The Observer, Volume LIV, Issue 10, 11/4/22

Life: Halloween weekend was another triumph for CWRU RHA (pg. 6)

the

Observer

friday, november 4, 2022 volume LIV, issue 10 estd. 1969

USG’s “Students for Justice in Palestine” bill garners controversy Resolution calls on CWRU administration to divest from Israel Shreyas Banerjee Executive Editor Grace Johnson News Editor

The Undergraduate Student Government (USG) of Case Western Reserve University announced on Wednesday, Oct. 26 that they would be bringing Bill 31-15 to the floor on Nov. 8. They also noted that they would be shifting their General Assembly from Adelbert Hall to Tink Ballroom in order to accommodate an anticipated increase in attendance from the student body.

While CWRU students typically don’t pay too much attention to the bills and resolutions that USG regularly passes, Bill 31-15 has led to greater campus conversation and tension due to one simple fact: it deals with the ever-controversial issue of the Israel/ Palestine conflict.

In 2021, USG Bill 30-01 successfully pressured the CWRU administration to divest its endowment in fossil fuel companies. Some students are now trying to use that model to call on the university to divest its assets that support the State of Israel, the military-industrial complex and the prison-industrial complex. Bill 31-15 is nicknamed the “Students for Justice in Palestine Bill,” as it was authored by the CWRU chapter of the pro-Palestinian college student activism organization Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP). The organization calls for the boycott and divestment of corporations that deal with Israel and highlights the Israeli government’s human rights violations.

A spokesman for SJP explained the

Tyler Vu/The Observer

reasoning of the bill by saying, “The divestment bill holds great significance to many students of [CWRU] that have

strong sentiments against the military and prison industrial complexes of the world. [CWRU] is an institution that

is dedicated to educating individuals from all around the world, enabling them to pursue their future careers.

With that in mind, the acceptance and passing of this bill would allow the students of [CWRU] to rest easy knowing that their institution does not support for-profit war and apartheid.”

The origins of the bill is linked to the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which calls on individuals and organizations to economically pressure Israel to follow international law. The BDS movement began in 2005 and aims to mimic the tactics used to respond to the South African apartheid government in the late 20th century.

The bill, as such, begins by listing the various illegal acts committed by the Israeli state, such as the annexation and “military occupation” of Palestinian territory including the West Bank and the Gaza Strip and the building of settlements in annexed territory. The bill also argues that Israel is an “apartheid state” due to the mistreatment of Palestinians living under the Israeli government, citing examples including the blockade of goods to the Gaza Strip preventing adequate quality of life within the region, a justice system that detains and convicts thousands of Palestinians often without trial, a strategy of targeted extrajudicial killings against Palestinians, among others.

Continued on pg. 2

Browns bounce back, beat Bengals 32-13 on Halloween

Cleveland defense sacks Cincinnati Bengals’ Joe Burrow five times during their Halloween game at the FirstEnergy Stadium. Courtesy of Nick Cammett/Getty

Jack Martin Contributing Writer

On Halloween night, the Cleveland Browns faced the Cincinnati Bengals under the lights at FirstEnergy Stadium. Coming into the game, the Browns had lost their previous four games and had an underwhelming 2-5 record on the season.

The game began in a rather chaotic

fashion, as Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow threw an interception on the opening drive. Looking to capitalize on Cincinnati’s turnover, the Browns marched down the field but were held

by Bengals’ defense to just a 53-yard field goal attempt from Cade York, which was also blocked.

Following a couple of punts and an inexplicable interception thrown by Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper on a trick play, the game entered the second quarter without a score. Enter Nick Chubb. After a 10-play, 78-yard drive, the Browns 2021 All-Pro running back sliced into the endzone, to make it a 6-0 ballgame. Coach Kevin Stefanski decided to go back to Chubb on a two-point conversion, which was successful, putting the Browns up by eight.

The next three possessions were stained by quarterback fumbles by both Burrow and Browns quarterback Jacoby Brissett, as well as a missed Cincinnati field goal by kicker Evan McPherson. As time expired in the second quarter, York drilled a 55-yard field goal to make it an 11-0 game for the Browns.

The second half of the game saw a flurry of touchdowns, much to the fans’ delight. Immediately after the “Thriller” themed halftime show, the Browns stormed down the field with Brissett diving into the endzone for a touchdown. After forcing a Cincinnati punt, the Browns reached the end zone again with a short touchdown pass from Brissett to Cooper, making it 25-0.

The Bengals quickly answered with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Bur-

row to receiver Tyler Boyd. However, kicker McPherson missed the PAT. The ping-pong match of scoring continued, as Chubb scored a touchdown on the next drive to give the Browns a 32-6 lead.

Cincinnati got the ball back with eight minutes left in the game and managed to score on a deep pass from Burrow to wide receiver Tee Higgins for a 41-yard touchdown. The Browns took over the ball with a 32-13 lead, and for the first time in over a month, Brissett ended the game in victory formation.

This was a much needed win for the Browns and their fans, snapping a miserable four game losing streak and keeping Cleveland’s playoff hopes alive. Brissett played arguably his best game of the season, and other stars like Cooper and Chubb also provided terrific performances.

Most importantly, the defense stepped up to the challenge as coordinator Joe Woods shockingly showed some competency. The defense did a terrific job of stopping running back Joe Mixon, as well as star receivers such as Boyd and Higgins. Miles Garrett terrorized Burrow all night long, logging 1.5 sacks and four quarterback hits.

The Browns have a bye for this week and will play the Miami Dolphins on Nov. 13.

news

friday, november 4, 2022 volume LIV, issue 10 estd. 1969

USG BILL continued from pg. 1 The authors of Bill 31-15 cite CWRU’s 2007 boycott of Sudan following the country’s humanitarian crisis and ethnic cleansing along with the university’s recent divestment from fossil fuel companies as precedents to follow. They also point out that student governments at peer institutions, including the University of Michigan, the University of Chicago and Stanford University, have called on their respective presidents and Boards of Trustees to similarly divest from companies supporting the Israeli state, though none of their administrations have actually done so.

The resolution calls on CWRU to investigate whether its endowment includes investments in companies within the military-industrial complex that provide weapons to Israel’s military, companies within the prison-industrial complex that operate private prisons that detains Palestinians and companies that support the illegal building of Israeli settlements within occupied land. If such companies are found to be supported

by CWRU, the resolution implores the university to desist its investments and provide updates on its progress in the future.

While Bill 31-15 cites its sources regarding the illegal and often inhumane actions of the Israeli government as it builds its case for divestment, the resolution has faced resistance and contention from various corners of campus. Versions of this bill have been considered

by USG since March 2018, but have been put on hold each time due to backlash from various students. Similarly, when this version of the resolution was presented to USG’s General Assembly on March 15, 2022, it faced immediate pushback.

First, CWRU confirmed that even if the resolution was passed by USG, the university would not follow through and divest from the aforementioned corporations. Second, there were fears that if the bill passed, instances of antisemitism would increase on CWRU campus. Several universities that passed passed similar bills saw an uptick of antisemitic rhetoric and activity on their campuses. There was also concern that the bill disproportionately blames Israel for the conflict. Proponents of the resolution pointed out that apartheid wasn’t something that required much nuance, and that an expression of morals by the student body was still important, even if the university didn’t follow through.

Ussaid Ishaq, a second-year student at the time, during the March 15 General Assembly said, “First of all, we are talking about something very specific—apartheid. This is not someone’s opinion, it is an established fact in many international human rights groups. That is the discussion here: as a university, are we comfortable in supporting companies and organizations that support this?”

By the end of the spring 2022 semester, the resolution was neither passed nor rejected as USG representatives chose not to vote, so as to not take a side for the time being. It is instead being brought up again this semester, with hopes that its fate may be different this time around.

The Cleveland Hillel Foundation, which works to support Jewish students at universities across Cleveland, expressed concern about the bill and its contents. “Cleveland Hillel is deeply invested in promoting a welcome, respectful and inclusive campus community, and is gravely concerned that the boycott and divestment campaign and

related resolutions aim to flatten all nuanced conversations about Israel into a ‘yes or no’ question. This breaks down the communal dialogue that the Hillel community is committed to upholding,” the organization said.

“Criticism of Israel, like criticism of any other sovereign country in the world, can be reasonable, legitimate and productive. Bill 31-15 is none of these and will only serve to negatively divide our [u]niversity and our student community, and could create a harmful environment for Jewish students. BDS campaigns can make students feel isolated, traumatized or attacked, no matter where you stand on the issue. We ask all members of the CWRU community to continue treating one another with respect and dignity.

“Hillel at CWRU stands firmly against BDS and related resolutions put forth to the USG because we stand firmly for a diverse, pluralistic community where people feel safe, supported and empowered to have the nuanced and respectful discussions that are a healthy community’s lifeblood.”

However, those on the pro-bill side directly counter these concerns, including the co-author of the bill, recent CWRU graduate Sam Bachelor, who states, “First, this bill is not a BDS bill, even though BDS should be supported, as their demands are more than sensible. This bill calls on [CWRU] to divest from the international for-profit military and prison industrial complex and does not single out the Israeli state … It calls on [CWRU] to divest from weapons contractors and private prisons that profit off crimes of the U.S., the Israeli state, Saudi Arabia and many other countries.”

Proponents of the bill have made the argument that this is different from a BDS bill and does not target Jewish students given its specific wording and goals. Professor Ted Steinberg, who works in the Department of History and advises the CWRU chapter of SJP, remarked that though the bill may not end up achieving its goals and could cause CWRU to actually divest, it still sparks useful conversation.

“Some people might wonder whether the university is the right place for this kind of activism. I would direct them to CWRU’s mission statement which cites ‘inclusiveness and diversity’ and, under that rubric, ‘civic and international engagement.’ This proposed resolution seems perfectly tailored to that vision,” Steinberg said. “We all owe the courageous students at SJP our thanks for raising awareness about the oppression of the Palestinian people, whose subjugation is too often swept under the rug.”

However, some students have expressed their concern that antisemitism is growing throughout the U.S. in the past couple of months. Given this, these students are concerned that a bill like this could exacerbate issues. A representative for Hillel at the March 15 USG General Assembly said, “I know this is not technically a BDS bill, but at schools that have passed BDS bills, groups such as Report Campus Hate have discovered increased antisemitism.

I have experienced this, having gone to a Jewish school where kids from the public school came and threw things at us—that is a real form of hate.”

One Jewish student, who did not wished to be named, said, “There is a direct correlation with anti-semitism and a BDS bill or initiative on college campuses.”

Throughout the past several months,

cases of students across the U.S. practicing antisemitic acts have grown, including students graffitiing antisemitic messages at University of Wisconsin in September and a student wearing an Adolf Hitler costume on that same campus over Halloween weekend. Beyond colleges, recent hateful comments by rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, have spurred a growing culture of antisemitism, with banners being hung above a Los Angeles highway saying that “Kanye is right about the Jews.”

With the fear of antisemitism only growing, some CWRU students are concerned that if this bill were to pass, it would only make it worse on our campus.

SJP claims that this is a non-issue, saying, “Although there has been backlash, with claims that the implementation of this bill would somehow increase antisemitism on campus, there is no evidence of this. On the contrary, it would give everyone on [CWRU’s] campus, regardless of religious affiliation or ethnicity, a chance to utilize their voice against such an evil industry.”

However, they also noted there was fear of reprisal on their end, as several of their members and various other CWRU students have been doxxed for supporting Palestinain causes in the past.

USG representative Jared Zullig, a second-year student at the time, acknowledged this during the March 15

General Assembly, saying, “That fear on both sides is important to acknowledge. As a Jewish student, it does make me nervous and it shouldn’t. That fear is what leads to the anger and the hate and creates a cycle.”

Whether this bill even comes to a vote at all this semester remains to be seen.

In an internal USG executive meeting on Oct. 11, USG President Ananya Hari expressed her wish for the bill to be withdrawn, saying, “We have this SJP bill, and no matter how we vote, [administration] is not gonna approve it and it’s creating a lot of division on campus. I am looking for a win-win situation out of this. Hillel students do not [want] this to pass because they are afraid of antisemitism on campus, and the SJP students want people in Palestine to be supported.”

She then went on to express that USG could potentially sponsor a fundraiser for humanitarian causes in Palestine instead, and that she “would ask [SJP] to hopefully withdraw this bill, and actually help people with [the fundraiser] rather than causing division and uproar on campus.”

The bill comes to the floor on Nov. 8 and students will be able to publicly provide comments before passage, though names will be redacted in the USG public minutes to prevent doxxing. The General Assembly will take place between 7-9 p.m. in Tink Ballroom.

CWRU Film Society Friday, November 4, 2022 7:00 p.m., 9:30 p.m., 11:59 p.m.

Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)

Rated PG (119 min.)

Directed by: Hayao Miyazaki With the voices of Chieko Baishô, Takuya Kimura, Tatsuya Gashûin

When an unconfident young woman is cursed with an old body by a spiteful witch, her only chance of breaking the spell lies with a self-indulgent yet insecure young wizard and his companions in his legged, walking castle.

Saturday, November 5, 2022 7:00 p.m., 9:30 p.m.

V for Vendetta (2005)

Rated R (132 min.)

Directed by: James McTeigue With Hugo Weaving, Natalie Portman, Rupert Graves

Remember, remember the Fifth of November! Following a harsh world war, London is a police state occupied by a fascist government. When a young woman, Evey, is rescued by a vigilante known as V, she is accidentally brought into an underground revolution. While Evey slowly discovers the truth about Britain’s past, she and V must bring about justice for the atrocities committed.

General Admission $4.00 Strosacker Auditorium, CWRU Campus Quad Free Parking: Lot 44 at Adelbert Rd and Murray Hill

FILMS.CWRU.EDU

life

friday, november 4, 2022 volume LIV, issue 10 estd. 1969

Riot Games disappoints “League of Legends” fans again with another subpar Worlds anthem Matthew Chang Advertising Manager

Riot Games worked with Lil Nas X’s to produce “STAR WALKIN’,” an animated music video to be the anthem of the 2022 League of Legends World Championship. Courtesy of Riot Games.

For those who aren’t aware of what’s hold their high quality through the end. planned out, highlighting the fluidity of shows Ambition facing off against going on in the “League of Legends” Overall, “Warriors” was a great start to the characters’ movements. various iconic players, such as Perkz’s community, the 2022 World Champion- the sequence of Worlds anthems.

Yasuo, Uzi’s Vayne and Faker’s Ryze. ship—also known as Worlds—is nearly “Legends Never Die” (2017) – 7/10 When it comes to competitive “League over. Worlds is the premier annual in“Worlds Collide” (2015) – 6/10 I know I am going to give a biased of Legends,” or any challenge in generternational tournament for “League of Succeeding “Warriors,” the 2015 review for this song because it was the al, there is no better feeling than ending Legends,” bringing together the best Worlds anthem had a lot to live up to, one that got me into “League of Leg- a lengthy rivalry in a victorious manteams from across the world to com- but it fell a little flat. Nonetheless, I ends,” yet I still thought that “Legends ner. “Rise” embodies this idea really pete against each other for the title of don’t think “Worlds Collide” is a poor Never Die” was super fitting for Worlds well, inspiring us to continue chasing world champion. Beginning in 2014, production, but I also don’t think it in general. The song opens with the our dreams despite the obstacles ahead Riot Games, the developer of “League is anything grand—it’s simply in the muffling of the instrumental combined of us. Ambition’s journey to becoming of Legends,” released its first anthem to middle. I do think, however, that this with the clarity of Chrissy Costanza’s a world champion was not an easy one, accompany Worlds. Since then, it has song best embodies what Worlds means voice against the Current’s lead vocal- but only those with enough ambition become a tradition for a new anthem to all players and fans: how one team ist, creating an ominous tone. The re- and grit will be able to gauge how much to be produced for each consecutive rises above the rest. A lot of the time, verb given off by Chrissy’s voice brings effort is required to reap the rewards of Worlds. we focus on the results of the matches a sense of vulnerability and hopeless- reaching those goals. The message beSo far, there are nine Worlds an- instead of how the match plays out. We ness. These emotions eventually disap- hind this song, its beautiful music video thems, each with its own music video, don’t take the time to acknowledge the pear when the percussion kicks in and and its powerful bass makes “Rise” a yet I would argue that they aren’t cre- split-second decisions pro players have the chorus arrives. The chorus is filled top contender on my list. ated equally. The Worlds anthems are to make during the match, nor do we with a large set of drums, which make a supposed to enhance the competitive consider the dynamics between them. beat that is predictable and catchy. The “Phoenix” (2019) – 7/10 spirit of both the players and the fans. The lyrics of the song evoke this idea. ad-libs that are squeezed in between “Phoenix” brings back Chrissy However, recent productions have not A super-team made up of mechanical- each line are small, yet bring so much Costanza, who sang in the 2017 Worlds met fans’ expectations, especially this ly gifted players without coordination to the song. The song is admittedly a anthem, alongside Cailin Russo. I year’s. As such, I find it necessary to may fare worse than a team with poorer bit repetitive, and the animation might wasn’t a huge fan of this song at first, break down each one of the Worlds an- capabilities and better communication. be considered subpar, but the drum but after a few listens I think it is brilthems.

Many factors determine which teams pattern in the chorus and the produc- liant because of its symbolism and advance to the next stage of the tour- tion efforts for the song were phenom- beautiful vocals. Compared to the other “Warriors” (2014) – 8/10 nament, and ultimately two teams will enal. The music video tries to convey anthems, Riot Games chose to apSince “Warriors” was the first Worlds face each other in the grand final—as the idea that hard work is necessary to proach this one from a different angle: anthem to debut, it set the bar. Writ- depicted by the reduction in the num- overcome adversity, but it fails to con- start gentler with the verses and build ten and produced by the popular band ber of blue and red beams at the end of vince me in the way it goes about it. If up to the climax during the chorus.

Imagine Dragons, the song combines the music video. Only one will remain the spotlight was shined on players and Each time the chorus arrives, we’re powerful lyrics, heavy undertones and victorious. their hurdles instead of on the champi- blasted with the same, yet clean, chord an incredible music video. In the openons and their lore, I might have found progression that never fails to excite ing, the lyrics start with the topic of “Ignite” (2016) – 4/10 it more compelling. Nonetheless, “Leg- me. It wasn’t easy for me to distinguish childhood, which is where most play“Ignite” is probably the most unique ends Never Die” revived the purpose between Chrissy’s and Cailin’s voices ers began their journey. In addition, the composition out of all the Worlds an- of the anthems and shaped what they throughout the song, but they formed visual of a teenager gaming on his com- thems. The song itself doesn’t bring the should be for the future. wonderful harmonies during the parts puter is familiar to both pro players and hype that the other anthems do, which when they sang together. The symbolcasual players alike. At the time, the di- I think is partly due to the artist behind “Rise” (2018) – 8/10 ism behind “Phoenix” was cliché in my vision of skills between players wasn’t the track. Zedd is primarily known for “Rise” is packed with motiva- opinion but inspiring nonetheless. The as well defined as it is now, so everyone producing a lot of EDM music, and tional lyrics, well-developed graphics song tells us that our greatest enemies could relate to the scene. As the song “Ignite” doesn’t stray from that trend. and a ton of references to players and aren’t each other, but rather ourselves moves into its chorus, the drums enter, While I don’t dislike EDM music, this past championships. The music video and our own limitations. It asks us to building a sense of energy. The lyrics song does not feel suitable for Worlds symbolizes former pro player Ambi- contemplate what we are willing to are also very impressive because they because it doesn’t evoke the same tion’s revenge arc coming to fruition lose to rise to the top. The song carries echo the sentiment that the game and sense of excitement as other anthems against his greatest nemesis, Faker. To a similar message to “Legends Never its esports scene were made possible do. However, the one thing that makes give some backstory, Ambition was Die,” saying we should keep moving by the “League of Legends” commu- up for its lackluster tone is the anima- humiliated by Faker during his debut forward despite our hardships but in a nity. When the second verse arrives, the tion of the music video. The color pal- game and then lost the finals of Worlds different fashion than before. This time music video perfectly suits the lyrics, ette chosen was sharp and electric, and 2016 to him. Worlds 2017 was differ- we should be focused on the doubts and showing a team with a victory screen the character designs and expressions ent, however, as Ambition was able to fears we carry within ourselves. It’s and another with a defeat screen—a were top-notch. Whenever the bass is claim his victory against Faker in the time to accept our flaws and to move screen that I know a bit too well. The about to drop, something exciting hap- finals. As the music video progresses, past them so they won’t bother us anysong and music video continue to up- pens. The choreography was carefully the combination of animation and CGI more.

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“LEAGUE OF LEGENDS” continued from pg. 3 “Take Over” (2020) – 5/10 I still feel indifferent about “Take Over” even though I’ve listened to it many times. There is more bass in this song compared to any of the other anthems, but it doesn’t bring the hype that the other songs carry. This is the first Worlds anthem where another language is spoken, and I thought it worked pretty well with the concept Riot Games was striving for. The music video was misleading if you take it at face value, which I wasn’t a huge fan of. “League of Legends” is not played as a 1v1 in VR. You can’t pick up the weapons of champions you have slain in-game nor has any woman ever made it to Worlds. Perhaps the message Riot Games was trying to pass on was that “League of Legends,” as a game, is transcending into a more respectable, yet unorthodox sport. Viewership has been steadily rising since the

game’s release, and 2020 marked the tenth anniversary of the championship.

“Burn It All Down” (2021) - 5/10 Just like “Take Over,” this song didn’t sit well with me. The song as a whole contains a lot of electronic elements while maintaining a game-centric energy that’s necessary to hype up a crowd for a big event; however, I thought that there were too many synthesizers and instrumentals involved, especially in the chorus, and I couldn’t keep track of everything. The verses weren’t memorable either because they lack the unique symbolism that all of the other anthems carry.

The music video, on the other hand, was phenomenal. There was a cool shift between traditional animation to a hybrid of animation and CGI. I’d argue that this is the best animation we’ve seen from any Worlds music video. There are over

twenty referenced pro players throughout the entire music video and at the end, we can see all of the players going against each other as their favorite champions. Overall, I thought the music video carried the song; the song wouldn’t be as successful as it is without the music video.

“STAR WALKIN’” (2022) - 4/10 Written and produced by Lil Nas X, “STAR WALKIN’” is a decent song, but it still falls short next to others like “Rise.” Lil Nas X brings a catchy and classic chorus, with similar structures to the previous anthems. As the song continues forward, however, the climax of the song feels like it never quite arrives.

There are moments where you think the song is building up to a big drop, but it instead takes a turn and abruptly transitions into the next verse. The en-

ergy levels mostly remained the same throughout the song, and there was no sense of intensity like most of the previous anthems brought. I thought the music video was not in sync with the song either. Lil Nas X was able to bring his flair to the table, but it looked like Riot Games restricted his creative freedom and morphed his singing abilities around the music video. Viewers also spend the majority of the time watching the featured players and their champions march into battle instead of the battle itself. Just like the song, there’s a lot of buildup but no drop. Riot Games broke away from the norm for this song. While I think experimenting with new ideas is a great thing, it might be worth going back to the drawing board when a song fails to bring the excitement and praise that the largest international tournament for the “League of Legends” community deserves.

Film Society’s production of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” is a theatrical masterpiece Noah Henriques Staff Writer Shivangi Nanga Copy Editor Some Halloween movies have become classics: “The Shining,” “Halloween,” “The Exorcist,” “Scream”—the list goes on. But every Halloweekend, the Case Western Reserve University Film Society, with the Voyeuristic Intentions cast, hosts a Halloween production that’s a little more unconventional: “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” Celebrating its 25th screening last weekend, the Film Society never fails to create a moviegoing experience unlike any other.

With crude yet cunning comedy, a coordinated and charming shadowcast and campy B-movie drama, it’s no wonder “Rocky Horror” has garnered an international following with theaters around the world keeping to the film’s traditions.

The CWRU Film Society’s production last weekend featured an hour-long preshow where “‘Rocky Horror’ virgins” were brought onstage and indoctrinated into the movie through fun, sexbased minigames—including mimicing an orgasm or moaning as loud as they could. During this time, viewers had the chance to purchase “prop bags’’ containing items correlated to key scenes in the movie. While the movie played, a shadowcast performed live, bringing the film to life with props, wildly accurate costumes and lip syncing. But one of the most entertaining and humorous aspects of the movie are the “callbacks” that frequent the cult classic’s runtime.

Audience members and the shadowcast join in and make snide quips or “counter dialogue” to the characters on screen. These ranged from mocking the criminoligist’s “lack of a chin” to interrupting with a self-deprecating or crude question right before a character makes a statement—someone may yell “How long do you last during sex?” right before a character says “it should only take a few seconds.”

It is important to note that these traditions aren’t exclusive to CWRU. Theaters across the U.S. and internationally contain some, all or even more of these components in their showings of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” Coordinated audience lines, props being thrown at the screen, dancing along to the song “Time Warp” and, incredibly, riding a motorcycle through the aisle of a New Orleans theater are all traditions and twists that many theaters have captured in their showcases. So how is “Rocky Horror” able to hold audiences when the film itself becomes only a fraction of the experience? The secret lies in the traditions—homages to the film’s 47-year-old history.

They date back to the film’s first showings in 1975. Due to its poor re-

Celebrating its 25th production, the CWRU Film Society featured Voyeuristic Intentions to create a unique and immersive watching experience of the cult-classic. Courtesy of @cwrufilmsociety. ception, the movie was often played at the cheapest time of the day: Midnight.

But it did well, with many moviegoers returning for multiple viewings. Over time, these recurring fans would learn certain phrases or scenes by heart and begin adding their own commentary.

Teacher Louis Farese, Theresa Krakauskas and Amy Lazarus are credited with starting this wave of audience participation during the film. At the time, they did it to amuse each other, but by 1979, scripted “callbacks” and “counterpoint dialogue” became a staple across more than 230 theaters. Fan casts, known as shadowcasts, also sprang up and reenacted scenes from the movie as it played.

This near-cultish fascination spread nationally, and soon internationally, with showings compared to Christian Mass or a religious event, although the contents of the movie are anything but.

In an interview with the director of the CWRU Film Society’s rendition, they discussed its history and how it has evolved over the years of production. Twenty-five years ago, the film was just another B-movie played alongside others in the Science Fiction Marathon. However, it was later “...organized [into] a cast to match other venues with more regular showings. For a few years afterward, it was more like an encore... and soon a tradition!” Since then, the director said, costumes and props have been handed down from showing to

showing—some around longer than they could remember—with callbacks dating back to the ’70s. The film is even shown on a 35mm tape, original commercials and trailers included, giving the movie a “vintage/grindhouse feel.”

While the production team stays true to “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” traditions in many ways, not everything stays so static. With a revolving cast, things are bound to change and make each year-to-year showing unique.

Many costumes and makeup are created individually by each cast member, and props may be updated or removed.

Callbacks are updated as well, with pop culture references and quips that only our quirky CWRU audience would really appreciate. Each piece is another element that keeps every showing fresh and worth another viewing.

Last weekend, the blend of tradition and creative changes created a dirty, eccentric and enthusiastic performance— drawing in a packed auditorium crowd.

The shadowcast did an excellent job “initiating” newer audience members with the pre-show activities. But once the show began, the audience was “thrust” into sexualized “Rocky Horror” culture—the explicit advertisements and first callback, “show us female tits!” were telling of how the rest of the performance would pan out. Regardless of content, each callback and piece of counterpoint dialogue was well

rehearsed and perfectly timed, garnering well-deserved laughs from the audience—the inclusion of CWRU-themed counterpoints did not fail to excite. Voyeuristic Intentions proved the talent of its actors with scenes that seamlessly mimicked their counterparts on the big screen. Actor costumes were almost identical to the originals, and props added depth to the live performance.

Some of our highlights from this year’s production included—no spoilers—a character riding a bike down the theater aisles for their introduction and chase scenes weaving through rows of amused fans. Every member onstage was obviously passionate about their role, and there was never any reluctance—even the more sexual scenes were performed with grace and professionalism. Unsurprisingly, we often caught ourselves focusing on the shadowcast more than the film itself!

With all this being said, it would be a severe injustice to call this production just another movie-watching experience. The charm of “Rocky Horror” was perfectly blended with its atmosphere.

While “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” may seem intimidating at first, being surrounded by an international following of die-hard fans, the CWRU Film Society did a wonderful job of making the production approachable to all audiences. Each callback felt like an inside joke and we cheered as much for the shadowcast members as we did for the movie itself. Further, we were both amazed by how “Rocky Horror,” given the time period of its initial release, honored the LGBTQIA+ community and raw sexuality through comedy and memorable characters. Voyeuristic Intentions doesn’t shy away from this in the slightest, performing mild stripping and gay scenes with the same devotion as the original actors.

We can all agree “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” is by no means your average movie—and, therefore, may not sit right with everybody. But the production team’s passion and dedication for a show with such a strong legacy cannot be overlooked. So, we highly recommend that everyone show the CWRU Film Society some support and attend at least once. For just $4, experience something so completely different from the norm, and if you enjoy it, as we hope you will, come back for another viewing.

If you’d like to participate in the cast and crew of the CWRU “Rocky Horror” production, then feel free to email rhps-vi@cwru.edu for more information.

life

observer.case.edu

5

Steely Dan at 50 – From burroughs to bard, and the baby boomers who brought it back TJ Disabato Staff Writer

In November 1972, Watergate was still fresh in the minds of Americans, Norman Lear’s seminal satire “All in the Family” topped the ratings and two young men who met at Bard College during the height of the Vietnam War and Civil Rights protests introduced young listeners to a new experience of auditory stimulation in “Can’t Buy a Thrill.”

Originally started by guitarist Denny Dias, Steely Dan is best known as the brainchild of Donald Fagen and the late Walter Becker, despite having numerous set musicians perform on all of their albums. In recent years, Steely Dan has come back into the spotlight, for better or worse. One LA Weekly article titled “Steely Dan Fans are Assholes” succinctly describes the sort of musical pretension you have to obtain in order to appreciate their music. For many, Steely Dan is not something that is understood right away, and many fans often start out hating their music, including myself. However, after enough time spent listening to their smooth jazz chord progressions and constant nihilistic mockery, you find yourself increasingly relating to what they are getting at. Chelsea Leu describes this much more appreciatively in her New Yorker article “My Unlikely Connection to Steely Dan.” Growing up with Taiwanese immigrant parents in 2000s Los Angeles, she never felt like she belonged, and listening to Steely Dan’s music gave her a taste of the idea that many communities share these same feelings of disconnect.

Though their musical counterparts tended to find more success in the chart rankings, Steely Dan produced a much more layered sound, gushing with cynical intellect. Fagen and Becker’s acerbic dialect pokes fun at a society they can do nothing but analyze. Grab some Cuervo Gold and fine Columbian—or your vice of choice—and check out the greatest songs put out by these musical savants.

20. “Jack of Speed” – After a 20year hiatus which saw Fagen produce two solo albums, including his 1983 magnum opus “The Nightfly,” and Becker release “11 Tracks of Whack,” Steely Dan came back in 2000 with “Two Against Nature,” winning album of the year against Eminem’s “The Marshall Mathers LP” and indie hallmark “Kid A” by Radiohead.

19. “Don’t Take Me Alive” – From the jarring opening chords, it is obvious that this song is one of the darker stories told by Steely Dan. In the song, a man is holed up, trying to avoid being arrested by getting the police officers to kill him. He claims that he has dynamite in a shocking suicide-by-cop scenario.

18. “Everyone’s Gone to the Movies”- From stories of familial romance in “Cousin Dupree” to falling in love with a prostitute in “Pearl of the Quarter,” Steely Dan didn’t shy away from singing about taboo subjects. Perhaps none more so than in this song describing a creepy middle-aged man who shows adult films to kids in the neighborhood, juxtaposed with Calypso-influenced instrumentals.

17. “Haitian Divorce” – Through the use of a talkbox, Becker was able to alter the sound produced by Dean Parks on guitar, similar to that of “Iron Man”

by Black Sabbath. From there emerges a tale of quick romance and raising a child by yourself. Fagen and Becker often highlight the lovable losers in life, the people that never stood out in the crowd, but have a new story to share here.

Steely Dan’s Walter Becker (left) and Donald Fagen (right) pose by the Santa Barbara pier in the late ‘70s, at the height of their career. Courtesy of Universal Music Archive.

16. “Godwhacker” – In the band’s final album, “Everything Must Go,” Becker and Fagen show little more than mere glimpses of their former glory, and ultimately fall short in terms of providing something new and original. One of the few bright spots in their 2003 finale, “Godwhacker” is about an elite group of assassins tasked with getting into heaven to take out God. It does offer a unique and catchy instrumental track that could have appeared on any of their earlier albums.

15. “Aja” – This choice in the rankings is sure to upset many Dan fans, but this might be where my most subjective ranking occurs. I can agree that this song is their highest ranking masterpiece in terms of instrumental sections, but it just lacks the certain catchiness that I look for in many of their lyrics.

Wayne Shorter provides the strongest instrumental solo in their entire discography on tenor saxophone, while Steve Gadd challenges Shorter for that title on drums.

14. “Green Earrings” – For the longest time I happily thought Fagen was proudly singing about “The Rings of Randy’s eyes,” rather than “rare design.” Even upon realizing of the correct lyrics, my appreciation of this song did not lessen even if Donald wasn’t singing about a gay romance.

13. “Deacon Blues” – One of the many things I love about Steely Dan is their uncanny ability to consistently produce high-quality music. Their 1977 masterpiece “Aja” contained seven songs, around five of which could feasibly be at the top spot of any fan’s list of favorite songs.

12. “Babylon Sisters” – What musician hasn’t sung about indulging in drugs and prostitutes? However, Steely Dan is unique in connecting these activities to religion, and again to Babylon’s representation of a fallen civilization.

11. “Josie” – If “Die Hard” is a Christmas movie, then the opening chords to “Josie” make it a Halloween

song. There is something so sinister about the final track off “Aja,” which tells the story of everyone’s local love interest who is always sure to cause a commotion every time she comes back home for a visit.

10. “Show Biz Kids” – This is the one song that I initially hated on my first few listens. Just that terribly repetitive background of something you can’t understand, with the weird reference to wearing a “Steely Dan T-shirt.” After further listening, I finally appreciated it, the terribly catchy background with a pun on losing money in Las Vegas (lost wages), the awesome meta reference of wearing their own merchandise and not to mention that phenomenal harmonica at the end provided by Becker.

9. “Black Friday” – The first track off their vastly underrated 1975 release “Katy Lied”; this guitar-heavy hit feels more like a traditional classic rock song than most of its jazzier discographic partners. A mockery of corporate America—sharp descriptions of men in suits jumping from buildings upon receiving financial ruin and a bass line that could cut through Stonehenge—this one is simply a dancer, and one that kicks ass the whole way through.

8. “Fire in the Hole” – Neither “Do it Again,” nor “Reelin’ in the Years,” was included from their debut album “Can’t Buy a Thrill,” but this jazz-funk hybrid laden with pessimism is another song that has been lost into relative obscurity. Despite coming before some of their more advanced compositions, “Fire in the Hole” serves as a good predecessor to the kind of storytelling and instrumentals that could be expected in the coming years.

7. “Bodhisattva” – The one Steely Dan song that never fails to make me stand up and start dancing. A seeming musical equivalent to Ken Kesey’s acid tests, or Hunter S. Thompson’s tales of taking every drug he can find to pursue the American dream, this song takes a hold of every part of you and doesn’t let go, until all that remains after the guitar

ends is deafening silence.

6. “Kid Charlemagne” – Another tale of a drug-fueled frolic through the streets of Los Angeles, the catchiness in this song is provided by backup vocalists and a colorful description of the rise and fall of a San Francisco LSD manufacturer. A song sampled by some, and replicated by none.

5. “Sign in Stranger” – I don’t even know what to say about this one. Other than being criminally underrated, it has some of the most unique and clever jazz chords heard in any of their work. Paul Griffin lifts this song to such prestigious heights with his style of piano that it almost comes off as a brag of his musical talents.

4. “Your Gold Teeth II” – There is something so magically nostalgic about the instrumentals prior to any singing, reviving memories of years gone by.

From running through my backyard as a kid during summer break, to watching the leaves change color and cover my small Appalachian hometown hues of orange and red, to finally being blanketed in a white shield of armor. That had absolutely nothing to do with the song, but I hope you get my idea. Beautiful songs are ones that make us really think, and this one always makes me wonder.

3. “My Old School” – Looking back on my time at CWRU, I can certainly say I would be proud to come back and do it all again. If it weren’t for a certain couple of people I met through my time writing for The Observer over the last three years, I likely wouldn’t be writing this article or any article—so you can blame them.

2. “Gaucho” – Is it the perfect song composed by the perfect band? Yes. Is it their best song? Who really knows.

1. “Black Cow” – Very few songs are catchier than the lead track off “Aja.” If you ever wanted to know what I look like while listening to my favorite Steely Dan song, look up clips of Elaine Benes dancing on “Seinfeld.”

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11/4/22

“Dressed for the Job”: The clothes that built Cleveland Elie Stenson Staff Writer

The Western Reserve Historical Society’s exhibit “Dressed for the Job: Clevelanders in Uniform” displays outfits from a variety of occupations that play an integral role in the prosperity of Cleveland. Courtesy of Western Reserve Historical Society.

The Western Reserve Historical Society’s (WRHS) “Dressed for the Job: Clevelanders in Uniform’’ exhibition is as much a retrospective upon material culture as it is a celebration of the rich communities that compose the heart of this city. Drawing from the WRHS’s “Chisholm Halle Costume” collection, one of the largest of its kind in the nation with over 40,000 pieces, “Dressed for the Job” stages an inventive display of fashion spanning from utilitarian garb to school blazers and sparkling gowns.

All this results in a cumulative history of Cleveland told through social standards of personal representation.

The exhibit is housed in a dark room, occupied by a central glass case and featuring a roundabout display of mannequins dressed in an endless variety of attire. This placement sets the stage for a thorough display that showcases the human experience’s multifaceted nature. The models, grouped together in huddles of roughly three to five, constitute different sectors of employment: military, emergency response, public

service, healthcare, sports, religious practice and education. The groups are further broken down into expressions of identity, reminding us that we are defined by much more than our professions.

A hospital patient gown patterned with a cacophony of miniature Cleveland Clinic logos designed by Diane von Furstenburg represents the desire to provide patients with confidence and comfort while they undergo medical care. A turn-of-the-century debutante’s white dress stands next to a deep blue Quinceañera gown, both evoking the passage of youth and an appreciation for culture and family.

Further into the display, a vibrant magenta vestment worn by Rev. Dr. Lisa Maxine Goods for her investiture as the first female senior pastor of Cleveland’s Shiloh Baptist Church stands beside robes from various other faiths and practices. Standing next to them are models wearing first responder and public service gear.

A handful of these outfits are on temporary loan, like the conductor’s uniform worn by Angelo Reese when

he serves as a Greater Cleveland RTA Trolley Ambassador, but many are permanent donations to the WRHS’s archives. Clearly, the institution plays an important role in preserving and upholding the city’s rich history.

Each mannequin is accompanied by a plaque that details its respective industry’s influence on Cleveland’s rise. Just as frequently as the city’s past is cited, so too are the names of the individuals from the past whose daily work involved donning these garments. As simple as this acknowledgement may be, it builds a striking link between the exhibit and its audience.

Oftentimes there is a disconnect between a museum exhibit and its viewers because many do not have a personal connection to the famous artists whose work is displayed.

“Dressed for the Job” puts this notion aside in favor of building an environment where we are reminded of how integral we are to one another and to the city as a whole. Perhaps we recognise the placards’ names as neighbors or friends, colleagues or

fellow alumni. Maybe that Guardians jersey looks like the one hanging in our closet, or the apple-green gym set brings back memories of our elementary school’s field day. It could be that we have photo books full of images of our family members wearing brightly coloured shift dresses, religious attire on days of observance or military uniforms that bear resemblance to those in this exhibit; these outfits were worn by scores of Clevelanders before us.

Whether we are life-long Clevelanders or moved here recently, we can all recognize how integral we all are in shaping Cleveland into the thriving place that it is today. “Dressed for the Job” reminds us that our communities are the foundations of the world we build; they support both our generation and the generations that will soon follow in our footsteps to make this city their home. “Dressed for the Job: Clevelanders in Uniform” is on display at the Cleveland History Center, with CWRU undergraduate students receiving free admission with their CaseID.

Halloween weekend was another triumph for CWRU RHA

Christie Lanfear Staff Writer

The stage was set for our favorite spooky holiday: decked out Halloweekenders, an eerie cold breeze, classic spooky-season candy and delicious mocktails. All the elements necessary for a perfect Halloween night were waiting to be put into action. The Case Western Reserve University Residence Hall Association (RHA) did just that, creating a haunted house to remember and decking out the Elephant Stairs with candy stations, spider-toss, word searches and riddles.

Located on Murray Hill Road at the Sigma Nu fraternity house, students were greeted by ghosts and vampires and were served blood-red mocktails at a spooky-themed bar.

Despite the short and sweet nature of the haunted house itself, every second was packed full with jump scares and amazingly-frightening costumes.

Guests were guided down a dark and dimly lit path through multiple rooms. Along the way, they were confronted by all types of monsters, from zombies holding axes to crazypsycho-killers. The grand finale featured Annika Minotti, president of Carlton Road Community Council, playing the role of a captured victim fighting for her life. The guests were provided Nerf guns in order to defend themselves and save the helpless soul from its captor. Upon victory, the guests were led out and released back into the now monsterless world. All who visited the house were sure to leave with their adrenaline pumping, hearts racing and, most importantly, smiles wide.

Whether it served as a warm-up for the haunted house experience or was a part of the stroll home afterwards, the Candy Crawl located on the El-

ephant Stairs of the South Residential Village was an altogether different, but equally enjoyable, experience.

Complete with Halloween candy, the event was a sweet and welcome shift from the spookiness experienced for a majority of the weekend. The setup was ingenious, with a unique station located as each of the three rest stops on the stairs. Walking from the bottom up, CWRU students arrived at the first station armed with candy bags waiting to be filled with delicious treats. The first stop featured a test of aiming ability, with candy awarded to anyone who could successfully toss fake spiders into a bucket. The task was more difficult than expected, leading to lots of laughs as the spiders bounced around on the stairs after failing to hit their mark. The next stop featured a rapid-fire word search with a one minute time limit.

Each word correctly identified meant a piece of candy for everyone, so the bags were filling up by the time the third station was reached. The final stop was my favorite, with Halloween themed riddles getting everyone’s minds working at the prospect of extra candy. Even if target tossing, word searches and riddles weren’t everyone’s cup of tea, the kind members of RHA provided everyone with candy anyways and made sure that each and every student had a blast.

Members of RHA and all those involved in the planning and execution of the events this past Halloweekend should pat themselves on the back.

I think that I can speak for many when I say that I will look back on my haunted house and Candy Crawl experiences with fondness, and I cannot wait to see what they pull off next year.

fun

friday, november 4, 2022 volume LIV, issue 10 estd. 1969

Hor

Tarun’s LOLs

Death (Upright) You need to let go of the past or it will consume your future.

West Coast

The Heirophant (Reversed) You are your own teacher and all the wisdom you are seeking comes from within.

Video Games Salvatore

Ace of Cups (Reversed) You’re going to begin exploring a part of yourself you haven’t seen before.

Two of Cups (Reversed) There’s a relationship in your life that is one-sided and continuing your pursuit of this person will only cost you.

Gemini

Taurus

Brooklyn Baby

National Anthem Summertime Sadness

Six of Wands (Upright) Celebrate a new milestone you’ve made it to. This is a new chapter.

Virgo Libra Capricorn Saggittarius Scorpio

Hard

Read by Mulan Ma

Three of Cups (Reversed) Although you are surrounded by opportunities to go out and spend time with friends, you might want to be alone and spend time with yourself.

Leo

Medium

Aries

Pisces

Aquarius

The Signs as Lana Del Rey songs

Weekly Tarot

Cancer

Sudoku

scope

Love In My Feelings Young and Beautiful

Nine of Wands (Upright) Stand tall in adversity, you are stronger than the opponent thinks. Use their ignorance to your advantage.

Four of Swords (Reversed) You need to give yourself some wellneeded rest and care.

The Empress (Upright) You have so many ideas, why not make something of them instead of leaving them as creative thoughts?

Born To Die

The Hanged Man (Upright) This card implores you to try looking at things from a new angle.

Lust For Life

The Hermit (Upright) Although it’s not asked of you, ask yourself introspective questions as you go about your life.

Say Yes To Heaven

Wheel of Fortune (Upright) There will be a turning point that will change everything.

8 | fun

11/4/22

The UMB Office

What we’ve been listening to

by Mulan Ma

Raining In My Heart Buddy Holly Shreyas Banerjee

Garden Song John Denver Sophia Popkin

I Heard It Through The Grapevine Creedence Clearwater Revival Clay Preusch

Crossword ACROSS 1 “___ Chair” (term of address at a meeting) 6 13-Across, voicewise 10 Vaccine watchdog org.

13 “Rumour Has It” singer, 2011 14 Close one 15 Make public 16 Upbeat response to “How are you?”

18 Some 401(k) investments, in brief 19 Toledo cheer 20 Ceiling 21 Big celebration 22 Annoy 24 Central Brazil, for the Amazon 27 Slept soundly?

29 Nissan sedan 30 Grand 31 Russian waterway famed for its sturgeon fishery 34 ___ Aviv 35 Musical group that doesn’t play original songs 38 Some Facebook exchanges, in brief 41 Cousins of mandolins 42 Write a ticket (for) 45 Place for a dish that’s come from the oven 47 “Rumor has it ...” 49 Costlier than projected 53 1960s film villain with prosthetic metal hands 54 Water conduit 55 Ghostly 57 Warm greeting 58 Fair-hiring inits.

59 Grammatical con-

6 When Juliet drinks a sleeping potion that makes her seem dead 7 Coffee in the milky way?

8 Uno + due 9 Atop, poetically 10 Accepts reality 11 Was in the slammer 12 Arms depot 14 18-wheeler 17 Frequent flier?

21 Big, as a bonus 23 Rocker Clapton 25 Sitar selection DOWN 26 Turn pale with 1 Stately homes shock 2 “Sweet” sweetheart 28 Big name in water in a barbershop quartet purification standard 31 Dog shelter 3 Take shape employee 4 Brewpub order 32 Metal source 5 Dark European thrush 33 Units of wt. nector like “is or “seem” ... or a connector found literally in 16-, 24-, 35- and 49-Across 62 ___ Jose 63 Three-wheeler 64 Some honkers 65 “___ to a Superhero” (Weird Al Yankovic parody of “Piano Man”) 66 Trial version 67 Stared at rudely

36 On-demand digital video brand 37 Fizzled out 38 Wishful words 39 Trailer in a theater 40 It’s a start 43 North Carolina athlete 44 One doing lifesaving work at a hosp.

46 Lead-in to position or occupation 47 “Put ___ writing” 48 Creature comfort?

50 Casual fabric 51 “Wall Street” character Gordon 52 The “E” in HOMES 56 Breakfast brand 59 Relative of Inc. 60 High dudgeon 61 Be a couch potato

These Foolish Things (Remind Me Of You) Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong Lexy Jensen

Note to Self Mild High Club Tarun Sepuri

Home Madeon Beau Bilinovich

Sisters of The Moon Fleetwood Mac Kate Gordon

Shirt SZA Mulan Ma

Sexy Villain Remi Wolf Khushali Desai

Homesick Noah Kahan Dasha Degterev

opinion

friday, 4, 2022 2022 friday, november february 18, volume LIV, issue volume LIII, issue 10 20 estd. estd. 1969 1969

EDITORIAL

Editorial: Ohio’s Supreme Court elections are critical, even if they are partisan What is the ideal method for judicial selections?

Editorial Board In July 2021, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed legislation making it so that party affiliations for higher court judicial candidates would be shown on the ballot in general elections. Prior to this bill, Ohio had partisan primaries, but nonpartisan general elections. In this upcoming general election on Nov. 8, there are multiple seats open for the judicial branch in Ohio and Cuyahoga County. While not every single judicial candidate has their political affiliation listed alongside their name—the Court of Common Pleas is still nonpartisan— most candidates are now listed with a political party.

Some of the most significant judicial seats up for grabs are on the Ohio Supreme Court—two justice positions and the chief justice position. Since current Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor is stepping down, two current justices are running to take her place. The two chief justice candidates are Justice Jennifer Brunner, who is listed as a Democrat, and Justice Sharon L. Kennedy, who is listed as a Republican.

However, before we delve into the Ohio candidates, it’s important to understand the different types of judicial selection methods in the United States.

There are five methods that states use: partisan elections, nonpartisan elections, gubernatorial appointment, legislative appointment and merit selection.

Both partisan and nonpartisan elections involve the people of the state electing a judge through voting; however, a partisan election means that a judge will be listed on a ballot with their political party affiliation. A nonpartisan election,

on the other hand, is when a judge is listed on an election ballot with no political party association. A gubernatorial appointment is an appointment by the governor, and a legislative appointment is an appointment by the state legislature, both usually after recommendation. The fifth way an individual can become a judge is through merit selection. This is a process involving lawyers and non-lawyers who evaluate candidates and shortlist names to send to the governor for appointment; after a brief period, the judge must run in a retention election. At the federal level, there is only one method: selection by the president and confirmation by the U.S. Senate, established in the U.S. Constitution.

Each type of selection method has its own benefits and drawbacks, but the ideal and most objective method of selection is merit selection. For elective methods, judicial candidates can spend up to millions of dollars on elections.

As a result, political action committees heavily contribute to judges’ campaigns, especially if they are partisan. Furthermore, candidates of color typically raise less money than their white counterparts in state supreme court elections.

When states have partisan elections, the impact of political pressures are clearly illustrated. Both the Louisiana and Texas Supreme Courts are accused of and are being investigated for succumbing to political and financial pressures.

The efficacy of non-elective methods, however, can highly depend on the partisan interests of the legislature and the judicial candidate. However, merit

Tyler Vu / The Observer selections are technically intended to be free of this partisanship and of political motivations, instead having the goal of obtaining qualified state judges free from political bias. The benefit of the method is that the process is generally fairer when run by committee—these

candidates are generally qualified— with the governor having to select a candidate from the shortlist. However, political bias can still play a role overall.

Continued on page 11.

the observer established in 1969 by the undergraduate students of case western reserve university

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 at (216) 302-4442 or e-mail observer-ads@case.edu.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR should be e-mailed to observer@ case.edu or submitted on our website at observer.case.edu.

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executive editor & publisher SHREYAS BANERJEE director of print SARA KHORSHIDI director of digital media JOCELYN ORTIZ director of design TARUN SEPURI director of business operations KHUSHALI DESAI development editor BEAU BILINOVICH engagement editor MULAN MA news editor GRACE JOHNSON life editor JOEY GONZALEZ opinion editor KARUNA LAKHIANI sports editor PUNEET BANSAL social media editor SOPHIA POPKIN photo editor CLAY PREUSCH web editor COLLIN WONG copy editors SHIVANGI NANDA, LEXY JENSEN, RACHEL ALEXANDER, ELIE AOUN, KATE GORDON, CHARLOTTE GOYAL layout designers DASHA DEGTEREV, SHIFRA NARASIMHAN graphic designer TYLER VU business managers MATTHEW CHANG, MOHIT KOSURU, RYAN CHOU

10 opinion

11/4/22

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Your self-diagnosis probably isn’t real Cailee Zeraat Contributing Writer Trigger Warning: Depression I have depression—the real, clinical kind. The one where I don’t eat for a few days, sleep way too much sometimes and can barely write this article because my motivation from two days ago is gone and probably won’t come back for the next week.

Am I lazy? Not really. I’m high-functioning most days; I go to class and finish all my assignments on time. I even go to the gym, play games online and cook elaborate meals for myself. None of that is enough to make that feeling of eternal dread disappear.

I know how to deal with my depression, though. My coping strategies make it a little better, but I’ll never get over it. Real depression doesn’t go away, but rather stays with you your whole life. Real depression involves doing everything in your power to fight it off—only for it to not leave you alone.

You, however, might not know what depression really is. It’s not the sadness you feel from failing an exam. It’s not the looming existential crisis about your career path after college. It’s not even the mourning you go through when your mom dies.

You will feel better after studying and getting a good enough score on your final to pass the class. You will feel better when you go to the Career Center and secure your next summer internship. You will feel better after crying for three months straight and going out with friends who can cheer you up. You’ll get over it, and you will be fine.

I won’t ever be fine, though. This feeling will keep coming back, even without reason—because depression just happens. It doesn’t wait for your boyfriend to break up with you or for your final grade to come out. Depression is a lifetime affliction, and rotating feelings are distinct from that.

I am sick of hearing every reasonably stressed and upset college student claim to have a life-crippling mental illness. A depression selfdiagnosis you get from watching a TikTok therapist is not the reason why you feel bad all the time. Rather, maybe you feel bad all the time because you never learned how to deal with your emotions properly. Instead of genuinely trying to feel better, you decide to use depression as an explanation so you don’t have to confront your feelings healthily—or maybe you feel bad all the time because you

only drink pink lemonade from Tomlinson and haven’t done any self-care other than showering for the past month.

You might be wondering why I care so much. Why does it even matter if you self-diagnose? It matters because you actively contribute to the stigma of my mental illness. You got your idea of depression from social media and Google searches—I got my idea of depression from 10 years of therapy. I cannot tell you how many times I will tell someone I have depression and hear, “Have you tried working out?” Maybe for you—the self-diagnosed—working out does the trick, or curling up under a blanket for the weekend gets your life back on track. That doesn’t work for me. But that person who told me to work out probably thinks they’re giving me pretty solid advice because they knew someone who felt better after a gym session. News flash: they probably didn’t have clinical depression. So when you start telling your mom and your friends that you indeed have depression, and then two weeks later you feel on top of the world because you let yourself go through a normal cycle of emotions, they will likely think that is the reality of the

illness. They think it’s a problem that can easily be fixed. Now, when I say I have depression to those same people, they will wonder why I still say I have depression two weeks later.

“Well, did you try journaling? You must not be helping yourself.”

A depression diagnosis is not the solution you should be hoping for when you’re feeling sad, stressed or even really, really angry. Talk to some friends, play some games or go downtown for the weekend. If you are self-diagnosed and you truly think you have depression, and nothing you have tried makes you feel better, go see a therapist. Stop guessing. A stranger on social media can’t tell you if you have depression.

Then, if you see a therapist and they say you have depression, start treatment. If they say you don’t actually have depression, perhaps keep seeing them anyway so you can learn to deal with your emotions like a functioning adult and can stop using depression as a scapegoat for why you feel bad all the time. My diagnosis is not your costume.

National Suicide and Crisis Hotline: 988 CWRU Counselor on Call: 216.368.5872

Yeah, about that imposter syndrome…

Snehal Choudhury Contributing Writer As a first-year student, it’s hard In my time here, I’ve noticed that to believe I’ve already survived two CWRU fosters a competitive culture months at Case Western Reserve that further makes one feel like an University. While I have occasion- “imposter,” even if it’s irrational. ally seen my parents over the semesA big drawing point of CWRU is ter, I’ve never lived away from home the plethora of opportunities it profor this long before. I revel in the vides. It’s exciting how much the autonomy that comes with college, university offers its students, from its but it comes at the price of great re- ThinkBox facilities to its undergradsponsibility. For example, it’s a race uate research opportunities. But with against time to plan my next meal so many paths to take, combined with before becoming “hangry-zilla” or the sheer number of high-achieving to do my next load of laundry before students, it’s easy to feel inadequate. running out of clean underwear. My For instance, I have some friends life is a constant whirlwind of man- already doing valuable research as aging rigorous coursework, attending first-years and others who confidentcampus events and juggling a social ly know what they’ll do with their life, all while somehow fitting in time college career. Even though it’s not for self-care. healthy, I compare myself to them Simply put, it gets overwhelming. and debate if I’m shortchanging myDespite these struggles, though, I self. In one of my classes, I learned think I’ve finally achieved some sta- about various co-ops and internships. bility. I can comfortably manage my I then feared that I wasn’t a “worthy” classwork and outside commitments student if I didn’t pursue them quickat the same time. I have like-mind- ly enough. I often read about CWRU ed friends and I get along with my researchers’ noteworthy achieveamazing roommate. While it is no- ments in The Daily, and it inspires me table how much I have adjusted over to work to have my own research acthe past couple of months, there has complishments recognized someday. been one particular thing I’ve had a However, those warm feelings fade problem with. when I begin questioning whether I According to the voice in my head, could even accomplish that. getting the hang of college life wasn’t I’m not alone in feeling this way. that significant when other people A first-year friend of mine said it perwere accomplishing “bigger and bet- fectly: “At schools like CWRU, it ter things” in their time—although, feels like you’re never smart enough what does that even mean? In my or working hard enough.” defense, I am a perfectionist, which So, do these sentiments sound faalways makes me strive to do better. miliar to you?

What I’ve described is the widespread phenomenon known as imposter syndrome. It’s when people, especially high achievers, feel inadequate or incompetent despite evidence to the contrary. Other symptoms include believing future success is unattainable and being disappointed in your current accomplishments. Imposter syndrome can be beneficial by preventing someone from becoming complacent. But more often than not, it leads to anxiety, depression and constant self-doubt, which takes away from the CWRU experience.

I also learned that imposter syndrome is prevalent when transitioning to a new environment like college. I was relieved that these feelings were not unheard of.

Now that we’ve defined imposter syndrome, how should we address it?

As with any problem, the first step is acknowledging your feelings and opening up about it to others. This includes friends, family members or even a trusted adult. We often think we are the only ones suffering when, in reality, we are never alone. Just knowing that sentiment makes our ordeals much less painful.

More importantly, remember that it doesn’t matter what anyone else does. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t network with others or strive for greater things. But all that truly matters is that you enjoy your time at CWRU. No one else can or will determine that for you. Each per-

son has their own interests and end goals; therefore, no two people will take the same path in college. So, while we can play the comparison game, it’s not worth it. I’ve found no one ever wins that game.

Furthermore, you are at CWRU to make the most of the opportunities offered here. You’ll be successful no matter what you do during your time at CWRU. While it might sound very cliché, it’s true. It’s just easy to forget when you’re deep in imposter syndrome.

I share my personal struggles not to evoke sympathy but to spotlight this issue. It’s a topic I’ve commiserated and joked about with my friends.

Many people silently suffer from this problem without ever knowing that they’re not alone. Because imposter syndrome often harms people’s mental and emotional health, we can’t afford to overlook this issue any longer.

College is challenging, and CWRU is no exception. The administration should encourage more open and honest dialogue about this issue among the student body. One way could be through wellness seminars.

In a competitive environment, it helps to be explicitly reminded that every student is more than capable enough to “think beyond the possible.”

While I’ve loved my time here so far, there are always ways to improve the CWRU experience. Addressing imposter syndrome is the first step toward doing that.

opinion 11

observer.case.edu

EDITORIAL continued from pg. 9 For example, special interest groups have discovered that judicial retention elections are vehicles by which offending judges can be unseated and state judicial policymaking can be influenced. While retention elections aren’t free from similar problems of elective methods, the merit selection process is most likely to be unbiased and nonpartisan in its initial selection process. But, having

an election component might balance out the democratic side of the process, with it granting constituents the opportunity to elect judges in their community that they feel best represent them through their judicial philosophies after they have spent time on the bench.

While merit selection is the most ideal method, that isn’t our current reality. If we are going to have gen-

eral elections for the judiciary, nonpartisan elections are the most ideal.

Party affiliations cause the public to discount candidates’ records in favor of simple categorization. Even though impartiality can be questioned in any election, partisan elections give even more reason for examination. With partisan elections in Ohio, the purpose of the judiciary is undermined.

This 2022 general election will

determine how Ohio’s judiciary will operate in the coming years. It’s important to vote not just for your local and state representatives, but to research and vote for your judges and justices. Especially in our age of polarized politics and gridlocked legislatures, it is the judiciary that will decide on the issues that affect our everyday lives as college students in Ohio.

Rumors and their repercussions

Enya Eettickal Staff Writer

Everyone has their pet peeves. And if you’re like me, you have multiple.

But one of my biggest ones is empty gossip. Now I know what you’re thinking—everyone says that! But that has never stopped it from happening. But the reality is that empty gossip, while it may be baseless, still has severe consequences. I intend to assess the implications of that type of gossip as a means of understanding the degree to which it impacts communities.

The type of gossip that I’m referring to here is very specific. Mind you, all gossip is problematic—don’t get me wrong. But there’s a distinct difference between empty gossip and legitimate gossip. Legitimate gossip is recounts of information to other people, and is a result of people sharing things they’ve seen and said to one another. While it’s not a good idea to do that—either because it’s not your business or because it can create unnecessary problems—it is nowhere near as bad as empty gossip. Empty

gossip is essentially the same as rumors. These are statements or claims with no basis. Either it’s based on assumptions people are making or circumstances that just didn’t happen.

And the consequences of that are so much worse.

Oftentimes, people find it easy to dismiss empty gossip because of how ridiculous or petty it is, and that’s an understandable instinct. When you hear things that don’t make sense, it’s easy to discuss it without attributing weight to it. And many times the crazy things we hear are the things we find most fun to talk about. But that’s a big part of the danger and cause of this cycle of empty gossip.

After reading a book in one of my classes, I remembered how bad empty gossip and rumors can be. “Dead Souls” by Nikolai Gogol, a dark comedy, mocks the effects of gossip in a poignant way, to the point that it felt like a wake-up call. To save this article from becoming an English essay, I’ll spare you the quotes. But basically,

it talks about how people will spread gossip as a way to say, “listen to this crazy stuff people are saying; how unbelievable!” But after it’s circulated, the same people will turn around and comment, “if people are talking about it, it must be true, right?”

I don’t know exactly why, but the dichotomy it highlighted really spoke to me. The biggest issue with empty gossip is that it can become hard to identify what is real and what isn’t.

Lies and truth can be blurred easily.

The difference between factual truth and story truth is at play. While we all hope the truth to be a record of facts, that’s not always the case. Story truth is when enough people share information, people start to believe it as fact. And whether or not something is actually true, if enough people perceive it as accurate, there are consequences. The idea that people can make something seem true, even if it’s objectively false, is honestly terrifying. We rely on the truth to understand what to trust and what not to

trust—therefore, empty gossip makes parsing information that much harder.

So the question is, what’s the solution? Is there even a solution? And the answer is, not quite. But, there are preemptive measures you can take.

For one, when you hear something you suspect is empty gossip, shut it down. Don’t engage, and don’t circulate it. Next, fact check and inform. If you’re hearing stuff about someone you know, ask them for their side of the story and see if things are true or not. And if you happen to be on the other end of empty gossip—as in people are talking about you—all you can do is set the record straight and confront the source. That’s really about all you can do. And honestly, going through these steps can be difficult. It takes conviction to not believe what’s told to you or to stand up for yourself.

And it takes guts to ask people outright for their version of the story or to confront someone talking about you.

However, in the long term, it’s the best thing you can do.

DID YOU KNOW THAT DAVE’S SUPERMARKET ON THE TOP OF CEDAR HILL CLOSED ON 10/21?

Check out Plum Market Kitchen, right here on campus!

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sports

friday, november 04, 2022 volume LIV, issue 10 estd. 1969

Joe Jaster wins UAA Championship for cross country Men’s team places third, women’s finishes fifth Puneet Bansal Sports Editor On Oct. 29, fourth-year Joe Jaster of the Case Western Reserve University men’s cross country team won the UAA Championship, becoming the second runner in program history to do so.

Jaster came in first out of 74 runners in the 8K race with a time of 24:44.5, which was 4.6 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher. The first Spartan to win the championship was Aaron

Johnston-Peck in 2004. With this accomplishment, Jaster earned All-UAA honors for the first time in his career.

Additionally, Jaster was named the M-F Athletic National Athlete of the Week by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. He was also named the UAA Athlete of the Week and the Spartan Club Athlete of the Week.

Jaster’s performance led the 20th-

Fourth-year Joe Jaster has had a monumental impact on CWRU’s cross country team since his first year in 2019, when he was among the team’s top seven finishers on four occasions. Courtesy of CWRU Athletics

ranked men’s team to an overall third place finish at the championship hosted by Emory University in Hampton, Georgia. This marked the fifth top-three finish at the conference championships in program history. CWRU recorded 80 points, finishing behind 10th-ranked Emory (48) and ninth-ranked Carnegie Mellon University (64).

Fourth-year Jack Begley also earned All-UAA honors, the second of his career, with an eighth place finish in 24:59.5. Fourth-year Robert St. Clair finished 21st (25:28.2) while secondyear Aidan Nathan came in 22nd (25:29.0). To top off the scoring Spartans, fourth-year Logan Singer placed 28th (25:40.4).

Third-year Stephen Henry placed 30th (25:45.0), fourth-year Liam O’Reilly finished 38th (25:54.3), fourth-year Spencer Weigand came in 49th (26:28.6) and third-year Arjun Thillairajah placed 51st (26:32.5).

The women’s team came in fifth after finishing with 133 points. Firstranked University of Chicago won the meet with a score of 36. Seventhranked University of Washington in St. Louis came in second (46) while 23rdranked New York University came in third (78). Emory’s Annika Urban won with a time of 21:14.4.

First-years Ashley Novak and Lauren Iagnemma were CWRU’s top finishers, just missing the all-UAA honors in the 6K championship race. Novak completed the distance with a season-

best time of 22:37.1 for 15th place out of 75 runners. Iagnemma came in 22:41.5 for 16th. The duo performed well in comparison to the rest of their class, being the third and fourth firstyear runners to cross the finish.

Third-year Grace Jackson finished 29th (23:11.5) to come in third for the Spartans. Fourth-year Julia Kocherzat ran a season-best of 23:18.0 for 33rd.

Fourth-year Catherine Phillips rounded out the top-five CWRU finishers with a 54th place finish (24:00.1).

Fourth-year Melissa Phung finished 57th (24:06.9), first-year Julia Hluck came in 60th (24:11.9), third-year Jessica Kwasney placed 64th (24:29.1) while first-year Anna Avila came in 70th (25:04.4).

18 members of the men’s team and 15 of the women’s received UAA Fall All-Academic Honors, awarded to student-athletes who carry a minimum GPA of 3.300. 89 CWRU athletes received this honor, including 19 from the women’s soccer team, 18 from the men’s soccer team and 19 from the volleyball team.

The Spartans will complete their regular season on Friday, Nov. 4 at the Wooster Twilight 5K race hosted by the College of Wooster. Qualifying runners will compete in the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Championship in Holland, Michigan on Nov. 12. Top performers will go on to the NCAA Division III Championship in Lansing, Michigan on Nov. 19.

Scores and Upcoming Games Men’s Soccer

Women’s Soccer

CWRU vs Rochester (10/28) - W 2-1 CWRU vs Emory (10/30) - W 1-0

CWRU vs Rochester (10/28) - T 2-2 CWRU vs Emory (10/30) - W 1-0

CWRU vs CMU (11/5)

CWRU vs CMU (11/5)

Wrestling

Swimming & Diving

CWRU vs Adrian Invitational (11/5)

CWRU at Rochester (11/5)

Women’s Basketball

Men’s Basketball

CWRU vs Waynesburg (11/8) CWRU vs Mt. St. Joseph (11/11)

CWRU vs Denison (11/8) CWRU vs Oberlin (11/11)

Football

Volleyball

CWRU vs Alleghany (10/29) - W 54-7

CWRU vs Wooster (10/29) - W 2-1

CWRU at Westminster (11/5)

CWRU vs Emory (11/4) - UAA Championship