November 2018 tunxissun@gmail.

com Page 1

In This Issue
New Program Opens Doors
New Program Opens Doors to Students
to Students in Manufacturing
Industry
pg. 1
Tunxis Student Named Coca-Cola
in Manufacturing Industry
Leaders of Promise Scholar Sara Triplett
pg. 1 Tunxis Sun reporter
Letter from the Editor
pg. 2
The Constitution Day Debate on
FARMINGTON, CT. - The
the 2nd Amendment Advanced Manufacturing
pg. 2
Technology programs offered
Won’t You Be a Neighbor: The
Civic Engagement Institute, at both Asnuntuck Community
Community, and You College and Tunxis Community
pg. 3
Tunxis Art Club’s Pumpkin
College are designed to prepare
Decorating Contest Pictures graduates for lifetime careers in
pg. 4
manufacturing.
Bristol Schools Give Tunxis
Students Chance to Shape Next Connecticut, a major export
Generation state, is in crisis: the shortage
pg. 5
Lamont Wins Race for Connecticut
of skilled workers is a problem
Governor; Dems’ Dominate in many manufacturing companies
Midterm Elections
pg. 5 currently face.
Tunxis Community College “Pratt & Whitney has firm orders
Halloween Party Pictures for more than 8,000 geared turbo
pg. 6 Photo Credit: Tunxis M. & P.R. Office
Finding Life and Love Through
fan engines,” said Chris LaPorte, LaPorte, “There are 14,000 job All manufacturing students
Music Tunxis Director of Student openings in manufacturing right will have the option to pursue a
pg.7
Activities and the new Advisor now.” certificate or a degree in either
Are You Lost?
pg. 7 for Tunxis’s Manufacturing LaPorte believes that these Advanced Manufacturing Machine
My Name is LIE Department. “It will take them 10- programs will allow students to Technology or Electro-Mechanical
pg. 8 12 years just to build those current
The Fallacy of Intrigue
graduate from Tunxis Community Maintenance Technology. Students
pg. 8 orders to fulfill them, and that’s College with more money in who enroll in the CNC machining
My Road Ahead assuming that they never get one their pockets than those who program will spend Mondays and
pg. 8 more engine order in that next 12 might go to private colleges. Fridays at Asnuntuck Community
Fear Monster years.”
pg. 8 “Graduates from this program,” College, located in Enfield,
Hollow Whispers from Lovers,
Students who graduate from one he said in an interview with a Connecticut, working with the
Forsaken Promises of the upcoming Manufacturing Tunxis Sun reporter, “are going machines. On Tuesdays and
pg. 9
Technology programs are expected to have opportunities to spend an Thursdays, they will focus learning
Death of Tomorrow
pg. 9 to never have to worry about entire career in Connecticut in
Student Works: Krystaline unemployment. According to manufacturing.” cont. pg 3
Gregory
pg. 9
Student Works: Sara Triplett
pg. 9 Tunxis Student Named Coca-Cola
Leaders of Promise Scholar
Late Senator’s Actions Bring
Hope For More Bipartisanship in
Congress To Students
pg. 11
A Caribbean Walking Debt Melissa Lamar a 2018 Coca-Cola Leaders of applicants.
pg. 11 Tunxis Director of Marketing & Promise Scholar by national
Anti-Discrimination Suit Won by Public Relations honors society, Phi Theta Kappa Torvinen lives in Bristol
Cromwell Police Officer for Loss
of Income During Pregnancy (PTK). Torvinen was among and first enrolled at Tunxis
pg. 13
Why Your Vote Counts In Midterm
FARMINGTON—Tunxis 207 PTK members chosen for Community College in 2016.
Elections Community College student the $1,000 scholarship from She is a Computer Information
pg. 13
Customer Service and Retail
Ashley Torvinen was named a pool of more than 1,200 Systems major who works full-
Workers Are People, Too time as a network administrator
pg. 13
Domestic Violence: The Consent
at Whelen Engineering
Conundrum Company. After she graduates,
pg. 14
Girls, Girls, Girls: The Struggle is
she plans to pursue a bachelor’s
Real degree in computer science with
pg. 14
History: Humanity’s Greatest
a concentration in networking
Lifehack or server administration.
pg. 15
Regarding National Landmarks,
Monumental Racism Perseveres Sponsored by the Coca-Cola
pg. 15
Scholars Foundation, Leaders of
Sox’s 9th World Series Win Of
Historic Caliber Promise Scholarship Program
pg. 18
helps new PTK members cover
SGA President Runner Up
Founding Sports Club educational costs while enrolled
pg. 18
in associate degree programs.
Lessons From My First Love
pg. 18 Scholars are also encouraged to
Lt. Julia Gallup Basketball assume leadership roles by
Tournament Pictures
pg. 19
cont. pg 3
Photo Credit: Tunxis M. & P.R. Office

October/November 2018
Letter from the Editor
Krystaline Gregory
Editor-in-Chief
Surprise, Tunxis! We’re not
dead!
Thank you for picking up
The Tunxis Sun’s first issue
of the Autumn 2018 semester
(don’t put it down, please)!
We at The Sun realize how
far behind schedule this
release is coming to you
and we thank you for your
patience, as well as apologize
for any inconvenience the
extended wait may have
caused you. (Did it cause you
any inconvenience? Did you,
perhaps, forget- or know- we
had a college newspaper to
begin with? Send us an email
and let us know!)
Given that we are already two
months into the semester, it
might surprise you to hear
that preparations for this issue
began as early as this past
August. Shortly after I learned
that I was picked to be The
Sun’s new Editor-in-Chief, I
got in touch with club members
from last spring and organized
a pre-semester meeting,
which… only Zach Ferland,
our Designer-in-Chief, and I
attended.
I was, perhaps, a bit too
optimistic in the beginning. I
knew that being Editor-in-Chief
(or rather, the type of Editor-in-
Chief I would want to work for)
would be an unending series
of challenges, but I didn’t fully
realize where these challenges
would come from, what kinds
they would be, and how they
would affect The Tunxis Sun,
me, or, most importantly, my
fellow club members.
Please be forgiving as you read
this issue; we faced- as a club
and as individuals- a number of
crises that caused bureaucratic
delays, some personal grief,
and an unreliable flow of
communication at first. I think
we’ve come out of it alright,
Campus News
tunxissun@gmail.com
for the most part. If the worst
of it isn’t behind us yet, then
we at least now have developed
stronger bonds between us and
have learned from (most) of our
mistakes.
I feel very lucky to be part of
such a smart, creative team as
The Tunxis Sun Newspaper
Club; we’re still small, but
we’re a diverse bunch, all
of whom seem to ready and
willing to use any of the many
talents we individually possess
to the benefit of each other, The
Sun, and Tunxis as a whole.
As you read, please feel free to
take note of things you like or
dislike about what we did with
this issue, and don’t hesitate
to get in contact with us about
anything.
You can reach us through
Twitter, Facebook, or email
(tunxissun@gmail.com), and
every one of you has a standing
invitation to our meetings,
which we currently hold in
the SGA office, located in
Founder’s Hall, on Tuesdays at
3PM.
You’re welcome to stop in
to talk with us about the
paper, to share tips or ideas
for stories, to actually join
our club, or just submit your
own original work. So long as
you are affiliated with Tunxis
Community College in some
way, we are happy to accept
everything from letters to the
editor, news stories, essays, to
artwork and photography that
you wish to share. (In fact,
we’re currently on the lookout
for some cartoonists! What’s a
newspaper without comics?)
Once again, apologies for the
delay, Tunxians; help us out
by swinging by and lending
your services and creativity so
we can get at least one more
issue out this semester! I hope
November treats you kindly!
The Constitution Day
Debate on the 2nd
Amendment
Sara Triplett
Tunxis Sun reporter
On Monday, September 17,
Tunxis Community College
faculty members Dr. Rafaele
Fierro, Dr. Francis Coan,
and Professor Brown held a
Constitution Day panel about
the 2nd Amendment on behalf of
the Civic Engagement Institute
to educate the community that
inspired discussion between
members of the panel.
The 2nd Amendment states that
a “A well-regulated Militia,
being necessary to the security
of a free State, the right of the
people to keep and bear Arms,
shall not be infringed.” This
amendment is one of the most
controversial amendments in the
contemporary United States. It
was evident in the discussion
between panel members and
faculty members that while
the 2nd Amendment meant
something different to each
person, it still needed to be
protected.
The panel began with Dr. Coan
analyzing the 2nd Amendment.
Dr. Coan provided the historical
context behind its wording:
Campus Calender
Free Relaxation Sessions
Tunxis Counseling and Academic Advising Office, Rm. 323
Monday and Thursdays from 11-11:30am
Contact Vivian Craven for more info: (860) 773-1506
“Spacebag” Show Dates
Barnes-Franklin Gallery, 600 Building
LEAN Leadership Lecture ft. Alden Davis
600 Building, Rm. 6-127
Contact SMarcinczyk@tunxis.edu for more info
Social Media and Creating Your Personal
Brand Workshop
600 Building, Rm. 6-127
CEI & PTK Panel Discussion Gun Violence and
School Shootings
600 Building, Rm. 6-127 and 6-128
Marketing Your Small Business Workshop
Small Business Administration
Page 2
“Militia were citizens, not
soldiers,” said Coan. He also
said that the militia was divided
into organized and unorganized
militias. So, there were those
who were military trained, the
organized militia, and then there
were citizens, who acted as the
unorganized militia. According
to Dr. Coan, the 2nd Amendment
was created because of “the fear
of standing armies.”
Dr. Fierro discussed the
implications of the 2nd
Amendment in the present-day.
Fierro stated that one challenge
21st century society faces is
“not so much with guns, but
with who we are as people.” The
conflict between conservatives
and liberals does nothing but
polarize our country, according
to Fierro. He stated that if our
country remains polarized, we
will be unable to update the 2nd
Amendment.
Professor Brown brought
the panel to a conclusion by
arguing that the 2nd Amendment
was established because the
citizens needed some way to
protect themselves from the
government.
10/08 - 12/11
11/08 - 12/10
11/27 6:30pm
11/28
10:00am
12/06 1:15 -
2:15pm
12/12 5:00 -
6:20pm
 Campus News
October/November 2018 tunxissun@gmail.com Page 3

Tunxis Community College Halloween Party

Page 3

Photo Credit: Tunxis SGA Photo Credit: Tunxis SGA

Photo Credit: Tunxis SGA Photo Credit: Tunxis SGA

Photo Credit: Tunxis SGA Photo Credit: Tunxis SGA Photo Credit: Tunxis SGA

October/November 2018
Manufacturing Program
Continued from pg.1
theoretical manufacturing
content at Tunxis Community
College in Farmington. Those
who enroll in the Electro-
Mechanical program will
complete it entirely at Tunxis.
Graduates should be able to
seek higher education with
possible reimbursement from
their employers, according to
LaPorte. Tunxis Community
College is also working with
Central Connecticut State
University, in New Britain,
to create what LaPorte calls
a “pipeline for our students
to move to their bachelor’s
programs.”
Won’t You Be a Neighbor: The Civic
Engagement Institute, Community, and You
Paul Hardy
Contributing writer
We now live in an age where
differences in opinions lead
to blood feuds and honest
debate seems to be a contest
won by whoever shouts
loudest. While the real losers
in all of this are civility and
facts, the ultimate loss may
be our entire social fabric.
It is the mission of Tunxis
Community College Civic
Engagement Institute to act
as a buffer in reversing this
trend.
According to
its brochure, the Civic
Engagement Institute was
created in 2017 as a “vibrant
intellectual space where ideas
are discussed and debated
for facilitating knowledge
and civility,” as well as
developing solutions to
community problems. The
goal is that it might become
an means through which our
college itself turns into a
hub of community life. The
CEI thrives on the concept
that learning that one’s civic
duty means the acceptance of
learning itself as pervasive,
Campus News
tunxissun@gmail.com
Photo Credit: Tunxis M. & P.R. Office
Chris LaPorte believes that the
new advanced manufacturing
technology programs will
not interfere with Tunxis
Community College’s current
standing as a Liberal Arts
and not just “occasional,
episodic, or celebratory.”
To that end, the
CEI relies heavily on data
collection, surveys, and
identifying how to best
translate that information
to society’s overall benefit.
It also offers numerous
opportunities to meet experts
who, throughout the semester,
will attend discussions and
roundtables centerting on
society, politics, and culture.
It can be assured that all
will be handled in a mature
and thoughtful manner. It’s
hard to believe that these
attempts at civil discourse and
social awareness were once
considered normal ambitions.
While they perhaps were not
always realized, the fact is
that we now find ourselves in
dire need of institutions such
as the CEI just to keep them
alive.
The CEI itself needs
individuals willing to work
to achieve those ambitions by
joining its “army of educated
citizen soldiers.” So if you
are a student, faculty member,
college employee, or someone
who just happened to get off
& Sciences college but will
“complement what we already
have.” He is confident that
the program will remain even
after he retires-- as long as the
demand is there.
Individuals interested in
participating in Tunxis’s
Advanced Manufacturing
Programs and Apprenticeship
program are encouraged to
get in touch with Amy Feest,
the college’s Interim Dean of
Academic Affairs, at afeest@
tunxis.edu. More information
on the programs can be found
online, at https://www.tunxis.
edu/program/advanced-
manufacturing/.
at the wrong bus stop, that
sees college life as something scholarly fellowship and
more than collecting credits,
classrooms, or homework,
then the Civic Engagement
Institute may be for you.
The Institute strives to are eligible to apply for over
promote thoughtful discussion $90 million in scholarships
through acceptance of
divergent opinions. The idea
is to find common ground
and work toward solutions to or visit tunxis.edu.
problems surrounding us, not
to exacerbate the problems
themselves. Civility seems to
be on the verge of becoming
a dying art. Let’s stop that
from happening. We need
engagement now, more than
ever. We need you now, more
than ever.
If you wish to be part
of the Civic Engagement
Institute or have any
questions, feel free to call
us at (860) 773-1966. You
can also email Dr. Rafaele
Fierro at rfierro@tunxis.edu,
or simply stop by the CEI
office, room 6-129 in the 600
building. You can also follow
to the CEI blog, which is
currently accepting written
contributions, by visiting
http://site.tunxis.edu/civic.
Page 4
Coca-Cola
Scholar
Continued from pg.1
participating in PTK programs
and are selected based on
scholastic achievement,
community service, and
leadership potential.
Located in Farmington,
Tunxis offers over 70 associate
degrees and certificates,
providing critical thinking and
problem-solving skills that
prepare students for transfer
to bachelor’s degree programs
and employment in areas with
industry need.
Phi Theta Kappa is the largest
honor society in American
higher education for two-year
college students. The Alpha
Iota Alpha Chapter of PTK at
Tunxis provides opportunities
for over 300 members in
leadership, community service,
academic excellence. Each
semester, student members
participate in service and
research projects to help their
college and communities, and
reserved exclusively for PTK
members. For more information
on Tunxis, call (860) 773-1490,
We just met you.
And this is crazy.
Here’s our numbers. So text us maybe.
Call Us:
(860) 773-1556
Text Us:
(860) 498-4442
Email Us:
tx-reference@tunxis.edu
Research Help:
Ready when you are!
Stop By:
During library hours
 News
October/November 2018 tunxissun@gmail.com Page 5

Bristol Schools Give Tunxis Students Chance to Shape

Next Generation
Sarah Mitchell
Community Correspondent
BRISTOL- The Bristol Board of
Education Caring About People
mentoring program was founded
28 years ago to ensure students
had the support they needed for
greatness. This greatness can be
reading their first chapter book,
knowing the power of please
and thank you, having an adult
appreciate their art projects,
achieving all passing grades
on their report card, or simply
knowing someone believes in
them.
Mentors in the Caring About
Page 5
People program come from
all walks of life bringing their
life experiences, passions, and
commitment to supporting
Bristol students. Mentors go
into our schools to provide our
students with a one-on-one
relationship that builds their
self-esteem, sense of purpose,
reawakens their drive to
achieve, and provides a positive
role model.
Supporting and believing in a
child is key to their success.
The number of times we’ve
heard “Kids these days have no
respect, ambition, drive, etc.”
is too many to count. One way
to change the conversation is
to become involved in a young
person’s life as a mentor.
We are always in need of
new mentors, especially male
mentors. We have students on
the waiting list who can benefit
greatly by having a mentor
come into their lives. Many
individuals remark “I’d like to
help a child, but I don’t know
what to do; I don’t have the
time; I don’t have anything to
offer,” or, “I can’t afford it.”
Mentoring is a one hour-per-
week commitment; it requires
no special skills or financial
obligation. Free training is
provided to all mentors, along
with numerous resources.
We cannot assume all young
people have an adult who can
provide them with good advice,
bolster their self-esteem, help
with schoolwork or just be that
special friend who really cares.
There is no “right type” of
mentor; only individuals who
want to inspire today’s youth.
If you or your business is
interested in mentoring, please
contact Sarah Mitchell at (860)
584-7043 or sarahmitchell@
ci.bristol.ct.us. Together we can
make a difference one hour at a
time.

Lamont Wins Race for Connecticut Governor; Dems’

Dominate in Midterm Elections
Sean Donnell State of Representatives. hoped that their candidate the Land of Steady Habits—
Tunxis Sun reporter Congresswoman Elizabeth for the Governor race, Bob at least not when it comes to
Esty, former representative Stefanowski, would take over its political alignment.
The 2018 midterm elections for Connecticut’s 5th District, as Connecticut’s Governor Due to the President Donald
have drawn to a close and who earlier this year declared after Dannel Malloy’s six- Trump’s approval rating,
the results are finalized. In that she would be stepping year reign. which reached a record-
Connecticut, the Democratic down from her seat in the breaking low as Election
candidates won open seats in House, will be replaced by After a close race and a Day neared, and the general
the U.S. Senate and House of former Teacher of the Year, long night, Stefanowski “anti-Trumpism” sentiment
Representatives. Incumbent and political newcomer, announced Wednesday the cultivated by the
junior Senator of Connecticut, Jahana Hayes, of Waterbury. morning, November 7th, president’s constant antics,
Christopher Murphy, kept his Hayes’ campaign proved that he was conceding to many believed there was a
seat in the Senate especially effective, resulting Democratic candidate, Ned possibility for a “blue wave”
Throughout urban, in a margin of over eleven Lamont, in the gubernatorial to sweep the nation. However,
suburban, and wealthier points against her opponent, race. Despite rumors that throughout the rest of the
areas, Connecticutians Republican Manny Santos. Connecticut’s Democratic country, the final electoral
showed a strong Democratic Democrat Senators were presence had grown weaker results proved more varied
preference when choosing also able to regain their during Malloy’s term, the than those of our small state.
which candidates to fill open control in the State House. true-blue state showed the
positions among the five On the other side of the aisle, nation it had no plans to give The only thing we know for
congressional districts for the the Republican Party had up its longtime reputation as sure is that this nation is as
 Arts & Entertainment
October/November 2018 tunxissun@gmail.com Page 6

Tunxis Art Club’s Pumpkin Decorating Contest

Krystaline Gregory | Tunxis Sun Photo Credit: Sue McCarthy

Photo Credit: Sue McCarthy Photo Credit: Sue McCarthy

Krystaline Gregory | Tunxis Sun Photo Credit: Sue McCarthy Krystaline Gregory | Tunxis Sun

October/November 2018
Are You Lost?
Demi Angel Lopez
Contributing writer
Are you lost? The trees call out
to you, whispering in the wind.
Soft, forgotten screams.
The trees beckon; Do you
despair?
You feel something
in your throat as you wander
further into the deepest woods.
A crawling sensation over
your skin, but it’s autumn and
the insects have gone back
underground. Can you hear
them? You can hear them.
You can hear them: the
distant ancestors of the lost.
Finding Life and Love Through Music
Osric Baird
Contributing writer
Ever since I began listening
to music as a kid, I have
cultivated a very diverse pallet
for musical taste. Everything
from rap to alternative rock
and death metal—I have
always loved music. Around
the age of five, I found that the
music I listened to gave me
a certain type of feeling. It’s
almost like a very brief high
followed by a massive come-
down, and the next thing I
know, I’m searching for that
feeling again. I would try all
sorts of musical genres in a
single day. By the time I was
about 10, I was consuming
seven to eight different genres
that gave off completely
different feelings, or “vibes.”
I never really
understood what some of the
messages I felt some artists
were trying to get across
through the songs I listened to
until I hit thirteen-years-old,
but for some reason, when
I listened to some of them,
I felt the emotion the artist
intended; everything from
sympathy, love, and happiness
to anger, and resentment.I felt
it even if I couldn’t fully grasp
the entire meaning behind the
song.
As I grew older and
entered high school, I had a
better understanding of life
and the music that I listened
Arts & Entertainment
tunxissun@gmail.com
Your ancestors. You’re treading
closely to the edge of where life
meets lifelessness, and darkness
consumes light. The wood is
thick here, and it’s hard to see
ahead, but you feel it. Like
a burning in your chest, like
heavy hands on your back, you
feel it. And they whisper… but
what do they say? What is it you
hear in these dark woods?
Afraid and curious, you
trod on. The branches tugging
at your clothes, tree roots
threatening to make you fall. A
cut across your cheek, but no
blood spills from your wound.
It spills from your eyes. The
to, which I enjoyed so much.
Now, music wasn’t just a
drug that I could consume; it
was a message, like a short
story, that I could read and
that brought me a deeper
understanding of life. I found
that if a song or an album
was well-done, the artist’s
message was clear and, at the
same time, their background
instrumentals worked to
emphasize the message. I
loved rock and rap most of all,
because neither genre shies
away from the darker parts of
life. In some cases, the music
I listened to gave me a sense
of how good my life was. Rap,
especially, helped me come to
understand a lot more about
where I am from, my culture,
and my people.
When I went off to
college at Central Connecticut
State University, I met new
people. Given my wide
preference for musical genres,
I was able to make lots of
new friends just by discussing
music. I became so consumed
in the musical world that
I started to compose my
own songs as a means of
expressing myself. I made
music to tell tales about all
the bad things that went on in
my life, as well as all the good
that I wanted to share with
others. I became so invested
in music that I forgot my real
intention for going to college
was to get a degree in English
Page 7
Editor-in-Chief
Krystaline Gregory
crying begins again as the wind
picks up. A barrage of leaves Page 7
Designer-in-Chief
fly at you, blinding you, forcing Zach Ferland
you back. But you won’t. The
intoxicating darkness calls you
Club President
with such seduction. A bleak
Teddy Austin
desire to go on, pushes you
forward but, suddenly, a voice
from behind, carried by the Club Secretary
wind, echoes your name through Joe Frechette
the wood. It sounds desperate.
It sounds sad. Who are they? Club Treasurer
Why are they crying? You have Vicky Velez
to keep going. But, instead, you
turn, and you’re in deep. Assistant Editor
Sara Triplett
Are you lost?
Managing Editor
Isabella Boisvert
Club Advisors
or Journalism. Although I was Professor Bob Brown
a commuter student, I would Dr. Rafaele Fierro
spend entire weeks in the
dorm room of my childhood Contributing Writers
best friend. Since he didn’t Peter O’Dell
have a roommate at the time, I Paul Hardy
was able to sleep in the room’s Gerardo Rodriguez
extra bed. Music grew to be Sara Triplett
such a huge part of my life Vicky Velez
that I began to fear growing Brandon Calez
deaf more than anything else. Jonathan Bruce
My musical addiction was Griffin Michalek
so extreme that I constantly Skyler Barrows
skipped one of my midday Susan Guttormsen
classes just to make or edit Michael Lonergan
my songs until I felt they were Osric Baird
perfect. Demi Angel Lopez
At this point, the only Lucy Enge
time I listened to someone Nicajoanely Vega Roca
else’s music was when I Melissa Neal
was in the car, at the gym,
or at a party. At that point, I Photography
didn’t know what I wanted to Tunxis Marketing & Public
achieve; all I knew was that I Relations Office
loved making music. It was, Zach Ferland
and still is, my passion. Sue McCarthy
Although I never Tunxis Community College
noticed until recently, music SGA
has always been a huge part Sara Triplett
of my life. All I thought about
Krystaline Gregory
was music. Some might say
it’s bad but, to me, I feel my
Correspondents
passion for music is good
Melissa Lamar
because it gives me a way
Sarah Mitchell
to be creative. It gave some
Joshua Paine
meaning to what was once
Chris LaPorte
porous in my life. Music made
me feel emotions when I was
Club Members
otherwise only numb. Music
A.J. Strong
makes me feel alive.
Nora Pasco
Jeff Quinn
Sophia Hernandez

October/November 2018
Fear Monster
Michael Lonergan
Student contributor
Famished, disoriented, harrowing
emotions permeate the room every
morning as I awake. Confused
as to why my mother must leave
every morning as she travels off
to work, none the wiser as to what
entity lurked in our apartment. I
watch from my bedroom window
longingly as she pulls off in
her gray Subaru, wishing she
hadn’t. There it was, watching
me from over my shoulder, as if
it were a parrot beckoning me, to
somewhere I didn’t want to go.
My father (if you want to
call him that), was passed out in a
drunken stupor, face-down in his
own regrets and tribulations. He
had no desire to care for anyone
including his three-year-old son
alone, petrified, and hungry.
4:30 PM: the time that
my father woke up, the time that
I would have breakfast. Until
then, alone, in my room with
it, watching me, taunting me,
waiting for its time to strike. I
would count the seconds until my
mother returned so I could feel
safe again, at least for a moment.
Time, luck, or karma, whichever
you want to call it, caught up
with my father, however. His
overindulgence and glutinous need
for alcohol and sleep proved to be
disadvantageous. My mother came
home early.
Fast forward a few years,
my mother and I left for greener
pastures and moved in with my
grandparents. Things from here
are great: I’m eating more, my
Grandma is home all the time
with me, and I’ve turned into a
nice, heavy-set young man. Some
might say “husky;” others would
My Road Ahead
Gerardo Rodriguez
Arts & Entertainment Editor
The day I met my fate,
The hours crept past dreadfully,
Awaiting the doom in the night,
The moment of all moments.
I met my fate that night,
Suspended in eternity.
The path before me is long and
arduous,
As the road stretches there
before me,
It is dark, and I cannot see any
horizon.
Arts & Entertainment
tunxissun@gmail.com
say, oh, I don’t know, “chunky.”
Everything was awesome, or so I
thought. It still lingered, however,
manifesting so eloquently in the
form of subtleties such as “Don’t
ride your bike past the end of the
driveway! You’ll get hit by a car!”
Or, “Don’t forget a sweater, you
don’t want to catch pneumonia!”
All these not-so-subtle reminders
of things to worry about. escape
Fast forward a little more.
I meet the woman of my dreams.
She chooses me! Can you believe
it? Me neither, let’s be honest;
have you seen my face...? Yeah,
not great. Anyway, we get engaged
and start a family, all the while, it
is there watching, waiting to strike
yet again. My name is LIE,
Okay, okay; last step, I
promise. The year is 2018, I have
just recently been promoted to a
stay-at-home dad (that is, I lost my
job). I am pursuing some dreams
that currently aren’t panning out.
My direction, let’s say, is… Oh, I
don’t know-- let’s call it “lost.” As
I’m playing games in my newly-
constructed game room, it strikes:
like a tumultuous thunder crash, it
grabs me, gripping me like a rusty
vice; tighter.
Fear, panic, swirling obsessive
thoughts of the What Ifs, and the
How Comes. Further I spiral down
this perilous path, alone-- or so I
thought. Two days pass in minutes,
an eternity lies ahead.
“Will this be the new
me?” I contemplate. Then, like a
light passing through the darkest
of nights, comes the woman who
chose me. Together we vanquish
the powerless monster, casting it
down, never to rear its ugly face
ever again. Proving that love and
faith can conquer even the deepest
fears.
The Fallacy of
Intrigue
Gerardo Rodriguez
Arts & Entertainment Editor
The fool who takes a sip from the
cup brimmed by Love
Is a fool who has cursed their fate.
Deluding themself for the prospect
of a jovial future.
Though the hour, the day, is marked,
The fool will rue the moment they
willingly
Marched unto Death,
Who came in the guise of Love’s
fickle embrace.
It’s a madness, an infection,
That only leads to folly.
My Name is LIE
Victoria Velez
Tunxis Sun writer
Hello everyone, my name is LIE.
I live the average life,
I hide.
I try to strive in people’s lives,
But I can’t survive;
I can’t survive because
Eventually I become some kind of
That people depend on to look and
feel great.
That kills me because I was only
meant to be some little game
To be used to get out of something,
Some situation, some emotion.
But eventually they will realize they
can’t put life on slow motion
I’m the fastest in the race
The race to the end,
Where people can no longer
pretend.
When they have already forgotten
me,
I make amends,
Teaching them that I am no friend
You can’t get away from me,
Even if you tried,
I’ll drag you right back in,
Because with me you can’t win.
My name is LIE,
I started off so innocent,
So small, so little
They misunderstood,
That’s what happened--
None of this was meant to be so
mistaken,
But it’s too late now,
No one will listen.
Because of me, you won’t be
forgiven
There’s no explaining,
Stop complaining,
About what you did wrong,
You accepted me,
You used me,
You abused me,
And now what? You want to lose
me?
It’s too late now,
You spoke me,
You breathed me,
You lived me;
It’s too late now to get rid of me.
But what you can get rid of now
Are those tears;
Lose them,
Because they have costed years of
my time.
Time wasted,
Time invested in you--
You made the lie,
It was you who didn’t want to tell
the truth.
If you could have borne it,
I would have let you loose,
But you held on to me,
Page 8
Because you couldn’t handle seeing
what was left of that You without
Me
What? Now you need some victory?
To think you’ve overachieved me?
To think you conquered me?
No, that’s where you’re mistaken,
Because until you forgive yourself,
I will continue to be your
misfortune.
You don’t want me in your life
anymore?
Fine, but I want you to pull the plug.
Tell me when you’re ready to stop
making people feel slug
My name is LIE
Do you think I want to be used
By you?
To cover up the truth,
That you don’t want people to use
against you?
No, I hate it.
I hate me,
Because every time they use me,
They hate themselves.
I hate myself, you hate me.
And once you are done with me,
You will see,
That no matter what you do,
You will hate you
For using me, like a fool.
But don’t worry!
It’s all cool,
This is what I live for,
This is what I do over and over,
Because when you’re finally done
with me ,
I’ll just keep moving forward.
Because if it’s not you,
There’s always a number two,
Someone else who will let me in
their life,
To use me in a way they think is
right,
But they will learn a lesson,
The same lesson you gettin’ from
me, so listen:
If you don’t want long-term
commitment with me,
Just stay away from me.
Once I’m there,
Once I’m in it,
I’ll always be with it.
And you’ll be wishin’
That you never said those words
that can’t be forgiven.
Keep walking,
Keep moving
‘Cause I’ll always be three steps
behind you,
Waiting for the moment you lose it.
My name is LIE,
My best wishes to you,
I hope you really try this time to
make things right,
Because, unfortunately, if not,
I’ll be seeing you real soon.

October/November 2018
Hollow Whispers from Lovers, Forsaken Promises
Gerardo Rodriguez
Arts & Entertainment Editor
You must take great care
governing yourself in the most
composed of fashions,
For if they sense the sorrow in
your being,
They will pity you,
And mask it fallaciously with
empathy.
There is only pity for a broken
Gerardo Rodriguez
Arts & Entertainment Editor
Alas, Life itself is now
abhorrent!
Lost in all its enchantments,
An increasing sense of crippling
despair.
There is no longer any
sweetness,
No longer any delights,
Due to how embittered I’ve
Student Art:
Krystaline Gregory
Arts & Entertainment
tunxissun@gmail.com Page 9
heart; So that they may not see the
The tragic fool, sorrows in my eyes Muddling about, splashing Page
my9
Who thought that Love’s sorrows on everyone around
embrace How they entreat me to remain me,
Is eternal. still, As if it were possible to control
It is not proper; Oh, how heavenly it is to suffer the memories that echo to me,
I, lacking in the most in silence! From all that surrounds me.
fashionable decorum, In quiet desperation, I fear that is as possible for
Shuffle off in haste. To hush my words, me as it is to control one’s
Head held high, half-grinned To muffle my cries heartbeat.
smile,
Looking past all that is before To cast out all my dreadful
me, reveries.
Death of Tomorrow
become, How hollow my soul, and how Now eternal darkness remains.
How long must I carry on. sorrowful my eyes. I sit and ponder on the futility of
How my eyes are now sallow, Once so filled with love, now existence:
My heart is heavy, bereft of it. How quickly it all just perishes.
A sullen look is all I can muster, I walk, and though I seem yet to How that time, persisting only,
My mind is weary, have life left in me, At candle-burning length;
A haggard being is what I have This ailing in this still-beating Once the flame is gone,
become, heart, Love is lost,
How my bones now ache. Turns me into naught but a And there is nothing here but
There are times, husk. death.
Where there is nothing inside Light has long gone from this
me. world,
Student Art:
Sara Triplett
Sara Triplett | Tunxis Sun
“The scenery seemed out of a fairy tale, something you would
Krystaline Gregory | Tunxis Sun expect to find in literature and never experience in reality.
Ireland was a land of the mystical.”
Sara Triplett, Blarney Castle, County Cork, Ireland
Krystaline Gregory | Tunxis Sun Sara Triplett | Tunxis Sun Sara Triplett | Tunxis Sun
 Ads
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The Tunxis Early Childhood Professional Educators’ Consortium

is holding a professional workshop featuring author

Jeanine Fitzgerald
Tuesday,
Nov. 20, 2018
6:30-8:30 p.m.
Bldg. 600, Rm. 6-127/128
LIMITED SEATING. Copies of “From Parents to Partners”,
by Janis Keyser will be distributed to each Center in attendance.

“Partnering with Parents in a

Complex and Complicated World”
The journey of parenting is full of tests one cannot study for and important lessons, some that repeat over and
over. As a parent, I learned that things work until they don’t, and when they don’t, how helpless and confused
one can feel. I learned how exhausted a human being can become. But most ofall, I learned that parenting is not
for the fain of heart and that while some of our greatest heartaches may involve our children and family, so
might our greatest joys. This session examines the parent-professional partnership and effective approaches to
address what really matters in a future of narcissism, entitlement and anxiety.
About the Presenter: Jeanine draws on more than 40 years of professional experience empowering educators and
parents to achieve more with children "at risk." With experience as a certified teacher, mental health professional and
mother of three grown children, she understands the promise of every child, as well as the diversity of their needs. As
a certified human behavior consultant and specialist, Jeanine specializes in research-based practices that prevent the
factors that compromise the fulfillment of a child's maximum potential and applies this wisdom in real-life settings.

To register for the workshop, please email

your name, program name and town to
Joyce Voisine: jvoisine@tunxis.edu.
Tunxis Community College • 271 Scott Swamp Road • Farmington, CT • 860.773.1300 • tunxis.edu

FREE for all Tunxis students and employees and there is no income
verification required.

The Pantry is located in Founder’s Hall. Those in need are welcome to visit
thePantry@Tunxis twice per month and receive a total of 20 items per
month. Visitors need to present their current college ID to receive food.

Open hours during the Spring & Fall semester:

Monday – Thursday 10:30 A.M. to 12:30 P.M
Monday – 4:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M.

For access outside of open hours:

Days: Any Counselor in the Academic Advising & Counseling Center
Evenings (5:30 P.M. – 7:00 P.M.): The Welcome Desk

Food donations are always welcome and volunteers are needed to work during
open house. Volunteers can sign up at https://www.tunxis.edu/campus-
resources/food-pantry/.

National research shows that 1 in 5 college students experience some form of food
insecurity. The need for a pantry on our own campus is just as great. A recent
survey showed that 64.5% of Tunxis students (a total of 2,960 individuals) suffered
from the risk of food insecurity.

October/November 2018
A Caribbean Walking Debt
Nicajoanely Vega Roca
Contributing Writer
It has been quite a while since the
trembling sound of branches and
entire trees falling to pieces, heavy
raindrops against the weakened
wooden boards and zinc, and
a sinister nonstop whistle had
everyone nervous in the house
and made children cry. The night,
illuminated only by candles and
occasional lightning, prevented
our eyes from finding rest and our
bodies from feeling secure, despite
the confinement in the rooms.
Almost one year ago, category-4
Hurricane Maria lashed the island
of Puerto Rico mercilessly, at
a speed of 175 miles per hour,
leaving what was once a piece
of paradise on the edge of the
abyss, unstable in every sense.
Time seemed to slow; there was
no type of wireless connection.
Communication systems were
down, except for a few radio
stations that managed to go live
before, during, and after Hurricane
Maria.
Thousands of families were torn
apart from each other, hundreds
Late Senator’s Actions Bring Hope For More
Bipartisanship in Congress To Students
Lucy Enge
Contributing Writer
Bipartisanship means to work
together across party lines. In
today’s rather sharply divided
America, our two main political
parties are continually facing
off on every issue: taxes,
abortion, guns, immigration,
trade, appointments, presidential
campaigns, etc. It is this lack of
distinct bipartisanship through
almost nonstop division that has
caused our government to find
it difficult to run the country
at every turn, and Americans
whom feel the country
becoming separated by who is
red and who is blue.
Though political parties have
been divided on issues in the
United States going back to its
founding and at times, hard-
pressed to simply keep the
country running from day to
day, data from Pew Research
Opinions
tunxissun@gmail.com
calling the station in search of
their loved ones, while some
preferred to wait in interminable
rows for the chance to speak by
the station microphone. Words
can be a consolation sometimes,
but they will never be enough to
bring back a life that has been lost.
Their voices filled with anguish,
drowning in tears of desperation
to let their relatives know that they
were alive and safe.
Meanwhile, this natural event
caught the attention of every news
station, website, magazine, and
newspaper. People from all over
the world expressed solidarity
because of the crisis experienced
in Puerto Rico and neighboring
islands. A week passed, and the
news of the president’s long-
awaited visit reached everyone’s
ears at the speed of light. Well, at
least for those who were outside
the bubble in which we all seemed
to be on the island. We barely
had communication with the
neighboring town fifteen minutes
away.
President Trump arrived a week
after the disaster, tossing a bunch
of paper towel rolls to those
Center in Washington D.C.,
found that from 1994-2004,
Americans have become
increasingly polarized, showing
a growing “ideological
consistency” (Pew Research
Center). In 1994, a voter might
have had viewed some issues
from a conservative standpoint
and others from a liberal one,
by 2014, a voter had a greater
likelihood to view all issues
from the same standpoint.
Another study done by the Pew
Research Center “ideological
consistency” was found to have
increased twofold “in opinions
on more than 40 separate
political values” since the late
1980s (Pew Research Center).
And, as our politicians are also
reflecting this polarization, our
government is not as effective
as it needs to be, unable to pass
bills because of partisanship.
We are so alienated that we are
finding it hard to find common
ground or do not even try to do
receiving him with a sentiment of
hope, smiling at every camera he
could find. He met with several
victims, who shared with him
the difficult situation they were
enduring; but did he really care
about the needs of those people?
Clearly not, no man who dares to
say in front of the camera: “Yeah,
we are going to help you out…
have a good time,” and then turns
around and leaves can have any
real empathy for them. He could
have said and done so many things
by having cameras document every
action of his, not even pretending
he could disguise a little interest,
say respect.
Harvard University, in
collaboration with the University
of Colorado, and Carlos Alibzu
University of Puerto Rico
released a study on May 29, 2018,
estimating a total of 4,645 deaths
caused by Hurricane Maria. This
estimate exceeded “by 70 times
the numbers reported by the
local authorities on the island,”
which reported about 64 deaths,
according to Harvard University.
Despite the crisis, in the
so at all.
In June 2016, political science
professor James Campbell, at
the University of Buffalo and
SUNY, wrote about the divide
among Americans in an article
for the Los Angeles Times in
which he boiled the polarization
down. First, the parties have
come to represent a set of
people with one ideology over
every issue, and second, there
has been a lack of “peace and
prosperity” nationwide for some
time now (Los Angeles Times).
Yet, despite being so divided,
bits of the light of bipartisanship
shine here and there. At another
Washington D.C., institution,
the Bipartisan Policy Center
(BPC), they work to bridge the
differences of the two main
parties through coming up with
policy that is shaped out of “the
best ideas” of each party (BPC).
On their website, there is a list
Page 11
President’s mind, it seems that this
Page 11
event “was not a real catastrophe
because the number that was told
to him on the day, he visited Puerto
Rico was only 16,” according to
Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-NY).
Is this a valid justification to
dismiss the country’s need for
help? Was the loss of homes,
the basic services of water and
electricity, the lack of food and
the poor quality of health not
enough motivation for the United
States government to respond?
After all, Puerto Rico has been
a U.S. territory since 1898. It
just might be that 3.7 million
Boricuas who live “in an island
sitting in the middle of an ocean,”
as the President himself told the
reporters on September 26, 2017,
can’t relate to Texas or Florida
with category-5 Hurricane Katrina
in 2005, and the “hundreds and
hundreds and hundreds of people
that died,” as Mr. Trump claimed.
Maybe we are just a walking
70-million-dollar debt over the
Caribbean Sea- that is not an
ocean, by the way.
of major federal government
acts of bipartisanship, including
the most recent one which tells
of how the late Senator John
McCain voted against his party
and its health care reform bill
and gave a speech afterward
in which he said, “Let’s trust
each other… Let’s return to
regular order… We’ve been
spinning our wheels on too
many important issues because
we keep trying to find a way to
win without help from across
the aisle” (BPC).
After Senator McCain passed
away, just months after his
speech to Congress, we watched
as his eulogies were read by
several of his former political
adversaries as he had requested.
This act of bipartisanship, at
least for me, felt like a step
closer to peace and unity for
America.

October/November 2018
Anti-Discrimination Suit Won by Cromwell Police
Officer for Loss of Income During Pregnancy
Susan Guttormsen
Contributing writer
Officer Sarah Alicea was an active
member of the Cromwell police
department in Connecticut for
four years when her husband and
she decided to have a family.
Five months into her pregnancy,
after various notes by her doctor
previously stating she could still
perform many routine duties, her
doctor said she should be put on
light duty. Officer Alicea was told
by the town manager that there
was no light duty and she was to
go on leave, effective immediately,
save for any accrued vacation or
sick time.
Officer Alicea contacted The
American Civil Liberties Union
(ACLU) to see if this was an
anti-discrimination offense. Dan
Barrett, an ACLU attorney, said
“The real problem here is that the
employer took pregnancy to mean
automatic disqualification from
being able to work. It forced her
to go out on leave… You cannot
simply sideline an employee that
happens to get pregnant. You must
transfer that employee to a position
where she can work.”
Customer Service and Retail Workers Are People, Too
Melissa Neal
Contributing writer
In my life, the one thing that I care
about the most and stand by is
bettering customer service. Since
I am a student in college, I work
a part-time job in retail. A couple
of aspects of my job that I find
difficult are working with people
and the different customers that
come in. Customer service is hard
work, and this is because of the
way customers treat employees.
Employees working in retail are
primarily composed of teenagers
and young adults. We are thrown
into big, corporate businesses
and taught how to deal with- and
tolerate- customers.
Over the past couple of
years, it seems as if the regular
customer can treat the employee
with disrespect simply because
Opinions
tunxissun@gmail.com
The Town Manager spoke on
camera believing that there
were no local or federal laws
being violated, but apparently,
he didn’t know the laws as
well as he thought. The U.S.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission has very clearly
elaborated rules and regulations
regarding pregnancy and
discrimination. The town was
at fault by not knowing or
researching the current laws
and regulations. The town gave
Sarah grounds to file an anti-
discrimination suit. Through
this suit, if her past salary is not
compensated, this case will go to a
federal court for a verdict.
Officer Alicea plans on returning
to work this October. I sincerely
hope there is no retaliation or
blacklisting her in the work
environment. It makes one think,
what if an individual asked for the
same light duty due to a hernia?
Would they be sent home without
pay until they could return to full
duty? What differentiates these two
medical conditions when they can
both have medical notes signed
by their doctors? The fourteenth
they are working a retail job.
Many customers feel that they can
complain to customer service reps
because, in the end, if you were to
talk back, you would get fired. I
have had many experiences that
made me question why customers
treat employees this way. I have
been yelled at, cussed at, and,
worst of all, I have been told that
I need to ‘know more about the
industry.’ This is the problem:
young teenagers do not know
what corporate does, or why big
businesses do things the way they
do. We do not have all the answers.
In a way, working retail has
changed me. It taught me that the
real world is actually worse than
I thought, and people will be rude
to you without even knowing you.
I care about changing customer
service and helping people
understand the average teenager.
amendment should protect us from
this archaic way of thinking.
Officer Alicea did win the
case against the Cromwell
Police Department for anti-
discrimination. The unfortunate
reality is that it wasn’t until this
case that the issue would come to
light. One positive thing is that
the Cromwell Police Department
policies are being rewritten. All
people today want to believe
in these liberties, but I believe
there is still anti-discrimination
regarding pregnancy as well as
the responsibilities that follow,
whether during the hiring process
or paid leave. If we follow the
ideals of parenthood from some
Scandinavian countries (personal
experience as my son was born in
Norway), women are encouraged
to be stay-at-home-moms for
one year, and the fathers also
receive leave for rearing their
child from birth. Today is a new
diversified world with new ideas
and expectations; and with the
technology and international
blending of cultures and beliefs, I
believe this issue will be an ill-
forgotten memory in the very near
future.
Jobs would not be as bad as they
are if customers behaved better. In
some circumstances, yes, there are
real problems and actual scenarios
where the customer is right. But
being yelled at for a price I cannot
change is not the best way to start
my day. Most of the questions
involve pricing, merchandise
stocking, and why us employees
don’t have answers for them.
Again, sometimes these questions
are for the managers, not the
employees. Some managers may
not even train employees to answer
these questions, which is a whole
other story. Being a genuine person
and understanding the difference
between an employee and a
manager can make workplaces
better to work in. I care about this
the most because I experience this
firsthand and see how it changes
people.
Page 12
Why Your
Vote Counts In
Midterm Elections
Sean Donnell
Tunxis Sun reporter
Are you ready to shake things
up on November 6th? Have
you registered to vote yet? Are
you sure? If you aren’t, or you
haven’t, why not?
Roughly 60% of eligible
voters nationwide vote in
presidential elections, but for
midterm elections, voter turnout
is often much lower. Why are so
many Americans shirking their
duty to their country?
Our government is made
up of elected officials who make
decisions that affect every United
States citizen, and every citizen
of voting age is responsible for
choosing who we believe will
best represent us when those
decisions are made. That means
every U.S. citizen of or above
18 years of age carries some
responsibility for both how
our country is run and how we
and our fellow countrymen are
treated by our government. In the
USA, there is no separating the
politicians who represent us in
Washington, D.C. or your state’s
Capitol, from your hum-drum
neighbors because we live in a
democratic society. So long as
we citizens are proactive and take
advantage of their right to vote,
the real power over federal, state,
and local governments’ paths lay
in our hands, not the Electoral
College’s, superdelegates’,
interfering foreign powers, or
massive donations to competing
parties and politicians. When
the politicians we put in
Connecticut’s governmental
offices fail to pass budgets and
resolutions, or go to prison on
corruption charges, we are the
ones who are truly responsible
for their shortcomings and
crimes. We are the ones who
have to suffer the consequences
in the end.
Why can’t we elect
leaders that make us all proud
to be residents of this state, of
this country? The future of the
United States and the state of
Connecticut doesn’t have to be a
doomed one; we have the power
to make our home a bright,
prosperous place. That power lies
in our decision to vote.
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Page 13

October/November 2018
Domestic Violence: The
Consent Conundrum
Carrie Perez
Tunxis Sun correspondent
I know a young woman named
Leslie; she comes off as polite, a
little narcissistic, and more than a
little confused. Like most young
daters, she relies primarily on
Robert’s short texts to define his
personality, and Robert is a creepy
enigma, who nevertheless does
nothing technically wrong- until the
end. At one point, Leslie goes over
to Robert’s house (willingly) and
(presumably) to have sex.
Then, she experiences this emotion:
It wasn’t that she was scared
he would try to force her to do
something against her will, but that
insisting that they stop now, after
everything she’d done to push this
forward, would make her seem
spoiled and capricious; as if she’d
ordered something at a restaurant
and then, once the food arrived,
changed her mind and sent it back.
What is the word for this emotion?
It’s not quite regret; she hasn’t
done anything yet. It’s not quite
disinterest, because, well, she’s
at his house, isn’t she? Is it guilt?
More importantly, if she feels so
uneasy, why is she going ahead
with it? Is she just afraid to be
rude? Is it out of self-protection?
What are we to make of a sexual
encounter that is technically
consensual, but one which Leslie
still considers to be “the worst life
decision” she’ll ever make? She
feels pressured. She feels like she
cannot say “NO”.
Why, why can’t we, even after
going to the house with the idea of
sex in mind, say, “You know what?
I don’t want to”.
After the fact, Leslie puts off
rejecting the man by saying she
is busy. Many women tend to feel
the need to exit unwanted romantic
situations gracefully. A woman may
assume that if she wants to say no
she has to do so in a conciliatory,
tactful way; in a manner that would
take “an amount of effort that is
impossible to summon.”
Leslie’s initial attempts at
gentleness didn’t spare Robert’s
wrath in the end—another twist
that’s all too common. A few years
ago, spoke with some women who
were prolific online daters. In their
interactions with men on various
applications, one-word replies
were sometimes seen as binding
international treaties specifying that
shipments of sex were on the way.
No sooner does Leslie imagine one
day having a partner who would
laugh and sympathize with her
about her misadventure with Robert
than she thinks “No such man
Opinions
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exists, and never would. Women
can’t to talk to our romantic
partners about what exactly it’s like
for us out there.”
I think that assumption is larger
than Leslie and Robert’s specific
interaction. It speaks to the way
that many women, especially
young women, have been taught
to move through the world: don’t
people angry, take responsibility
for other people’s emotions, and
work extremely hard to keep
everyone around them happy. It’s
reflexive and self-protective, but
it’s also exhausting, and if you do it
long enough you stop consciously
noticing every individual moment
when you’re making that choice.
In one woman’s experience, a man
sent her the same OkCupid line
three times over a single month,
asking her if she’d like to chat.
After ignoring it repeatedly, this
woman finally wrote back, “No.”
His response? “WHY THE FUCK
NOT? If you weren’t interested,
you shouldn’t have fucking replied
at all! WTF!”
In October 1981, the National
Coalition Against Domestic
Violence launched a “Day of
Unity” for those combatting
domestic violence to unite and
connect. Over the years, the day
has since evolved into a national
month of awareness on the issues
of Domestic Violence and Intimate
Partner Violence across the United
States. We take this month as
an opportunity to deepen our
understanding of the issues and
lift up and connect with those who
work to end violence across the
globe.
Over the past year, the #MeToo
movement has transformed culture,
in many ways expanding beyond
sexual assault and harassment to
become a transcendent force for
women empowering women. There
have been discussions about what
it’s like for women to go out on bad
dates, selling something online or
even something as simple as going
on a run.
Much like the recent wave of
sexual-assault scandals have
served as an introduction for men
to women’s previously silent hell
captured and exposed the low-
level dread that often accompanies
romance for women—even the
consensual kind. Its deft portrayal
of a near-universal sequence—the
fear that your date might hurt you,
the fear of hurting him first, the hurt
that comes anyway after you spurn
him—has sent the issue bouncing
around the internet. It has women
saying, in other words, “Yeah, us
too.”
Girls, Girls, Girls: The
Struggle is Real
Sara Triplett
Tunxis Sun reporter
When I was five, I wanted
to be a princess, and when
I was ten, I wanted to be a
veterinarian. Growing up, it
never crossed my mind that I
might face discrimination for
being female. Perhaps because
I was born into a family that
only encouraged and supported
my desire to do anything and
everything I set my mind to, I
was at an advantage compared
to other girls. I wanted to join
the basketball team in middle
school, so I did. Despite this,
I noticed some discrepancies
in the way some people would
interact with me as opposed to
with boys. They would ask what
I wanted to be when I grew up,
expecting answers that were
common for girls, like nursing
or teaching. I didn’t have any
answers the answers they
hoped for at the time; I wanted
to write. When I was in high
school, I wanted to get married
and have three kids. I didn’t
think too much about my career,
even though I had those options.
Now that I’m older, I’ve made
my career my primary focus.
Society has constructed
this idea that females and
males are completely different
from one another. It’s possible
that this idea stems from
the biological differences
between the two sexes. All this
misconception does today is
inhibit girls from following
their dreams. Not every girl
is lucky enough to grow
up in an environment that
emboldens them to seek out
their aspirations, regardless
of societal expectations.
Nevertheless, to say every girl
wants to become a business
executive or a mathematician
is inaccurate. There is nothing
wrong with either goal, except
when adults like you and I
disparage a young woman for
Between the recent purge of
powerful abusive males, and in the
campus rape crisis scandals before
that, there’s been a reckoning over
the true meaning of ‘consent.’ Some
have questioned whether women
who get drunk, go to men’s dorms,
and even initiate intercourse could
Page 14
not fitting this notion of the
ideal independent woman that
21st century feminism has
pushed on us. Can’t we argue
that an aspect of independent
womanhood is the ability to
make one’s own decisions
regarding which path one takes
in life?
Being a girl is tough.
We tend to find ourselves
trying to prove ourselves to
people who often have different
expectations for who or how
we should be. We either try
to embody everything that
society wants from us, or we
reject the proverbial system
to avoid being known as just
PTA-running soccer moms
who spend so much time with
our families that we neglect
our own needs and desires.
Consequently, I’ve lived most
of my adult life- at least, once I
had a clear goal in my mind- as
a perfectionist. I did this not
only to prove to others that I
could do whatever men could,
but to prove that to myself as
well. My concern was- and
still is- that others would view
me as incompetent because of
my womanhood. It’s a valid
fear, especially in some other
countries, where women still
aren’t allowed the same rights
as men.
I’m more aware of
sexism and the objectification
of my body now than when I
was in middle school. I hear
stories on the news of women
who are sexually assaulted,
and I sympathize with them,
not because of how awful and
traumatic sexual assault is, but
because I could become a victim
someday, too. Society is too
quick to blame women for being
“too promiscuous” or wearing
clothes that are “too revealing.”
It bothers me that this mindset is
so prevalent in our world; after
all, regardless of how we dress
or interact with others, we are
still human, too.
later have a genuine claim of sexual
assault. Leslie was at his house,
wasn’t she? To some women, this
passage underscored the importance
of the “enthusiastic” part of the new
“enthusiastic consent” standard.

October/November 2018
Regarding History: Humanity’s Greatest Lifehack
National Skyler Barrows
Landmarks, Contributing writer
Monumental due to the similarities between bold. He couldn’t have picked know
History is immensely valuable
Racism problems humanity faced in
the past, faces now, and will
Perseveres face again in the future. We can Spain was desperately in need
see humans repeat the same
Griffin Michalek
Contributing writer
Historical monuments serve as
daily reminders that racism is alive
and thriving in current political and
social debate. There is a believe
among some that racism is a thing
of the past. Unfortunately, they
could not be more delusional.
Race is currently one of the most
divisive and polarizing issues that
plague society today. Of all the
factors that divide us, one could
argue that race is at the forefront.
Conditions have
undoubtedly improved to an extent,
however, the residual effects of
slavery, sharecropping practices,
the Jim Crow Era, and the slogan
“Separate but Equal” still influence
present society. One of the most
apparent reminders that racism
did not end with the Union’s 1865
victory in the Civil War, or when
public schools were desegregated
in the mid-twentieth century is
the presence of monuments to the
Confederacy all over the United
States. Schools remain named after
Confederate heroes with the intent
of quietly continuing a tradition
of white supremacy. Monuments
and state buildings that remain
named after Confederate heroes
and historical figures aim to evoke
a sense of nationalism. However,
we should not promote this kind of
false nationalism and patriotism.
We should not be naming schools
after Confederate war heroes or
supporters of segregation. Since the
events that shook Charlottesville
in August 2017, roughly 75
monuments have been taken down,
although the overall number of
such monuments has increased.
More people are paying attention
and recognizing these monuments,
that largely went unnoticed in
the past, which has actually led
to an increase from 1,503 known
memorials to 1,740 as of August,
2018. This only adds ammunition
to the debate over whether or not
these controversial monuments are
appropriate today.
Furthermore, their
continued presence calls for
necessary, immediate action to
be taken to remove monuments
honoring our segregated and
racist past. In South Carolina,
Opinions
tunxissun@gmail.com Page 15
to reach Asia through a yet- today must constantly seek
Page 15
unknown western route to the
King and Queen of Spain, his
knowledge. As Socrates once
wisely said, “The only thing I
request struck many as quite is that I know nothing.”
Humans who admit that they
a more opportune time to ask
for such a favor, however, as
do not know everything will
continue to constantly expand
of a more direct route to Asia,
their breadth of knowledge.
To grow as a society,
struggles over and over again, as traveling by land was both it is vital to be open to new
from as far back as the dynasties costly and often dangerous. The ideas. How can change happen
of Egypt, to the Grecian Spanish monarchs approved if things always stay the same?
philosophers, to the Roman of Columbus’s daring idea, There will always be hidden
Empire, and even into the granting him three ships for his knowledge in the world, ready
modern era, with its Cold and journey. Of course, Columbus to be revealed just when it
World Wars. While locations, had little idea of what he might seems like everything has
dates, and even key players discover after two months at finally been discovered. This
change, the same essential sea. is one reason why we must
issues continue to pop up. When What can we take continue to study history: there
it comes to original problems, away from that story? Is there will always be lessons tucked
humanity leaves much to be anything of value in that away deep within humanity’s
desired. information? The Renaissance universal story. These lessons
During the Renaissance was a period of societal must not be forgotten, so that
of the 16th century, Europeans growth in Europe; without it, our future selves will know to
suddenly became open to all most people might not have tread lightly toward our goals,
sorts of new ideas. They sought become open to new ideas, remaining cautious of repeating
after lost knowledge in the concepts, or the act of seeking mistakes already made by
writings of the ancient Greek knowledge themselves. Without others long ago. However, we
philosophers, pondered the the Renaissance, the King and must also all be brave enough
mysteries of religion, as well as Queen of Spain might have to embrace new concepts
the science behind astronomy, dismissed Columbus’s idea and experiment with new
anatomy, engineering, and as absurd, opting to stick to information, regardless of how
physics. When Christopher their traditional, less efficient ambitious or daunting our ideas
Columbus proposed a plan trade routes instead. Humanity may appear at first glance.
there are two notable monuments
that, while they don’t honor the
Confederacy explicitly, stand
testimony to politicians who
supported segregation and racism
towards African Americans.
Former Governor Benjamin
Tillman and former S.C. Senator
Strom Thurmond are honored for
their legacies, which by today’s
standards should absolutely not
be respected. In 1913, a highway
spanning from Virginia to
California was named after former
Confederate President Jefferson
Davis, and at the University of
Georgia stands Winnie Davis Hall,
named, of course, after Varina Anne
Davis, daughter of Jefferson Davis
and inspiration for the “United
Daughters of the Confederacy”
association, founded in 1894.
It is important that we all
recognize the prejudices politicians
and historical figures like these
encouraged, as well as realize the
message we send to people of color
by allowing these monuments to
continue standing strong: that we
still support and honor men who
stood for slavery, segregation,
and racism in the United States of
America.
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Page 17

October/November 2018
Sox’s 9th
World
Series Win
Of Historic
Caliber
Brandon Calez
Tunxis Sun reporter
The Boston Red Sox is an
American baseball team with
9 World Series wins, including
the recent 2018 World Series.
The 2018 World Series was
historical for many reasons, one
being the team’s coach was the
first Puerto Rican to get them to
the World Series and to victory.
This has never before happened
in Major League Baseball
history. This playoff run was
also historic because they had
to go through one of their arch-
nemesis, the New York Yankees.
On Twitter, sports reporter
Bryan Hoch quoted New York
Yankees’ manager, Brian
Cashman, on the Red Sox, “You
wonder what their record would
be if they weren’t playing us.
Because when we go head
to head, we do some damage
against them and it doesn’t seem
like anybody else is capable.”
The Red Sox had a lot of assets
this postseason; one being
pitcher, David Price.
Price came big in the fifth
World Series game against the
Los Angeles Dodgers, pitching
at a high-rate speed, “93.8 mph
with his two-seam fastball
and 93.4 mph with his four-
seam fastball,” according to
Baseball Savant. Arguably, the
Red Sox also had three of the
best outfielders in the Major
Leagues. The outfielders were
Jackie Bradley Jr, Andrew
Benintendi, and Brock Holt.
Now, on the other side of the
ball, they had great offense;
their leading postseason scorer
was J.D. Martinez, with 43
home-runs. There is potential
for this year’s Red Sox team to
go down as one of the best Red
Sox team’s in franchise history
due to the unique and hard-
hitting qualities packed into this
year’s lineup.
Sports
tunxissun@gmail.com
SGA President Runner Up Founding Sports Club
Sara Triplett
Tunxis Sun reporter
FARMINGTON- Tunxis Com-
munity College student Sean
Donnell has decided to take
matters into his own hands to
create an environment for sports
fans to discuss sports, as well as
participate in games. The idea
came to Donnell from a friend
who proposed a kickball week.
“I decided maybe we should
just have a sports club,” Don-
nell said in an interview with
a Tunxis Sun reporter, “People
need recreation, they need exer-
cise.”
Sean Donnell is a sophomore
Lessons From My First Love
Jonathan Bruce
Contributing writer
I might as well get it out of the
way right at the start: my first
love was the game of football.
Ever since I was little, I put an
enormous amount of my energy
into it. I’d wake up early in the
morning during school vacation
to play Madden, a video game
emulating the NFL, and I’d stay
up late to watch the final game
on Sunday, after being on my
couch all throughout the day
watching other games.
The funny thing is, I still
do that today. I probably don’t
wake up early in the morning
just to turn on my Xbox and
play video games, but I am con-
stantly involved in watching and
following the League. So much
so, in fact, that I decided years
ago that I wanted to dedicate my
career to covering and writing
about the sport-- in particular,
I want to write about the New
England Patriots. My Dad got
me started on the team.
I was born and bred in
a Patriots family, and the first
game I saw was during the
Superbowl XXXIX in Jackson-
ville, Florida: the Patriots versus
Eagles. My family traveled out
there to see the game, but ticket
at Tunxis Community College,
with plans to transfer to Central
Connecticut State Universi-
ty next autumn as a political
science major. Students may
recognize his name as he ran
for Student Government Asso-
ciation President against Saige
Maier this semester. Donnell
said he does not regret running
and was grateful for the oppor-
tunity. Now, he can focus his
energy on being President of the
sports club.
Donnell named the officers
for the sports club: Vice Presi-
dent, Chike Onyiuke; Secretary
Sam Spilka, and Mike Piao as
Treasurer. According to Don-
prices skyrocketed at the last
second and we ended up watch-
ing the game from our hotel
room. I remember seeing them
win the game, their third cham-
pionship in the last four seasons,
and I knew that this was my
team and my sport.
Not long after that, I
reached the age where I was
eligible to play flag football, and
I did. I had incredible amounts
of fun each time I stepped on
the field, but I knew I wanted
to tackle. I wanted to be just
like the guys I watched on TV
every weekend: in pads, scoring
touchdowns, and making big
hits. The next year, I did.
I quickly became a
starting player for the Bristol
Bulldogs, and spent all the years
I was with the team playing
safety. As time progressed and
I started getting into the later
years of middle school, the town
changed the rules for weight. I
was always little, though I had a
knack for the ball, speed, quick-
ness, and good change of direc-
tion, with high effort and some
big hits. With that said, none of
that mattered when they decided
to switch to a “no-weight-limit”
rule. This prevented me from
seeing the field, as coaches
favored the larger players over
Page 18
nell, the most pressing issue he
faces right now is finding a club
advisor. He’s asked around and
ideally would like Chris LaPorte
to be advisor, as he wants some-
one involved with the club.
The Tunxis Sports Club will
meet on campus for club meet-
ings to discuss sports happen-
ings but will also meet in public
spaces for games and practices.
If you’re interested in joining
the Sports Club or a faculty
member interested in being the
advisor, contact txccsports-
club@gmail.com for more
information.
me. For the first time in my life,
I doubted myself and my ability
to play the game. I even ques-
tioned my love for it.
The same can be said
about any kind of love you ex-
perience in life. At the start, it’s
always sunshine and rainbows;
there’s a lot of light, happiness,
and great times. As time pro-
gresses, that leaves more room
for error, unhappiness, and
questioning whether what you
love is worth all your mistakes
and struggles. I can tell you that
with passion, it’s always worth
it.
I knew that being with
the Bulldogs was no longer the
best situation for me, so for
my final two years before high
school, I played for the Plain-
ville Colts. There, I played run-
ning back and, for the first time,
linebacker. I had just as much
fun as I always did when I first
began playing, and I learned an
important lesson from it all: If
you love something (or some-
one), you should always stick
with it during the tough times.
Sometimes a change is
needed, but at the end of the
day, you’ll still have that love.
At the end of the day, that love
is all that really matters.
 Sports
October/November 2018 tunxissun@gmail.com Page 19

Lieutenant Julia Gallup Basketball Tournament Fundraiser

Page 19

Zachary Ferland | Tunxis Sun

Zachary Ferland | Tunxis Sun

Zachary Ferland | Tunxis Sun Zachary Ferland | Tunxis Sun

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