CWRU’s restrictive new protesting policy hinders civic engagement on campus
Editorial Board
For the past several months, the Case Western Reserve University student body has received multiple emails from President Eric Kaler regarding student protests about the Israel-Hamas war. His most recent email in collaboration with Provost and Executive Vice President Joy K. Ward mentioned how we as Americans are collectively “facing a contentious election campaign season. And as global citizens, we’re seeing tragedies around the world that bring devastating loss.” During these difficult times, he emphasized the fact that the university is meant to function as a place that challenges the status quo while encouraging civic engagement.
One major question must be answered, though: How much deviant civic expression is accepted on campus as a result of not only this new policy but the many other emails that came before from Kaler? One could argue that the responsibility of the university to challenge the status quo seems more performative than genuine. For example, in his latest email Kaler said that “a proposed demonstration … requires written pre-approval from the Freedom of Expression Policy Committee.” This form must be submitted seven days before the demonstration is requested to happen. The irony in this form of civic expression, however, is that a demonstration that directly opposes the stance held by the administration must first be approved by said administration. A demonstration in
which students aim to challenge the values of those in authority now can be shut down before it even sees the light of day. This new policy not only inherently restricts freedom of expression on campus but also generates tension between the student body and those that are supposed to have the students’ best interests in mind.
Regarding last semester’s protest, of course the protesters should have expected that they would face consequences for their actions. But because the demonstration as a form of civic duty was already something that the university was so staunchly against, there was no possibility of challenging the “status quo” that the university claims to desire to disrupt. A protest directly operated within the perimeters of the authority opposition is, in itself, performative compliance rather than a pursuit that can ultimately enact change. If there is no inconvenience to a force that essentially declares itself unwilling to compromise, then there is no basis to eventually create genuine discussion or change. Essentially, a demonstration governed by those with unwavering opposing views is just a waste of time.
The email also stated, “Only university faculty, staff, students, postdocs and recognized university groups in good standing may make a request [to hold a demonstration].” This condition automatically bars certain individuals and groups from acting on what they consider their civic duty. Furthermore, this condition is controlled directly by what those in authority of the school
deem to affect “good standing” status. According to this policy, CWRU’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine would be unable to make a request to hold a demonstration because of their “Interim Loss of Recognition” decided by those in charge.
Another very restrictive element of the new policy is that demonstrations are limited to a mere two hours and can only be held between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Furthermore, he explicitly highlighted the fact that projections of light “onto any building or structure” and tents are not allowed. This is a clear response to the encampment that started right before the 2024 spring semester ended where messages were displayed on the Kelvin Smith Library with projectors and tents were erected in the Kelvin Smith Oval. Students stayed within the space overnight for multiple days.
Kaler’s email comes at a time when many universities around the nation are coming up with new procedures and plans for how to usher in the new school year without major complications from protests. For this upcoming semester, Columbia University has decided to restrict campus access to people with school IDs and their specified guests. They are also deliberating as to whether security officers should have the power to make arrests. Many schools are deciding where protests can happen, when they can happen and whether signs are allowed. Additionally, universities are contending with pressure from Congress and the Department of Education with lawsuits alleging that protests have created hos-
tile environments on campus toward Jewish and pro-Israel students.
The problem with the introduction of all these rules, though, is that they don’t foster an environment where civil discussion and compromise are possible. In an email sent on May 6, 2024, Kaler explicitly stated that CWRU will not be divesting from Israel—a final statement with no room for compromise or discussion between the administration and student body. If this is the case, then a demonstration under the new restrictive constraints of the administration is not productive in the first place.
It is unreasonable to place such severe restrictions on a protest when the administration has already made its stance clear on the fact that the students are unsupported. This hard-line stance of the university will only result in further alienation between the administration and students. A university should be open to discussion and compromise beyond a level that is performative. Furthermore, it should understand that if it is not willing to compromise, students have the right to exercise their freedom of speech in a protected and safe environment, including the right to speak out against the school’s policies. After all, Kaler himself encourages such civic discussion in his email. While a conversation is certainly the best way to come to a conclusion when two parties work together, there seems to be an inability to come to an equal discussion between an uncompromising administration and a determined opposition.
Clay Preusch/The Observer
2024 Gaza solidarity encampment
Students express a spin-dle of joy over new laundry machines
Zachary Treseler News Editor
On Aug. 7, many students returning to Case Western Reserve University’s on-campus housing received an email from the Office of University Housing containing fall semester move-in information. In the email, “new laundry machines” were briefly mentioned. This was a result of a new contract the university signed regarding laundry services before the start of the academic year.
Vern Rogers, executive director of University Housing, explained, “This is a new laundry services contract with Fowler Laundry Solutions. The services provided are similar to the prior contract; no additional cost washing and drying and web-enabled machine tracking. University Housing reviewed proposals and interviewed several vendors. Fowler was chosen as the best combination of overall value, service offered, and reliability based on references.”
There is no relationship between the Fowler Center in the Weatherhead School of Management, which relates to CWRU Trustee Chuck D. Fowler, and Fowler Laundry Solutions, which is run by Douglas Fowler.
As reported previously by The Observer, CSC ServiceWorks was the previous holder of CWRU’s laundry services contract. Fowler, based in New Jersey, currently has an F rating on the Better Business Bureau’s website for unsubstantiated advertising. For reference, the Columbus, Ohio, office of CSC has a D rating.
CWRU is one of many university locations that contain Fowler’s machines, alongside the Fashion Institute of Technology, Onondaga Community College, Eastern Illinois University and Framingham State University. Neumann College’s student newspaper, NeuPress, ran a 2013 article highlighting similar complaints of the company’s handling of poor washing machines as CWRU students have with CSC.
Rogers said that CWRU now has “Over 350 new washers and dryers” across university-operated residence halls and Greek life houses in order “to provide better laundry services to students.” He said, “Laundry is built-in as part of students’ housing fees so there was no new cost to the university or campus residents.”
This means new laundry machines are installed in all CWRU operated on-campus housing, including the new South Residential Village buildings: the Mary Chil-
ton Noyes and John Sykes Fayette Houses. Students who arrived on campus early reported that the machines were not fully installed, but Rogers said that they were all plugged in by Aug. 16.
Both new sets of dryer and washing machines look incredibly similar, with a gray plastic panel exterior. The only way of easily differentiating the machines is the different red warning labels in front of the machines. This is a change from previous versions, which had large visual differences between the washers and dryers.
Besides the different look of the machines, very little is changing for the typical user of the laundry machines. The buttons used to select the laundry setting have already appeared in existing machines, such as those in Triangle Towers. However, the main difference comes when students must report a defective machine using Fowler’s website and phone line.
LaundryView, the machinetracking app, no longer works for CWRU laundry machines. Instead, signs around laundry rooms direct students to download an app called KioSoft CampusView, which prompts users to enter in a code or scan a QR code. The Fowler-branded QR codes on the machines were not recognized by the app, and the
space on the sign for the manual code was not filled in as of Aug. 20.
An examination of various laundry facilities across the university’s campus shows that these new appliances were manufactured in the past few years. For example, all of the laundry machines in the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Residence Hall and on the first floor of the Noyes Hall were manufactured in 2024, and those in Village House 6 came from 2023 and 2022. All of the available dryers examined by The Observer were built in 2023 and are models manufactured by LG instead of Whirlpool. Interestingly, the webpage for the particular models shows a card insert slot, which the versions at CWRU have covered with a piece of plastic paneling with various symbols engraved. The machines themselves were built in South Korea.
The news of new laundry machines across CWRU has been met with joy by members of the CWRU community. A parent mentioned on Facebook that “It really happened folks!” A student said, “I wish I could have one of those machines” for when they were on campus.
An unexpected highlight, though, came from a chime that gets played after each machine is done with its cycle. A resident assistant expressed joy that “They play a little tune” once they are ready for unloading. A resident of a universityowned Greek house expressed a similar sentiment because the jingle at the end of the cycle allowed them to know when to unload the machine when sitting in the common areas of their residence hall. However, the machines are not without their warnings, specifically on a sticker on the sides that warns simply, “Cancer and Reproductive Harm.” This refers to reporting requirements under California Proposition 65 for the presence of chemicals that might cause the stated effects. The most common reasons for this warning in appliances can come from flame retardants and phthalates in internal components.
In previous semesters, laundry has been a sore spot for students. From entire buildings not having any working appliances to machines causing flooding and other issues, the promised free laundry services often confuse and disappoint CWRU students.
Such discrepancies in what is offered to students have resulted in more entrepreneurial-minded students founding their own laundry company, Spartan Laundry Company. The company charges upward of $600 for weekly laundry throughout the semester, and this allows one of their representatives to pick up and transfer the clothes to a professional laundromat, returning them within 48 hours. This comes out to roughly $42 per load of laundry.
As a result, many members of the CWRU community—from returning fourth-year students hoping for less stress to parents worried about their first-year student having clean clothes for the first day of classes—are hoping that the new laundry machines mean a general improvement in their reliability for students who are desperately seeking a solution for clean clothes.
Third-year student Kaylin Hauck is excited do her first load of laundry in the new machines provided to CWRU by Fowler Laundry Solutions Courtesy of Sophie Von Oldenberg
“Bumpin’ that”: A review of this summer’s biggest album releases
Kethan Srinivasan Social Media Editor
This past summer has been a gold mine when it comes to long-awaited album releases by artists big and small alike. In the spirit of keeping the discussion going, here is a compilation of brief insights into some of the summer’s most highly-anticipated records, as well as some of my own personal favorites.
“What A Devastating Turn Of Events” - Rachel Chinouriri (May 3)
Perhaps one of the more quirky entries that you’ll find on this list, as well as a personal favorite of mine, this South London-based singer casts the Y2K pop genre in a new light with her debut album. Flavored by the usual themes of heartbreak and loss, such as the fluttery farewell to a deadbeat ex in “Never Need Me,” Rachel Chinouriri also addresses heavier matters such as suicide in the title track, and depression fuelled by communal pressure in “My Blood.”
ME HARD AND SOFT” - Billie Eilish (May 17)
You would think that the hits would die down by now after having released a few records, but Billie Eilish keeps proving that assumption wrong with each body of work she produces. With two hit LPs as well as two Academy Awards, Eilish and her producer brother Finneas O’Connell have come back swinging once again with an album that is as sonically subtle as it is a charttopper. With saucy lyricism abound in songs like “Lunch” and poignant meditations in others like “Chihiro” and “Wildflower,” “Hit Me Hard And Soft” demonstrates Billie’s capacity for diversity in sound.
7)
Charli xcx’s latest album is more than just the spawn of memes, fancams and Kamala Harris campaign material; “Brat” is a deep dive into the psyche of an “it-girl” who is, in reality, stunted by insecurities and vulnerabilities. Tracks like “Girl, so confusing” and “Sympathy is a knife” highlight this concept, while tracks like “Club classics” and “Von dutch” provide a temporary break for listeners to dissociate and inhabit imaginary raves.
12)
Just as subdued as “Sling” which came before it, Clairo’s latest entry delivers the same lazy-day production while still maintaining a sense of poise and confidence that is hard to replicate. Inspired by moments of both being charming or being charmed–as the title suggests–“Charm” imbues the atmosphere of such moments into its production. This is particularly apparent in tracks such as “Juna,” “Sexy To Someone” or even “Add Up My Love,” if you listen close enough.
Honorable mentions:
“Right Place, Wrong Person” - RM (May 24)
“Where The Butterflies Go In The Rain” - Raveena (June 14)
“God Said No” - Omar Apollo (June 28)
“Vertigo” - Griff (July 12)
“The Secret Of Us” - Gracie Abrams (June 24)
“Love Heart Cheat Code” - Hiatus Kaiyote (June 28)
“Bird’s Eye” - Ravyn Lenae (Aug. 9)
“Buzz” - NIKI (Aug. 9)
“This is How Tomorrow Moves” - Beabadoobee (Aug. 16)
“Big Ideas” - Remi Wolf (July 12)
Remi Wolf is brimming with personality and candor in her music, and her latest LP “Big Ideas” is no exception. While less playful than her debut album “Juno,” Wolf doesn’t sacrifice the theatrical nature of her singing nor the danceability of her production in an effort to deliver more humane lyrics. She still remains frank on her sexuality, mental health and independence in songs like “Toro,” but can pivot to intimate remembrance and doubts on the strength of others’ love for her in “Cherries and Cream” and “Wave”. Wolf seems more open this time around, and it’s something you eventually learn to appreciate.
This album strikes me as one of the more muted releases of this summer. However, Dua Lipa has had massive shoes to fill following the success and longevity of “Future Nostalgia” and its eponymous tour. “Radical Optimism” feels less like a cohesive album, and more like multiple singles stitched together with an overarching theme; which is a shame given that quite a few tracks—such as “Maria,” “Illusion” and “French Exit”—have been on repeat for me.
All photos courtesy of Creative Commons
“Radical Optimism” - Dua Lipa (May 3)
“Brat” - Charli xcx (June
“HIT
“Charm” - Clairo (July
Opeth’s “§1”: The growls have returned
Cason Willman Staff Writer
Few metalheads, if any, thought we would see this day come. After more than a decade-long excursion into Jethro Tull vs. King Crimson prog rock, Swedish titans Opeth have returned to their death metal roots—to the surprise of absolutely everyone. After 2011’s “Heritage” all the way through 2019’s “In Cauda Venenum”—all albums as theatrically progressive as they were unheavy—Opeth fans all over the world over assumed that they would never again hear Mikael Åkerfeldt, the greatest metal vocalist of all time (yes, I said it), unleash his inimitable growls … or they became Bloodbath fans. I am definitely not speaking from personal experience there.
Perhaps a bit of backstory is needed for the uninitiated, although Opeth are far from an “underground” metal band. They, along with Lamb of God, Slipknot and Gojira, were the poster children of extreme metal in the early aughts. Opeth, probably the most extreme band of the bunch (though Gojira fans might beg to differ), started off with a hybrid of black and death metal throughout the 1990s, before shifting towards a more MorbidAngel infused sound on their 1999’s
“Still Life.” Opeth finally broke into the mainstream with their 2001’s “Blackwater Park” without sacrificing any of their extremity, continuing this trend in their most acclaimed album, 2005’s “Ghost Reveries.”
However, the tides would quickly turn for Opeth, as the band shifted incrementally away from death metal into progressive rock, as could be seen on the nigh-acoustic “Damnation” and Yes-tinged keyboard frenzy of “Watershed.” The story goes that after releas- ing “Watershed,” Åkerfeldt intended to continue the death metal style, but he felt it was becoming stale. Encouraged by his bandmates to pursue his passion, he abandoned the downtuned guitars and growls altogether, opting instead for the angular and oft-psychedelic prog rock of the past four albums. None of it was bad per se; “Heart in Hand,” “Cusp of Eternity” and “The Devil’s Orchard” are all excellent songs from this era—but nothing could truly compare to the peerless quality of Opeth’s original run from the mid-90s into the late-2000s.
So it was all the more shocking when Opeth’s new single, “§1,” dropped on Aug. 2. Expecting nothing more than a repeat of songs like “Dignity” or “Width of a Circle,” fans were surprised to hear nothing of the sort. Opeth has instead perfectly married
“Twisters” is surprisingly fun
Kate Gordon Life Editor
Mild spoilers ahead.
Where have all the good movies gone?
Over the past couple of years, this seems to be the question on every movie-goer’s lips. Most new releases at the box office are either sequels, remakes or the latest in the 34-flick chain of the Marvel superhero franchise. And that’s just some of the films you can still see in a physical theater. Instead, many movies now choose to debut on streaming platforms, in which there is no shortage of options—though most people can probably only name the most popular five or six streaming platforms, in reality there are over 200 worldwide. In any case, finding a good, original movie— regardless of where you watch it—is getting harder every year.
Enter “Twisters,” a so-called standalone sequel to the 1996 hit tornado movie, “Twister.” It’s not quite an antidote to the sequel/remake/reboot problem plaguing the film industry, but it’s a start. The storm-fighting formula and Oklahoma setting are the only holdovers from the ‘90s, as “Twisters” features an entirely new cast, storyline and—arguably—a contemporary edge.
The film opens with a tornado chase gone horribly wrong and main character Kate’s (Daisy Edgar-Jones) two best friends and boyfriend literally swept away into the storm. It’s an unsurprising turn of events—as soon as the group starts planning their post-storm celebratory barbecue, even the most obtuse viewers could guess that there would be no such celebration. As predictable as the sequence is, it still manages to successfully raise the stakes for the movie’s subsequent tornado chases. Now haunted by the deaths of her friends, Kate uproots herself from Oklahoma and keeps her tornado-sensing sixth sense stowed safely away behind her desk at the New York-based National Weather Service office.
But when Kate’s old friend and
their passion for ’70s progressive rock with “Watershed”-era death metal. The song begins with the distant sound of footsteps and the creak of a door before descending into a bass groove reminiscent of “In Cauda Venenum.” Entertaining enough, but soon the downtuned guitars rear their head, chugs unheard of since “Deliverance.” It is at this point that my interest was piqued and the scarce-dared thought crossed my mind … they’re not going to growl, are they? The chugs then shift to a high-pitched clean vocal from Åkerfeldt: “Draped in death, the howl of lore.” It was then that the hammer truly came down as the singer’s unmistakable growl finally resurfaced and snarled into the microphone. It was beautiful—his growls did not sound tired, forced or weary. They were just as full, if not fuller, than they were on “Watershed” back in 2009. After an entire verse of unclean vocals, we return to the chorus—augmented all the more by its melodramatic contrast to the heaviness preceding it.
The connections with “Watershed” become only more apparent as the song continues. The keyboards and synthesizers sound precisely like the mellow warmth of “Burden” or the frenetic groove of “The Lotus Eater.” Åkerfeldt’s persona of an elderly man reading his last will and testament—
the title of the forthcoming concept album—bleeds into a signature solo from guitarist Fredrik Åkkeson. It is Kerry King meets David Gilmour. One final section of growls, backed by more vibrato singing, accentuates the skill and rhythm of new drummer Waltteri Väyrynen. The chorus rings out triumphant one final time before descending back into the hell of Åkerfeldt’s growled vocals: “The last will and testament of father.”
Everything about the track is perfect—the drums are crisp and exciting. Åkerfeldt’s “In Cauda Venenum”-esque vocals juxtaposed against the reincorporated growls are a revelation; the keyboards sound just as haunting as they did on “Damnation” and “Watershed,” and the chugs and lightning-fast playing of Åkkeson contrast perfectly.
“§1” is a mere radio edit of the upcoming album version, which supposedly will have a much longer instrumental/orchestral outro. The connections with “Heir Apparent” and “Burden” off “Watershed” are all the more, well, apparent. Metal fans must now wait with baited breath and unbearable anticipation until Opeth’s new album, “The Last Will and Testament,” is released on Oct. 11 via Reigning Phoenix Music. They can, however, rest assured that the kings have undoubtedly returned.
the only other survivor of that fateful day Javi (Anthony Ramos) shows up, he coaxes her back into the field to help his team test a revolutionary new storm-tracking system. Much to their surprise, however, they are not the only people in the area chasing
cyclones. Kate and Javi must outrun not only the twisters themselves, but also YouTube star Tyler Owens (Glen Powell), who’s seemingly only there to vlog natural disasters. Unbeknownst to both Kate and Tyler’s teams, they’re going to have to work together
if they’re going to keep the prairie safe from the coming influx of storms. While “Twisters” definitely does not sport the most original nor realistic—Kate’s research hinges on the idea that you can stop a tornado in its tracks by throwing super-absorbent polymers into it—plot, there are many things that “Twisters” does get right. First and foremost, it utilizes its talent correctly. Powell oozes Midwestern charm and honestly just looks like he was born to play a cowboy. British Edgar-Jones’ is appropriately stiff to show the lingering effects of her character’s trauma, and manages to pull off a twangy American accent, too. And behind the camera, director Lee Isaac Chung of Minari fame is certainly no slouch, although I’ll concede that it’s hard to detect if his presence really makes the film any more visually—or otherwise—interesting than any other action movie. For instance, “Twisters” is shot entirely on Kodak 35mm film, but to me looks no different than films recorded digitally.
Apart from its cast and crew, the film’s other elements only serve to amp up its fun factor. The soundtrack features original songs by country artists such as Luke Combs and Miranda Lambert. The effects, both sound and visual, are large-scale and plausibly realistic, effectively creating a feeling of danger. While the tornados themselves are CGI, to create the storm in the foreground Chung needed multiple 10,000-gallon dump tanks, water cannons and two jet engines. “Really what creates drama and tension is when we don’t see [the tornado], and when we’re focusing on its effects,” Chung told film criticism website IndieWire.
Between the talent, the music and the effects, “Twisters” delivers a lighthearted yet grounded flick—a perfect escape from an unbearably hot and politically charged summer. With high stakes and serious moments that never get too serious, this not-quitesequel hopefully marks the return of fun summer blockbusters, and ushers in maybe not a twister, per se, but at the very least a breath of fresh air into Hollywood.
Left to right: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell and Anthony Ramos star in “Twisters,” an original film that stands out in a sea of disappointing remakes and sequels.
Courtesy of Universal Pictures
Fun
Weekly Horoscope
The Observer predicts how your semester will go
Aquarius
You will fail all your classes
Pisces
You will fall in love with your lab partner
Aries
You will drop your major
Taurus
You will get kicked out
Gemini
You will succeed in your classes
Cancer
You will find a new calling
Leo
You will make many new friends
Virgo
Your chem professer will fail you
Libra
You will break up with your girlfriend but start dating your girl bestfriend
Scorpio
You will become president of a club
Sagittarius
You will be kicked out of Quiz Bowl
Capricorn
You will become a an avid hot yoga attendee
What We've Been Listening To
Kethan Srinivasan
Window
Still Woozy
Bowen Zhang
Take on the World
Rowan Blanchard and Sabrina Carpenter
Zachary Treseler
Sedona
Houndmouth
Tyler Vu
Rainbow Cage The Elephant
Auden Koetters
Last Night
Morgan Wallen
Anjali Bhuthpur
Diamond Day
Vashti Bunyan
Kate Gordon
Overheard CWRU
Compilation of out-of-pocket things heard across campus
"Do you think Beau is short for beautiful?"
"I have eight vacuum-sealed squishmellows read to move into SRV."
Sudoku
"It's squirting everywhere!"
"What if I glue myself to it!"
"It's just a little incident."
"Maybe I should look into this CWRU therapist."
Tyler Vu/The Observer
Crossword
PUZZLE BY PETER KOETTERS
Opinion
We need to rethink “introverts” and “extroverts”
Milo Vetter Staff Writer
The beginning of a new academic year is a vital opportunity to forge new friendships and social connections, especially for those coming to Case Western Reserve University for the first time. But it’s also a good chance to think critically about our own personality and to help set the stage for all the dinners, parties and study sessions we’ll be a part of. Now, there’s all sorts of personality tests and typologies, but I’d like to focus on a specific and fundamental part of personality. Here’s a question you might’ve thought about before: Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
Framing the question like this is likely to make you think of an answer pretty quickly, but let’s take a step back and think about what exactly those terms refer to. People often describe introvertedness and extrovertedness as a “social battery”—does being with other people “energize” you or does it “drain” you? If you’re someone who loves hanging out with others and rarely feels comfortable alone, you’re an extrovert. Meanwhile, if you prefer to be alone and get exhausted when being with others, you’re introverted. However, thinking of social personality as a binary between introvert and extrovert can be misleading or even harmful. The trouble with personal-
ity tests and types in general is that people like them. More specifically, people like having a box to put themselves in so much that it becomes a key part of their identity; it becomes a story that they tell themselves in order to drive their decisions. If you “know” that you’re an introvert, you may be more inclined to stay home instead of accepting an invitation from your friends or attending that club meeting. You’re not lazy or unwilling to push past minor social anxiety, you’re just introverted, right?
What most people who are familiar with the dichotomy don’t know is that the psychologist who coined the terms, Carl Jung, didn’t even think that everyone could be clearly separated into just one or the other. Instead, he thought that the majority of people are “ambiverts,” meaning that they have qualities of both personalities, and their affinity for social situations is context-dependent and varies over time.
What do I mean by “context-dependent”? Well, have you ever been at a family dinner that completely sapped your energy? A full night of smiling and nodding while relatives discuss events that happened before you were born is certainly not my idea of fun. In contrast, think of a time you were with friends doing something that you all love. Didn’t you feel energized and excited at the time? Clearly, you don’t suddenly become a person with
a different personality when you meet your relatives for dinner. It’s just that the behavior of a person depends on whom they’re with and what they’re doing.
A person’s personality changes throughout their life. What if someone grows up in a household where children aren’t meant to be seen and heard? What would happen if they went to college away from home for the first time? Would they immediately take advantage of the opportunity to be as loud and outgoing as they want, or would they still hold a subconscious belief that their opinions aren’t important? If such a person discovered the term “introvert,” they may feel so relieved to find a label that they don’t explore new hobbies or make friends with different types of people.
Sure, it can be comforting to have a label, and the feeling that you know yourself can give you confidence. But moving past the rigid categories of introversion and extroversion can be a good thing as well. Doing so gives you a much more nuanced view of other people and helps you question why someone might be the way they are and whether they can change. And for you personally, leaving behind the dichotomy frees you to explore personality traits that you thought were off-limits: It means that someone who loves being in loud environments can become good at quietly and con-
Criticism can be a poison or a remedy
Catherine Choi Staff Writer
During my second year of high school, my ceramics teacher told the class about a teenage girl she met at an event held by her husband’s company. While the girl was at a party, she tried to fit in with the “cool kids” who did drugs but ended up overdosing. Although she survived, thanks to her younger brother, she was left with a permanent disability that could potentially bar her from living a normal life. After the story, my teacher finished with a lesson that “the people who only cheer you on and say things that you want to hear, even though it will harm you, [are] are not your friends. It is the people who are hard on you and are willing to be the bad guy to guide you through the right path, they are your friends.” Although the story ended light-heartedly with one of my classmates telling another student that he is not his friend, the last two sentences have stayed in my memory to this day. If there was someone in the girl’s life who was willing to criticize her despite the potential negative response, such an event could have been avoided. Knowing this, I have started to wonder about the nature of criticism and how to use it in a way that benefits me. The primary step to gaining from criticism is to get an understanding of what the person criticizing you is trying to say. By asking the critic to further clarify what they are trying to convey and giving them a chance to restate their comment, you can determine whether the critic wishes the best for you or is trying to attack and discourage you or whether the topic is merely a difference in opinion. Asking for clarification also eliminates any room for misinterpretation so you can react appropriately. Without this process, we may end up on negative terms
with people by interpreting certain aspects of their statement with our own bias rather than their truth, reacting emotionally when the words said may not hold as strong of an effect as the speaker intends it to hold.
Another essential step is to understand that you are not perfect. Oftentimes, your attitude or decisionmaking could negatively affect you and others without you noticing. By understanding that all humans have flaws and are prone to misbehaviors and misjudgment, we can better evaluate our behavior and try to adjust it in a way that does not become a life obstacle. For instance, while I was working at my summer job as a patient care nursing assistant at the Cleveland Clinic, I had a co-worker criticize my verbal habits. I instantly started to re-evaluate
my behavior and came to realize that I often, especially by the end of my term, had been speaking with no filter. I would overtly express the frustrations that I have with my patients and speak to coworkers in a way that could potentially be interpreted as criticism unintentionally. Since then, I have become more aware and cautious of how I express myself in an attempt to build common ground with other people. Rather than taking a defensive stance, you should learn from the mistakes that are clearly pointed out to you.
Developing the ability to distinguish between constructive criticism and pure hate is also an important step. Although criticism lets you see your negative habits that you weren’t previously able to see, it is also important to not let other people’s opinions shift
fidently taking exams if they practice. And it also means that someone who likes sitting at home alone reading a nice book can have a great time with friends if they find the right people and environment.
Socializing isn’t just an activity that you like or don’t like; it’s also a skill that can make or break your place in the world—the friendships and connections you make now will serve you for years or decades beyond college. But notice that I said “skill” and not “talent”; socializing is something that you get better at with practice, even if you find it uncomfortable now. And unlocking your inner ambivert is something that everyone can practice. Those who lean introverted can practice being with and talking to large, loud groups; and those who are on the extroverted side can practice a quiet, focused conversation. Part of what makes college so great is that it gives you an opportunity to meet new people and learn new facts and viewpoints about the world. So don’t rob yourself of one of the best skills that college helps you train—make an effort to attend that club meeting, that trip downtown or a game night at your friend’s dorm. Because when you’re done and your social battery is drained, the book you’ve been wanting to read will be so much better alongside the knowledge that you’ve expanded your comfort zone.
your behaviors and thoughts. Unlike the example in the introduction, where a critical voice was necessary for the teen’s safety, some criticism takes it too far and becomes bullying. The primary difference between criticism and bullying is that criticism is to help improve some aspect and guide you to positive growth whereas bullying is intended to humiliate and belittle someone. With this in mind, it is crucial that we determine what the purpose of the words is and filter out what to take in and what to disregard. Taking words that are meant to help you as bullying will lead to worsened relationships with others and taking in genuine bullying leads to self-deprecation.
Lastly, you must confront your critics the right way. Once you have determined whether the criticism is fair, the next step is to show the appropriate reaction. In the case of constructive criticism, do not take it personally, give yourself some time to internally process and criticize both logically and emotionally, accept the takeaways and distance yourself from the experience. However, if it is determined as bullying, ignoring it and wishing for the offender to lose interest in you as a target is not the appropriate way to respond. For these instances, the appropriate steps are to have clear boundaries, set an internal claim that explains and justifies the topics that are discussed and respond in a logical not emotion-driven manner and discuss the concern, opening an opportunity for you to address the incident.
We are constantly giving and receiving criticism from people around us whether it’s family, colleagues, friends or total strangers. We are imperfect beings with flaws, and we may keep on making bad decisions, mistakes and offending others. Still, we must keep in mind that criticism can be both a remedy and a toxin based on its nature and our response.
Lucas Yang/The Observer
The election is coming: It’s time to register to vote
Aambar Agarwal Social Media Manager
A lot has happened this summer— particularly in politics. At the end of May, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump was found guilty on 34 felony counts, marking the first time in American history a former president has been convicted of a crime. In June, the first presidential debate of 2024 was held between President Joe Biden and Trump, with Biden’s subpar performance giving rise to calls for him to drop out of the race. Soon after, in July, the United States Supreme Court ruled that presidents have immunity from criminal prosecution, placing presidents above the law. A week later, Trump survived an assassination attempt at one of his rallies.
Then, in response to the debate backlash, Biden withdrew from the race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to be the Democratic presidential nominee. At the beginning of August, Harris secured the nomination, making history as the first Black and South Asian American woman to
do so. As I write this, the Democratic National Convention is happening, where Harris will officially become the new nominee. Amid the chaos, Harris and Trump chose their respective vicepresidential nominees, Tim Walz and J. D. Vance. And soon, the presidential nominees will go head-to-head in September during the second presidential debate, with the vice-presidential nominees debating in October.
Considering the summer mayhem and with less than three months until election day, Harris still might be an enigma to many. So, who is she?
Before Harris was on the national stage, she worked as a top prosecutor in California. She started her career as a deputy district attorney of Oakland in 1990 and worked her way up to becoming the district attorney of San Francisco in 2004, the first person of color in the position. As the district attorney, she championed providing a path for first-time drug offenders to receive education and job training, reducing recidivism and combatted truancy for elementary-school youth– lessening the number of habitual truants. In 2010, she was elected attorney general
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The Observer is the weekly undergraduate student newspaper of Case Western Reserve University. Established in 1969, The Observer reports news affecting students and provides an editorial forum for the university community. Unsigned editorials are typically written by the opinion editor but reflect the majority opinion of the senior editorial staff. Opinion columns are the views of their writers and not necessarily of The Observer staff. For advertising information, contact The Observer via e-mail at observer@case. edu.
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of California, becoming the first Black and South Asian American woman to hold the office. Her accomplishments as the attorney general include ensuring homeowner protections, taking on predatory for-profit colleges, prioritizing environmental protection and continuing her criminal justice reforms and anti-truancy efforts, along with supporting LGBTQIA+ rights.
Six years later, Harris became the first South Asian American and second Black woman to serve as a U.S. senator where she gained a reputation for asking direct and pointed questions, such as during the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. She also was the first senator to cosponsor Bernie Sanders’ Medicare for All Act of 2017, was a major sponsor of police reform bills, supported the Green New Deal and was a proponent of a path to citizenship for Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals recipients. After an ill-fated run in the 2020 Democratic presidential primaries, she was chosen as Biden’s running mate in his bid for the White House. Then, in 2021, she became the first Black and South Asian American woman vice president in U.S. history. During her term in office, she has been a vocal advocate for abortion rights and women’s rights, taking a leading role in gun violence prevention and pushing for voting rights protections to be codified.
Now, as the Democratic presidential nominee, Harris is continuing her progressive record and recently released a part of her policy agenda. She plans to lower costs for everyday Americans, restore the constitutional
right to abortion and support unions. Her economic agenda specifically focuses on banning price gouging, eliminating medical debt, capping prescription drug costs, providing subsidies to first-time home buyers and expanding child tax credit. And while we do not have all her policies just yet, it is clear that she will continue to fight climate change and gun violence, reform the justice system and preserve our rights. She will not impinge on our freedoms and threaten democracy, unlike the convicted felon, Trump.
Her running mate, Walz, carries a similar progressive background. The current Minnesota governor, Walz is a veteran, former schoolteacher and former House of Representatives member. As governor, he has championed police reform, protected access to reproductive healthcare, backed LGBTQIA+ rights and gun violence prevention and ensured environmental protections. With their backgrounds and experiences, voting for the Harris-Walz ticket is a no-brainer. Their campaign represents hope for our democracy. Harris could make history. So, with Nov. 5 quickly approaching, it is time to register to vote and double-check your registration. Whether in Ohio or your home state, your vote matters— and even more so in swing states and former swing states like Ohio. Register before Oct. 7 in Ohio or by your state deadline and request an absentee ballot by then if you want to vote by mail. It only takes a few minutes at vote.gov. We cannot let the events of 2016 repeat themselves. Let’s vote for our freedom and our future.
LTTE: Rethinking the BDS protests at CWRU
Jeremy Bendik-Keymer Professor of Philosophy
I’ve thought and written about social justice, and I was troubled by the recent protests at Case Western Reserve University. Consider this: Someone shouts something sometimes heard as threatening and knows that it could affect people that way. Yet what’s shouted is not logically needed. Other expressions make the point. But the person shouting says that they are peace-loving. They knew how others might hear them, and the expression they used wasn’t necessary. But they used it anyway.
“From the river to the sea,” “intifada” and “you can’t hide” were not
logically needed to make the point of the protests that recently occurred at CWRU’s encampment. “Confederation!” “Two-state solution!” “Human rights for all!” and “For justice! For peace!” could have been used instead. Worse, the expressions used had a history of violence (the first even appeared in right-wing Israeli propaganda for further ethnic cleansing of Palestine).
Protesters knew these things roughly. But they insisted, claiming to be peaceful. Peace, however, is work demanding consistent respect. failed to genuinely consider those who did not fully accept the protest’s ideology and style.
Continue reading on page 11
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LTTE: An appeal to reconsider how we think about Jews, Arabs and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
ity gained popularity among many Jews, it remained a minority view among Jewry overall and was later marginalized.
LTTE: CWRU faculty letter to President Kaler and Provost Ward
Cassi Pittman Claytor, Associate Professor
Editor’s note: This LTTE was originally published on The Observer’s website on May 13, 2024.
As a professor who teaches courses on the history of Zionism and anti-Zionism and on JewishChristian-Muslim relations, I have been struck by the misinformed rhetoric used in the discourse on our campus about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Most glaring is the misapplication of American and Christian-informed paradigms that do not fit the situation.
It is often asked, “If Judaism is a religion, why should the Jews have a state? There is no state for Presbyterians or Catholics. Only national groups have states.” That perspective on Jews and Judaism reflects a Christian understanding of the relationship between religion and nationality (or ethnicity). In the ancient world, nationality and religion were customarily coterminous. The Hellenes (ancient Greeks) practiced the religion of Olympian gods and goddesses. The Sasanians (ancient Persians) practiced Zoroastrianism. The ancient Israelites, or Judeans, practiced the Israelite religion, which became Judaism. Christianity introduced to the Western world the idea that there could or should be a dichotomy between one’s nationality (or ethnicity) and religion. As Christianity became the hegemonic religion of the Western world, that notion determined the prevalent conception of religion and nationality. Judaism, however, retained the pre-Christian, interconnected notion. In the 19th century, some Jews, inspired by German Christianity, began asserting that they were actually Germans of the Jewish faith. While the concept of religion decoupled from ethnic-
A North American, British and Australian understanding of indigeneity shapes the debate over who is the region’s indigenous population. In the case of Arabs and Jews, however, it is impossible to say that one group is clearly native to the region while the other group is inherently a settler-colonial population in the modern sense of colonialism. There has been a continuous Jewish presence in the region for millennia, and Jews ruled much of the region, with intermittent interruptions, until its initial conquest by the Romans in 63 B.C.E. Arab Nabataeans ruled other parts of the region, particularly Jordan, the Negev and Sinai, from the fourth century B.C.E. until Roman annexation in 106 C.E. The Eastern Romans, or Byzantines, ruled the region until the seventh century. Islam came to the region between 633 and 637, when the Rashidun Caliphate conquered these Roman provinces. Later, the region came under the rule of the Ottoman Turks.
Finally, describing the conflict as “white people oppressing brown people” is a misapplication of American binary racial thinking. The majority of Israeli Jews are from Arab countries and Muslim countries. These Israelis lived for millennia as a minority population in the Muslim Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia. They spoke Arabic and Persian and were physically indistinguishable from their Muslim neighbors. Even in Europe, where Jews had lived for centuries, they were considered outsiders and frequently characterized as “Oriental,” i.e., Middle Eastern.
We need to stop thinking about Israeli, Palestinian, Jewish and Arab societies and histories on American, Western or Christian terms and start thinking about them on their own terms.
Jay Geller, Professor of History
Editor’s note: This LTTE was originally published on The Observer’s website on May 20, 2024.
As faculty at Case Western Reserve University, we respectfully ask President Eric W. Kaler and all other administrators to refrain from deploying police officers to detain and arrest student protesters.
We urge campus officials to consider the free speech and freedom of assembly rights of students, faculty and staff. As Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb and Police Chief Annie Todd expressed recently:
“Cleveland is a city for everyone, and we must respect the thoughts, feelings, and voices of those who come from various backgrounds. These diverse perspectives are what makes us special, and ultimately stronger, as a city. Our community deserves venues where they have the ability to constitutionally-express their opinions openly without fear of criminal interference.
“We support 1st Amendment rights and implore CWRU leadership to consider this and think about how the decisions they make and the actions they take—especially against those who are abiding by the law—will influence some of the progress we have collectively made as a city. At the same time, we urge individuals to demonstrate peacefully.”
We appeal to President Kaler and other campus officials to consider their decisions in recognition of our community’s collective need for reconciliation and healing and not to punish the students who have been engaging in peaceful, nonviolent protest. Students have suffered over the course of this conflict, and the university ought to treat them with empathy as it resolves the matter collegially and without recourse to punitive measures.
Karen Beckwith, Flora Stone Mather Professor
Timothy Black, Professor John Broich, Associate Professor Jenny Brynjarsdottir, Associate Professor
Rethinking the BDS from page 10
The tone at the borders of the protest meeting outsiders was not conducive to dialogue. Initially, I was troubled by the administration and ready to blame them. Why weren’t they out there dialoguing? But I discovered that the administration had tried to dialogue with the protesters. It was the protesters who did not dialogue with the administration—nor, in my experience, with anyone criticizing their tactics.
The protesters gave their word to the administration and then broke it, repeatedly. They equated others listening to them with others agreeing with them. But there is room for reasonable disagreement around the issues that were protested. The protesters thus adopted a philosophy amounting to arbitrariness: They broke promises expediently to suit their interests and made command and obedience models for in-
terpersonal communication!
There was rampant inaccuracy on protest social media. Students for Justice in Palestine and its network of cross-posting organizations, even the National Lawyers Guild, telegraphed self-serving untruths. For example, no one accepted the spray painting of protesters except the protesters who came prepared to be painted in a photo op. The worker-contractors caught in the middle tried to work around the students. The administration didn’t tolerate what happened and didn’t authorize it. But social media posts frequently listed the spray painting as an act of the university. Similarly convenient sloppiness appeared in saying that the conduct process was “punishment” when no consequences had yet been determined or “retaliation” when civil disobedience accepts that there are legalities to disruptive action. Even
worse, before the encampment disbanded, student protesters and faculty sympathetic to their cause argued that no one protesting should be held responsible for their protest actions, even in failing to do final exams or projects. These folks argued that the protesters were engaged in righteous action and should be expected to disrupt operations on campus, even to break the law.
But what is civil disobedience if you do not challenge, by enduring, the social logic of the norms you break? The fundamental tactic of the protest was self-contradictory.
The self-contradiction recurred when the protesters gave themselves their own graduation rather than acknowledge the expedited conduct policy of the university and responsibly accept the meaning of what they had intentionally done. How ironic this was: In graduating themselves, the protesters
Avidan Y. Cover, Professor of Law
David Crampton, Associate Professor
Danielle Czarnecki, Visiting Assistant Professor
Dale Dannefer, Selah Chamberlain Professor of Sociology
Ananya Dasgupta, Associate Professor
Mary Patrice Erdmans, Professor John Flores, Associate Professor
Cristián Gómez Olivares, Associate Professor of Spanish
David Gurarie, Professor
Ayesha Bell Hardaway, Professor of Law
Mark Joseph, Leona Bevis and Marguerite Haynam Professor of Community Development
Jessica Kelley, Professor
Walter Lambrecht, Perkins Professor of Physics
Kenneth F. Ledford, Hiram C. Hayd Professor in History, Associate Professor of History and Law
Stacy McGaugh, Professor Chris Mihos, Worcester R. And Cornelia B. Warner Professor of Astronomy
Pete Moore, M.A. Hanna Associate Professor of Politics
Ann Nguyen, Associate Professor of Social Work
Todd Oakley, Professor
Dana M. Prince, Associate Professor, Mandel School of Applied Sciences
Lihong Shi, Associate Professor
Ted Steinberg, Adeline Barry Davee Distinguished Professor of History
Henry L. Zucker, Associate Professor of Social Work Practice
Anonymous Colleague, Professor Anonymous Colleague, Professor
Anonymous Colleague, Associate Professor
Anonymous Colleague, Assistant Professor
Anonymous Colleague, Assistant Professor
Anonymous Colleague, Assistant Professor
Anonymous Colleague, Assistant Professor
Anonymous Colleague, Assistant Professor
Anonymous Colleague, Lecturer Anonymous Colleague, Lecturer
overruled the faculty’s governance and acted as though a degree is something they can earn without due process. They undermined the meaning of peace, protest and their education.
Society is made of relations. It is undermined by misrelations. When we blur relations such as truthful expression, consideration of the viewpoints of others and even what is pragmatic for the common good, we open up misrelation. This editorial is about the fallacious, inconsiderate and unpragmatic protest that occurred at the end of the spring semester at CWRU. Although I support the protests at the U.S. Capitol against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit in July and have been critical of CWRU’s administration around related issues in the past years, I came to see that the spring protest was part of the problem, not part of the solution.
Jay Geller
Samuel Rosenthal Professor of Judaic Studies
CWRU Faculty
Kicking off the men’s soccer season
Darcy Chew Sports Editor
After a historic 2023 season, the Case Western Reserve University’s men’s soccer team looks to continue its momentum.
They ended the season matching the 2022 season with an overall record of 10-3-4. In conference play, they placed third with a 3-22 record. During the postseason, the Spartans made their second consecutive appearance in the NCAA tournament for the first time in program history, marking its fifth total appearance. They won against Hobart and William Smith Colleges 3-2 in the first round but fell to No. 6-ranked State University of New York at Cortland in the penalty shootout (5-3) after a 1-1 draw. During the season, they scored a total of 26 goals with an average of 1.53 goals per game and a percentage of 0.404 shots on goal.
With the 2024 season, Head Coach Carter Poe will be entering his fifth season with the team since he joined in 2021. Third-year goalkeeper and one of the captains Bradley Winter expresses his anticipation for the upcoming season.
“It’s gonna be an exciting year. We’ve got a good balance of older guys who are really experienced, a lot of talented seniors and juniors, and then we’ve got a lot of
young guys who are ready to step up, and also a very good freshman class. So I’m really excited for what the season holds. And I think we’re looking to have a really good year.” Winter says.
With a squad of 33 players, the team welcomes 10 new athletes including two graduate students, one third-year, one second-year and six first-years. First-year midfielders Joseph Jung, Ashton McNally, Christian Tan and Owen Guffey, as well as forward Amir Awais and defender Drew Rosenthal will begin their collegiate careers this fall. In addition to the four first-year midfielders, graduate student Quinn Flaspohler and third-year Hayden Fischer join center, while second-year transfer student from Ohio Northern University Philip Vlastaris and graduate student Eshwar Challa joins the backline.
With the graduation of fifthyear and two-time All-American midfielder Matt Vatne, this year’s team will definitely see some changes in its offensive play.
However, as Winter mentioned, the returning players have a wealth of experience, including fourth-year midfielder Lukas Dalakis and fourth-year forwards Kysen Kroeger and Brandon Kim who made appearances in all 17 games last season.
In the backline, 2023 All-UAA defender Josh Cook returns for his fifth season after starting in
all matches last season. Alongside Cook aiding in defense, Winter returns in front of the net. Last season, Winter only allowed 10 goals and recorded eight individual shutouts to tie with the program record during his 1645:30 minutes of play.
Winter reiterates his confidence in this year’s team.
“I think we’ve got really good guys with a lot of energy out here, and I think that’s going to be huge going into the season. So I think it’s a really good group, and it’s gonna be really exciting.” Winter says.
The Spartans will face some tough opponents in the upcoming season, including No. 7-ranked University of Chicago and No. 20-ranked Emory University in the UAA conference matches. The soccer team will also face two additional opponents adding to this season’s difficulty.
“[There’s] a lot of good teams we’re going to play against, and a lot of games on the schedule in a short amount of time. But I think it should be exciting, and I’m optimistic for it as a whole.” Winter comments.
The men’s soccer team will officially begin their season on Aug. 30 with a home match against Otterbein University at 5 p.m. This will be followed by two away games against The College of Wooster and Lycoming College on Sept. 1 and Sept. 7, respectively.
First-year defender Drew Rosenthal (left) is welcomed to the CWRU men’s soccer team alongside veteran atheletes second-year midfielder Sean Wilson (right) and third-year forward McLaren Baggett (center). With the addition of 10 new athletes to the roster, CWRU prepares for another successful season. Darcy Chew/The Observer