NOVEMBER 2, 2018
THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO SINCE 1892
VOL. 130, ISSUE 11
Students Beaten, Cars Burned as Teens Attack on Halloween
Left: Teenagers smashed the windows of multiple cars, setting some on fire. Right: The incident occurred outside Regenstein Library, at the location indicated. courtesy michael sitver; google maps .
By MATTHEW LEE contributor
A large group of teenagers in Hyde Park destroyed cars, set off fireworks, and allegedly assaulted at least two University of Chicago students on Halloween night, according to multiple eyewitnesses and police reports. Wednesday night’s events were
reminiscent of past years in which crowds of teenagers gathered in Hyde Park on or around Halloween, some committing vandalism. According to multiple individuals, a large crowd not affiliated with the University was in the area causing damage to cars and setting off firecrackers on Halloween. Witnesses said the night’s incidents began at 8 p.m., around
the time when fireworks were set off on 52nd Street near the Polsky Exchange. At 8:15 p.m., according to several Hyde Park residents, firecrackers were thrown into an unlocked car, causing a small fire upon explosion. At 9:30 p.m., residents reported loud bangs, possibly fireworks, near 55th Street and Lake Park Avenue. Despite heavy presence of the
Union Posts Flyers Condemning Neubauer, Chair of Trustees By CAROLINE KUBZANSKY local politics editor
Joseph Neubauer, Chair of the University Board of Trustees. courtesy of the university of chicago .
Seong-Jin Cho Dazzles in a Promising Chicago Debut
The Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers’ International Union (BCTGM) has posted flyers decrying the corporate activities of Joseph Neubauer, the chair of the University Board of Trustees, as a part of its “comprehensive campaign” against layoffs and benefit cuts at a Chicago Nabisco plant. In an interview with The Maroon, Anthony Jackson, a spokesman for the Nabisco 600 who were laid off by the company, and Nate Zeff, the assistant strategic campaign coordinator for BCTGM, said that they are trying to bring attention to Neubauer’s actions as members of the board of Mondelez, Nabisco’s parent company. They believe that Neubauer’s actions as a part of Mondelez are inconsistent with the values of community anchoring espoused by the University. “Joseph Neubauer isn’t the continued on pg.
2
Chicago Police Department (CPD) and the University of Chicago Police Department (UCPD) throughout Hyde Park, reports of explosions and property damage at 54th Street and Ridgewood Court came in until after 10:20 p.m. Multiple residents complained of hearing explosions, and others reported that their car windows and windshields had been broken. At 10:27
UChicago, Partners Push Quantum Technology By JASON LALLJEE
continued on pg.
4
A Reckoning Inside Levi Hall: A Graphic Account By SOFÍA GARCÍA MARTÍNEZ
News Editor
maroon contributor
UChicago and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) will collaborate with the A rgonne National Laborator y and the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FermiLab) in an effort to establish Chicago as a national epicenter of quantum technology research, Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced at the Polsky Center this Tuesday. “Five years, 10 years from now, people will look back at this day as a milestone that changed the direction of not only the city, not only the state, not only the country, but the prospects of the greater South Side of the city of Chicago, and the prospects of the world,” Emanuel said at the press conference, flanked by administrators from both UChicago and
1969 could be thought of as a crucible. In 12 months, the world watched as men walked on the moon, Richard Nixon began his ill-fated presidency, the Vietnam War ground on, and students flocked in protest of the war—as well as other concerns—in ever-increasing numbers. Sofía García Martínez looked back at the Levi Hall sit-ins, one of the University’s own crucible moments of that tumultuous year that would eventually produce a large number of expulsions, a flurry of flyers, and a reckoning by the University with all the power (and anger) of which its students were capable. Like many famous campus events, it all began with a story in The Maroon…
continued on pg.
2
What We Cannot Forget By ANDREW SCHILDCROUT
By RENA SLAVIN Page 8
p.m., according to police reports, a large group assaulted one man on the 5400 block of Kimbark Avenue after he confronted them for damaging his vehicle. He was struck and fell to the ground but refused medical assistance. Police did not immediately take anyone into custody for the events near Ridgewood Court.
Page 5
Like our Facebook page at facebook.com/chicagomaroon and follow @chicagomaroon on Instagram and Twitter to get the latest updates on campus news.
graphic article on pg.
6
Advertising in The Maroon If you want to place an ad in The Maroon, please e-mail ads@chicagomaroon.com.
chicagomaroon.com
THE CHICAGO MAROON - NOVEMBER 2, 2018
2
Events 11/2–11/5
Friday Boos N Ribs Ida Noyes Hall, 6 p.m. Council on University Programming (COUP) is hosting a post-Halloween party, with food catered from Porkchop including ribs, mac and cheese and blackbean sliders. Performances include Voices in your Head and The Ransom Notes. COUP is also hosting a costume contest from 8 to 8:30 p.m.; winners will receive free Snow Ball tickets. Agnes Callard discusses “Aspiration” with John W. Boyer Seminary Co-Op, 6 p.m. Philosophy professor Agnes Callard discusses her book “Aspiration: The Agency of Becoming” with Dean of the College John Boyer. A Q&A and signing will follow the discussion. Saturday Concert: Alan Licht Bond Chapel, 8 p.m. The Renaissance society hosts a free concert featuring composer, guitarist, and writer Alan Licht. Licht is known for this work with The Blue Humans and Text of Light, and is an important figure his generation’s famous experimental solo guitar players. Sunday En tête-à-tête: Éric Vuillard, “The Order of the Day” with Alison James Seminary Co-op Bookstore, 3:00 p.m. Presented in partnership with the Book Office of the French Embassy in the U.S. and the Cultural Service at the Consulate General of France in Chicago, Éric Vuillard warns against the peril of willfully blind acquiescence, and offers a reminder that, ultimately, the worst is not inescapable. Monday Alderman and IOP Fellow Ameya Pawar “Passing Legislation & Politics as a Relational Sport” Institute of Politics, 12:30 p.m. Pawar will discuss his “efforts to pass legislation and offer a candid perspective on some of the intentional and unintentional impacts of pushing for fast change.” This seminar is part of IOP Pritzker Fellow Ameya Pawar’s series, “Race, Class, Geography & Narrative: An (Unlikely) Chicago Alderman’s Perspective.” Christopher Taylor talk: “Empire of Neglect” with Adom Getachew Seminary Co-op Bookstore, 6:00 p.m. Christopher Taylor discusses Empire of Neglect: The West Indies in the Wake of British Liberalism. The book examines this neglect’s cultural and literary ramifications, tracing how nineteenth-century British West Indians reoriented their affective, cultural, and political worlds.
Support Our Advertisers Page Three: Jimmy John’s sells sandwiches at its location on 55th Street. If you want to place an ad in The Maroon, please e-mail ads@chicagomaroon.com or visit chicagomaroon.com/pages/advertise.
subscribe!
Subscribe to the Maroon newsletter for e-mails every Tuesday and Friday
chicagomaroon.com/newsletter
Former CIA Operative Talks Russian Political Unrest By ELLIE RUBIN contributor
The UChicago Institute of Politics screened the film Active Measures at The Revival and featured a panel afterwards for a discussion with the director of the film, co-writers of the film, and former CIA operative and 2016 presidential candidate Evan McMullin. The documentary, directed by Jack Bryan and co-written by Marty Clements and Bryan, tackles the highly contentious and daunting relationship between President Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin, as well as high-profile Russian oligarchs and the Russian mob. “We know Russians attacked the core of our democracy,” McMullin said. Active Measures chronicles a number of scandals surrounding President Trump’s relationship with Russia, including a failed casino venture, Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election, and alleged money laundering schemes between Trump and the Russian mob. The film also documents political unrest in Eastern Europe, including the Orange Revolution in Ukraine and the Russian invasion of Crimea. When asked why he created this film, Bryan said there was good coverage across news sources about the subject, but the core concepts were just getting lost. “Film was the appropriate medium to connect those dots,” he said. Film allows him to connect the often-conflicting streams of information bombarding Americans from various news sources. Clements said during the discussion that many people, such as lower-level policy makers and officials, were behind the scenes
Former CIA operative Evan McMullin ran for President in 2016. courtesy wikipedia commons of the Russian mob figures and politicians, and it was crucial that the filmmakers interviewed and formed relationships with these lesser known figures first to gain the trust of the more prominent leaders. Bryan told the audience that the film seeks to create a certain immunity to the controversies of the topic. Unlike Americans, Eastern Europeans have grown up watching these political and economic catastrophes
occur, such as the traumatic protests of the Orange Revolution. Frequently, everyday citizens in the U.S. will trust information from someone who truly doesn’t have their best interest at heart, according to Bryan. McMullin said he hopes the film will better educate the American people and help them make better voting decisions.
Quantum Exchange to Benefit South Side, Zimmer, Emanuel Say continued from front
UIUC, including University President Robert Zimmer. The universities are slated to announce several joint projects, including research in areas such as materials and computing, as well as civic engagement collaborations intended to benefit South Side communities. Administrators announced that UIUC would join the University and the two Illinois laboratories in their “Chicago Quantum Exchange,” which was launched last year at the Institute for Molecular Engineering. Between the four institutions, the hub will house more than 100 engineers and scientists. “Harnessing the laws of quantum mechanics holds great promise for a wide range of technologies,” Zimmer said. “The Chicago Quantum Exchange brings research universities and national laboratories together in an innovative way, making Chicago a
unique and powerful hub for the development of critical new technologies.” The University’s expanding reach in quantum technology research parallels a similar recent push in its expansion of the computer science department. As Zimmer remarked at the opening of newly renovated John Crerar Library last week—which now houses the Department of Computer Science and the Center for Data and Applied Computing—“this building is really one piece of what we intend to be a large sequence of investments in computer science, a large expansion of our computer science department itself, a large expansion of things connected to computer science around the University, connected to data science.” Quantum technology is a relatively new field in physics and engineering. Its applications include secure communications, computing, and sensor technology. The field’s
commercial possibilities have largely only been broached during the past decade, with companies such as IBM, Google, and NASA experimenting with quantum computer models. Emanuel anticipates the move triggering a boon to the city, likening it to the decision to incorporate the O’Hare International Airport into the city of Chicago. Referencing various STEM developments at Chicago universities—such as the University of Illinois at Chicago’s upcoming science and engineering school, projected to enroll 2,000 students—Emanuel views the quantum technology collaboration as just the “most recent building [block] of a great economy.” “When you put all that together, I think this is a moment in Chicago’s history,” he said.
“It struck us as wrong that at the same time that he’s participating in these decisions at the highest levels [...] he thinks it’s OK to also preside over the University of Chicago.” continued from front
first member of the Mondelez Board of Directors we’ve addressed,” Zeff said. “It struck us as wrong that at the same time that he’s participating in these decisions at the highest levels…that have just devastating effects on communities right here…he thinks it’s OK to also preside over the University of Chicago.” Zeff and Jackson claim that Mondelez’s strategy since acquiring Nabisco in 2012 has been shortsighted and disdainful of workers. They referenced the withdrawal from a pension fund for retirees and the outsourc-
ing of jobs to Mexico. Neubauer joined Mondelez’s board of trustees in 2014, and Jackson and Zeff believe that he has misused his power to create positive outcomes for Mondelez employees in Chicago by signing onto decisions to cut both jobs and benefits for workers at Nabisco’s Chicago plant on 73rd Street and Kedzie Avenue. BCTGM is hoping that mobilizing students via organizations like Student Government and Students Organizing for United Labor (SOUL) will pressure Neubauer, causing him to exert more influence on Mondelez’s decision-making process.
“We want to make this known.... That the chair of the board, which means the figurehead of the University, is acting in this manner, which is not conducive with the values of the University of Chicago,” Jackson said. “We don’t want someone to see what Neubauer has done and think it’s the right model.” They said that if Neubauer continues on his current course of not engaging with the Nabisco 600, the University community should remove him from the board for not acting responsibly toward the Chicago residents who work at the factory.
THE CHICAGO MAROON - NOVEMBER 2, 2018
3
Axelrod Partners with Republican Strategist Karl Rove for New MasterClass
Uncommon Interview: Poli Sci Prof Paul Poast By JADE YAN senior news reporter
The United States’ historically ambivalent attitude toward the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which has become more negative in recent months, has prompted anxiety and speculation about the future of international organizations like NATO. Political science professor Paul Poast has just published a book, Organizing Democracy: How International Organizations Assist New Democracies, that highlights the role of “middle power” countries in driving these institutions forward. The Maroon sat down with Poast to discuss his new book. Axelrod and Rove are teaming up to teach a class on campaign strategy. courtesy masterclass
By WILLIAM YUEN YEE maroon contributor
Last Thursday, MasterClass announced the release of its newest course: “David Axelrod and Karl Rove Teach Campaign Strategy and Messaging.” MasterClass is an online education platform that offers courses often taught by celebrities in various fields. Instructors have included tennis pro Serena Williams, chef Gordon Ramsay, and journalist Bob Woodward. All classes are available as part of an annual subscription for $180, or for individual purchase at $90. In a series of 24 video lessons, David Axelrod and Karl Rove delve into their personal experiences in politics and the nitty-gritty of effective political strategy and messaging. Per the MasterClass website description, the two “demystify the political campaign process and break down their philosophies on what it takes to plan and execute a winning campaign.” Given their opposing party allegiances, the two form an unlikely partnership. Axelrod, the founder and director of the Institute of Politics (IOP) on campus, crafted Barack Obama’s presidential campaign message of “change” in 2008 and served as a senior ad-
visor in the Obama administration; he also served as chief strategist for Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign. Rove, meanwhile, served as a senior advisor in former President George W. Bush’s administration, and played a key tactical role in the 2003 invasion and subsequent war in Iraq. In response to a Maroon request for comment, Axelrod elaborated on his partnership with Rove. “MasterClass approached me and asked if I would be interested in co-teaching a class with Karl on campaigns. They wanted a campaign veteran from each party to teach what is a technical course on campaigns, not an ideological exercise. While Karl and I disagree on many issues, he is indisputably a master at campaigns and, therefore, a worthy partner on this project.” “It has never been more important to understand how this world of politics works and how to win the hearts and minds of voters,” said David Rogier, co-founder and CEO of MasterClass, in a statement. “The class isn’t about being a Democrat or Republican—it’s about two of the best political minds of our generation teaching how to win elections.”
‘Let’s Talk’ Program Expands, Adding New Therapists By MIRANDA ZHANG contributor
Let’s Talk, UChicago’s free and informal drop-in therapy program, has expanded for a limited time, adding one extra drop-in hour per week for fall quarter (for a total of five extra hours) and bringing on five new specially trained therapists, whose areas of expertise range from “kink and polyamorous students” to “LGBTQQ students.” The Center for Identity and Inclusion (CII) and Student Counseling Service (SCS) announced the changes earlier in October. The expanded hours went into effect October 24. The expansion was made possible by the CII bringing on five new therapists to the program. Each of the five additional hours will be accommodated by one of the new therapists, with the therapists rotating every week. On Facebook, UChicago United (UC United) described the new hires as “in-house, culturally competent therapists,” and claimed their hiring was a result of UC United’s yearlong advocacy efforts. UC United, a coalition of the University of Chicago’s multicultural student organizations (including Organiza-
tion of Black Students (OBS), Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanx de Aztlán and PanAsia Solidarity Coalition), was formed in 2017 “to make the University of Chicago campus more inclusive for students of marginalized backgrounds and identities.” UC United requested culturally competent therapists in their statement to Provost Melissa Gilliam this May, as part of their campaign for cultural centers—primarily “the creation of a University funded and run cultural houses, specifically a Black House, a Latinx House, and an Asian House that stand independent of the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs”—that began last May. When asked to comment on the University’s announcement, UC United said they were “happy to hear about the new changes to the Let’s Talk program and are excited to see how the improvements will help marginalized students in the near future.” OBS President Cavell Means agreed that the change will benefit students. Having had positive experiences with Adia Gooden, one of the five new therapists, Means told The Maroon that “having someone who related to me without any additional context given continued on pg.
4
What prompted you to write this book? I got the idea in graduate school. My co-author and I were taking a course on international organizations, and one of the things we discussed was that they help democracies. I found this interesting because I was already doing work on alliances. If you do research on military alliances, you have to look at NATO: It is the longest lasting alliance in history, and arguably the most powerful. And if you’re going to look at NATO, you have to look at its expansions. NATO expanded during the Cold War, but the biggest expansions have been from 1990 onwards; this was when all the various former members of the Eastern Bloc became members of NATO.
In your book, you argue that it is actually new international organizations that can help new democracies, rather than existing ones, such as NATO. How did you come to this conclusion? This is exactly what I found so interesting. It is commonly thought that NATO expanded and helped out all the Eastern European countries, but the reality is that it just wasn’t like this for all countries. Sure, there were some countries like Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary that were pretty much able to just walk right in back in 1999, but there were other countries, namely the Baltic states, for whom this was not the case at all. This was largely because if the Baltic states joined NATO then, geographically, this would put NATO on Russia’s door, and countries like the United States didn’t want that. But the situation was dire: The Baltic states had had a long history of being occupied by Russia, so they felt an extra threat of being conquered again and reoccupied. So how were they going to join NATO; and if they couldn’t, what could they do instead? That’s when the idea came along for them to form their own organization: the Baltic Battalion. But the big thing that drove this wasn’t the Baltic states. It was the Nordic states, and most notably Denmark, who was also a NATO member. These were the “middle powers” who had a key interest in making sure the Baltics were secure and the Baltic Sea region was stable, and who therefore took the initiative to try to help continued on pg.
IT TAKES
6OF PREP HOURS TO MAKE A 30 SECOND
SANDWICH FREAK YEAH
™
VISIT JIMMYJOHNS.COM TO FIND A LOCATION NEAR YOU
4
THE CHICAGO MAROON - NOVEMBER 2, 2018
4
The injured student was badly bloodied, witnesses said.
City Council Unanimously Approves 99Year Lease for Obama Center By ELAINE CHEN news editor
continued from front
By 10:30 p.m., a smaller group of around 20 made their way onto campus. Witnesses in the area reported hearing additional explosions and several instances of property damage, such as the tipping over of motorcycles. At 10:35 p.m., a group of teenagers allegedly robbed and assaulted two UChicago students just outside Max Palevsky Residential Commons on the corner of 56th Street and University Avenue. One victim suffered light bruising and had his phone, wallet, and other personal items stolen. A second victim was allegedly thrown to the ground and struck repeatedly. He was later taken to the UChicago Medicine emergency room for treatment, according to a security alert sent to the University community around 1 a.m. According to witnesses, both CPD and UCPD officers arrived on scene at 10:37 p.m., shutting down the 1100 block of 56th Street in front of Max Palevsky for several minutes. University of Chicago police officers apprehended one man on suspicion of robbery in front of Regenstein Library. At 10:45 p.m., witnesses say the suspect was spotted fleeing from the direction of University Avenue before encountering police. At 12:30 a.m., students outside Reynolds Club on 57th Street and South University Avenue reported hearing explosions. On November 1, a 10:49 a.m. CPD report stated that 11 juveniles and one adult were arrested for reckless conduct and violation of
Witnesses say that the injured individual spilled a significant amount of blood after he was battered outside Regenstein Library. euirim choi public peace. An official from the University further stated that the UCPD arrested and charged two other individuals on suspicion of battery. Based on videos obtained from social media, it appears as if CPD officers shut down most of the 5300 block of Lake Park Avenue from as early as 8 p.m., setting up roadblocks to prevent individuals from heading west on 53rd Street, 52nd Street, and East Hyde Park Boulevard. The CPD barricade, which prevented individuals in Hyde Park from reaching a community-or-
Poast Talks ‘Organizing Democracy’ continued from pg.
3
the Baltic states despite the United States’ ambivalence. What are your thoughts on the current administration’s policies, and how this affects organizations like NATO? I actually had the chance to write about this in an op-ed that was published in The Washington Post on the week of the NATO summit this summer. It dealt exactly with these issues. The current administration has expressed a great deal of criticism of international organizations, NATO in particular, and has threatened to potentially withdraw from them. But what does that portend? This links to the concept of a “liberal international order,” which is essentially all the international institutions that came into existence after W WII, such as the World Bank and NATO. People believe that
this “liberal international order” is partly the reason why there hasn’t been another world war, and are therefore very afraid that if big powers such as the United States are no longer fans of these institutions, the international order might collapse. But the argument I put forward in the book is that it is important to recognize that the main drivers of these institutions were not actually the United States and the British. It was the “middle powers,” or the Denmark, of today—Canada, for example. They have helped keep these institutions together. So, it turns out that the history of the “international order” is actually a history of these middle powers pushing these institutions forward, with or without the “big powers” like the United States and Britain. An extended version of this interview is available on the Chicago Maroon website.
ganized “Teen Halloween” party at The Promontory and vice-versa, persisted until well past 9 p.m. This year’s Halloween violence persisted in spite of neighborhood efforts to provide alternatives for local youth on Halloween night, with community group Blue Gargoyle hosting the aforementioned party at The Promontory.
New Therapists Include “Kink,” “Polyamorous,” LGBTQ Specialties continued from pg.
3
and was happy to help me work through my issues was invaluable.” Means also felt that increasing the visibility of such therapists “removes some of the stigma surrounding mental health.” However, UC United criticized the decision to have the therapists rotate, elaborating that they hope to see “in house therapists that are available during the open hours of the Center, rather than just rotating.” Going forward, UC United wants to focus on other aspects of their campaign for cultural centers, such as the establishment of “University-funded and University-run Black, Latinx, and Asian/Asian American centers” each with in-house culturally competent therapists.
In a 48–0 vote, the Chicago City Council on Wednesday approved an ordinance that allows the Obama Foundation to occupy the land of the incoming Obama Presidential Center (OPC) for 99 years at a price of $10. The passage of the ordinance came as expected after the City Council’s Committee on Housing and Real Estate unanimously approved the ordinance earlier this month. Once the OPC is constructed on public land in Jackson Park, the city will own the OPC’s buildings, but the Foundation will have the right to use and maintain the buildings during the 99-year term. Unlike major museums, the OPC under this ordinance will not be able to occupy park land in perpetuity, and will not receive operating or capital support from the city. City Council also approved a second ordinance dictating road adjustments the city will make to make room for the 19.3acre site of the OPC. In a video posted on the Obama Foundation’s Twitter account after the vote, former president Barack Obama said, “I am so excited and grateful that today the Obama Foundation received approval from Chicago City Council on the agreement that will help bring the Obama Presidential Center to life as a resource and amenity for the people of Chicago.” The OPC still awaits a federal review before breaking ground because Jackson Park is included on the National Register of Historic Places. The OPC also still faces a federal lawsuit filed by activist group Protect our Parks claiming the center should be constructed on a private park. With the 99-year agreement now approved, city lawyers said they plan to file a motion to dismiss this lawsuit. Unlike previous meetings that concerned the OPC, no one testified at the City Council meeting, and aldermen were in high spirits for Halloween. Many activist groups had attempted to delay the vote beforehand. The Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) Coalition held a press conference Wednesday morning, ahead of the City Council meeting, to demand City Council pass an ordinance ensuring benefits to current local residents, like rent control and workforce development. Patricia Hightower, a Woodlawn resident and an activist with the CBA Coalition, said that the vote was “a step in the right direction.” “But if they’re really serious [about listening to the community],” she said, “then we feel that [City Council] should agree to pass the CBA ordinance.” The CBA Coalition is placing a referendum on the February city ballot to have Chicagoans vote on a CBA ordinance. The referendum is non-binding, meaning if it were passed, aldermen would not be obligated to pass an ordinance or even consider one.
THE CHICAGO MAROON - NOVEMBER 2, 2018
5
VIEWPOINTS What We Cannot Forget The Tree of Life Shooting May Have Been Astonishing, but Anti-Semitism Is Nothing New By ANDREW SCHILDCROUT The gunshots are still ringing in our ears. The tears are still wetting our eyes. The pain is still fresh in our hearts. As the terrorist attacks on the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh shock and horrify the world, people are still trying to come to terms with this heinous act. Sitting in Baker two days after the shooting, I overheard a few students discussing the event. I was passively listening, but was struck when I heard one student ask, “Who knew anti-Semitism was such a big deal?” We knew. There were general nods and mumblings of agreement as the conversation turned and the question floated away into oblivion. I should’ve said something, but in that moment, with a lack of fully formed thoughts, I let it go. As lead pierced the pages of the Torah and the bodies of those who loved its teachings, we were distressed, but not astonished. We knew. We knew this hate existed in Nazi Germany, and we know that this same hate is still a cancer in contemporary society. In Jewish culture, the Holocaust is omnipresent. Six million people were slaughtered because of their heritage—our heritage. In present-day America, the Holocaust may seem otherworldly, from a time past. Not only did it happen across an ocean, but the pictures of the concentration camps are in
black and white. But as a Jew, it is all too real. There are still empty spots at our dinner tables. There are still branches of our family trees that will never flower. There are still those among us who were victims of these atrocities. As a Jew, this hatred is not merely a terrifying history, but an unfortunate reality. From the Spanish Inquisition, to pogroms in Europe, to the ethnic cleansing of Jews in the Middle East, to the Holocaust, to neo-Nazism, anti-Semitism has persisted. Even on our campus, posters bearing the mark of neo-Nazi groups have attacked and belittled Jews and other minorities. Even as Jews build and integrate themselves into American society, the ground on which we build is shaky. Jews are not disproportionately economically disadvantaged in America, and with fair skin we can “blend in” to the majority, while other minorities cannot. Anti-Semitism, however, does still exist and this should be widely recognized. Due to a seeming lack of oppression, it can be easy to forget the hatred for Jews that is embedded in our culture. Especially due to its relative dormancy in recent years, the harassment of Jewish students and graffitied swastikas can seem like isolated incidents, rather than the symptoms of a pervasive virus still infecting our society. I am not writing to provide a detailed history of the atrocities against Jewish people. I am not writing to spell out every hate crime
Amelia Frank
committed against American Jews. The agony of the massacre at the Tree of Life is still in its infancy, and because of this, anti-Semitism has risen briefly to the forefront of American consciousness—this act alone should be proof enough of on-
The Maroon Editorial Board consists of the editors-in-chief and editors of The Maroon.
NEWS
Deepti Sailappan, editor Spencer Dembner, editor Lee Harris, editor Emma Dyer, editor VIEWPOINTS
Cole Martin, editor Meera Santhanam, editor
GREY CITY
Caroline Kubzansky, editor
BUSINESS
Antonia Salisbury, chief financial officer Alex Chung, director of development Micahel Vetter, co-director of marketing Xavier Worsley, co-director of marketing
ARTS
Alexia Bacigalupi, editor Brooke Nagler, editor May Huang, editor Zoe Bean, deputy editor Perri Wilson, deputy editor SPORTS
Audrey Mason, editor DESIGN
Peng-Peng Liu, production manager Jessica Xia, head designer Francesca Chu, design associate Claire Dennis, design associate Bridget Patterson, design associate COPY
Patrick Lou, copy chief Katrina Lee, copy chief Mohammed Bashier, copy chief Kuba Sokolowski, copy chief Olivia Shao, copy chief
Editor-in-Chief: Editor@ChicagoMaroon.com Newsroom Phone: (312) 918-8023 Business Phone: (408) 806-8381 For advertising inquiries, please contact Ads@ChicagoMaroon.com or (408) 806-8381. Circulation: 2,000. © 2018 The Chicago Maroon Ida Noyes Hall / 1212 East 59th Street Chicago, IL 60637
And I’m writing because I hope that all Americans can forever remember that which we, as Jews, cannot forget. —Andrew Schildcrout is a first-year in the College.
Criticism of the CGE Is Unfounded By KEVIN CORLETTE
Euirim Choi, Editor-in-Chief Pete Grieve, Editor-in-Chief Katie Akin, Managing Editor Kay Yang, Managing Editor
going hatred toward Jews. I’m writing because I hope that this public recognition of anti-Semitism is anything but brief. I’m writing because I hope that America can fight the hatred of Jews, and the hate affecting marginalized people everywhere.
I read the recent op-ed about the Committee on Graduate Education (CGE) by my colleague Yali Amit with disappointment. From Amit’s perspective, the CGE (of which I am a member) seems to be simply a function of “the University’s intellectual dishonesty surrounding graduate student unionization” and “feign[ed] sincere concern.” It’s hard to know how to respond in the face of such discrediting tactics, but let me try. When I was asked to join the CGE, no one asked about my position on unionization. The same was true for other members of the committee, both faculty and graduate students. In my experience, none of the members of the committee view its work as being in specific service to administration goals, but rather in service to the University community as a whole. I think every member of the committee was dismayed by the responses from Daniel Diermeier and Brett Liebsker to the recent letter from Graduate Students United (GSU). We did not appreciate their suggestion that the CGE should be viewed as an alternative to GSU. I think we all felt much the same about Amit’s attempt to reduce us to a red herring served up by the administration to distract from unionization. Amit criticizes the CGE surveys of graduate students and faculty. I don’t think any member of the CGE would claim that either of those sur-
veys was perfect, and I think we all understand that some of the issues the surveys were trying to get at are not easily quantifiable. Amit specifically criticizes a question from the faculty survey about “unrealistic expectations for what [students] must produce.” Oddly, he collapses two separate questions here, one about faculty expectations, and another about student expectations. Does he really believe there is no point in trying to detect the extent to which students are held back by excessive faculty expectations, or by putting unreasonable pressures on themselves? Amit goes on to criticize the surveys for “proposing uniform solutions to particular issues facing the different graduate programs.” But, of course, the survey responses can be broken down according to division, school, and program, allowing for the possibility of detecting localized issues. And which questions, exactly, did he see as proposing solutions? It is disheartening to see Amit dismiss the surveys (and, even worse, encourage others to do the same) based on such cursory considerations. The last comprehensive attempt to study doctoral education at the University was the Baker Report in 1982. It is high time for another such study. It is important for the University to periodically assess the general landscape for graduate education, and to think about how to respond to changing conditions. It is important to consider the values and goals that drive graduate educa-
tion, and to consider how consistent our practices are with them. It is important to understand the factors that derail student progress toward completion of degrees, and toward employment goals after graduation. Those needs exist whether or not the University recognizes the GSU; neither is a function of the other. This is the first University committee with a charge of such expansive scope that has included graduate students as members. I am not aware of any other university that has carried out an experiment like this. Given those circumstances, I think the project of the CGE is worthwhile: It is an opportunity for a broad discussion of graduate education involving both faculty and graduate students, in which everyone is at the table voluntarily. The window within which this experiment is possible may be relatively brief. It was not possible during the freeze when the University’s appeal to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) was active, and it may again cease to be viable in a couple of years, when a new president may be appointing members of the NLRB. It is worth giving the CGE a chance to succeed. It won’t have that chance if it becomes a casualty of polarization over unionization. The CGE will be holding town halls on November 13 and 14. —Kevin Corlette, Chair of the Department of Mathematics
THE CHICAGO MAROON - NOVEMBER 2, 2018
6
GREY CITY
A Reckoning Inside Levi Hall: A Graphic Account By SOFÍA GARCÍA MARTÍNEZ
THE CHICAGO MAROON - NOVEMBER 2, 2018
7
THE CHICAGO MAROON - NOVEMBER 2, 2018
8
ARTS
Joji Moves Away from YouTube with BALLADS I By LUCAS DU maroon contributor
Joji feels like a new artist. Signed in 2017 to 88r ising , Sea n Miya shiro’s record label and marketing company, he released his first EP, In Tongues, in November of that year. But Joji, born George Miller, is not new—he has been dancing in and out of the limelight for years. He existed on YouTube as Filthy Frank from 2011 to 2017, where he was perhaps best known for his role in launching the “Harlem Shake” madness. And he had an alter ego, Pink Guy, under which he released the surreal comedy hip-hop album, Pink Season, which charted at #70 on the Billboard 200. To Miller, those are past lives, dead characters. In inter views he has ta ken ca re to d ist a nce h imsel f f rom h is old personas, saying that they don’t connect at all with who he is now. Indeed, since quitting YouTube last year, Miller has focused entirely on making music as Joji, crafting a darker, heavier, and more serious sound to go along with a series of stunningly beautiful music videos. Ballads 1, Joji’s much-anticipated debut album, showcases a surprising depth and uniquely experimental sound. Joji’s music has always been sad, sometimes exhaustingly so, and Ballads 1 leans into this tendency, push ing a consistently maudlin aesthetic to go a long w ith its lo-fi production. Unlike much of his older music thoug h, Joji mostly ma nages to avoid sounding tiresome. W hile the ly rical material remains similar, spanning the pains of lost love and loneliness, there is an added focus and maturity to h is song w r it i ng. A nd t he produc t ion , Joji, formerly known as “Filthy Frank”. courtesy of hot 93.7 which still brims with the otherworldly sounds that Joji loves, feels mostly inten- X X XTentacion-t y pe beat by a 14 -yea r- Dancing in the Dark,” perhaps the best tional and at times even elegant. old in the throes of a minor existential song on the album, enters over arpeggios The album begins with “Attention,” crisis. But the nuanced production and played by an ethereal, dripping synth, but a song about an unrequited love that, in sharp lyrical introspection that charac- as the song builds, a wall of trumpet-like its distorted, sad-boy-trap persuasions, terize the majority of the song make up sounds rises to the forefront, conjuring feels familiar but also alien. Spanning for these lapses. It isn’t quite perfect, but up images of a dark, smoky, 1920s nighta meditative t wo minutes, it is buoyed “Attention” is one of my favorite tracks, a club. D e spit e a l l t he i nt r ic acie s of t he by repeating piano chords and a wobbly, quietly powerful song that ranks among a lbu m’s produc t ion a nd it s beaut i f u l, rumbling bass that seems dense enough the best Joji has put out so far. glittering aesthetic, it still feels like it’s to have a tangible gravitational pull. It So much of Joji’s music toes the line missing something essential. It is telling is a sonically stunning opener, at once bet ween that dichotomy of old sounds that a rg uably the t wo best, most f ully sparse, intricate, and vivid. If you close a nd new pr o duc t ion . T he most i nt errealized tracks—“Attention” and “Slow your eyes, you can almost see the nostal- esting songs in this project are the most Dancing in the Dark”—appear at the very gic, black-and-white, reverb-drenched conscious of that contrast. “XN X X” bebeginning of the album. What follows is world that Joji’s music seems to inhabit. gins w ith an other worldly sequence of a motley collection of songs that, while You can hear the fr ustration and pent- chimes layered over meta llic scraping up anger through the distor ted, buzzy sou nds a nd a m i n i ma l istic boom-bap not without moments of brilliance, feels, vocals. You can feel the quiet anguish in beat, but quick ly seg ues into a melody for the most part, unfocused and bland. every blunt, shaky bass drop. that sounds straight out of a Taylor Swift “Test Drive” sta lls for a too-long three However, like most of the album, it hook. “Wanted U” opens with a freestyle minutes, weighed dow n by a repetitive treads well-worn lyrical ground and at combination of hi-hats, 808 kicks, and melody and overly simplistic lyrics. “Why times devolves into cliché. No matter how meta llic a nv il sounds, but tra nsitions Am I Still in LA” is almost good, building spot-on his muttered delivery, lines like abruptly into a gorgeous guitar riff that up to a pounding, distorted climax remi“I don’t wanna die so young/ Got so much wou ldn’t sound out of place in a n ea r- niscent of Bury Me at Makeout Creek–era to do” still feel like lyrics written over an ly-aug hts post-pu n k ba nd. A nd “Slow Mitski, but overstays its welcome, inex-
plicably spending its latter half in an extended comedown that includes a nearly inaudible final 30 seconds. Ultimately, Ballads 1 feels less like a complete album than a mixtape of some truly great songs thrown in among a collection of interesting but raw demos. Ballads 1 does feel like a major step forward for Joji, despite its inconsistencies and excesses. There are moments of fascinatingly experimental production. There is ev idence of song w r iting that showcases a fresh sense of purpose and balance. And while the album does feel hollow at heart, it still sounds strikingly unique, drenched in an intensely vivid sense of melancholy. In the end, Ballads 1 has all the trappings of a project from an artist on the cusp of greatness. It is t a nt a l i zi ng to i mag i ne what Joji w i l l grow into, given the abundance of talent he possesses and the creative freedom afforded him by his label. If Joji can find a way to put it all together, his next effort may have the makings of a classic.
Seong-Jin Cho Dazzles in a Promising Chicago Debut By RENA SLAVIN maroon contributor
Seong-Jin Cho gave a dazzling performance at Mandel Hall on Friday evening as part of the 75th Anniversary Season of UChicago Presents. This was the Chicago debut for the 2015 Inter nationa l Chopin Piano Competition winner, who has since attained a quasi-celebrity status, particularly in his home country of
South Korea. T he prog ra m opened w it h Joha n n Sebastian Bach’s “Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue in D Minor.” Cho’s sound in the Fa ntasia was brillia ntly clea r a nd his phra sing wa s conv incing. He commandeered the audience’s attention and made the ex pa nse of Ma ndel Ha ll feel quite intimate. Cho articulately followed each line of the subsequent Fugue while maintaining the balance and integrity of
the complex texture. The highlight of the evening was easily “Fa ntasie in C major (Op.15),” a lso k now n a s the “ Wa nderer Fa nta sy,” by Franz Schubert, arguably the composer’s most virtuosic work. Cho’s performance was exceptional; each nuance in the score was subtly brought out and the climaxes were powerful, veering ever so slightly toward grotesque. His superb technical skillset needs no validation, and it goes
without saying that he executed the numerous difficult passages of this piece f lawlessly. However, it was in the adagio that his introspective and sensitive playing could be fully appreciated. Cho closed the first ha lf of the prog ra m w it h t he Polonaise -Fantaisie by Frédéric Chopin, a late and adventurous work of the g reat Roma ntic composer. Though contemplative and free, the Pocontinued on pg.
9
THE CHICAGO MAROON - NOVEMBER 2, 2018
9
“[Cho] commandeered the audience’s attention and made the expanse of Mandel Hall feel quite intimate.” continued from pg.
8
lonaise-Fantaisie owes a s much to the structural and metrical constraints of the polonaise as it does to the meandering tendencies of a fantasy. The first part of the “Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue” is perhaps the truest fantasy, but it is followed by a f ug ue, a closely prescribed contrapuntal genre. The “Wanderer Fantasy” is not far off in its form from a piano sonata, and the Polonaise-Fantaisie is first and foremost a polonaise. Modest Mussorg sk y ’s colossa l P ictures at an Exhibition suite formed the second half of the program. Each movement is a musical vignette representing a pa inting by Vi k tor Ha r tma n n, w it h the famous recurring Promenade theme tying the work together. Cho’s technical prowess was overshadowed in this piece by his overly theatrical approach to the music and his stature. These nuisances were only slightly excessive in the first ha lf of the prog ra m, but beca me over-
whelming in the v ir t uosic a nd g ra ndiose passages of Pictures at an Exhibition. More attention toward creating variety of color, tone, and phrasing would have been preferable. Cho’s first encore, “October: Song of Autumn” from Pyotr Tchaikovsky ’s The Seasons suite (Op.37a), let the audience enjoy t he subtlet y of h is inter pretive style. Many movements of The Seasons are recognizable and have the potential to become redundant, but Cho was able to walk the fine line between insightful musicality and Romantic excess. His second encore, Chopin’s “‘Heroic’ Polonaise in A-f lat Major, Op. 53” ret ur ned to a f lashy and extroverted style, that if ever permitted, worked best in this piece. A true musica l celebrit y, Seong-Jin Cho delivered an impeccable—if at times self-indulgent—performance. At 24 years old, he is sure to be an exciting figure in the classical piano world for decades to come.
Chopin Competition winner Seong-Jin Cho, courtesy of university of chicago
A Conversation with Alumna Theatre Director Dani Wieder
University of Chicago Alumna and Director Dani Wieder, courtesy of dani wieder
By LYNN CHONG maroon contributor
The annual Director’s Haven program g ives three ea rly-ca reer theater directors the chance to produce a play of their choice with professional actors and a full production team. This year, Dani Wieder (A.B. ’16) was selected to produce People in the Wind by William Inge. This play tells the stor y of Elma—a shy and awkwa rd wa itress work ing in a diner nex t to a bustling bus stop. One day, a group
stops by the diner and Elma cannot help ic character or relationship, allowing the rands are not usually considered under a but observe her customers’ vivacious and diversity of characters to shine through director’s job description, it was Wieder’s sporadic interactions. She fantasizes a the chaotic energ y of the diner. Wieder ability to stay grounded in her artistic inlife different from her stagnant one in the exposed the characters’ hidden features stincts that allowed her to infuse a playful diner, and distracted, fails to recognize as well as passive (sometimes even ag- energy into her play. her own ability to shape her life as well gressive) relational dynamics through the Wieder ex pressed that her ex per ias influence the lives of those around her. changing physicality of space. This creat- ence at the University has significantly It was clear during my conversation ed brief but intimate moments between shaped her directing career. As an underwith Wieder that she deeply cares for each each character and the audience. She con- graduate student, she directed two main character. They all have their own, dis- cluded that for her, movement is all about stage shows a nd one work shop at Unitinct persona: the glamorously self-righ- “using limitations of the theater and using versity Theater, in which she “got to let teous yet insecure singer, the stubborn them as an advantage,” as well as “a way to [her] imagination run wild…. I never felt cowboy who wants to marr y the singer, get to build a world where there is none, hemmed in by any kind of expectation or two gossiping old ladies, a humorous al- just with bodies and walls.” specific style I should be working in…. The coholic professor, and of course the awkWieder’s directorial style of constant freedom to make what was in my heart at ward Elma. Wieder wants to “populate the adapting and risk-taking was also evident the time has allowed me to have a much diner as if it’s real” and simultaneously in our conversation about, oddly enough, sharper sense of the stories I want to tell “give opportunities for each person to have bread. In one scene, the set pieces shift- and how I want to tell them.” a chance in the foreground.” Her strategy ed to reveal the back of the bar counter, In addition, as a TAPS major, she was is a directorial skill she conceived during which contained shelves of bread loaves. able to gain the theoretical knowledge her time in the University as a theatre and It was random and hilarious but, unques- a nd ex perience needed to suppor t her performance studies (TAPS) major. She tionably, relevant to the play. How? Even practice, but it was her gender studies describes her experience of directing her Wieder could not answer, but she insist- minor and elective classes that gave her senior play, Miss Julie by August Strind- ed her gut could. She said, “I knew there “so many ways of thinking about how we berg, as “we were in Theater East [Logan had to be bread in the play,”—in fact, bread make sense of who we are and who othCenter] and we had a really small plat- was one of the first things she was sure er people are.” Talking to Wieder, it was form that was loaded in from the scene about in her vision, though it was one of hard to ignore that she was a true UChishop…they had to put wheels on it to load the last things she found a purpose for in cago alumna—constantly seeking knowlit in…. My mentor, Heidi Coleman, she the play. The bread acted as a backdrop edge with a robust understanding of the came to one of my rehearsals and said to to the alcoholic professor’s drunken “lec- importance of continuous learning. She me, ‘You’ve been given this gift of wheels ture”—the arbitrariness of it all made the ended the interview reminding current being put on your set. Use them! Turn the scene disorienting and yet endearing. Gig- undergraduates, “UChicago is really good set!’” The inspiration was clear. gling, she showed me a picture of her pur- at teaching you how to make opportuniThroughout People in the Wind, the set chasing all the loaves used for the show ties for yourself and to believe in your pieces often moved around to shift the and said, “The play wants what it wants, unique, personal voice…. You just have to angles of the diner to highlight a specif- and I run its errands!” Though grocery er- start creating stuff!”
Maestro Daniel Barenboim Returns to Chicago By BRANDON ZANG maroon contributor
T welve yea r s ago, m aest ro Da n iel Ba renboim conducted his last concer t w ith the Chicago Sy mphony Orchestra (CSO) as the ensemble’s chief conductor. This week, he returns to Chicago to conduct a set of widely anticipated perfor ma nces w ith the West-Ea ster n Divan Orchestra and the CSO. In anticipation of that performance, he spoke at a roundtable discussion on Monday about his history founding and conducting the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra and his experience with the CSO. Barenboim formed the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra with prolific academic
Edward Said in 1999 as a way to connect passionate young musicians from countries in the Middle East. When the orchestra was first founded, Barenboim admitted that he was surprised by the reception: “There were 200 applications from the Arab world alone. I never dreamt of that. I had no idea whatsoever about the quantity nor the quality of the musical talent in the Arab world. And I have to say Edward Said, who knew everything about everything, didn’t know about that either.” The ensemble isn’t simply known for its talent, it is also known for its cooperation bet ween musicians from Israel and Arab nations despite strong political differences. Since its conception, it has received widespread media attention; in
2016, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon named it as a United Nations Global Advocate for Cultural Understanding. Barenboim rejects the notion that the orchestra has a political motive and declares that it serves only to unite players through the shared passion of music. “I used to sit [a Syrian musician and an Arabic musician] on the same stand whenever possible. And what do you do? You tune to the same A, then you play the same bow, and you play the same phrasing, the same speed…six hours of rehearsal, trying to do the same thing with your archenemy. And then when it ’s finished, you go and have dinner in the same room. I mean, after three days, of course you think differently about that,” he said. “Does that
change everything? Of course not. But I think the power of the music is so strong that it makes every musician aware that they share the same passion with the other.” Barenboim does lament, however, the current conf licts in the Middle East and how it has had a negative impact on musicians wanting to be part of the ensemble. Barenboim will be conducting Richard Strauss’s Don Quixote and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 with the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra on November 5th at the Symphony Center. But that’s not all; the night will begin with Barenboim conducting a series of pieces with the CSO. One piece that sounds out is Bedrich Smetana’s Ma Vlast, a composition meant to evoke continued on pg.
10
THE CHICAGO MAROON - NOVEMBER 2, 2018
10
“I think the power of the music is so strong that it makes every musician aware that they share the same passion with the other.” continued from pg.
9
i m a ge s of Cz e c h c u lt u r e a nd landscapes. In response to why he specifically chose this piece to conduct in Chicago, Barenboim gave a humorous response: “I asked to do the piece for three reasons. First of all, because I love the piece very much. Second, because I grew up with a recording of [the CSO] w ith Kubeli k from the early ’50s. And because I want to conduct something I have not conducted…and believe me, that was not so easy.” Ba renboim a lso emphasized the importance of understanding a composer’s cultural background and language, as he believes there is a connection between a language’s pronunciation and the dynamics of a piece. “Don’t forget that each composer was born somewhere, and grew up in a home that spoke a certain lang uage. A nd he thought
a nd s p oke a nd w r ot e i n t h at la ng uage. A nd t he music t hat he imagined is connected a lso to the language. This is why you have the heaviness of the German chords, because of all the German consonants.” Hav ing ser ved a s the chief conductor of the CSO for seven years, maestro Barenboim admits that he reminisces favorably about the ensemble. He declares that an orchestra’s capability is dependent on “musical ethic”: “If a conductor stops an orchestra in rehearsal in order to express a different opinion to what he just heard, he must be clear about it. This is the beginning and the end of the psycholog ica l relationship between the conductor and the orchestra. A nd Chicago, of course, was very special because it had…the most extraordinary ethic.” The roundtable discussion
Daniel Barenboim conducting the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, courtesy of classic fm concluded with Barenboim giving an emotional response on the state of musical education today. “Now you ca n be considered a cultured person without hearing a note of music,” Barenbo-
im lamented. “The last 40 to 50 years, classical music has been divorced from the rest of culture. But you cannot be cultured without knowing that music.” Barenboim will be guest con-
ducting at the Chicago Symphony Center from November 1 to 5. Student tickets start at $9.
McCarthy Needs No Forgiveness for Can You Ever Forgive Me? By ALISON GILL maroon contributor
In Marielle Heller’s superb Can You Ever Forgive Me?, celebrity biographer-turned-forger Lee Israel quips, “I don’t think I’d find myself very interesting.” I think audience members will disagree. When we meet Lee (Melissa McCarthy), life isn’t doing her any favors. She’s just been fired from the latest in a series of clerical jobs. Her work, which once included chronicling the life of Katharine Hepburn, has completely dried up. Her literary agent won’t return her calls. And, most upsettingly, her cat is sick. But it’s not as if Lee, with her prickly demeanor and general unpleasantness, evokes much sympathy. She insults her peers, coworkers, and nearly everyone she meets. She drinks far too much and attends a literary party only to steal a stranger’s coat, toilet paper rolls, and shrimp canapés. Lee refuses to succumb to the New York publishing game,
unwilling to engage in niceties or schmooze her way to prominence. It’s at this nadir that Lee stumbles into a welcome surprise at the local public library, inspiring her second career: forging letters from longdead literary greats. It’s a conceit so strange that it must be true—and it is. Based on the real-life Lee Israel’s memoir of the same name, the film tracks Lee’s crime spree through the bizarre world of secondhand bookstores, antique fairs, and rare-print dealers. McCarthy discards her usually affable charm to embody the disagreeable Lee and demonstrates an unexpected range and nuance. Lee may be one of the most likeable alcoholic cynics to ever grace the big screen, and it’s due to McCarthy’s performance. She embraces Lee’s dowdiness, rudeness, and anger without sacrificing her dignity or humanity. Lee is a fully realized woman—one defined by her brusque disillusionment but grounded by her desperate hope that everything will
get better. For as much as McCa r thy shines, she finds a more-than-capable counterpart in Richard Grant’s Jack Hock. After meeting in a bar, Jack and Lee embark on an unlikely friendship and, eventually, criminal partnership. In many ways, Jack is the opposite of Lee; handsome and personable, he glides through life on his natural charisma. Both of the degenerates are perfect complements to each other. McCarthy and Grant exhibit an immediate and obvious chemistry, and the script provides them plenty of opportunities to showcase it. The actors seem equally at ease trading barbs in a crowded bar as they do arguing in the quiet of a bathroom. Founded on caustic wit and shared desperation, we witness a believable and intimate relationship. In performances certain to generate awards season buzz, McCarthy and Grant expertly portray the duplicity of their public callousness and their private vulnerabilities. That is their crowning achievement:
McCarthy and Grant allow the audience to see what the rest of Lee and Jack’s world cannot. The audience can’t help but root for these wonderfully flawed characters along the way. As much as the film is a platonic love story between Lee and Jack, it is also an ode to a bygone era: New York City in the 1990s. The talented Heller guides us through a world that is fully realized, yet never romanticized. From the squalor of Lee’s apartment to the dusty familiarity of the local bars, Heller adheres to her distinct sense of time and place with remarkable clarity. Underscored with modest jazz, the autumnal city is at once dreary and vividly alive. Where the plot may wear thin or predictable, the audience is drawn back in with the help of a strong supporting cast of players. Jane Curtin provides refreshing bluntness and comedic prowess in her role as Lee’s agent. Stephen Spinella’s rare-prints dealer captures the eccentricities of the niche literary community in which the film resides. Dolly Wells is
a delightful bookstore owner and potential love interest for Lee, serving as a de facto narrative compass. Heller offers deft and subtle direction that allows for the actors to breathe, and the script provides just enough structure to compel the film forward during its narrative lulls. Heller executes her singular vision with precision, retaining the quirks and fundamental humanity of both people and setting. Nobody will find the flashy technical magnificence of First Man or whiplash-inducing emotional rollercoaster of A Star Is Born in this movie. And that’s not what Heller wanted in crafting the textured backdrop on which McCarthy and Grant thrive. Can You Ever Forgive Me? manages to be a lot of things at once—a low-stakes crime drama, a darkly humorous dramedy, a nostalgic period piece, a dramatic triumph for McCarthy—but most of all, it is a gratifying and thorough depiction of the misfits that often go overlooked.
Yesomi Umolu on Directing the 2019 Chicago Architecture Biennial and Being a Global Citizen By SEBASTIAN VON STAUFFENBERG
artistic and cultural importance of transforming spaces. Umolu maroon contributor believes Chicago holds a unique position as a “prototype for a cerLast week, I had the pleasure tain form of urbanism” because of of attending an introductory event its migration-rich history that is at the Chicago Cultural Center for “woven into the fabric of the city.” the 2019 Chicago Architecture BiWith the opening of this event, ennial, a forum showcasing differ- we will hopefully see the growing ent projects, ideas, and approaches and expansive “world of what we to architecture presented around think an architect is.” Leaders in the globe. The event highlighted a the field will build “a broader civic clear objective to mobilize the way conversation” for how architecture we see space and recognize the way can build communities through a it has changed over time. Artistic “layering of different spatial transdirector Yesomi Umolu described formations”. how she made plans to tackle “the Below are Umolu’s written anexpanded field of architecture” and swers to interview questions. They allow people to recognize both the highlight her ideas for the devel-
opment of this forum and how her unique multicultural background helps her be an interlocutor to architects around the world. Did you find it daunting to be put in charge of this event? Do you feel that you’ve made it different from ones in the past? Above all, I’m honored and excited to serve as the 2019 Artistic Director and I have a highly equipped curatorial team behind me, which is extremely comforting for such a big undertaking. Sepake [Angiama], Paulo [Tavares], and I are all very interested in looking at how the built environment affects people’s experiences and the way we live our lives. Chi-
cago is a highly cultured city that beyond the traditional definition already has an amazing interest of architecture and viewing it as and dialogue going on about this, space, the positive and negative but the biennial provides an in- space, that affects how people live credible platform to engage the city their daily lives. as a whole in the conversation… An article on the Chicago ArIt’s always been our mission to chitecture Biennial website said explore the relationship between that you wanted to explore the architecture and the production “emerging practices and global of space, both in Chicago a nd locations that are developing around the world. This year, we’re new approaches to architecture, expanding our reach by broaden- urbanism, and spatial practice.” ing our view: We aim to increase What are some unique creative conversations around the world to pieces that you think should be include not just architecture, but highlighted? the other studies that impact it: soOur pre-biennia l resea rch ciopolitical and economic changes leverages a diverse group of indiin society, civic movements, envi- viduals from various disciplines ronmentalism, etc. We’re looking continued on pg. 11
THE CHICAGO MAROON - NOVEMBER 2, 2018
11
“The city’s reputation and position as a central hub allows it to be a conduit to convey its rich surroundings with the world.” continued from pg.
10
including architects, urbanists, artists, designers, writers, members of social movements, community groups and everyday citizens in the cities of Chicago, São Paulo, Johannesburg, and Vancouver. At each location, we’ve applied a forward-thinking approach by studying how spatial practices—including land and occupation, nature and ecology, monuments, and memorials as well as rights and civic participation—influence communities and the built environment. It’s important to understand these entities work holistically to impact our communities and our lives. By studying the relationship between them—between, say, nature, occupation, and civic participation—we can see what’s working, what can be improved, and we can make projections on how that will shift in the future. That sort of unique thinking is a real highlight of the process so far. You received your master’s degree in architectural design from the University of Edinburgh and another master’s in art curating
from the Royal College of Art in London. Have you recognized any differences from across the pond in how people choose to approach architecture? The differences in how people approach and understand architecture worldwide is fascinating. During my time in London, what really affected me was the shift in the dialogue around architecture from a more traditional study of buildings, to a study of the production and use of space in a broader sense. The reappropriation of spaces, the renegotiation of the built environment and the role of the architect was a critical topic as I was learning the practice of architecture, and that has had a significant influence on how I see my role as a curator in the field. How do you feel you’ve balanced both honoring the architectural tradition of the city as well as providing room for new ideas? The biennial is designed to celebrate Chicago’s architectural history, cultural institutions, and civic engagement. The city’s reputation and position as a central hub
allows it to be a conduit to convey its rich surroundings with the world while also serving as a stage to amplify trends taking place in other geographies or cultures. Local mores mix with global influences to create something that’s new while also inherently “Chicago” in nature. It’s that amalgamation that shapes the future of architecture in the city and beyond. You have previously described yourself as a “global citizen.” How do you feel this has impacted your work? I was born and brought up in Lagos. I moved to London when I was 10. I’ve spent a lot of my life in Europe and the United States, and I have the good fortune as a curator to be able to travel all over the world and experience different types of urbanisms. This has helped me to really open up my perspective on architecture, and to understand the field as an ongoing conversation, with innovations and breakthroughs happening across the world and in unexpected places. It has opened up my idea of what a city is and how it’s experienced in
ways that I bring to my work as a curator at the Logan Center. For the biennial, it’s let me approach architecture as an international dialogue, using Chicago as a prism to explore how the conditions of this city resonate globally. Do you have any advice to aspiring young architects? Listen to people and look to the world around you—architecture is so much more than physical structures. It shapes community,
thought, and the lives of the people around it. Architecture is, in many ways, the study of how we use and understand space. It is deeply personal and collective ways. Look to the history of architecture and spatial production, but also look to the leading edge of innovation and thought across fields to figure out how to translate the changing way people live and communicate to architectural practice.
Logan center curator Yesemi Umolu, courtesy of dezeen
VIEWPOINTS The Responsibility of Students UChicago Students Should Rigorously Question Authority Instead of Taking U.S. Propaganda as Fact. By ATMAN MEHTA It is the responsibility of students to question everything, and thereby uncover the truth and expose lies. This is especially true for students at UChicago, a school proud of its intellectual culture. However, assessing political statements made by students, it’s rather obvious that they have obediently accepted American propaganda instead of questioning it. Prime examples are two recent pieces from The Gate: one about the Yemen war by Noa Levin, editor of The Gate’s World section and another by Jake Biderman about Israel’s “image problem.” Levin’s article is essentially a regurgitation of American propaganda; she writes that the U.S. has involved itself in Yemen despite the “immoral actions surrounding the war.” Following this phraseology, it’s a logical impossibility for the war itself to be immoral, which effectively restricts the spectrum of possible commentary. She writes in a section titled “Fear of Iran Inspires International Response” that one of the war’s motivations was combating Iran’s proxy war in the region, informing us of the “dire territorial threat” posed by Iran to Saudi Arabia as a justification for the latter’s involvement. This is blatantly untrue. In early 2015, even the U.S.’s State Department spokesperson Bernadette Meehan announced, “It remains our assessment that Iran doesn’t exert command or control over the Houthis in Yemen”; analysts of the region such as Helen Lackner concur. This information
is available even on the Wikipedia page on the subject—an important characteristic of any propaganda is the willful neglect of spectacularly available information. The tr ue motives of Saud i Arabia, namely a desire to exploit Yemen for its shipping routes and fuel sources, are ignored in the article. As the Middle East Monitor reports, Saudi Arabia has begun building an oil pipeline through the Al-Mahrah district in Yemen. Moreover, UAE, backed by American SEALs, has captured the ports of Mukalla and Shihr in the fuel-rich Hadhramaut governorate, and tightened their grip over other strategic islands such as Socotra. Yemen is being brought back to its appropriate position as a vassal state, while America’s complicity in this remains ignored. Levin cavalierly writes that both sides are responsible for war crimes, and “imprecise weapons” have caused civilian casualties. She doesn’t mention that, as per U.N. figures, the coalition is responsible for over 60 percent of the civilian casualties, a rather conservative estimate since it only accounts for those affected in combat, not those who suffer due to the inhuman conditions engendered by the war. Furthermore, although agricultural land comprises only 2.8 percent of Yemen’s total land area, agricultural areas have been indiscriminately targeted by the coalition to stop food production and distribution. Moreover, especially since 2016, the coalition’s targets have dramatically shifted towards civilian and economic areas. The “imprecise weapons” Levin faults
have been highly precise at destroying any semblance of rural and civilian life. The war in Yemen, and America’s complicity, are infinitely more pernicious than the article admits. This doesn’t imply that Levin intentionally excluded information; the point is that the notion that American intentions could be ignoble is impossible for many at UChicago to even consider, an example of a totalitarian political culture on campus. Another example of subservient political attitudes on campus is Biderman’s recent article regarding Israel’s “image problem.” He recounts that Israel has been condemned by the U.N. Human Rights Council more than all other countries combined, which leads him to the fantastic conclusion that Israel’s “public image is subpar.” The article states that Israel has prioritized the safety of its citizens over its international reputation by implementing “firm actions for (in its view) its own security.” To prove that such actions are for its security is unnecessary—that Israel can “view” them as such is sufficient. Biderman continues: In the context of the 2014 conflict in Gaza and in the face of a “media strategy” against the Netanyahu government, Israel diverted its focus to “preventing further damage.” What he refuses to tell us is that the 2014 conflict in Gaza was launched by Israel on the false pretext that Hamas abducted three Israeli teenagers, as later confirmed by an Israeli spokesperson. Due to a conflict predicated on such fabrications, close to 1,500 civilians
in Gaza were killed, 28 percent of Gazan residents had to flee their homes, and Israeli aggression damaged 17 hospitals and 58 primary health centers. Biderma n correctly w rites critically of Hamas’s charter calling for the obliteration of Israel, stating that the criticism of Israel is the “deliberate delegitimization of the Jewish state.” But expectedly, he pays no attention to the actions of those who not only call for but actively participate in the destruction of a state. A close aide to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Dov Weissglass revealed in 2004 that the peace process had to be frozen to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state. In 2014, Benjamin Netanyahu repeated that Israel couldn’t relinquish any control west of the River Jordan. To anyone literate in the politics of the region, as I’m sure Biderman is, this signifies the impossibility of any Palestinian state. He further writes that Israel will continue with its “security-oriented” policies at the cost of its reputation. What he leaves out, is that during the 2014 conflict, Hamas had agreed to unify with the Fatah party, accept the 1967 borders and concede to all Western demands: nonviolence, adherence to past agreements, and the recognition of Israel. The escalation of violence in Gaza was a direct result of the U.S. and Israel’s refusal to implement the Palestinian reconciliation agreement. If Israel was truly serious about its security, it would’ve pursued the path of peace on various occasions, of which 2014 is but one example.
To be clear, it’s not at all the case that Levin or Biderman fail to criticize U.S. or Israeli policies. However, their criticisms of these governments fall within extremely narrow grounds, which isn’t serious criticism at all. U.S. foreign policies are criticized because they don’t work, they’re “too expensive” or mere “foreign policy miscalculations.” Biderman criticizes Israel’s inability to convince the media of its great, “security-oriented” ideals. The semblance of criticism is a necessary element of any successful propagandist system to disguise deference as iconoclasm, thereby limiting the spectrum of acceptable reproach. I don’t intend any personal attack on The Gate or its writers; I’ve written for it a few times myself. My point is that as one of the most prominent political magazines, The Gate adequately demonstrates the obsequious political attitude on campus. As students at a supposedly intellectual university, it is our responsibility to relentlessly challenge institutionalized power instead of submitting to it, especially since unlike many in the world, we don’t have a gun to our heads. As William S. Burroughs wrote, “There are no innocent bystanders”; we can either protest the crimes of the powerful by exposing their lies, or acquiescently allow atrocities to continue in Yemen, Palestine, and the inevitable Yemens and Palestines to come. —Atman Mehta is a second-year in the College.
THE CHICAGO MAROON - NOVEMBER 2, 2018
12
SPORTS
MAROONS TAKE ON TWO TOUGH TEAMS SWIM & DIVE
By BRINDA RAO sports staff
Fo l l o w i n g l a s t w e e k e n d ’s m e e t s aga i n st Nor t hwester n a nd W heaton, UChicago’s swimming and diving team is gearing up to compete against Claremont Mudd Scripps College and rival Wash U. Last weekend kicked off the 2018–19 season w ith a promising sta r t. Sw imming against three Division I teams at Northwestern on Friday, the team competed excellently, taking nine top finishes. The first-years on the team took six of those top finishes. According to thirdyear Taye Baldinazzo, “[The first-years] wasted no time this season ma k ing a name for themselves and rea lly showing up at home, both in the practice and
competition pool.” On Sat u rday, bot h t he men’s a nd women’s tea ms bested W heaton w ith large score margins (190–90 for the men and 222–71 for the women). Baldinazzo said, “The men’s side really stepped up after a tough week of training and a travel meet the prior day. The energy was high as we faced off against our first Division III opponent and came out of it with a win.” The team is thrilled with the fantastic kickoff to the season, especially with the drive and dedication exhibited by its newest members. The team continues to train intensely in preparation for this weekend’s meet. Last year, the men’s team lost against Wash U w ith a final score of 180–108 while the women’s team defeated them
Volleyball Looks to Defend Season Record Against Rochester
with a final score of 184–116. The two teams the Maroons are scheduled to face are considered some of the toughest DIII competition the team will encounter this season. Competing against them gives the team and its captains an idea of how they compare to other DIII teams. The men’s team hopes to change the outcome this weekend. Baldinazzo explained, “The men have rea lly gotten pumped up for the weekend. It won’t be easy, but if we all perform at our best, I know we can come out beating both teams. Our goals are simple: to perform our best and come out with two wins.” Even in the midst of midterm season, the swim and dive teams show promise and mental toughness with their commitment to preparing for the upcoming meet.
UChicago Men and Women Face Longtime Rival Wash U
VOLLEYBALL
By ALYSSA RUDIN sports staff
The No. 10 Maroons are heading to University of Rochester this weekend for the UAA championship. The Maroons are 6–1 in UAA play after two rounds of UAA Round Robin play and 26–3 overall. This is the 11th time in program history that the team has reached 25 wins. The team will take on seventh seed Rochester in the first round and await the winner of New York University and Wash U. In the first UAA Round Robin, Chicago went undefeated, beating Brandeis University, sweeping Case Western Reserve University, and upsetting Wash U. The Maroons toughed out a 3–1 defeat of Brandeis, with all four sets being relatively close. Later that day, the Maroons easily beat Case Western, not dropping a set and holding their opponents to a .028 attack percentage. Third-year Anabella Pinton led the offensive charge with 14 kills and zero errors. In their final match of the first Round Robin, Chicago, then ranked six spots below the Bears, pulled off the fourth upset of their season at that point, sweeping Wash U. The Maroons hung on throughout the first set, fighting their way to a 26–24 victory and
SOCCER
riding the momentum to take the next two sets with slightly more ease. The South Side defense proved to be too much especially in the second set when they held the Bears to a .000 hitting percentage. First-year Katherine Wilson was a force with 14 digs. Despite a tough opening to the second UAA Round Robin, the Maroons bounced back to achieve their 6–1 record and second-place standing in the conference. In their first match, the team lost to Emory in three sets, snapping their nine-match win streak. The Eagles were dominant on serve with 12 aces. Chicago didn’t let this loss get them down as they turned around and swept NYU with ease, taking the final set 25–11. The Maroons then swept Rochester again before facing a dogfight with Carnegie Mellon. The Maroons eked out victories in the first two sets, 26–24 and 28–26 before dropping a loose third set. They quickly bounced back and turned it around, taking the fourth set with confidence. Third-year Madison Pearson had an impressive 17 kills and second-year Emma Griffith helped out her teammates with 52 assists. Today the Maroons are headed to Rochester, New York, to face off against Rochester in their first round at 12 p.m. ET.
UPCOMING GAMES SPORT Women’s Volleyball
DAY Friday
Opponent
TIME
Rochester
12 p.m.
Men’s Soccer
Saturday
Wash U
11 a.m.
Swim & Dive
Saturday
Wash U
1 p.m.
Saturday
Macalester
1 p.m.
Saturday
Wash U
1:30 p.m.
Football
Women’s Soccer
First-year Alice Ye commented, “Practices are at a high intensity with swimmers going at race pace.” Cha lleng ing a nd besting the upperclassmen in practice, the first-years continue to prove that they are a force to be reckoned with. Hopes are high for the rest of the season. Ye said, “I want to make the NCA A team and I’m just excited to be training with a new team filled with amazing people.” Ultimately, both teams are setting their eyes on the prize of a UA A title. The Maroons will swim against Wash U and Claremont Mudd Scripps College in the Myers-McLoraine Pool located at Ratner Athletics Center. The meet is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.
By CAMILLE AGUILAR sports staff
This Saturday, the University of Chicago’s men’s and women’s soccer teams will be playing longtime rivals Wash U. The Wash U Bears women’s team is in the midst of a 16-game win streak, with an overall record of 16–0. Their men’s team brings a 7–6–2 overall record to the table. Meanwhile, the competitive Maroon women’s team holds an impressive 13–3–1 record, a nd t he Ma roon men’s team holds an equa lly formidable 14–2–1 record. While these records ref lect their hard work and sk ill, the nerves of fans are nonetheless on edge as a result of the sinister statistics of our rivals. Last Sunday, the men’s team faced Brandeis University, giving fans quite the show. Within the first minute and a half, fourth-year Matthew Koh made two shot attempts. Although he missed the first, he retrieved the rebound and shot again. Goal! At the one minute and 28 second mark, the Maroons had already netted a goal. Fourth-year attacker Nicco Capotosto also put on an especially spectacular show. Around the 13th minute mark, the agile midfielder successfully set up teammate Koh for another shot on goal. This scenario played out in an eerily similar way to that which occurred last year against Wash U. At the 13th minute of that game on November 4, Capotosto sent the ball f lying across the field to teammate Ma x Lopez who proceeded to successfully place his shot. Maroon fans can only hope that history repeats itself again! The team is feeling sentimental about their senior players heading not only to their final conference game, but to their final rivalry game against Wash U. Initially, Capotosto could only describe his feelings as “intense.” He added, however, that the intensity is actually ameliorated by the excitement of gaining another UAA conference title. He said, “All of the seniors are really excited for the chance
to w in the conference on their home field and cap off what’s been a good year so far, and head into the tournament on a high note. We’ve had some great games aga inst them in the past three yea rs, and hopefully we can have another this Saturday.” W h i le t he Wa sh U women’s tea m leads the UA A in rankings, the Maroon women’s team leads the UA A in several key statistical areas. The team’s 49 goals and 119 corner kicks this season beat any other school in the UA A conference. But will this fighting spirit take them all the way? The Maroons started their season off hot, with several shutouts and big score inequalities. Last Sunday, the Maroons felt a bitter loss at the hands of Brandeis University. Brandeis Judges placed 10 of 15 shots on goal, with one finding net. The Maroons unluckily shot 18 times w ith only six on target. It seems that in order for the Maroon women’s team to find success this Saturday, it is crucial that they focus on placing good shots under pressure. While the women practice their game time shots, the men appear to be preoccupied with their offensive game. Capotosto said about then men’s preparation: “It’s going to be really important that we finish the chances we get. A fter a few rough games defensively, we tightened up a little bit more last weekend and were able to get shutouts. We have to add to our improvements defensively by being a little bit more efficient in how we finish our scoring chances. We’ve been unlucky the past few games and it just seems like a matter of time before we start putting goals away again like we were in the beginning of the season.” Good athletic rivalries bolster school spirit. This Saturday, Maroon fans will gather for two rivalry games, both promising to be nail-biters. The men’s game will kick off at 11 a.m, while the women’s game will kick off at 1:30 p.m.