The Current | Vol. 31 Issue 19

January 26, 2021 | nsucurrent.nova.edu 4 Features Impeachment? Again? Remembering Eddie Van Halen and his revolutionary guitar-playing Not technically. Donald Trump was already impeached for an unprecedented second time by a vote in the House of Representatives in the final days of his term as president, but there is still the chance for him to be convicted by a trial in the Senate. Last week, Donald Trump left his seat at the White House as Joe Biden was officially inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States, leaving many to question why an impeachment trial would be necessary, now that he is no longer in office and more importantly whether or not a trial could even take place at all. Continue reading to learn more about the impeachment process and what it could mean for the first few weeks of the new administration. Impeaching a president after he leaves On Jan. 26, 1955, legendary guitarist, musician and songwriter Edward Lodewijk van Halen, known simply as Eddie Van Halen, was born inAmsterdam, Netherlands. He was best known for his band, Van Halen, which he co-founded with his brother, drummer Alex Van Halen, bassist Mark Stone and singer David Lee Roth in 1972. After five decades of creating songs and guitar riffs that were one of a kind, Eddie Van Halen died from his long battle with cancer at the age of 65 on Oct. 6, 2020. According to Rolling Stone magazine, Eddie Van Halen was a “legendary guitar innovator and virtuoso… establishing himself as one of the all-time great players in rock history.” In an interview with the magazine, Van Halen told them he didn’t office? Can we do that? The answer is unclear. Although there is no doubt that a sitting president can be impeached by the House of Representatives and convicted by a trial in the Senate during his tenure as the president of the United States, there is debate over whether the process can continue after he or she leaves office. While the lack of consensus will inevitably be the center of disputes in the near future, Charles Zelden, a professor of history and political science in the department of humanities and politics, explained that there is some precedent that suggests a trial is possible, even after the individual leaves office. “There is an open debate whether you can impeach someone who can’t be removed because they’re no longer in office. The wording says ‘removed,’ but there have been cases where know anything about scales or music theory -- he simply played what he felt, something that has inspired a lot of individuals to learn to play guitar. “He was a major impact on my playing. His style and writing were so alien, it literally was out of this world. He was a true legend from the start,” said Eric Neil, a guitarist who has played with South Florida rock bands Silver Spine and Leather and Lace. Van Halen was known for his tapping guitar solo technique -- where a string is fretted and set into vibration as part of a single motion -- which allowed him to play rapid arpeggios with both hands on the fretboard. Van Halen’s guitar-playing inspiration sprouted from guitarists Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin and Eric Clapton. International Holocaust Remembrance Day and new addition to Holocaust Reflection and Resource Center Jan. 27 is International Holocaust Remembrance Day, a day of reflection and remembrance for those that were persecuted and killed during the Holocaust. For students that wish to reflect on this or learn more about the Holocaust and what people went through during that time period, the Craig and Barbara Weiner Holocaust Reflection and Resource Center, located in the Alvin Sherman Library, features many exhibits and resources that students can learn from. According to Craig Weiner, president of the Holocaust Learning and Education Fund, “The Holocaust Center is open to all NSU students, as well as the students of the University School, the general community and essentially all schools, whether they be public schools or private schools. The students upon entering the Holocaust Center on campus will be able to use QR codes to get a full explanation of images that reflect the history of the Holocaust, both pre-1939 as well as the time of liberation.” Over 250 artifacts are a part of the permanent collection, including items from concentration camps and World War II. “We have an original sign in German that in English translates to, ‘Jews will not be served here.’ We also have a Jewish violin that survived the Holocaust. Students spend a lot of time looking at that. We have family documents, we have [original telegrams] from the Commandant of Auschwitz, that in English translates to, in one sentence, ‘Your husband died.’ Students see that and I try to ask them, how do you think your mother would have felt to receive this?” said Weiner. Aside from what is currently available at Holocaust Reflection and Resource Center, students that wish to learn more about this time period should listen to the testimonies of Holocaust survivors. “Look at survivor testimonies, testimonies of Holocaust survivors. There are thousands and thousands of themon the internet, and if a student looks at them and just listens to that person and starts to think ‘that could have been my mother,’ ‘that could have been my father.’ Because remember -- the Holocaust didn’t happen that long ago. There are many students that think of the Holocaust as happening in ancient history, when in fact, the Holocaust happened 75, 76 years ago. This is a relatively recent history. The victims could have been your grandparents. So, it’s important for students to look at survivor testimonies and listen to what the survivors have to say. Then, they’ll realize how important it is that we all take a stand against hate.” In March, the Holocaust Reflection and Resource Center will include a new system, the Dimensions and Testimony Educational System, that offers an interactive exhibit with recordings of Holocaust survivors talking about their experiences. This addition, which comes from the University of Southern California Shoah people have resigned and yet the impeachment process continued. So, we’ll see, but likely, we will have a trial,” said Zelden. Even if the Senate decides to go through with an impeachment trial, the question remains: why bother? Well, according to Zelden, an impeachment conviction has many consequences beyond being removed from office. Trump may have already left office, but there’s much more at stake if he’s convicted. “Donald Trump could never run for office again, and it would probably result in him being stripped of his pension, his security detail and the million-dollar-a-year travel allowance that ex-presidents have, among a few other matters,” said Zelden. Barring Donald Trump for running for reelection in 2024 would invariably result In an interview with Guitar World, Van Halen said, “I’ve always said Eric Clapton was my main influence, but Jimmy Page was actually more the way I am, in a reckless- abandon kind of way… I think I got the idea of tapping watching Page do his “Heartbreaker” solo back in 1971. He was doing a pull-off to an open string and I thought, ‘Wait a minute, open string ... pull off. I can do that, but what if I use my finger as the nut and move it around?’ I just kind of took it and ran with it.” With their father being a jazz pianist, clarinetist and saxophonist, Van Halen and his brother took up music at a young age, beginning to play the piano at the age of 6. While his parents wanted the brothers to be classic pianists, they were more interested in rock music, which led to them starting their in significant ramifications for the 2024 election cycle. As Zelden explained, “Many Republican Senators who want to run for president in 2024 would benefit if Donald Trump is barred from running. That opens up the field.” However, on the flip side, many Republican Senators may risk losing support if they vote in favor of impeaching Trump who still has a significant following among Republican voters. Whatever happens in the next few weeks, it is clear that another chapter will likely be added to the historical and unprecedented presidential term of Donald Trump. first band in elementary school called The Broken Combs. According to an interview Van Halen did on their YouTube channel in 2012, Eddie Van Halen said that performing with The Broken Combs was what sparked his desire to become a professional musician. At the 2020 Billboard Music Awards, held eight days after his death, Eddie Van Halen was honored as musicians he had worked with gave speeches to pay tribute to his musical career. EddieVanHalenwill forever be known as one of the musicians who revolutionized guitar-playing. While he is no longer with us, he lives on through his music, which is still being listened to today. PRINTED WITH PERMISSION BY C. WEINER Artifacts and images from NSU’s Craig and Barbara Weiner Holocaust Reflection and Resource Center By: Emma Heineman Features Editor Foundation, “allows students to have discussions with Holocaust survivors through this technology in perpetuity,” according to Weiner. The system includes the responses of between 1,000 and 1,500 questions for multiple Holocaust survivors. The Holocaust Reflection and Resource Center is the only place in Florida to have a permanent installation of this type of system. By: Flor Ana Mireles Copy Editor By: Alexander Martinie Opinions Editor