The Daily Northwestern Thursday, March 1, 2018
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Locals travel for gun control rally Residents head to Springfield, see legislation pass By CATHERINE HENDERSON
the daily northwestern @caity_henderson
Colin Boyle/Daily Senior Staffer
Former Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott speaks to students Wednesday at the Buffett Institute for Global Studies. Talbott discussed the current U.S. relationship with Russia.
Diplomat talks U.S.-Russia ties
Strobe Talbott examines post-Soviet history, power in Putin era By AMY LI
the daily northwestern
In a Wednesday discussion focused on the United States’ relationship with Russia, former Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott said it is time for reform in Russia. Sponsored by Northwestern University Political Union and Politics & Policy, the talk covered an area of particular expertise for Talbott, who served as deputy
secretary of state during the Clinton administration. Talbott spoke to a crowd of about 40 at the Buffett Institute for Global Studies, and said the Russian government is “keeping a top on a pot that is simmering.” “Your generation will probably bring it to a boil,” he said. Talbott said the lack of order following the downfall of the Soviet Union led to “massive disillusionment” in Russia and a collective willingness to sacrifice freedom for order. This in turn facilitated
Russia’s current circumstances under President Vladimir Putin, he said. The country “has a lot to worry about long term,” as it will enter “a demographic and health crisis” if the basic needs of the country are left unfulfilled, Talbott said. However, Russian authorities have made it difficult for journalists to report on the persistent discontent in the country, he said. “The line on Putin, which I think is not completely true but true enough, is that he is not a
strategic thinker,” Talbott said. “He is an extremely cunning and ruthless tactician.” Talbott first gave the audience an overview of his career path, saying he “chose” journalism as a profession because he thought it would teach him how to see and understand the world and help others do the same. Talbott said he found the skills he accumulated as a reporter very useful in the government. » See TALBOTT, page 6
On Wednesday morning, more than 60 Evanston and Chicago residents hopped on a bus to the State Capitol in Springfield in response to recent gun violence, then watched the Illinois House of Representatives pass six gun control bills. The travellers joined 500 people for a rally organized by the Illinois chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a national organization advocating for what the group calls “common sense” gun control. In the same afternoon, the Illinois House of Representatives passed six gun control measures, banning bump stocks, raising the minimum age to purchase assault weapons from 18 to 21 and creating a gun dealer licensing system, among other reforms. Nina Kavin — co-founder of Dear Evanston, a Facebook page discussing race and inequity in the city — organized a bus that left Evanston at 5 a.m. Kavin said participants visited state Reps. Laura Fine (D-Glenview) and Robyn Gabel (D-Evanston) to thank them for supporting gun
control legislation and joined other protestors for a rally in front of the capitol. Kavin said some participants watched the proceedings as the House voted on gun control measures. “There’s a lot of energy on this bus,” Kavin said. “I feel amazing at the outpouring of support for this bus trip. … You can look at all the people who are out there to support change and progress, and that’s what I saw while organizing this.” Kavin said she was “ecstatic” about the measures passed Wednesday, and that it was a privilege to see the vote the day she was there. Betsy Storm, co-leader of the Evanston chapter of Moms Demand Action, said it was a coincidence the House voted on gun control measures the same day of the rally. She said the organization planned their lobby day months before, but that it was a “present” for the advocates. “Gun violence prevention work is difficult, challenging work,” Storm said. “To see the fruits of your labor … in one day materialize, it’s really reaffirming and nurturing for people who are already in the movement. Second, it helps bring new people to the movement because they can see — particularly younger people — that it’s possible to make change.” » See RALLY, page 6
ETHS students to Women’s Center celebrates 30 years walk out over guns ‘Critical Intersections’ symposium commemorates, looks forward Nationwide gun control protest set for this month By CHRISTOPHER VAZQUEZ
the daily northwestern @bychrisvazquez
When news first broke of a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, Eric Witherspoon had tears streaming down his face. The Evanston Township High School superintendent said that as an educator, hearing of such shootings “just breaks my heart.” “I look into the eyes of these young people every day,” Witherspoon said. “These are and were truly innocent victims, and to think that something as horrendous as this can happen in any school anywhere is absolutely tragic and absolutely heartbreaking.” In response to the shooting, ETHS students will participate in a nationwide student walkout on March 14 to advocate for stricter gun control legislation. ETHS Student Senate has
taken charge of organizing the walkout. Student Senate president Emma Stein said the idea for the demonstration originated from a social media post by the organizers of the national Women’s March calling for a March 14 walkout. Stein said she wanted the Senate to respond to that call. “It’s a good feeling just to take charge and to feel like you’re actually doing something to change the way our country functions,” Stein said. “To reclaim our voices and our worth and safety as students, it’s a really cool feeling.” ETHS junior Trinity Collins, who plans to participate in the walkout, said she has drawn inspiration from watching other teenage gun control advocates across the nation. Collins said that by participating in the walkout with other ETHS students, she hopes to demonstrate the student body’s unity on the issue. “As a high school student, I’ve been told I can’t make change or we’re too young to do anything,” Collins said, “But seeing these young activists has been great to witness.” » See WALKOUT, page 6
Serving the University and Evanston since 1881
By RACHEL KUPFER
the daily northwestern @rachkupfer
To celebrate 30 years on Northwestern’s campus, the Women’s Center hosted a “Critical Intersections” symposium Wednesday to commemorate past achievements and look forward to the Center’s future. The symposium was based on Kimberlé Crenshaw’s feminist concept of intersectionality, the idea that a person’s experiences cannot be defined by any singular identity. The theme was chosen to reflect the intersection between the histories of the Center and the University, Women’s Center director Sekile Nzinga-Johnson said in her opening remarks. Additionally, Nzinga-Johnson told The Daily she hoped attendees would explore the intersections among intellectual, political and community work because they are applicable to all spheres of the Center’s operation. “Women’s centers have always had an intellectual history and a political history because we’ve had to fight to actually even get on campuses,” Nzinga-Johnson
Rachel Kupfer/The Daily Northwestern
Sociology Prof. Hector Carrillo speaks Wednesday at the Women’s Center symposium. The event, which was themed “Critical Intersections,” brought faculty and alumni to speak in honor of the Center’s 30th anniversary.
said. “Community building, intellectual engagement and having this political lens, which for me … is a feminist lens. I think all of those actually operate together.” The symposium began with a faculty panel in the morning that featured Pritzker Prof. Destiny Peery; Feinberg Prof. Francesca Gaiba, the associate director of the Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health; sociology
Prof. Hector Carrillo; and history Prof. Tessie Liu, a past director of the Gender and Sexuality Students Program. In her introductory speech, Peery highlighted how social media has made it easier for marginalized community members, especially everyday people who aren’t scholars or industry leaders, to use their voices. It is also important for the NU community to be actively
involved with the problems being worked on and theorized about, Peery said. “That means not just sitting in the room or on this campus. It means going out and engaging,” Peery said. “If you want to change policy or you want to change law or something like that, you need the people who are a part of that to be at the table.” » See SYMPOSIUM, page 6
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