THE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW ORLEANS Volume: 62 Issue: 10
NOVEMBER 7, 2018
unodriftwood.com
Title IX and the transgender community BY JACK WAGUESPACK News Editor Title IX, a law passed to protect various members of the community regardless of their identity, has recently come under question, due in no small part to recent comments made by President Trump. When it comes to Title IX, UNO has shown support for its students, transgender or otherwise, by offering all-gender bathrooms, gender-inclusive dorm halls and the ability for students to change their names on their school-issued ID cards. In response to recent controversy surrounding Title IX, UNO President John Nicklow issued an email to UNO students on Monday, Oct. 29. “We recognize that some members of our campus community may be concerned by the prospect of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services establishing a legal binary definition of gender under Title IX. At this point, no policy decision has been made,” said Nicklow. “Irrespective of any changes at the federal level, we want you to know that the University of New Orleans has policies in place to protect individuals from discrimination. We believe strongly that every member of our campus community should feel valued for who they are, regardless of their identity. The University has resources on campus, should you need support.” Some transgender students, including freshmen Alex Pertuit and James Morenc, were upset by this email following the announcement of possible Title IX reforms.
Students gather for UNO’s 2016 LGBT+ parade. “The main problem for me was the lack of visibility in the email. The president addressed ‘some members’ but not the trans community directly,” stated Morenc. “The email was a week late, did not address the trans community directly, and basically said ‘we will just keep our old policies that we don’t even currently enforce,’” Pertuit said in response to the email. With some students upset about the email, SGA President Kenady Hills decided something needed to be done, and a meeting between Nicklow, Hills, and UNO students was planned for Monday, Nov. 5. Hill started this group for LGBTQ+ students and allies to
formulate ideas on how to ensure safety, quality of life and education for transgender students while at UNO. She addressed the UNO Social app, where multiple spam accounts post transphobic comments and slurs. For part of the resolution, Hills is asking for better moderation of the app and for stricter hate speech guidelines. These problems may affect faculty as well. Current transgender administration and educators could face the same backlash if Title IX is reformed and if transgender-friendly policies are not supported by the school. The unsupportive atmosphere could also stop future transgender faculty from applying for a job or trans-
- Photo by Brennan Probst
gender students from being accepted into the university. The resolution may be the first step in making sure transgender people will be able to have the same rights as other UNO students, whether the Trump administration reforms Title IX or not. The LGBTQ+ UNO resolution team is preparing to demonstrate on Transgender Remembrance Day — Tuesday, Nov. 20 — to show solidarity to the community and respect for the deceased. Clubs such as UNITY and the Intersectional Feminist Club are planning to help organize and prepare for this demonstration those that may follow it. In 1906, Title IX was originally
put in place in favor of female athletes in universities. It was used to ensure athletes had equal opportunities in both men’s and women’s leagues, regarding the number of sports available along with amount of scholarships. Controversy arose when certain schools felt that women’s sports were held in higher regard because of Title IX. Many used it as a way to make excuses for men’s baseball, basketball, and football teams who were not doing too well that season. In 1972, the law was broadened to include boys and girls in schools that receive federal funding. Before Title IX, there were various rules, including the uniforms each gender was required to wear, sports regulations, and inviting the opposite gender to school dances. Previous regulation also involved hiring practices for women and members of the LGBTQ+ community. Now, all members of the community are protected under Title IX when it comes to equal pay and equal opportunities, regardless of race, gender or sexuality. Recently, Title IX has been brought up in current political debates specifically regarding the LGBTQ+ community. President Trump has made remarks on gender and sex that may not take transgender people into fair consideration. According to US News, his current goal is to have gender confirmed at birth and deemed unchangeable at any later time. This would force transgender people to go by their assigned gender, unable to change their gender legally, no matter how they feel.
Local Boutique thinks big for Small Business Saturday
BY JACK WAGUESPACK News Editor
Small Business Saturday is a national holiday focused on promoting and supporting small and local businesses in your area. Following Black Friday, Small Business Saturday is all about keeping money and growth in local areas instead of department stores and chains. American Express started the Shop Small Day in 2011, hoping to bring more holiday shopping to local shops. According to American Express,
in 2013, they had more than 1,450 individuals and organizations sign up to rally and campaign, with an increase to 5,750 sign-ups in 2017. Armoire, a boutique on Magazine Street, is one of the few local businesses that sells fashionable women’s clothing ranging from size 0-20. It is an all-female-ownedand-run business and has had growing sales these past few years due to their large scale of sizes and styles. Their shop is an open atmosphere that anyone would feel comfortable in, with multiple women of different shapes and sizes there to guide
customers on clothing choice. Boutique owner Erin Hebert, opened up about shopping locally and what it means to her and her business. E: Erin Hebert, owner of Armoire, a local boutique J: Jack Waguespack J: What does shopping locally mean to you? E: Shopping with small and locally owned businesses is an easy way to support your community. When you shop local, business owners can invest in their business and in their employees. Plus,
more tax dollars go right back into the community rather than out of town. J: How do you encourage people to shop locally? E: Big-box retailers can purchase a higher volume of goods from manufacturers, which allows them to charge lower prices. Since we cannot always beat those prices, we offer services with added value that you may not be able to receive at the mall or online. We entice shoppers with a friendly and customized experience, such as one-on-one styling and person-
al s, plus discounts and free swag. hopping. And since our team is small, we will remember you the next time you come in and tailor your visit based on yours likes and dislikes. J: Are you doing any events and/or sales for Small Business Saturday? E: Small Business Saturday is one of our favorite times of the year. We will host our third annual Thanks-a-Brunch event, where customers can enjoy complimentary mimosas and snacks.
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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2018
NEWS
Diversity dialogue encourages students to rethink social norms
Edwards and students enjoying refreshments as the event winded down.
BY CLAIRE SARGENT Reporter On Nov. 1, The Diversity Engagement Center invited students to their Diversity Dialogue: Marriage and Sexuality, an interactive discussion that was led by Professor Ann Kos Edwards. Edwards is an instructor in anthropology, and she has been teaching at UNO since
1981. Edwards discussed her ethnic background and the culture shock she experienced when she first came to the U.S. She grew up in Croatia during the age of the Iron Curtain and the spread of communism throughout Europe. When she first came to the U.S., she experienced the hustle and bustle of New York City. “It was quite a culture shock coming from Croatia to New
-Photo by Claire Sargent York City. New York City was very fast-paced, and people were not as friendly as they were back home,” Edwards said. Later, Edwards moved to New Orleans at age 22, and she fell in love with the city and how kind people were. Edwards taught that Western societal norms around marriage and sexuality can also cause culture shock to those who are not from the United States. In order
to understand how marriage and sexuality are viewed throughout the world, it’s important to understand the basic structures surrounding these institutions. Edwards also taught that family is the oldest institution and that its structure is constantly changing. Then, Edwards introduced Margaret Mead, a well-known American cultural anthropologist, and her teachings. Mead’s theory of human sexuality states that sexual roles are culturally determined, not biologically determined. Mead did her field work in Samoa, where she did a cross-cultural comparison between American and Samoan adolescent girls. She conducted an experiment in which a Samoan boy was raised as a girl to examine the changes. However, the boy did not know the difference between male and female gender roles. Mead’s conclusion: this demonstrated that gender roles are culturally determined. Edwards discussed how marriage and sexuality have changed over time and how it’s still changing. When she first started teaching at UNO, most of her students believed that having sex before marriage was
very frowned upon in American society due to religious reasons. Now, when she asks students if having sex before marriage is frowned upon, the students say that it’s not as uncommon and as negative as it used to be portrayed. She also asks students if they want to get married and have children. Students said they strived to get married and have large families when Edwards first starting teaching at UNO, and now, it’s not uncommon for students to say that they don’t plan on getting married or having any children. “The economy plays a role in students’ decisions to not have children nowadays. It’s more expensive to raise children today than it was in the past,” Edwards said. It’s also more common for men to stay home with the children while women go to work, according to Edwards. Although these institutions are not what they used to be in the past, that doesn’t mean that they are dying out. According to Edwards, the family institution is here to stay. It won’t disappear; it will just change and adapt to societal norms.
Pelicans missing crucial players, lose to Spurs BY JOSEPH BELLOTT Contributor The Pelicans lost their fifth game in a row on Saturday when they played the San Antonio Spurs. They finished with 95 points while the Spurs scored 109 points. In the Pelicans’ defense, they were missing their starting point guard, Elfrid Payton, who’d only had 11 turnovers in five games, and Anthony Davis, who has not been playing to his full capability because of a bothered elbow. Due to the issue, Davis has played with slightly less range of motion and a clear effort to toward cautiousness. At the start of the season, the Pelicans looked very promising (4-0). This was a surprise, as the team had lost two big players to the “ovarabelt” - Boogie Cousins and Rajon Rondo. Replacement for guys of their caliber would be difficult, to say the least. Would the new guys, Payton and Julius Randle, fill their shoes? Through the beginning of this season, it certainly seems that they have; they’ve exceeded expectations. Payton has averaged 12 points, six rebounds and six assists on the season, while Randle has averaged 17 points, seven rebounds and two assists. Randle, however, had an off night, finishing with only 10 points. Rebounds were won by the Pelicans, with 60 for them compared to the Spur’s 48. Turnovers were the biggest factor in the loss. Coach Alvin Gentry noted
-Photo provided by Derick E. Hingle
Pelicans versus Spurs recap and season analysis through nine games. post-game, “If you’re going to turn over the ball in crucial situations in the game, you’re going to have a tough time beating them.” The Pelicans had 16 turnovers to the other team, compared to the Spurs’ nine. They were slightly under or above in all other statistical categories. Some notable players’ stats were as follows: Jrue Holliday - 29 points and 8 assists Nikola Mirotic - 22 points and
16 rebounds Anthony Davis - 17 points and 5 blocks Etwaun Moore - 11 points and 3 assists Shot attempts? The Spurs threw up 96 and the Pelicans 77. The turnovers contributed to this wide margin. The Spurs only gave up one steal in the first half. Free throws were also a problem for the Pelicans. Randle had 12 tries and only got four in (25 percent).
When you have trouble winning against a team coached by Greg Popovich, you have little chance of victory, regardless of the talent within your own team. Gentry and the rest of the team understand what they have to work on going forward: turnovers and offensive execution. If those two facets of the game can be corrected, they’ll have a great chance of winning against any opponent because of the team’s sheer talent. Davis and Jrue Holiday have been called the “best
duo in the NBA,” according to Gentry. Payton’s usual abilities finishing at the rim and dishing to players in scoring positions have been missing since his minor injury last week at the home game against the Utah Jazz. Payton is hoping to return Wednesday’s game against the Bulls, or Saturday’s game versus the Suns. It’s interesting to see how the return of a starter affects the team, especially in the beginning of the season.
NEWS
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2018
IS IT IMPORTANT TO VOTE? QUESTION OF THE WEEK WITH CLAIRE SARGENT
Luke Webb Senior, Music Studies
“It’s important to vote because we’re #blessed to have that right in this country.”
Kaitlyn Barnett Freshman, Anthropology
“I think every vote counts and makes a difference, so it’s important to vote.”
Cursti Joseph, Senior, Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism
“Yes, it’s important to vote. I didn’t think my voice mattered until I realized the power behind every vote.”
Brooke Miller Sophomore, Education
“Yes, it’s important, because I’m angry with how the government is currently being [run], so I want my vote to change that.”
Joseph Vitali Sophomore, Political Science
“I think it’s very important to vote, because as young Americans, we’re the voice of our generation, and it’s important that we’re heard.”
Zenobia Zeno Junior, Interdisciplinary Studies (IDS)
“Yeah, it’s important to vote, because look what happened in the last election when people thought their votes wouldn’t matter.”
Rachel Geisz Senior, Fine Arts
“It’s important to vote because if you don’t vote, you don’t have a say in the government.”
Trevor Nathan Senior, Jazz Studies
“Yeah, of course it’s important to vote, because you can’t complain about the government if you didn’t vote and try to change it.”
Joseph Nolan Sophomore, theater
“I think it’s important to vote, but I think it’s more important to stay informed on what is being voted on.”
Do YOU think it’s important to vote? Miles Sanders Freshman, English
“Yeah, it’s important to vote because it’s the one thing our government gives us to pursue change.”
We want to know!
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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2018
NEWS
Teacher Spotlight: Michael Huelshoff BY JACK WAGUESPACK News Editor Michael Huelshoff, a University of Oregon alumni, is known by many as a dedicated and committed teacher. Currently teaching political science at UNO, he can be found lecturing in his classroom about politics, or more likely, talking about the probability of the Oregon Ducks winning their next game. He’s described by his class as witty, intelligent, and charming. I sat down with him and talked about the highs and lows of teaching at UNO, and what he is looking forward to at the end of the school year. M: Michael Huelshoff; J: Jack Waguespack J: What is your favorite part of teaching at UNO? M: Seeing someone improve when they have struggled in the beginning. When I see that light go off and ev-
erything starts making sense for them. J: What is the hardest part of teaching? M: The students who don’t have it “click” for them. When personal or family problems get in the way and they are not able to reach the potential they could have. J: What made you pick the field that you are in now? M: Momentum. I intended to go to law school so I could make a lot of money and own a cattle ranch. I’m not joking. I had an undergraduate international relations class at the University of Oregon and loved everything about the field. If it was anything, it would be the momentum. J: What is your favorite memory from teaching at UNO? M: I don’t necessarily have a favorite memory. I guess
it’s any time I get to have an impact on a student, or help someone the way I was helped during my undergraduate years. I had a mentor who didn’t have to help me — he got nothing out of it, but wanted to help me. He helped me with my career goals and I love being able to do that for other students. I just recently helped a former student of mine with editing a paper she was trying to get published in a journal. It’s stuff like that, that are my favorite memories. J: You’re retiring after this semester, right? What are your plans for then? M: At the end of the next semester, I’ll be officially retired. I’m moving to Chile with my wife where I’ll be doing work with environmental groups and volunteering my time teaching at local schools. -Photo courtesy of Professor Huelshoff Professor Huelshoff on one of his many Chilean trips.
ENTERTAINMENT
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2018
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Recent UNO graduate published in The New Yorker BY ERINN BETH LANGILLE AND ROSS NERVIG Copy Editor & Contributor
-Photo by David Garcia Author and former UNO student Bryan Washington.
Bryan Washington, who graduated last year from the UNO Creative Writing Workshop (CWW), made waves recently when he published a story in The New Yorker. The magazine is considered the most prestigious publisher of literary fiction, and no previous workshop students or professors have ever had the chance to publish fiction with the magazine before. The story, “Waugh,” appeared in the Oct. 29 issue, and is set in Washington’s native Houston. It follows a young gay hustler named Poke as he navigates the dangerous world of sex work and housing insecurity. The story is also among several in “Lot,” his first collection set to be published by Riverhead Books on March 19, 2019. Washington’s publication in this esteemed magazine is exciting news for UNO’s CWW and has set the small community of writers abuzz. The program has experienced an uptick of notable graduate publication in the past years, increasing its cultural cache.
“Having had the pleasure of working with Bryan on his thesis, it was no surprise to see one of the stories from his collection find its way to the pages of The New Yorker,” says workshop instructor, Joanna Leake, Washington’s thesis director. “The recognition Bryan’s work has received is highly deserved and a wonderful reflection on the CWW. It’s something for all of us to be proud of. I’m sure it’s just the first of many exciting good things to come Bryan’s way. He’s the real deal!” Frederick Barton, the founder of the CWW and a former teacher of Washington’s, concurs. “[The program has] had hundreds of books published: fiction, short story, poetry. We’re in the triple digits. But no one has published in The New Yorker till now.” Barton continued, “Not even poetry. There are more slots for poetry [in the magazine] and we’ve had some great poets. But there [are] 52 issues a year, one fiction each. That’s not a lot of opportunity. Once you get to a certain level ... you see the same people over and over. It used to be John Updike, Richard Ford. Ann Beattie, too. Competition
is tough. It’s great for the program.” For every New Yorker fiction piece, there is an accompanying interview with its author about creation and intention. An interview with Bryan Washington by Willing Davidson poses some interesting questions about the story’s themes of family, love, community and sex. Washington reflects on a writer’s relationship to city and how a multitude of voices, especially those underrepresented, gives a more accurate idea of a given city. After graduating from UNO, Washington moved back to his hometown of Houston where all of the stories in “Lot” take place. Despite the buzz, The New Yorker is not his first high-profile publication. His fiction and non-fiction have appeared in The New York Times, BuzzFeed, Vulture, The Paris Review, Boston Review and Tin House, amongst many others. He’s often covered stories about New Orleans culture and food, including “Loose Flyers” in The Awl. You can read “Waugh” in The New Yorker’s print issue or website or listen to Washington read the story on the The New Yorker Fiction Podcast.
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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2018
November 12-16, 2018
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ENTERTAINMENT
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2018
“Suspiria:” Lamentations & Abstract Fascism BY DYLAN MININGER Entertainment Editor There is nothing more spectacular than harrowing images of beautifully raw dancing and nail-biting horror. There have always been masters of film who can perfectly execute such a contrast within film. Two directors that come to mind immediately are Stanley Kubrick and David Lynch, and yet I think both of those directors would have been floored by Luca Guadagnino’s latest film “Suspiria.” Many people are considering the film a remake, but it’s actually a feverishly charged reimagining of a cult classic. It seems every other day we are getting film remakes that are seemingly created as an easy recoup of studio money. Guadagnino’s “Suspiria” is the furthest thing from one of those remakes. It feels as though Guadagnino stripped the original film down to the bare bones: ballet, blood, music and women. He then completely transformed the film into a political statement, feminist think piece and a jaw-dropping horror escapade. The film takes us back to Berlin in 1977 during the German Autumn. Susie Bannon (Dakota Johnson), a young woman from a Mennonite family in Ohio, travels to Berlin to hopefully fill a mysterious opening at the esteemed Markos Dance Academy run by Madame Blanc (Tilda Swinton). Susie quickly joins the ranks of the other dancers and propels herself to become the protagonist in the upcoming company performance. As these events are occurring, a local psychiatrist named Dr. Jozef Klemperer finds himself investigating the disappearance of a patient and former Markos Dance Academy student Patricia Hingle (Chloë Grace Moretz). We soon learn that there is something strange afoot at the dance company
Dakota Johnson and the talented cast of dancers of “Suspiria.” that yields some sinister situations early in the film. Many aspects of the film have been compared to techniques of Stanley Kubrick, especially the usage of subtext. The film itself has more layers to it than lasagna. The original film was directed and written by esteemed horror director, Dario Argento, who relied much less on depth in plot and more on a slasher style of horror. Guadagnino takes the opposite approach, focusing on the film’s slow-burning pace, constantly switching between French, German and English, and utilizing one very talented actress to play three separate roles in the film — please don’t look it up until after seeing the film. In Argento’s original film, he relies heavily on ambient and colorful lighting, painstakingly composed shots and vicious amounts of fake blood. Guadagnino takes the story into his own talented hands and creates something much deeper, with much more choreography. Martha Graham, one of the most esteemed modern dancers and choreographers in the history of dance, stands as one of the biggest influ-
ences on both the original film and the newest adaptation. She invented a style of dance that one can only describe as naturalist. Her voice in dance was centered around the deeper human feelings such as shame, or despair or in the case of this film, guilt. One of her most famous performances, “Lamentation” resembles closely the dance sequences of both films. In the Guadagnino film more time is spent focusing on the minute details of modern dance: the breathing, the stretching, the jumping. The dances in the film can easily be traced to the styles Graham invented. The dancers are incredibly primal; they seem wounded yet empowered. A large portion of Graham’s naturalist style was strongly influenced by wolves and their primal nature. The dances within the film are a barrage of harshness to the eye, but hauntingly beautiful. Their physical connection to the floor of the studio mimics the styles of Graham. The layers don’t just stop at the dancing. The plot develops a deeper meaning in scenes revolving around the climate of Berlin in the late
My keys! My phone!
Loss: A stressful everyday experience.
-Photo by Alessio Bonzoni/Amazon Studios
-Photo courtesy of Pexels.com
1970s through news clips describing the events surrounding West Germany and their conflicts with the Red Army Faction and other various anti-fascist movements that focused on women’s liberation, racism and anti-imperialism. As you recognize the exterior political conflict in the film, you begin to see the larger political conflict seep into every aspect of the film’s plot, as the Markos Dance Company falls into a certain political war of its own. Through these political plot points, the film explores a very interesting contrast between feminine and masculine ideals and the necessary guilt that comes with past oppression. The film has a daunting runtime of a bit over two and a half hours. Many of its themes tend to get slightly lost in the brutal imagery, and in the overuse of abstract concepts. The muddling of certain important plot elements, however, is fully made up for by the exceptional cinematography that so richly channels the visual aesthetics and techniques of 1970s cinema. The quick zooms and camera tilts leave the viewer feeling disoriented with-
in the first 15 minutes of the film — a slightly overused trick, but a successful one nonetheless. Accompanying the stunning camerawork of the film is an original score by Thom Yorke, frontman of Radiohead. You’d think Thom Yorke would be a great choice to craft a score for such a bizarre film, but alas, it never quite reaches the level of the original film’s score by Italian band Goblin. Although it’s a moot point comparing aspects of the original film to this version, it’s obvious that there were attempts to keep this homage grounded in the successful aspects of the original film, the score being one of them. This film may be one of the most polarizing films of the last 10 years. Not only are people very particular about cult classic remakes, they are also critical of films that are astonishingly dense to the average audience member, who will struggle to unpack many of the unspoken themes of the film. It’s an exceptional addition to the current realm of horror films that are challenging old-school hack-and-slash films and their pools of fake blood. This one won’t just terrify you, but it will sink deep into your psyche and stay there as long as it takes you to process the events of the film, whether you enjoyed it or not. On a final note, if you choose to see this movie, please avoid screenings at large theater chains. The projection on this film is tough. Larger chains don’t always perform the right quality checks of the screen before admittance. The wrong place will project it so that certain parts of the film will be cut off at the bottom, and there will be unnecessary black bars at the top and sides. This is a film that is meant to be seen projected properly. For the integrity of the film, it’s important to see it projected as the filmmaker intended.
BY SUNDANCE MORGAN Contributor My keys! My phone! Words that can strike terror in our hearts when they involve loss. GEICO Insurance, that brilliant advertising campaign that shows a spandex-clad officer from the near future, as he sees his boards blinking and revealing an attack from some unknown enemy. The commander is trailed by two supporting staff who alert the commander to the attack. He says, “I will handle this” and he reaches for his … keys! They aren’t there, and he says “When I find my keys … they are on a silver key ring.” The minions immediately go into full alert status. The male support staff speaks into the intercom. “The captain has lost his keys again … report immediately!” Whatever your status in life, your keys and your phone rule you; you are dead without them. Just happened to me and I spend 35 terrifying minutes searching and beseeching every person I could reach in the library and the enrollment center. In despair I went to the second floor of the technology building to report the loss to the police and the officer said, “These?” “Oh, thank you. Thank you!” I exclaimed. My cautionary advice is if you find a phone or keys: bring it to the police!
ENTERTAINMENT
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2018
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“I Conjure you” with Dr. Shelby Richardson
-Photo provided by UNO’s website Dr. Shelby Richardson often teaches classes abroad at the Ireland study abroad program.
BY CASSANDRA JASKIEWICZ Managing Editor On Oct. 30, Midday Musing and the Women’s Center presented a talk by Dr. Shelby Richardson on the many different witches that have existed within literature and their role within narrative. Richardson has received her Bachelor’s degree from Sarah Lawrence College, where she studied European literature and art history. In 2012, she received her doctorate from Tulane University with a concentration in renaissance and medieval literature. Richardson is an instructor at UNO and is the chair of First-Year Writing. She has published in the area of 18th century women’s literature. Currently, she is working to publish excerpts of her dissertation, “Wicked Stage: Witches and Actors in Early Modern Theater.” She emphasizes the study of both gender and performance in her works and in the classrooms she teaches. Richardson began, “When I was thinking about a title, I was drawn to [“I Conjure You”], which comes from a play about witches that I am sure all of you are familiar with — Shakespeare’s Macbeth — but it doesn’t refer here to the kind of conjuring that you might imagine.” The line that she is referring to is spoken by Macbeth. He says “I conjure you by that which you profess—Howe’er you come to know it—answer me. Though you untie the winds and let them fight against the churches … even till destruction sicken, answer me to what I ask you.” Richardson notes that while Macbeth is rather forward to the witches, he makes a specific reference to the witches’ powers to control the weather and to use this power maliciously. Furthermore, this is intended to appeal to King James, who succeeded Queen Elizabeth after her death in
1603. “They were frightened by what this king could be like. They didn’t know if he was going to allow stage plays. The theater was closed and (they) were thrilled when they were reopened three weeks into his reign,” Richardson explained. “Now James took a great personal interest in witches, because supposedly they had conspired to kill him. In fact, in one of the accused confessions … there was a description of a coven of 200 witches who had met the devil, who then instructed them to use spells to make a great storm which was intended to destroy King James’ ship as he traveled back from Denmark with his 14-year-old fiance, Anne,” she continued. King James’ obsession with witchcraft shaped his reign, and as a result, affected public opinion. There were many pamphlets being written that documented witchcraft and
the resulting witch trials, Richardson explained. “He was so concerned about the threat of witchcraft that he intensely studied it and published his own book called ‘The Daemonologie,’ which literally means the science of demons, in 1597.” James’ book takes the form of a dialogue and is divided into three parts: the first on magic and necromancy, the second on witchcraft and sorcery, and the third on spirit and spector. Richardson noted that it also included a helpful description of who might be a witch. The first are the sinful, the second are those seemingly godly, but who are hiding some secret sin. The third category is often the hardest to identify. Those most godly and upstanding among society are too susceptible to being a witch. “So, who could be a witch?” Richardson asked the audience. “Anyone,” the audience responded with some laughter. At the time of Queen Elizabeth’s death and King James’ takeover, the witchcraft trials and executions had actually declined significantly. During Queen Elizabeth’s reign, witchcraft was illegal and defined by willfully inflicted harm and growing skepticism to witches. One of the primary texts that influenced this wave of skepticism was Reginald Scott’s “Discoverie of Witchcraft”. “Scott found it very suspicious that the old, the poor and the isolated were so often accused of these crimes,” Richardson said. “So it is no
A picture of Swan Theater’s production of “The Witch of Edmonton.”
surprise that when King James took the throne that he would order all of these texts to be burned and destroyed.” This also caused a dramatic shift between the few witch trials that occured during Queen Elizabeth’s reign to the many that occured during King James’ reign. “Before, hanging was the only form of punishment for witches, but only if it could be proved that it caused death. James changed this rule to hanging for the first offense if any form of witchcraft was performed or confessed,” Richardson said. Richardson read a passage from Lucan’s Pharsalia that highlights her terrifying and ugly physical attributes and some of the powers that she has such has grabbing the lightning from the sky and reviving the dead and forcing them to talk against their will. Witches were known to create illusions and use terrifying language. “The power of the witch, the power of the author, the power of the actor all reside in this ability to maintain control over language and illusion. This is what all other playwrights are interested in as well,” Richardson continued. Richardson noted that when witches were portrayed as ugly and grotesque, it was done in an over the top way that allowed for the audience to find it funny. “Were witches frightening? Were they funny? Often they were both in this time period.” Richardson explained. Richardson asserted that this was a way for the playwrights
to appeal to the king, while making sure that the audience was still able to enjoy the story without offending anyone. “However, real women were being executed for these crimes while people are laughing at them on the stage.” Richardson said. Another play that Richardson looks at is “The witch of Edmonton.” This play was based on the real trial and execution of Elizabeth Sawyer which was held in the spring of 1821, but by winter a play was being performed about her. In between there was a pamphlet was released that went into detail about her trial and execution.Some lines of the pamphlet were even directly recited within the play. Richardson explained this in her talk and showed some pictures from a few theaters that had recently performed this play that demonstrated the varying costume designs. “They grant Elizabeth Sawyer some dignity during her execution, that she obviously wouldn’t have had at the time, Elizabeth Sawyer’s death was the last death in witch trial for quite some time.” Richardson said “Did the play have any part in shifting public opinion? It’s something that I think is interesting to think about.” Richardson asks the audience at the end of her talk, but does not provide the answer. The Women’s Center and the English department will host another event like this next semester and will continue to provide food and drinks for attendees.
-Photo provided by Helen Maybanks
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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2018
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TEACHER WITCHES MACBETH HUELSHOFF VOTING SUSPIRIA BUSINESS
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OPINION
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2018
11
EDITORIAL
How safe is UNO? Armed robbery recieves little response
On Halloween, a Privateer Place resident was accosted in his own apartment in broad daylight. The armed perpetrators, one man and one woman, forced him out of the building and into his car, making him drive to his local banks and withdraw all the money in his accounts. The victim was physically unscathed, but students at UNO are left feeling unsafe. “They knocked on my door for 30 minutes before kidnapping and robbing my neighbor,” said Reid Crownover, also a resident of the apartment complex. Unfortunately, this is not an irregular event; Privateer Place experiences crime at least twice a year. On Feb. 1, UNO police sent out a crime alert informing students that at 6:40 p.m., “The suspects, who were armed, forced their way into an apartment and committed the robbery. Police are still looking for the suspects.” And in 2015, students may recall hearing gunshots within the group of campus apartment buildings. Privateer Place housing adminis-
tration has recently tried to improve resident safety by reactivating their electronic gates. Sadly, they had scheduled this reactivation for a time after the robbery transpired. In fact, the gates are closed every night Monday through Friday from 5 p.m. to 8:30 a.m. and closed all weekend. And yet, this robbery took place at 1 p.m. on a weekday. Following the incident, Privateer Place General Manager Denise Taylor sent out a notice to her residents via email. Her first words on the subject were “As you know, crime occurs commonly whether you live in a house or an apartment, in a small town or a large city. The news media makes this fact clear to us on a daily basis.” Was this statement intended to urge residents and campus-goers to simply accept the fact that crime occurred at UNO? Yes, everyone knows Privateer Place offers overpriced mediocre apartment living, but does it really need to be shoved into students’ faces? Taylor concluded her email with a reminder: “As you can appreciate, no one can ensure your
safety, or that of your belongings. Please remember that your safety, as well as that of your possessions, is your responsibility… .” Again, this commentary is far from comforting to residents, some of which are just spending their first year alone, out of their parents’ homes. However, Taylor did attempt to help by offering advice. “Don’t leave the impression that you are not home,” she said, and “Don’t walk alone at night.” But how would this advice have been useful to the victim of the armed robbery on Halloween? One can at least praise her decision to keep the residents informed by detailing the event as thoroughly as possible. Additionally, since that fateful afternoon event, it appears police cars have been regularly patrolling the premises at night, something even the UNO police were previously not doing. How long will these patrols last? Will they make Privateer Place any safer? Meanwhile, President Nicklow did not issue a personal statement
regarding the campus attack. This is strange; students from the spring semester will recall that an entire day of classes was cancelled when Nicholas Heard made open-ended threats to bring gun violence to the campus. President Nicklow was quick to issue announcements then, but nothing now, after violence has actually occurred at UNO. Why is this? What are students to do? UNO police are regularly patrolling campus, but they didn’t catch gun violence in the middle of the day. UNO Student William Slate suggested, “We should … focus on looking out for each other for the time being.” A relevant piece of advice from Taylor: “Tell your roommate where you’re going and when
you’ll be back.” Students should always take care of each other, and make safety a priority. According to police, at the time of crime, the suspects drove a black Chevy Malibu with a temporary tag: 08114T2. If anyone might have tips about the crime, call UNOPD at (504) 280-6666 or the case detectives at (504) 658-6030. If you recognize one or both of the people in the photo, be sure to give the police a ring. The flyer distributed by the UNO police department states, “Confidential tips earn up to $2500 for information leading to the arrest and indictment of the wanted subjects. You do not have to give your name or testify to receive the cash reward.”
DRIFTWOOD Staff
2000 Lakeshore Drive, UC 252 New Orleans, LA 70148 (504)-280-6377 Hope Brusstar, driftwood@uno.edu......................Editor-in-Chief Cassandra Jaskiewicz...........................................Managing Editor Jack Waguespack........................................................News Editor Erinn Langille................................................................Copy Editor Dylan Mininger............................................Entertainment Editor Christine Bourgeois.....................................Distribution Manager Kimberly Williams..................................................Visuals Director Nate Nguyen................................................................Layout Editor Brennan Probst...........................................................Photographer Matt Stennis.........................................................Business Manager Missy Wilkinson...................................................................Adviser
Driftwood is produced solely by students of the University of New Orleans. Driftwood publishes every Wednesday during the fall and spring semesters, with the exception of holiday breaks and midterms/ finals week. Letters to the Editor and columns are the opinions of the author and do not represent the opinion of the Driftwood editorial board. All letters to the Editor are subject to editing for length, style and grammar. Editorials are the opinions of the Driftwood editorial staff and do not reflect the opinions of the University of New Orleans, its administration or staff.
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