Diana: Not a Simple Woman, Not a Simple Death

By Vincent Walker

The 31st of August 1997 was a warm night in Paris, France. A large black Mercedes S280 sedan suddenly collided with the 13th pillar in the Alma tunnel at 12:25 am. Three of the four passengers in the car died due to injuries sustained from the violent crash. This car wreck stands out because the most famous woman of the 1980s and 1990s was traveling in that car and was pronounced dead nearly four hours later from injuries caused by it.

Diana Francis Spencer, more commonly know as Princess Diana to the world, was unmarried for one year and one day at the time of her death, following a public and messy divorce on August 30, 1996 from Prince Charles, the prince in line to the throne of England. The marriage ended due to cheating and other differences, however, Diana did not go away quietly. 

No longer Her Royal Highness, she still had a huge amount of public interest and she used her fame to bring attention to the public many things in the world that people had little awareness of. She was the first celebrity photographed holding hands with an Aids victim; she also made head lines for the work she did in Africa with land mine victims and led the world wide campaign to end the use of land mines. She almost succeeded in that goal , however, the treaty fell apart in September 1997 following Diana’s death.

Diana used her celebrity for good, however, the palace did not see it as that; the queen put out a statement calling her a “loose cannon.” Diana’s life had many up and downs; during one particular rough time in her marriage she sat at her desk and created a letter should her untimely death occur. Diana indicated in this letter that she feared her husband was “planning an accident in my car.”  Diana famously stated in a BBC interview that she would never be queen, but did not give a reason as to why; perhaps she did know her end was soon to come.
          
Death conspiracies are all too common among celebrity deaths, however, Diana’s cause of death has never been settled . In 2007, after ten years of conspiracies and public outcry, the British High Courts opened an inquiry and found the death to be an “unlawful killing.” Years after this, in 2013, the court reopened the case into Diana’s death, based on questions that had never been answered about the crash. Questions like why had the CCTV cameras in the tunnel stopped working just 30 minutes before the crash. Also why had the blood samples of Henry Paul, the driver of the car, later found out to be on the pay roll of the British government, been tampered with.

Other questions included why did it take two hours for the ambulance to drive to a hospital a few minutes from the crash?  Did the French medical system let Diana die? The hospital did make a statement that they could have done more to help but did not want to risk being responsible for putting the Princess in a wheel chair.

Or was it the paparazzis’ fault for chasing the Mercedes into the tunnel and snapping photos of Diana as she lay dying? No matter the case, a healthy 36-year-old iconic princess is dead. And, unfortunately, many charities and public issues possibly being resolved after being bought into the public eye by Diana died that night in Paris too. Hopefully, after over 16 years, the reasons for the death of Diana will not be a closed case.

Macklemore: Real Life Raps

By Em Maffei

Macklemore is a four-time Grammy Award winning hip hop artist who raps about real life issues that are going on in America today. Ben Haggerty, better known as Macklemore, was born and raised in Seattle, Washington and started to get recognition from his infamous song “Thrift Shop” in 2012.

Macklemore x Ryan Lewis - Thrift Shop

It wasn’t until this past year that he really got his fame. His song “Same Love” raps about the issues of gay rights in society. Young people of our culture shouldn’t have to feel ashamed or scared to come out. “No freedom till we’re equal, damn right I support it,” he sings. This song has touched many lives and has opened many eyes. It is all the same love. Human rights for everyone, there is no difference!

Macklemore x Ryan Lewis - Same Love

Another song that talks about a different social issue is “Wing$.” This song touches upon the social and cultural hegemonies brought on by brand names, specifically Nike. It goes against the thought of “you are what you buy.” Don’t compare your self worth to the “swoosh” on your shoes. (The “swoosh,” for those of you that don’t know, is the Nike symbol.) In the song, Macklemore talks about people being killed for their popular Nike shoes. Young people buy these Nikes to “play better” and/or to be popular. Nike, “Just do it.” The social and cultural influence of Nike is heard all over the world. The chorus, sung by children, says, “I bought these dreams...that all fall down.”

This song is a very powerful message to everyone in this world today. All of us are consumers, some more than others, and advertising plays a big role in what we buy, why we wear it, and where we bought it from. We are influenced consciously and subconsciously all day long. Society is exposed to numerous advertisements on a daily basis between brands, commercials, and logos. Unfortunately people are being judged for what they wear. Macklemore wants to fight that point and says that we are not defined by what we wear. The sneakers you wear are not who you are, but society has warped the minds of many consumers. Consumerism is a real issue that, unfortunately, isn’t changing anytime soon.

Indirectly The Most Influential Kennedy

By Catherine Galda

The Kennedy family is known for suffering its fair share of tragedies.  However, there is one tragedy that seems to get overlooked but had a very big impact on American history and did help change the world.  This tragedy is the life of Rosemary Kennedy. 

Rosemary Kennedy was the oldest daughter of Joseph and Rose Kennedy.  She was sixteen months younger than her brother John F. Kennedy.  From an early age Rosemary Kennedy was diagnosed as retarted and doctors told the family to send her away.  Unusual during that time, Joseph and Rose Kennedy decided to not send her away and Rosemary Kennedy was raised around her siblings.  One of the siblings that she would influence was her younger sister Eunice. 

Rosemary was always different from her siblings.  She was slower to learn and apparently could not do “normal activities.”  According to Eunice, Rosemary was very good when they were sailing at controlling the jib.  Joseph and Rose Kennedy made sure that Rosemary was included with her siblings, such as if there was a dance, her two older brothers would have to escort her and make sure no one else danced with her.  When her father was ambassador to Great Britain, she was presented at court with her sister Kathleen.  However, as Rosemary grew older, an uncontrollable temper took over her and the family could do nothing to stop it.  So in 1941, Joseph Kennedy had his daughter lobotomized and after it reduced her to an almost infant-like mind, had her sent away never be heard or seen from again. 

There is no documented evidence as to how her siblings felt about this.  Joseph had done many things that the children had to repress and now they had to repress what happened to their own sister.  Despite not being allowed to talk about her or acknowledge her existence, Rosemary was still a thought for her siblings and this came to a head when her brother was President.

Many people can name a lot of issues in President Kennedy’s term as President such as the Bay of Pigs, Cuban Missile Crisis and March on Washington.  However, a lesser-known event would help change the world.  In 1962, Eunice Kennedy Shriver admitted to The New York Times that Rosemary was retarded.  She never revealed the lobotomy to the public but admitting that a sitting President had a retarted sister was a big landmark.  Six years after making this announcement, Eunice Shriver officially started the Special Olympics, all because of how Rosemary inspired her. 

Eunice Shriver saying how Rosemary Kennedy inspired her to start the Special Olympics is something many people know but how about Rosemary’s other siblings? Her youngest sister Jean founded Very Special Arts for the disabled and her youngest brother Senator Ted Kennedy made laws to help people with disabilities.  However, the one sibling who seems to get over looked when it comes to mental disabilities is John F. Kennedy.  In October 1961, John F. Kennedy started the President’s Panel on Mental Retardation and put this at the forefront of his presidency.  This was months before Shriver revealed that their sister was “retarded.”        

Many myths have sprung up about how different Rosemary Kennedy was but evidence is starting to show this may not be as true as many want to believe.  Kennedy may have had a learning disability but she was not retarded.  Many authors have tried to push her to the side as she was nothing more but somehow this does not seem to be the case.  Recently the Kennedy family released Rose Kennedy’s Family Album and there were many pictures of Rosemary Kennedy with her siblings, particularly Eunice and John. 

If Rosemary Kennedy did not mean as much to the family as many have tried to portrayed, we most likely would not have a Special Olympics and it would have taken much longer than the 1960s for a President to make mental disabilities something that needed to be looked at.  Silently and unintentionally, Rosemary Kennedy influenced the Kennedy family to make choices that helped benefit other people.  For someone who was supposed to be forgotten, this is perhaps the greatest achievement.     

The Concert of A Lifetime

By Catherine Galda

The year was 1967 and it was a time of change in politics and music.  Vietnam was in full swing with many people unhappy with how the war was turning out.  The British invasion was also stirring Americans.  The group was The Monkees.  Members of this band were American and British and they were going on tour.  For their opening act, they picked a guitar player who was not too well known in the United States but was known in England. 

My aunt got tickets to see one of these groups and was forced to take my mother with her.  My mother was excited to go to the concert.  She could finally see Davy Jones!

It is the day of the concert and my mother cannot wait.  She did not care that she had to spend time with her annoying older sister and her friends, she was going to see The Monkees.  My mother, like many young girls in this time, had a crush on Davy Jones, one of the singers of the band.  She was so excited to see him.

The show is about to start and all the girls are ready.  Here comes Davy Jones where they can finally see him.  Instead, a young man comes out to play guitar and no one is happy.  Young girls start booing and screaming “We Want Davy Jones!” “Get Off The Stage We Want Davy!” The young guitar player named Jimi Hendrix’s plays his set and leaves the stage so that The Monkees can perform.  All the girls were happy to finally see Davy Jones. 

It has been years since this concert but my mother still remembers it.  To her, it is more memorable because of how short Jimi Hendrix’s career ended up being.  She became one of a few people who can claim they saw one of Rock’s greatest guitar players live and in concert.  She may not have appreciated it then but she is forever glad she went.  Not only did she get to see the band she wanted to see but she also got to see a legend before his time ran out. 

Hendrix’s career took off shortly after the concert.  He performed at the Monterey Pop Festival and afterwards people knew who he was.  His rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner still means something to the generation who listened to him.  Sadly, Hendrix died four years after my mother saw him in concert at the age of 27, joining the ill-fated “27 Club.” 

To this day, with a memory that is slowly failing her, my mother still remembers this.  She has seen many famous people such as Sally Field, Rex Harrison, Julie Andrews, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney and Jackie Kennedy Onassis.  Seeing Jimi Hendrix in concert is not something my mother will ever forget and hey, how many people can claim they booed Jimi Hendrix off a stage?                 

"Network, Network, Network": Advice from Successful Alumni

By Emily Maffei

Mark Romano (‘79) and Ino Gomez (‘79), two St. Thomas Aquinas College alumni, came back March 6 to talk to some undergraduate students about their journey to success. Romano is currently the Vice President Affiliate Sales of the Outdoor Channel while Gomez is the On Air Personality for Univision WADO 1280 and the color commentator for the Brooklyn Nets.

Romano and Gomez made two things clear; dress for success and network! They emphasized the fact that networking is one of the keys to success. You never know when you will meet the right person that will introduce you to your future employer. During their visit to Dr. Durney’s Communications Seminar Class in Borelli Hall Room 208, the students got the inside scoop on salaries, sales, and success. With a little bit of comedy to boot. They engaged with the students through their dry humor, success stories, and interviewing tips. (All with a smile on their faces and jokes up their sleeves.)

The student audience gained inside tips from two guys who know how to work their way to the top. They out worked their co-workers, dressed to the nines, networked, and never said no to a job.

“You are responsible for everything you say” and “have self confidence and self direct,”said Romano. Gomez started his speech by saying “never be boring,” I was immediately attentive along with everyone else in the classroom. Gomez said as a professional communicator, “never take your audience for granted.” Meaning always know your audience and appreciate them giving their time to listen to you speak.

At the end of their presentation, both of them thanked us for listening to them and to show our appreciation we applauded them and some quickly approached them afterward. These students were lucky to have gained so much intel from these two down to earth guys. After the speech, the guest speakers gave out their personal email and LinkedIn accounts, urging the students to start networking immediately.

Open Mic Night at McNelis Commons

For Immediate Release

Contact:
Resident Life RA Tamara Ireifej, tireifej@stac.edu

Open Mic Night on April 7

An open mic night will be held for all undergraduate students at St. Thomas Aquinas College on April 7 in the McNelis Commons Lounge. The event will begin at 9 pm. Sign up and show the STAC community your talents by emailing Resident Assistant Tamara Ireifej.

There are no tryouts or cuts; all you need to do is send an email and be ready to perform to participate in this dazzling event, which is open to all STAC students. Even if you aren’t a singer, you can come to open mic night to support your fellow classmates. Dress like a star and don’t miss out on this fun event!

For more information contact: RA Tamara Ireifej, tireifej@stac.edu or Director of Student Activities Dave Eng at deng@stac.edu or call (845) 398-4084

--Samantha Burden

STAC's Mock Job Interview Program

For Immediate Release

Contact:
St. Thomas Aquinas College
Office of Career Development
Maureen Mulhern, MMulhern@stac.edu
Elaine Winship, EWinship@stac.edu

STAC’s Mock Job Interview Program Is Wednesday

Students with a communications major seeking practice in job interviewing are highly encouraged to attend the Mock Interview Program on Wednesday, April 2 at 1 pm. The event will be in Maguire Hall Room 133. It is arranged by the St. Thomas Aquinas College Office of Career Development and Business Communications instructor Professor Elaine Winship.

Five professional recruiters will help students understand the interviewing process and learn key tips when being interviewed. The recruiters are Lisa Brady, Human Resource Manager at Instrumentation Laboratory; Kimberly Ann Girardi, Talent Acquisition from Sterling National Bank; Marian Adams, NEA TAT Connector for Verizon Wireless; Laura Knopf, President of the North Jersey/Rockland Chapter for the Society for Human Resource Management; and Barbara McDonnell, Senior Technical Recruiter for Panasonic.

Students will have five rounds of interviewing, with 15 minutes each per interviewer. There will also be a Q and A session at 3 pm. Like real job interviews, students should dress in professional attire and bring copies of their resume. Any St. Thomas Aquinas College students are welcome to participate.

For more information, please contact Maureen Mulhern, MMulhern@stac.edu and Elaine Winship, EWinship@stac.edu or call the Office of Career Development at (845)398-4065.

-- Devan Lau