Members of the Emory University community gathered on Oct. 7 on the Quadrangle to honor the lives lost during the Hamas attacks on Oct. 7, 2023. Emory Hillel, Emory-Israel Public Affairs Committee and Eagles for Israel hosted the event to create a space for Jewish students to mourn the one-year anniversary of Hamas’ attack on Israel. Other groups, including MEOR Emory and Chabad at Emory, also publicized the vigil on social media.
The event started with Pazit Kahlon Shelnutt, assistant teaching professor and language coordinator in Hebrew, detailing the importance of remembering the hostages still held captive by Hamas and those who lost their
lives during the violence.
“We must not forget the terror of Oct. 7, the lives lost and the suffering that continues,” Shelnutt said. “But memory alone is not enough. The words of hope hold not only to remember but to act. Today, we remember the 101 hostages still being held in the tunnels of Gaza, their faces, their voices, their lives.”
The event proceeded with Emory community members recounting their experiences a year ago.
Sam Pittman (28C) was on a gap year in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. He described celebrating Simchat Torah — the Jewish holiday that marks the end of the year’s Torah reading — the day before the attacks. Singing old Jewish songs and prayers the night before reminded Pittman of “what it
Pro-Palestinian groups mourn casualties in Gaza
By L auren yee News Editor
Emory Students for Justice in Palestine (ESJP), Emory Stop Cop City, Emory Students for Socialism and Emory Divest Coalition, among other groups, hosted an Oct. 8 memorial on the Emory University Quadrangle to commemorate and mourn the lives lost in Gaza and Lebanon. Over 100 people attended the event, which included speeches, prayers, fundraising and craft-making. Many attendees dressed in black mourning attire and donned keffiyehs.
Speakers mourned those killed in Lebanon as the war in the Middle East recently expanded, with Hezbollah and Israel launching attacks on one another. Hezbollah is an Iran-backed Shiite militant and political group within Lebanon.
During the event, speakers shared stories and honored those killed in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023.
“On Oct. 7, the world reached a turning point,” one speaker said.
“Regardless of one’s race, background or ethnicity, the day brought a shared understanding of what it meant to be Palestinian.”
Another speaker read a poem about displacement by a Palestinian Lebanese poet and then read the poet’s reflection.
“I hope that my poem reminds you all not to simply measure violence in the number of bombs dropped but to consider the impact it has on every single person living there,” the speaker read.
Rev. Fahed Abu-Akel, the founder and executive director of the Atlanta Ministry with International Students Peachtree Presbyterian Church, gave
First-year student restarts Emory College Republicans
By JacoB MuscoLino Contributing Writer
Content Warning: This article contains references to sexual assault.
When Si Kai Feng (28C), who hails from Beijing, arrived at Emory University for his first semester, he was confused by the lack of a Republican presence on campus, especially compared to the robust Young Democrats of Emory.
“My understanding was this is a very politically active country,” Feng said. “It's a very politically open country with the First Amendment, and I've always been more of a Republican than a Democrat, so I wanted to join the College Republicans. … I was really surprised that there was no voice for Republican students at all.”
So, Feng decided to take matters into his own hands and restart Emory College Republicans, which was dormant last year. He is currently in the process of chartering the club and looking for new executive board members.
Years ago, the group was more
active on campus, according to former College Republicans President Christian Zimm (15Ox, 17C, 20B, 20L).
In an interview with The Emory Wheel last year, he noted that the club hosted speakers and events on campus during his 2016-17 presidency.
“There's actually a lot of conservatives at Emory, way more than you think, and they just are scared to speak up in class because the administration's liberal, the students are liberal, the professors are liberal, and [College Republicans] was a very nice place
for people to come and speak openly,” Zimm said.
In 2016, College Republicans and Emory Young Americans for Liberty sparked controversy on campus when they hosted an event featuring former Breitbart Editor Milo Yiannopoulos in Goodrich C. White Hall. Protesters criticized the groups for inviting Yiannopoulos, as he had labeled the LGBTQ+ community and other marginalized groups as “powerful minorities,” accusing them of using their influence to “exclude” the “voiceless majority.”
Jonathan Hussung (17C) wrote an op-ed ahead of Yiannopoulos’ visit, calling the right-wing commentator a “sexist, racist, Islamophobic, transantagonistic, ableist, transmisogynistic, reactionary bigot” and condemning College Republicans for giving him a platform.Similarly, College Republicans invited conservative author and political commentator Heather Mac Donald to speak at an event in 2020, earning backlash from student groups. Mac Donald had previously labeled “rape culture” a myth and criticized affirmative action.
In the wake of such controversies, students criticized the University for allowing potentially harmful speech that they believed could be considered void under the Respect for Open Expression Policy.
“It really could have been any Republican that came and certain student groups would have protested us and lost their mind,” Zimm said.
College Republicans has become less popular in recent years after first falling off when Zimm graduated, and the club’s Instagram has not been active since Nov. 9, 2022. Zimm expressed his hope that someone would restart College Republicans. In 2018, Ariana Gassel (22C) led a new executive board following Zimm, but the group eventually dissipated over the next few academic years. Jasmine Jaffe (22C) and Robert Schmad (23C) took over the presidential role in later years, but no one succeeded Schmad after he graduated.
“I guarantee that if the club got organized and got going again, they would be very active on campus,” Zimm said. “It's definitely possible,
Pro-Israel community remembers hostages held in Gaza
Continued from Page 1
meant to be Jewish.”
When the rabbis who had led the celebrations the day before explained the severity of the situation on the morning of Oct. 7, 2023, Pittman was “reminded differently of what it meant to be Jewish.”
Additional students spoke about the loss of loved ones resulting from the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks, and the event concluded with a recitation of a prayer by Jewish Chaplin Rabbi Jordan Braunig.
In a speech, Braunig described the pain Jews have felt during the last year.
“The world feels shattered,” Brauning said, “We feel divisions in our personal lives and our political lives.”
Nicole Kiblisky (28C) emphasized the significance of Emory holding events like this. Kiblisky grew up in a community tied to Israel, and the vigil helped her “feel connected” to her upbringing.
Other members in attendance
shared similar insights, with Benjamin Fortinsky (28C) mentioning how the event made him more connected in a time where “a lot of Jewish students feel isolated.”
Hillels of Georgia Engagement Coordinator Abbie Frankel explained how the vigil provided a space of mourning for Jewish students to build a community tied to their religion.
“Our religion focuses a lot on community,” Frankel said. “It’s a very communal space, and so this community allows us to be everything that our religion teaches us.”
Natalie David (26M) said the vigil helped her remember the strength of the Emory Jewish community.
“The pride of the Jewish community is being strong together,” David said. “We bring light to each other. We bring light into the world. A lot has changed in the last year, but we have gotten stronger as a community.”
— Contact Siya Kumar at siya.kumar@emory.edu
Attendees describe destruction in Gaza
Continued from Page 1
a speech urging college students to engage in research and ask questions, as they are the “backbone for freedom — for liberation.” He proceeded to explain Palestinian history and shared his personal experience living in Gaza.
Abu-Akel was born in 1944, four years before the foundation of Israel, in Kafr Yasif, a town now located in Israel.
“When we came back, we discovered five Palestinian villages next to my village were destroyed,” Abu-Akel said. “That means the new creation of the state of Israel destroyed 530 villages and towns and exiled close to a million Palestinians.”
The United Nations reported that the creation of Israel displaced 700,000 Palestinians.
Abu-Akel encouraged the audience to stand together regardless of religious background.
“I challenge all of us, people with faith or without faith,” Abu-Akel said. “[In] 2024, if we don’t stand with each other as a human family, to say we are against oppression, locally, nationally and globally, we are against terrorism, locally, nationally and globally.”
Attendees then prayed together while holding candles in prayer circles. They also participated in a Janazah prayer for “the martyrs of Palestine” and multifaith prayers. The Janazah prayer is a prayer commonly recited at funerals.
Event organizers set up poster boards on the Quad with information about the history of the broader conflict. There was also a donation table in
addition to the Refaat Mobile Library, a traveling library in Atlanta in honor of Palestinian poet Refaat Alareer.
Some community members wrote the names of those who died on a sign and placed candles in front of it.
An organizer of the event who requested to remain anonymous due to fear of retaliation said they were glad that people felt “safe and comfortable to show up.”
“It’s just a great opportunity for people to learn more about Palestine but also to mourn,” the organizer said.
“This is really a memorial first, and so we wanted to make sure that we really respected and honored all of our martyrs, all the people that have been killed in Palestine, Lebanon and Syria, and Yemen, all across the different
countries affected by this conflict.” Additionally, they expressed the need to understand one another in the community.
“A lot of people tend to get caught up in the politicized nature of Palestine and Israel, but it's important to remember that there’s people that are hurting on both sides, civilians lost,” the organizer said. “It’s important for everyone to give each other grace and to kind of step back from it and recognize that this isn't just about politics, it’s about people’s family members dying.”
Contributing writer Ivana Chen (27C) contributed reporting.
— Contact Lauren Yee at lauren.yee2@emory.edu
Oxford College celebrates queer figures in STEM
By KiMi Weng Contributing Writer
Content Warning: This article contains references to suicide.
Oxford College’s Division of Natural Science and Mathematics hosted a seminar on Oct. 7 to recognize queer figures in the STEM field in celebration of LGBTQ+ History Month. This seminar was part of the division’s seminar series, which aims to provide opportunities for faculty to share topics of their interest and help the community better understand each other, according to Associate Professor of Biology Sarah Fankhauser. She wanted to hold the seminar close to National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11 and the Atlanta Gay Pride Festival on Oct. 12 and 13. She introduced Associate Professor of Mathematics Juliette Hulgan as the seminar facilitator.
Hulgan acknowledged that people identify themselves in many different ways.
“My hope is that in the future, we might also have other opportunities for sharing other ways that people can feel as if they belong, recognizing that I see myself in that person, focusing on things related to gender identity and sexual orientation,” Hulgan said.
About five faculty members spoke about queer individuals of their choice — some had personal connections to their selected figures, while others simply wanted to recognize their impact. They included not only experts in STEM but also activists for the environment and the LGBTQ+ community.
Assistant Professor of Mathematics Tien Chih introduced one of his closest friends, Demi Plessas, who is an artificial intelligence scientist. Chih, who said Plessas creates “impressive” design models, also announced that Plessas will visit Oxford as a speaker this upcoming March. Instead of pre-
senting more traditional scientists, Assistant Professor of Environmental Science Melissa Hage highlighted LGBTQ+ individuals who promote “sustainability and visibility.” Hage introduced Pattie Gonia, a drag queen, environmentalist and community organizer who utilizes photographs of herself in nature to inspire people.
Hage also presented Rose Marcario, the former CEO of Patagonia and current chair member of Rivian, an electric vehicle company.
Marcario is a self-identified queer woman who has been promoting sustainable actions her entire life. Hage added that Marcario worked to initiate “environmentally forward” policies at Patagonia.
Hulgan concluded the presentation of queer figures in STEM with Alan Turing, a key figure in cracking Germany’s Enigma cipher machine during World War II. The British government convicted Turing of gross indecency due to admitting to a sexual relationship with another man. Shortly after, he committed suicide after being put on hormone treatments.
“Words cannot describe how fortunate I am that we are not at a place like that,” Hulgan said. “Things are not perfect by any means, but it’s a really dark mark, dark stain on history within math and CS that Alan Turing was treated the way that he was because of loving who he loved.”
If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, you can call Student Intervention Services at (404) 430-1120 or reach Emory’s Counseling and Psychological Services at (404) 727-7450. You can reach the Georgia Suicide Prevention Lifeline 24/7 at (800) 273-TALK (8255) and the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline 24/7 at 988.
— Contact Kimi Weng at kimi.weng@emory.edu
JaCk rutherford/News editor
Artwork commerates those lost at the Nova music festival.
Nata Lie sa NdLow/Visua L editor Protestors display faux copies of The New York Times.
Oxford launches new London first-semester study abroad program
By Lauren yee News Editor
Oxford College is launching a new fall study abroad program for first-years, Oxford Launch in London, starting fall 2025. Oxford is partnering with nonprofit study abroad organization Institute for the International Education of Students (IES Abroad), according to International Student Programs Senior Director Daphne Orr.
The London program will replace the Spring Start program, during which a small cohort of Oxford students spend their first semester away from Oxford’s campus pursuing other interests and arrive on campus in January.
The first cohort of the new program will include around 50 students to maintain a small class size ratio, according to Orr. She added that students will reside in and use educational facilities in the IES Abroad London Center accompanied by two Oxford faculty members.
“This program really brings Oxford’s goals of expanding our global education and learning programs by bringing high-impact experiential learning opportunities for students,”
Orr said. “It’s really exciting to have this innovative learning opportunity launch for Oxford students.”
Orr emphasized that students in the London program will participate in new student orientation at Oxford before departing for London.
“They’ll do all of our amazing Oxford traditions: Ox Coke toast, the Ox Olympics,” Orr said. “They’ll already start to build relationships with their peers and the first-year class. They’ll get to meet our professional staff, so meet with the Advising Support Center team,
Student Health, go to the library. They’ll see their college experience at Oxford.”
Students applying to Oxford will only have to check a box indicating that they are interested in applying for the London program, according to Center for Pathways and Purpose Director Bridgette Gunnels. She added that she is looking forward to meeting the students who will choose this “non-traditional start.”
“I’m quite certain it’s going to be full of global citizens that are excited and ready to go, likely interested in international careers or have some idea around how the next part of their life looks as it relates to where
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Editors-in-Chief Madi Olivier and Sophia Peyser madi.olivier@emory.edu sophia.peyser@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 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.
I study, where I live, where I travel,” Gunnels said.
Gunnels believes that the London program will better integrate students into Oxford, describing the program as “more Oxford.”
“London is allowing us to develop a unique experience for this group of students that fits a lot better into the life of the college,” Gunnels said. “The Spring Start program had its problems, and for me, London is seeking to address some of those.”
Oxford is currently working with IES Abroad to determine what courses the program will offer. Orr said the course offerings will include a discovery seminar and general edu-
cation requirements. Oxford and IES Abroad are also developing assessment practices to understand student experiences, according to Orr. Gunnels added that qualitative feedback is key for evaluating the success of the program. She said that the two Oxford faculty will likely spend informal time with the students and be able to gauge the “temperature” of how students feel about the program.
In an email to The Emory Wheel, Oxford College Dean Badia Ahad wrote that the program creates a more Oxford-oriented experience for students.
“We decided to discontinue the
Spring Start program because we wanted students to have an Oxford academic experience over the course of four semesters,” Ahad wrote. “Because the Oxford Launch program is faculty-led, we believe this option better aligns with the College's educational approach and values.”
Oxford Student Government Association (OxSGA) Spring Start Liaison Isabella Chow (25Ox) said that the London program is a “better option” for spring starts, as it provides structure for their first semester.
“One thing a lot of spring starts, including myself, was worried about was we had no structure during our gap semester,” Chow said. “It was very much like we got thrown in the deep end and we had to figure it out on our own.”
However, Chow said that the costs that come with studying abroad may be a concern for prospective students.
“My only concern is that I know a lot of spring start students — we chose it because we didn’t have to pay for another semester at Emory,” Chow said.
Other universities, such as Northeastern University (Mass.) have implemented similar programs in which students spend their first semester or year in London.
Looking to the future, Gunnels hopes to see Oxford expand this program to other locations as well.
“I would love to see other locations on the table,” Gunnels said. “As long as we, the faculty and the staff and the administration, can make the experience deep and Oxford-specific, it works.”
— Contact Lauren Yee at lauren.yee2@emory.edu
College Republicans return to campus after hiatus
Continued from Page 1
but it all comes down to who’s going to take the initiative.”
Feng plans on being that person. Professor of Sociology Frank Lechner, who will continue as College Republican’s advisor, noted the complicated history of the club throughout his leadership. He claimed the club was already struggling when he joined following Zimm’s tenure and cited previous attempts to reignite the chapter.
“The Emory College Republican chapter has gone through various changes in the past decade,” Lechner said. “When Donald Trump first ran, there were some disputes within the chapter before I became advisor that’s led to a kind of lull in activities.”
Through discussions with Lechner and his own research, Feng believes he has identified why the club fizzled out.
“It was because of the split within the party itself, between members of the College Republicans that liked Trump and members that really didn't like Trump, which kind of caused the die out,” Feng said.
Former Young Democrats coPresident Brett Kleiman (20C) told the Wheel in 2018 that College Republicans struggled under Zimm’s leadership.
“The club wasn’t so healthy — they were just all Trump supporters, and they weren’t very eager to engage in serious dialogues,” Kleiman said.
However, Zimm characterized the tension between the two differently.
“There were certainly ... a bunch of bitter Democrats that treated us like a punching bag since they couldn’t get over losing the election,” Zimm said in a 2018 interview with the Wheel.
The 2020 election heightened these
tensions further. Last spring, Jaffe told the Wheel she was “not super comfortable” working with Young Democrats during her time as president of College Republicans.Feng plans to remedy these issues. He said he hopes to collaborate with Young Democrats to encourage discourse and political participation. Additionally, Feng claimed that College Republicans used to kick out members who showed “disloyalty” to the Republican Party, but he plans to to allow for more nuanced views within the club.
Lechner suggested that the upcoming election and the start of a new chapter is an opportunity to reshape the Republican Party.
“Whether Donald Trump wins the presidency or not, there is going to be a new phase in the development of the Republican Party as well, and I think the new generation has a lot to do with the future direction of the Republican Party,” Lechner said. “Right-leaning students might as well get active now and perhaps have a voice in the shaping of the future of the party itself.”
Feng and Lechner are looking forward to a new chapter for the club. Lechner added that the club would act as a “positive learning experience” and a forum for students of various political views to discuss and learn from one another.
“If you’re interested in what's going on on the right, there's an opportunity to develop … your own views as part of an organization of like-minded people,” Lechner said. “There is something to be said for … standing up for what you believe in, not just for your own sake but also for the sake of the campus as a whole.”
As an international student, Feng
expressed the need for a space for all students’ political views and activism, even if he is unable to vote.
“Although I’m on an F-1 visa, so obviously I can't vote, I still have access to a lot of other constitutional rights — the right to protest, the right to organize, the right to petition, etc.,” Feng said. “I'm in this politically free country. I have a strong opinion. I might as well use all of the avenues I can to express what I believe in.”
In the coming weeks, Emory students will participate in the 2024 presidential election in a state that could decide the victor. Consequently, Feng reported that he hopes to host campaign events for Trump and Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), and provide a platform for open dialogue to promote perspectives from Republican students.
“It’s very important that we do have one of these organizations on campus, even if you disagree with them, even if you don't like the message they're spreading, just so you can understand them, because at the end of the day, they're half the country,” Feng said.
If you or someone you know experienced sexual assault, you can access Emory’s Department of Title IX at 404-727-0541 and the Office of Respect’s hotline 24/7 at (404) 727-1514. You can reach the RAINN National Sexual Assault hotline 24/7 at (800) 656-4673. You can reach the Atlanta Grady Rape Crisis Center crisis hotline 24/7 at (404) 616-4861 and the Decatur Day League Sexual Assault Care and Prevention crisis hotline 24/7 at (404) 377-1428.
— Contact Jacob Muscolino at jacob.muscolino@emory.edu
sasha eMMeriCh/CoN tributiNg iLLustrator
Q&A: Fenves talks spring arrests, open expression controversy, voting on campus
By Madi oLivier and sophia peyser Editors-in-Chief
Emory University President Gregory Fenves is no stranger to controversy.
As the face of Emory, Fenves’ name is often on the line when something goes wrong on campus. This came to fruition last spring when Fenves decided to end a pro-Palestinian encampment on April 25, which resulted in law enforcement officers arresting 28 protesters. Fenves has faced a large wave of backlash in the past five months, prompting Emory community members to call for his resignation and vote no confidence in his ability to fulfill his role.
Despite his noteworthiness, most students will graduate without getting the chance to meet the president. The Emory Wheel sat down with Fenves to ask him the questions on students’ minds, including his perspective on the protest arrests and the upcoming presidential election.
Fenves, who students mainly know through heavily edited University communications emails, was prepared to answer certain questions, mentioning early in the interview that he expected us to ask him about open expression. He deflected a question on whether he believes charges should be dropped against protestors arrested during the April 25 encampment.
When asked if he would leave his role, Fenves did not hesitate: “No, I’m not considering resigning.”
However, as we sat together in his office on the second floor of Convocation Hall, Fenves also shared glimpses of his life outside Emory. He discussed mornings starting at 5 a.m. every day and evenings with his wife, away from the stress of his job. Hailing from a family of academics, Fenves is the only one in an administrative role.
“Both my brother and my father don't understand where I went wrong,” Fenves said. “Why did I stop being an active professor every day, to take on leadership roles? They don't understand.”
Below is a record of our conversation.
The Q&A has been edited for clarity and length.
TEW: This is your fifth year at Emory. Are there any specific goals you had coming in that you think you have achieved in the past few years?
Fenves: One of the things I noticed about Emory coming in … was that for a private institution that's very selective, … the retention and graduation rates for Emory were low compared to peer universities. … An important factor in looking for the next leadership which we have with our deans is, ‘How do we support students in staying at Emory and graduating from Emory?’ So I think we've made a lot of progress in that area. … Our first-year retention went from … 93% to 95, almost 96%, but those are real students who come down and don't stay the first year. … Our graduation rates have improved. That's important for students, and it's important for the institution.
TEW: Do you ever regret going from teaching into a more administrative role?
Fenves: No, I do not regret it because universities are so important to society. I loved being a teacher. I was an active researcher for more than two decades. I accomplished a lot, and I keep in touch with my students and former students. … It was an important part of my academic career, but maintaining what we do as an institution and research, the mission
service is just so important. I feel I'm accomplishing as much, if not more … than my more than two decades as an active teacher.
TEW: You came from the University of Texas at Austin, and you were there during the 2016 election. This is your second election year in another politically contentious state. How does Georgia compare? How does Emory compare? How do the elections feel different between these two locations?
Fenves: The University doesn't take a stand on any election, any candidate or any particular issue. But I think all universities … we want, especially students, to be civically engaged and actively involved. And I'm very proud of what we're doing at Emory with the Emory Votes Initiative to make sure students have information or are educated about the issues, about the election process and how to vote and where to vote. And one of the things that I did learn from University of Texas is the importance of an on-campus polling site. … We’re so pleased that we have a site on campus at 1599 Clifton. My wife and I voted on Election Day in the 2022 cycle, and it was about over an hour wait to vote. It was so popular. To me, that was a community experience, talking to folks that are committed to our democracy and having their voice heard through their ballot.
TEW: Which political or social justice issues do you choose to speak on? You’ve put out statements on rhetoric during a protest and on Black Lives Matter. How do you decide when to put out a statement versus when to follow the rules of nonpartisanship?
Fenves: I have spoken out on affirmative action and the importance of it for our educational mission. … We're obligated to follow the law, and we do follow the law, but … when the Supreme Court issued that ruling a little over a year ago, I felt an obligation to speak because it's core to the mission. … In general, the concept is, the University speaks on issues that are important to the mission. … We have very broad open expression. ... But just because something can be said, doesn't mean it should be said, and part of our role as an institution is the education of how we work together as a community and the impacts of language on a community. But we also have an obligation to be an environment that's free of harassment and discrimination, and so those are all judgment calls about when and how to speak to the community. It's very hard to reduce it to a policy … on when to speak or when not to speak.
TEW: We've reported on both instances of antisemitism and Islamophobia on campus. We're curious about what you think about the presence of this on campus, and how you approach mitigating those issues well.
Fenves: Hateful speech is just unacceptable. … While hateful speech may be protected under free speech and under open expression, that doesn't mean it's a speech that should be spoken. It again is an educational environment that hateful speech does have impacts on people. How we balance the free speech rights, open expression rights, with having a community that can debate [and] discuss difficult issues is the challenge that society faces, and we should try to model that behavior at the University.
TEW: Last semester, there was an encampment that was
shut down. When do you decide when to foster dialogue and when to prevent the dialogue from happening?
Fenves: In general, we should always try to foster dialogue. And I've spoken publicly about encampments. I don't think encampments help dialogue. Encampments say ‘This piece of the University is mine,’ from my point of view. And as I've spoken also, encampments have a safety concern.
TEW: The April 25 protest is still a discussion among students and faculty members. People are talking to us about expression, policy and treatment of student protesters continuing on campus, months later. Several were arrested during the protest. Do you regret any of the decisions that you and the administration made that day? Would you do it again if there was an encampment on the Quadrangle today?
Fenves: I didn't want the events of last spring to take place. Nobody at Emory wanted those to take place. But there was a concern — and it wasn't just my concern — about safety. Seeing the experience at other universities, the encampments can go on for an indefinite period of time. They do present safety issues. They have caused issues related to harassment and discrimination, and the practice at Emory is not to allow them on campus. So that was the decision I made, and I don't want to repeat it, and I hope we don’t repeat it at Emory.
TEW: What were the safety issues presented by the encampment on April 25?
Fenves: Tents and encampments can be problems because you don't know who's in it, you don’t know what’s in it. I want to remind the campus community that that week had begun with an unprecedented level of vandalism to buildings with materials that [the Emory Police Department] had recovered. We had concerns about the safety that week that the encampment was later established.
TEW: Following that, students voted they have no confidence in your role as president, and some have called you to resign, recently, during a University Senate meeting. Have you ever considered resigning?
Fenves: No, I'm not considering resigning.
TEW: How do you cope emotionally with students and faculty opposing your decision-making?
Fenves: My wife might be able to answer. Part of it is understanding it’s part of the role, it’s part of the job [and] recognizing that any decision is going to make some people happy and make some people unhappy. It's not a counting exercise. It's trying to ground a decision in what's best for the University. … But when I go home, I like to catch up with my wife, catch up with my kids and grandkids and try to have some boundaries.
TEW: I know there was a task force looking to revise the Respect for Open Expression Policy now, and we recently had the addition of officially prohibiting encampments. What do you hope to see from future revisions, if any, for the Open Expression Policy?
Fenves: Last year, the University Senate started a process to look at the open expression policy. The open expression policy is posted, was modified in 2018, but the last time the Senate voted on an open expression policy was 2015. Every policy, especially ones as important as open expression, will need a periodic review if necessary, with the Senate making recommendations for updating it. So they started a process at the end of last semester that was supposed to take place over the summer, and — for reasons that I'm not able to speak to — there was no outcome from that process. And as we were beginning this current academic year, because of the events of last year, I felt it was important for campus safety to codify what has been longstanding practice of prohibiting encampments and occupation of buildings. I understand why many people were upset that I did that without consultation, but I'd like to point out what was on the agenda for the University Senate committee over the summer, which did not take place. I'm very pleased that the current Senate leadership, with President of the Senate George Shepherd, is now starting a process for this semester to look at revisions of the open expression policy. I fully expect and encourage that that includes what is now part of a policy on prohibiting encampments, camping and building occupation.
TEW: A lot of people have been calling for you to drop charges for the students and other protesters who were arrested on April 25. Is that something you're considering doing? What's the status of that process?
Fenves: It's now in the Office of the Solicitor for DeKalb County to make a determination … about whether to continue with the charges. So my position is that we're going to let the solicitor go through that, complete that process and make the decision.
TEW: Being here on April 25 and seeing what you saw, do you think the charges should be dropped?
Fenves: That's a decision for the solicitor.
TEW: You don't have any pull over it?
Fenves: No, it's in the solicitor.
TEW: So, when people call for you to drop the charges, that's not an actual thing that you can do?
Fenves: We don't make the decision. That's a decision by the solicitor.
TEW: A lot of people are concerned about the mental health status at Emory, especially at Oxford College. There's a belief that there's a higher suicide rate there. What are your thoughts on that? What steps are you and the administration taking to address that concern?
Fenves: We're deeply concerned about student well-being and student mental health. … It became clear at Emory, especially coming out of COVID, that we needed to address … mental health. And that was the reason we created a new position that Dr. James Raper is now leading, where we're integrating and coordinating all the student well-being services, including camps and student health, and creating a new position on student well-being that was recently announced. We want to make sure students have access to the information, they know where to go to get help if they feel that they need it. There shouldn't be a stigma attached to it. And our goal … is that every student can get the help that they need and through a system of tiered support services.
TEW: You've been here for going on five years. What are your future goals for Emory?
Fenves: Eight out of our nine deans at Emory are new. … My goal now is to make sure our deans, and especially the relatively new ones, are getting the support that they need from the provost office, the president's office and the University, to develop their strategies and develop their goals.
TEW: What are your goals or plans to lead Emory through this eventful semester?
Fenves: My goals for leading Emory through these next couple months is to make sure that we have our policies in place. One of the reasons I issued the addendum is to make sure that we're communicating with all members of the community, especially with students working through campus life and the dean of students, to make sure that students are having the information and getting the support. Student well-being is something at the top of our attention, and then working through the governance body of the University Senate, we're keeping open lines of communication.
TEW: If students have any concerns that they want to share with you, what's the best way they can do that?
Fenves: Students can always email president@emory.edu. I get lots of emails, and that's the importance of the student governance organizations. We're gonna have some additional meetings with the SGA leadership [and] graduate SGA leadership.
TEW: You're a public figure on this campus, and at the end of the day, most students never meet you. Is there anything you want to tell the students as president?
Fenves: I am so proud of Emory students. … Emory students have this just special combination of ambition and heart. They're ambitious for their own personal goals. They have a sense that they have a purpose in life that really has a heart in the middle of it. So I've just been so impressed with Emory students.
— Contact Madi Olivier at madi.olivier@emory.edu and Sophia Peyser at sophia.peyser@emory.edu
C ourtesy of eMory uN i V ersity
University President Gregory Fenves is in his fifth year.
The Emory Wheel Opinion
EDITORIAL
Emory, support disaster relief beyond our bubble
As Hurricane Milton prepares to make landfall a week after Hurricane Helene devastated the southeastern United States, the Emory University community is reminded of our closeness to the tragedy. The storm became the second-deadliest hurricane to hit the United States in the past 50 years, killing a total of 227 people across six states. In Georgia alone, 33 people died, the youngest of whom were newborn twins, killed by debris alongside their mother, Kobe Williams.
In addition to North and South Carolina, the disaster has blighted entire communities in Georgia as inadequate infrastructure collapsed under catastrophic winds and torrential downpour, resulting in Atlanta’s first ever flash-flood emergency. As missing person reports continue to rise and communities grapple with the loss of clean water and electricity for days, the aftermath of Helene compels us to look beyond Emory’s campus and focus on the individuals at the epicenter of its devastation.
As the second largest private employer and institution in Atlanta with an economic impact of nearly $14 billion, Emory is clearly intertwined with Atlanta, and should therefore be involved in helping its community during difficult times. The University even filed for its own annexation into Atlanta in 2017, demonstrating its drive to be seen as an Atlanta institution through and through.
Therefore, in Helene’s denouement, Emory has a responsibility to increase its support for Atlanta. The University must mobilize its expertise in environmental science, its research capabilities, and its partnerships with local agencies to lead the city and Georgia in recovery from Helene and beyond.
In a statement to The Emory
Wheel, Office of Critical Event Preparedness and Response Senior Director Sam Shartar said that the office “initiated planning and mitigation strategies to lessen impacts of flash/urban flooding and downed trees with other departments across Emory’s campuses in preparation for a potential tropical weather event.” Additionally, Emory offers a laudable internal University Hardship Fund to assist faculty and staff impacted by life-changing events like natural disasters. The fund helps staff with essentials like housing and food during times of crisis. However, Emory’s participation in broader recovery initiatives is primarily internal, which starkly contrasts the proactive approaches taken by other institutions like the University of Georgia (UGA), which has effectively mobilized assistance for vulnerable populations beyond the UGA community
through food and water delivery, infrastructure repair and donation collection for northern Georgia. With its abundant resources, Emory must similarly become a leader in higher-education relief efforts for its surrounding communities in Georgia by investing in preventative and palliative measures. Emory can actively do more for disaster relief by sending medical and emergency response staff to areas in Georgia where resources are limited. With an Environmental Science department composed of leading researchers in the field of natural disaster response and relief, Emory has the opportunity and responsibility to solidify itself in the implementation of methods to combat them. These research efforts are underscored by the urgency of climate change, as climate experts believe storms like Helene may become commonplace
beyond Hurricane Alley.
In the face of crisis, Emory must also increase support for current student efforts to provide free or reduced-cost healthcare to environmental justice communities in Atlanta and beyond such as Emory Remote Area Medical and the Emory Farmworker Project, as well as more grassroots student fundraising initiatives such as Emory student-athlete Andrew Burchett’s (27C) fundraising efforts for Asheville, N.C.
The University can also follow in other institutions’ footsteps. For instance, Duke University (N.C.) has partnered with local organizations to provide basic necessities to affected communities in North Carolina and has supported student-led service trips to directly aid communities. Emory’s contributions can and should reflect its position as an integral part of the city’s fabric, not just
as a self-contained institution.
Georgia is the seventh most hurricane-prone state, and many communities throughout the state lack the resources to withstand and rebuild from natural disasters. With imminent climate threats, it is imperative that we, the Emory community, decenter ourselves in climate conversations and emphasize the gravity of the crisis in vulnerable communities. Despite Emory’s campus and properties remaining largely unscathed by Helene, we must look outside our bubble and not dismiss the profound realities faced by countless individuals and communities throughout the state.
By overlooking the harsh realities communities face amid natural disasters, we risk fostering an environment devoid of empathy and solidarity. Initiatives like the Georgia Climate Project humanize that disproportionate impact with the personal stories of Georgians whose lives climate change has fractured and their resilience in the face of an uncertain future. With the entire world facing a bleak climate outcome, we must remember that we are not at the center of it — rather, all people and communities are.
As climate change intensifies storms, Emory must use its financial resources and research expertise to distinguish itself as a leader in local disaster response and long-term recovery efforts.
As we discuss climate change, we must resist navel gazing and amplify the stories of those at greatest risk in the global climate crisis within our own city. Atlanta is Emory’s home to care for, and by investing in disaster relief and long-term climate resilience, our institution can integrate itself further into Atlanta and Georgia, healing the scars left by Helene.
The above editorial represents the majority opinion of the Wheel’s Editorial Board. The Editorial Board is composed of Editor Marc Goedmans, Carly Aikens, Hunter Buchheit, Allie Guo, Ethan Jacobs, Carson Kindred, Justin Leach, Eliana Liporace, Niki Rajani, Josh Rosenblut, Ilka Tona and Crystal Zhang.
Ginna nebriG/ContributinG illustrator
Palestine, protest and me: A reflection on 1 year of genocide
By Morgan starnes Contributing Writer
Just one year ago, I was in my small dorm room in Amsterdam when I learned about the attack of Oct. 7, 2023, which catalyzed my political awakening about Israel and Palestine. Admittedly, I have never been great at keeping up with global events. The news about the attack made me realize that I knew practically nothing about Israel’s history or political landscape. While studying abroad in Amsterdam, a city occupied by the Nazi regime in the ’40s, I was feeling more connected with my Jewish identity than I ever had. I expected this connection to draw me closer to Israel, but instead, the news from Oct. 7 made me compare the pain and oppression of the Holocaust to the situation in Palestine.
I did not expect Israel, my socalled homeland, to be the oppressor in the story of this region. However, as I saw videos from Gaza and heard Palestinian voices on social media, the more passionate I became about the Palestinian cause. I confronted the all-too-simple tale of the Israeli state as the supposed cure to antisemitism. My passion was not well received by many of my family members, who urged me to do real research and learn the history that
would apparently restore my faith in Israel’s claim to be the refuge for Jews.
I started with research-based Instagram accounts such as @letstalkpalestine and @jewishvoiceforpeace, utilizing their citations to dive deeper. Last spring, I even took Assistant Professor of Middle Eastern Studies and Jewish Studies Geoffrey Levin’s class, the “IsraeliPalestinian Conflict.”
While researching Palestine’s history, I learned that everyone holds a multitude of stories and traumas in our hearts and minds, but we must always listen to the voices of the oppressed. “Your oppression will not save you,” Ta-Nehisi Coates said in his 2024 book “The Message.” The horrors of the Holocaust and centuries of antisemitism do not excuse the militant violence and apartheid the Israeli government has inflicted onto the Palestinian people.
My research only made it clearer to me that European colonists established the Israeli state as a settler-colonial project that has little to do with Judaism and everything to do with a twisted Western fantasy of fascist nationalism and racist apartheid rule. Funded by American taxpayer money, Israel continues to annex land from the native popula-
tions of its neighboring Arab countries. Constantly hungry for power, Israel is more interested in regional domination and a never-ending stream of propaganda than actually protecting Jews.
When I returned to Emory University from Amsterdam in January, I attended every peaceful, nondisruptive pro-Palestinian protest on campus. I felt that I owed the people of Palestine at least that much: To leave those more vulnerable than me to fight alone would be cruel. Protesting sucks. It is screaming into the black hole of a steady stream of passersby, trying to convince myself that this is a good use of my time. I got sunburnt, was late to class, threatened on social media and taunted to my face. I called my mom crying because I couldn’t understand why people did not share my perspective or my anger. I felt so hopeless and alone, bewildered as to why there were not more of us protesting.
Around 9:30 a.m. on April 25, I arrived at the Emory community encampment on the Quadrangle. I hoped that this could finally be the catalyst for the University to listen to us. I was only in the encampment for about an hour before dozens of law enforcement officials marched in and the violence began. I hovered
just outside the clouds of pepper balls and contorted bodies, hearing my mom’s voice in my head: “Whatever you do, don’t get arrested.”
I cried harder than I have in my whole life as I watched law enforcement throw my comrades to the ground and drag them across the Quad. I could not comprehend that this was happening at my own school. It registered in those moments of brutality that the University would not listen to us. The Emory administration would never jeopardize its power by straying from its obvious affinity with Israel. Even while students were handcuffed for being on their own Quad, there to protest against the social injustices that our professors teach us about in class, the University would not help us.
About an hour later, I heard chanting of “Let them go! Let them go!” coming from near the main campus entrance. The crowd began to grow, and amid the chaos and terror, I felt something new: hope. I felt the spontaneous display of camaraderie after months of isolation mending my soul. I was proud of my campus.
Throughout the afternoon of April 25, I watched a community blossom around me. People passed around food, water and sunscreen. Students led prayers and group songs. We did
not leave the Quad all day. Finally, after struggling to detangle my Jewish identity from Israeli violence for so long in what felt like solitude, I was not alone.
As I cried into my pillow that night, I was not alone. As I chanted for justice on the Quad the next day, I was not alone. For a university that preaches advancing social justice and pushes students to implement coursework outside classrooms, it was ironic that the Emory Police Department destroyed our encampment quickly and violently. I will forever be traumatized by what I experienced that day and only more traumatized that Emory valued the status quo over my safety and rights. Emory administrators: I learned more about activism and justice in April than I had in my three years prior as a humanities student. However, I also learned that I have the power to force the Emory administration to show their hand. I know that I am not alone in the fight for collective liberation because I have seen that injustice inspires resistance Radical hope can be exhausting, tedious work, but I am one student of millions who will keep fighting anyway.
— Contact Morgan Starnes at morgan.starnes@emory.edu
Outrageous internet conspiracies will ruin our democracy
By Zayn BanDUKWaLLa ContriButing Writer
“Joe Biden is dead,” Elon Musk wrote in a post on X a few days after President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential election and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as his replacement. This statement is unsubstantiated and utterly ridiculous. Despite the absurdity, the conspiracy claiming that the Democratic Party was covering up Biden’s death gained immense traction online in July.
Likewise, four years ago, onethird of Americans believed easily refutable claims that Biden stole the 2020 presidential election from former President Donald Trump. On Jan. 6, 2020, the world watched the dangers of misinformation manifest in an insurrection that destabilized
U.S. democracy. As Election Day approaches, dangerous narratives such as recent claims that Democrats are withholding aid in the wake of Hurricane Helene continue to swirl in the digital world. To make matters worse, algorithms designed to maximize engagement allow these lies to spread unchecked. If we continue to ignore the dangers of conservative extremism, we are ignoring the most imminent threat to our democracy: the internet.
Watching the news through social media comes with numerous benefits. At Emory University, many of my friends enjoy the accessibility and short-form nature of social media news, which allows them to stay informed amid a busy academic schedule. Unfortunately, social media algorithms are not concerned
with providing balanced content to help users develop comprehensive views on issues.
Instead, TikTok’s For You Page pushes out provocative content and funnels users into echo chambers to keep them hooked for longer. As companies throw similar material at viewers, it creates feedback loops, ultimately allowing those companies to profit the most. Nobody wants to hear that their favored candidate lost, and they can find solace in online forums and creators that reinforce false narratives about a rigged election.
Rabbit holes of misinformation, such as false speculations about the 2020 election results, comprise the larger alt-right pipeline. This pipeline begins with widely suitable, slightly right-leaning content and gradually progresses into dangerous radical content with real-world implications. Engagement with agreeable topics, such as critiques of government policy, can easily morph into problematic rhetoric, such as xenophobic narratives, without users even noticing.
I can personally attest to the deceptiveness of the alt-right pipeline. My social media experience began by following meme accounts with right-wing propaganda disguised as edgy jokes and dark humor. I was later exposed to more extreme content that approached openly hateful territory over time.
I began to repeatedly view racist, misogynistic and discriminatory narratives without even noticing. Fortunately, I eventually recognized the harmful nature of this content, but social media algorithms repeatedly facilitate this experience for many other teenagers and young adults.
Numerous deadly events, such as the 2023 Jacksonville, Fla. shooting, are fueled by prominent internet conspiracies, such as the Great
Replacement Theory, which purports that minorities are slowly replacing white people in predominantly white countries. Toxic ideologies like these have devastating effects on our nation, which is built on diversity and differing perspectives. By turning people against each other and fostering discrimination, we are eroding what makes our country special.
Numerous prominent politicians, including Trump’s 2024 vice presidential candidate Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), have drawn on these farright ideas, echoing the sentiments of the Great Replacement Theory on numerous occasions. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), the minority leader of the U.S. Senate, refused to denounce the theory during a press conference as well. Radical and extremist beliefs that were once confined to fringe spaces now reach more Americans because high-profile political leaders like McConell and Vance condone them.
The dangers of the far-right internet are more evident than ever during the current election season. A recent poll found that one in three Republicans believe pop star Taylor Swift and football player Travis Kelce’s romantic relationship is a government psyop created to benefit the Democratic Party.
Additionally, prominent public figures like Musk have demonstrated belief in antisemetic online conspiracies, liking and commenting on posts that claim Jewish people are directing “hordes of immigrants” into Western countries in an effort to tyrannize white people. These unfounded and bizarre claims are the result of the internet radicalizing millions of people, who are now willing to believe any information online that supports their beliefs.
All of this misinformation and fear-mongering contributes to a
continually polarizing climate, with growing animosity between Democrats and Republicans. In January, a poll found the majority of Trump supporters claimed they had no confidence in the integrity of the 2024 election results.
By eroding trust in our institutions and reducing the likelihood of dialogue between parties, the internet is destroying our current democratic system — one which hinges on compromise and understanding.
If the United States does not want a repeat of the 2020 election’s drawn-out and violent transition of presidential power, equitable and moderated social media news is essential. Conflict and hostility between different political groups will escalate with this misinformation and polarization.
Media literacy must be emphasized: We have seen how easy it is for older generations, such as baby boomers, to be influenced by deceptive content and fall into full-blown conspiracy networks.
To ensure democracy stays safe, keeping Generation Z and future generations away from dangerous ideas means teaching them to critically analyze the content that they consume. The current digital landscape offers a myriad of resources, but in terms of political information, it has largely failed us.
Instead of relying on profit-driven corporations to educate us, we must take on that burden ourselves. It is more important than ever to prioritize media literacy and critical thinking when seeking out sources of news.
By taking back control of our political education, we can rebuild a healthier, more informed democracy.
— Contact Zayn Bandukwalla at zayn.bandukwalla@emory.edu
Dear Doolino, ‘Help Emory’s straight men — they need it!’
By DooLino
Dear Doolino,
The straight men on campus don’t know how to treat women, much less act around one or ask one out. Can you please give them some advice on how they should do better?
Love, Heteroman Hater
Dear Heteroman Hater,
Ah, mortal men … I don’t know how you humans live with them. I know there is a slew of assorted philosophy, sociology and political science majors who could passionately reason as to why we can, in fact, live without them, so I digress. You are critiquing some of the slimiest among us, dear reader, which means that you undoubtedly have your work cut out for you — heterosexual men, while painfully easy to understand, are more difficult to instruct than that bumbling other “mascot,” Swoop, on game day. But, if you are insistent on pursuing the personality equivalents of Goodrich C. White Hall, I will attempt to corral them for you with my superb advice. Hello, heterosexual men: For the sake of conciseness, I will refer to you as He-Men. For you uncultured swines who do not know, this abbreviation references a hyper-masculine
comic book character who too many of Emory University’s heterosexual males hope and fail to emulate. If I did not wear my dazzling black cape and top hat impeccably, I would swap them for a pair of khaki shorts and a Bass Pro Shops cap to better relate to you.
Although I can pull off most outfits, I do not think that I could stomach the shame of wearing such drab mortal gear. Winter is coming quickly, my admirers, and if you would like to be partnered in the jeering period known as “cuffing season,” you will have to act with haste.
Shocking as it may be, He-Men, women do have interests and needs that differ from your own. Good sirs, hold onto your Coors Lights because this information is true.
A woman doesn’t care when you exclaim that Patrick Bateman is “Literally me!” She doesn’t want to hear your hour-long explanation of “The Godfather,” and you definitely do not need to share your unexceptional grade-point average, use the phrase “Well, actually …” or demonstrate the correct way to change a tire. Trust me, the secondhand embarrassment I feel from you wan-
nabe He-Men trying to convince anyone who cannot run away fast enough that Emory would benefit from a football team is discouraging. In my neighborhood, the depths of Hell, women are the ones who do the explaining (as that is every entitled man’s worst nightmare), while men such as yourselves are forced to sit and — brace yourselves — listen to them. Start practicing this now, so you do not have to learn the hard way when you arrive in the pits of Hell.
Instead of asserting your manliness by refusing to subject yourselves to the horror of a conversation about your feelings or regaling her with tales about your summer internship in which you almost touched the same door handle as Mark Zuckerberg, share a moment with the woman you cherish.
Ask her to go on a walk in Lullwater Preserve (once the Atlanta heat is marginally cooler than Hell), take an artistically enriching trip to the Michael C. Carlos Museum or recreate the pottery scene from the hit film “Ghost” in the ArtsLab. Treat her like a human being with autonomy and individual interests because, hint, hint, she is.Finally, to Heteroman Hater, and every other woman seeking an emotionally intelligent straight man on this campus, I have one piece of advice for you: Take matters into your own hands. If men do not know how to ask someone out, then you must channel the unearned
confidence that they shoulder every day and lead by example. My hundreds of years on this wretched Earth have taught me that men are like fish: wide-eyed, single-minded and desperately responsive to bait.
If you are interested in a studentathlete, for instance, you can hold out a leathery chicken patty from the Dobbs Common Table and extol its protein-related virtues. If you are looking for a man in finance, my first piece of advice is to stop. But, if you’re insistent, then I would suggest standing alone in the middle of the Goizueta Business School arch, a structure with a larger endowment than any of the men that you are searching for, and simply look confused.
Slowly, they will spawn around you, eager to explain why you are managing your earnings, your investments and your life incorrectly — let them. I would suggest pursuing a male psychology major, but I fear that most of them are too far gone. However, Sigmund Freud did invent the term “superego”— among other things that I will not mention among polite society — so perhaps psychology is relevant to heterosexual men after all. Good luck braving the world of straight Emory men, my friend, and remember that Doolino knows best.
Doolino resides in Atlanta. Doolino’s origins are yet to be discovered.
Reimagining open expression: Emory’s favorite swear words
In sixth grade, I read Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451” for the first time. While it was an odd choice for a middle school English class, I rolled with it. Bradbury writes about a dystopian American future in which all books are banned and, by extension, freedom of speech has become a lost concept. Even with all the media out there about censorship, nothing reminds me more of our present moment than Bradbury’s words.
“With school turning out more runners, jumpers, racers, tinkerers, grabbers, snatchers, fliers and swimmers instead of examiners, critics, knowers and imaginative creators, the word ‘intellectual,’ of course, became the swear word it deserved to be,” Bradbury writes.
Open expression, I fear, has become Emory University’s swear word. We have turned the phrase into its direct antithesis: whispered thoughts and internalized feelings. Many students, faculty and administrators shy away and blanch at mentions of the University’s heavily contested Respect for Open Expression Policy. The Emory community must change how we conceptualize open expression to move forward without suffocating fear and shame on campus regarding individuals’ views.
It pains me, both as a student and as a journalist, to see how our community balks at discussing the importance of our rights to expression. The most prevalent issue regarding open expression on campus is that all of us — students, faculty and administrators alike — have failed to collectively foster a community where people feel safe having hard conversations.
Inside their politicized chambers, the Student Government Association (SGA) and University Senate are certainly talking about student rights, open expression policies and these policies’ impacts on the Emory community at large. Yet, the average student is left out of these conversations and must be integrated.
Instead of open expression being equated to hushed discussions and closed meetings, it should mean inclusive community discourse and productive collaboration.
Our community has painted a picture of open expression as protest, hurt, shame and opposing individuals’ hating each other.
This is not without evidence. The memories of April 25, and the days following, haunt me. Seeing Emory community members, as well as those from greater Atlanta, subject to abuses, such as irritant gas and non-lethal ammunition, in response to the expression of their thoughts and feelings, is a wound that may never fully heal.
The Emory community needs a significant shift in the responsibility of open expression policy-making.
Our campus’ aversion to public discussions of open expression comes from the current conflict and humanitarian crisis in the Middle East. About 18% of Emory’s undergraduate population reports being Jewish, making it the 16th most populous Jewish student body at a private university in the
United States.
Jewish life flourishes at Emory, with communities being forged at Emory Hillel, Chabad and in Greek life. Many of these students are supportive of Israel’s actions in the conflict in the Gaza Strip. Emory’s comparatively large Jewish population intensifies feelings surrounding the conversation about Israel and Palestine. It is Jewish students’ right to hold beliefs based on their culture and religion.
However, it is also the right of other students to agree or disagree, and this has resulted in a campus alight with disagreement over Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Whether you support Israel, Palestine or land somewhere in between, it is essential to remember that holding one’s belief should not inhibit the ability to engage in conversation with others due to shame and fear.As an Oxford College continuee, I take every opportunity to recognize my alma mater. Currently, the Oxford Student Government Association (OxSGA) is doing more than I see University President Gregory Fenves, SGA or the University Senate doing to truly support open expression discourse. Even now, as a student on the Atlanta campus, I see OxSGA’s Instagram posts advertising town halls and can feel the Oxford students’ passion for engagement in discourse through my screen.
I urge other important actors on campus — I’m looking at you, SGA — to engage in the same kind of community uplifting that OxSGA is doing. Even if no solution comes from discourse and student involvement, OxSGA’s actions show that embracing open expression can be collaborative and, ironically, open. While I may not possess personal connections to the Israel-Palestine
conflict, debates over open expression have always felt personal to me, regardless. Open expression extends past Israel, Palestine and U.S. foreign policy. Our community is setting precedents and making rules about open expression that are not contentneutral and even target certain student groups’ demonstrations, and I would hate for that to make a lasting impact on our community.
Open expression is such a lovely phrase because it encapsulates mediums beyond only speech.
For example, the new addendum to the open expression policy bans encampments on campus — and only one group of students on campus was exercising this right in April. This inspires questions about how we can embrace open expression in a productive and inclusive way. As a journalist, I would encourage everyone reading to submit to The Emory Wheel’s opinion section portal. However, not everyone is a writer. Realistically, I cannot give you an answer. Open expression is such a lovely phrase because it encapsulates mediums beyond only speech — it captures art, storytelling, protest, writing, religion, film, teaching, jokes, vigils and much more than I could ever list.
The most important part of reimagining open expression is that we start sharing our thoughts and opinions with our community, in whatever way suits individuals’ fancy. The Emory
community needs a significant shift in the responsibility of open expression policy-making. While the University, explicitly the vice president and dean for campus life, remains as the final arbiter of the Respect for Open Expression Policy, I do not believe we can ever move past this paralysis of discussion unless we can implement a solution.
Inspired by a professor, I propose a third party to administer open expression policies. This body could provide much-needed neutrality. Take Emory Ombuds as an excellent example of how this structure could work. University interests, by nature, will always take precedence over student and community interests — major donors and stakeholders on the Emory Board of Trustees remain as an authority over these important decisions about open expression.
Emory must center students, faculty, staff and other community members to prevent the final word on open expression to land in the laps of the Emory administration exclusively, as it did with the new addendum. Embracing open expression would be the antithesis of what this campus currently seems to fear — it would be beautiful, uncomfortable and open. We should not be restricting free expression simply because someone disagrees with something being said. If you are uncomfortable, albeit not in danger, then we are probably doing this free expression thing correctly. If protests are interrupting class, that means they are working, and maybe someone should start listening to what these community members are chanting.
— Contact Ellie Fivas at ellie.fivas@emory.edu
ivana Chen/staff illustrator
The Emory Wheel Arts Life&
THEATER
‘MUD’ production accentuates human despair
By Amiee ZhAo Senior Staff Writer
Even before I watched it, “Mud” (2001) didn’t seem to be a lighthearted play.
Theater Emory’s flier for the play, which will run through Oct. 12 at the Mary Gray Munroe Theater, shows a pair of pale, broken, marble feet sinking into the dry soil. Somehow, the flier still underestimates the despair, pain and reflection that the play brought to the audience.
Despite the play’s theme of education, specifically learning the English language, the lines are sparse in content, making the audience interpret its intentional vagueness.
Inside the theater, which is located in the Alumni Memorial University Center, the stage is a gigantic wooden box, illuminated by eerie green light. The play begins with an unordinary sense of bluntness. Protagonist Mae has her hair half tied and face muddy, ironing clothes mechanically in the left corner of the stage.
In contrast, Lloyd isn’t busy – he sits somewhat anxiously on a broken wooden chair wearing torn pants. Their only connection seems to be their muddy feet and shared wooden cabin.
Kailey Albus (25C) plays Mae, a woman trying to leave her current life wedded to an illiterate, sick man Lloyd played by Ethan Cohen (25B). Mae’s yearning for change leads her to fall in love with Henry, who is portrayed by professional actor Joshua Williams.
The play brutally refuses to make the context of the play clear entirely to the audience.
The director and playwright never choose to disclose when and where this story occurred, how Lloyd and
CATS COLLECTION
Mae ended up in poverty or what disease Lloyd carried.
The story plays out in an unreasonably empty, dirty cabin, with Lloyd laughing at Mae for her determination to change her life through education.
Yet, he didn’t seem to be interested in Mae’s answers, instead making crude references to sex. Lloyd’s shameless explicitness makes the dialogue jarring.
People in the audience gasped.
But both the actors portrayed their characters truthfully.
Lloyd keeps twitching, jumping at the smallest sound that Mae makes; Mae speaks every word with anger and determination, drawing a stark
contrast with the simplistic stage design of a cabin.
On her way to change her life, Mae seems to find hope in Henry, a plump literate man in a suit and tie. The audience can discern Henry’s deceptive decency immediately, as he has trouble reading a medical prescription despite being literate, but to Mae, his words sound like a blessing.
Despite the play’s theme of education, specifically learning the English language, the lines are sparse in content, making the audience interpret its intentional vagueness.
For instance, the audience never
See THEATER, Page 10
Oxford Asian Culture Club, Culinary Club chef up joy
CAMPUS By Kyle Chen Contributing Writer
Oxford’s Asian Culture Club (ACC) partnered with the Oxford Cooking Club to host “Sip ‘n Savor,” an event that brought authentic Vietnamese and Indian cuisine to Oxford College on Oct. 3. As students walked into Murdy Hall, they encountered a sea of people lining up outside the kitchen for a treat after a long day of classes.
ACC’s Co-President Amanda Chen (25Ox) shared the importance of celebrating Asian cultural cuisine while learning about different cultures in Atlanta.
“This year, we really want to focus on bringing appreciation to lesser-appreciated countries and cultures,” Chen said. “So that’s why we focus this event on bánh mì, which is a Vietnamese dish and mango lassi, which is an Indian dish.”
Bánh mì is a traditional Vietnamese sandwich that includes chả lụa — a type of Vietnamese sausage — along with a variety of vegetables, such as cilantro, carrots and pickled daikon. Along with the bánh mì, the ACC and Cooking Club served mango lassi, an Indian blended yogurt-based drink made with ripe mango, milk and ice. The two organizations prepped the ingredients the night before, and cooked the food at the event to ensure freshness.
“We got together, both cooking club and ACC, and we just cut up the vegetables,” Chen said. “We were marinating the meat, cutting up the bread.”
ACC is known for hosting cultural food events. Past events include the TASA Night Market and OnigiriXHwachae night, in which the organization gave out Vietnamese spring rolls, onigiri, and hwachae, respectively.
“I think for Asian Culture Club, our biggest thing was food events,” Chen said. “That’s what we were known for on campus. We want to continue that trend because that’s something that we’re passionate about.”
At approximately 6 p.m., students
lined up, ready to devour their freshly made meals.
George Goicochea (26Ox) found the event convenient to attend, describing it as “open” and “inviting.”
Goicoechea also found that the event exposed students to Oxford’s Asian cultural diversity.
“We want everyone to feel like their culture is appreciated.”
— Amanda Chen (25Ox), Asian Culture Club Co-President
“I’ve never had this type of food before,” Goicoechea said. “There’s not a lot of Vietnamese cuisine around there. And so I thought this was a good opportunity to take the first step into doing that.”
For some, Sip ‘n Savor presented an opportunity for Asian students to connect with their roots. Aadi Gupta (25Ox), an Indian student from Atlanta, finds that good Indian cuisine around Oxford is a rarity. Gupta used this event to connect with his heritage and explore other Asian foods.
“I’m Indian, and my family’s from India,” Gupta said. “I try to still get involved with any cultural activities from that side. I enjoy mango lassi, which is one of the things that attracted me.”
There’s nothing like a fresh-cooked meal to facilitate connection and community. Oxford’s Asian Culture Club works to create a second home through food and culture for some, and brings new experiences for others.
“We want everyone to feel like their culture is appreciated,” Chen said. “And that they’re able to connect with their culture, even if they’re not close to their families or not entirely associated directly with that as a whole.”
– Contact Kyle Chen at kyle.chen@emory.edu
Proceed with caution: 6 songs too good to drive to
By CAtherine GoodmAn a rt S & L ife e ditor
Listen while reading
Picture this. You’re leaving a friend’s house at midnight while the city falls asleep and the street lights flicker. Sliding into the driver’s seat, you adjust the rearview mirror, click on your seatbelt and shift gears into drive. You live only a few minutes away, leaving time for exactly one song to carry you home. Which track do you choose?
This installation of Cat’s Collection is not an assertion of which song you should choose to play in the car, but which songs you shouldn’t. These songs aren’t poorly written, produced or sung. Instead, these songs are too good. They are bewitching, consuming and even intoxicating. In the interest of safety, you should never drive under the influence of one of these six tracks.
1. ‘Chasing Pavements’ by Adele (2008)
While Adele’s discography contains many songs that qualify as hazardous, a late-night drive to “Chasing Pavements” is nothing short of catastrophic. The track begins slowly as Adele’s domineering voice muses, “I’ve made up my mind / Don’t need to think it over.” For 46 seconds, the track crawls toward an explosive chorus. “Should I give up or should I
just keep chasing pavements,” Adele belts, releasing the tension. In this cathartic crooning, Adele unleashes mountains of melancholy and waves of wishful thinking over the listener. How does one drive and drown simultaneously? Adele’s rhythmic pleading is infectious, forcing the listener to nod along, pretend to perform at a sold-out Madison Square Garden show or put the pedal to the metal.
2. ‘Before He Cheats’ by Carrie Underwood (2006)
As of 2023, “Before He Cheats” by Carrie Underwood was the seventh most popular karaoke song in the United States, and this doesn’t even account for the carpool kind. “Before He Cheats” is the quintessential breakup anthem: it includes pity for the next girl, anger at the stupid ex-lover and just a little petty crime.
Like “Chasing Pavements,” this track gradually increases in intensity.
Starting slow and sultry, Underwood sings, “Right now, he’s probably slow dancing / with a bleached-blonde tramp.”
In its aversion to subtlety, this track is seductive and lures listeners to the dark side. At the climactic chorus, Underwood reveals, “I dug my key into the side / of his pretty little souped up four-wheel drive.” If this veritable vandalism doesn’t get your blood pumping and your speedometer shaking, you might need to check your ears.
3. ‘my tears ricochet’ by Taylor Swift (2020)
Among the many tried-and-true components of a Taylor Swift album, a gut-wrenching track five is always guaranteed. From the defeated “Cold as You” (2006) from her debut album
to her most recent track five ballad, “So Long, London” (2024), these tracks encapsulate the most ferocious, searing and desperate tones of Swift’s discography. “my tears ricochet,” from her surprise 2020 album “folklore,” is no different in its sentimentality. “my tears ricochet” begins with an angelic harmony, reminiscent of a church choir on a somber Sunday.
The scene is set, and it’s not a pleasant one.
“We gather here, we line up, weepin’ in a sunlit room,” Swift sings softly. But what makes this song dangerous is not the haunting harmonies or piercing prose but the powerful bridge.
In this section of the song, Swift laments and lashes out singing, “I can go anywhere I want / Anywhere I want, just not home / And you can
a miee Zhao/Senior Staff Writer
The stage set for “Mud” in the Mary Gray Monroe Theater before the show begins.
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New Godspeed You! Black Emperor album is hopeless in the best ways
By noBle GArCiA Contributing Writer
There is no trivial war, according to Godspeed You! Black Emperor (GY!BE), who understands the clashes of our world and the looming apocalypses on the horizon. The band’s album, released October 4th, is titled “NO TITLE AS OF 13 FEBRUARY 2024 28,340 DEAD” (2024), referencing the estimated death toll of Palestinians during the Israel-Hamas war as of the date above.
GY!BE is more comparable to an orchestra than a traditional rock group. Their music is built around cycles of crescendos and diminuendos rather than a repetition of chorus and verse. They never use singers or voices.
The sounds are most likely clips from either vox populi interviews or random sound bites.
Their music is best experienced when played at an uncomfortable volume, where the collective instruments convey an all-consuming wave of
CROSSWORD
blissful noise. It resembles a religious undertaking, transporting the listener to a new dimension where music is godliness.
Spanning 54 minutes, “NO TITLE AS OF 13 FEBRUARY 2024 28,340 DEAD” is six songs long — a similar length to their 2021 album “G_d’s Pee AT STATE’S END!”
Unlike that album, their newest release barely sees a light at the end of the tunnel, smothering the ears with rage and unadulterated grief. No joy is present in any of the track titles.
The album begins with “SUN IS A HOLE SUN IS VAPORS,” one of the shorter and arguably more uplifting tracks.
The opening song invites the listener in before descending into destruction and sadness.
At first, indecipherable whispers pass through, followed by a reverberating droning and the introduction of shining guitar riffs and repeating violins. Behind these instruments, sounds akin to palm trees waving in the breeze, gentle metallic taps and booming percussion play. The song follows no plot. Instead, it escorts the listener from the partially jovial to the utterly tragic.
“BABYS IN A THUNDERCLOUD” transforms that melancholia into a
stricter, more dirge sound. A sonic storm brews, the wind bellowing and the thunder booming, but it fades to an overwhelming crackle.
The true melody doesn’t start until you’ve sat with the thunder for three minutes. Then, the noise stops swerving and commits to a darker nature, letting the basic notes falter to the monstrous corners of the track as the violinists become more rapid and forceful in their playing. This force allows the ensemble to unify, which reflects the undesirable cruelty required for war.
In the third track “RAINDROPS CAST IN LEAD,” multiple tones battle for dominance. The track holds the listener with the sound of birds chirping but doesn’t hesitate to escalate the speed of its harmonic narrative.
While still reliant on guitar, the most integral part of “RAINDROPS CAST IN LEAD” is its ceaseless percussion. The fighting comes from moments of pause, like when a woman can be heard speaking and the music falters. As the piece closes out, it screeches at the listener, like an animal clinging to its fleeting moments of life.
These instruments carry into the album’s highlight, “PALE SPECTATOR TAKES PHOTOGRAPHS,” an eerie track that drives home the warped horror of mass tragedy.
Finally, the record closes with “GREY RUBBLE — GREEN SHOOTS.” From the hopeless droning of “PALE SPECTATOR TAKES PHOTOGRAPHS”, it transitions into an immediate surge of standout guitar playing. The parting song finishes with a harsh outlook on the future by closing with the fading ripples of the various string instruments. Nevertheless, GY!BE turns toward hope at the end.
“NO TITLE AS OF 13 FEBRUARY 2024 28,340 DEAD” is another potent work from Godspeed You! Black Emperor.
If you are interested in a band that does not rely on conventional music or melody, whose work is as enjoyable as it is sad and whose message about social turmoil is uncompromising, give “NO TITLE AS OF 13 FEBRUARY 2024 28,340 DEAD” a listen.
– Contact Noble Garcia at noble.garcia@emory.edu
“BROKEN SPIRES AT DEAD KAPITAL,” the shortest song in the album, drowns listeners in hatred and woe. There is no bright spirit present as the subtle paranoia of violins underscores the bass.
A letter from Miranda Wilson, crossword desk
By mirAndA Wilson CroSSWord deSk
Dear Emory University cruciverbalists,
I wanted to write a quick thank you for allowing me the joy of creating biweekly crossword puzzles for the past three years. I have been a huge fan of word games and an avid
crossword-puzzler for my entire life. My mom loves them and used to let me help her solve them on road trips or lazy weekend days. She was also my favorite Scrabble competitor. I was thrilled to take on the role of crossword desk at The Emory Wheel at the end of my freshman year. It was super exciting to contribute to the Emory community in my own little way. From creating a Taylor Swiftthemed puzzle to kickstarting the
6. Clumsy
7. Gynecologists, e.g. (abbr.)
6. A prosecutor, e.g. (abbr.)
9. Began
10. Missouri congresswoman Bush
11. __ ago
12. Croak
13. Word before cream and chip
17. “As I have shown…”
18. Gwyneth Paltrow’s alma mater (abbr.)
23. “u r hilarious!”
24. Opposite of innie
25. “Be _ __ and help me out!”
28. Express an idea coherently
29. Word after U or your
30. Captain Hook’s sidekick
31. Frequent hairstyle of Diana Ross
32. Word before bell or knob
33. Fictional bear in “The Jungle Book”
34. The counterpart to Xs in tic-tac-
toe
38. Meander
39. “You’re blocking my view!”
42. Generational divides
45. Nickname for singer Grande
47. Turn over _ __ leaf
48. Too __ cooks in the kitchen
50. Magna __, 1215 royal charter
51. Not urban
52. God, with “one’s”
53. Meat-grading org (abbr.)
54. Undifferentiated cells
55. Region
58. Japanese currency
60. Bother
Wheel’s own mini crossword, I have loved every minute of putting together these games for you. Words cannot describe how cool it is to walk into Kaldi’s at the Depot and see friends thinking over clues together or find half-solved puzzles lying around various spaces on campus.
I am graduating this spring, so it is time for me to pass the torch to a new crossword creator. I hope the Wheel crossword keeps evolving to repre -
sent our cultural moments in the way only crosswords can: diversifying trivia (more celebrities of color!), including different dialects of English (more words in African American Vernacular English!) and using clues to force people to reckon with their stereotypes (Clue: pronoun for a surgeon? Answer: she!).
For my last puzzle, as a love letter to the English language and this crazy newspaper tradition that I adore,
I have included some of my favorite words.
Whether you solve this crossword on your way to class, with friends or in your favorite chair with a cup of coffee (my personal favorite), I hope you experience many eureka moments of finally figuring out a tough clue.
crossword
Favorite Things
Happy puzzling, Miranda Wilson,
desk
6 dangerously captivating tracks Theater Emory presents shattering of hope
Continued from Page 8
figures out the relationship between Mae and Lloyd — whether they are married, sexually attracted to each other, friends or family.
Mae’s hope is fragile in the face of the patriarchy and the social system that had been “sucking [her] blood,” as the character said in the end.
It was exactly because of Mae’s illiteracy that she isn’t able to understand her situation with Lloyd: she doesn’t have the concepts of love, social bonds.
This fracture of memory conveys a historical characteristic of the play, explaining why the plot seemed to come out of nowhere as such misery of humans still happens every day and can happen anywhere, anytime.
The actors also portray these confusing lines with an extraordinary amount of emotional strength, helping the audience develop their own connections to the story.
Ultimately, Henry similarly shatters Mae’s hope. Both actors depict the hysteria resulting from social oppression accurately.
As Lloyd recovers from his sickness, Henry grows old and paralyzed. Lloyd jumps from corner to cor -
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ner on the stage, showing off his youthfulness to laugh at Henry while also trying to win Mae’s heart back; Henry fakes a broken leg to stay in Mae and Lloyd’s house rent-free.
As Mae finally realizes that she needs to run away from both men, it is too late. The three of them end up in a silent misery with no solutions.
An interesting theatrical choice by Director Mary Lynn Owen was that at each outbreak of the characters’ emotions, the actors freeze their movements and the normal warm lighting changes into a blue overhead light, inviting the audience to process the overwhelming emotions that the play elicited.
The three actors bowed briefly as the play ended while the audience sat quietly from the shocking nature of the play.
Due to the dramatic, almost hyperbolic, costume and stage design depicting the character’s poverty, I began the play expecting an uplifting change for Mae.
However, the story stifled every hopeful expectation, unveiling humanity’s ugliness.
Mae’s hope is fragile in the face of the patriarchy and the social system that had been “sucking [her] blood,” as the character said in the end.
Theater Emory’s “Mud,” with its unique theatrical choices of costume and lighting, accentuates this despair of humans in the suffocating system.
– Contact Amiee Zhao at yiqing.zhao@emory.edu
Continued from Page 8
aim for my heart, go for blood / But you would still miss me in your bones.” If you are listening to this track behind the wheel, you might not make it home either.
4. ‘Edge of Seventeen’ by Stevie Nicks (1981)
From the first strum of the elec tric guitar, “Edge of Seventeen” readies the listener for a wild ride. Jumping straight into the chorus, Stevie Nicks growls, “Just like the white-winged dove sings a song / It sounds like she’s singin’.”
The momentum carries through out the song as a strong percussion set accompanies Nicks’ powerful voice. This song simply begs the lis tener to roll all the windows down, turn the speakers so loud that the car shakes and glue the gas pedal to the floorboard.
The verses reflect this intensity as Nicks sings “And the days go by like a strand in the wind / In the web that is my own, I begin again.” As the highway beckons and the street lights blur, “Edge of Seventeen” is the perfect passenger.
5. ‘Hold My Hand’ by Lady Gaga (2022)
Like Adele, Lady Gaga’s discography is overflowing with powerful and intoxicating tracks. “Hold My Hand,” the lead single from the “Top Gun: Maverick” (2022) soundtrack, is Lady Gaga’s most recent ballad.
“Hold my hand, everything will be OK / I heard from the heavens that clouds have been gray,” Gaga begins.
While the verses are strong, the
beat-drop and Gaga’s impenetrable belting of the chorus is magical. “So cry tonight / But don’t you let go of my hand / You can cry every last tear / I won’t leave ‘til I understand,” Gaga sings. Accompanied by methodical percussion playing, this chorus is like an ascension. And with four tires off the ground, it’s a little hard to control the wheel.
6. ‘drivers license’ by Olivia Rodrigo (2021)
This list would not be complete without the ultimate late-night drive anthem, “drivers license” by Olivia Rodrigo. The track skyrocketed the indie-rock artist into the spotlight for good reason. “drivers license” is pop at its finest — powerful and emotional. Yet, it’s still an abso -
lute banger. This pop-perfection is equally devastating and dangerous. After turning the key into the ignition, Rodrigo starts slowly, “I got my driver’s license last week / Just like we always talked about,” Rodrigo sings. The emotional intensity boils and bubbles before spilling over in the passionate bridge throughout the track.
“Red lights, stop signs / I still see your face in the white cars, front yards / Can’t drive past the places we used to go to / Cause I still f*****’ love you, babe,” Rodrigo belts. With this candid confessional blasting from your car speakers, it’s only a matter of time before you get that “drivers license” revoked.
– Contact Catherine Goodman at catherine.goodman@emory.edu
Old rebels, new rhetoric: Mötley Crüe’s anthem of defance in ‘Cancelled’
By sAmuel temple CamPuS deSk
Mötley Crüe, an American heavy metal band formed in 1981, released a three-track extended play (EP) titled “Cancelled” on Friday, Oct. 4.
The EP is their first release since their soundtrack for Mötley Crüe’s biographical film, “The Dirt,” which came out in 2019 on Netflix and received generally poor ratings from critics but was widely watched and favorably reviewed by fans.
The soundtrack was a massive success, reaching the No. 10 spot on the Billboard 200 in April 2019. “Cancelled” aims to bring listeners the
same destructive freedom that “The Dirt” captured so well, but lacks the character to do so.
Mötley Crüe is famous for their reckless excessiveness and rebelliousness. They performed elaborate sets that included flamethrowers and roller coaster drum kits, embracing the gung ho spirit of the glam metal era of the ’80s. PR stunts such as spilling a suitcase of pornography magazines in the airport and throwing a television set out of a window further unveiled their unruliness. Mötley Crüe’s antics echoed the chaos of their personal lives, as they faced substance abuse issues.
Vince Neil, the band’s lead vocalist,
was charged with a DUI and vehicular manslaughter for his involvement in a car accident in 1984, and Nikki Sixx, the bassist, was pronounced dead for two minutes following a heroin overdose in 1987. Despite these incidents, the band maintained their unapologetic approach to partying and debauchery — defining their rise to fame.
“Cancelled” evokes the same sense of shameless party culture that colored much of their work in the past — but this time, with the modern twist of being canceled.
There are three songs on the album: the titular song “Cancelled,” “Dogs of War” and a cover of the Beastie Boys’
“Fight For Your Right” (1986). As one might expect, each song provides overwhelming bursts of heavy metal guitar, thundering drums and abrasive rasping vocals.
Thematically, Mötely Crüe plays off of their controversial reputation by condemning cancel culture, jeering “Speak your mind, you might get cancelled” in “Cancelled.”
They reference the Daily Mail, TikTok and the 2021 insurrection at the Capitol in a surprisingly interesting culture clash between ’80s glam rock and more modern conservative rhetoric.
The EP is decidedly political, as they sing “Riot in the capital, press in a grapple” in the titular song. In “Dogs of War,” Mötley Crüe repeats, “Don’t let those bastards get you down” in a way that seemingly suggests standing up for oneself in the face of scandal or moral condemnation.
There is little beneath the surface in these songs as the lyrics are very one-dimensional and vary to almost no degree from line to line.
The two words “down” and “bastards” comprise one-fourth of the total lyrics in “Dogs of War.”
Their cover of “Fight For Your Right” makes no substantive changes to the original song but does couch the lyrics in heavier shreds of guitar and denser drum lines.
However, there are some compelling artistic choices. A comforting piano melody in “Cancelled” shifts the intense and unexpected to a softer and slower sound that flows smoothly as they croon, “Will you love me when I fall down?”
As for the actual lyrical content here, it is at least an attempt at some
thematic tension or depth that is absent from the rest of the EP, insofar as suggesting the sad state of a musician who has been “Cancelled.” There is a sort of absurd irony here. The band proudly self-labels themselves as canceled, rather than allowing the media to do so.
“Cancelled” evokes the same sense of shameless party culture that colored much of their work in the past — but this time, with the modern twist of being canceled.
“Cancelled” somewhat successfully plays off of “The Dirt,” which showcased their fast-paced, drug-and-sexfueled time in the limelight in the late ’80s.
To recreate their no-holds-barred, party animal appeal, they co-opt the term “cancelled” and celebrate it as a symbol of rugged defiance.
There is little original about their work here and the instrumentals come through as little more than pointless noise.
Perhaps the EP will serve as an anthem for those fed up with the idea of cancel culture, or maybe it will simply fade into the motley queue of released music that never finds its audience.
– Contact Samuel Temple at samuel.temple@emory.edu
Teams should favor long-term development
Continued from Back Page
It is undeniable that this leap creates unease for rookie quarterbacks, especially when facing players who are on multi-million dollar contracts and are bigger, stronger and faster. Therefore, before blaming rookie quarterbacks for their failure to hit the ground running in the NFL, it is necessary to evaluate the quarterback’s decision-making and skills. If a rookie is a “scramble around and make magic happen” quarterback like Johnny Manziel in college, it is very likely that he will not find his rhythm early on an NFL field since the professional defensive linemen are simply much faster. Instead, teams should look for fundamental skills such as innate talent, good footwork and high accuracy as a thrower when drafting quarterbacks.
A prime example of this patient approach is the Green Bay Packers’ starting quarterback, Jordan Love. Drafted in 2020, Love played his first full season in 2023, throwing for 4,159 yards and 32 touchdowns and leading his team to a dominant
victory over the Super Bowl contenders Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card round. It was a long road for Love, sitting behind Aaron Rodgers for three years — especially when Rodgers came off yet another Pro Bowl season at the age of 36 in the 2020 NFL season and showed no signs of slowing down. But Love learned from him, stacking mental and physical reps in practice to become the borderline elite quarterback he proved to be in 2023.
“Being on the bench for those three years, seeing a season, seeing how Aaron went about it, that’s what got me to understand that stuff’s not going to be perfect in the NFL,” Love told Sports Illustrated in August.
For each team, it is crucial to weigh the stakes. Instead of constantly drafting new quarterbacks every few years, signing a veteran or relying on an experienced player already on their roster can help develop rookies. A veteran can not only aid in a rookie’s adjustment to the NFL’s different style of gameplay but also supply them time to develop
Club shares opportunties for women in sports
Continued from Back Page
football. To break into the industry, Carberg encouraged students in the crowd to network and become involved in sports management programs.
Binetti said that networking with people in the industry was one of the main reasons why she wanted to start the club in the first place.
“It is really hard, no matter who you are, to get your foot in the door with professional sports,” Binetti said. “So I think everyone looked at it as a way to connect and a really good idea to help us advance our careers.”
The club’s vice president, senior sprinter Samantha Glass, said that the new group will help any women interested in sports, not just studentathletes or those wanting to explore careers in the sports world.
“Being somebody in sports, you make a lot of good connections and there’s a lot of other people who feel the same as you,” Glass said. “It’s a good way to meet other people and be able to make connections with people in the industry, whether or not that’s your end goal.”
Glass added that the club hopes to host future lectures with special guests to spread awareness about opportunities for women in the sports world.
“In general, women shouldn’t be afraid to be in sports,” Glass said. “We saw how many people came [to the first club event]. There’s a big community of us.”
— Contact Madeline Shapiro at madeline.shapiro@emory.edu and Sasha Melamud at sasha.melamud@emory.edu
as people: strengthening physiques, learning the playbook and observing how seasoned players handle similar pressures.
So why do teams tend to throw rookie quarterbacks onto the field early on? The reasons are complex. Some take advantage of the salary cap when the quarterback is on a rookie deal, while others are eager to cease their losing streak carried over from the previous season. However, rushing rookie quarterbacks onto the field does not help their development. Instead, giving them time to mature and refine their skills is the best way to unlock their full potential. While it is understandable to roll early with new draft picks due to various incentives, prioritizing the long-term development of the team and the quarterback should be a better incentive for teams not to rush rookies, especially considering the potential long-term benefits of a stable and successful franchise.
— Contact Jerry He at jerry.he@emory.edu
SWOOP’S SCOOP
the best team in the country proves they can compete with anyone.
“We were close to scoring a second goal and tying it up,” Schmidt said. “So I think it just instilled a lot of confidence in the team that we can do this, and we’re good enough to be here and we’re good enough to compete.”
Schmidt also said that it was important “not to look too far ahead” in the season and to understand the importance of every game, especially as six of their seven UAA conference opponents are ranked nationally. Moving forward, the women’s team will look to build upon Saturday’s game for the upcoming UAA matchups against No. 12 Case Western Reserve University (Ohio) on Oct. 13 and No. 4 Carnegie Mellon University (Pa.) on Oct. 19.
Men’s soccer begins conference play strong with second-half scoring burst
After suffering narrow 1-0 losses to Covenant College (Ga.) on Sept. 21 and Oglethorpe University (Ga.) on Oct. 1, the Emory men’s soccer team needed nothing more than to open the UAA conference with a win. In their way was a talented WashU team that posed the Eagles many threats.
WashU junior forward Zach Susee opened the scoring in the first half with what Emory graduate forward Ryan Winkler described as a “crazy”
shot, sending the Eagles into the locker room down a goal. Winkler said the halftime locker room talk was filled with questions about how to proceed
“The mentality was really like, ‘Alright, this is it,’” Winkler said. “‘Our backs are against the wall. What are we going to do from here? What type of team are we trying to be?’ And I think everyone put their heads down and said, ‘We’re just simply not going to lose this game.’”
Junior midfielder Josh Grand had a similar outlook and said the team’s recent frustrations contributed to their shift in mindset.
“It was a similar feel of we’ve been playing better than them, we felt like we were the better team, but ultimately, the scoreline did not reflect that,” Grand said. “We’ve walked through too many games with that mentality and kind of just looked around and told each other, ‘This is it.’”
Emory mounted quite the response in the second half, scoring four unanswered goals, with three within 4-minutes . Winkler opened the scoring for the Eagles in the 56th minute, with junior defender Owen Clark and Grand following shortly after. Winkler scored Emory’s fourth goal in the 68th minute. After the game, Winkler applauded the team’s effort in the comeback win.
“In that game, I felt we were really generating a lot of chances, and in
previous games, we’ve struggled to put some away,” Winkler said. “But guys stepped up. Owen had a great goal, Josh had a great goal and then I had the last one in that little flurry.”
Grand also said he enjoyed seeing the scoring distribution and collective team effort.
“It’s kind of what our team is all about, everyone playing their part and being bought in to do something big,” Grand said.
After goals by WashU freshman forward Jamie Lee and Emory freshman forward Jake Breitegan late in the second half, the game ended as an inspiring 5-2 win for the men’s team. With a record of 4-5-1, Grand is hopeful that the Eagles’ scoring spree will continue and said it was “relieving” to end their multi-game scoring drought. Both Grand and Winkler said the team needs to prioritize a win-or-go-home mentality moving forward in order to qualify for the national tournament.
“Treat it like a final,” Winkler said. “Treat it like it’s our last chance to play soccer and then go out, defend hard, try and limit as many chances as we can for them and score some goals and be aggressive always.”
The men’s team will look to continue their UAA momentum against Case Western at home on Oct. 13.
— Contact Justin Guo at justin.guo@emory.edu
Natalie Sandlow/Visual Editor
Junior midfielder Josh Grand weaves through Washington University in St. Louis (Mo.) defenders on Oct. 5.
C ourtesy of K aya Binetti
Emory Women in Sports Club holds their first event with former New York Jets scout Connie Carberg on Zoom on Sept. 25.
Women’s soccer falls to WashU in UAA opener, men’s soccer picks up win
By Justin Guo
Contributing Writer
The Emory University men’s and women’s soccer teams opened United Athletic Association (UAA) conference play by hosting Washington University in St. Louis (Mo.) (WashU) on Oct. 5. The women’s team fell 2-1 to No. 1 WashU, and the men’s team won 5-2.
Missed opportunities cost women’s soccer against No. 1 team
The No. 13 Emory women’s soccer team entered the game against first seed WashU with a 6-1-1 record and had no shortage of expectations going into Saturday’s bout against the Bears. The Eagles fought hard before a large crowd at the George W. Woodruff
Physical Education Center but ultimately lost 2-1.
After goals from WashU freshman forward Olivia Clemons in the first half and sophomore forward Madison Foley in the second, the Eagles found themselves down 2-0 and forced to generate opportunities late in the game in order to equalize. Emory created several late opportunities, but WashU held firm and secured a 2-1 victory.
Emory ended the game with 12 shots, the most important of which was sophomore forward Kaitlyn Nimmer’s goal with around eight minutes left to go in the game. Nimmer credited her teammate senior midfielder Chayse Corfman for finding her the opportunity.
“It was towards the end of the game, we were down 2-0 and had a pretty far-away free kick,” Nimmer
said. “Chayse did a really good job recovering the scramble in front of the box, and then I found myself with a wide-open shot … I just went for the long-range shot, and thankfully, it went in.”
With several great opportunities to equalize toward the end of the game, Nimmer believes the team has areas to improve on in future games.
“We have to be able to finish in key moments and not make mistakes that cost goals,” Nimmer said. “Both of the goals [were] easily preventable, which is also good news moving forward, so just making sure we’re sharp at all times so we can get the result we want.”
Senior defender Claudia Schmidt echoed similar sentiments, saying that the team’s strong performance against
See MEN’S, Page 11
Emory sprinter founds new Women in Sports Club
By Madeline shapiro and sasha MelaMud Managing Editor and Sports Feature Desk
Sports are a defining feature in senior sprinter Kaya Binetti’s life. She has been an athlete for as long as she can remember, spending her high school years on the soccer field. Once she got to Emory University, Binetti became a valuable member 0f the women’s track and field team, and spent the summer interning at a training camp for the New York Jets.
Binetti has known that she wants to pursue a career in sports after graduation, but felt like the University lacked a community dedicated to women with similar career interests. To remedy this, Binetti decided to carve a space for women interested in sports at Emory by chartering a new Women in Sports Club this fall. The group hosted their first official event last month.
Inspiration for the club came to Binetti when she heard about the initiative Samantha Rapoport, the NFL senior director of diversity, equity and inclusion, was taking to promote women’s roles within the league. Rapoport is best known for creating the NFL Women’s Forum in 2017, which has placed about 250 women in jobs in the league.
Binetti’s plans for the club took off even more during her internship this summer. While working, she got a taste of the professional sports atmosphere and ran into the NFL’s first-ever female scout, Connie Carberg.
“Immediately she was so nice and kind and just willing to talk to me,” Binetti said. “We got into a conversation about what I was interested in.
I told her about my club, and then she immediately was like, ‘Here’s my email, here’s my number.’”
Binetti immediately began planning for the club’s first event, which was a talk with Carberg and the New York Jets President Hymie Elhai on Sept. 25. Carberg became a scout for the Jets in 1976, approximately four years after the United States Congress enacted Title IX, which protects individuals in education and sports from discrimination based on sex.
“It is really hard, no matter who you are, to get your foot in the door with professional sports.”
— Kaya Binetti
Since 1976, Carberg has paved the way for many other women in a male-dominated industry by simply following her passion for sports. At the club’s opening event, Carberg said she used her love for sports to build up the confidence to pursue a job in the NFL.
“I was not confident in myself in dating,” Carberg said. “I didn’t go to my prom. I was very insecure. … But the one thing I felt confident about, for some reason, was talking football, being around and judging it.”
Carberg said that since the Arizona Cardinals appointed Jennifer Welter as an assistant coaching intern in 2015, there has been an influx of women operating in professional
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Rookie quarterbacks should not be rushed into spotlight
By Jerry he Contributing Writer
“In recent years, teams have rushed rookie quarterbacks in the NFL onto the field too early. Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell addressed this question on “The Rich Eisen Show,” stating, “I believe that organizations fail young quarterbacks before young quarterbacks fail organizations.”
What NFL team doesn’t like witnessing a highly-drafted prospective franchise quarterback proudly donning the team’s logo on draft night, stepping into center stage on the field, and being the one to lift the Vince Lombardi Trophy after winning the Super Bowl? Sadly, such dream scenarios are not common in the NFL today.
In fact, many highly-drafted rookie quarterbacks fail to live up to their potential with stagnant or uninspiring careers. To some extent, it makes sense. If fresh talent is not utilized, it contradicts the idea of bringing new life to a team after drafting a whole new generation.
Rookie quarterbacks debuting in week one of their first season have become quite common in the modern era of football. No. 1 over-
all draft picks Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals in 2020 and Caleb Williams of the Chicago Bears this season are just two of many examples. Nevertheless, while some rookie quarterbacks are ready to be heroes, others like Zach Wilson of the Denver Broncos and Bryce Young
of the Carolina Panthers seem to lack the same luck. It is understandable for fans to stand in front of their television, frustrated when their highly-anticipated quarterback fails to meet expectations. Rather than be disappointed and immediately consider
the next guy as a replacement, it is important for the team to take the player’s perspective and consider the underlying causes. Players, like us, differ in adaptability. Not every rookie quarterback can immediately hit the ground running like C.J. Stroud, who threw for 4,108 yards
and 23 touchdowns last season, leading the underdog Houston Texans to their first playoff appearance since 2019. Similarly, Justin Herbert took over the starting quarterback position for the Los Angeles Chargers in week two of 2020, throwing for 4,336 yards and 31 touchdowns that season. On the other hand, in Wilson’s debut season for the Jets, he threw an underwhelming 2,334 yards and nine touchdowns.
Patience and an accurate assessment of the supporting cast are much more prudent and necessary for NFL teams than relying solely on a good quarterback to succeed. Does the team have a strong, deep receiver group to support him? Is the offensive line capable of providing the extra time that the rookie needs to adjust to the new environment?
Transitioning from college football to the NFL is a massive leap, akin to moving from high school to college. Not only must players adapt to the environment and an NFL team’s style of play, but they also have to compete with a stronger pool of players, considering only 1.6% of college athletes make it to the professional level. Sounds intimidating, right?
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Justin Whitening/staff Photogra Pher
Senior defender Claudia Schmidt carries the ball during a game against Washington University in St. Louis (Mo.) on Oct. 5. Emory lost 2-1.
C ourtesy of WiK imedia C ommons
Carolina Panthers quaterback Bryce Young prepares to lead his team out of the tunnel before a game in 2023.
