April 10, 2015 by The Daily Princetonian

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Friday april 10, 2015 vol. cxxxix no. 44

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U N I V E R S I T Y A F FA I R S

U. President’s email sparks discussion

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In Opinion Columnist Zeena Mubarak discusses what is wrong with Urban Congo and columnist Maxwell Grear takes a look at cultural appropriation. PAGE 3

By Jessica Li staff writer

Today on Campus 4:00 p.m.: A “Consulting 101 seminar , with global management firm Oliver Wyman. Frist Campus Center Multi-Purpose Room C.

The Archives

April 10, 1946 Faculty wives organized an evening study break for undergraduate wives. Activities included bridge and discussion of art, music and literature.

PRINCETON By the Numbers

The number of bikes currently located at Princeton Station as part of the bike share program.

got a tip? Email it to: tips@dailyprincetonian.com

News & Notes Yale environmental activist group threatened with arrest after sit-in

Nineteen members of Fossil Free Yale were fined and threatened with arrest after a day-long sit-in on Yale’s campus, according to the Yale Daily News. On April 9, 48 members of Fossil Free Yale entered Woodbridge Hall in the morning to begin the daylong sit-in. Later that afternoon, approximately 150 people gathered around Woodbridge Hall and formed a human chain to advocate for the divestment of Yale’s endowment from fossil fuels. The Yale Police Department Chief Ronnell Higgins issued a 5 p.m. deadline for the protestors to disperse, threatening those who did not with arrest. Nineteen students refused to leave the hall even after the deadline, and they were issued “infraction tickets” by the police. Infraction tickets do not appear on Department of Justice criminal records. Some students who remained in the building after multiple notifications to leave were individually arrested by the police. Chelsea Watson, a sophomore who is the communications director for Fossil Free Yale, said that though other schools have witnessed sit-ins, Yale is the first to arrest any student.

ANNA MAZARAKIS:: CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Students gather in Frist for the release of the annual Dodgeball Tournament brackets on Thursday. LOCAL NEWS

U. aims to expand bike sharing program, increase number of bike stations By Zaynab Zaman staff writer

The University is planning a potential expansion of its bike sharing program by cooperating with the township and increasing the amount of bike stations both on campus and in the community, University Director of Community and Regional Affairs Kristin Appelget said. The bike sharing program was launched in November to coincide with the opening of the new Princeton Station. The University worked to implement the program with Zagster, a company focused on providing bike-sharing solutions for its clients that has brought similar programs to over 40 other universities. There are currently 10 bikes in the covered bike parking located adjacent to Princeton Station, Appelget said. When renting a bike for the first time, riders must sign up for an annual membership for $20. After paying the fee, riders

get two hours of free bike use and then pay two dollars for every subsequent hour, according to Appelget. She added that the program essentially provides commuters, people who are visiting the campus and general station users with easy access to bikes. The expansion of this program is likely because the University’s municipal partners are very excited about the launch of the program, according to Appelget. “By the end of the summer we’ll potentially be able to look at ridership numbers and hopefully we can begin planning for an expansion of the program in cooperation with the community,” Appelget said, noting that no changes have yet been made. Appelget explained that throughout the winter months, the University was working with the Princeton municipality’s engineering department on the project. The town is drafting a grant application See BIKES page 3

LOCAL NEWS

Save the Dinky raises awareness of memorandum outlining U.’s intentions By Zoe Toledo staff writer

Save the Dinky, a local nonprofit group, is raising awareness of Dinky ridership by calling attention to a past agreement signed in 2011 by representatives of Princeton Borough, Princeton Township and the University. The document, titled “Memorandum of Understanding” outlines the University’s intentions to work with both the Borough and the Township, stating that if the proposed zoning agreements within the Memorandum are approved, any subsequent changes made by the University will be reviewed and voted upon in a public hearing led by the planning board. The University and the municipalities also agreed to establish a joint task force that

would be called the Alexander Street/University Place Transit Task Force. However, Anita Garoniak, president of Save the Dinky, said she questions how the University will fulfill promises stated in the MOU. “The MOU was suppose to promote Dinky ridership and nothing has been done to do that,” Garoniak said. Director of Community and Regional Affairs Kristin Appelget said the University has been upholding all aspects of the agreement. “Many of the items that are outlined in the agreement have already been achieved,” Appelget said. ”It is important to remember that the agreement was struck in 2011 and much progress has been made since then. A great deal of See DINKY page 2

University President Christopher Eisgruber ’83 sent an email to all undergraduate students on Thursday inviting them to a gathering on Sunday to discuss the recent controversies over Urban Congo and the selection of Big Sean as the Lawnparties headliner that sparked widespread discussion on campus. “We owe it to ourselves to do better, to be better, and to embrace all the members of our community with respect and with genuine appreciation for the perspectives they bring,” Eisgruber wrote in his email. “We must treat individuals, groups, and cultures with the dignity they deserve; we must not traffic in stereotypes.” Minutes after Eisgruber’s email, Vice Provost for Institu-

tional Equity and Diversity Michele Minter sent an email asking for student input, and she referenced resources on campus that students could draw on for both the issues of Big Sean and Urban Congo. She also expressed her anger at students’ verbal indiscretions over social media about these issues. “I am appalled by the offensive exchanges about these matters and other campus controversies on Yik Yak and elsewhere, particularly those targeting fellow students directly,” she wrote. ”This has no place in our community and degrades our campus climate.” Student opinions about the emails varied. Some supported Eisgruber’s email and drew attention to the fact that the he involved himself See EMAIL page 3

ONE NATION UNDER GOD

RACHEL KESSLER :: CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Kevin Kruse talks about his new book, “One Nation Under God: How Corporate America Invented Christian America,” in Labyrinth Bookstore on Thursday. STUDENT LIFE

Emerson GS hit by car while crossing Washington Road, in stable condition By Jasmine Wang associate news editor

Nyssa Emerson GS, a graduate student in the chemistry department, was struck by a 2008 Toyota Prius Wednesday night while crossing Washington Road, according to a press release published by the Princeton Police Department. Twenty-year-old Steven Cruz, the driver of the Prius, was alone in the car as it approached the marked crosswalk on Washington Road, south of Ivy Lane, at approximately 9:32 p.m. Emerson said that she had gone to Frist Campus Center to get a cup of coffee beforehand before returning to the chemistry department. “I think on one side of the road, a car had stopped for me, and so I entered just a crosswalk and it seemed clear, but the other car didn’t stop, and hit me,” Emerson said of the last thing she remembered

about the accident. Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad transported Emerson, who suffered critical injuries, to Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Trenton, N.J. The Prius, which sustained damage to the front end and windshield, was towed, according to the press release. The officer investigating the accident, Patrolman Marshall Provost, who was also assisted by the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office Serious Collision Response Team, is preparing charges against the driver, PPD Lieutenant Robert Currier said. Currier added that there were no updates as of Thursday afternoon. Cruz and Provost could not be reached for comment. Although Emerson has no brain or spinal injury, she has broken bones and said she is in a lot of pain. She said she would remain under hospital care for several more days, although full recovery will take around

three months. “I think it’s important that they do something about that crosswalk because it’s happened to me multiple times before where I’ll be in the middle of it, and cars won’t stop for me,” Emerson said. “They need to do something about making cars comply with their rules of the road, illuminating it better. I don’t think I did anything wrong.” Thomas Morrell GS, Emerson’s colleague at the Haw Yang Lab at the University, said that the crosswalk on Washington Road has been an issue for a while, at least for graduate students. Morrell, also a member of the Graduate Student Government, said the issue of lighting at the crosswalk has been raised before at meetings with the administration and Facilities. Previously, the crosswalk at Washington Road had warning lights embedded into the road See CAR ACCIDENT page 2

The Daily Princetonian

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Save the Dinky denied booth at Communiversity, continues legal efforts DINKY

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the agreement had information about items that were to be included in the design and construction of the station.” The University promotes Dinky ridership for faculty, staff and graduate students through New Jersey Transit programs and campus reimbursement programs, according to Appelget. She added that the University is working with a subcommittee within the town’s public transit committee to explore options to promote Dinky ridership within the town. “We need to find ways to incentivize people who use the train on a regular basis and that a focus of our work would be to sustain regular ridership,”

Appelget said. ”Sporadic eventdriven ridership I don’t believe are the types of programs we would be focusing on. We need to be incentivizing those who use mass transit on a regular basis.” She added that no formal programs have been launched to date. One amenity that has been established for individuals who use the Dinky is a bike sharing program, which the University is considering expanding. Ten bikes are designated at the train station as part of a pilot program for a bike sharing program, according to Appelget. In addition to the bike sharing program, the University has scheduled a TigerTransit system to provide a shuttle bus system for Dinky users during peak community hours, which

will continue to be in effect, Appelget said. Appelget said that the committee and the University will work together to find an answer to increasing Dinky ridership as well as work with New Jersey Transit to identify who the potential riders are in town. According to Garoniak, Save the Dinky is eager to see the final presentation from the task force, which will present its final report later this month. Graduate Student Government president Akshay Mehra GS said graduate students who often frequent the Dinky are in a unique situation, as they work here on campus but a vast majority of them live off campus. Access to the Dinky station from Lawrence, Butler or Stanworth apartments is difficult for graduate students because they have to take into consid-

eration the additional amount of time to walk there, Mehra added. “There isn’t a good transportation system that serves graduate housing on the weekend,” Mehra said. “If you improve our ability to get to the Dinky the more likely we are to use it.” The significance of the Dinky to graduate students is that it provides a way for graduate students to interact with communities outside of the University. “We are located at Princeton but we have ties outside of Princeton and the Dinky is a great way to make Princeton not feel like an isolated town,” Mehra said. Anita Garoniak said the Arts Council of Princeton notified the organization on April 9 that Save the Dinky will not have a booth at Communiversity,

an event which aims to bring together artists, crafters, merchants, live entertainment, food vendors and non-profit organizations. Garoniak said that people do often search for Save the Dinky at Communiversity. “We are a local organization; we are one of the in-town non profits, probably the only one that has a current grievance with the University,” Garoniak said. ”It was nice balance to have us there at Communiversity for people to come to the table and take our materials and updates on the two litigations that are still pending and receive information about mass transit.” Jeff Nathanson, executive director of the Arts Council of Princeton, said that Save the Dinky would have been able to have a booth at Communiver-

sity if there had been space. “There is no principle at work or political agenda,” Nathanson said. “[It’s] because we had community groups looking for space that had given us proposals that added value to the event and had very significant contributions to the community.” Save the Dinky still has two cases pending and will continue to have an education and watchdog role involving transportation, according to Garoniak. “We still think that the relocation of the Dinky was the biggest policy mistake that our community made since the relocation of the Dinky in 1918,” Garoniak said. ”The only difference now, as opposed to then, is we understand the environmental value of convenient mass transportation.”

Lights at Washington Road crosswalk were broken, says Morrell GS CAR ACCIDENT Continued from page 1

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surface that would flash and warn approaching cars of pedestrians, according to Morrell. He said that the lights broke but were never replaced. “I don’t know exactly what Facilities was thinking there,” he said. “But that’s, I think, one of the most frustrating things about this case — the fact that that crosswalk really is not as safe as it could be, and so I think it’s important not only for people to be aware that, yes the crosswalk is dangerous, but

in the future, that the University really should think about what’s the best way to improve visibility if there are pedestrians crossing.” Morrell said he did not think the accident was exclusively a graduate student issue. “It could have easily been an undergrad or a faculty member,” Morrell said. Members of the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office Serious Collision Response Team, the Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad and Capital Health Regional Medical Center did not respond to requests for comment.

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Eisgruber ’83 calls for U. gathering in light of recent campus controversies EMAIL

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in the discussion. Undergraduate Student Government president Ella Cheng ’16 said that she is pleased to see a response from the administration. “I’m happy that they issued a response this time around,” she said. ”In the past, there’s criticism for the administration of not being responsive or silent on important conversations on campus. I think what’s important is that we ensure that we respect each other when we have these conversations and debates.” Cheng is a former staff writer for The Daily Princetonian. USG social chair Simon Wu ’17 said that he supports the upcoming discussion because he thinks every student’s voice should be heard. He added that the artist selection cannot be changed at this point anyways. “With respect to directly affecting the choice of the spring Lawnparties act, it’s kind of impractical for us to be closing on a contract now,” he explained, citing that Big Sean was selected in January. However, other students said they did not think Eisgruber’s

email was well thought-out, verging on racist and offensive. Ifunanya Nwogbaga ’18 said he believed that Eisgruber overlooked the severity of the issue in the email and had “the wrong message.” “I could see how Eisgruber’s message was really not totally appropriate. It’s kind of implying that the things that have been happening are okay and that they need to be discussed, when really they should not be happening at all,” he said, Nwogbaga added that Eisgruber should have acknowledged that the Urban Congo incident offended black students in particular. “[Eisgruber] was very removed in his tone and he wrote it in a very objective way,” Sadiki Wiltshire ’17 said. “The email wasn’t exactly compassionate to everyone offended by Urban Congo.” Brandon Holt ’15 expressed his anger that Eisgruber undermined racism as a controversy that is “fundamental to the life of any great University” in his email while students are still experiencing alienation and harm. According to Holt, by alluding to freedom of speech, Eisgruber seemed to have justified racism under guidelines of academic freedom.

Holt is also a former member of the Daily Princetonian Editorial Board. “Students are experiencing pain and depression because of racism, something certainly not necessary or ‘fundamental’ to campus lives,” Holt said. ”This certainly does not make me feel welcomed. There are certainly limits of speech.” Destiny Crockett ’17 said that she believed the issues of Urban Congo and Big Sean should have been addressed separately. “I guess my big problem was that he conflated the two issues but asides from that, that he excused racism as something satirical, students on campus as being humorous. He went on to defend hate speech as scholarly discourse, which is in essence, racist, because it’s dismissive of the feelings of students of color,” Crockett said. ”This says to me that he doesn’t understand these two issues as in some ways unrelated, but deserving of time and attention in and of themselves.” The discussion led by Eisgruber will take place on Sunday at 2 p.m. in the University Chapel. Associate news editor Ruby Shao contributed reporting.

Town drafting grant application to add new bike sharing stations BIKES

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and preparing to submit it in the coming weeks. “The hope is that if they’re successful in that grant application, then they would be able to establish additional bike share locations in the town that creates a network,” Appelget said, adding that the University would fund the construction of two locations in such a scenario to increase the prominence of the entire system. Peter Yao ’16, a student mechanic at Cyclab, said that he supports the expansion of bike sharing stations both on cam-

pus and in the community. “I think it’d be great for the students and also for the staff and faculty who might come from town to work, for them to have that option to go back and forth,” he said. ”I think if they do it well, a bike sharing program would probably be the best way to get around Princeton.” Yao said that when people buy bikes, they typically only use them for one or two hours a day, a waste considering that many other people may have needed them during the rest of the day. In terms of efficiency and convenience, bike sharing is the best option, Yao said.

There is only one bike sharing station in town, located at the Princeton Station, and it is primarily designated for individuals who are coming to campus by train or generally using the station, Appelget said. She added that if the University is able to partner with the town to create additional locations in the community, then a more robust bike sharing program will be formed. “I’m very excited for this expanded program because these bikes are going to be available for so many more people, and they’re going to be so much more efficient for people who are trying to get to all these places,” Jason West ’18 said.

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On Yik Yak, Facebook and Racism at the University

EDITORIAL

Music and Misogyny

columnist

Ryan Dukeman is a sophomore from Westwood, Mass. He can be reached at rdukeman@princeton. edu.

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{ www.dailyprincetonian.com }

Ryan Dukeman

s a recent re-adopter of Yik Yak and a (not so) proud Facebook procrastinator, I, like the rest of campus, have witnessed the explosion of social media discussion of racism on campus over the last few days. In fact, I am myself contributing “yet another Op-Ed complaining about racism,” as one angry Yak put it. However, despite the onslaught of opinions that have been voiced in light of recent events, it is a discussion worth having. One of the biggest problems in this discussion, however, has been the tendency for both sides to try to limit or delegitimize the speech of others, rather than rebut or respond to it. Declaring an argument “too offensive to be had,” rather than winning it, is as unproductive as declaring that those who claim offense at the actions of Urban Congo are “butthurt,” and everyone would do well to engage in dialogue: convince the other side, don’t silence it. I would be remiss not to acknowledge that, as someone who has never had to live under systemic race-based inequality, there is little I can substantively contribute to this discussion, compared to others who have. Yet the ease and frequency with which some members of this campus community — most of whom look like me — have dismissed legitimate claims of overt and/or structural racism in recent days embarrasses me to my core, and I feel compelled to try to counter it, if only in one short column. This dismissal of discussions of race is by no means universal: as with many other problems, it is likely the result of a small but loud minority. Perhaps the bright spot of Yik Yak in the past few days was when an Urban Congo performer yakked what I felt was a sincere apology to the community for irresponsible and offensive behavior. Obviously, an apology can’t undo the damage of the act that was committed in the first place, but amid a stream of Yaks complaining about people complaining about racism, it was a welcome bright spot. That said, dismissing the discussion is an unproductive response that moves us nowhere — even if the “discussion” in question is a one-sided Facebook post intended to be an echo chamber for like-minded commenters to competitively agree with each other and the original poster. There are a lot of pedantic words I could use to critique this campus’s dismissal of racism. For instance, in dismissing people’s claims to offense, victimhood or injustice without hearing first their merits, one delegitimizes the potential for dialogue that is critical for progress to be achieved. Or I could say that the ease with which people have dismissed claims of injustice reflects the very position of ingrained, structured privilege they themselves hold. But I won’t do that. Instead, I’ll just say that I think it’s rude and goes contrary to the tenets of a classical liberal education. This is not to say that I think everyone has to agree with what’s said, but dismissing an argument rather than winning it or even contending with it is at best small-minded. So while it may be annoying to some to “have to” read Yik Yaks or Facebook posts about racism at Princeton, it is nothing in comparison with actually having to live under a systemically racist system — at the University or elsewhere in America. In the former case, one can simply exit Facebook or Yik Yak and move on with one’s life, no longer having to think about racism or those who point out its continued existence. We can only wish that one could simply “exit” and “move on from” racism in the same way. Our campus would be a better place if discussions of racial injustice became just that: discussions. One-sided Facebook posts aren’t real discussions. However, dismissing the substance behind them rather than grappling with it, and (dis)agreeing based on the merits of the claim, is even less a form of real discussion and treats these issues childishly. The most interesting facet of this explosion of discussion on social media was the degree to which both sides talked past each other and even advocated limiting the other side’s freedom of speech that is a bedrock of academic inquiry, rather than engage with them. If the other side is being “oversensitive,” “butthurt” or offensive, then prove your side better by responding constructively; rebut their points instead of declaring them too offensive to be spoken. The way to convince people isn’t to take away their freedom of speech, and the way to move Princeton past BuzzFeed headline articles about racism and toward a productive progression towards greater equality and acceptance isn’t to belittle your opponents or silence them — it’s to show them why they’re wrong. We would all do better, in this debate as with others, to recognize that antagonizing your opponent does nothing compared to convincing them.

Opinion

Friday april 10, 2015

ince it went live on Sunday, the petition to have Big Sean dropped as the Lawnparties main act has fueled an intense debate within the student body. The Editorial Board supports the discussion about misogyny in music and the role the campus community has in perpetuating it; however, the Board thinks that the petition’s focus on the Undergraduate Student Government should be expanded to a more holistic critique of campus culture in general. Instead of looking to blame USG president Ella Cheng ’16 and social chair Simon Wu ’17, the Board thinks that those who have signed the petition should look at the campus community and the choices that have led to his invitation, as well as the role that music with derogatory lyrics plays in our social lives. The announcement of Big Sean as the main act for Lawnparties was initially greeted very favorably. Pictures printed in The Daily Princetonian showed elated students celebrating a musical act whose music is frequently played on the radio and danced to on the Street. Given this, the Board cannot entirely fault USG for its choice. Without knowing the other options USG had, it is clear that the choice it made was intended to satisfy its mandate to bring the

most popular act to campus. As the reaction to previous main acts has shown, USG is under constant pressure to find acts that are not only affordable, but also popular and well known. It is clear that Big Sean is both. It is hard to entirely fault USG for carrying out the mission to find popular artists that the students have repeatedly asked it to complete given that students have complained when past acts were not up to their standards. However, given this, the petition does force the campus community to ask some uncomfortable questions about the role of music that contains derogatory lyrics in our campus culture. Given the role that the Street plays in campus social life, an eating club regularly playing Big Sean’s music or music that is equally or more problematic on its dance floor may very well be more exclusionary than USG’s invitation for Big Sean to headline this year’s Lawnparties. The petitioners raise valid points, but we urge both those who sign the petition and those who do not to use this as an opportunity to consider the role that music with degrading lyrics plays in our own lives. The hard truth is that Big Sean does not exist in a vacuum. He is a symptom of a problem that is much larger than music, much larger than

vol. cxxxix

the University and much larger than each of us. Not attending Big Sean’s concert or signing a petition is easy. It can make us feel absolved of personal responsibility in showing solidarity with issues that we care about. Signing a petition or boycotting the concert may be admirable if done for the right reasons, but that alone is hardly enough. Whether you sign the petition or not, the Board encourages you to think about the role music that contains degrading or offensive themes plays in your life. What role does it play in your personal music choices? What role does it play in the parties you attend? What role does it play in the communities you are a part of? More importantly, what role should this music play in those spaces? These are hard questions, but that should not distract the campus community from answering them. Taking meaningful steps to end misogyny on campus does not happen simply by blaming the choices of USG; it happens by examining what the University community chooses to value. The Editorial Board is an independent body and decides its opinions separately from the regular staff and editors of The Daily Princetonian. The Board answers only to its Chair, the Opinion Editor and the Editor-In-Chief.

business manager

EDITORIAL BOARD chair Jeffrey Leibenhaut ’16 Allison Berger ’18 Elly Brown ’18 Thomas Clark ’18 Paul Draper ’18 Daniel Elkind ’17 Theodore Furchgott ’18 James Haynes ’18 Zach Horton ’15 Mitchell Johnston ’15 Wynne Kerridge ’16 Cydney Kim ’17 Daphna Le Gall ’15 Sergio Leos ’17 Carolyn Liziewski ’18 Sam Mathews ’17 Lily Offit ’15 Connor Pfeiffer ’18 Ashley Reed ’18 Aditya Trivedi ’16 Andrew Tsukamoto ’15 Jillian Wilkowski ’15 Kevin Wong ’17

senior copy editors Grace Rehaut ’18 Do-Hyeong Myeong ’17

Lizzie Buehler ’17 ..................................................

news Zaynab Zaman ’18 Olivia Wicki ’18

On Steinem and Big Sean: loving sexist music as a feminist

columnist

editor-in-chief

Matteo Kruijssen ’16

NIGHT STAFF 4.9.15

Fire Safety

Julia Case-Levine

Anna Mazarakis ’16

hen “Blurred Lines” was released in 2013, I found myself in the uncomfortable position of being both captivated by a catchy beat and turned off by lyrics that seemed to condone sexual assault, categorizing consent as a “blurred line.” Ironically, my mom was probably Robin Thicke’s biggest fan. (Her other favorite songs include “My Humps” and “Fergalicious.”) When I half-heartedly objected to her love of the song, she’d protest by saying, “But it’s so good!” The campus debate over backing a musician whose lyrics are satiated with overt sexism has prompted me to reflect on the dilemma I found myself in a few years ago. Does being a feminist preclude me from jamming to songs with lyrics like “I hate these blurred lines/I know you want it”? If so, I am in deep trouble. I have playlists upon playlists teeming with songs boasting questionable lyrics. And even artists not from this decade are culpable for promoting a sexist message. In The Rolling Stones’ “Under My Thumb,” Mick Jagger squeals, “The squirmin’ dog who’s just had her day/ Under my thumb … The way she talks when she’s spoken to/Down to me, the change has come.” The Doors’ “You’re Lost Little Girl” is blatantly patronizing. Even The Beatles’ “Run For Your

Life” describes their intent to assault a woman who defies them — “You better run for your life if you can, little girl/ Hide your head in the sand little girl/ Catch you with another man/That’s the end ah little girl.” What about these songs keeps me listening? Perhaps this speaks to some women-hating impulse I secretly harbor. Or maybe the answer is more simple — inured to sexist music, I have learned to tune out what I don’t want to hear. New York Magazine author Ann Friedman describes this instinct, writing, “there is a huge swath of music that I enjoy by actively disengaging with its lyrics and their political ramifications.” Being outraged is exhausting, and, seeing as we are constantly barraged by misogynistic messages, sometimes it’s easier to simply ignore them so we can enjoy a catchy song. However, something about this approach feels lazy, insufficient, and I’m hesitant to justify consuming sexism simply because sexism exists everywhere. So the question remains: In order to be a “real” feminist do I have to purge myself of these offensive songs? For some reason, I don’t think so. Perhaps this is simply a justification because I don’t want to have to stop listening to my favorite songs. But perhaps there is a constructive way to consume sexist music, as contradictory and incongruous as that might sound. Ellen Willis, The New Yorker’s first popular music critic, sheds light on how one might do this. Willis wrote about rock and roll when it was rampant

with misogyny, but instead of feeling oppressed and subjugated by offensive lyrics, she found herself empowered by the music. She wrote, “Music that boldly and aggressively laid out what the singer wanted, loved, hated — as good rock ’n’ roll did — challenged me to do the same, and so, even when the content was antiwoman, antisexual, in a sense antihuman, the form encouraged my struggle for liberation.” Willis found consuming sexist music did not discourage her political and social ideologies. In fact, in some way the music provoked her to muster her own voice in response, just as boldly and aggressively. Others agree that women-hating music does not by definition lead listeners to hate women. Bustle writer Kristen Sollee debunks the myth that listening to sexist music makes individuals sexist through some sort of osmosis-like process, going as far as saying that individuals can take ownership of music by imposing their own messages on lyrics. She writes, “Once a piece of music is released into the world, it’s my belief that each listener can imbue a work with his or her own meaning, too. That doesn’t erase the original impetus for a song, but it can change it, if only for the individual listener.” As Sollee points out, it is worth noting that we are not fed our opinions through song lyrics, but rather project onto song lyrics our preexisting opinions. Additionally, Sollee speaks to the unproductive nature of censorship, writing, “squashing artistic and creative

expression through censorship laws or restrictions will not make violence against women disappear, nor will it foster a free-thinking society.” Ultimately, I appreciate that we live in a place where we question and remain critically aware of the music we listen to. I applaud the individuals that have spearheaded a movement that has prompted us to consider song lyrics and rape culture. But, like Sollee, I believe that censorship rarely begets change. Prohibiting Big Sean from performing at Lawnparties isn’t going to stop him from producing music and isn’t going to stop a sexist culture from partaking and consuming his music. Refusing individuals a platform in which to present differing and offensive views doesn’t end these opinions. Rather, it just conceals them from our privileged community. Certainly, these beliefs can still flourish elsewhere. Listening to music mindfully does not necessarily implicate us as participants in rape culture; I would go as far as saying that in consciously consuming offensive music we are extended and pushed to see what we usually get to ignore and perhaps provoked to confront our own inner inconsistencies. Some part of me is confident we can listen to sexist lyrics, push back and in doing so even solidify our commitment to equality. Julia Case-Levine is a freshman from New York, N.Y. She can be reached at juliacc@ princeton.edu.

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Men head into weekend on 4-game win streak, women on 3-game streak TENNIS

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over the course of these matches, with senior Zack McCourt at No. 1, sophomore Tom Colautti at No. 2 and sophomore Alex Day at No. 3 leading the pack. On the women’s side, after a slow start, the No. 53 Tigers (9-7, 3-0) have won seven of their last eight matches, including three wins against ranked opponents. Princeton suffered a loss to Dartmouth earlier in the season in the ECAC Invitational. Dartmouth hopes to sweep the season series, the same way Princeton swept the team last season. Princeton, on the other hand, looks to continue its hot streak against Harvard. The Tigers have defeated Harvard five

times in a row. During Ivy League play, they have been quick to jump out to early leads and have claimed the doubles point in all three matches. Intercollegiate Tennis Association singles rankings had senior Lindsay Graff, who plays No. 1 singles for the Tigers, at No. 119. Junior Amanda Muliawan at No. 2 and freshman Katrine Steffensen at No. 4 have also played significant roles in Princeton’s success. Last week, freshmen Diego Vives and Steffensen received Corvias ECAC Division I Metro/Upstate Player of the Week honors for their contributions in sweeping victories last weekend against Brown and Yale. Vives went 2-0 at No. 5 singles while Steffensen went 2-0 at No. 4 singles and 1-0 at third doubles.

DANIELA COSIO :: STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Riding a win streak after starting out the season slow, the women’s tennis team hopes to remain perfect in league play after this weekend.

Softball prepares to do Jordan Lippetz talks corgis, her battle against Columbia secret cookie butter obsession SOFTBALL Continued from page 6

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The Tigers hope to finally capitalize on home field advantage heading into a weekend of heavy Ivy League play. Princeton’s two previous home games were played at nearby Bordentown High School. Playing on campus for the first time this season, the Tigers look to combine festivities and remembrance this weekend. Saturday’s game honors former Kyllo, who unexpectedly passed away from epilepsy early in her freshman year. Friday’s game aims to raise awareness for Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy, with fans encouraged to wear purple. Sunday’s game, on the other hand, will witness a much lighter mood. The Tigers are set to host Youth Softball Day,

which intends to generate excitement for the sport among local youth. Children in attendance will have the opportunity to meet and greet Princeton softball players. The Tigers will also honor the team’s graduating seniors on Sunday. This year’s seniors include pitcher Meredith Brown, infielder Libby Crowe, first/ third baseman Sarah McGowan, infielder/outfielder Rachel Rendina, infielder Alyssa Schmidt and catcher Cara Worden. While the four games this weekend will surely exhaust the Tigers, a full schedule of Ivy League play has only just begun. Following this weekend, Princeton will take on doubleheaders against Penn and Cornell, rounding out the south division. With just a month left in the season, the schedule will surely put the fierce Tigers to test.

ON TAP

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that I could actually run for more than two minutes without passing out. I hate running so that’s probably why I would like to play.

but I think they are the most adorable dogs. I’m super loyal and get randomly happy for no reason and am all over the place, which definitely personifies a Corgi.

DP: What’s your favorite thing about golfing? JL: The course is a really nice escape from daily life, and I for some reason am super concentrated on the course which I’m not in day-to-day life and out on the course everything calms down and I’m able to relax, which is a nice break from daily stresses.

DP: If you were going be stranded on a deserted island with one of your teammates, which one would you choose? JL: That’s hard. I think I would have to go with [senior] Mary Funk. We have a lot in common and we both really love movies, so as long as we had something to watch movies with we would be constantly entertained, and we entertain each other so that would also help as well.

DP: What would you say is your spirit animal? JL: A corgi. Not only have I been told that I’m like a corgi,

DP: What secret obsession do you have that most people wouldn’t know about? JL: Recently it has come to

Men have just 3 games left in season, women have 4 LAX

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greatly from the return of senior attack Erin McMunn. Ivy League Attacker of the Year in 2014, the offensive talisman tallied a hat-trick on only four shots against Maryland. Her classmate, senior midfielder Erin Slifer, has consistently overpowered opponents during her final campaign. Her 23 goals trail only the 29 scored by sophomore midfielder Olivia Hompe. Dartmouth’s Big Green recently pulled off a hard-fought 10-9 overtime win over Cornell, snapping a three-game Big Red winning streak. Should Cornell look to rally this weekend, its top priority will be finding opportunities for attack Lindsey Toppe. Her 33 goals rank third in conference, and her overall production puts her in position to earn a third consecutive first-team all-Ivy selection. Saturday’s game will more than likely feature some offensive fireworks. If Princeton can control possession, its seasoned offensive ground should be able to outpace its rivals. Saddled with three-game losing streak, Tigers travel to Dartmouth No. 13 men’s lacrosse (6-4 overall, 2-1 Ivy League) will likewise look to rebound this weekend, facing an Ivy League rival the team has traditionally dominated. Dartmouth (3-5, 1-2) hosts Princeton in the teams’ 62nd meeting, 53 of which have gone in the Tigers’ favor. However, considering the current form of both sides, no result would surpass expectations. After going a perfect 3-0 in games decided by a single goal, the Tigers finally ended up on the other side of a razor thin margin in a 16-15 Tuesday

night matchup with Lehigh University. A head-scratching 10-13 defeat at Stony Brook University and similarly frustrating 8-10 loss to Brown likewise loom in Princeton’s rearview. Despite having dropped its past three matchups, Princeton still can look optimistically toward the postseason. Its 2-1 conference record is tied for the Ivy League’s second best. The next three weeks, which include the Dartmouth matchup along with tilts against Harvard and Cornell, should give the Tigers sufficient opportunity to ensure an Ivy League tournament bid. On a less optimistic note, the season-ending injury suffered by junior midfielder Jake Froccaro, Ivy League Rookie of the Year in 2012, certainly reduces the dynamism of Princeton’s offense. However, the Tigers

have found themselves in a rut unworthy of their talent and experience. Playing a truly inferior opponent, Princeton should be able to reestablish its offensive rhythm. Last year’s iteration of this rivalry featured signature performances by then-sophomore attackman Ryan Ambler and then-freshman midfielder Zach Currier. Both underclassmen picked up hat-tricks while Ambler added a game-high four assists. Against the Big Green, Currier showed off his prowess on the ground, corralling five ground balls in addition to his four points. With these two players having made even further strides this year, it will be nearly impossible for Dartmouth to contain their offensive production.

Defensive inexperience sits heavily on the Tigers, who start two sophomores and a freshman at close defense. In addition, freshman goalkeeper Tyler Blaisdell earned his first start and loss this past Tuesday. As rough straits as Princeton finds itself in, Dartmouth’s performances of late have been truly disheartening. In consecutive weeks, Cornell and Yale outscored the Big Green by a combined 18-6 margin. On the season, Dartmouth has scored an average of 8.00 goals per contest, a full 1.89 goals less than second-worst Penn (which is in turn 2.11 less than the next lowest total). Saturday’s action is scheduled to commence at 1 p.m. The Ivy League Digital Network will provide a video feed for subscribers.

light that I have an obsession with cookie butter from Trader Joe’s, and there isn’t a Trader Joe’s that’s easily accessible from here so my mom sends it to me in packages, and I think I’ve tried every single type of flavor and flavor combination that they make and it says on the jar that the recommended use is to put on sandwiches or ice cream, but I literally take a spoon and just eat it … It’s really bad. DP: And then the typical on tap question. If the four fingers and thumb on one of your hands were drink dispensers, which drinks would they dispense? JL: Diet Coke, Orangina, Sprite Zero, the passion orange guava stuff in the dining hall and water so I can be healthy. The few times that I choose to.

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On Tap

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On Tap with Jordan Lippetz

By Sydney Mandelbaum associate sports editor

Sophomore Jordan Lippetz, a member of the Princeton women’s golf team, has had a great season so far; after finishing first in the Low Country Intercollegiate at +2, she was just named Division I Women’s Golfer of the Month. The Daily Princetonian sat down with her to talk about concussions, Corgis and cookie butter. The Daily Princetonian: Where are you from, and what’s the best part of being from there? Jordan Lippetz: I’m original-

ly from California by way of Florida, but I call California my home. I lived there for 12 years.

DP: How did you get into playing golf? JL: My middle school that I went to was connected to a high school, and I went out to their practices and fell in love that way. Neither of my parents play golf so they definitely didn’t have any influence on me there. DP: Golf can be a very dangerous sport. Have you ever gotten a concussion? JL: So it’s not actually on the course, but this has been

brought up numerous times by my team and probably anyone who knows people on my team. Last year during spring break I got a concussion from getting into a car. We were with my whole team down in Florida, and I hit my head getting into the car and was out for two months, which is one of the longest concussions that they’ve ever had in the athletics department … DP: If you could be a professional athlete, what sport would you play? JL: Probably soccer because that would mean that I actually enjoyed running and See ON TAP page 5

SYDNEY MANDELBAUM :: ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR

Jordan Lippetz is currently a sophomore hailing from California on the women’s golf team. SOFTBALL

LACROSSE

Tigers enter weekend looking to move up in Ivy League standings By David Liu contributor

This Saturday and Sunday, Princeton softball (10-18 overall, 2-4 Ivy League) will face Columbia (11-17, 5-3) in a twoday double header, pitting Ivy South Division foes together. The teams will play two games each day, opening up an opportunity for Ivy dominance. The weekend matchup also marks the season debut for Princeton’s home 1895 Field, as the Tigers prepare to honor former teammate Khristin Kyllo ’14 and host CHRISTOPHER FERRI :: ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR

With its last league game a loss to Brown, Princeton now hopes to rebound against Dartmouth.

the annual Youth Softball Day. Princeton rides an up-anddown season into the weekend matchup against Columbia. The Tigers have again and again dominated on the field, sweeping Georgetown and the University of North Florida. However, the team also bears the weight of a five-game losing streak, including crucial losses to Harvard. In particular, the Tigers have suffered on the road, maintaining a low 2-13 away record. Overall, Columbia’s season record closely matches that of

Princeton. Statistically, the two teams also closely mirror each other. The Tigers maintain a batting average of 0.225 — compared to Columbia’s 0.229 — and a team ERA of 3.29 — compared to Columbia’s 3.17. However, the Lions have been on a streak as of late, winning seven of their last eight games. Sweeps over Yale and Brown have brought the Lions to the top of the Ivy South Division, which also includes Penn, Princeton and Cornell — ranked in order of record. See SOFTBALL page 5

TENNIS

Tigers head north to continue conference play ByAndrew Steele senior writer

Coming off a defeat at the hands of the top-ranked University of Maryland Terrapins, No. 15 women’s lacrosse (8-3 overall, 3-0 Ivy League) will look to continue to keep its perfect conference record intact this weekend. Cornell (83, 3-1) will host Princeton this Saturday for the teams’ 37th meeting.

The Orange and Black hold an imposing 33-4 all-time advantage in the series which stretches back to 1980. Cornell hopes to reverse the usual trend this season, bringing with it the league’s highest scoring offense (14.82 goals per game) and the third most stout defense (8.20 average goals allowed). Some competitive fire should inspire the Tigers after Tuesday night’s matchup with Maryland slipped out of reach.

Leading the Terrapins 6-4 after the first period, Princeton seemed poised to make a significant statement. For the second straight installment of this series, a first-half advantage would not secure a win. The reigning national champions stormed back, burying the visitors with a 7-0 second-half run that spanned only six and a half minutes. The Tigers have benefited See LAX page 5

BASEBALL DANIELA COSIO :: STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Baseball prepares for back-to-back series against top-ranked Columbia Surging after recent wins, both tennis teams Both the men’s and women’s tennis teams head into this weekend fresh off of victories over Brown and Yale.

By Grant Keating contributor

This weekend, the Princeton baseball team will face off against Columbia in the wake of a loss earlier this week to Monmouth. After a 1-3 record last weekend before dropping the single game against Monmouth, the Tigers stand 2-6 in Ivy League play and 5-21 overall, placing them dead last in their division and tied for last across the league with Yale and Brown. The team will play a critical four-game series Saturday and Sunday with Columbia

and must pick up some wins to make some headway in the rankings. Columbia (16-10, 7-1) is tied with Penn for first overall and first in the Lou Gehrig division of the Ivy League, of which Princeton is a member. Columbia has won seven straight games in the Ivy League, most recently cruising to 11-3 and 8-0 wins over Brown, as well as 16-2 and 9-3 beat downs of Yale. Columbia has a great defense, giving up an average of 4.38 earned runs per game while batting .289. Comparatively, the Tigers are

currently giving up an average of 6.54 earned runs per game, while batting .255. The Tigers have been inconsistent offensively but have shown that they can string together lots of runs in bright moments. It seems that defense and pitching have been the real problem area on the year, something that the Tigers will need to perform well in against a low-scoring Columbia squad. The team’s four games will take place at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 11 and 12 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 12 at Clarke Field.

face Ivy League opponents this weekend By Chris Grubbs contributor

The Princeton tennis teams appear to be getting hot at the perfect time. Both teams are putting their perfect Ivy League records on the line this weekend with matches against Dartmouth and Harvard. On the men’s side, No. 35 Harvard (15-6, 1-1 Ivy League) and No. 54 Dartmouth (9-10, 0-2) will come to Princeton, while on the women’s side,

the team travels to face No. 37 Dartmouth (14-4, 1-1) on Saturday and travels to play unranked Harvard (7-7, 0-2) on Sunday. The No. 30 men’s team (184, 3-0) is a perfect 8-0 at home this season and will face a reeling Dartmouth team that has lost its last four matches. The Harvard team represents a familiar foe for the Tigers, as it has already faced them twice this year in the Eastern College Athletic Conference Champion-

ships and San Diego Hilton Mission Valley Spring Classic. The teams split the two matches earlier this season, so this weekend represents the rubber match between the two teams. Harvard won the first match of the season with a 4-2 victory; the Tigers, however, took the second match 4-3. Over the past three Ivy League matches, the Tigers have been almost unbeatable in singles. They have compiled a 17-1 record See TENNIS page 5

Tweet of the day

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“Today I learned that there are musical clefs besides the treble and bass and it honestly really distressed me like this changes everything”

Read more about the women’s lacrosse team and its quest to stay undefeated in league play. SPORTS PAGE 5

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