Issue 6

Observer the

NOVEMBER 16, 2017 VOLUME XXXVIII, ISSUE 13

www.fordhamobserver.com

First RHA Town Hall Reviews Guest Policy

OPINION PIECE

Death to Print Journalism?

KILEY CAMPBELL Staff Writer

Every new technological feat or milestone seems to herald the death of whatever came before it.

To some, it would seem that print journalism is no exception. The shift to a completely digital news platform seems like thean obvious next step to members of the general news-consuming general population. We even think we see airtight evidence of thisit in the number of print journalist jobs dying and, the decreasing circulation rates of print newspaperss decreasing—, — bothand other red flags that signal what seems to be the slow death of print journalism. As this happens, though, the its importance of journalism is becoming more and more evident. While some number trends suggest print journalism’s death, others suggest its immortality and vitality as that which binds all journalism together.

The supposed decline of print journalism lies in the creation of other forms of media. This started with radio as early as the 1920s, with BBC News hosting its first radio broadcast in 1922. As televisions exploded in popularity and magnetized their viewers, our daily intake of news came more and more from television, taking some of the power out of print journalism. In the last twenty years, we’ve seen the same sort of flux with the emergence of the internet as a news platform.

Online-only publications such as BuzzFeed and BBC News–-which has no printed publication but does have TV and radio stations–- prove that the model can be successful. It only seems natural: move the way the people are moving. Streamline the experience by focusing all energy on digital consumption of information and entertainment.

There is no question that print journalism has suffered massive blows. But is it on its way to death?

To unimportance? Even those who helped pioneer digital journalism say the answer is no. Roger Fidler, once head of new media for Knight Ridder, advocated for online see PRINT pg. 5

Inside

NEWS

Issues with Internal Investigations Concerns raised with procedure.

PAGE 2

By CALLAGHAN BARTLETT Contributing Writer

COLIN SHEELEY/THE OBSERVER

“Say ‘Faculty United!’ Say ‘Unions!’ Say ‘Victory!’”

SEIU to Represent NonTenure-Track Faculty

By COLIN SHEELEY News Editor

After a 13-month effort, Fordham contingent faculty have ultimately opted for representation on behalf of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) following a landslide vote in favor of unionization. Of the 905 eligible adjunct and full-time non-tenure-track professors, approximately 94% voted to support the proposition in an election on which the university agreed to remain neutral. The News and Media Relations Bureau released a statement Tuesday, Nov. 14 announcing the conclusion of the referendum which had taken place over the past two weeks.

The brief announcement reaffirmed that the process, administered by the National Labor Relations Board, had been “full and fair,” adding, “The University leadership looks forward to working with SEIU on behalf of our employees.”

“As a full time lecturer at Fordham, I’m deeply invested in our campus,” Fordham professor Dr. Guy Robinson, Ph.D., said in a statement to Faculty Forward, an SEIU program. “But only with our union will I have input when it comes to making improvements here at our school.”

OPINIONS

According to the organization, SEIU has teamed up with more than a dozen Catholic-affiliated universities since 2013, negotiating higher wages and improved job security for less protected members of university faculties. In a Sept. 27 email, university president Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., noted that supposing contingent faculty voted in favor of representation, the university and SEIU will open up discussions for “two separate collective bargaining agreements,” presumably one for full-time faculty and another for part-time adjuncts. McShane also encouraged all who were eligible to participate in the election. In the end, 484 voted; 456 in favor, 28 opposed and 10 voided.

Following the announcement, members of Fordham Faculty United (FFU), an unofficial organization that supported the crusade gathered at Lincoln Park Bar and Grill near the Lincoln Center campus to celebrate the victory and reflect on their journey. Three years ago, it was just a handful of professors, assembling in secret at the New York Botanical Garden out of the vision of security cameras.

One of them was Dr. Hannah Jopling, Ph.D., an adjunct professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. Early on she re-

membered being invited to meet the Provost, Stephen Freedman, Ph.D., where she argued that among the university’s traditions of social justice, it should include socially-just pay.

At the very beginning, Jopling recalled that she encountered a repeat pattern of experience among her fellow colleagues. “What I discovered,” she said, “was that we all felt isolated, underappreciated and underpaid.”

Those memories behind her, Jopling is reveling in the moment and in the strength of hundreds of contingent faculty voters. “I’m thrilled,” she said. “As I was looking over the list of names, I saw so many people I knew ... To think back, it seemed like such a daunting number.”

Prior to recent negotiations, the university and SEIU had spent “a summer of intense negotiations” contending over adjunct and nontenure-track representation, culminating in Tuesday’s final decision.

Even earlier, the issue came to a head when the FFU staged an April 8 protest during Spring Preview, where demonstrators barged into a prospective student luncheon, triggering fire alarms as they exited through emergency doors. On May 19, McShane issued a statement declaring that he would not oppose the unionization of adjunct faculty.

The Residence Hall Association (RHA) held its first town hall of the academic year on Thursday, Nov. 9, which focused on Fordham University’s residence hall guest policies.

After giving a brief introduction of the newly restructured organization, the class representatives gave presentations on the current guest policies, which included research into the policies of other Jesuit universities and information gathered by speaking to Dean of Students Keith Eldredge and Director of Residential Life Jenifer Campbell.

The main grievance with the policy aired by the students in attendance was its lack of inclusivity and its conservative nature. Specifically, students took issue with the policy that prohibits students from having people of the opposite sex spend the night. RHA intends to make efforts to amend certain aspects of the guest policy.

The town hall was led by Preston Ross, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’19, the Advocacy Coordinator for RHA. Ross gave opening remarks before introducing each class’ new representatives.

Andrew Beecher, Gabelli School of Business at Lincoln Center (GSBLC) ’21, and Lucia Vacchiano, FCLC ’20, presented research they conducted on guest policies of members of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU) and other local universities. Cristina Mendez, FCLC ’19, met with Campbell regarding the best way to actually change Fordham’s guest policies. Campbell stated that the best way to enact change is by comparing Fordham to other institutions, specifically other Jesuit and Catholic colleges and universities, and showing how updating our policy would follow Jesuit values.

Beecher and Vacchiano found that Fordham University was in the majority when it comes to policies prohibiting opposite sex overnight guests—71.4 percent of Jesuit universities do not allow opposite sex see GUEST pg. 2

FEATURES

ARTS

SPORTS & HEALTH

And Roger Stone just made it worse.

abroad.”

Artifacts from graphic designer, Cipe Pineles’ trailblazing career.

Rams suffer defeat to Holy Cross 20-42.

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Freedom of Speech is Study Abroad “Regular life doesn’t stop for study Complicated

Ildiko Butler Gallery

THE STUDENT VOICE OF FORDHAM COLLEGE AT LINCOLN CENTER

Homecoming PAGE 16

2

News

NOVEMBER 16, 2017 THE OBSERVER

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Faculty and Students: University’s Internal Investigations Are Missing the Point

COLIN SHEELEY/THE OBSERVER

An external review assessed on Oct. 26 that Christopher Rodgers, dean of students at Rose Hill showed no indication of bias or purposeful insensitivity towrads students’ claims of sexual misconduct.

By COLIN SHEELEY News Editor

The university is a receptive machine. This year, the administration has picked up several signals from staff and students for greater transparency, to which they have promised several initiatives on behalf of the university president, Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J. In his 2017 Fall Convocation address, he stressed “the need for better, honest and very nearly constant communication,” and to a certain degree, the university has delivered; press conferences and pizza luncheons are only a part of it. Most notably, emails are coming in at a higher fre-

quency and with significantly more detail.

Especially in the case of internal investigations, the university now sends six-to-seven-hundred-word statements, bulleted summaries and lists of rulings accompanied by ethical reasoning and, in the case of last year’s April 27 Cunniffe House clash, an eight-page “PRIVILEGED & CONFIDENTIAL” third-party investigative report.

In similar fashion, the university’s statement on the Aug. 18 Resident Assistant (RA) training incident surrounding Assistant Vice President and Dean of Students at Rose Hill, Christopher Rodgers, was thorough, as was its inquiry.

The email, which was sent Oct. 26, noted that the Department of Public Safety and Title IX Coordinator, Anastasia Coleman, were tasked with interviewing 30 people, with some meetings lasting up to five hours.

These statements and accounts were then shipped off for a thirdparty review to Cullen and Dykman LLP, a law firm that advises several universities in New York on employment and sexual misconduct. From these records, the firm concluded that Rodgers, who at the time held the position of Deputy Title IX Coordinator, did not violate any university policy or code of conduct, nor is he in any way “biased or pur-

posefully insensitive towards claims of sexual misconduct.” Nevertheless, the findings acknowledged that going forward, Rodgers’ behavior has the potential to “dissuade some RAs from performing their duties,” such as reporting claims of sexual misconduct to him.

As such, the university has appointed Michele Burris, associate vice president for student affairs, to the position of First Deputy Title IX Coordinator who will “serve as an additional resource” to students with sexual misconduct claims. The university declined to comment whether this signified Rodgers’ removal from any Title IX responsibilities. In addition, the statement

announced that it will reschedule any RA training missed as a result of the incident, as well as “clarify” the role of the Title IX Coordinator, though at the time of this publication three weeks later, no respective action has been taken.

Rowan Hornbeck, Fordham College at Rose Hill ’18 who was present at the original incident and afterwards wrote a statement condemning Rodgers’ actions, was glad that the university had taken steps to address the issue, but she hoped that this statement would not be the last thing she heard about the matter. “It’s nice that they’re validating our concerns,” Hornbeck said, “but it’s frustrating that there’s no accountability.”

Outside of the law firm’s assessments, Rodgers is mentioned just once more in the remainder of the statement. The apology from the Division of Student Affairs goes without specific attribution. In an interview with the Fordham Ram, Hornbeck said that it was “frustrating that the investigation didn’t see that he was kind of the root of a lot of our concerns.”

By removing Rodgers from the framework of the issue, the university is completely missing the point, and though it is impossible to know whether or not this disconnect is intentional, Hornbeck said she believes that, amongst her peers, “there’s a fear that these things are just for show.”

Likewise, this feeling resonates with Professor Andrew Clark, Ph.D., who serves as the vice president of the Faculty Senate. “In no way does the investigation appear to give Student Affairs or the Administration any sense that they should rethink how and what they do,” Clark said in a statement to The Observer. “Rather, the investigations seem to embolden their sense that what they have done is right and that the procedures should remain in place and not be changed.”

He suggested that instead, the university should approach these incidents as opportunities to listen to students.

Even so, Professor Fawzia Mustafa, Ph.D., notes that the current extent to which the university is acting with transparency “is very, very new.” She could not recall any similar incidents that had occurred in the past. What the future holds, is ultimately up to the administration.

Guest Policy Is Neither Inclusive Nor Progressive GUEST FROM PAGE 1

overnight guests. However, they also discovered that there were AJCU members in relatively close vicinity to Fordham that do allow opposite sex guests. This includes schools like Fairfield University and Canisius College, which are located in Connecticut and upstate New York, respectively.

When it comes to other New York City universities, out of approximately every 115 institutions, 100 allow students to have overnight guests of the opposite sex.

Beecher and Vacchiano also examined the policy that requires students to obtain overnight guest passes 24 hours in advance. Thirteen out of 16 New York schools do not require students to obtain guest passes a full day in advance, according to their research.

The two also researched policies regarding the issue of gender-inclusive housing. This type of housing allows students to room in accordance with their gender identity, not necessarily their legal sex. Many universities have gender inclusive

housing policies, including the University of San Francisco, a Jesuit university.

To summarize their findings, they stated that, “By comparison to other NYC and AJCU schools, Fordham University guest policy is not inclusive or progressive.”

Samuel Blackwood, FCLC ’19, met with Eldredge about these issues and presented his findings to the town hall. When asked about the opposite sex guest policy, Eldredge stated that this policy is in place due to the university’s stance on premarital sex. The Fordham University Student Handbook states “sexual intercourse is to be reserved for marriage,” therefore “cohabitation is... prohibited in the residence halls.”

This rule, however, only applies to undergraduate students. Graduate and law students who live on campus are permitted to have opposite sex overnight guests. Blackwood explained that Eldredge stated this was due to the fact that graduate students are more mature and are therefore better equipped to make better choices. Jenifer Campbell,

director of residential life, said that graduate students would be less likely to come to Fordham to live on campus if they were required to adhere to restrictive guest policies, according to a presentation made by

“I think that the policy sucks both logistically and in its politics. I think the best words to describe it is heteronormative and transphobic.”

Mendez, later during the townhall.

In regards to housing policies based on gender identity, Eldredge stated that the Pope of the Catholic Church has declared that there are only two genders, which Fordham’s policies reflect. Blackwood questioned why Fordham’s guest policies differ from that of other NYC institutions, and Eldredge stated that Fordham’s faith is what differenti-

ates it from other universities.

In addition to the policy on overnight guests, students expressed discontent with other aspects: the requirement to obtain guest passes a day in advance (and the fact that there is only a small window of time when these passes can be obtained), that opposite sex siblings and family members cannot stay overnight without advance request by the student, that both residence halls are not accessible to all residents and that day guests must be signed out by 3:30 a.m. Students also expressed the desire for gender-inclusive housing policies.

“I think the current guest policy is anything but inclusive and progressive,” said McMahon Hall resident Margaret Cohen, FCLC ’20.

“I think that the policy sucks both logistically and in its politics.”

“I think the best words to describe it is heteronormative and transphobic,” Cohen continued.

“Allowing students of any gender to have guests of any gender is the only inclusive move the administration can make except not allowing any

guests.”

Led by Ross, RHA said they plan to take action in order to make changes to the guest policies, but will most likely be focusing on making small changes at this time. This includes aspects such as the hours in which students can obtain guest passes and the mode in which the passes are issued.

“When I was appointed to this position, the one thing that kept coming up was ‘guest pass policy’ and ‘overnight policy,’” Ross said.

“After hearing it numerous times, the representatives and I decided to take action.”

Ross continued, “After doing my research, I came to the realization that the policy needs some work because of how inconsistent it is in its intent. Having heard the backlash from residents and how unhappy they are with it, I believe there is a way to still maintain Jesuit values while allowing us to have overnight guests regardless of their gender and/or sex.” Many students, it appears, would be delighted with this compromise.

www.fordhamobserver.com

THE OBSERVER NOVEMBER 16, 2017

News

3

Junior Dies Over Halloween Weekend

By CATHERINE TADIN Contributing Writer

On Oct. 27, 2017, Michael Taubes Turzilli, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’19, died from an accidental drug overdose of heroin and fentanyl in his Connecticut home. He was 24 years old.

Turzilli was from Greenwich, Connecticut, and he had transferred to Fordham from Quinnipiac University in the Fall of 2015.

In an email sent on Nov. 1 to the Fordham community by Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J, Turzilli was described as “a comedian, musician and writer who was the former lead singer of the band Skinny Blonde, and was well known at comedy clubs around New York

well, he did stand up comedy regularly. He always, always made me laugh.”

Turzilli was a member of the Stranded in Pittsburgh Improv Comedy group through Fordham Experimental Theater (FET), and on Friday, Nov. 3, a memorial show dedicated to Turzilli was put on by the improv group. FET had also collected donations for the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse in Turzilli’s honor.

“He loved to joke around. It’s hard to cope with his passing because he loved life. He was so optimistic and a fierce fierce friend towards me. He was always there for me,” Fitzsimmons said.

Michaela Browner, FCLC ’19, a classmate of Turzilli, said, “[Mi-

“We ended up becoming very close friends ... He actually wrote a song about me called ‘Hi Annie.’

He said he has never written a song about anyone, so that’s something that’s very special to me.”

City.” Turzilli had just signed a contract to write and star in a 10-episode web series, “Double Homicide.”

“Michael was quite the presence,” Annie Fitzsimmons, FCLC ’19, said. “I met him my freshman year and found him very intimidating. But we ended up becoming very close friends...He actually wrote a song about me called ‘Hi Annie.’ He said he has never written a song about anyone, so that’s something that’s very special to me. He was absolutely hilarious as

chael] would always make the whole class laugh and bring humor to every topic. He will be missed.”

“I didn’t know him personally,” Keith Eldredge, dean of students, said, “but it is certainly a tragedy whenever the university loses one of its students.”

In lieu of f lowers, Turzilli’s family asked for memorial donations to be made to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, 633 Third Avenue, 19th Floor, New York, NY, 100176706.

PHOTO COURTESY OF FACEBOOK

Michael Taubes Turzilli (left) had been contracted to write and star in a 10-episode web series.

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Opinions

Opinions Editor Alex Seyad- aseyad@fordham.edu

STAFF EDITORIAL

SPORTS GO BEYOND ROSE HILL

“T

wo campuses, but one school.”

This is a phrase heard often around Fordham University to emphasize that while the Lincoln Center and Rose Hill campuses may be in different boroughs, they are connected. The university stresses that students technically have equal access to events, activities and opportunities at both locations. However, athletic students at Lincoln Center are often left in the dark. Even though students at both campuses pay the same tuition, Lincoln Center students are not granted the same ease of access to high quality sport facilities, and those hoping to participate in varsity sports are barred from joining.

Prospective students on tours at Fordham Lincoln Center ask about access to sports or intramurals and are normally put off by the vague response.

The truth is that Lincoln Center students do not have the same feasibility of access to the sporting experience as Rose Hill students.

The only alternative available for students who wish to participate in sports is intramural sports at Rose Hill.

Those wishing to participate in intramurals are tasked with forming teams, but the real difficulty is scheduling. Some games are scheduled to begin at 11 p.m. and finish close to midnight, meaning that Lincoln Center students will miss the last Ram Van back to their campus and must either find their way home via subway, expensive taxi, Uber or the like.

Additionally, students are

not provided free Ram Van rides in order to make the commute to participate in sporting activities at Rose Hill. The seven dollar round-trip cost can be an obstacle for students who cannot afford the recurring cost for multiple games and practices. While the university offers complimentary Ram Van rides for students taking classes or attending specific events at the other campus,

“ Social activities such as intramural sports should be included in the category of valuable college opportunities and should not be restricted based on convenience of access.” ensuring that students are not limited in their ability to engage in certain opportunities present at the opposite campus, it does not offer such free rides for intramural games and practices. Social activities such as intramural sports should be included in the category of valuable college opportunities and should not be restricted based on convenience of access, or lack thereof.

Lincoln Center students are also at a great disadvantage in terms of access to an all-inclusive, versatile gym space. The gym at Lincoln Center, located in McMahon Hall, is less than

ideal. It has five treadmills and five stationary bikes. There is one set of weights for each pound level. Meanwhile, Ram Fit Center, the gym at Rose Hill is expansive, going so far as to include access to several basketball and squash courts.

It is equipped with a plethora of ellipticals, stationary bikes and Stairmasters. It also has group exercise classes. On nice days, groups can be seen doing yoga or other forms of exercise on Edward’s Parade. All these things are not at all convenient for Lincoln Center students.

The gym at Rose Hill began renovations this past summer and will continue to undergo more renovations next summer. While the work will mostly be to replace the hardwood floors and the seats, the gym at Lincoln Center could, too, benefit from some monetary attention.

While Lincoln Center is in the middle of New York City and it is not hard to find a fitness center close to school, the gyms in the area are not within the price range of the average college student.

It is outrageous that students at Lincoln Center are expected to pay the same tuition and be denied certain privileges to which Rose Hill students have access. If the reasoning truly is that scheduling and convenience are difficult to achieve, then perhaps Fordham should designate more funds to sports facilities on the Lincoln Center campus itself. Lincoln Center students should have the same ease of access to gym facilities and ability to participate in sports as Rose Hill students do.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Dear Editor: It is always good when student playwrights and directors try to deal with relevant issues. That’s why I thought it was a positive thing when the recent Studio Theatre production, “American Exceptionalism” dealt with the issue of racism. After all, there has been a disturbing rise in anti-black racism as can be seen in the recent massacre of nine black church-goers in Charleston, South Carolina, the attempted murder of De Andre Harris by white supremacists in Charlottesville, and the murders of Walter Scott and Trayvon Martin. (In addition, the acquittal of Mr. Martin’s murderer was as inexplicable as the acquittals of O.J. Simpson and the murderers of Emmett Till). But I found it troubling that the young black woman in “American Exceptionalim” chose to read the autobiography of Black Liberation Army terrorist Joanne Chesimard.- especially when she could have been reading books about truly courageous black women like Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, Fannie Lou Hamer, and Albertina Sisulu. For those of you who are too young to remember, Chesimard assassinated an innocent state trooper named Werner Foerster in an unprovoked attack back in 1971. After her conviction, Chesimard started calling herself “Assata Shakur” and

was later broken out of prison by other BLA terrorists and was given sanctuary in Cuba by the late, unlamented dictator Fidel Castro. Her assassination of Trooper Foerster puts Chesimard on the same sub-human level as white supremacist assassins like James Earl Ray and Byron de la Beckwith. (The tree of them and Mumia abu-Jamal who assassinated Officer Daniel Faulkner, are all pieces of excrement. Trooper Foerster and Officer Faulkner are just as much victims of racism as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Dr. Medgar Evers). When I saw a young woman at the Studio Theatre wearing a pro-Chesimard T-shirt, I asked her if she was aware that Chesimard had assassinated an innocent state trooper, and she said she was. I then asked her why she would wear a T-shirt that glorified a murderer, and she replied, “Because she’s incredible!” I realize that there are also people who think that white supremacist murderers like Ray and de la Beckwith are “incredible,” and that in itself proves that there’s still a lot of anti-black racism.

However, the glorification of Chesimard and abu-Jamal proves that there’s still a lot of anti-police bigotry.

John Francis Fox CLC ‘83.

November 16, 2017 THE OBSERVER

Observer the

Editor-in-Chief Morgan Steward Managing Editor Reese Ravner Business Manager Michael Veverka Online Editor Brooke Parrett Layout Editors Sherry Chow Loïc Khodarkovsky News Editors Stephan Kozub Colin Sheeley Asst. News Editor Katherine Smith Opinions Editor Alex Seyad Asst. Opinions Editor Jordan Meltzer Arts & Culture Editors Maryanna Antoldi Sam DeAssis Asst. Arts & Culture Editors Lindsay Jorgensen Features Editor Carson Thornton Gonzalez Asst. Features Editor Jeffrey Umbrell Sports & Health Editors Mohdhobair Hussaini Alexander DiMisa Artemis Tsagaris Photo Editors Jon Bjornson Aseah Khan Literary Editor Erika Ortiz Copy Editors Izzi Duprey Erika Ortiz Gianna Smeraglia Social Media Managers Angelika Menendez Andronika Zimmerman

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• The Editorial is the opinion held by a majority of The Observer’s editorial board. The Editorial does not reflect the views held by Fordham University.

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Opinions

November 16, 2017 THE OBSERVER

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Is Print News Losing to Online News?

The Smart, Global and Diplomatic Way to Deal with North Korea

PRINT FROM PAGE 1

(STEPHAN) VIA FLICKR

Since its inceptionin 1948, North Korea has been ruled by the Kim dynasty, beginning with Kim Il-sung, whose likeness is depicted in this statue.

PATRICK RIZZI Contributing Writer

The United States has recently been in a war of words with North Korea over increasingly erratic behavior from the rogue nation’s leader, Kim Jong-un, and the nation’s desire to create a nuclear weapon that can strike the United States. In August, President Trump vowed there would be “fire and fury” against North Korea if it were to threaten the U.S. This rhetoric further escalated in September, when Trump referred to Kim as “rocket man” during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, leading to North Korea calling the U.S. President a “mentally deranged U.S. dotard.”

Given this increasingly heated and immature rhetoric, what is the best solution to provide a tough and smart manner to deal with North

Korea?

The optimal way to deal with this ongoing international crisis is to ensure first that diplomatic means are always a priority. We must never invade or strike North Korea unless we are in complete certainty that the security and fate of us or our allies is directly at stake. In order to deal with North Korea most effectively, we must work to limit trade with the rogue nation and its Kim regime as much as possible. Contrary to what our president has said, the United States will not be able to cease with North Korea. However, in order to send a forceful message to the international community that provocative behavior must never be tolerated, we can most certainly limit it through a striking combination of trade restrictions and economic sanctions. Additionally, we must call on China to do more in its power to stand up to Kim’s rule and the very real nuclear threat over which he presides as the leader of North Korea. While China did

sign onto United Nations sanctions designed to provide a gut punch to North Korea’s receipts from foreign exchanges, they have been criticized by some members of the international community for not being forceful enough against Pyongyang.

China is concerned about the possibility that there could be a large influx of refugees if Kim’s regime collapsed. Ninety percent of all international trade with North Korea is conducted with China. Of course, it is both unwise and unrealistic to claim that China will end trade with Pyongyang. That said, China can look to reduce its trade with North Korea to a certain degree without hampering economic growth in its own country. To ensure a robust economy, China does not need to be as concerned about international trade as once before. The economy of China has exploded in recent years due to the rapid growth of the country’s (relatively) new private sector.

I am not advocating for pro-

tectionism as a theory relative to government. I firmly believe in the need for strong and multilateral agreements with regards to global trade. That said, I simply believe that reducing trade with North Korea to some extent would send a signal perhaps more forceful than economic sanctions. Furthermore, illicit “cartels” between North Korea and China provide money to North Korea’s economy. The Chinese government must absolutely be very forceful about looking to halt such illegal activities. Many of these cartels have shipped drugs such as methamphetamine between China and North Korea. Kim’s nation profits off these cartels. As a result, a bilateral and diplomatic effort between the United States and China that seeks to limit traded items exported to North Korea whenever possible and halt cartels operating between China and North Korea is, for now, the most effective solution to dealing with this international crisis.

Terrorism: Why Are We So Afraid to Call It Out? GIANNA SMERAGLIA Staff Writer

On Oct. 1, 2017, the United States was shaken to its very core by one of the deadliest mass shootings in modern history, resulting in a total of 58 people dead and 546 people injured. This horrific act was committed by a single man, Stephen Paddock, age 64, who shot repeatedly into a crowd of concertgoers from the window of his 32nd floor room at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas. His hotel room was stockpiled with 23 rifles—12 of which were fitted with bump fire stocks that simulate fully automatic gunfire—and one handgun, along with a large supply of ammunition, showing his intent to kill on a large scale.

Just a little over a month later, on Nov. 5, 2017, the United States was once again hit with a mass shooting. Devin Patrick Kelley, age 26, used a Ruger AR-556 semi-automatic rifle to kill 26 people who were attending a Sunday church service at The First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas. The victims ranged from one to 77 years old.

Despite all these facts, many news outlets claim that there were no known terrorist connections

with either shooting—that these were just some “lone-wolf ” gunmen. Hearing these reports, I found this claim to be very troubling because it shows a continuance of a pattern that has been ongoing since 9/11. We address horrific acts carried out by Islamic radicals as terrorist attacks but refuse to acknowledge the ones that are perpetrated by white American citizens.

This shows blatant disregard for the heinous acts of homegrown terrorists, many of whom happen to be white.

When it comes to defining what terrorism is or what makes a terrorist, the lines become blurred.

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In other words, it is the use of violence and intimidation to create an environment of fear and paranoia. This definition is somewhat vague and hard to apply as this term is used by the media and politicians for certain incidents, like the attack on the Twin Towers on 9/11, but it was not used when Stephan Paddock shot 604 people. The same can be said for the use of the word terrorist, because what truly constitutes a terrorist? Who is one? Who is not?

Growing up in the post-9/11 United States, I was taught that terrorists were these foreign people—these radical Muslims—that

wanted to hurt me and take away my way of life. At the time, that made sense because that was what I was seeing, but as I grew older I began to see the flaws within this explanation. I was witnessing atrocious acts that were being committed by U.S. citizens, and no one was calling them terrorists or calling the situations acts of terrorism.

Looking at these recent incidents, it is appalling to me that we are not calling this an act of terror.

These men, these terrorists, committed violent acts with the purpose of inciting fear. Why is it that we are so quick to justify violent acts committed by these white Americans with excuses—such as they were mentally ill, had a troubled past, etc.—instead of calling it what it is: terrorism? Are we so afraid to admit that we have terrorists living amongst us that we will do anything to deter from using that term?

As a country, we need to own up to the fact that terrorists are not just foreign groups that attack

from the outside, but they can be citizens in this country, too. We need to come to the realization that a terrorist can be a white, Christian American citizen. We need to hold these people accountable on the same level as we do with foreign individuals and groups whom we are so quick to label as terrorists. We should not be so afraid to face this reality and say these men—these American citizens—were not “misunderstood, lone-wolf ” gunmen.

They committed acts of terrorism.

23 Rifles 1 Handgun

12 Bump Stocks GRAPHICS COURTESY OF FREEPIK

journalism before the existence of the internet. In the 1980s, Fidler was all for complete digitization, even creating a prototype design for an electronic tablet on which to read news.

However, even Fidler doubts the replacement of print. In an interview with the Columbia Journalism Review, Fidler said, “I have come to realize that replicating print in a digital device is much more difficult than what anybody, including me, imagined.” Newspapers and the companies that own them are willing to throw money at their digital publications, with little to no reward. Digital ad revenue in newspapers went up $2 billion from 2004 to 2014, but print ad revenue went down from $46.7 billion in 2004 to $16.4 billion in 2014. This $28 billion net loss is attributable to ad space above all else. Print ad space is limited, driving the prices of print ads up. Meanwhile, online ad space is infinite, which lowers the price astronomically, decreases competition and increases the scramble for more content on which to place more ads.

Beyond ad revenue alone, there are plenty of other figures that suggest print journalism is far from dead. Data collected by a research firm owned by Nielsen showed that printed publications are at circulation rates three times higher than their digital counterparts. Other studies constantly show that people in general prefer to read the newspaper than to get their news solely from online sources. Even among millennials, about 20 percent get news from a printed publication within a given week, while only eight percent get it digitally.

We must inevitably discuss the issue of quality in journalism, also.

As money goes down the drain, news companies are forced to create new sources of revenue. Instead of reporting on what is important and current, news companies may opt to cover what they know will increase their popularity, the readership of a piece and therefore, their revenue.

This leads to an eventual slack in the quality standard of journalism. This works fine if a company’s only goal is to deliver likeable, “clickable” content: BuzzFeed’s model is fantastic because they unabashedly focus on what people like. But when real publications try to pick and choose BuzzFeedian principles to apply to their journalism to increase revenue, the model falls to pieces. There is a disconnect between true journalism and popularity. What is right is not always popular, and what is popular is not always right.

None of this is to suggest that print journalism is in decline. It is true that newspaper readership numbers have dropped off in the last 20 years. However, print news companies still do important work for reporting the world over, without which other news institutions would not succeed. News companies are throwing their money into wishing wells on the promise that digital journalism is the future of all news, with no exceptions, which is wishful thinking at best, destructive at worst. News companies need to figure out how to reconcile the everrevenue-garnering print with the apparent progress offered by online publication. This is not a world in which neither can live while the other survives.

www.fordhamobserver.com

THE OBSERVER November 16, 2017

Opinions

6

Thanksgiving 2017: A Debate Primer OWEN ROCHE Staff Writer SATIRE

For some, the word “Thanksgiving” conjures rosy memories of food, friends and family. But we all know the unavoidable, uncomfortable main course to any true family Thanksgiving: no-holds-barred political debate.

You may have forgotten why you left for college. As you gear up for your holiday trip back home, prepare to remember. After months of polite discourse and general open-mindedness, it’s time to unlearn everything. You are about to approach a forum unmatched in hostility, a jury of your peers that get their news from social media and hate the term “liberal arts” because it has the word “liberal” in it. 2017 is a year steeped in controversy. A battle of wits and raised voices with your closest relatives is a dangerous game.

It would behoove you to come prepared.

What follows is an unofficial news briefing on the topics most likely to fill the air around the Thanksgiving table. I will offer my best advice on how to address each issue. If you don’t get damned to hell by your elder relatives before dessert, I’d consider it a good year.

The discussion might start innocently enough, perhaps referencing a relative’s recent Facebook post of Ewan McGregor, clothed in brown robes as Obi Wan Kenobi, with a caption prompting viewers to like and comment “amen” if he’s their savior. Did you comment “amen?”

Did you? Don’t tell me you kept scrolling.

The conversation may swing to the pros and cons of vaccination.

Beware Auntie Anecdote, a reliable font of plausible stories that just happen to fall right in line with her arguments. Sure, a flu shot just might have turned the baby of a woman in her spin class into

KRIS VIA FLICKR

For many, Thanksgiving is a time for loves ones to reunite. For all, though, with family renuions inevitably come family debates.

a homosexual, but don’t bother pressing for proof. Be careful not to let your guard down—Polio was, indeed, that bad.

Pros and cons of veganism will be touted, and warnings of your untimely demise from a red meat and cheddar cheese deficiency will be abundant. I know you’ll be itching to pull out your well-worn “Earthlings” DVD and play it. Eat your tofurkey and keep your head down.

To those who suggest their great-grandparents didn’t travel all the way to America to see it overrun by immigrants, a brief history of intercontinental ocean travel may be necessary. Start in 1492, just to cover all the bases.

No Thanksgiving is complete without a football game, and your

challenge is twofold: parry indictments of disrespect and outright treason on the football players engaged in peaceful protest, and counter someone’s inevitable claim that the sport just isn’t tough anymore with all the increased safety rules. For the first, express curiosity as to the whereabouts of this place where people can actually demonstrate their discontent and everyone is happy about it. For the second … well, they say many types of brain damage are irreversible.

Might not be worth your time.

Gay marriage may come up, even though it’s old news by now.

Do what I always do and pose

this question: Isn’t it kind of gay to think about all those gay people marrying all the time?

But as surely as big, inflatable Charlie Brown will loom ominously over the New York skyline on Nov. 23, the elephant in the room will have to be addressed at some point.

Thanksgiving 2017’s most controversial

topic of discussion is unavoidable, deeply personal and unequivocally orange. I’m sorry—I don’t know how to prepare you for this one.

It deeply saddens me that half of the United States of America could be so callous as to continue to support marshmallows on sweet potatoes. It’s a tragedy, but sweet potato partisanship in our country is worse now than ever. George Washington was right; it never should’ve come to this.

By now, the tryptophan will start to kick in, and you’ll finally get a break from the debates you never asked for. Talking to people we’ll only see a couple more times a year and defending our every last conviction to the death is the perennial struggle; beyond the classroom, the Thanksgiving table is the true proving ground. After leaving the politeness and thoughtfulness you’ve been taught in the dust, you don’t feel dirty. You feel alive.

Flinging mashed potatoes, threatening divorce and narrowly dodging disownment is what debating current events is all about.

Execute your rhetoric mercilessly.

Make your opponent’s submission quick and painful.

And have a happy Thanksgiving.

PHOTO COURTESY OF FREEPIK

Is Roger Stone’s Hateful Rhetoric Still Free Speech?

JORDAN MELTZER Asst. Opinions Editor

Many moral issues are black and white to me, in that there is often an answer to which I am inclined instinctively and unequivocally.

Roger Stone speaking at Fordham is not one of those issues.

I have heard countless people– peers and superiors alike–giving their more-than-passionate opinions on this issue since the College Republicans first announced that Stone would be speaking at the Rose Hill campus. Many of my friends were extremely frustrated and angry with Stone’s invitation, defending their stance by saying that his racist and sexist tendencies are directly dangerous to much of the student body at Fordham. Alternatively, a prevailing opinion I have seen online is that we must defend the right to free speech, even if we disagree with the speech.

I understand that both sides feel strongly about Stone being able to speak on our college campus. After all, for many of us, this is our second home. A problem that has arisen because of this passion, however, is an issue that many other editorial writers at The Observer have pointed out: when there are too many people yelling loudly, voices get drowned out and the sound becomes dreadfully unbearable. This is what has happened with the free speech debate at Fordham.

Fordham’s issues with free speech are not new. In 2012, Fr. McShane’s statement about the

College Republicans’ invitation to Ann Coulter to speak at Rose Hill stirred controversy. Last year, Dean Eldredge’s refusal to permit the existence of Students for Justice in Palestine earned Fordham a spot on Huffington Post’s list of the worst colleges for free speech. The conversation has now been reignited, thanks to the College Republicans and Roger Stone. (That was not a slight to them; this is a conversation Fordham needs to have.)

It seems like most people agree that free speech is morally covered to some extent. The question then becomes, “What is that extent?”

We all draw the proverbial line in the sand at different points. But I propose that there is one singular point at which we all can and must agree. And that point is this: when the speech or speaker directly and intentionally incites violence or hatred.

Richard Spencer, an alt-right leader and outspoken white supremacist, said this shortly after Donald Trump’s victory a year ago: “America was, until this past generation, a white country … it belongs to us.” As his audience clapped and performed Nazi salutes, he looked on proudly, as he knew what he was encouraging: a nation of racists.

Roger Stone is no different. He is a noted racist and sexist as well as a despicable human being in general, as he has called people “stupid negro,” “elitist c*nt,” “Uncle Tom” and much more. That, however, is not grounds for revoking his right to free speech. What makes me inclined to believe he should not have been allowed to speak at Ford-

ham is his repeated encouragement of other people either to commit suicide or kill someone else. It is this direct call upon others to commit crimes or end their lives that, to me, invalidates his right to speak at my school. At this point, his supporters are endorsing and supporting that behavior, and I fear that one of them might take action. I fear for the lives of my fellow classmates, peers and human beings.

With that said, please do not misunderstand me. This is not an excuse to bar anyone with whom you disagree from speaking. We should not rip people’s platforms away from them simply because we do not share the same opinions they do, however sensitive or personal those opinions are. I encourage you to read and reread these words of Evelyn Beatrice Hall: “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”

Profound in their own right, those words feel incomplete without my adding, “...and I reserve the right to speak out against what you stand for.” We must not combat hateful rhetoric with the revocation of one’s First Amendment rights. Rather, we must stand in unity against racism, sexism and prejudice in all its detestable forms. America is at its strongest when it stands together.

This topic is not a simple one by any means. But it is imperative that we remember to uphold free speech until it directly encourages violence or hatred. And once it crosses that line, please do not hesitate in condemning every single ounce of its ugliness and working to rid your space of it completely.

COLIN SHEELEY/THE OBSERVER

Roger Stone has resorted to insults based on race or gender and threats of violence when arguing with others.

Arts & Culture

Maryanna Antoldi-mantoldi@fordham.edu Sam DeAssis- sdeassis@fordham.edu

November 16, 2017 THE OBSERVER

Broadway Springs to Life in 2018

By KEVIN CHRISTOPHER ROBLES Staff Writer

New shows on Broadway are always something to pay attention to, but the upcoming spring season holds a particularly large number of highly-anticipated productions that deserve special consideration.

“Carousel”

The Imperial Theater (249 W 45th St.) Rodgers & Hammerstein’s 1945 musical “Carousel” will be making a return to Broadway after a more than two-decade-long absence.

Considered by the creators to be their best work, it focuses on the tumultuous romantic life of a carousel barker, as the raucous events that he gets embroiled in serve as a reminder of various dimensions of love. Perhaps best known for the sparkling duet “If I Loved You,” the new Broadway revival aims to take a shot at popularizing the production once more, especially with extensive direction and ballet sequences choreographed with the aid of the New York City Ballet by Tony-winner Jack O’Brien. You can begin riding this merry-go-round of a production on Feb. 28, 2018.

“Angels in America”

Neil Simon Theater (250 W 52nd St.) Tony Kushner’s legendary gay fantasia will once again grace Broadway. “Angels in America” spins a tale of longing, hardship, suffering, absolution, redemption and hope. Confident in its ability to accurately transcribe the life experiences of its author, the play follows a number of LGBT individuals in the 1980s as their collective worlds begin tumbling down on them in the midst of the AIDS crisis. Featuring the acting talents of Tony-winning Nathan Lane and Oscar nominee Andrew Garfield, and the direction of the Tony-winning Marianne Elliott (“The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,” “War Horse”), “Angels in America” will doubtlessly shine as brightly as it did when it first premiered over 20 years

ago. Like the millenium, “Angels in America” approaches on March 21, 2018.

“Frozen”

St. James Theater (246 W 44th St.) When the animated feature film “Frozen” was released in 2013, it received high critical praise, grossed over a billion dollars at the box office and, most importantly, embedded itself so deeply into the collective cultural consciousness that nary a little girl alive today doesn’t know the names of the sisters of Arendelle. Capitalizing on the success of this smash hit, Disney has seen fit to give it the same treatment as other animated hits like “The Lion King” and “Aladdin,” crafting a Broadway musical that will indubitably attract families from all over the country.

While Disney’s productions have often been criticized for being incredibly commercialized and bourgeois, one cannot argue that they are almost always a good time. “Frozen” will “let it go” on Mar. 22, 2018.

“Mean Girls”

August Wilson Theater (245 W 52nd St.) Tina Fey made perhaps one of the best high school comedies of all time in 2004 when she wrote the screenplay for “Mean Girls,” creating a memorable array of characters with endlessly quotable lines. Most important in the film, however, is its balance of heartfelt optimism and cynical realism that makes the work as unique a tapestry as it is. With all that in mind, it is no surprise that Tina Fey has jumped headlong into crafting a Broadway musical adaptation of the film, with songs composed by Jeff Richmond (“Fully Committed”) and lyrics by Nell Benjamin (“Legally Blonde”). “Mean Girls” is primarily a comedy and, as such, readily complements the more dramatic teen-focused production on Broadway, “Dear Evan Hansen.”

It will doubtlessly carve out a place for its distinctive hilarity. Members of the public can fetch tickets now to see “Mean Girls” premiere on Apr. 8, 2018.

IZZI DUPREY/THE OBSERVER

There are a plethora of new plays and musicals coming to Broadway next year.

“The Iceman Cometh”

Bernard B. Jacobs Theater (242 W 45th St.) Written by legendary playwright Eugene O’Neill and first premiering in 1946, “The Iceman Cometh” tells the harrowing tale of a saloon proprietor and the various clients to whom he tends, among them suicidal alcoholics, out-on-their luck prostitutes and the general lowlives who have nothing better to do than

slink to bars on late nights. Renowned and iconic for its sociopolitical commentary and unceasingly lonely tone, “The Iceman Cometh” was one of the best straight dramas of its time. It comes as no surprise, then, that a Broadway revival is coming in 2017, starring Academy Award and Tony Award-winning actor-director Denzel Washington, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’77, in the lead role. With Washington’s acting chops and

O’Neill’s starkly saddening script, “The Iceman Cometh” will surely return to Broadway in a big way. The play cometh on Apr. 26, 2018.

All of these productions, from dramatic gems to uplifting musicals, are right around the corner. With the great variety in the upcoming spring season, there is no doubt that Broadway will give you something to watch and fall in love with!

NYC Eats: DŌ

By RUBY GARA Contributing Writer

ERIKA ORTIZ/THE OBSERVER

The New York hotspot is famous for their cookie dough scoops.

Cookie dough. To some, it is the predecessor to the cookie itself. To others, the heavenly taste of it encapsulates a delicious childhood memory in which the day would instantly become brighter when our mothers would bake fresh cookies, and the sweet smell would permeate the air in the house played around with our nostrils. You would then proceed to sneak a bite, or perhaps much more than a bite, by scraping off the leftovers from the mixing bowl, and relishing that soft dough that is, quite possibly, better than baked cookies.

That memory, that you can almost taste now, is instantly followed by the memory of your mother taking the bowl away from you, and warning you about eating raw cookie dough. And unfortunately, it is also followed by the memory of those terrible stomach cramps you inevitably got from eating all of that cookie dough. Although we know the health risks that may occur from ingesting that raw deliciousness,

we still cling to the memory of it― the taste that reminds us of our childhood.

To cookie dough enthusiasts, living in New York City may just have presented yet another benefit: a new and trendy dessert café, a cookie dough scoop shop called Cookie Dō (pronounced “dough”), opened its doors last year in Greenwich Village to satisfy our cravings. Although it is famous for its edible cookie dough, Dō also sells picture-worthy milkshakes, sundaes and ice cream sandwiches or, as they call them, ice cream sandōwiches”.

One scoop of Dō cookie dough costs $4, which may be compared to the price of a regular scoop of ice cream. Although one scoop sounds small in theory, the portions are rather generous and filling, which is why I recommend their smaller portion. They have several flavors and combinations too, such as the classic chocolate chip and the signature peanut butter snickerdoodle, which allows everyone to indulge in their sweet tooth. I decided to taste the “confetti,” which is edible cookie dough with rainbow sprinkles,

white chips and chocolate chips.

As they prepared my scoop of heaven, I looked around and enjoyed the atmosphere inside the confectionery. The place itself smelled sweet and was lit by a bright pink fluorescent light that read “dreams dough come true.”

Only then did I realize the mass of people crowded outside of the store and huddled in front of the glowing white “dō” sign; everybody was desperate to taste the customizable cookie dough!

Although I have a sweet tooth, and Dō was a great treat postmidterms, I personally think that the cookie dough itself was too sweet. It did taste great, as it had the smooth texture of the dough combined with the crunch from the chocolate chips, but a few bites are more than enough to fill you up as it is truly rich in flavor.

Cookie Dō and its concept of selling edible cookie dough are most definitely innovative, and although it may be too sweet for some, I would recommend it to everyone. It was a great experience overall, and I personally would return just to try out the other delicious sounding flavors!

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Features

November 16, 2017 THE OBSERVER

www.fordhamobserver.com

Somewh

An Intervie Emma DiM

As one of the recipients Fordham research grant, Hill (FCRH)’ 18, spent he graphing the subtle oddit

ASEAH KHAN (AK): Being one of the r curious as to what was the reason for your t

EMMA DIMARCO (ED): I went on my t grant and the Ildiko Butler travel grant. I’m the aspects of the culture which are in declin other things. The main purpose of my trip w iconic architecture being such an example th decay.

AK: Where did you end up traveling to

ED: I covered a wide swatch of the contin hometown, Rochester, New York, and then s ern border of South Dakota, and then I went and New Mexico. Afterwards, I headed back spent the last three days of my trip in Nashv east back to Rochester from there.

During my trip, I visited Chicago and we camp in the middle of Michigan (so remote t minute drive!), went to Badlands National P mountains for three days and stayed in a yel total, I drove over 6,000 miles, experiencing time.

AK: As a photographer, I’ve come to rea own distinct style and pays attention to diff photographs. Is there anything you are mo graphing?

ED: When I photograph, I’m not always l keep my mind open to what I’m looking at a of what I am trying to find. I react to things a quirky and odd sense of humor, as I notice and then document them through my photo my photographs to the beauty and poetry in stuff found in the American landscape. Like a semi-abandoned motel parking lot or a mic porch.

AK: Now that you’re back from your tri your photos and any other work produced

ED: When I first went on the trip, I was g however about six days into the trip, after I h alleys, I couldn’t stand the thought of going aware of the repetitive nature of the building taking the same image over and over. I conti on my grant proposal, however, I became mo vernacular. Middle America is extremely biz many people call it “flyover country.” I began graphs, which I hope to use towards my seni to create a base from which I can continue to

AK: Is there anything you learned durin share with your audience?

ED: I learned that America is so much big 6,000 miles in total and was still thousands o which is established, but actually experienci in awe of how expansive and varied our coun much people in the Midwest really love bein of American pride everywhere I turned. How that it’s actually okay and kind of fun to be l everyday for a month and never once doing l

www.fordhamobserver.com

here in America

ew With Marco

s of the Ildiko Butler travel grant and the , Emma DiMarco, Fordham College at Rose er summer traveling across America, phototies that define this country.

recipients of the grants this year, I’m trip across America?

trip thanks to the Fordham research fascinated by American culture and ne, vanishing or being replaced by was to explore bowling alleys, their hroughout the country and their during your trip?

nental United States. I started in my stayed on I-90 west until I hit the westt south through Wyoming, Colorado k east through Texas and Arkansas. I ille, and finally drove 12 hours north-

ent to Lollapalooza, stayed in a small that the closest grocery store was a 35 Park, camped and hiked in the Rocky llow trailer in Taos, New Mexico. In so much in just a short period of

alize that each one of us has our ffering subject matters when taking ore specifically drawn to when photo-

looking for a specific thing. I try to and not have a predetermined idea that perk my interest. I think I have e weird little details about a place ographs. I like to call attention in n everyday things as well as the crazy e a giant plastic horse in the middle of crowave sitting on someone’s front

ip, what do you intend to do with during the trip?

going to document bowling alleys; had already photographed 20 bowling to another bowling alley. I became gs and grew tired of feeling that I was inued to photograph them and work ore interested in photographing the zarre, and now I understand why n to produce a broader body of photoior show in the spring. I was also able o work and build off of.

ng your trip that you would want to

gger than I had ever imagined. I drove of miles away from the west coast, ing this made me far more aware and ntry is. I was also taken aback by how ng American, as there were symbols wever, the biggest lesson for me was living out of my car, photographing laundry!

THE OBSERVER November 16, 2017

Features

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10

Arts & Culture

November 16, 2017 THE OBSERVER

Alone with Pineles in the Ildiko Butler Gallery

By ISABELLA MALFI Contributing Writer

The design world’s hidden gem, artist Cipe Pineles, is featured at the Ildiko Butler Gallery, located in the main entrance of Fordham Lincoln Center (FLC), this month. Coordinated by Abby Goldstein, associate professor in graphic design at Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC), and curated by illustrator Wendy MacNaughton and editor Sarah Rich, the exhibit highlights the sketches of Cipe Pineles, maverick of the arts world.

In 1923, Cipe Pineles emigrated from Austria to New York City at 15 years old. She became one of the most prominent artistic directors for magazines like “Seventeen, Glamour, Charm and Stretch.”

“Pineles embraced the art world with an understanding that images are not just headshots, but a whole composition,” Goldstein explained.

And though the many magazine covers designed by Pineles can be found on the right side of the gallery, your eye is drawn to the center of the gallery where 12 of Pineles’ drawings hang. In 1945, Pineles lettered and illustrated all of her mother’s recipes in a sketchbook.

Unknown to the world, the sketchbook disappeared and was almost lost for good.

In February 2017, MacNaughton and Rich discovered Pineles’ unpublished manuscript at an antique book fair.

“We were both struck by how beautiful the art was, and also how contemporary it felt despite being

ASEAH KHAN/THE OBSERVER

The latest exhibit will be on display until Jan. 21.

about 70 years old,” Rich said.

The duo then created the revitalized book “Leave Me Alone with the Recipes: The Art, Life, and Cookbook of Cipe Pineles.” Goldstein thought that displaying some of the art from the book would not only serve to beautify the gallery, but to inform the world of Cipe Pineles.

Some of the sketches featured from the book include recipes for borscht, a beet soup originating in Eastern Europe, lamb stew and goulash. All of the simple and colorful

sketches shed light on Pineles’ Austrian roots through her mother’s recipes.

When asked her favorite sketch, Goldstein named six different recipes and said, “It’s almost impossible with such a variety. I guess it depends on the day, and what I’m in the mood for!”

In the center of the gallery, there is a table that holds some of Pineles’ original work and materials. This includes pencils, original Seventeen magazines, and the real frying pan

featured in many of the recipes.

Even in these seemingly ordinary objects, you can still get a great sense of Pineles’ knowledge of design. On the left of the gallery, there are portraits of Cipe Pineles as a little girl, a young woman and an older woman. The portrait of Pineles as an older woman was Sarah Rich’s favorite: “It’s so regal and wistful and powerful all at once.”

Pineles’ powerful position as artistic director on a number of prominent magazines was unheard

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of for a woman in her time. Her artistic eye was revolutionary, and her work was considered a precursor for modern magazine design.

“She was a really committed, meticulous designer and someone who clearly delighted in the artistic and intellectual challenges of being a designer. She really had a major hand in steering publication design towards where it is today,” Rich said.

The Ildiko Butler Gallery features the work of Cipe Pineles at such a pinnacle point in our nation’s history. Pineles represents anyone with a dream, more specifically an immigrant with a dream. She recreated herself at 15 with her immigration, and made a new life for herself as an American.

“She is a perfect example of DACA,” said Goldstein.

We live in a time and a place in which we discourage women like Cipe Pineles. Who are we to take away the opportunities of immigrants? What if the immigrants being discouraged today could have been the next greatest mind of design tomorrow?

Goldstein said, “How dare we say immigrants aren’t welcome here.”

There is great importance in acknowledging any art, but specifically Cipe Pineles in the Ildiko Butler Gallery. Take the time to learn and love her sketches, her words and her story.

Cipe Pineles’ work will be on display at the Ildiko Butler Gallery until Jan. 21, and “Leave Me Alone with the Recipes” is available for purchase in stores and online at cipepineles. com.

Autumn Refreshes the Small Screen

By ETHAN SHEA Contributing Writer

Fall is here, but so are Netflix, HBO, Hulu and other popular cable networks, all restocked with the newest installments of streamable television. Just in case you have not had the chance to indulge in autumn binge-watching, the following reviews are spoiler free.

“STRANGER THINGS” The highly-anticipated second season of the Netflix original series “Stranger Things” was released on Oct. 27, and it is every bit as thrilling as its predecessor. The interdimensional troubles that plagued the small town of Hawkins, Indiana in the first season are back with a vengeance. Fortunately for viewers, the woes of Hawkins translate to a nostalgic and remarkable story of science-fiction.

From the dramatic Winona Ryder (Joyce Byers) to youth actors such as Millie Bobby Brown, who plays Eleven and Finn Wolfhard, who plays Mike, the “Stranger Things” cast proves itself to be an enthralling team with clear chemistry.

Cinematically, the show’s production crew and editors outdid themselves. The visual quality of each episode is akin to a blockbuster movie. Furthermore, there are carefully crafted peaks in tension that last long enough to exhaust even the most athletic viewer, but this piece of television is not only an action-packed adventure. There is a fair amount of horror and mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The overall climate of “Stranger Things” is truly eerie, an atmosphere most horror movies fail to produce. Unlike these films, “Stranger Things” does not resort to cliché jump scares to capture the

attention of its audience. In just a few episodes, you will feel personally attached to each character, which is what makes the shows one of the most enjoyable small screen viewing experiences of the year.

“THE ORVILLE” Created by Seth MacFarlane, the brains behind “Family Guy,” “The Orville” is a dramatic comedy inspired by the hit ’60s show “Star Trek.” In the 25th century, officer Ed Mercer, played by MacFarlane, is assigned to captain the Orville, an exploratory space vessel of the Planetary Union. Mercer is excited with this new opportunity, but his mood quickly changes when he learns his ex-wife will be his First Officer. From the provocative score, which is played by a 75-piece orchestra, to the thought-provoking, deep space visuals, the influences of “Star Trek” are clear.

Although “The Orville” is anything but serious, it does not focus entirely on being a comedy, which is why the passengers of the U.S.S. Orville are not the only ones who will be encountering uncharted territory this fall. A departure from the ridiculous is far and away from Seth MacFarlane’s earlier works such as “Family Guy” and “The Cleveland Show.” The science fiction aspect of “The Orville” is what sets it apart from anything else MacFarlane has done. This show manages to provide an otherworldly perspective of modern social issues while simultaneously entertaining its audience. Seth MacFarlane’s humor is not for everyone, but if you enjoy creative stories of science fiction and some occasionally indecent comedy, give Captain Mercer and his crew the light of day. “The Orville” can be streamed on Hulu or screened on FOX at 9 p.m. Thursday nights.

“YOUNG SHELDON” “The Big Bang Theory” on TBS introduced the world to the obsessive compulsive genius known as Sheldon Cooper, but until now we have only heard stories of his childhood. The pilot of “Young Sheldon”, a spinoff of the highly successful series, hit the airwaves on Sept. 25. The series tells the the story of Sheldon’s struggles to fit into his small Texas town; although Sheldon has no trouble understanding theoretical physics, he cannot grasp the concept of societal norms.

Despite the wholesome feel of “Young Sheldon,” the audience is left with nothing but pity for the young scholar.I often found myself cringing at the narrations of Jim Parsons, the original actor who plays an adult Sheldon Cooper, and unable to find humor in the boy’s situations. “The Big Bang Theory” manages to make Sheldon’s condescending attitude lighthearted and amusing. Thus far, his youthful counterpart is not as charming. Although, “Young Sheldon” is still… young. The second episode of the show finally premiered on Nov. 2, so be sure to catch each of the upcoming 22 episodes Thursday nights on CBS. The stress of daily life may be intensifying as we anxiously await Thanksgiving break, so don’t be afraid to relax. There is certainly a show for everyone, as there is much more new television than there is time to write reviews. That being said, if you desire a day of pre-winter hibernation, with the help of your favorite streaming services and cable networks, there are countless hours of television to keep you company.

COURTESY OF NETFLIX

There are several interesting shows that have been released this fall.

www.fordhamobserver.com

THE OBSERVER November 16, 2017

Arts & Culture

11

A Look Into the MET’s Latest Art Exhibition

By COURTNEY BROGLE Staff Writer

In early October, the Metropolitan Museum of Art debuted its latest exhibition in the Robert Lehman Collection. Entitled “Leonardo to Matisse,” it explores the development of European art from the Renaissance up to the modern age, featuring art from Leonardo da Vinci, Henri Matisse and dozens of artists in between.

This particular exhibit traces the development of the European art movement between the 15th and 20th centuries through the lens of Robert Lehman, who had acquired each of the 59 pieces of the collection in his lifetime. By the time he passed in 1969, his art collection numbered more than 700 pieces.

His preference for highly finished drawings and certain elements of

drapery and painting. However, the exhibit prevents monotony by diversifying the subjects and methods of creation; to quote the entrance to the exhibit, “From portraits, figure studies and landscapes to mythological and biblical narratives, the drawings represent a dynamic array of sacred and secular subjects in media ranging from metalpoint, pen and ink, and chalk to graphite, pastel, and charcoal.” The selection of drawings also serves to provide a look into the various facets of artistic creation, from da Vinci’s “Study of a Bear” anatomical sketch to Rembrandt’s re-imagination of “The Last Supper.”

Upon entrance into the Robert Lehman Wing, one walks into a circular floor plan that begins in the Renaissance and moves gradually into Impressionism and Post-

This particular exhibit traces the development of the European art movement between the 15th and 20th centuries through the lens of Robert Lehman.

ingenuity are particularly relevant in this compilation organized by Dita Amory, the curator in charge, and Alison Nogueira, associate curator.

Interestingly, this collection exclusively features drawings as opposed to other artistic mediums.

The curators wanted to focus on the foundational role of drawing for all visual arts, including sculpture,

Modernism. Each piece maintains cultural relativism of its day while preserving a reconciliation of the physical and the intellectual. It is lit sporadically, with the entrance fairly dark to represent the emergence from the Dark Ages into the well-lit hall of the enlightenment and exploration of the Renaissance.

Each corridor sways from periods of darkness into light, to highlight

ASEAH KHAN/THE OBSERVER

The exhibit will be at the MET until January 2018.

the highs and lows of each era, ultimately concluding in the warmth of the rest of the museum, encouraging creative thought in the viewer.

The headlining artists include da Vinci, Dürer, Rembrandt, Seurat and Matisse. Da Vinci’s “Study of a Bear” praises his diligent observations of the natural world and his exhausting attention to anatomical accuracy, as well as his ever-working mind, having reused a sheet with faint outlines of a female’s portrait underneath the bear. Albrecht Dürer’s “Six Studies of Pillow” not only appeals to active nappers, but it also explores the various

effects of drapery and shadows on everyday objects. His 1493 “SelfPortrait” represents an awakening self- consciousness that also came with the Northern Renaissance. Eugène Delacroix’s “Study for Liberty Leading the People” utilizes seemingly random brush strokes to detail a scene of violence on Parisian street, inspired by the July Revolution of 1830. Vincent Van Gogh even makes an appearance in the Impressionism and Early Modernism portion with his “Road in Etten,” an observation of the routine peasant and labor work he witnessed in 1881. The exhibi-

tion wraps up with the centerpiece “Study of a Ballet Dancer” by Edgar Degas; oil and opaque watercolors splashed on pink paper evoke mental concentration and the natural movement of the human body.

The members of the Robert Lehman Foundation make this exhibit possible, but it will not be on view forever. The exhibition closes on Jan. 7, 2018 and is free with general admission donations. Be sure to check out this fascinating glimpse into art history through the eyes of a passionate collector while it is still open to the public!

This Thanksgiving, stuff yourself with more than just turkey.

Read your fill of our stories at fordhamobserver.com.

We’re not as creepy as we look.

Come to our weekly meetings Mondays at 5pm in LL 506.

Any questions? Email us! fordhamobserver@gmail.com

Features

Features Editor Carson Thornton Gonzalez - cthorntongonzalez@fordham.edu November 16, 2017 THE OBSERVER

Study Abroad: Not a Walk in the Park

By ELIZABETH SULLIVAN Contributing Writer

It was two days into my semester abroad in Alicante, Spain, and I was sitting at the kitchen table in my new home. So far, I felt really good about being abroad. My host mom was very sweet, my room was great and the students I had met so far seemed really nice. The semester was looking promising. The radio was on, but it was too early in the morning for me to know what they were saying in Spanish. My host mom was listening, making comments here and there, asking me how I slept, and went to pour me more coffee. She paused, and said something ending in what sounded like “troop.” I figured it was some Spanish word I had never heard, and I thought she was asking if I wanted more coffee, so I shamelessly nodded my head yes. She left the room to go get ready and I heard the word on the radio a couple times “troop, troop, troop….” and there it was, my moment of revelation, while I thought she was asking me if I wanted more coffee, she actually asked me, “Do you like Donald Trump?” I most definitely gave her the wrong answer.

At that moment, I knew I was in for a wild ride.

As a Spanish minor, studying abroad in Spain was always part of my plan. I knew that studying Spanish in the classroom, like any subject, was not going to be enough; I needed a true immersion experience. I’m currently studying with one of Fordham’s partner programs in Spain and am having the experience of a lifetime. I live with a single Spanish woman, Esther, who cooks for me every day, cleans all of my clothes, and—wait for it—makes my bed every morning. Remember when your parents dropped you off at Fordham freshman year and you were so excited for your first real taste of freedom? I promise you that you would trade that freedom to live with Esther any day. The city of Alicante, if you do a quick Google im-

ages search, looks like nothing short of a beach paradise. With the Castle of Santa Barbara watching over us, the Mediterranean stretching as far as the eye can see and beach weather lasting through the end of October, Alicante seems like the perfect place to study abroad.

However, no matter how many delicious meals Esther cooks or how many sunsets I get to watch on the beach, study abroad is, unfortunately, not a walk in the park. Every day has been an adventure, and some days have been better than others.

There are challenges that you assume you will face when you decide to study abroad, like missing your friends and family and having to create new relationships in an unknown place. However, there are definitely some challenges that you cannot prepare for, and those are what I want to shed light on for the next Fordham Ram who might choose to study in Alicante or any non-English-speaking country.

Speaking a different language all the time is incredibly difficult.

You might think this is a given, but nothing could have prepared me for how difficult the immersion experience would be. While I know how to speak Spanish and from the start was very willing to practice, sometimes it is just too much. We all have those mornings, whether it be from a long night hitting the bars or a long night hitting the books, where we are too tired to speak at all, not to mention having to speak and be pleasant to your host mom in Spanish.

You will miss New York. One of my best friends and I talked extensively last semester about studying abroad and how it would give us a break from New York. We thought it would be refreshing to be so excited to come back. Little did I know, I am not just excited to come back but I am ready to come back. This semester has confirmed that I definitely made the right choice when I decided to attend Fordham Lincoln Center. While they have their quirks and stressors, Fordham and New York

are definitely places that I can call home. I miss running into friends after class on the plaza, spending too many hours in Quinn Library, walking through Central Park and, most of all, I miss those New York bagels.

Regular life doesn’t stop for study abroad. I thought I was going to have a relaxing semester compared to the normal hustle and bustle of New York. What I realized, however, was that while studying abroad was a physical hiatus from my time in New York and at school, it was not an academic or professional break whatsoever. About a month into our time here, everyone realized that they needed to apply for spring and summer internships–that was when reality struck. Studying in an immersion program also makes everything academic much harder since you have to do it all in Spanish. So, the tasks that should take me an hour in English take an hour and a half or maybe even two when trying to complete them in a different language.

To think that I have only one month left of this semester abroad is mind-blowing. It feels like just yesterday that I had to clarify with my host mom that I, in fact, really do not like Donald Trump. Reflecting on my semester, while I have definitely learned a lot of Spanish, what I have really learned is that I am capable of handling so many more challenges than I ever thought possible. I came to Spain knowing one person and I know I will leave with lifelong friends. I have navigated new cities and languages on my own, and I have confirmed that I am proud of who I am and I am ready to take on whatever life has to throw at me.

Finally, of course, while studying abroad I have checked countless items off of my bucket list, including but not limited to: visiting the Colosseum, falling in love with Paris and strutting around the Park Güell like a Cheetah Girl. Study abroad, in my opinion, is worth your time, money, fear, nervousness and anything else that you might imagine is in your way.

COURTESY OF ELIZABETH SULLIVAN

Sullivan has spent the last three months exploring the coastal city of Alicante, Spain.

COURTESY OF ELIZABETH SULLIVAN

Despite its challenges, Sullivan has come to embrace living abroad.

Movember: Moustaches for Men’s Health

By JORDAN MELTZER Asst. Opinions Editor

JON BJORNSON/THE OBSERVER

Meltzer will spend the month of November bringing awareness to and raising money for several men’s health causes.

What do moustaches, charities and the Gregorian calendar have in common? The answer is Movember. com.

In 2003, Adam and Travis Garone of Melbourne, Australia, organized an event in which 30 men grew moustaches for 30 days. Their end goal was simply to raise awareness for prostate cancer with the hopes of raising a few dollars along the way.

Little did they know that they would start a global movement to raise awareness for men’s health issues.

It all happened pretty quickly.

By only its second year of operation in 2004, participants—called Mo Bros—spanned as far as Spain and the United Kingdom. Four hundred and fifty Mo Bros grew their upper lip hair that year and raised 54,000 Australian dollars (AU) (41,400 American dollars). By the next year, over 9,000 people had joined in on the fun and raised AU $1.2 million (US $920,00). The Garone brothers even gave the movement an official tagline: “Give Prostate Cancer a Kick in the Arse.” By 2006, the Movember Foundation was an official charity recognized by the Australian government. The boys were in business.

When the organization became official, its tagline became “Changing the face of men’s health.” Though less whimsical than the last, this slogan was both more clever and harder-hitting. The numbers have shown it: today, more than five million Mo

Bros (and “Mo Sistas”) participate worldwide during the month of November. It is ranked at number 49 among the top 500 non-governmental organizations worldwide according to the list curated by NGO Advisor in Geneva.

Movember’s causes have now expanded: prostate cancer, testicular cancer and men’s suicide are all part of its mission to advocate for men’s health. Prostate cancer is the most

As I watched and read about it, I again considered what effect I could have on preventing suicide and encouraging living.

common cancer in men. Testicular cancer strikes primarily in young men, with the average age of diagnosis being 33. Suicide is most prevalent in men, as in 2015, 78 percent of suicides were committed by boys and men.

This year, I decided to become a Mo Bro. Against the advice of some of my friends, who said I would look creepy with a moustache (which I do), I was particularly motivated this November because of what I had recently seen in the news. In the past few months, Chris Cornell of Soundgarden and Chester Bennington of

Linkin Park killed themselves. As a rock and metal fan, I was shocked and hurt. As a human being, I was devastated. I did some research and discovered the extreme gender disparity in suicide rates, but I knew there wasn’t much I could do beyond talking people I knew out of it. And that’s no easy task, especially for a young college student.

Fast forward to October of this year, to the Chester Bennington memorial show by Linkin Park in Hollywood. Its theme was to celebrate life, in honor of Chester. As I watched and read about it, I again considered what effect I could have on preventing suicide and encouraging living. I remembered Movember. I had only heard of Movember in passing before, but I looked into it and found out how easy it was to join. I also discovered that I could declare men’s suicide as my cause, at which point any funds I raise will go toward The Prevention Institute and Movember’s own mental health charity: the Awareness and Education Project. Cliché as it sounds, I realized that I really can have an impact on the global fight to combat suicide and promote living.

I set my goal at a modest $100, and I am excited to see if I can meet or even surpass that goal. If you would like to donate to my cause, please visit mobro.co/jordanmel. Every dollar helps. Join me in promoting mental health and fighting cancer for men and for humans in general. Hopefully, I’ll see you next year as a Mo Bro or Mo Sista.

www.fordhamobserver.com

THE OBSERVER November 16, 2017

Features

14

Surveying the Fordham Political Climate

By CASEY BRENNAN Contributing Writer Not many will tell you that a university is a place where political opinions are consistent. To get a better idea of the Fordham community’s political opinions, I recently conducted an online survey titled, “Opinions on the Democratic Party, GOP, and the Current Administration.”

The survey was taken by 50 Fordham community members, including undergraduates, graduate students and alumni. The majority of the respondents (56 percent) identified as Democrats, whereas there were only two registered Republicans (four percent). Additionally, 28 percent of the respondents were independent.

There were also three Libertarians, one Ancom, one Marxist and one person not affiliated with politics.

The main goal of the survey was to understand more about the opinions that the members of the Fordham community hold in regards to the current administration. Specifically, the survey was meant to gather opinions on the values that the Democratic and Republican parties hold, and whether or not the two parties are currently upholding said values.

Additionally, the survey also gathered opinions on whether or not the current administration embodies the values of the Republican party.

Since the majority of the respondents identified as Democrats, the responses were understandably somewhat slanted. When asked “In terms of its values, what rating would you give the Democratic Party?” on a scale from one to ten, the average answer was approximately 6.65. The same question, when asked about the Republican Party, yielded an average answer of 2.92.

Provided with a list of values

that are typically seen as either Republican or Democratic, the survey asked, “What would you consider “Republican Values”?” The top responses included, “Imposing stricter immigration policies” (86 percent) , “Being Pro-Life” (86 percent) and “Opposing government run, universal healthcare (Obamacare)” (84 percent). Three survey takers chose to include their own “Republican Value” in the option labeled other: promoting racism. One respondent also attributed this value to the Democratic Party as well. The same was asked of Democratic values, and the top answers were “Supporting government run, universal healthcare (Obamacare)” (96 percent), “Supporting marriage equality and LGBTQ+ rights” (90 percent) and “Imposing gun control” (84 percent).

Although the average rating of the Republican values were much lower than the Democrats’, the majority of the survey takers do not believe that Donald Trump represents the values of the Republican Party. Fifty-four percent of respondents said that they did not believe that Donald Trump represents the Republican Party’s values, with one student even responding “no hecking way.” The rating of Donald Trump as a person and a politician was extremely low, with an approximate average of 1.65 out of 10. In fact, 98 percent of survey takers rated Donald Trump a “5” or lower, with 76 percent choosing to label him a “1”, and only one student rating him a “10.” A smaller percentage of students (44 percent) did not believe that the current administration as a whole represents the values of the Republican Party, in comparison to the 34 percent of survey takers who do. Both of the Republican survey takers reported

GEORGE HORIHAN/THE OBSERVER

Despite the fact that most Lincoln Center students identify as Democrats, many take issue with the state of both parties.

that they did not believe that Trump, nor the current administration as a whole, represent the values the members of the Republican Party hold.

When asked “Why do you believe Donald Trump does or does not uphold Republican values?” opinions varied. Many of the answers implied that Trump has his own political agenda, and he does not represent

the Republican Party’s values whatsoever. Others stated that he only represents the Republican party taken to extreme, and that the majority of Republican do not hold the values that he endorses. Another common theme among the answers was that the Republican and Democratic parties maintain a strong “party loyalty,” insinuating that Republi-

cans may not agree with the ideals that Donald Trump represents, but feel that they should vote for him to stay loyal to their party. Others suggested that since Trump received the Republican vote, he must represent a majority of the Republican values.

Similarly, the survey asked why the current administration does or does not represent the values of the Republican Party. Most of the respondents believe that Trump chose his cabinet members because they have similar views to his own, which are Republican values taken to the extreme. However, respondents noted that there are Republicans who do not align with Trump, so it would be difficult to say whether or not all Republicans in office represent the values that their party embodies.

In terms of how each party is currently operating, the respondents gave both parties low ratings with the average rating for the Democratic Party approximately being 4.61 out of 10 and the Republican Party’s average being 2.34 out of 10.

Many of the respondents said that both the Republican and Democratic parties need to be improved to help the state of our country. In contrast, other respondents believe that the two-party system should be completely reformed, while others said that the issues that both parties face are very similar and are due to the forced “party loyalty.”

I had originally focused the survey on the Republican Party, since they are currently in power.

However, many of the respondents noted that the Democratic Party is also in need of reform. There is clearly a desire for change in the current political climate of the Fordham community, which will require the input of both parties.

“Tickling Giants” is No Laughing Matter

ESTEFANIA MARTINEZ/THE OBSERVER

Jordan Klepper led the Q&A between Bassem Youssef, Egyptian comedian, and Sara Taksler, director of “Tickling Giants.”

By ESTEFANIA MARTINEZ Contributing Writer

On Nov. 2, 2017, a screening of “Tickling Giants,” sponsored by the Committee to Protect Journalists, was held at the Independent Film Channel Center in Downtown Manhattan. The movie focuses on the life of Bassem Youssef, also known as the “Jon Stewart of Egypt.” It recounts Youssef ’s journey as a comedian in Egypt during a totalitarian regime.

The screening was hosted by Jordan Klepper, who later joined Youssef

and Sara Taksler, the director of the film, for a Q&A session.

Before “Tickling Giants,” Taksler worked as a producer on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,” and she currently produces for “The Opposition with Jordan Klepper.”

Already a talented producer, she decided to venture into directing and writing the first day she met Youssef, a former doctor-turned-comedian.

She was so excited about the idea that, during their first meeting, she proposed a movie. At this point, Youssef had not been called into

the Egyptian courts, so she did not know how impactful the movie would eventually become or the issues it would end up addressing.

“It was a few things. One was a few months before I met Bassem, one of my friends passed away, and it was a rough period for me. You know when you go through something like that, you get depressed. When I met Bassem, it was the first time I was excited about something. And I was at a point that whatever it was that made me happy, I wanted to

go towards that feeling. I knew it wasn’t a light decision,” said Taksler while explaining all of the emotions she felt when meeting Youssef. She continued, “I loved the idea that what Bassem was doing at work was the same thing I was doing, but at much higher stakes. I think “Tickling Giants” is about finding your own nonviolent and creative way to fight an abusive power.”

During the Q&A session, Youssef admitted that it was difficult to for him to watch the film. He first saw it at the Tribeca Film Festival and has since been unable to sit through the entire movie, as it recounts harsh personal details about the end of his career in Egypt.

“I have to be honest, I can’t watch the movie because it is such an emotional experience, so every time we have a screening, I have to wait outside or be on the other side of town and just come to the panel,” explained Youssef. “When I watched it for the first time, there is one scene where there are people cursing and shouting at me outside and inside; we are celebrating a birthday party.”

For Youssef, film is a form of escapism. He continued, “You know, I didn’t have a preview of what the movie would look like. Sara did a wonderful job pulling the story together, and I forgot that, but it was representative of all of what we’re doing. The whole world was falling apart, and we were trying to live in our parallel universe writing comedy.”

The film was emotional; the audience laughed, cried and gasped as Youssef ’s story unfolded. “Tickling Giants,” however, was also an effective commentary on the struggles that Egypt is facing: censorship and an authoritarian regime. The film progresses through four seasons of “The Show.” Midway, Youssef ’s first network drops him, as there is growing resentment in Egypt towards his unorthodox views of the government. Nevertheless, the

comedy show is picked up by another network and Youssef continues, but there are even more prevalent tensions, especially with the rise of General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi as the Egyptian president. Characterized as a military, old-fashioned man, elSisi felt that the media should not be conveying dislike towards the government. Youssef expressed his dislike of the president many times and cites him as a retrogression in Egyptian culture and democracy. In the end, it was el-Sisi’s administration that shut down “The Show.”

“When it comes to oppression, we are very creative,” Youssef said.

Fueled by the el-Sisi administration, more and more protesters began showing up outside of “The Show,” and Youssef and his staff began to face more struggles.

During one of the tapings, the network experienced a jamming during “The Show.” The movie implies that el-Sisi ordered this jamming and it was not just a rogue hacker. This is where the film takes an even more negative tone. The general ideology and emerging hatred in Egypt led Youssef to feel vulnerable and scared for his, his staff ’s and his family’s lives. Not only does he shut down “The Show,” but he also has to face the Egyptian legal system after his old network sues him for millions of dollars. Youssef realizes that he cannot remain in Egypt and flees to the United States with his family.

Since then, Youssef has been honored by several organizations and will be starting a one-man show tour across the United States. When asked about continuing “The Show,” Youssef answered that since he is no longer in Egypt, he would feel disingenuous sharing his feelings on the state of Egypt. Instead, he is working on other projects on top of his one-man show, including a pilot for a TV show and promoting “Tickling Giants” with Sara Taksler across the country.

Sports & Health

Mohdshobair Hussaini (mhussaini2@fordham.edu) Alexander DiMisa (adimisa@fordham.edu) Artemis Tsagaris (atsagaris@fordham.edu)

Intramurals Grow in Popularity at Lincoln Center

AYER CHAN/ THE OBSERVER

Tennis, whch used to be offered at Lincoln Center, is another sport that we no longer have.

By ALEXANDER DIMISA Sports & Health Editor

Intramural sports are a fun way for those who do not have the time or skill necessary to play club or varsity sports to take part in organized team sports on the college level. They are an exciting way to be able to get the team sport experience without having too much pressure or too large of a time commitment.

At Fordham, all intramural sports are located at Rose Hill and are played either on the fields or in the gym on campus. They offer corec (meaning all genders can play) and men’s league flag football and softball, and just co-rec soccer in the fall. In the winter there is corec, men’s and women’s 5-on-5 basketball, and co-rec and women’s 6-on-6 volleyball. Finally, for spring intramurals there is just corec kickball and soccer, and co-rec, men’s and women’s softball. Some students decide to just play a sport in the winter or fall, while others decide to play one or even two every

session, but all sports and all times new friends and keep in touch with murals combine the competitive are open to all students. All one has old ones while potentially winning nature of sports, even if you’re not to do is either join an already exist- competitive games is something the best, with the thrill of winning ing team or create a team of their that is a very unique opportunity to and even losing games.” He conown and invite others to play. most students, especially at Ford- tinued, “However, one thing that For students, choosing what ham Lincoln Center. isn’t shown in the wins and losses sports they most enjoy or what team While being able to form teams columns are the friendships and to play on provides the unique op- and play with whomever you like is memories made.” In addition, many portunity of playing with friends a large perk of intramurals, being students see intramurals as a place and spending time with them that able to play in the games themselves for personal growth along with you may not team building. have been able One such stuto otherwise.

Intramurals are a great way to socialize and dent is Wayne Jon Oak, Gabelli Mackins, Fordkeep me active. It’s something that keeps me in ham College at School of Business at Lincoln Centouch with many of my friends when my sched- Lincoln Center (GSBLC) ter (FCLC) ’19, ’18, a veteran of who has played ule doesn’t permit otherwise. several intraseasons of both mural basket– JON OAK, GABELLI SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AT LINCOLN CENTER ‘18 flag football and ball teams said, basketball, who “Intra mura ls said, “Intramuare a great way ral sports made to socialize and me be aware of keep me active,” my personal efin addition, “It’s forts on and off something that keeps me in touch is also a great experience. Matthew of the field. I can only control what with many of my friends when my McCarthy, GSBLC ’18, a veteran of I do and how I can contribute, and schedule doesn’t permit other- several sports including flag foot- also the ownership of my actions.” wise.” This opportunity to make ball and basketball said, “IntraOne complaint that students

“

”

from Fordham Lincoln Center have about intramurals is the fact that all the games are at Rose Hill. Students that play in games often must leave an hour or an hour and a half before games to get there and have enough time to warm-up. However, many games are scheduled for 10 or 11 p.m. on school nights which makes it difficult for students with early classes to make it to games. Katherine Tracy, GSBLC ’18, addressed this issue and said, “The Ram Van rides, often at 11:30 p.m. or midnight, on the way back to Manhattan can be grueling, but I find it to be a worthwhile experience.” She continued, “I look forward to playing volleyball with many of my Lincoln Center friends this year as well.” Mara Haeger, FCLC ’19, said, “While the Ram Van rides can be annoying, they are a great way to bond as a team and grow together.”

Regardless of skill level, and the hassle of getting to Rose Hill, intramurals are a great way to stay active not only physically but socially and give students a great way to play a sport they may have never tried.

So What’s Up With Those Giants?

By ARTEMIS TSAGARIS Sports & Health Editor

Much to everyone’s surprise, fourtime Super Bowl champions the New York Giants have gone 1-8 in the first nine weeks of the NFL. The last time the Giants lost the first five games was in 2013, where they actually went 0–6. They eventually went on to finish the season with a record of 7–9, and they were in third place out of four in their division, the NFC East.

Currently, they are in last place in their conference.

Fortunately, during Week six, they had a miraculous turn for the better, and they won against the Denver Broncos, who, before the game, were 3–1. Obviously, they were highly favored to win, and the Giants were able to pull off a victory, defeating the Broncos 23–10. It’s not just that they were able to beat the Broncos, but they beat them without many of their star players. Among the injured on the team are Landon Collins (safety), Paul Perkins (running back), Shepard Sterling (wide receiver), Olivier Vernon (defensive end) and Odell

Beckham Jr. (OBJ) (wide receiver).

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, also known as DRC (cornerback), was also out last week, but it wasn’t due to injury. The details are unclear, but it is said he and Giants head coach Ben McAdoo had an argument about DRC’s position on the team and playing time in the field. The result of that was DCR being suspended indefinitely. As it turns out, DRC was only suspended for one game and came back in the game against the Seattle Seahawks during Week Six. However, he barely played, and it is unclear if Coach McAdoo didn’t play him much because of this fight.

Three of the Giants receivers are out for the season—OBJ, Dwayne Harris and Brandon Marshall. These receivers are some of the best in the NFL, so to lose them is a huge loss for the Giants. However, they got these injuries in Week Five, when the Giants were 0–5. They won the following week with basically none of their star players. Nobody expected the Giants to win that game.

One of the happy surprises was that McAdoo decided to give up his

play-calling for the first game in his career. Play-calling is one of the jobs of the offensive coordinator, which McAdoo was two seasons ago before he was head coach. When he got the job of the head coach, he refused to give up play-calling, a move that was criticized by most of the fans, but since last season went so well for the Giants, nobody thought much of it. It is pretty rare for a team to go to the playoffs in their first year with a new head coach, but the Giants managed it last season. However, with the Giants going 0–5, he relinquished his control and gave it to offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan. Since the Giants won this game against the Broncos, it seems like that was a good move.

Francis Keane, Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) ’18, said, “[The Giants’] offensive line has not been good and I think that they have been playing better because they didn’t have OBJ or their other top wide receivers to rely on, so they had to focus on a stricter game plan and more of a ball distribution to different players rather than trying to rely on two

guys. I think there was almost a feeling of a safety net on offense and between that, the lack of an offensive line and a defense that couldn’t be relied on, it led to going 0–5.”

Gabby Longobardi, FCRH ’20, said, “I think they should consider playing and starting some of these rookies. If they don’t want to make them official starters then they should switch them out. At the end of the day, you want to win, so you need to put out the players that’ll help do that.”

Week Seven came and went with the Giants returning to the Meadowlands to face off against the Seattle Seahawks, who before the game, were 3–2. For the first half of the game, it was generally low-scoring, as the score was 7–3, with the Giants in the lead. However, in the second half, the Seahawks turned the tide and were able to bring the score to the final 24–7. A controversial touchdown pass has been highly talked about.

Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson threw a 38-yard pass to receiver Paul Richardson. However, Landon Collins, a Giants defensive player,

was covering him and it’s been highly disputed on whether or not he intercepted the ball. Both Collins and Coach McAdoo rewatched the clip and saw that, in their opinion, it was clearly an interception. Additionally, the receiver was out of bounds. However, a referee for the game said it was clearly a touchdown since Richardson lost possession, but then regained it before Collins got his hands on it.

It is unclear whether this touchdown being ruled an interception or even an incomplete pass would have changed the tide of the game. However, many bad play calls were clearly made, by both the Seahawks and the Giants, and many believe the Giants lost because of bad referee calls.

For Week Eight, the Giants fortunately had a bye week. Fans had hoped they would use this week as an opportunity to relax, regroup, and prepare for significant improvement. However, as Week Nine came and went, the Giants suffered a disappointing loss at home against the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chargers completely annihilated the Giants by a score of 51-17.

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Sports

November 16, 2017 THE OBSERVER

www.fordhamobserver.com

Rams Fall Short on Homecoming

By ANDREW DONCHAK Staff Writer

Rams old and new gathered together on Nov. 4 at Jack Coffey Field as Fordham University celebrated its 176th Homecoming in the Bronx.

The event serves many purposes: a time of remembrance for all the University’s proud alumni, a time of celebration for the seniors whose experience at Fordham is nearing its end and a time of excitement as the whole event centers around one football game. This year, that football game squared Fordham up against Holy Cross. It’s an annual matchup, and years of close competition and strong fan turnout on either side has arguably made the Crusaders our fiercest rival in the Patriot League. This year’s RamCrusader Cup match was no different, but the 42-20 Fordham loss capped off an event that did leave those travelling from Lincoln Center on the D Train or the friendly Ram Vans feeling underwhelmed.

The day started off like any other Homecoming. A sea of alumni and current undergraduate Rams filed into a massive tent, wherein burgers, hot dogs and coffee were made readily available. A mob swarmed around the understaffed and seemingly unprepared drink staff, where all Rams could freely exchange their purchased drink tickets for cups of beer or wine, as long as no one wanted anything during the actual game, or after the whole event had run dry (not ten minutes after halftime started).

Concessions notwithstanding, at 1 p.m. the Rams were as ready to take the field, or at least so they thought. On the sixth play of the game, graduate student and starting quarterback Kevin Anderson, GSAS ’18, was sacked and injured, coughing up the ball in the process while the Crusaders’ Nick McBeath jumped on the fumble and returned it 61 yards for the first score of the game. Anderson would return to

PAOLA JOAQUIN ROSSO/THE OBSERVER

The Fordham University football team lost at home to Holy Cross at this year’s Homecoming with a final score of 42-20.

the game after missing only a single three-and-out drive by backup Austin King, FCRH ’19, only to reaggravate his injury in the second quarter, leaving this match in the hands of King and fellow backup Luke Medlock,FCRH ’18.

With their starting quarterback out of the game, the Rams were forced to lean further on what has been their game plan all year: give the ball to All-American running back Chase Edmonds, FCRH ’18 and just let him go. As always, that’s exactly what he was ready to do. Two quick scores had the Rams up 14-7, and in the process Ed-

monds became the Patriot League’s all-time leading rusher, breaking the 5,621 yard mark set by former Colgate running back Jordan Scott.

By the end of the game, Edmonds had reached 5,677 yards, to go with his career 7,184 all-purpose yards, another Patriot League record.

Another Holy Cross score came late in the second quarter, and after a disappointing and beer-less halftime, thing just got worse for the Rams on the field. An interception and a failed 4th down conversion on Fordham’s first two drives of the half put them in a hole they wouldn’t find a way out of, falling

to a 42-14 score before a last minute touchdown on a pass from King to Hunter Harris, FCRH ‘21, (both recording their very first scores of the season on the play) gave Ram fans something to cheer about on their way back to Lincoln Center.

Joseph Longo, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’18, explained that “It was nice getting to see something like [the scoring play] right before heading back.

That will help to keep my mind off the loss.” Of course, even in the small victories the Fordham football squad hoped to take on their

way out of Jack Coffey Field, not everything worked out to plan: The final extra point attempt was blocked by Holy Cross’ Neil Vorster and fell short of the goalposts.

A fitting summation of the Ram’s season thus far, Fordham’s record sits at 3-7.

With only one more game to play this season, Fordham will look to right the ship and finish on the upswing Saturday Nov. 18th vs.

Bucknell, who have gone 5-5 on the season, and their 2-3 record during conference play matches that of our Rams.

Managing Your Way Around the Freshman 15

By LUKE OSBORN Contributing Writer

As our senior year of high school unfolded, questions of our futures constantly ran through our heads.

Will I make a lot of friends? Will it be really hard? Will I succumb to the Freshman 15?

College presents its first-year students with newfound autonomy from their parents—students can now decide what they want to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Moreover, freshmen Fordham students

move to a city with 24,000 restaurants, and the Community Dining Hall presents a buffet of food with a single swipe. To investigate the pervasiveness of the Freshman 15 at Fordham, three Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) freshmen gave their perspectives on the matter.

Emma Federer, FCLC ’21, describes the Freshman 15 as an outcome of the pressures the college experience presents to its first-year students.“I think there’s an expectation to be a healthy version of

yourself at all times. Especially in this time of transition where we’re away from home, when we are in control of what we’re eating, not our parents.” Federer then added, “We’re also trying to get good grades and have a social life, which social life is usually tied to food and not the healthiest of foods—especially since we’re college kids. So, it’s the weird expectations of trying to be healthy and also trying to enjoy [life] while we’re still young and not gain weight.” Life for a freshman college student can be chaotic, and fresh-

JUSTIN REBOLLO/THE OBSERVER

As an incoming freshman, controlling one’s diet can be a difficult task for residents and commuters alike.

men no longer have the ability to delegate their decision making to their parents. Therefore, some freshmen may sacrifice maintaining a healthy diet and exercise routine for the demands of school and friends.

Justin Cheesman, FCLC ’21, believes the dining hall contributed to the beginnings of his Freshman 15.

“When I’m at the dining hall or when I’m at the Ram Cafe, I tend to eat the fried things or a lot of protein, so the first month I noticed I felt heavier,” Cheesman said. In the first month of his college career, Cheesman was often drawn to the burgers, curly fries and pizza the Community Dining Hall has to offer. As time went on, he explained that he “did not feel nice,” so he started to exercise and limit the amount of unhealthy food he was eating. Cheesman believes that the key to fighting off the Freshman 15 is eating in moderation. “A lot of people do not know how much is enough.”

Patrick Hannaford, FCLC ’21, is determined lose weight his freshman year. Currently, Hannaford is experiencing the opposite of the Freshman 15. “I’ve actually lost five pounds since I got here,” he shared.

Consistency helps Hannaford keep the Freshman 15 at bay, for he tends to eat the same healthy options every breakfast, lunch and dinner. On top of maintaining an excellent diet, Hannaford said he “works out five or six days a week—minimum.” For the past four years, Hannaford has been determined to lose weight and has continued his streak of healthy eating and exercising habits into college.

Nonetheless, Hannaford does not think people should avoid comfort food altogether, but warns, “If

you had free pizza every time there was free pizza on campus, you would do the Freshman 30.” In terms of the meal plan, Patrick believes there is a good balance between healthy and comfort food. With the autonomy of college life, choosing healthy food over tasty unhealthy options becomes a harder decision to make.

All three of the freshmen interviewees saw the Freshman 15 as an imminent danger they and their peers were facing, but what does scholarly literature have to say about the prevalence of the Freshman 15?

Charles L. Baum II of Middle Tennessee State University analyzed the weight changes in nearly 9,000 college-aged individuals across the United States to determine if the Freshman 15 is a reality. Baum found that college students tend to gain the most weight during their freshman year, and both males and females gain more weight during this time period than young adults not attending college.

Although these students gained weight, on average they gained less than 15 pounds. After graduating, however, these former students weighed 12 pounds less than those that did not attain a college degree.

Thus, those holding a college degree were less likely to be obese. Even though the Freshman 15 plagues some first year Fordham students, it is likely that the little weight a freshman gains this year will not matter in the long run. College will likely present freshmen with healthier avenues that will foster long lasting healthy lifestyles. However, in college, it is important to stay healthy and that can come in all shapes and sizes.