enemies. 

Jada Urbaez, Writer

Political conversations often turn heavy especially if those participating are in disagreement. Oftentimes, people cannot think of the correct words to express their thoughts, or sometimes there simply are no words to communicate them. Luckily, when words fail, art prevails, even when it comes to politics. 

An inspiring anonymous artist who goes by Key is a young local talent whose work is centered on human rights issues and politics. Key describes how they express their emotions through their art. In a recent interview with the Collegian, Key was asked what art has the potential of portraying. In response, Key stated, “Think of it as if someone were to state their opinion, but in image form”. The illustrator continued by expressing that with politics and world issues, it provides a visual representation rather than a conceptual one. For instance, if someone were to read about hungry children, they would more than likely continue their day unaffected afterward. Nonetheless, Key declares that if the same idea was a work of art, society would be emotionally touched in a way words cannot do. 

With digital paintings being this artist’s concentration, dozens have been published to Instagram including a handful of them with thousands of likes. One of Key’s digital paintings exceeded twelve thousand likes on this social media platform back in February of 2021. When the young talent was questioned about why they think this particular post  got this much recognition, Key replied, “it forced people to face reality- you can’t ignore an image”. 

@key_theartist

Out of the dozens posted to their Instagram profile (@key_theartist), Key shared that their favorite digital painting so far is the one posted on February 22, 2021. It depicts a Black trans woman in support of LGBTQ+ rights. Key stated they decided to do a Black trans woman because “the Black community tends to be excluded from the LGBTQ+ rights movement”.

As an artist who cares about politics and human rights, Key is a talented creator who believes that art plays an important role in sending a message. Being a person of color in the art industry, Key emphasizes that illustrating for current events always comes with a load of emotion and passion.