October 30, 2019

The Emory Wheel 100 Years of

Emory University’s Independent Student Newspaper

Volume 100, Issue 33

Printed Every Wednesday

Wednesday, October 30, 2019 ACTIVISM

Annual ‘Take Back the Night’ Yields Campus-Wide Support

By Layla Wofsy Contributing Writer

Courtesy of Parth Mody

The first woman artist to headline Homecoming Ball, Rico Nasty performed for a crowd of roughly 1,400 Emory students and guests on Friday night, Oct. 25.

HoCo Concert Proceeds Despite Rain

By Phyllis Guo Contributing Writer

Rapper Rico Nasty and Atlantabased hip-hop duo EarthGang attracted a crowd of 1,362 to McDonough Field for their Homecoming Ball performances on Friday night, according to Student Programming Council (SPC) President Eleni Kokolakis (20C).

Headlining rapper Rico Nasty took

the stage at 10:50 p.m., when the intermittent rain had lightened up, and opened with her 2018 hits, “Bitch I’m Nasty” and “Smack a Bitch.”

Hundreds of concertgoers responded wildly to the second half of Rico Nasty’s performance, where they jumped, danced and sang along to the music.

Later, Rico Nasty invited EarthGang back on stage to perform a song

together, saying, “We had never gotten do this before, never, anywhere.”

The Homecoming crowd began to gather around the stage when EarthGang first appeared at about 9:20 p.m. The duo, formed in 2008 and composed of rappers Johnny Venus and Doctur Dot, began their set with “LaLa Challenge,” the opening track

See 1,362, Page 4

Members of the Emory community gathered at the Emory Student Center (ESC) on Monday night to support sexual assault surviors who told their stories as part of the annual Take Back the Night event.

The event was coordinated by the Office of Respect and the Center for Student Success Programs and Services.

To begin the event, two Emory student a cappella groups, The Gathering and ChaiTunes, each performed a song relating to the topic of survivors.

Josh Kaufmann (21PH), an Office of Respect graduate assistant who represented the Alliance for Sexual Assault Prevention during the event, and Co-Presidents of Sexual Assault Peer Advocates Nicole Pierce (20C) and Andy Paul (18Ox, 20C) introduced the goal of Take Back the Night.

“Our hope is that everyone leaves this event with a drive to further raise awareness in your respective communities, universities, organizations [and] friend groups of the violence that is happening and continue to engage with our efforts to combat it,” Kaufmann said to the audience.

Maja Hasic, the anti-human trafficking program director of an organi-

CAMPUS LIFE

zation called Tapestri, was the keynote speaker of the event.

Hasic spoke about her experiences working with Tapestri and the trauma and hardships that women trafficking victims face. She explained that women who are trafficked are forced into prostitution against their will.

Hasic highlighted the importance of extending belief to victims who have the courage to come forward and urged the audience to become leaders in fixing “broken” societal systems. She mentioned that these systems lack sufficient funding and resources for victims of human trafficking or sexual or domestic violence. For example, Hasic said that women who experience trafficking and become homeless are met with a lack of access to basic needs, like beds, as well as to support resources.

“We need to make sure that, when individuals come forward, they are believed, and that there are services and resources to assist them,” Hasic said.

The audience members filled about 50 seats in the venue.

During the rally portion of the event, attendees left the ESC holding lit candles and posters to march to the Emory Campus Life Pavilion. As they marched, the group chanted, “Break

See STUDENTS, Page 4

Emory Honors 150 Years of Greek Life

LECTURE

By Calen MacDonald Senior Staff Writer

By Gabriella Lewis Contributing Writer

This weekend, students and alumni gathered to celebrate 150 years of Greek life at Emory.

Celebrations included a breakfast conversation between students and alumni and an open house and parade on Eagle Row. Anniversary Planning Committee Co-Chairs Ginger Hicks Smith (77C, 82G) and Daniel Shoy Jr. (95C) led a team of students and alumni in organizing the 150-year anniversary celebration.

The Wheel also spoke with Vice President and Dean of Campus Life Enku Gelaye, Interim Director of Sorority and Fraternity Life Scott Rausch, Associate Director of Sorority and Fraternity Life Nicole Jackson and Associate Vice President of Campus Life David Clark about the history and future of Greek life on campus.

Part of the anniversary celebration was aimed toward raising money for

dysfunctional.

Abella clarified that one cause of this increasing dysfunctionality may be confusion over the term “rule of law,” which she argued was used merely as a justification for the legitimacy of a perspective.

“This generation has seen the rule of law impose apartheid, segregation and genocidal discrimination,” she said.

Abella instead called for the universalisation of democratic values such as due process and the right to religious

Independent Jewish journalist David Sheen discussed racism in Israel at Emory’s Harland Cinema on Monday to an audience of Emory students and faculty, Atlanta community members, and students from other universities. The event was hosted by Emory Students for Justice in Palestine and the Atlanta chapter of Jewish Voices for Peace.

Sheen was born and raised in Canada but has lived in Israel for the past 15 years.

“I went to Jewish school, Jewish camp, Jewish youth group [and lived in] a Jewish neighborhood,” he said.

He has been on his international “Messiah Mode” tour for several weeks, discussing the dangers of a right-wing ideology called Kahanism. Kahanism, created by New York-born rabbi and Israeli nationalist Meir Kahane, alleges that Arab-Israelis are the enemy of Israel and Judaism as a whole. Kahane also believed that only Jewish people

See ABELLA, Page 4

See EMORY, Page 4

See GELAYE, Page 2

NEWS Emory Professor

Receives $305K Grant to Research Islam ...

PAGE 3 P

Sheen Denounces Israeli Extremism

Derrick Tran/Contributing

Canadian Supreme Court Justice Rosalie Abella laments the condition of international human rights law at the eigth annual David J. Bederman Lecture at the Emory School of Law.

Canadian Judge Demands Human Rights Reform

By Matthew Takavarasha Contributing Writer Canadian Supreme Court Justice Rosalie Abella stressed the importance of pursuing universal democratic values and human rights in an emotional speech at the eighth annual David J. Bederman Lecture, held in the Tull Auditorium at the Emory School of Law. Speaking on the state of international law, Abella described what she saw as an atmosphere “polluted by bombastic anti-intellectualism, sanctimonious instability and a moral free-

for-all,” which she believes sets a dangerous precedent for the future.

“Everyone is talking, and no one is listening,” she told the audience.

“We are in danger of a new status quo where anger triumphs over indignity and indignity over decency.”

A renowned human rights advocate, Abella pointed to recent events concerning the treatment of Syrian Kurds, which she described as the “latest unconscionable global tragedy,” as confirmation of her “deepest fears” that the relationship between international human rights law and justice is becoming increasingly

OP-ED Kliewer: Slow Down on E-Scooter Laws ...

PAGE 6

A&E Rico Nasty, EarthGang EMORY LIFE Atlanta SPORTS Get to Know Underwhelm at Homecoming History Haunts Oxford, Some of the Scariest Mascots Concert ...

PAGE 7 Emory Campus ...

Back Page PAGE 9 In Sports ...

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Wednesday, October 30, 2019

The Emory Wheel

The Emory Wheel

Crime Report

Compiled By Phyllis Guo

On Oct. 15 at 10:12 a.m., the Emory Police Department (EPD) received a report of entering auto incident via telephone. The complainant said she parked her unlocked green 1998 BMW on the fifth level of the Lowergate East Parking Deck at 8:30 a.m. on Oct. 14.

She said when she returned to the vehicle at 11:30 a.m., she discovered that her pair of black Fila shoes were missing from the car. She said the vehicle was still unlocked when she returned, and nothing else appeared suspicious. The complainant reported that she did not observe any damage to the vehicle.

On Oct. 15 at 3:35 p.m., EPD responded to Emory University Hospital (EUH) Midtown in reference to a report of missing property. The complainant, a visitor, said she left her phone in the third-floor bathroom of the intensive care unit at 1:30 p.m. The complainant stated that she asked Emory Healthcare Public Safety officer if a phone had been turned in and was told there had not been. She stated she went home to use the Find My iPhone application and tracked her phone to Interstate 285. The complainant stated that her phone was a rose gold iPhone 7 valued at $200.

On Oct. 16, EPD received a report of harassing communication via email.

The email chain forwarded by the complainant indicated that a former Emory University student had sent multiple unwanted and unsolicited emails to a University employee. The content of the multiple emails appeared to be disjointed and incoherent. In addition to the employee, other recipients of the former student’s emails included newspapers like The New York Times and The Washington Post and several other individuals. The employee said she has been receiving emails from the former student for over a year, with at least 20 since August 2019.

On Oct. 19 at 9:35 a.m., EPD responded to the EUH Midtown Emergency Department in reference to a subject who refused to leave. The officer observed that a patient was escorted by Emory Healthcare Public Safety officers out of the Emergency Department. The patient was yelling vulgar language repeatedly and acting in a tumultuous manner toward the

public safety officers. The public safety officer stated that the patient was angry because he had been discharged from the hospital but did not want to leave. The EPD officer gave the patient several verbal commands to leave the property. The patient ignored verbal commands to leave the property and continued to cause a disturbance by yelling vulgar language and trying to go back inside the hospital. The patient then stated, “If I had a gun, I would shoot you right now.” The EPD officer detained the patient by handcuffing his hands behind his back and double locking the handcuffs.

On Oct. 19 at 7:11 p.m., EPD responded to EUH in reference to a report of theft. The complainant, his fiancée and their son stated that they had all arrived at EUH on Oct. 12 for the complainant’s medical treatment. The complainant’s fiancée said she went to lunch with their son from approximately 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Oct. 15 while the complainant was recovering. She said that their personal bag was left unattended in the patient room during this time. The complainant said that they noticed the cell phone was missing on Oct. 15 at approximately 2 p.m., and said no other items were missing. The son stated they attempted to track the phone’s location. However, they were unable to because the phone was turned off.

The complainant said the cell phone was a black Samsung Galaxy S9 valued at $600.

On Oct. 21 at 2:08 p.m., EPD responded to Tin Lizzy’s Cantina at Emory Point in reference to a report of burglary that had occurred overnight.

The complainants, who are the manager and the area director of Tin Lizzy’s, said the cleaning staff worker reported the key to the restaurant was missing when he arrived at 7 a.m. to clean prior to opening. After a locksmith arrived on site and gained access to the building at 10:30 a.m., the manager said that he entered the restaurant and began his opening duties. He stated that when he opened the safe to check the cash, he discovered that the cash was not in the safe. The manager said as soon as he discovered that the cash was missing, he contacted the area director by text message.

— Contact Phyllis Guo at phyllis.guo@emory.edu

NEWS

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Gelaye Lauds Progress in Greek Life Diversity Continued from Page 1 the Bill Fox Grant, according to Hicks.

The grant, inspired by Emory’s first Dean of Campus Life Bill Fox (79G), aims to make Greek life more accessible for students with economic needs.

Students can apply for the grant and receive four years of coverage for their chapter dues.

Emory’s Greek Life Legacy Emory’s first national fraternity, Kappa Alpha Order, was established in 1869. Today, Greek life at Emory consists of the Interfraternity Council, the National Pan-Hellenic Council, the Emory Panhellenic Council and the Multicultural Greek Council.

“It’s unique that we’ve had 150 years of legacy on this campus,” Gelaye said.

“And that, in that legacy, we have been able to form new councils and bring in new chapters. … The sorority and fraternity experience will change with every entering class.”

Jackson identified diversity as one of the key aspects that makes Greek life at Emory unique, and Gelaye said recent years have seen some of the most important changes in the University’s 150-year Greek life legacy.

“The changing demographics — everything from race to gender identity to socioeconomic status — all of that has significantly transformed over the last 150 years,” Gelaye said. “And it will continue to transform to reflect the values of the students who are coming into college.”

Last year, University President Claire E. Sterk wrote an open letter acknowledging old yearbook photos of students participating in mock lynch-

W

The Henry Luce Foundation has awarded Associate Professor of Religion James Hoesterey a $305,000 grant to study moderate Islam. Loosely described, “moderate Islam” denotes the nonextremist aspects of the world’s second-largest religion.

Hoesterey shares the grant with University of Michigan Assistant Professor of Anthropology Yasmin Moll. Hoesterey and Moll will each lead teams of scholars to the Muslimmajority countries of Indonesia and Egypt, respectively. A third team will study in Morocco. The teams will attempt to understand how the concept of moderate Islam differs across these regions. Among the scholars is Asa Griggs Candler Professor of Middle East and Islamic Studies Vincent Cornell.

The idea for the project stemmed from the professors’ dissatisfaction with public perceptions of moderate Islam and in academic circles, according to Moll.

“When people in the U.S. think about the idea of moderate Muslims,

James Hoesterey, Associate Professor of Religion

Courtesy of James Hoesterey

Hoesterey and Moll will live lengthily in their respective regions of research, where they will conduct independent ethnographic studies on people who identify as moderately Muslim.

Their studies will include field interviews and social media analysis, which they will then combine to produce a final report, scheduled for completion in 2022.

“We are interested in all definitions of moderation, but we are also

The Importance of Greek Life at Emory Greek life alumni and Campus Life staff emphasized the importance of Greek life chapters as exemplifying themselves as value-based communities rather than basing themselves on specific interests or activities.

“Ultimately what it’s about is students coming to a college campus and needing to find community and finding the community that’s appropriate for them,” Gelaye said. Hicks and Shoy both praised the ways that Greek life has influenced their post-collegiate lives.

Hicks recalled the relationships between her sisters in Delta Delta Delta sorority, as well as the organizational and leadership skills she developed as a sister. Shoy views his involvement with Alpha as a springboard into his lifelong commitment to service.

The connections formed by Greek life were a common theme throughout the weekend. Clark cited the wide-

spread community of Greek life alumni as an example.

“Wherever students can go in the world, if they run across a member of a lettered organization, there’s a shared experience there,” Clark said. “I think that larger umbrella is something that makes sororities and fraternities particularly unique on a college campus — that thread that connects people throughout the world.”

The Next 150 Years of Greek Life Gelaye forecasted that the next 150 years for Emory Greek life would include further removal of socioeconomic barriers, improvements to health and safety, restructured membership intake and open communication between the many people involved.

“What’s really great is that we’re looking at these issues head on and looking at data to form some decisions, and also bringing in the voices of the undergraduates who have a very clear vision of what their organizations should look like around these issues,” Gelaye said.

Clark and Rausch emphasized the importance of evolution within Greek life communities.

“The things that happened 150 years ago, the things that happened 10 years ago, 25 years ago — they’re just not part of the lexicon of campus anymore,” Rausch said. “We’re not going to have these issues of hazing; we’re not going to have these issues of alcohol abuse. These are just not where we can be anymore, and we have to make the pivot and start to more forward.”

— Contact Calen MacDonald at ccmacdo@emory.edu

Donate at emorywheel.com/donate

Emory Prof. Receives $305K Grant it’s almost as if moderate Muslims are people who do not take their faith seriously,” Moll said.

Moll’s research will focus on how moderate Muslims interact with the religious peacebuilding movement in Egypt.

ings, wearing Ku Klux Klan hoods and posing with swastikas, among other things, many of whom were members of Greek life, the Wheel previously reported.

Greek life alumni engagement was central to the weekend’s activities.

One event included the dedication of the Emory Student Center conference rooms and welcome desk by Alpha Phi Alpha (Alpha) fraternity.

Clark praised the dedication, saying “I find it powerful that they dedicated space in the total student center.

They didn’t ask that [their] money be directed to something specific to the chapter.”

Support The Emory Wheel for 100 more years.

RESEARCH

By Calen MacDonald Senior Staff Writer

3

interested in the disagreements among Muslims about moderation,” Moll said. “There’s no one definition of moderation. Even among Muslims, this is always up for debate and disagreement.”

Hoesterey chose to study in Indonesia because of the country’s size and the practical benefits of working in a country with a single national language.

“Probably 98 percent of Indonesia speaks Indonesian,” Hoesterey said. “You can speak with hundreds of ethnic groups with very different histories [and] religious backgrounds.”

Hoesterey emphasized the importance of interdisciplinarity to the research project.

The project team includes a historian, a political scientist and several cultural anthropologists with different specialities.

“Our approach to our discipline and our scholarship is already interdisciplinary, and what we want to do is bring in some other perspectives,” Hoesterey said.

— Contact Calen MacDonald at ccmacdo@emory.edu

The Emory Wheel Volume 100, Number 33 © 2019 The Emory Wheel Alumni Memorial University Center, Room 401 630 Means Drive, Atlanta, GA, 30322 Business (404) 727-6178 Editors-in-Chief Nicole Sadek and Niraj Naik nwsadek@emory.edu and nhnaik@emory.edu Founded in 1919, The Emory Wheel is the financially and editorially independent, student-run newspaper of Emory University in Atlanta. The Wheel is a member publication of Media Council, Emory’s organization of student publications. The Wheel reserves the rights to all content as it appears in these pages, and permission to reproduce material must be granted by the editor-in-chief.

The Wheel is printed every Wednesday during the academic year, except during University holidays and scheduled publication intermissions. A single copy of the Wheel is free of charge. To purchase additional copies, please call (404) 727-6178.

The statements and opinions expressed in the Wheel are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Wheel Editorial Board or of Emory University, its faculty, staff or administration.

The Wheel is also available online at www.emorywheel.com.

Corrections • In last week’s issue, the feature photo depicting the gamelan performance by the Emory Gamelan Ensemble and Cornell University gamelan master Darsono Hadiraharjo was incorrectly titled “Candler Concert Series.” In fact, the gamelan performance was part of a regular concert series.

• In last week’s issue, “‘Folly of Desire’ Spotlights Love, Music and Lyric” incorrectly states that 60 people attended the second concert of this year’s Candler Concert series. In fact, 353 people attended the event.

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NEWS

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

The Emory Wheel

Students and Faculty Rally for Sexual Assault Awareness Continued from Page 1

the silence; end the violence,” “Hey, hey, ho, ho, sexual violence has got to go” and “Take back the day; take back the night,” in an effort to spread awareness of the issues of sexual and interpersonal violence.

Once the group reached the Pavilion, an open mic “speak out” event occurred in which survivors were able to share their experiences of sexual assault.

Those who submitted their stories online had their stories anonymously read by community members. Christine Ristaino, senior lecturer in the Department of French and Italian and author of “All the Silent Spaces,” expressed her appreciation for the event in an interview with the Wheel.

“I was impressed with everyone who was there — the feeling was a feeling

of trust and mutual respect and love overall,” Ristaino said. “It was quite beautiful.”

Ristaino discussed the importance of bearing witness to and being present for each other’s stories.

“The stories that were shared were powerful, in the fact that the people who shared those stories were able to talk about their experiences and be supported by this community,”

Ristaino said.

Attendees were invited to share their stories and voice their experiences to the group if they felt comfortable doing so.

However, the event organizers also stated the experiences of those survivors who decided not to share their stories are still valuable.

If you or someone you know has been affected by violence, students

can get free, confidential advocacy and support by calling the Emory Helpline at 404-727-4357 and talking with a peer on campus from 8:30 p.m.-1:00 a.m. during the school year.

Ninad Kulkarni contributed reporting.

— Contact Layla Wofsy at

lwofsy@emory.edu

1,362 Fill McDonough For Homecoming Ball Continued from Page 1 of 2019 studio album “Mirrorland.”

EarthGang followed up with several other “Mirrorland” tracks, including “Proud of U,” “Tequila” and “Bank,” charging the crowd with excitement despite the intermittent rain.

The crowd responded with particular enthusiasm to the duo’s cover of 2016 track “FDT,” by rappers YG and the late Nipsey Hussle, and “Mirrorland” track “UP,” shouting “Fuck Donald Trump” in unison.

EarthGang fan Chloe Qin (22C) praised the duo’s performance of the song “UP,” even with the inclement weather.

“They’re even better than I thought they would be,” Qin said.

EarthGang invited four students on stage to dance with them during their performance of “Sacrifices,” a track by Dreamville in which the duo was featured alongside fellow rappers J. Cole, Smino and Saba.

EarthGang ended their performance at around 10:15 p.m., when the rain worsened. The crowd dispersed for food and water under tents that had been set up along the field.

The interval between EarthGang’s and Rico Nasty’s sets was about 40 minutes.

Kokolakis said the wait-time was expected as there was a necessary change-over period between artists to accommodate set, sound and light changes.

In addition to the performances, SPC added new stations for Flash Tats (temporary tattoos) and an AirBrush Xpress for Swoop State canvas bag customization.

Students were able to visit these

stations during the Homecoming Ball.

“Our activities at the concert usually vary year by year,” Kokolakis said.

“Outside of [the new] activities, the rest of the Homecoming Ball has mostly remained the same.”

Emory Emergency Medical Services (EEMS) did not receive any requests for assistance at the concert, according to EEMS Director Rachel Barnhard.

Concertgoer Daisy Kim (22C) said that although the weather decreased the event’s appeal, the experience proved overall worth her time. “[I went to the concert] because I wanted to go to every Homecoming event,” Kim said. “School spirit is important to me, and I wanted to support SPC and their efforts. I thought the food and tattoos were a great idea.”

Emma Klein (23C) said the concert was fun but inconvenient in that it coincided with the beginning of Parents Weekend. ”I went for an hour, and then I went to hang out with my family,” Klein said. “I feel like there could’ve been way more people there [if the event had been scheduled for another time].”

The 2019 Homecoming Ball concert was free for all Emory undergraduates, and guest tickets cost $10.

SPC started the guest ticket system two years ago in order to ensure that they could accommodate the maximum possible capacity of Emory students.

This year, Kokolakis said that SPC sold 119 guest tickets, 100 of which had been set aside for graduate students.

— Contact Phyllis Guo at xguo68@emory.edu

Priyam Mazumdar/Staff

Independent Jewish journalist David Sheen speaks to an audience of students and faculty on Monday, Oct. 28 about the dangers of right-wing Jewish ideology.

Emory SJP Speaker Discusses Kahanism Continued from Page 1 should have voting rights in the state.

Keir was assassinated in 1990 while living in New York City.

The increasing prevalence of Keir’s ideas affected conservative political thought, specifically normalizing the Zionist viewpoint in both Israel and the United States, according to Sheen.

The tour’s name derives from Sheen’s belief that the Messiah must save Israel from its current environment of racism and extremism. Sheen began by laying out four prevalent types of Jewish political thought — reformist, opportunist, supremacist and humanist — and presented examples of the institutional approval of racism in Israel.

“The religious seminary that they’re most proud of in the Zionist camp [is] Bnei David in the settlement Eli in the West Bank,” Sheen said. “It’s a religious seminary for military officers.”

He went on to allege racism of mul-

tiple rabbis at the acclaimed school.

Sheen identified quotes from the rabbis’ speeches as evidence of their advocation of slavery, justification of the Holocaust and allegation that the Torah represents “national treason.”

Sheen spent the majority of the presentation outlining Kahane’s life and explaining his influence on Israeli politics.

Kahane supported far-right extremism through his organization, the militant Jewish Defense League (JDL), of which he was a co-founder.

The JDL had been associated with the bombing of Palestinian activist Alex Odeh’s office, as well as several other bombings, according to the FBI. After Sheen’s historical accounts, he fielded various questions about his life and Israeli politics. An audience member accused Sheen of having “nitpicked” much of his information, expressing concern over the quotes he had selected.

Sheen welcomed the feedback, but

argued that it would be impossible to address every nuance in an hour-anda-half presentation.

Earlier on his tour, Jewish groups had protested Sheen’s ideas. “[Their] whole campaign rests on ignorance,” Sheen said. “It’s only if people are ignorant that they can believe these garbage lies.”

Orly Golub (21C) said she felt like the presentation represented only half the story.

“It’s clearly a very one-sided presentation, but I just felt like there was a lack of details going into the nuances of situations,” Golub said.

Sheen ended the talk by explaining that individuals with Kahanist viewpoints now serve as centrists in the Israeli parliament.

“This is the legacy of Kahanism, and this is why I say we’re in Messiah Mode,” Sheen said.

— Contact Gabriella Lewis at gabriella.v.lewis@emory.edu

Abella Expresses Disappointment in Contemporary Human Rights Law Continued from Page 1 freedom, which she argued were more important.

“When we trumpet those core democratic values, we trumpet the instruments of justice, and justice is what laws are supposed to promote,” Abella said.

Abella related to the audience a narrative of American legal history, which she argued was synonymous with liberal democracy, and how attitudes towards individual rights were in part responsible for rights discrimination, a reality that was not confronted the aftermath of the Holocaust.

“We were so far removed from what we thought were the limits of rights discrimination,” Abella explained. “[After 1945], we had no moral alternative but to acknowledge that individuals could be denied rights not in spite of, but because of their differences.”

Abella reckoned that we have since

relapsed into individualistic thought with regard to human rights, rationalising it with terms such as “political correctness”, “cultural relativism” and “domestic sovereignty.”

“These are concepts that excuse intolerance,” she said. “Silence in the face of intolerance means that intolerance wins.”

Abella identified recent incidences of religious terrorism in Pittsburgh, New Zealand and Sri Lanka as evidence that the “horrifying spectacle of group destruction” had returned.

“We have also had, among others, the genocide of Rwanda, the massacres in Bosnia and the Congo, the repression in Chechnya, child soldiers in Sudan, Zimbabwe, China, Myanmar, Pakistan and more,” Abella continued.

Abella also cited the fact that, since 1945, 40 million people have been killed as a result of military conflicts.

Nevertheless, Abella did recognize the “great success” of several UN

agencies in their efforts since 1945.

However, given the “enormous capacity” for constructing legal systems and institutions to advance international human rights law, Abella noted her disappointment in the overall lack of progress in the area, particularly when compared to progress in international economic law.

“What states have been unable to achieve in 65 years of international human rights law is up and running after 25 years of international trade regulation,” Abella said. “I find this dissonance startling and unsettling.”

Although Abella did admit she had “no solutions,” she elucidated that her ideas were not purely hypothetical but also based largely on her experiences.

“To me this is not just theory,” she explained. “I am the child of Holocaust survivors.”

Born in Stuttgart, Germany, in 1946, many of Abella’s relatives were killed in the Treblinka extermination

camp in German-occupied Poland.

“My father was the only person in his family to survive the war,” Abella disclosed.

Abella came to Canada in 1950, shortly after the publication of the Nuremberg principles, a set of guidlines for determining what constitutes a war crime.

She admitted that the publication of these principles provided little consolation for her family.

“I’m sure that they would have preferred by far that the sense of outrage that inspired the Allies to establish the military tribunal at Nuremberg had been around many years earlier, before the events that led to it ever took place,” she explained.

Abella made history in 2004 when she was appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada, becoming the first Jewish woman to ever do so.

Abella was also the youngest and first pregnant judge in Canadian histo-

ry when she was appointed to Ontario Family Court in 1976.

Speaking on her own life and career, Abella revealed that it had “never occurred to [her] to be anything but a lawyer.”

“My life started in a country where there had been no democracy, no rights and no justice,” she said. “It created an unquenchable thirst in me for all three.”

Abella also revealed that the best advice she could give law students was to not listen to anyone.

“Don’t take anybody’s advice!” she quipped. “If I had, … I would not be a lawyer, and I certainly would not be serving on the Supreme Court.”

Abella’s elegiac lecture was received tremendously by the Emory community, who gave her a standing ovation at the lecture’s conclusion.

— Contact Matthew Takavarasha

at mtakava@emory.edu

The Emory Wheel

Opinion

Wednesday, October 30, 2019 | Opinion Editor: Zach Ball (zach.ball@emory.edu)

Editorial

The Harvard Crimson Justified in Contacting ICE When The Harvard Crimson covered a stu- eration and an understanding of its responsibility dent-led protest of U.S. Immigration and Customs to the public.

There is dissonance between engaging in protest Enforcement (ICE), it never expected to receive harsh backlash from over 650 students for asking and later criticizing its inevitable coverage. As a form of advocacy, a successful protest should draw ICE to comment.

Protesters worried that The Crimson’s commu- the public’s attention to an issue.

In this case, Act on a Dream succeeded, and with nication with ICE could potentially endanger DACA that attention comes coverage by the free press. students attending Harvard.

However, protests are public acts, and news While journalists must consider the possibilities of organizations like The Crimson have an ethical imminent danger whenever they cover any event, obligation to cover them objectively by seeking students should understand that public protest can lead to legal ramifications. comment from all parties.

They made this choice out of their own prerogaWe support The Crimson’s decision to ask ICE for tive, and The Crimson should not comment, and moreover, it showed be held accountable for the stuthe journalistic integrity necessary dents’ actions. for good reporting.

Protesters cannot make an The group that organized the There is dissonance assumption of privacy when they event, Act on a Dream, accused choose to publicly demonstrate.

The Crimson of “tipping [ICE] between engaging To be clear, ICE’s actions, paroff” and “blatantly [endangering] in protest and ticularly since the election of undocumented students on [their] later criticizing its U.S. President Donald J. Trump, campus.” inevitable coverage. have cast a moral stain on the Following The Crimson’s coverorganization. age, Act on a Dream and Harvard We strongly condemn many of College Democrats, along with the actions ICE has taken since several other student groups, petithen, including targeting college students for tioned the newspaper to apologize.

Though the petition picked up traction, The deportation and separating families at the southern Crimson expressed in a note to their readers that border.

However, fair news coverage, which The Crimson they firmly stand by their decision and that they were following “a commonly accepted set of jour- intended to provide, must be objective in order to allow people to form their own opinions about these nalistic standards.”

The newspaper referred to the Society of issues.

The pursuit of truth and objectivity does not Professional Journalists (SPJ) Code of Ethics, which states that “journalists should diligently seek mean only presenting one side of the story.

Without comment from opposing parties, no real subjects of news coverage to allow them to respond change can take place. to criticisms or allegations of wrongdoing.”

It is journalists that can serve as intermediaries In this case, Crimson reporters did not identify any student as undocumented in the article, nor did and communicate these perspectives.

In a world where information is plentiful, but they provide any names in their communication easily biased, it is a moral imperative to represent with ICE which ocurred after the protest.

According to The Crimson, their correspondence every viewpoint accurately.

The Harvard Crimson sought the truth, and Act with ICE only provided “public information and a on a Dream’s rebuke is not only wrong, but misunbroad summary of protestors’ criticisms.”

Here, The Crimson demonstrated careful delib- derstands the mission of journalism itself.

The above editorial represents the majority opinion of the Wheel’s Editorial Board The Editorial Board is composed of Zach Ball, Devin Bog, Jake Busch, Meredith McKelvey, Andrew Kliewer, Boris Niyonzima, Nick Pernas, Kimia Tabatabaei and Grace Yang.

The Emory Wheel Nicole Sadek & Niraj Naik Editors-in-Chief Seungeun Cho Executive Editor Annie Uichanco Managing Editor Shreya Pabbaraju Managing Editor

Volume 100 | Number 33 A lex K lugerman Editor-at-Large Jacqueline Ma Copy Editor Isaiah Poritz News Editor Z ach Ball Opinion Editor A desola Thomas A&E Editor Caroline Silva Emory Life Editor Ryan Callahan Sports Editor

Forrest Martin Photo Editor Cailen Chinn Multimedia Editor R ichard Chess Senior Editor Aditya Prakash Associate Editor Devin Bog Associate Editor Jesse Weiner Associate Editor Madison Stephens Asst. Copy Editor

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The Emory Wheel welcomes letters and op-ed submissions from the Emory community. Letters should be limited to 300 words and op-eds should be at least 500. Those selected may be shortened to fit allotted space or edited for grammar, punctuation and libelous content. Submissions reflect the opinions of individual writers and not of the Wheel’s Editorial Board or Emory University. Send emails to emorywheelexec@gmail.com or postal mail to The Emory Wheel, Drawer W, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322.

To Win Elections, Democrats Must Unify Spencer Moore There is a little over three months until the first caucus in Iowa, and the race for the Democratic presidential nomination is still highly contentious.

There are increasing concerns over the party’s ability to field a viable candidate, from former Vice President Joe Biden’s uninspiring debate performances to the questionably ambitious platforms of the more progressive candidates. U.S. President Donald J. Trump has continued his targeted attacks on Democrats, showing no hesitation to aggressively challenge the Democratic hopefuls. With such concerns dominating news headlines, divisive rifts are clearly becoming a major issue and a potential hindrance to Democratic success. The party needs to shore up ideological divides and petty fights to have lasting success come election day.

It doesn’t seem like any solid ground has been made toward identifying a leading candidate to spar off against Trump. There are 18 candidates still in the field, and among those who have the highest support in the polls, the concerns over their chances of success in the general election are legitimate.

Biden has lagged far behind the other leading candidates in fundraising. And considering the apprehension over voter appeal, it’s not just the progressive policies which have donors worried. For example, South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s appeal with non-white voters is a worry as well because of his low profile as mayor, weak polling and relative lack of policy experience with minorities. All the while, Trump has continued his biting attacks on the candidates, slamming the Democratic Party both on Twitter and at campaign rallies. It doesn’t help that the polls have been changing recently, with Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) seemingly making a push toward the top before the last debate, making it less clear which candidate actually has the most support among Democratic voters.

The truth is, there’s never going to be a perfect candidate. The Democrats have to fix their unity problem to have a fighting chance in the general elec-

tion. There are too many unneeded jabs occupying airtime and distracting from discussions of important policy issues. For example, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton suggested that Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) could be an agent of the Russians, employed to sow divide and ensure another victory for Trump. Such dubious speculation is a senseless distraction at a time when Democratic figures should be focusing their efforts on rallying support for the cause. The party should not let soundbites and character attacks frame its coverage in the media. Too much negative attention can lead only to perceptions of disorder and incompetence.

Equally ominous is the ideological divide. While the policies and stances of the candidates are the best ways to differentiate between them, implementation of such policies only comes with a Democratic president in the White House. It’s folly to assume a guaranteed victory over Trump, and the strong rifts between the moderate and progressive Democratic candidates help Republicans construe the Democratic party as extremely divided over ideology. Actions like greater emphasis in the debates on general election strategy and chances would help portray to voters a party committed to victory. Retaking the Senate is a very possible goal. Democrats shouldn’t let the presidential primary divide supporters, deter swing voters and raise disorder within the ranks. If candidates and voters come together to win, then the party could actually create substantive change rather than just dream about it. So what should the Democrats do to win? Emphasizing the importance of victory in the general election seems like a good way to start. Encouraging candidates to run for the Senate and help retake it while also preaching ideological compromise would help the party unite around a common goal of electoral victory. If unity is the priority, the Democrats can create lasting success.

If not, those who imagine an easy road into the White House will be in for a rude awakening on Nov. 3, 2020.

Spencer Moore (22C) is from Rochester, Minn.

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Wednesday, October 30, 2019

The Emory Wheel

Slow Down on Rutgers Must Condemn Hinduphobia E-Scooter Laws Aayush Gupta

Andrew Kliewer Over the past year, countless Emory students and Atlanta residents have been part of a massive transportation experiment. Rental electric scooters have taken cities like Atlanta by storm, offering a new and innovative way to travel short distances. However, as controversies over cluttered sidewalks and collisions emerge with the scooters’ sudden deployment, cities like Atlanta have responded with severe restrictions or outright bans.

While some regulation of scooters is warranted, these drastic and reactive measures are a mistake.

Accommodation, not resistance, will be key to making sure this transportation method can be used safely and effectively in our rapidly growing metro area.

Four e-scooter riders have died on Atlanta streets since their rollout last year, the highest of any city in the country. In response, Atlanta leaders have passed harsh regulations, including a cap on the total number of scooters in the city and a ban on nighttime riding.

While these four deaths are tragic, 1,500 Georgians died in motor vehicle accidents last year. Instead of oversensationalizing the issue of e-scooter accidents, Atlanta and other cities should focus on strategies which are proven to reduce collisions while still accommodating scooters.

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms recently announced a plan to triple the number of bike lanes in the city. This plan is a step in the right direction, considering scooter-riders could also utilize these lanes. In addition, Atlanta officials should lift the nighttime ban since all rental scooters are equipped with lights.

The ban makes little sense when considering that bikes, which operate at similar speeds to most scooters’ limit of 15 mph and may not have lights, don’t face similar restrictions.

If e-scooters are allowed to operate as intended, the benefits are clear.

Last year, nationwide rides doubled

to 84 million, with as many as one third of these replacing automobile trips. E-scooters have some carbon cost, including emissions from cars that stage them and the plastic used to construct them. However, they are still a significantly cleaner form of transport than automobiles.

Given the climate crisis our world currently faces, governments should be doing everything they can to encourage, not discourage, less-polluting methods of transport.

The advantages of e-scooter deployment go well beyond their emission reductions. Scooters have the potential to reduce traffic congestion, no small perk considering Atlanta currently ranks as one of the most gridlocked cities in the countries. Atlanta drivers spend an average of 77 hours per week stuck in traffic, many in cars with a single occupant.

Especially when combined with public transport, scooters present a compelling alternative to sitting in traffic. Atlanta and MARTA should consider e-scooters as a potential solution to the “last-mile” problem, where public transport riders face hurdles in traveling to and from bus and rail stations.

This could include working with scooter companies to strategically deploy scooters around MARTA stations.

The next several years will be critical in determining whether e-scooters are only a temporary fad or the beginning of a shift to a more sustainable means of urban transportation. Lance Bottoms and the Atlanta City Council should do everything in their power to ensure the latter holds true.

Expanding a new method of transportation won’t come without setbacks, just as cars created controversy when they first appeared on city streets over a century ago.

However, Atlanta residents must rise to the challenge and overcome these obstacles to achieve a less congested and polluted city for themselves and future inhabitants.

Andrew Kliewer (20C) is from Dallas.

In the wake of my celebration of Diwali, one of the most popular Hindu festivals, I cannot help but consider the implications of what it means to be Hindu in America today. Universities across the country take measures to ensure that Hindu students have a way to celebrate their biggest cultural event. The diverse populations that comprise universities can sometimes result in clashes of ideology.

Discriminatory, bigoted comments, however, even if under the guise of scholarly dissent and discussion, do not change the cultural significance of the holiday. It is therefore unfortunate to see an acclaimed institution like Rutgers University (N.J.) support Professor Audrey Truschke, a faculty member who has been accused of Hinduphobic remarks on several occasions. This stance is a slap in the face to one of Rutgers’ core values of “[fostering] the development and preservation of an inclusive community characterized by cultural understanding,” as highlighted in the university’s mission statement. It is up to the student body to protest against such gross injustices, and Rutgers must listen to the voices of its minority communities in order to uphold its values.

In April 2018, Truschke, a scholar who specializes in Indian history, tweeted an article about a lawsuit against an Indian journalist. The journalist in question had created a religious-political cartoon that negatively depicted Lord Rama, a key religious figure in Hinduism, being chastised by his wife Sita. Truschke wrote, “During the agnipariksha, Sita basically tells Rama he’s a misogynist pig and uncouth.” This insensitive diction left many angry.

The comment refers to the epic “Ramayana,” one of the foundational texts of Hinduism. This work recounts the story of Lord Rama’s quest to rescue Sita after she was abducted by the demon Ravana. After Sita is rescued and her chastity is called into question, Sita is condemned to the “agnipariksha,” a walk through a flame, to indicate her purity from the corruption of Ravana. Sita’s reverence today stems from here, as the incident shows her

strong heart, resilience and unwavering commitment to her family, and how she can be looked upon as a role model.

Meanings can often be distorted in translating ancient religious texts, which may result in varying interpretations. It is, however, not within scholarly convention to use such extreme language against a religious figure.

To support her statements, Truschke cited a translation by Professor Robert Goldman from the University of California, Berkeley, who found her comments to be “extremely disturbing” and “highly inappropriate.” Her language was without tact, and misquoting another scholar to justify her own claims is not within the accepted practices of scholarly dissent that she claims to champion.

It is shocking that Truschke would devolve to such elementary misconceptions.

This is not an isolated incident for Truschke, but another instance in a long-standing pattern of Hinduphobic behavior. In September 2016, she tweeted about the Swastika, an ancient and sacred Hindu religious symbol, drawing egregious allusions to the use of the symbol by the Nazi party. It is distasteful to completely disregard the symbol’s history as emblematic of peace. It is shocking that Truschke would devolve to such elementary misconceptions. Instead of devaluing the Swastika’s cultural significance, it would have been more productive for her to spread the truth regarding a symbol that was blatantly misused by Nazi leaders for horrific purposes.

More concerning than her statements, however, is Rutgers’ strong backing of her comments regarding the Swastika and Hinduism. The university justified her statements as a “perspective on Hindutva, not Hinduism.”

“Hindutva” is a commonly misused term, as ruled by the Supreme Court of India, to define acts of violence of radical religious practitioners in the name of Hinduism. The term itself was coined a century ago to create a

common sense of Hindu identity to unite the people against British colonialism. Rutgers’ audacity to use the term to justify slander is contemptible.

It is improper to appropriate the radical actions of a select few in the name of “Hindutva” to all practitioners of the faith. Such comments merely fuel hatred. Truschke claims to have an inherent love for Hinduism that drove her to pursue a career in its study, yet her words suggest otherwise.

Most recently, in September 2019, Truschke attended a political rally in New York City against the “fascist” behavior of the incumbent Modi government in India. While her political dissent is a fundamentally protected right under the laws of freedom of speech, it is imperative to consider that the organization she aligns herself with has ties to high-profile criminals.

Associating herself with such company casts doubt on her accountability and the authenticity of her claims.

Truschke appears to be highly hypocritical with this stance, contradicting the values she says she stands for.

Being critical of government policies is a cornerstone of democracy, but there is a fine line between criticism and making discriminatory comments and making accusations of fascism. It is a serious allegation that cannot be so declaratively stated of the world’s largest democracy.

Would an institution such as Rutgers be this apathetic or even support similar remarks against Jewish, Christian or Islamic faiths, and risk sparking widespread national outrage?

It is difficult to imagine so. If Rutgers truly believes in its mission statement, then the university’s administration must take steps to demonstrate that they respect the traditions and faiths of all students. Universities should facilitate campus-wide organizations to advocate religious equality and promote events and festivals from different faiths. Universities should take full advantage of their diverse student bodies to expose students to new customs and spread multiculturalism.

Hinduphobia may not be a widespread problem yet. Let’s keep it that way by advocating for informed discussion, not gross misrepresentation.

Aayush Gupta (22C) is from Singapore.

Professors Should Incorporate Technology into Classroom Naomi Keusch-Baker There is no doubt that a room full of students on their phones instead of engaged with a PowerPoint presentation is frustrating to professors.

However, presentations that only regurgitate information and could easily be made accessible online are monotonous for students.

There is recent extensive research on the pros and cons of technology in education. A study from 2011 conducted by the University of Michigan surveyed students who use LectureTools, “a collection of webbased tools that students can use on their laptops for a variety of in-class activities.” Fifty-three percent of these students responded that their laptops helped them learn more, compared to 40 percent of students who did not use LectureTools. The same study also reported that 40 percent of students using LectureTools and 46 percent of other students felt distracted when students sitting near them used laptops.

At Emory, I’d like to call out our own faculty who refuse to take advantage of the helpful aspects of screens, the internet and our interconnected digital world. Professors must adapt to innovation in order for students to have

every opportunity to succeed.

Professors should not be allowed to prohibit devices in the classroom. My professor of a Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) course told students on the first day of class that laptops and phones are not allowed due to department policy. Without much explanation, she mentioned the Office of Accessibility Services for accomodations, but did not address why the policy is in place.

Banning technology from the classroom inconveniences many people who benefit from being able to type notes in favor of satisfying a professor’s paranoia. Popular software applications like Microsoft Word help students keep their notes organized.

Additionally, many people my age type faster than they write, and I know students who retain and digest information better by typing than if they used pen and paper. Instead of conforming to blanket statements that claim how people succeed best, professors must consider that students learn in different ways.

To little surprise, the department at Emory most open to classroom technology has, in my experience, been the Computer Science (CS) Department.

As a student studying computer science, my bias must be considered in making this judgement. But while I often criticize my own department, I

give the faculty credit for incorporating technology into the classroom.

On the first day of my CS class this semester, my professor shared her perspective with us. She acknowledged research that supports both theories that technology hurts and helps students learn. It is our choice, she said, not only to decide how to take notes, but to choose how to use technology in general. She candidly said that if students want to play games or check their email, that’s fine, but they should sit in back as not to distract the people behind them. While I usually take notes with paper and pen, I appreciate my professor’s initiation to address the varied needs of students and for treating each of us with respect.

Another choice professors make regarding technology usage is whether or not to put notes online. My WGSS professor does not post notes online while my CS professor does. Other than to quell professors’ insecurities that students won’t attend class if they can read the lesson from the comfort of their bed, there is no reason why this shouldn’t be done.

However, my CS class is always mostly present, probably because my professor talks about more than what is on the slides. Posting notes online, something that takes very little time to do, benefits students more than it harms attendance and engagement.

If I am sick or out of town, or simply want to focus on what my professor is saying in class instead of anxiously making sure I write down every specific detail, I depend on an online record of what has been covered.

Taking and storing notes are just two of many ways technology helps students. Recording lectures and posting PowerPoints can help students study for exams and re-process information. In addition to benefiting students’ learning, online books and articles save trees and money for financially or environmentally conscious students.

Despite the complaints of some professors regarding the use of technology in the classroom, most professors use technology through automated plagiarism checks, automated grading and discussion boards. Cherrypicking what kind of technology to use and which to ignore concerns me, not as a CS major, but as someone who promotes progress and innovation, because technology is power. Access to our interconnected world — this combination of knowledge and communication — determines success.

In my experience, there is a trend of undeserved mistrust aimed at younger adults. It feels like when I’m seen with my phone, the worst is assumed, and it’s not only in the classroom.

I’ve been told at professional devel-

opment events to put my phone away and that it’s rude to take notes on a device. That might be true, but I accept the consequences of my actions because I am an adult. As someone who grew up with this “new” technology, I’m tired of professors dwelling on a normalized development. Banning all usage of phones and computers is unwarranted.

Leaving decisions regarding technology in the classroom to departments and individual professors creates unequal opportunities for students and professors. To even the playing field, the University should standardize requirements and expectations of students and professors.

It’s 2019, and a fixed mindset toward technology in academia is inexcusable. I am disappointed in professors who deprive younger adults of tools needed for success. I challenge everyone to embrace the technological revolution, take a chance on trusting others with technology and ask if their environment supports diverse styles of learning.

Maybe professors can reach out to the CS Department. Together, we can empower students and faculty of Emory University with the exciting inventions of today and tomorrow.

Naomi Keusch-Baker (20C) is from New York City.

&

The Emory Wheel

Arts Entertainment Wednesday, October 30, 2019 | Arts & Entertainment Editor: Adesola Thomas (adesola.thomas@emory.edu)

Concert

WMRE Music Fest

Localsfest Champions Atlanta Musicians

By Elizabeth Greene Contributing Writer

Courtesy of Parth Mody/Emory Communications

Rico Nasty Underwhelms at Homecoming

By Shantell Dasilva Contributing Writer

Other than walking back and forth on stage, Maria-Cecilia Simone Kelly, better known by her stage name Rico Nasty, did not exude much energy during her headlining performance for Emory’s Homecoming concert. The opening act, however, brought its edgy rendition of hip-hop to an otherwise uneventful Emory campus. Rico Nasty greeted the stage with “Trust Issues,” one of the hits from her third album, “Nasty.” Despite ongoing rain during her performance, the crowd jumped and chanted, paying no attention to the inconvenience. Rico Nasty later followed up with a performance of

“Countin’ Up,” which incorporated a sample of the hit, “Superthug,” by New York rapper Noreaga. The entire crowd erupted in a chant-along with the Baltimore-raised artist as she rapped to her song. Although she produced zestful music, Rico Nasty did not emanate much stage presence. She strutted more on that stage than sang.

To conclude her half-hour long show, Rico Nasty performed her punk take on hip-hop with the song, “Smack a Bitch.”

The audience was mesmerized as they raged along to the hit single, which was released shortly after Rico Nasty had a physical altercation with rapper Asian Da Brat, formerly known as Asian Doll, in 2018.

When asked about her experience at the Homecoming concert, Karla PerezGuevara (19C) shared, “I already knew about Rico. I mostly went to the concert to see her. However, I did expect her to be more hype like the other performances I’ve seen her provide in the past.”

Opener and Atlanta duo Olu and Wowgr8, known collectively as EarthGang, kicked off the night with a high-energy performance and entertaining costume changes. After surviving this semester’s stressful midterms, students were rejuvenated

by EarthGang’s opening set, which included “LaLa Challenge” from their

See EARTHGANG, Page 8

On Oct. 25, WMRE’s Localsfest proved once again that Atlanta is bursting with fresh and diverse musical talent. Hosted at The Drunken Unicorn, Localsfest featured local artists and bands such as worlds greatest dad, Gabbie Rotts and Challenger Deep. The concert, hosted annually

by WMRE, was a celebration of DIY alternative rock and pop punk, an opportunity for the Emory community to discover the new faces of Atlanta’s music scene.

The subterranean bar and stage was an appropriate venue for the event, providing an intimate space for sharing homegrown music. It didn’t feel too far off from a concert you might catch in your friend’s garage, save for the professional lighting. The space might not have been packed, but a small gathering of young people crowded near the stage throughout the night. Instead of the usual concertgoer routine of watching through a phone screen, audience members were deeply immersed in the show, dancing and cheering along to the acts.

First to take the stage was worlds greatest dad, a four-piece indie-rock band. Fresh off a national tour, the band brought high energy and charisma to kick off the night. They exuded

confidence onstage and seemed comfortable with themselves, the audience and their music. There was obvious chemistry between the band members, and they danced around onstage as much as the audience were in front of them. Highlights from their set included their breakout single, “Laughing (While You’re Smiling),” which has racked up over 100,000 streams on Spotify. The song is raw and deeply emotive, featuring powerful guitar riffs and honest lyrics (“Maybe if I tell myself I’m doing fine/ You would stick around and wouldn’t mind me feeling so low”).

“Better off Dead,” a cut from their 2018 album “Get Well Soon,” was a standout from the set. Veering closer toward emo-rock, the song is a powerful confessional with lyrics like, “Oh, how do I make myself proud when I’ve been messing up everything.” In their performance of the track, the band exploded into thumping guitars and pleading vocals, pulling the audience into a cathartic musical release.

Riding off the energy of worlds greatest dad, Gabbie Rotts brought the same level of vulnerability and emotion to the stage. The three-member all-female pop-punk band performed a wide array of music from their debut 2018 album, “Pink Drink Season,” and

See Gabbie, Page 8

Poetry Book review

Laudati Covers Emotional Ground in ‘Camp Winapooka’

By Bella Ross Contributing Writer

Grade: AIn “Camp Winapooka,” Scott Laudati compiles four years and six cities worth of poetry into one thoughtful and often melancholy book. This is

Laudati’s fourth published book and third book of poetry; he’s fairly seasoned, and it shows. Whether the subject matter is timely or traditional, personal or political, each poem in “Camp Winapooka” is engaging, beautifully written and emotionally resonant.

“Camp Winapooka” is composed of seven sections, each defined by where

Local Theater

‘La Cage aux Folles’ Serves Campy Charm on Low Budget

By Charlotte Selton Contributing Writer

“La Cage aux Folles” is rather gaudy, but it’s also rather grand, as the lyrics to the title song proclaim. Never understated or quiet, this show wows audiences with bright colors, blinding amounts of glitter and an abundance of feather boas, all adding to create the atmosphere of a French drag nightclub. This 1984 Tony Award-winning musical plays at Out Front Theatre Company until Nov. 9 in a low-budget but enthusiastic production.

In the St. Tropez nightclub called La Cage aux Folles, Georges (Tony Hayes) is emcee and club owner while Albin (Clint Clark) is the star performer under the stage name Zaza.

In the apartment above the nightclub, Georges and Albin become a bickering middle-aged couple, the romance fading from a decades-long relationship as the nightclub dominates their lives.

However, this equilibrium is shattered when Jean-Michel (Aaron Schilling), the son of Georges and Albin, returns

home engaged to Anne (Melanie Sheahan), the daughter of a fiercely conservative politician who supports outlawing all drag clubs. With Anne’s parents coming to meet her potential in-laws, Jean-Michel begs his parents to help him create the pretense of a straight family. With Albin’s natural flamboyance and a crew of Cagelles (an ensemble of drag queens) downstairs, this scheme proves no easy feat.

“La Cage aux Folles” delivers campy fun, with the plot never straying toward the heavy and somber topics that lace through most major LGBTQ+ musicals. The audience at Out Front Theatre Company was the most enthusiastic one I have ever seen in Atlanta, ready to holler whenever a singer finished belting out a note or a Cagelle kicked a heel overhead. Viewers even cheered and whooped before the show began when Out Front Theatre Company’s Founder and Producing Artistic Director Paul Conroy gave the pre-show announcements. The

See EMORY, Page 8

and when Laudati wrote them. The sections appear chronologically, allowing readers to follow Laudati’s mindset as it progresses over the years and, with few exceptions, grows more dismal.

Each one has its bright moments, but the first section, “lapsarian fatigue,” is the strongest overall. While poems in the other sections occasionally fly too

far into abstraction, each poem in the first section strikes a balance between the stars and the Earth. Each poem feels real and personal, as Laudati uses microscopic but impactful details like, “your hair used to itch/ my skin if you didn’t tuck it back,” to ground readers and bring them closer to the subject matter. The poems focusing on global

and political topics are consistently thought-provoking.

Laudati tackles his own disillusionment with the United States and American patriotism in several poems; “fun time america,” “#occupy” and “the exodus” stand out among

See Poet, Page 8

International Cinema

Courtesy of IMDB

‘Parasite’ Meditates on Korean Class Inequality

By Caleb Jones Contributing Writer

Grade: A Bong Joon-ho’s latest film, “Parasite,” is a success in cinematic craft and narrative storytelling.

The film, which may very well be the best of the year, world-premiered in May to rave reviews at the Cannes Film Festival, where it unanimously won, for the first time since 2013, the coveted Palme d’Or award. “Parasite”

was also a historic win, as no Korean language film had ever won the Palme d’Or before. And by no means was this win undeserved. As more and more people have seen “Parasite,” it has become one of the most hyped films in recent memory with few detractors to be found. And the excitement surrounding this film is well-deserved.

“Parasite” is a rare film without any comparison, a completely idiosyncratic creation. It is a film that encompasses every feeling on the emotional spectrum, a film which can be both

immensely funny as well as devastatingly sad, terrifying yet warm.

It is a perfect balance between several genres: heist film and dark comedy, social thriller and family drama, biting satire and horror film. Ki-woo’s (Choi Woo-shik) friend Min (Park Seojoon) offers him a job as a tutor for the daughter of the wealthy Park family. Soon afterward, he schemes to have his sister Ki-jung (Park So-dam) implemented as an art tutor to the

See JOON-ho, Page 8

8

A&E

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Poet Ponders Nihilism, Hope and Love

Courtesy of Scott L audati

Continued from Page 7 the pack. Laudati doesn’t shy away from harsh criticisms of the U.S. and the American Dream, writing, “they would’ve charged jesus christ/ for a fishing license if it got/ a dollar out of him” and “the poor were always sliding/ down the mountain,/ they just found a new country/ where they believed/ lies could come true.” But Laudati isn’t a one-trick pony, and he shines just as bright in poems that explore more domestic, intimate subject matter. His poems about romantic

relationships are consistently captivating, depicting love and heartbreak without being kitschy. Particularly poignant are “fish tank” and “what’s enough?” as they illustrate in sharp and painful detail the bitter ends of failing relationships. My personal favorite is “beautiful things,” which ends with “i can’t remember anything else/ i was ever searching for.” It’s just shy of saccharine, but it stays deliciously sweet. Even “a poem for satine: a good boxer,” which focuses on Laudati’s dog and her death, is not overly sentimental. It’s not a cheap

tearjerker; it’s genuinely touching and authentic.

My only criticism of “Camp Winapooka” is that it is too ambitious in its range of subject matter.

According to the book’s description, the collection of poetry traverses “New York City, love, wildlife, politics, dogs, history, 9/11, Occupy Wall Street, punk rock, nihilism and hope.” This is a lot of ground to cover, and Laudati rarely, if ever, connects the topics to one another. Consequently, the collection feels disjointed, as if it is an anthology rather than a book of poems. The locations and time periods seem to be the only thing distinguishing each section, as each one swings from topic to topic. However, the decision to separate the book this way seems arbitrary, as the locations do not seem to correlate to any noticeable shift in perspective or material. The last poem of the book, “mercy me,” includes a couple attempts to tie the book together, but it doesn’t encompass enough to make the book feel thematically consistent.

However, “Camp Winapooka” is still worth reading, as each poem works well enough individually that it’s incohesiveness seems unimportant. “Camp Winapooka” is unapologetically honest about the harsh realities of the world today, but more importantly, it leaves room for intimacy, love and hope within that world.

— Contact Bella Ross at bella.ross@emory.edu

The Emory Wheel

Emory Student Shines In Atlanta Production

Continued from Page 7

cast members returned this excitement, shining in their group musical numbers. Some of Emory’s own talent feature in the show as well: Willis Hao (18Ox, 20C) makes his Out Front Theatre Company debut as Bitelle, a Cagelle in the ensemble. Jacob (Joe Arnotti), a supporting character who works as a maid for Albin and dreams of performing on the La Cage aux Folles’ stage is an unexpected scene stealer throughout the show. Arnotti’s hilarious and charmingly over-the-top physicality does leave the question: why would anyone be reluctant to put Jacob on a drag club stage? The faults of this production may simply reflect budgeting constraints. The sound balance was off, with the orchestration sometimes overpowering the singers.

When the performers encouraged the audience to clap the beat, the lyrics became indistinguishable. The fixed set of the show seems like a missed opportunity. The mural of a flamingo, the brightly colored cloth backdrops with painted hearts and a wide arc of bulbs conjure neither a nightclub nor France and look on par with a high school production. Moreover, the bright palettes, patterns and details of the fixed set leave the stage too visually busy with clashing color when the

actors are on stage.

The costumes are also often loud and bright, but reflect the characters, time and place as the fixed set never does. Platform shoes and bell bottoms evoke the 1980s, while the eyecatching outfits the Cagelles don and George’s collection of boldly-patterned dinner jackets evoke a drag nightclub.

Of course, the dazzling red sequin gown that Albin wears as Zaza in the iconic Act One finale, “I Am What I Am,” wonderfully matches the intensity of the number and featured in several patrons’ intermission conversations.Out Front Theatre Company’s “La Cage aux Folles” is natural crowdpleaser and impressed me with its energetic cast. The feel-good messages to be true to yourself and love each other help this show remain popular over three decades after its premiere.

Out Front Theatre Company, only a few years old, is a nonprofit institution giving LGBTQ+ stories center stage and building community as a member of the Atlanta Queer Arts Alliance. Go see “La Cage aux Folles” and enjoy a lively production of an iconic musical while supporting Atlanta communities and an Emory student’s outstanding performance.

— Contact Charlotte Selton at charlotte.selton@emory.edu

EarthGang Excites Emory Students at McDonough Field Continued from Page 7

first album, Mirrorland. Students who were unfamiliar with the song quickly learned the chorus and helped fortify the light-hearted atmosphere of the evening. The band was emotive and used their bodies as tools of perfor-

mance. It was engaging to watch even for students who may not have known the band as well.

“Even though I only knew one or two songs from them, I really got into their music after their performance,” Jasmine Walters (19Ox, 21C) said.

“They really know how to move a crowd and get them engaged so they just gained a new fan.”

After performing one of their hits, “Top Down,” EarthGang explored their more soulful side with a song aptly named “This Side” and engaged with

Emory students in the audience.

Olu and Wowgr8 performed the moshpit-inducing hit “Down Bad” and ended their set by bringing students onto the stage for a dance battle.

Compared to her formidable openers, Rico Nasty performed an underwhelm-

ing concert.

But the atmosphere, coupled with enthusiastic students, made for an enjoyable evening.

— Contact Shantell Dasilva at shantell.dasilva@emory.edu

Joon-ho Impresses FilmLovers With New Flick

Continued from Page 7

Gabbie Rotts Performs at Drunken Unicorn

Courtesy of Liz Greene

Continued from Page 7 their recent album release, “Mystical Harmony.” Propelled by fuzzy guitars and punchy drums and accented with authentic lyricism, the band felt like a true embodiment of the homemade, DIY-Atlanta music scene. In between songs, the band chatted comfortably with the audience, sharing stories of bad exes and funny quips about college radio stations. The songs they performed were often brief — few of them hit the three-minute mark — but they were packed with emotion.

Their lyrics are straightforward and genuine, touching on themes ranging from heartache to mindless scrolling on Instagram. Their music especially resonated with Maia Amellio (19Ox, 21C), who loved the band’s honesty.

“They were quirky and funny and there to purely enjoy themselves,” Amellio said. “Also, their songs were beyond relatable. As a 20-year-old college gal,

I could really relate to their stories of failed relationships and frustrations with boys.”“I Just Want to Be Alone,” a song from “Mystical Harmony,” was by far their best performance of the night. With its repetitive chorus and propulsive instrumentals, the song is perfect for singing along and thinking about a bad ex. The band’s penchant for frank storytelling was reminiscent of the Indigo Girls, another Atlantabased female rock group, who are also Emory alumni. The aforementioned singer-songwriter duo typified female folk rock in the ’90s, and Gabbie Rotts carries a similar female angst updated for a millennial crowd.

Challenger Deep, an instrumental rock boy band, closed out the night.

Following two lyrically strong acts, the band burst into their set with explosive instrumentation. Together, the four-piece group was raucous, playing crashing drums and rapid guitars with simultaneous intensity. Though some-

times frenetic, band members had ample command of their instruments, gathering momentum together and maintaining clear melody throughout their set. More than the groups before them, Challenger Deep was exploratory and instrumental with their sound.

They sometimes shifted toward sleek atmospheric rock or pop punk, testing the bounds of instrumental rock.

“Immersive,” their most famous track from their 2019 debut self-titled album, shows the band at their best.

The song begins with restraint before erupting into an energetic climax, and it elicited plenty of headbanging (and some brave moshing!) from the enraptured audience.

Throughout the night, Localsfest was an opportunity to open up the Emory community to new, Atlantabased artists.

— Contact Elizabeth Greene at elizabeth.greene@emory.edu

Park son, who is an art prodigy. As the film progresses, Ki-woo and Ki-jung slyly incorporate the rest of their family into the Park household. This arrangement works for both the Parks and the Kims, until the narrative suddenly shifts. And to spoil anything that follows would be a disservice to any reader, but suffice it to say that the rest of the plot is unpredictable and is best seen without prior knowledge of what is to follow.The issue at the heart of “Parasite” is the way that different classes interact with each other in modern South Korea. There are two main locations depicted in the film: the Parks’ mansion, located atop a hill in a nice area of Seoul, and the Kims’ shabby establishment, located halfway below the ground, where the Kims are just able to peer out at a world they don’t have access to. However, “Parasite” does something that viewers don’t often see in films regarding class: it humanizes both the rich and the poor, whereas other films such as “The Wolf of Wall Street” or “The Florida Project” only focus on the rich or the poor, respectively.

Both families do morally questionable things, but the viewer is never confused as to why a character acts the way he or she does. Neither the Park family nor the Kim family are portrayed as evil or righteous, just as ethically ambiguous. Yet each character is

written well enough for the audience to continue to root for them, even as the Kims disrupt the livelihoods of innocent people to establish themselves within the Park household, or as the Parks act in blissful ignorance of the monetary situation of the other characters around them. Even as the film takes its sudden left, dark turn within the second half, everything remains believable. “Parasite” poses challenging themes and ideas, most of which come in the second half of the film, which is best left unspoiled.

In this second half “Parasite” reveals its true thematic nature as a film in which no family can truly win in a game they don’t even realize they’re a part of. It asks what the role of the rich is in class warfare, especially when the poor are willing to descend upon each other rather than on the rich. And the final shot of the film brings home all of these themes in a devastating, heartbreaking manner. The film succeeds in both its ideological convictions and its genre thrills. Not only is it one of the best crafted, most meticulously directed films of the year, “Parasite” is also the most massively entertaining film of the year in every which way.

A film this rich thematically and this deeply entertaining must be seen in a theater. So see it. See it twice.

— Contact Caleb Jones at caleb.jones@emory.edu

The Emory Wheel

Emory Life

Wednesday, October 30, 2019 | Emory Life Editor: Caroline Silva (ccsilva@emory.edu)

2019 MONSTER MASH

SPOOKY

Hunting for Haunted Atlanta Locales

By Bonny Minn Contributing Writer

The seasonal haunted houses popping up across Georgia may provide for some brief horror, but why not look forsome truly spooky locations?

Atlanta’s rich history boasts plenty of truly haunted buildings where visitors have claimed to hear and see apparitions. Even Emory can be included among these haunted locations, for Oxford College offer’s one plenty of frightful venues.

Thornton House

Priyam Mazumdar/Staff

On Oct. 26, the MLAO House hosted their Monster Mash Halloween event which featured a night of live music, art, a costume contest and more.

Located in Stone Mountain, Ga., Thornton House, one of the oldest buildings in Atlanta, was built in the 1790s by Thomas Redmon Thornton, a wealthy farmer who owned an indigo plantation.

The house was deconstructed and reconstructed three times and moved from its original location of Union Point, Ga., to behind the High Museum of Art in the 1960s to its current location in Stone Mountain Park in 1968.

Several visitors have claimed to have

experienced paranormal activities, suggesting that spirits are tied to the house itself.

Thornton House is famous for possessing a pre-teen female ghost. Many witnesses have seen the spirit of the young girl near the staircase. Some visitors claim to feel her pulling at their hair and blowing out candles throughout the house. When she appears, it is said that mysterious cold spots and breezes come along with the presence.

Stories say that the spirit is of a young girl who died from polio in the early 20th century, but the exact information about who the girl might have been is unknown.

Ellis Hotel While the building may look elegant and stylish from the outside, the Ellis Hotel in downtown Atlanta is rumored to have mysterious paranormal activities. The hotel, which opened in 1913, still welcomes guests and visitors today.

On Dec. 7, 1946, a fire at the Ellis Hotel, formerly known as the Winecoff Hotel, caused the deaths of 119 people.

Due to the hotel’s lack of fire safety ordinances like fire doors, sprinklers and fire alarms, it was nearly impossible for guests to escape or for firemen to rescue the victims.

Several guests jumped out of their rooms’ windows or died from burning and carbon dioxide poisoning.

This tragic event spurred changes in U.S. building codes, requiring architects to plan out a safety ordinance for emergencies.

Ever since the incident, several staff and visitors have reported hearing crying and screaming from women and children throughout the building. If that isn’t creepy enough, apparitions of those who are thought to be victims of the fire have been allegedly witnessed from the hallways and from windows outside the hotel.

Supposedly, the fire alarms will occasionally go off at 2:48 a.m., the exact time the fire started in 1946.

Fox Theatre The Fox Theatre, one of Atlanta’s

See CLAIRMONT, Page 10

FOOD REVIEW

Popular Confectioneers Release Slew of Halloween Treats

By Maya Deogun Contributing Writer

Is it really Halloween if candy isn’t involved? Candy companies always seem to be looking for a new way to dust the cobwebs off their classic confections in an attempt to bolster sales. Those pesky marketers may be trying to sell the consumer some tricks, so I tasted the latest seasonal candies to let you know which ones are truly treats.

Frankenstein-themed marshmallow.

Fluorescent green sugar encases a rectangular marshmallow with an off-centered face of Frankenstein’s monster.

Like the original iteration, these marshmallow monsters will overwhelm your taste buds with sugar. Despite its flamboyant look, the Frankenstein peep lacks any real flavor. But at $1 for a pack of three, it is still a pretty good bargain.

of pumpkin with dull candy shells.

Doubting my taste buds, I inspected the package ingredients only to discover no pumpkin pie flavoring.

While original M&Ms combine a crisp shell with creamy milk chocolate, these M&Ms use a much-too-rich white chocolate. Still, for a $3 eightounce package, the limited release M&Ms are pleasantly crunchy.

flavor.

Although somewhat sickly with the amount of sugar, the sugary maple creme presents a pleasing contrast with the slightly sweet wafers.

Although this limited edition flavor is only available for the fall season, a box of 24 cookies is the regular price of $2.99, and it proved worth the money.

spice-flavored, I tasted only a slight hint of pumpkin.

For the most part, it tastes like a white chocolate-covered pretzel.

If you found these sitting in front of you, you would probably eat and enjoy them, but even for $3.69 for an eightounce bag, it is not worth rushing to the nearest grocery store to snatch them.

Maple Creme Oreos (3/5)

Archer Farms Pumpkin Spice Pretzels (3/5)

Brach’s Autumn Mix (3.5/5)

White Pumpkin Pie M&M’s (2/5)

This monochromatic tan cookie lacks the crisp fall colors that other tested candies deliver.

Despite the dull appearance, this cookie is rich with creamy maple

Marshmallow Monsters Peeps (1/5) A seasonal twist on the classic Easter candy, Peeps has created a

The package promises pumpkin pie flavor, but all it delivers is bland white chocolate and a barely-detectable hint

SEASONAL

Fall For Atlanta Autumn Events

By Angela Tang Contributing Writer

As fall settles in, temperatures drop, colorful leaves scatter the grass and assignments begin to pile on, take a moment to relax and enjoy some seasonal activities before finals arrive.

Here are some opportunities to grab a couple of your friends and take advantage of the numerous spooky, artistic and cheery events around Atlanta.

Chastain Park Arts Festival The Chastain Park Arts Festival in Buckhead will host its ninth annual two-day event that premieres on Nov. 2.

Approximately 185 local artists, artisans and vendors will spread throughout the park to showcase jewelry making, glassblowing, paintings, photography, local music artists, food and beverages.

The festival seeks to celebrate metro Atlanta and Georgian artists and accepts applicants to perform acoustic music.

If your dorm is currently lacking in personality, this event may provide unique art to spruce up your bare walls. It also offers an opportunity to explore the numerous artists in Atlanta and support the local scene with a couple of your friends.

Chinese Lantern Festival Looking forward to the new year and holiday season, Centennial Olympic Park will be hosting its annual Chinese Lantern Festival starting on Nov. 22 until Jan. 5.

This year’s theme is “Into the Wild” and aims to showcase land and sea life through colorful and illuminating lanterns.

Guests can enjoy 25 lanterns artisanally made in China and performances in acrobatics, dancing, theatrics and more. There will also be local craftsmen throughout the park serving unique Chinese food and art.

Netherworld Haunted House Located in Stone Mountain, Ga. at

about a 20 minute drive from campus, the Netherworld Haunted House offers two themed walk-through theatrical attractions: “Night of the Gordon” and “Cold Blooded.” Blood-curdling screams permeate the air as visitors face an army of ruthless stone warriors and prehistoric life forms spliced with alien DNA. Both houses feature terrifying live actors, multiple jump scares and special effects such as fog machines.

Dressed in gruesome costumes with realistic special effects makeup, live actors roam the queue to ensure that there’s not a single dull moment.

Guests can grab a spooky photo with the actors outside the houses.

Photo frames and other souvenirs can be purchased in the gift shop.

If haunted houses are not for you, Netherworld also offers small escape rooms, photo booths and a post-apocalyptic laser tag battle arena that carry the same amount of excitement, without all the horror.

The haunts will run until Nov. 9 and

See ATLANTA, Page 10

Coated in a muted-orange outer layer of white fudge, these pretzels are a harmonious blend of sweet and salty.

Although claiming to be pumpkin

Candy corn, arguably the most iconic Halloween treat, brings out strong opinions: people either love it

See DON’T, Page 10

ADVICE

Doolino Knows Best: Burritos Before Bros

The sounds of fear fill the air as spooky season comes near.

As my gorgeous physique begins to fill front yards along with other dead things, I am also summoned from my grave to answer your qualms.

Whether it’s Halloween costumes, jalapeno homicide or Emory’s latest construction project, you’ve got the questions.

Doolino’s got the answers.

Heyo Doolino, I may or may not have hospitalized my roommate on accident. There I was, minding my own business, frying up eggs, bell peppers, chorizo and some jalapenos for a breakfast burrito when my roommate walked in. All of a sudden, tears were pouring out of his eye sockets like sprinklers.

Homie was coughing so much it sounded like the Woodruff Library during flu season. Dude was hurting so bad he actually had to go to the hospital! Doctors diagnosed him with what WebMD now calls “Jalapeno Lung,” told

him to keep at least 25 feet away from any restaurant that seasons their food and put him on a milk, mayonnaise and ham diet.I feel terrible, Doolino, but I refuse to go without jalapenos in my breakfast burrito. What do I do?

Thanks, Spicy Boi Hey Spicy Boi, Don’t beat yourself up. Anyone should feel free to cook their cuisine of choice without having to dumb it down for the poor of taste. Next time your roommate dares to enter the tortilla temple that is your kitchen, turn up the heat! Throw out the eggs — maximize your picante potential by frying straight jalapenos in hot sauce. Eventually, you’ll either lose a roommate or their little baby taste buds will grow up and learn to love the heat.

Keep it spicy, Doolino Dearest Don Doolino, What’s up with PC culture nowa-

See SPOOKY, Page 10

d

10

EMORY LIFE

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Spooky Costumes Now Sold at ATL Zoo

Continued from Page 9

days? Call me canceled, but you can’t insult entire groups of people anymore without someone getting offended.

Halloween is just around the corner, but what am I supposed to dress up as? It feels like I can’t even dress up as a racist caricature of another culture that I know nothing about without someone holding me accountable! What am I supposed to do? Think about my actions and their consequences? Jeez.

Thanks Donnie Darko Hi Donnie, Lots of people who have never had their identities politicized feel just like you do. If you want to get back at the society that won’t let you dress like an insulting caricature of a more marginalized group of people, you should consider dressing up as an insulting and insensitive caricature of yourself.

If you’re from the B-school, you should check out the Atlanta Zoo’s reptile exhibit for costume ideas. Since it sounds like you might get a lot of your knowledge from Facebook, maybe you could dress up as a baby boomer. Try a Beatles T-shirt tucked into your highwaisted cargo shorts and open-toed sandals, all the while blaming your problems on younger, harder-working generations to complete the look.

Get yourself a reality check, Doolino Doolino Baby, It’s been a long time coming, but the

Emory Student Center is finally finished, and I couldn’t be happier. The new study spaces are my favorite. How impressive is it that after so many years of construction, we have this huge building where a whopping 10 students can work at the same time! I mean, there are a generous five or six tables in there! I’m so happy to finally have a space where I can spend half an hour walking around looking for somewhere to sit and quietly work before giving up and going to the library.

What’s your favorite thing about Emory’s construction projects?

Thanks, Appreciative Adam Hey Adam, I couldn’t be more excited about the latest project currently unfolding in between the ESC and the WoodPEC. In a historic win for field enthusiasts, specially trained contractors working inside the blue fence are converting that empty plot of concrete and dirt into an empty plot of concrete and dirt that looks nice.

Using state-of-the-art grass-planting technology, cutting-edge bricklaying and your tuition dollars, the new Forum for Intelligent Emory Leadership and Design (FIELD) will revolutionize the way you walk to the WoodPEC. Expected completion date: August 2030.

Love, Doolino

— For your day-to-day qualms send anonymous questions to doolino.emory@gmail.com

The Emory Wheel

Clairmont, Oxford House Potential Ghost Sites Continued from Page 9 oldest buildings in Midtown, formerly served as a movie theater and is now known for being a premiere performing arts venue. But what people may not know is that there have also been many paranormal stories and ghost sightings concerning the property.

Many haunting stories have been shared about the venue as several rumored paranormal activities have occurred over the years. Some people have claimed to see mysterious silhouettes inside the theater and even a face of a Confederate soldier from the windows outside. Others have claimed to witness figures walking around the building and hear mysterious creaking noises throughout its halls. Such sightings have pushed Fox Theatre to create seasonal ghost tours for visitors every year.

Forrest Martin/Photo Editor

Dekalb County town settlers are buried at Hardman Cemetery which lies on what is now part of Emory’s Clairmont Campus. are buried in the cemetery. The cemetery is named after Rody Harriet Hardman, Naman Hardman’s daughter who died at one and a half years old and was the first body to be buried there.

Hardman Cemetery Phi Gamma Hall In 1825, town settler and community road commissioner Naman Hardman who donated two acres of land for a cemetery to his Primitive Baptist Church, which was later burned by General William Tecumseh Sherman after Sherman used it as a field hospital during the Atlanta campaign. Now, as a part of Emory’s Clairmont Campus and just a short walk away from the Student Activity and Academic Center, many students and pedestrians pass by the Hardman Cemetery without knowledge of the graves or the history of the land.

Designated as a historical site by the DeKalb Historical Society, several early settlers of DeKalb County such as the Houston and Powell families

Phi Gamma Hall, Emory’s oldest academic building at Oxford College, was built in the mid-1800s and was originally created to be a space for debate society meetings. During the American Civil War, the only time Emory closed from 1861 to 1866, Phi Gamma was used as a hospital for Confederate soldiers.

Since then, students, faculty and staff have shared stories of witnessing ghosts in the hall at night, apparitions that are usually described as healthcare providers or nurses.

“Now, I don’t know if there were any encounters with this spirit, or if there is any evidence other than that rumor, but that rumor has persisted,” Dean of

Campus Life at Oxford College Joseph Moon said. The building became a black box theater in 1980 and served as a space for performing arts until 2003.

Following renovation in 2019, it now serves as a hub for group meetings and organizations. If this isn’t enough to give you chills, just adjacent to the Hall lies a cemetery with unmarked graves and a memorial where 31 Confederate soldiers were buried after dying in the Hall.

Conclusion Although there are plenty of attractions to enjoy during Halloween, there is nothing like a real ghost sighting to set you in the spooky season mood. This Halloween, take advantage of Atlanta’s rich history and consider embarking on your own ghost adventure.

— Contact Bonny Minn at bminn@emory.edu

Don’t Get Tricked by These Halloween Treats Continued from Page 9

Junior Mints with Black Orange Centers (5/5)

and

Atlanta Seasonal Events Bring Screams, Cheer Continued from Page 9 open between 7 to 7:30 p.m. every day.

But make sure to arrive early because the lines get busy quickly!

Buford Corn Maze The Buford Corn Maze in Buford, Ga., a 50 minute drive from campus, has been praised by Country Living Magazine as one of America’s 35 best corn mazes due to its extensive and elaborate design.

Tickets cost $15 and once inside, you can go on a hay ride that circles the five-acre corn maze and goes through the woods, lounge in a corn kernel sandbox, enjoy a pony ride, view some animals and more.

From the antique tractors to the farm animals, there are plenty of photo opportunities.

From above, the maze features hidden symbols including a butterfly, their corporate sponsor, WSB-TV’s Family 2 Family Project logo and a flower.

The corn maze is open Friday through Sunday until Nov. 10 and, during the week of Halloween, is running a “Haunted Forest” special for $15, featuring a winding labyrinth filled with creatures.

R andy’s Pumpkin Patch At a 45 minute drive from campus, Randy’s Pumpkin Patch in Lawrenceville, Ga., features a bunny petting zoo, three bouncy houses, pony rides, face painting, zip lines and more. General admission is free, but the activities range from $3 to $6. The numerous pumpkins around the property offer many photo opportunities for the perfect fall Instagram photo.

The patch also sells various sizes of pumpkins for all your pumpkin pie and carving needs. While you’re strolling through the patch, feel free to enjoy concessions such as elephant ears and cotton candy.

After Oct. 31, the property will be converted to Randy’s Christmas Tree Farm, where guests can marvel at Christmas inflatables and purchase Christmas trees.

Atlanta Christkindl Market The Atlanta Christkindl Market at Atlantic Station will feature 80 Bavarian-style wooden chalets, tours that aim to create an authentic German holiday experience, traditional German food and beverages and handmade products.

Artisan crafts sold at the event

include ornaments, nutcrackers, tablecloths, handwoven winter clothing and beer steins, all of which make for perfect holiday gifts. If you’re an aspiring foodie, this event has plenty of authentic German dishes to please your appetite such as pretzels, schnitzel, potato dumplings, gingerbread, chocolate, chimney cakes, beer and more.

Although many of us are still in the Halloween spirit, the market celebrates Christmas during the four weeks of Advent and is also known as Christkindlmarkt, or “Christ Child Market” in German. It is Atlanta’s first and largest winter holiday festival hosted at Atlantic Station and will keep you on your feet the whole day as you try to take in all its wonders.

Conclusion As we near the end of the semester, academics will continue to intensify, but these events can provide a well-deserved respite. Whether you’re snapping the perfect pumpkin patch, screaming at a vampire or already settling into the holiday spirit, Atlanta offers plenty of opportunities to ease the pressure of midterms and finals.

— Contact Angel Tang at ytan258@emory.edu

or hate it.

I happen to be one of the lovers, and the Autumn Mix delivers just like the original candy corn does. You’ll find the expected taste of pure sugar and corn syrup in a pleasing array of vibrant colors such as “Yellow 6,” “Yellow 5,” “Red 3,” “Blue” and “Red 40.”

This wide selection of colors creates the shades, branching off from the pumpkin-shaped candies and traditional orange, yellow and white triangular candy corn.

A bag of 20 ounces for $2.79 proves worth the steal.

Reese’s Peanut Butter Pumpkins (4.5/5) When it comes to flavor, Reese’s Pumpkins stick with the classic formula.

Why change an already perfect recipe?

Though Reese’s attempted to reshape their iconic cups into pumpkins, the result is less of an autumnal gourd and more of an abstract oval blob that lacks visual appeal.

Despite this design flaw, Reese’s delicious flavor profile doesn’t disappoint with its salty-sweet peanut butter filling and thin milk chocolate outer layer.

Reese’s also offers a white creme pumpkin version for white chocolate lovers at $3 for 10.2 ounces.

This limited edition Halloweenthemed candy has it all — fun packaging, a novel design and a classic winning flavor. The bright orange box depicts a classic Halloween scene complete with bats and spooky trees anchoring the outer corners of the logo. Only looking at the outside of the oval candies, they appear to be your typical Junior Mints.

But a single bite into the chocolate shell reveals oozing orange and black, mint-flavored, smooth and gooey centers. The flavor does not say, “Halloween!” as much as the colors do, for the classic crisp mint flavor did not change for the season. At $1 for a 3.5-ounce box, the Halloween Junior Mints did not disappoint.

Conclusion Plenty of options fill the shelves of your local grocery store, but not all of them are worth your buck.

I recommend the Halloween edition Junior Mints due to their delicious flavor and fun Halloween-themed colors, while the worst pick would be the Monster Peeps due to their bland, sugary flavor profile. If you’re considering picking up some Halloween-themed sweets before Christmas candy begins piling the shelves, don’t be tricked by these less-than-savory treats.

— Contact Maya Deogun at mdeogun@emory.edu

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

SPORTS

The Emory Wheel

Srb Proves Critical to Eagles’ Success Continued from Back Page successful with any lineup combination due to the consistent effort everyone brings to practice.

“Every single player on this team is vitally important to our overall success,” McDowell said. “Each player brings 100 percent to every practice, and the competitive nature of our gym elevates the level of play for everyone.”

Emory came out the gate swinging in their top-10 matchup against the No. 7 Wisconsin-Whitewater team and took a 10-1 lead early in the first set. The Eagles closed out the first set 25-15 and maintained that momentum with a 25-22 second set victory as well. Eager to prove their No. 7 ranking, Wisconsin-Whitewater stunned Emory with a blowout 25-11 third-set win. The Eagles were able to quickly move on from the third set and regain control with a 24-18 lead in the fourth set. Wisconsin-Whitewater forced a nervy end with four straight points, but the deficit proved insurmountable, and Emory capped off the victory with a 25-22 fourth set.

The Eagles’ trio of hitters with over 200 kills on the season each, consisting of Saunders, McKnight and sophomore outside hitter Tara Martin, once again dominated and combined for a staggering 43 kills. Senior libero Elyse Thompson led the team in digs, as she has done in 22 of the 25 games this season, with 24, while freshman setter Cassie Srb coupled her 45 assists with 12 digs.

Despite the incredible numbers Martin, McKnight and Saunders have put up, McDowell said other key pieces deserve some praise as well.

“There’s no doubt the three of them are having incredible seasons but a lot of the credit has to go to our incredible passers and our fantastic freshman setter [Cassie Srb],” McDowell said.

Emory’s last match of the Invitational was another top-25 showdown, this time against No. 24 Susquehanna. Five sets were required to declare a winner in a match between two very skilled and competitive teams. Despite taking the first set, the Eagles found themselves down 2-1 in sets and losing 19-16 in the fourth set.

Patberg Praises Team For Complete Effort some adjustments.

“We will have to increase our speed on the game. This supof play, find ways to portiveness and cohecreate scoring opporsiveness, specifically “From start to finish, tunities and convert this year, has made those efforts to goals we played with us flourish so far this intensity and heart as well as not allow season,” she added. any mental or physical with each person ... lapses,’’ Patberg said.

Head coach Sue making an impact.”

Patberg left the match The Eagles take equally proud of her the field once again — Arielle Williamson, on Nov. 1 at the team.

Sophomore midfielder WoodPEC against “We took care of the ball in possession, finUniversity Athletic ished chances on goal and didn’t have Association conference rival Brandeis any mental lapses defensively,” Patberg University (Mass.). said. “It was a total team effort.”

Patberg believes the team can — Contact Ava Villalba at secure a win this weekend if they make ava.villalba@emory.edu

Continued from Back Page

On the verge of recording only their third loss of the season, Emory rallied in the fourth set to take it 25-21 and took the deciding fifth set 15-9 to secure the victory.

Martin, McKnight and Saunders all reached double-digit kills for the third straight game against ranked opposition. Thompson led the team with 21 digs, and junior middle hitter Finn Wilkins contributed six blocks.

Saunders said the team welcomes high-intensity, ranked games because they simulate the type of games they hope to win down the stretch.

“Our schedule prepares us extremely well for the conference championships and NCAA tournament,” Saunders said. “Our coaches make sure that we are well prepared to take on these teams and peak at the right time.”

The Eagles will remain at home for the next three games as part of the Emory National Invitational on Nov. 1 and 2.

11

SWOOP’S SCOOP Friday Nov. 1

Saturday Nov. 2

Sport

Opponent

Time

W Soccer Volleyball M Soccer

Brandeis Emory Invtl.

Brandeis

5 p.m.

7 p.m.

7:30 p.m.

Cross Country Volleyball

@ UAA Champs Emory Invtl.

11 a.m., 12 p.m.

12:30 p.m., 3 p.m.

W Soccer M Soccer

New York University New York University

11 a.m.

1:30 p.m.

Sunday Nov. 3

Swim & Dive Volleyball

Friday Nov. 8

— Contact Charlie Scruton at charlie.scruton@emory.edu

Emory Invtl. @ UAA Champs

6 p.m.

TBA

*Home Games in Bold

Beare Nets 2 in 5-0 Win Over Lions

Continued from Back Page

assisted the goal following a throw-in from freshman midfielder and defender Cole Hendricks.

The team attempted nine more shots in the half but were not able to increase their advantage going into the break.

The team played a fantastic second half, highlighted by clinical finishing in front of the goal.

According to Mehlman, the team’s ball dominance with the addition of a couple of players solidified their win in the second half.

“I think we were able to slowly wear Piedmont down with possession,” Mehlman said. “Once we scored that second goal we were able to stay on the front foot for the rest of the game.”

Emory’s second goal came in the 48th minute courtesy of junior defender Josh Berman, who headed in the goal following a corner taken by

freshman midfielder Matthew Tanzer.

Senior forward Corey Levine scored his second goal of the season in the 61st minute after a well-timed cross into the box by freshman forward Madison Conduah.

“I think we were able to slowly wear down Piedmont with possession.”

— Max Mehlman, Junior defender

The Eagles finished the game with two goals by freshman midfielder Joe Beare in the 81st and 84th minutes.

Beare slotted home his first goal after

picking up a loose ball and scored Emory’s fifth and final goal off a rebound by freshman forward Zach Kornblum.

Senior midfielder Jun Tsuru said that the team is focused on taking it game by game.

“If we come into the game with the right mentality and everyone does their part, we have a good chance against anyone,” Tsuru stated. “Our coaches tell us to control what we can control, which is working hard, communicating with the team and focusing on the details. If we get those right, the rest will come.”

The victory over Piedmont brings Emory’s overall record to 8-5-2. The Eagles return to action on Nov. 1 at 7:30 p.m. when they host Brandeis University (Mass.).

— Contact Daniel Kekes-Szabo at daniel.kekes-szabo@emory.edu

Gritty, King Cake Baby List Among Most Frightening Mascots Continued from Back Page New Orleans Pelicans King Cake Baby, New Orleans Pelicans’ seasonal Mascot Derick E. Hingle/USA Today

When Mardi Gras season hits New Orleans, the streets come alive with celebration, crowds gather to watch as parades pass by and people stay on their toes for the Pelicans’ King Cake Baby mascot. Since 2014, the nonblinking, diaper-wearing and Chucky doll-resembling mascot has roamed the streets of Louisiana during the annual carnival season.

The mascot is based on the traditional dessert that is served during Mardi Gras. A small plastic baby is hidden within these cakes, and whoever receives the slice with the baby inside is said to have good luck. But unlike the plastic baby found in the cake, King Cake Baby is not something you’ll be happy to see. King Cake Baby has been seen scaring ESPN broadcasters, unsuspecting grocery shop-

pers and opposing teams.

Althoug King Cake Baby is wellknown to New Orleans, the mascot recently made headlines earlier this year when its creator, Jonathan Bertuccelli, accused the creators of the movie “Happy Death Day” of copying his design for their masked killer.

Both designs have beady blue eyes, a painted open smile and an unmatched creep factor. Despite the controversy, King Cake Baby remains an unforgettable sight to all it encounters. So remember to enjoy this holiday season, because before you know it, King Cake Baby will be back on the NOLA streets sometime in early February 2020.

-Jessica Solomon

2012 London Olympics Wenlock, 2012 London Olympics Mascot

Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

In the buildup to the 2012 London Olympic Games, Iris, a London-based creative agency, was commissioned to create two mascots, one for the

Olympics and one for the Paralympics.

The result? Wenlock and Mandeville.

They have been critiqued around the world, labeled as “phallic bugbears” by The Guardian and “alienlooking” by NBC Bay Area.

Apparently, Iris wanted to incorporate the UK’s local steel and mining industries into the design of the mascots, a similar idea to the opening ceremony from “The Hunger Games” movie from 2012, and has a similarly bizarre and off-putting effect on the observer.

The worst part of these mascots is their strange shape and their giant, singular eye. Both mascots, but Mandeville in particular, look like metallic, rainbow cousins of the famously creepy Thumb Thumb robots from the 2001 movie “Spy Kids.”

Either that, or they look like robots designed by the government to spread some futuristic, autocratic propaganda to keep the population in line using fear. The description of Wenlock’s build design on the Olympics website even says that his giant eye is a camera lens intended to film “everything he sees.” If that does not shout government-made propaganda or secret police robot, I don’t know what does.

-Forrest Martin

Philadelphia Flyers’ Gritty Gritty, Philadelphia Flyers Mascot

Courtesy of Philadelphia Flyers

Philadelphia has always claimed the best mascot in sports: the Phillie Phanatic, a flightless bird who hails from the Galapagos Islands.

But since Sept. 24, 2018, Philadelphia has also been the home of the creepiest, most haunting and, oddly, the most weirdly lovable mascot in sports — the Philadelphia Flyers’ Gritty, who likely hails from the depths of Hell.

When he, or rather it, debuted, its looks were met with immediate criticism from Flyers fans.

Gritty’s unkempt bright orange fur, gaping mouth and terrifying, unblinking eyes makes it look less like a mascot and more like a nightmarish demon.

But when Gritty threatened the mascot of the in-state rival Pittsburgh Penguins with implied violence, it quickly became one of the most

beloved figures in the City of Brotherly Love.

Like the residents of Philadelphia, Gritty is rough around the edges — maybe a little too rough.

But it has an intense passion for its team that is sometimes expressed through violence and threatening acts.

But Gritty’s loyalty to the city combined with its horrific looks has made it a Philadelphia icon and a figure to be feared by the mascots of the 30 other NHL teams.

-Ryan Callahan Conclusion

Although they are haunting, we can’t help but adore these horrifically designed mascots in inexplicable ways.

Whether it be Kingsley’s three parted teeth, Boltman’s unnerving likeness to your local gym’s resident bodybuilder, King Cake Baby’s thousand-yard stare, Wenlock’s and Mandeville’s allseeing eyes or Gritty’s aggression, part of us — albeit a very small one — wishes we could give these revolting creatures a great big hug.

The Emory Wheel

Sports

Wednesday, October 30, 2019 | Sports Editor: Ryan Callahan (rjcalla@emory.edu)

MEN’S SOCCER

Defense Yields No Shots to Piedmont

WOMEN’S SOCCER

By Daniel Kekes-Szabo Contributing Writer The Emory men’s soccer team demolished Piedmont College (Ga.) 5-0 at home on Oct. 27, bouncing back from a 1-0 away loss on Oct. 20. The team dominated offensively, taking a 1-0 lead in the first half and scoring four more goals in the second.

The team outshot Piedmont by 19-0, completely eliminating any chance of their opponent recording a single shot on goal.

Junior defender Max Mehlman credits the Eagles’ preparation as a major factor for their decisive victory.

“We knew going into the game that Piedmont would be eager to get a win against us,” Mehlman said. “We had a great week of training, and we were able to be patient and stick to our gameplan.”

Junior forward Nate Sampson found the back of the net in the 15th minute for his team-leading sixth goal this season.

Sophomore forward Ethan Cohen

See BEARE, Page 11

A noushka Parameswar/Contributing

Junior defender Lily Dresner attempts to clear the ball from the Eagles’ side of the field and pressure Huntingdon College (Ala.) on Oct. 27. The Eagles dominated the match and recorded their first double-digit win since 2006 in a 10-0 win.

Shutout Extends Eagles Win Streak to 3

By Ava Villalba Senior Staff Writer The Emory women’s soccer team brutally defeated the Huntingdon College (Ala.) Hawks in a decisive 10-0 win on Oct. 27, boosting their overall record to 10-4 and extending their win streak to three games.

The season-high 10 goals marked the 10th double-digit goal game in school history for the Eagles and the first since Oct. 22, 2006.

Emory slotted five goals in the back of the net in each half and finished the match with a 37-1 margin in shots.

VOLLEYBALL

Eight Eagles contributed to the scoresheet, including freshman forward Natalie Klar, who recorded her first multi-goal game with goals in the 40th and 48th minutes.

She now leads the team with eight goals this season.

In the first half, sophomore midfielder Arielle Williamson netted the first goal of the game in the fifth minute, her second marker of the year.

The opening goal was then followed by senior forward Caroline Kolski in the 14th minute, senior forward Shivani Beall in the 23rd minute, freshman forward Aubrey Blanchard in the 32nd

minute and Klar’s first goal of the game.

Heading into the second half with a 5-0 lead, Klar capitalized on her stellar performance with her second goal before sophomore midfielders Lindsey Breskow and Lauren Mahoney each contributed beautifully-placed headers into the back of the net 32 seconds apart in the 61st and 62nd minutes.

A Huntingdon own-goal followed in the 67th minute, putting the Eagles up 9-0.

In the 86th minute, freshman forward Sydney Rosenkrantz sealed the double-digit win with a goal rebound-

ed off a shot attempt by junior midfielder Kelly Walsh.

“Scoring 10 goals really speaks to our focus as a team,” Mahoney said.

Williamson added on to this sentiment, citing the team culture and intensity.

“My teammates and I are most proud of the fact that we didn’t let our playing style or level be impacted the entire course of the game,” Williamson said. “From start to finish, we played with intensity and heart with each person individually making an impact

See PATBERG, Page 11

HALLOWEEN

Undefeated Home Mascots Spook Wheel Writers Streak Reaches 14

By Charlie Scruton Staff Writer

The No. 3-ranked Emory volleyball team won all four of its matches they hosted between Oct. 25 and 27 as part of the Emory Invitational against St. Mary’s College (Ind.), Roanoke College (Va.), University of WisconsinWhitewater and Susquehanna University (Pa.). The Eagles improved their undefeated home record to 14-0 and have only dropped a total of nine sets in home games.

Head Coach Jenny McDowell said much of the home success has to be attributed to the atmosphere Emory has generated.

“Our marketing and event staff have done an incredible job making the game day an event people enjoy attending,” McDowell said. “Our crowds have really grown, and I think it makes a big difference.”

In the first game against St. Mary’s, a 15-15 tie in the first set was as close as the match ever got. Emory rattled off 10 of the last 13 points to take the first set 25-18 before dismantling St. Mary’s 25-15 in the second set and 25-14 in the third set.

Junior right-side hitter Leah Saunders, who earned the Invitational MVP honor, produced 10 kills on a lethal .714 hitting percentage and also led the team with 13 digs. Senior outside hitter Morgan McKnight lead the team with 12 kills, and sophomore

middle hitter Charlese Blair impressed defensively with six blocks.

Saunders is grateful to be named Invitational MVP but said her mind is only focused on the team’s goals.

“Those awards don’t sum up the excitement of playing in [University Athletic Association] championships or winning Regionals or Nationals or the memorable moments that got the team there,” Saunders said. “Not to be cliche, but winning is all that matters to me.”

Roanoke, similar to St. Mary’s, put up their best fight against the Eagles in the first set and held a slight 17-16 lead. Emory won the next five points and then closed out the set 25-21. The Eagles steamrolled through the next two sets, both ending in 25-14 scores, to complete the sweep.

McDowell utilized a new-look lineup in this match in which many younger Eagles received opportunities alongside a few experienced veterans.

Freshman middle hitters Katie Hulme and Kirwan Carey, freshman outside hitter Caitlyn Reynolds and sophomore outside hitter Kaia Johnson all recorded career-high kills and combined for 22 of the team’s 40 kills.

Much of the veteran production came from senior outside hitter Sara Carr, who lead the team in both kills (11) and digs (14).

McDowell said the team remains

See FRESHMAN, Page 11

Mascots are an integral part of sports fandom. It’s hard to imagine a sporting event without the overthe-top reactions of highly energetic mascots.

Most mascots are cute, furry, lovable and make for great merchandise.

But there are some outliers — mascots so horrifying that they elicit more fear than fun.

Members of the Wheel’s sports section detailed their own traumatic experiences with some of the scariest sports mascots ever.

From fan designs to threats of violence, these mascots come with harrowing pasts. These are their stories.

Partick Thistle F.C. Kingsley, Partick Thistle F.C. Mascot

Courtesy of Emory Photo/Video

In 2015, Scottish soccer team Partick Thistle F.C. launched a fan contest for their new mascot. The resulting choice would scare even Chuck Norris, the bravest among us: a hideous, bright yellow sun, complete with a black unibrow, gaping white eyes with no pupils, giant nostrils and an open mouth with three differentsized teeth.

Altogether, the mascot appears as if Lisa Simpson fell into a nuclear reactor, switched genders and, upon realiz-

ing all of her life’s mistakes, screamed in abject horror. Designed by David Shrigley, a supposedly passionate fan of the club team and supposed artist, the mascot was a collaboration with sponsor Kingsford Capital Management, LLC, hence the name Kingsley.

Despite the eye-searing bright color and the lifeless eyes, Kingsley became an internet sensation. Kingsley trended on Twitter and caught headlines across the world from CNN to The Guardian.

Yet, Kingsley became an advertising and merchandising stroke of genius.

Partick Thistle sold record amounts of club merchandise with Kingsley emblazoned on it, initially selling out.

Despite sparking controversy and panic attacks alike, Kingsley remains the mascot of this Scottish team, proving to kids everywhere to never give up on your dreams of becoming an artist, even if you’re bad.

-Sammy John San Diego Chargers Boltman, San Diego Chargers Mascot

Courtesy of @Boltman/Twitter

In 1994, the San Diego Chargers reached Super Bowl XXIX. Chargers superfan Dan Jauregui’s

love for his team grew exponentially after their unsuccessful title run, and he decided the team was desperate for a team mascot.

The following season, Jauregui attended every Chargers home game in a dark yellow, full-body lightning bolt costume.

The bolt was almost larger than Jauregui himself as it towered over his head.

Named “Boltman,” the self-proclaimed mascot costume had a welldefined six-pack on his stomach, several wrinkles on his forehead and a pair of dark sunglasses, a seemingly innocuous combination that was nonetheless terrifying.

The costume included large teeth that took up half of his face and looked like they could bite someone in half.

Over the years, the costume evolved into only a Chargers uniform with a lightning bolt headpiece, similar to Packers’ fans cheeseheads.

Boltman was a fan-favorite for his passion for the Chargers, but was ultimately deemed too scary by everyone else.

Fortunately for fans, Jauregui retired in 2018 after a lawsuit over financial compensation from the Chargers organization.

Jauregui had hoped to sell the rights on eBay, but the highest bid was well short of his goal.

Some say that Boltman was so spooky, he drove the Chargers out of San Diego into Los Angeles.

-Michael Mariam

See GRITTY, Page 11