April 24, 2019 by The Daily Princetonian

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Wednesday April 24, 2019 vol. CXLIII no. 53

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STUDENT LIFE

Students protest Title IX office at Firestone Plaza

University community holds interfaith vigil for Sri Lanka

By Emily Spalding Senior Writer

By Sarah Hirschfield and Walker Stamps Head Video Editor and Contributor

See SRI LANKA page 2

CLAIRE THORNTON FOR THE DAILY PRINCETONIAN

The protest was organized by organized by a group of students who either have personal experience with the Title IX office on campus or knew someone who has. F E AT U R E S

The Bouncer Profiles: Nick DeStefano By Sam Shapiro Head Features Editor

When he checks your prox at the front door of Ivy Club, Nick DeStefano may come off as intimidating. He’s a self-described “big guy,” with a muscular, sturdy build and a certain aura of confidence. On a Saturday afternoon, sitting down for an interview at Starbucks, DeStefano holds his venti iced coffee cup with a strong grip. He takes his coffee milky and sweet, with a few pumps of vanilla; less than an hour earlier, during his first time at Small World Coffee, he

ordered an iced vanilla latte. Within a few minutes of conversation, DeStefano’s confidence remains, but his intimidation fades. Often breaking out into a huge smile, it is apparent that he’s as sweet as his coffee. It is also a good thing that he likes his caffeinated beverages: he’s got a long night ahead, working later from 10 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. at Ivy Club. DeStefano is used to these hours. He’s been doing security since he was 19 years old, starting at clubs in downtown Trenton. At the time, he was already working two jobs, but was looking for another source of in-

ON CAMPUS

come. A friend introduced him to a security gig at a nightclub, and he enjoyed it, since working at the front door had its perks. Apart from solid pay, the job brought decent live music acts and an exciting atmosphere. “You get to go out and get paid for it,“ he said. The job also entailed occasional personal security gigs for somewhat famous celebrities, such as Beenie Man and The Smithereens. But working security was far from easy. “I’ve seen some stuff,” laughed Destefano. “I’ve been shot at, I’ve had knifes

ZOYA GAUHAR / THE DAILY PRINCETONIAN

New York Times bestselling author, and University alumnus, T.A. Barron ’74, is the author of over 30 bestselling books, including the Merlin Saga.

Author T.A. Barron ’74 encourages students to ‘live their life as a story’ The New York Times best-selling author and University alumnus T.A. Barron ’74 delivered a lecture on Tuesday, April 23, centering his talk on how students can learn to live a meaningful life. Barron is the author of over 30 best-selling books, including the acclaimed “Merlin” saga. He graduated from Princeton

In Opinion

See BOUNCER page 5

Michelle Obama ’85, six faculty elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences Staff Writer

Contributor

pulled. I’ve confiscated a full clip off of a gentleman. The weirdest thing I ever confiscated was a skewer fork.” Week after week, DeStefano put himself at physical risk, unsure of what the night would entail. Some weeks, there were crowds breaking furniture, and extremely violent drunks. There were countless people who would refuse to leave the club at the end of the night. “One of the more dangerous ones was high on PCP — he didn’t feel anything,” DeStefano recalled. “It took

BEYOND THE BUBBLE

By David Veldran

By Zoya Gauhar

See TITLE IX page 2

University in 1974, winning the M. Taylor Pyne Prize, and went onto to study at Oxford as a Rhode scholar. In a conversation with The Daily Princetonian, Barron stated he hoped the lecture would deliver his “sincere, heartfelt wish that they [students] can realize that they can see their life as a story — a story in which they are the author, and to tell it with passion and courage.” Barron began the lecture by

Contributing columnist Khadijah Anwar invites readers to stand against cultural oppression and oppose the “English-only” movement, and contributing columnist Jasman Singh discusses the trend of homogeneous friend-groups on campus. PAGE 6

encouraging students, especially seniors finishing their final semester at the University, to take a walk down Prospect Gardens and touch the bark of the Dawn Rosewood tree. He asked that they imagine it growing in Tibet, its place of origin. This served as an opening to his lecture, centered around nature, and telling stories. Barron went on to say that while he is always impressed at See BARRON page 2

Today on Campus

The University announced last week that six faculty members and several alumni were elected to the Academy of Arts and Sciences. The faculty included Kathryn Edin, Brian Kernighan GS ’69, Sara McLanahan, Judith Weisenfeld GS ’92, Virginia Zakian, and visiting research scholar Candis Callison. Among University alumni were Michelle Obama ’85, Mitchell Daniels Jr. ’71, and Clare Yu ’79, GS ’84. The 2019 members include more than 200 people, according to the Academy’s website. Since its founding in 1780, it has honored leaders across a variety of disciplines. Inductees have included names such as Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, and Martin Luther King, Jr. The six University faculty members inducted this year come from a range of fields. Callison is the Pathy Distinguished Visitor in Canadian Studies and serves in the Humanities Council as a visiting

7:30 p.m.: Princeton Triangle Club will presents “Making Music on Sesame Street with Joe Fiedler.” Sesame Street music director & arranger Joe Fiedler will take you behind the scenes. Woolworth Building Room 102

research scholar. She focuses on a wide range of topics such as journalism, the environment, and media. Edin is a professor in the Department of Sociology and the Wilson School and co-director of the Bendheim-Thoman Center for Research on Child Wellbeing (CRCW). She researches poverty and welfare. “Our culture is to recognize individuals. But our accomplishments are due to the teams [we] collaborate with,” Edin wrote in an email to The Daily Princetonian. “I would like to acknowledge my exceptional co-authors, staff, and students, to whom the honor belongs.” McLanahan co-directs the CRCW with Edin and is the William S. Tod Professor of Sociology and Public Affairs. Judith Weisenfeld researches religious history in America and is the Agate Brown and George L. Collord Professor of Religion. “I am deeply honored to have been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and for the Academy’s members’ recognition of the See AAAS page 3

WEATHER

Every chair was filled, with students waiting outside, as the community came together to pray and reflect on the bombings in Sri Lanka. Reverend Dr. Alison L. Boden, Dean of Religious Life and the Chapel, expressed her concern that the vigil held for the tragedy of the New Zealand mosque attack was only a few weeks prior. She urged the vigil-goers to “come together in this space” and that during the vigil there might be times of quiet reflection and solidarity. She was followed by Sri Lankan student Mahishan Gnanaseharan ’20, who remarked on the previous tragedies in Sri Lanka, such as the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and the decades-long civil war that ravaged the country. He then delivered a poem entitled “What Have we Lost,” written in response to the Sri Lankan Civil War, in both Tamil and English. Father Gabe Zeis, the chaplain for the Aquinas Institute, said that Sri Lanka hosts many religious groups. “Part of my community, the Franciscan community, is there, in Colombo,” he said. The family of one of the Franciscan friars who lives close to the basilica was attacked, he said. “We pray for them,” he continued. “It tears hearts apart.

Amid the students, campus tour groups, and community members strolling about the Firestone Library Plaza on Tuesday afternoon, a student wearing only his underwear lay sprawled on the concrete. A black bag covered his face, and the words “Title IX Protects Rapists” were emblazoned on his torso in black ink. “This is, I think, more of an aggressive statement,” said Camille Liotine ’20, one of the protest organizers. “A flyer won’t get that kind of attention.” The protest, which utilized the slogan “Princeton Protects Rapists,” was organized

by a group of students who have either personally interacted with the Title IX office on campus or know someone who has. The intention of the demonstration, according to Liotine, was to contribute to dialogue about the treatment of students involved in Title IX cases at the University. “There have been growing concerns for quite some time that the Title IX office on campus is grossly mistreating students’ cases and are not providing justice to as many students as they need to be,” Liotine said. “We’re really trying to bring awareness to the wrongdoings of this office, and we’re trying to speak to the administration and tell them that they need to change

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The demonstration had the slogan ‘Princeton Protects Racists’ TITLE IX

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how their office is operating on campus.” The two-hour demonstration is one of several incidents that have occurred this month relating to activism against the Title IX office. During Princeton Preview earlier this month, graffiti messages that read “Title IX protects rapists” and “Fuck Title IX” were found in Prospect Gardens. More recently, graffiti reading “Princeton protects rapists” was written on the walk outside of Dillon Gymnasium. The concrete tile on which the graffiti was written was later removed. “They were very direct in addressing the problem that exists. And I think that directness was required in order to

get the attention of the University and actually have them take action rather than continuing to ignore this problem for further years,” said Zoe Zeitler ’20, a protest attendee, in response to the messages on campus leading up to the protest. As part of the two-hour protest, Liotine delivered a personal statement describing the motivations for the protests and requesting the University to make changes to the way in which it handles Title IX cases. “I’m very happy that she spoke her mind and that she is telling everyone very publicly about this problem and her personal experience,” Zeitler said about Liotine’s statement. “It usually takes a personal voice, a personal perspective, to really show people the significance and the weight and the importance of this issue.”

In an email to The Daily Princetonian following the protest, Deputy University Spokesperson Michael Hotchkiss expressed the University’s support for the protest. “We respect the rights of all members of the University community to share their views on important issues such as this,” Hotchkiss wrote. “Sexual misconduct is deeply disturbing, and we hope students feel comfortable seeking the support that they need through the SHARE office and/or the Title IX disciplinary process.” Hotchkiss added that, “although the circumstances of every sexual misconduct matter are different, the campus community should be assured that allegations are investigated thoroughly.” “Complainants have extensive rights, including the right

of appeal, and discipline is imposed in many cases,” Hotchkiss wrote. “Information about investigations, the rights of parties involved in cases and disciplinary outcomes is available online at https://sexualmisconduct.princeton.edu.” Jarrett Fisher, Associate Dean of Undergraduate Students and Director of Student Agencies, was present at the protest, acting as University’s Open Expression Monitor. The monitor’s responsibility is to ensure that University policies regarding freedom of expression are upheld for both participants and attendees. Dean Fisher declined to comment for this article. In her remarks, Liotine highlighted the emotions that she, along with other students, have felt in their experiences with the Title IX office. The theme of erasure was signifi-

cant for Liotine, and she mentioned that multiple, contradicting forms of erasure occur in the Title IX office. “I have found that the University has just attempted to erase me — erase my rights, my voice, my agency, my memory of this experience, my credibility, my pain, and my love for learning,” Liotine said. “And as it was explicitly done, they erased my message.” She added, “Meanwhile, my assaulter’s record has been wiped clean, just like the campus sidewalks that no longer carry the anguish of those who want to trust this University again and who finally have to be trusted by this University.” Liotine concluded the protest with a final call to action to the University: “Don’t erase it, Princeton. Change it.”

Rabbi Eitan Webb: You can’t fight darkness with a stick … But if you light a match, then all the darkness in the world runs away SRI LANKA Continued from page 1

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This thing that causes terror is destructive.” He read the Peace Prayer of Saint Francis. Vineet Chander, Coordinator for Hindu Life at Princeton University, followed by reading a prayer: “may the entire universe be blessed with peace and hope.” Rabbi Eitan Webb read a text from the 2nd Century, “written by a person who was sentenced to death by his brother-in-law.” According to Webb, the message of the passage is that it is not possible to praise the infinite because the infinite is larger than us. We can only praise the infinite when we recognizes that we came from some place, he explained. “Fighting darkness, fighting hatred, will never work,” he

said. “You can’t fight darkness with a stick … But if you light a match, then all the darkness in the world runs away.” Every single person is a candle, he continued; that light is not ours, but it is a gift. “Because it is not ours, it has infinite power,” Webb said. Fawaz Ahmad ’22 spoke as a representative of the Muslim community on campus. He shared with the vigil the similar feelings of anger, pain, and sadness that he and other members of the Muslim community felt after the New Zealand mosque attack on March 15. “When it happened in New Zealand, I thought, ‘I have family that goes every Friday to my mosque and prays together. That could’ve been my family,’” Fawaz said. “This is no different. We feel the same pain as the families in Sri Lanka.” He went on to give a prayer

of guidance from the Quran. Boden closed by saying that the community gave her hope and thanking everyone for being present. “This is who we are meant to be to one another,” she said. Mouhamed Ndiaye ’22, who attended the vigil, said that he was troubled that these kinds of events seem increasingly common. “The first thing I feel is numbness because it seems like these things happen so often, and the second feeling is sadness — sad not only because the occurrence happened, but also the numbness that comes from seeing tragedies happen so often,” Mouhamed said. Marisa De Silva ’20, who has family in Sri Lanka, came to be with the Sri Lankan community. The prayers were beautiful, she remarked. “It was good to have at least one event where we thought

about what happened and paid our respects to the victims,” she said. The interfaith vigil was

held on Tuesday, April 23, at 7 p.m. in Murray Dodge and was sponsored by the Office of Religious Life.

COURTESY OF THE PRINCETON OFFICE OF RELIGIOUS LIFE

University community members attended a vigil at Murray-Dodge Hall on Tuesday, April 23, in honor of the victims who died in the bombings in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday.

Barron: Previous job was using a slice of my brain, and none of my heart BARRON Continued from page 1

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the University’s endless slew of opportunities, he also is amazed by the lack of pressure to voyage out and ask deep, meaningful questions about life. The writer discussed his journey from graduating from the University to becoming a bestselling author. It began with his first attempt at having a book published after a summer of traveling in Oxford, which resulted in 32 rejection letters. He then decided to attend law school, and eventually became President and Chief Operating Officer at a private equities firm in New York. He didn’t stop writing — he instead wrote whatever came to his mind for around two hours every morning. Barron recalled that it was at this point in time that he realized that his current job was not driving him in life, explaining that “it was just using a slice of my brain, and none of my heart.” He moved back home to Colorado and officially began his ca-

reer as a writer. Using the backdrop of his own story, Barron encouraged students to make their lives meaningful by asking themselves two questions: what are they passionate about, and what can they provide that the world needs? “Every bit of it boils down to an invitation to see your life as a story, and to see yourself as the author, and to know that you have a worthy story to tell,” Barron said. He then opened the floor to questions from the audience. Associate Director of Career Advising at the Office of Career Services Pam Cohen said that lectures, such as the one delivered by Barron, “are a great opportunity for students to see the connection between alums and campus, and showcase their different experiences.” The lecture, titled “See Your Life as a Story … and Make it a Great One,” was held in Whig Hall at 6 p.m. The event was hosted by Princeton Career Services. All attendees received a signed copy of Barron’s book, “The Wisdom of Merlin: 7 Magical Words for a Meaningful Life.”

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The individuals will be formally honored at a ceremony in October AAAS

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JOYCE N. BOGHOSIAN / THE WHITE HOUSE

The

Obama ‘85 is one of the six individuals affiliated with the University to be elected into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

significance of the field of African American religious history, which has been the focus of my teaching and research,” Weisenfeld wrote in an email to the ‘Prince.’ “It has been a privilege to have spent the past decade among the students, faculty, and staff in the Department of Religion and at the University, and my work has benefited enormously from the supportive intellectual community I have found here.” Brian Kernighan, professor

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in the Department of Computer Science, researches topics such as technology education and software tools. Virginia Zakian is a professor in the Department of Microbiology and the Harry C. Weiss Professor in the Life Sciences. She researches telomere and DNA replication and chromosome structure. Announced as inductees on April 17, these distinguished individuals will be formally honored this October at a ceremony in Cambridge, Mass. Callison, McLanahan, Kernighan, and Zakian did not respond to request for comment by the time of publication.

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DeStefano: The weirdest thing I ever confiscated was a skewer fork BOUNCER Continued from page 1

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eight people to get him to go.” Another memorable night, a night club became a “gang war area.” When starting out as a bouncer, DeStefano had no formal self-defense training. A year into the job, a coworker introduced DeStefano to Krav Maga, a form of Israeli martial arts that originated as a self-defense system for the Israeli army. “Krav Maga changed my life for the better,” DeStefano asserted. The rigorous physical training helped DeStefano lose 60 pounds, and he slowly began to feel certain that he could defend himself in any situation. The mental practices encompassed in Krav Maga started to have profound impacts, too. “It turned into a lifestyle,” said DeStefano. “It added a whole lot more confidence to my life. I feel like I can walk anywhere and have my head held high.” Despite a newfound confidence, four years into working security at nightclubs, DeStefano reached a point where he had seen enough. The job was beginning to put a strain on his personal relationships, and he was ready to put work as a bouncer aside. Other sources of income would suffice to make ends meet. DeStefano began working retail in Hamilton Township, in New Jersey. For the past eight years, DeStefano has worked security at a jewelry store — a “steady gig.” According to DeStefano, matters became more challenging after a separation from his wife a few years ago. Fighting to make ends meet, he moved in with his parents. He said he was eager to establish himself as a good role model for his son, over whom he has equal custody. “I’m trying to make it work for my family,” DeStefano said. “It does get tough now and then.” At the time, DeStefano had been vying for an additional source of revenue so that he could move out from his parents’ house. So, last September, when he received a call from a friend about working another security gig, he was all ears. His friend owned a security company called RK Management, which offers security services to several of the eating clubs (Terrace Club, Cottage Club, and Ivy) at the University. On his first day on the job — Lawnparties 2018 — DeStefano was immediately excited to see Waka Flocka Flame across the street from his stance at the entrance of Ivy. DeStefano recalls the day fondly: students spraying him with water to ease the heat, and everyone enjoying themselves. “That set the tone,” DeStefano remembers. “It was a good atmosphere. I knew it wouldn’t be where I was before.” So DeStefano has continued working security at the University during nights

out, and he doesn’t foresee himself stopping any time soon. His schedule varies week by week, according to the demands of his boss. He mostly works at Ivy, providing security on occasional Tuesday and Thursday nights, and most Saturdays. He’s also worked at Cottage and Terrace, too. “Each club is a little different,” DeStefano noted, but he has not found any huge discernible differences in the student body. However, DeStefano alluded to stratification in the University’s campus. “I don’t want to say it’s clique-y, but you can tell,” he remarked. “You can tell who the jocks are.” On the whole, DeStefano has found the job easier than anticipated. “It was way more laid back than I thought it was going to be,” said DeStefano. “Let’s be honest, Princeton isn’t a rowdy kind of a place. I’ve come from places where we’ve had to be on high alert all the time.” DeStefano has learned the tricks that students try and pull off for entryway. He has yet to see a fake prox, but there’s frequent prox-swapping between friends, and the classic maneuver of the “prox passback” where one person gets in, and passes their prox back. Unlike his previous gigs, nights out at the University became predictable, seamless affairs. “We get in at 10:30. First one there brews the coffee,” DeStefano explained. “We get two lists: the normal list and the out-of-town list. We go to our positions. At 2:15, we shut the music down, and at 2:30, we close.” Despite the numerous interchanging faces, DeStefano began to recognize the Ivy regulars: around 30 members whom he can pick out, equal numbers across gender lines. “We’re friendly, not friends,” he said. At the start of the night, he’ll now look the list for the regular attendees, too. “If you talk to me, I’ll remember you,” DeStefano said. On the whole, DeStefano’s impressions of students are overwhelmingly positive. Students have asked DeStefano about how his son is doing, and he enjoys hearing about their accomplishments in school and outside the classroom. It’s common that students who are not on the list get upset, but DeStefano finds the spectacles mildly amusing. “It’s not us laughing at you, it’s us laughing with you,” DeStefano said. “Sometimes it’s a little ridiculous. Like when you start spelling your last name … When someone hears they aren’t on the list, it’s as if it’s the worst thing in the world.” There have been a few incidents that were more serious, regarding students that DeStefano knows “the bad way”: light drug use and being “drunk and disorderly.” Getting on the notorious “Ivy blacklist” is rare, but it will happen with drug

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DeStefano, who works as a bouncer at Ivy Club, has seen all the tricks students use to gain entry, such as prox swapping, and ‘prox passback,’ where one person gets in and passes their prox to another student waiting in line.

use. Another common occurrence is students jumping on the pool tables in the club. Still, these problems are mild to DeStefano “We don’t make the rules, we just enforce them,” DeStefano noted. “And if you don’t comply, we’re going to have to force you to leave.” Four times, DeStefano has removed students from the Ivy premises. And, after each of these four occurrences, the respective student has returned to the club to apologize. A month ago, DeStefano had to physically remove someone who was not listening. The following week, the

member came back, apologized, and shook DeStefano’s hand. During another incident, a student kicked over several cups by the entryway in a fit of rage. The student came back and apologized to the whole staff for the mess he created. To DeStefano, these apologies speak to the general nature of University students: respectful, and not looking to cause problems. DeStefano also values the company of his fellow bouncers, people who “always have his back.” He doesn’t know every bouncer on the Street, but he has a couple close friends whom he calls “family.” Working with them, the job is more

enjoyable. “It’s peaceful work. We want you to have fun,” DeStefano said. “And if you have fun, we feed off that fun.” At the end of the day, DeStefano sees intoxicated Princeton students — perhaps upset about not being on the list, mad that their friends ditched them, frantically looking for their coat — as non-threatening kids, throwing mini temper tantrums. “We’re just making sure you don’t do anything that’s going to hurt yourself or anybody else,” he remarked. “It’s pretty much just babysitting.”

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The English-only movement needs to stop Khadijah Anwar

Contributing Columnist

e it matters of land in the past or language in the present, minority groups have always been pressured to conform to Western standards in order to survive. The sixteenth and seventeenth centuries were characterized by brutal acts against Native Americans at the hands of European colonists. Soon, norms settled in whereby the indigenous people were constantly reminded that their land was not theirs anymore. The Europeans brought their cattle with them, and the resulting spread of diseases such as measles, influenza, and whooping cough wiped out large numbers of indigenous people. The message was clear — they had to adapt to the European standard of living or else there was no place for them in the Americas. Today, we have simply swapped territorial colonization for linguistic colonization. The United States is plagued by the English-only movement, which seeks to establish English as the national language and mandate all schools in the country to teach solely in English and abandon their bilingual programs. The movement also hopes to prohibit the translation of legal documents and court trials into any language other than English. In many ways, this imposes a modern racist standard upon immigrants, much like the one imposed upon indigenous groups in the past. This stan-

dard suggests that immigrants have to speak English and live a Western lifestyle, or else there is no place for them here. Known for its acceptance of diversity and promises of liberty, the U.S. should be accepting of its immigrant population and the non-English languages of immigrant communities. Princeton’s foreign language requirement in many ways reflects these ideals, as it hopes to foster respect for the cultural presence of these ethnic groups in the United States and promote multi-racial intercommunication. The United States, home to 350 distinct languages, is a melting pot of different cultures – so how can we possibly choose just one? This movement is particularly troubling to Hispanic immigrants, with Spanish being the most widely spoken language in the U.S. after English. Many children are born to parents who are first-generation immigrants that do not speak English, meaning that bilingual programs are largely beneficial in their transition to learning and speaking English alongside Spanish. Yet, 31 states currently declare English as their official language. Arizona has even curtailed bilingual programs in public schooling despite having one of the largest Hispanic populations of any state in the U.S. This means that immigrant children are required to begin total immersion in English despite never having been exposed to it at home upon the start of their education. This introduces

further challenges to the lives of immigrants in the U.S. This problem extends to many other immigrant groups, whether they are Asian Americans, European Americans, or Arab Americans. For other immigrants whose parents do speak English, the lack of an opportunity to practice their native language skills in an English-only schooling and social environment means that they lose touch with their heritage. Language brings with it a history of culture and tradition, with nuances in the way concepts are described being reflective of cultural phenomena. Take, for instance, the existence of different terms for “uncle” in Hindi to denominate maternal uncles as “Mamu” and paternal uncles as “Chachu.” This is indicative of the collectivist nature of South Asian culture, with every member playing a specific normative role within the family dynamic. The lack of an ability to speak a native language thus inevitably leads to an inability to fully understand and identify with the nuances of your own culture. Then, an English-only movement forces millions of immigrants to give up their origins in order to be American. But, doesn’t being an American mean that you are part of one of the most diverse and accepting populations in the world? Moreover, the move for convergence to a universal language is a major contributor to a phenomenon known as language death — thousands of niche languages are being wiped out as

speakers are failing to pass the language on to their children, and the languages are hence dying with them. Given the strong linkages between language and culture, this results in the simultaneous death of many cultures. Unfortunately, the loss extends even past culture to large fragments of history. A lot of history has been chronicled in what are known as “ancient languages.” The English-only movement removes emphasis from the learning and preservation of foreign languages and de-incentivizes the public from dedicating time to languages other than English. At this rate, there will be a severe lack, and eventually a complete disappearance, of translators of ancient languages. This could mean there may be no way to interpret many historic texts that are discovered in the future. I urge that states consider repealing their English-only policies and be more respectful of the immigrant groups that reside in their states. Policies are no good if they add hurdles, rather than justice and ease to the lives of the public. To me, and I hope to you, the Englishonly movement is the death of diversity. The way I see it, America is not itself without diversity, so let’s celebrate it by being more liberal with our language and expansive use. Khadijah Anwar is a first-year undergraduate from Dubai, UAE. She can be reached at kanwar@ princeton.edu.

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The big problem: Homogeneity Jasman Singh

Contributing Columnist

shouldn’t need to reiterate the importance of being friends with people who aren’t like you. I shouldn’t need to impress upon the student body the necessity of diversity: in socioeconomic status, appearance, gender, and interests. Yet, it seems I must. The other day, I saw a group of ten kids going out to dinner at a restaurant on Winthrop Street. As they were seated, I looked around the table to see if I knew anyone. I didn’t; but, moreover, I was sad to see that every single person sitting at the table seemed to be of a similar cultural background. It was as if they had moved in a platoon of homogeneity. The homogeneity of friend groups on this campus stems not only from cultural student associations or non-inclusive organizations but also from our failure to recognize

that we have enveloped ourselves with people who share similar thoughts, ideas, and beliefs. We long to associate with people who share our views, who grew up with similar lifestyles, who listen to the same music, etc. Too often, we jump to the most comfortable option, and I mean this in every way: going out with the same group of friends, coordinating meals with the same friend who you love eating with, joining clubs or chasing internships because your friends or everyone else is doing them. We cling to the familiar because we seem to be afraid of being uncomfortable. I merely mean to point out the idea that we have a habit of taking the easy way out, and that seems unacceptable if we ended up here by taking the more challenging way. We need to jettison the herd mentality we’ve developed and shift toward an intentional focus on diversifying those around people we keep around us. A culturally similar friend group is easy. It’s easy to befriend people who are from the same coun-

try, who observe the same religion, and who have the same appearance as you. That friend group is almost always an accessible option. What’s real bravery is stepping out of your comfort zone and becoming friends with people who disagree with you. Real bravery is being a conservative that dines with liberals and discussing stances on fiscal policy. Real bravery is being a Muslim and bringing Christian friends to the mosque, even if they may not understand the culture or religion. Real bravery is being an athlete and hanging out with people even if they’re NARPs (Non-Athletic Regular Persons). Real bravery is doing what’s harder in the present in the pursuit of a broader way of thought that’s better for the future. Disheartened at the lack of differences, I’ve decided to make an active effort to expand my friend group with people of differing backgrounds – people that I would not have the opportunity to talk to were it not for Princeton. I can surely understand the desire to make friends

with the same background because they can relate to personal experience, but an entire friend group based around a cultural association is simply irrational – a gross squandering of opportunity. Groups can be united by culture but, at the same time, become secluded from the rest of our campus community by this very culture because they fail to open up to others that don’t share in this culture. I think the point of being at such a diverse school is to immerse yourself in our collective differences – go to Chabad to learn from our Jewish community, send in a question to Manna Christian Society to learn about the Old and New Testaments, go to Hindu Satsangam to learn about polytheism. Just do something different. The solution isn’t a hard one. I’m not proposing that students tell their friends they can’t talk to them anymore “in favor of diversity.” I’m merely suggesting that we try and keep friend groups open and varied. I think we fail to benefit from the incredible diversity of Prince-

ton. If we come here and associate with the same group of people that we did at home, there doesn’t really seem to be a reason to come to Princeton. It’s a waste of the resources and the diversity of talent that envelops you. I don’t think it’s enough to blame the “Orange Bubble” for our problems. It starts and ends with our individual aversion to heterogeneity. The University makes a stronger push toward diversity every year. The Class of 2023’s admission statistics look like this: 56% are self-identified people of color, 26% come from lower-income backgrounds, and 18% are firstgen college students. Yet, our friend groups see 0% change from the people we’re predisposed to associating with anyway. There’s probably a good reason for an increasing push toward diversifying Princeton – maybe you should go find out. Jasman Singh is a first-year from East Windsor, New Jersey. He can be reached at jasmans@ princeton.edu.

Last Impression Sydney Peng ’22

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Sports

Wednesday April 24, 2019

page 8

{ www.dailyprincetonian.com } TRACK AND FIELD

Track and Field teams gear up for Penn relays

COURTESY OF GOPRINCETONTIGERS.COM

Jesse Thibodeau won the long jump at the Larry Ellis invitational.

By Jesse Brewer and Emily Philippides Sports Contributors

Last weekend at Weaver Track Stadium was the annual Larry Ellis track and field invitational. Ellis coached Princeton’s track and field team from 1970 to 1992. He became the first African-American head coach of an Ivy League sport in the process, and coached the 1984 Olympic track and field team. Up against high-caliber competition from all over the country, the Tigers honored his legacy with a host of breakout performances. Sophomore All-American and 13th-ranked Obiageri Amaechi clinched first place in the discus with a new personal best of 57.71 (189-4). She set a new meet record and broke her own Ivy League one from a mere two weeks ago. Senior Jackie Berardo posted a new personal best of 2:06.34 in the elite 800-meters. Berardo placed seventh, behind Olympic-level athletes like six-time NCAA champion Raevyn Rogers. Be-

rardo trailed the leaders even after opening her first lap in a speedy 61 seconds. “It would be difficult to design a better way to end my regular season track career,“ Berardo said. “I was able to race Olympians and role models, including my former teammate from freshman year and current professional Cecilia Barowski [’16], and do it all on my home track with my teammates who have become family.” Other standout performances came in the high jump, pole vault, and distance events. Junior Hadley Wilhoite cleared the bar on her third attempt to take second place in the high jump with a new personal best of 1.67 (5-5.75). First-year Hanne Borstlap grabbed first place in the pole vault with a jump of 3.75 (12-3.5). Sophomore Melia Chittenden won the 5000 with a time of 16:43.00. In the 3000-meter steeplechase, senior captain Allie Klimkiewicz placed third with a new personal best of 10:16.12. She ran steadily for the majority of the race be-

fore unleashing a kick on the final lap to close the gap with the leaders. Junior Alie Fordyce grabbed 11th place in the elite 1500, lowering her personal best with a time of 4:23.10 in an event won by Olympic middle distance runner Ajee Wilson. On the men’s side, Princeton had five individual champions and personal records across the board in the fierce day of competition. Senior Adam Kelly won the hammer throw with a distance of 70.75 (232-1), comfortably securing his first place. In the javelin, first-year Chandler Ault dominated the competition. His throw of 64.40 (211-3) placed him second on Princeton’s javelin all-time list. Princeton men also performed well in the jumps. First-year Dayo Abeeb clinched another win with a 15.14 (49-8.25) performance in the triple jump. Led by junior Jesse Thibodeau, Princeton took places 1, 3, 4, and 5 in the long jump. Princeton’s distance men posted top marks in the 3000 steeplechase and the Mike

Brandy Men’s Mile. Sophomore Ed Trippas won the steeplechase with a personal best of 8:50:09. The Tigers faced fierce competition in the 1500, but both sophomore Sam Ellis and junior Conor Lundy put up personal bests. Ellis placed fourth in a time of 3:45:92 and Lundy came in right with him at 3:45:96. The invitational was “a great chance for some of our guys to get out and run against really good competition,” Ellis said. “It’s so nice to be able to walk down from your dorm and be ready to race, so that will be perfect for the Ivy League Championships in two weeks.” Next up on the schedule are the historic Penn Relays, held annually at the University of Pennsylvania. Six athletes from the women’s team and 10 from the men’s team will compete in individual events; both teams will compete as well in a host of relays. The women will be competing Thursday to Saturday in a variety of relay events, including the 4x400, 4x800,

4x1500, and Distance Medley. In addition, Borstlap will compete in the Pole Vault and senior Brighie Leach in the 3000 steeplechase. Chittenden, senior Madison Offstein, and sophomore Peyton Brown will take part in the 3000, while Klimkiewicz will attempt the 5000 this weekend. The men will be competing in the 4x100, 4x400, and the Shuttle Hurdle relays. In addition, junior Joey Daniels and first-year Christian Brown will be competing in the 110m hurdles, Kelly in the hammer throw, and Ault in the javelin. In the men’s 5000, three tigers will be competing: junior Gannon Willcutts, first-year Jakob Kintzele, and senior Steven Sum. In the 3000 steeplechase, Trippas and junior Perrin Hagge will be competing as well as Ellis in the Olympic Development Men’s Mile. “It will be an exciting opportunity to run a fast time in front of thousands of people,” Ellis said. “I can’t wait.”

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