Archive - February 2017

By Michelle Lecumberry, Design Editor

The Houston Foreign Policy Alliance speaks at Lone Star College-Kingwood to build support about reforming the U.S. Foreign Policy on February 14.

“The United States needs to start rejecting the role of [being the] police of the world and only use military force when absolutely necessary; only Congress can declare war,“ Allan Vogel said.

Ruby Wood, first year, said, “I am here because I hope they just state facts not based on opinions.”

Houston Foreign Policy Alliance members (left to right) Allan Vogel, Joe Marcinkowski, and Eric C. Botts speak at Lone Star College-Kingwood’s Music Building, room 101. Feb. 14. Photo by Michelle Lecumberry.

There were three speakers at the event, like Vogel who is a Libertarian, a veteran of the Vietnam War, and believes the foreign policy should go back to what the founding fathers intended and wrote about in the Constitution. Joe Marcinkowski, who used to work in the oil business and is a small business owner considers himself a Capitalist, and Socialist Eric C. Botts is an adjunct Professor at the University of St. Thomas who has no ideological belief and is interested in things working as he said. Various viewpoints were embodied in the speakers in order to deliver a neutral conference.

Botts explains the purpose of their visit by stating, “One of the reasons we are here is to reach the new generation.”

The conference starts by explaining what the foreign policy is of the United States. The main concern are the costs of the war for the U.S. First is the cost on the American people. One of the resolutions found on their website reads, “Whereas, American military personnel are being killed and wounded, and civilian casualties inflicted, in wars fought for purposes unrelated to America’s vital security interests, which the U.S. Government defines too
broadly.”

“The cost also takes a toll on taxpayers. Thousands of soldiers return home in need of special care,” explained Botts.

One of the transitions proposed on their website is, “Curtailing the bloated military budget, allowing resources to be redirected towards cutting the deficit, cutting taxes, investing in America, or any other use as Americans see fit.” Another transition proposes, “Rejecting the role of ‘policeman of the world’, ceasing military and covert intervention in the affairs of foreign countries, and using military force only when absolutely necessary to protect U.S. sovereignty, territory, and vital interests, narrowly defined.”

Vogel also said there is a need to reduce manpower.

“US military needs to reduce their installations around the world with new technology, we can replace the manpower,” Vogel said.

The Houston Foreign Policy Alliance stated that our generation is going to be the one affected by the cost of war. We need to be more politically active and express our voice to create a change.

(left to right) Allan Vogel, Joe Marcinkowski, and Eric C. Botts spoke at Lone Star College-Kingwood’s Music Building, room 101. Feb. 14. Photo by Michelle Lecumberry.

By Sam DeLeon, Photographer, Perspective Photography Vice President

Lone Star College-Kingwood’s Poetry and Songwriting club hosted an open Open Mic event for students and faculty to share an original poem, song, and/or cover song on Thursday, February 23.

Poetry and Songwriting club President Amber Barfield, third year, commences the Open Mic event, Feb. 23 at the Classroom Building A courtyard. Photo by Sam DeLeon.

Poetry and Songwriting club Vice President Zachary Cueller, third year, (left) performs his original song titled “Star” at Open Mic, Feb. 23, Classroom Building A courtyard. “Star” is a personal story about working on a relationship that was long distance, and for Cueller, still had a lot of “hope” in it. Through “Star”, and another piece he performed titled “Sympathy,” he had “[hoped] to see some smiles” in the crowd. The quote and nude model on Cueller’s guitar case (right) expresses how he feels performing, how he “feels vulnerable and exposed to the world.” Photos by Sam DeLeon.

English Professor Peter Feldman prepares to read his poem “The Imposter,” with two others to follow, at Open Mic, Feb. 23, Classroom Building A courtyard. “As humans, we are driven to share experiences because doing so helps us feel less isolated, less like we’re living only in our own heads,” Feldman said. “A shared experience is a validated experience.” Photo by Sam DeLeon.

Garrett Kneown-Keyes (left) performs an original song at Open Mic. Jacob Peterson, first year, (right) plays an instrumental song for the crowd. Peterson has a love for poetry, both writing and reading it, and decided to share one of his own titled “Suicidal Tendencies,” Feb. 23, Classroom Building A courtyard. Photos by Sam DeLeon.

Poetry and Songwriting club President Amber Barfield, third year, shares “what I believe life is” through her poem titled “Life’s Dear Message” at Open Mic, Feb. 23, Classroom Building A courtyard. Barfield often finds inspiration from church and every day life; “Sometimes I just go on nature walks and I get my inspiration from there,” Barfield says. Photo by Sam DeLeon.

English Professor and Poetry and Songwriting club sponsor Darlene Beaman speaks with student Fabio Canales about performing in Open Mic, Feb. 23, Classroom Building A courtyard. “It’s a joy to me to hear them and see them light up,” Beaman says. “I think that students need a voice, whether it is a poetic voice, a voice on the newspaper, a voice in a song, and this gives them a chance to share their work.” Photo by Sam DeLeon.

Fabio Canales performs an original poem for the first time on campus at Open Mic, Feb. 23, Classroom Building A courtyard. The one thing that Canales hope the audience got from his performance is “that they know that other people feel something just like them.” “Not everybody has all the answers, but we’re definitely here to listen to each other,” Canales says. Photo by Sam DeLeon.