March 29, 2019

THE GATEPOST Framingham State’s independent student newspaper March 29, 2019

Volume 87 • Issue 19

FSUgatepost.com

FSU celebrates Women’s History Month with Women Making History Now ceremony

By Lauren Paolini Staff Writer

Ashley Wall / THE GATEPOST Framingham Mayor Yvonne Spicer and FSU President F. Javier Cevallos greet each other at the Women Making History Now ceremony.

Civil rights activist John Lewis to give undergraduate commencement address

By Nadira Wicaksana News Editor Rep. John Lewis, the U.S. representative for Georgia’s fifth congressional district, will address Framingham State’s undergraduate class of 2019 during the May 26 commencement.

Lewis is a renowned figure from the U.S. civil rights movement, having worked with other prominent

leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Stokely Carmichael. He was a member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and is known as one of the “Big Six” leaders of the movement.

In 2010, Lewis was awarded the Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor, by President Barack Obama.

FSU President F. Javier Cevallos notified the campus community

via email on Feb. 27, saying he was “thrilled” to give the news.

Cevallos said in the email, “Statistics show that incidents of hate are on the rise nationwide and, as you all know, our campus has not been immune to this disturbing trend. I can think of no one more qualified to bring a message of peaceful resistance, inspiration, and hope to our graduates.”

See JOHN LEWIS page 5

Brothers in twine

The journey of men’s lacrosse at Framingham State

By Liam Gambon Asst. Sports Editor Despite not being recognized as an official University sport, Framingham’s men’s lacrosse club team still practices until they are kicked out of the gym or it’s pitch black outside.

After years with too few players on the team, men’s lacrosse has remained outside the list of official

News

varsity sports at Framingham State.

However, when David Roche took over as the head coach for the team last year, things started trending upwards.

Netminder Alex Drake said, “I started my freshman year on this team. We had no subs for games and most people played the whole game.

Now, two years later, the first practice came around and we had three times the number of people playing

Opinions

than we did in the last two years.

Drake added, “It’s been exciting to see the team grow in size and community. After my freshman year we got a new coach that cares about the players and knows the game very well.”

Roche said, “When I took over the program in February 2018, we had very few returning players. For many

See MEN’S LACROSSE page 18

Arts & Features

The fourth annual Women Making History Now event honored six recipients with awards, recognizing them as strong women making their mark in history March 25.

The six nominees were Margareth Basilio Shepard, Amy Brown, Audrey Hall, Ayanna Pressley, Patricia Sánchez-Connally, and Courtney Thraen.

Attendees gathered to celebrate Women’s History Month and the accomplishments of women in the community. The event was attended by President F. Javier Cevallos, Framingham Mayor Yvonne Spicer, and friends and family of the nominees.

Millie Gonzalez, interim chief officer of diversity, inclusion, and community engagement, welcomed the crowd in her opening remarks.

“We are privileged to welcome to Framingham State six dedicated and exemplary women and their families,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez then welcomed Cevallos to the stage, where he thanked attendees for coming and congratulated the six award winners.

Cevallos said that four years ago, this awards ceremony was just “a glimmer of hope” and he is glad that the tradition has continued.

“One of the things we have been working really hard on in the last few years is making Framingham State not that little tower on the hill, but part of the community. … This is one of those absolutely wonderful days in the year when we come together as a community to celebrate the achievements of these incredible awardees,” Cevallos said.

Each of the six award winners was nominated and introduced by a member of the FSU community.

The first recipient of the award was Margareth Basilio Shepard. She is an advocate for the Brazilian community in Framingham and became City Councilor in 2017.

Shepard’s experience in the MetroWest and Boston communities includes assisting people with citizenship and DACA applications, and serving as both a town meeting member and commissioner for the MetroWest Commission on the Status of Women.

Shepard took the stage in the Forum to thank everyone for her award. She addressed the crowd by advocating for the combination of the best parts of Brazilian culture and the best aspects

See WOMEN MAKING HISTORY page 13

Sports

SUITABLE SOLUTIONS pg. 3

TO MASK OVER A MANIFESTO pg. 7

“US” MOVIE REVIEW pg. 11

SOFTBALL pg. 17

PROVOST CANDIDATE pg. 4

LETTER TO THE EDITOR pg. 9

NEW INCA SON pg. 12

BASEBALL pg. 19

INSIDE: OP/ED 6 • ARTS & FEATURES 10 • SPORTS 16

NEWS

2 | MARCH 29, 2019

Gatepost Interview

Editorial Board

Stephanie Crane

Editor-in-Chief Bailey Morrison Associate Editors Corey McFeeley Jillian Poland News Editor Nadira Wicaksana Arts & Features Editor Tessa Jillson Asst. Arts & Features Editors Brennan Atkins Robert Johnson Jr. Entertainment Correspondent Noah Barnes Opinions Editor Lizzy Stocks Sports Editor Matt Ferris Asst. Sports Editor Liam Gambon Design Editor Cara McCarthy Asst. Design Editor Kathleen Moore Photos Editor Ashley Wall Asst. Photos Editor Donald Halsing Copy Editor Gordon Rupert Asst. Copy Editor Jared Graf Staff Writers Mikael Brown Evan Lee Jon Lee Tom Maye Kayla Otten Lauren Paolini Patrick Peterson Sara Senesac Carlos Silva Julian Vazquez Caeley Whalen Staff Copy Editors Jordan Bacci Caroline Lee Staff Photographers Ryan Feinblatt Staff Illustrator Nicholas Carlson Advisor Dr. Desmond McCarthy Assistant Advisor Elizabeth Banks Administrative Assistant Gwenyth Swain 100 State Street McCarthy Center Room 410 Framingham, MA 01701-9101 Phone: (508) 626-4605 Fax: (508) 626-4097 gatepost@framingham.edu

Associate Director of Residence Life

By Jillian Poland Associate Editor

is be police officers and curb behavior, because I would put that way low on the list of what Residence Life is actually here for.

We are obviously going to uphold the rules and make sure there’s not chaos, but at the same time, the biggest thing is creating that community and helping people find their place within the residence hall and within the college itself.

What is your educational and professional background?

I have a bachelor’s degree from Hartwick College in New York in psychology. … Then, I have a master’s degree in education with a concentration in higher education and student development from the University of Maine. I have been working professionally in Residence Life for eight years. I was an RA in college, and then when I was in grad school, I worked as a graduate resident director, and then I was a hall director, and then I was an associate director of Residence Education [at Becker College], and now I have the same title.

What drew you to FSU? There are actually quite a few people that I have worked with who have either worked at FSU or have a connection with FSU and always spoke really highly of it and loved the institution. Then, when I saw the job posting - it was a fantastic opportunity. When I came for my on-campus interview, it was actually everything they said it was, which you don’t always get when you go to campus. The tour guide, who was an RA, showed me around - everyone stopped and talked to him and they said “hi” to me and they didn’t even know who I was. It was just this great friendly environment that has pretty much carried over throughout my one month here. …

And it’s a great opportunity to work on a larger scale in Residence Life. This program is a lot bigger than the one that I’m coming from, and I can really have more of an impact on a larger student population.

What motivated you to become involved in Residence Life?

I think it was my experience my freshman year in college. I struggled to transition. They usually say there’s two reasons you get into Residence Life: you either had a great RA or you had a really bad one. And I had a really bad RA, who was the opposite of helpful. … And I didn’t want people to have the same experience that I had, so I started down the RA path. That’s where I met my best friends in college and found my community, which was really great. …

As I progressed through, I’m still really passionate about the different transitions

Jillian Poland / THE GATEPOST and think there can be a great impact in the residence hall on finding a community and finding your place here.

What is your favorite part about working in Residence Life?

For me, especially now being a little higher up the food chain in Residence Life, for me it really is the RAs. I don’t get to know students as much on a one-to-one basis, but I still have the opportunity to connect with the RA staff and work with them to make sure that the residential experience is great. … It’s the students in general, too. It’s always fun to get to know people. I get to know a handful of students every year, which is really fun and great.

It keeps me motivated and energized, and it keeps me in touch with what is hip and cool. … And it’s fun. No day is the same, so you can’t beat it.

What is the most difficult part of working in Residence Life?

I think the biggest challenges are sometimes overcoming the things you don’t have any control over. So, whether it is a building that might need to be rehabbed - I mean, we have beautiful facilities here at Framingham State - but sort of helping to create that community in a building that perhaps isn’t as popular or people may feel like maybe they got stuck there, that they’re not supposed to be there. I think that can be a challenge. … Also getting over the stigma that all we are here to do

Police Logs

What are your hobbies?

I’m about to become a super-duper homeowner, so DIY projects. I’m obsessed with Pinterest right now and finding DIY projects. I’ve decided I can make a porch out of pallets, which, I’ll let you know how that goes. I’m an avid reader. … And he’s not a hobby, but my pride and joy - I have a 35-pound labradoodle, so he’s my little dude. I like walking with him and going on hikes and just enjoying being outside.

What’s one book you would recommend for college students?

To be quite honest, I’m not a big fan of the self-help genre because I’m a pretty cynical person at the heart of it. I honestly think the best books to read are sometimes unrelated to what it is you’re studying. And sometimes being able to take a book and use it as an escape - so maybe it is reading something like “The Martian” or, I don’t know, those silly “Divergent” books. Taking something that just allows you to escape and think about something completely unrelated because it gives your brain a rest and gives you time to recharge.

What advice would you give FSU students?

Take advantage of everything - there are amazing opportunities - and to take a minute to go outside your comfort zone.

I would recommend everyone take some sort of study abroad trip, whether that’s a J-term trip going to India, or I know there’s an Ireland trip in the summer for two weeks. Taking some time to get outside of this bubble and explore the world because you’re going to maybe not have the same opportunities moving forward, so take advantage of everything and just gobble everything up. Say “yes” more than you say “no.”

CONNECT WITH JILLIAN POLAND jpoland@student.framingham.edu

Tuesday, March 26 20:51 Medical O’Connor Hall Transported

Wednesday, March 27 08:30 Alarm (Fire/Smoke) Larned Hall Checks OK

Wednesday, March 27 14:00 Investigation McCarthy Center Report Taken

Thursday, March 28 11:06 Suspicous Activity McCarthy Center Advised

Tuesday, March 26 23:04 Found Property FSU Police Dept.

Report Taken

Wednesday, March 27 13:13 Animal Complaint Jonathan Maynard Building Animal Control Notified

Thursday, March 28 10:22 Down (Tree/Wire) River St @ Union Ave Notified NSTAR

Thursday, March 28 13:56 Parking Complaint Towers Hall Fire Lane Citation Issued

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

NEWS

MARCH 29, 2019 | 3

New SGA positions created before elections occur

By Donald Halsing Editorial Staff Vice President Matty Bennet guided the senate through proposed changes to SGA’s constitution at the senate meeting March 26.

Bennet chairs SGA’s Constitution Committee, which examines and proposes changes to the constitution and bylaws.

He proposed the committee could fix “grammatical issues” in the documents without bringing those issues to the senate floor. “There’s a lot of small stuff that I don’t think necessarily warrants coming to a full senate meeting,” said Bennet.

President Ben Carrington reminded the senate the constitution clarifies the difference between revisions and amendments. It says, “All changes to grammar and/or punctuation shall be considered a revision, and all other changes shall be considered amendments.”

The first change seen by the senate was in Article IV. This change added the language “at the same time” to a

sentence that otherwise read, “No member of the Executive Branch shall hold a Senate seat.”

Bennet said the change was intended to “make it clear that when you’re on eBoard, you are unable to be part of the senate.”

Senate voted on the change, which passed unanimously as presented.

The second change seen was in Article V. This change included restructuring the responsibilities of the Class and Club Treasurer and the Social Events Coordinator, and eventually eliminating them to create two new positions - the “Outreach and Events Coordinator” and the “Publicist and Recruitment Coordinator.”

The Outreach and Events Coordinator would arrange the Class and Club Account’s balance, SGA’s fundraising efforts, Fall Retreat, the All-University Banquet, and SGA’s presence at all University-wide events. They would also appoint the chair of the Benevolence Committee.

The Publicist and Recruitment Coordinator would maintain SGA’s website and social media, publicize all

Ashley Wall / THE GATEPOST SGA eBoard members review the new constitution of the organization.

Ashley Wall / THE GATEPOST SGA Vice President Matty Bennet explains proposed changes to the constitution.

SGA meetings and events, represent SGA on campus, “spearhead all SGA recruitment efforts,” and assist both SGA eBoard members, as well as clubs and organizations, with publicity efforts.

Bennet said the two new positions would help “foster relationships throughout the community.”

Members of SGA then discussed further details regarding the new positions.

Social Events Coordinator Matt O’Sullivan asked, with regards to the Outreach and Events Coordinator, “Where would the discretion come between a social event and a fundraiser, funding wise?”

Bennet said, “That person, in that role, would have to be aware that fundraising money has to come from Class and Club and not from SATF.” He added, “Both fundraising and hosting events is in the same vein of

the idea that it is an outreach, not an insular, position.”

Although senators raised questions, Bennet said, “The reason that we’re looking at these positions is because we need to decide this for elections, which are coming up - which is why it’s vital that something gets passed tonight.

“We can always amend the scope of the job, but as long as the job exists, it can be on the ballot,” he added.

Changes to Article V were passed pending amendments from the Constitution Committee.

Bennet said the changes were proposed to make it the constitution “work a little bit better with the direction that we see this organization going in.”

CONNECT WITH DONALD HALSING dhalsing@student.framingham.edu

FSU students can suit up this spring thanks to MutualOne grant

By Nadira Wicaksana News Editor FSU’s Suitable Solutions program will run in the spring for the first time because of a $6,555 grant from the MutualOne Charitable Foundation.

According to Wendy Davis, office manager of Career Services and Employer Relations (CSER), Suitable Solutions usually only runs in the fall, but with the grant from MutualOne, awarded Jan. 29, the office can run the program again in the spring without the need for funding from other sources.

Suitable Solutions is an initiative founded in 2015 by the CSER office to assist students with acquiring professional attire and perfecting soft skills for future careers.

According to the office’s director, Dawn Ross, the program supports 50 students during the fall and will be able to support 25 students this spring semester.

Davis said Ross started the program

after noticing many students coming into CSER were having trouble with interviewing skills and dressing the part.

“She took notice that students didn’t always have the professional attire to go on interviews, so she created a fund,” Davis said.

The program provides students with a $50 check they can use at TJX brand companies, which also foots part of the cost of clothing.

This spring, Ross and Davis said they partnered with Macy’s, which will give students a higher allowance of $100 for clothes.

“It’s been a huge success,” Davis said, “thanks to Dawn.”

Davis added despite the benefits of the program, it’s “costly” to run at a price tag of $6,500 - which includes money for workplace attire and a “Mocktail Mixer,” an event where students and company representatives can interact in a professional setting.

“Some students have gotten jobs just because of the mixer,” she said.

There is also a STEM Fair that stu-

dents are required to attend, regardless of major, according to Davis. “It’s not only science-based - there are people from human resources, accounting departments. It’s science-based companies, but all different jobs are represented.”

She added, “It’s like speed dating!

They’ll go from table to table, talking to many different employers.”

Davis said students are also required to attend the Spring Job and Internship Fair, which occurred on March 26.

CSER incorporates part of the cost of running the program in the fall into its budget, while the rest comes from Enterprise Holdings and TJX. Davis said Ross and other members of CSER sat down with Mark Haranas, the president of MutualOne, who is also an alum of Framingham State.

“She [Dawn] found out MutualOne an amazing community partner - does charitable grants. So, Dawn filled out the grant application, and we got it!”

Davis said.

She added, “The result was just thrilling!”

Junior Kiara Davis, employed by CSER through a work-study program, said this semester will be her third time participating in Suitable Solutions.

“It’s definitely given me a jump start on networking and the career path in general,” Kiara Davis said.

She added, “It’s a program that really directs you on how to do everything that you need to do - resumes, interviewing, everything. It’s kind of like a career coach for a lot of people, and that’s really supportive as well.”

Ross said Suitable Solutions is “an outstanding program that helps students develop valuable networking and professional skills that are important for landing a good job or internship.”

She added, “I’m so glad we are able to offer these types of services to our community through [CSER], and I’m grateful to MutualOne for its generous support of the effort.”

CONNECT WITH NADIRA WICAKSANA nwicaksana@student.framingham.edu

FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM

NEWS

4 | MARCH 29, 2019

Provost candidate emphasizes importance of administrators’ ‘transparency’ and ‘communication’ with campus community

By Bailey Morrison Editor-in-Chief Angela Salas, associate vice chancellor of academic affairs at Indiana University Southeast, discussed the importance of supporting faculty and transparency in university policies at an open forum March 25.

Salas, one of the three candidates in consideration for the position of provost and vice president of academic affairs, obtained a Ph.D. in English from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She is also the founding director of Indiana University Southeast’s honors program.

Previously, she taught English at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

During an open forum for the campus community, Salas said, “I can already tell this campus is welcoming.

Students actually look you in the eye and say, ‘Hello.’”

Community members were given time to ask Salas questions about her potential role as provost.

Jon Huibregtse, history professor, asked Salas why she transitioned from teaching to academic affairs.

Salas said she noticed communication between the administration and faculty members was not streamlined.

“I like a challenge. I am able to take certain burdens away from faculty members because … I go and find the information they need and trouble [them] as little as possible.”

She said her responsibility is to “lighten the load” of the faculty members “so they can do their jobs. That’s why they are here.”

Virginia Rutter, professor of sociology and member of the Massachusetts State College Association bargaining team, asked Salas to elaborate on the role of provost in “repairing” the relationship between faculty and administration following “three years without a raise for faculty and librarians and two years without a funded contract.”

Rutter asked, “What do you envision doing to repair this environment of dis

trust?”

Salas said, “The first thing would be to actually address it.”

She said there isn’t a “formula” for rebuilding the relationship, but that it begins with “honest conversations” about the expectations of both faculty and administrators. “It’s almost a blessing to have someone come in from the outside. They are a blank piece of paper.”

She added, “I’m emotionally entangled in justice and fairness and in everyone getting a fair shot. But it’s not about getting you to like me. … The first and best thing is to acknowledge that thing - that we have a problem.”

Salas said she works from a model of “building from the end. What do you want the outcome to be? If we can collectively decide where we want to end up, we work from there.”

Salas also addressed faculty concerns regarding diversifying campus policy and academic decisions.

Lina Rincón, sociology professor, said the University is in its “infancy” regarding implementing diversity initiatives

Donald Halsing / THE GATEPOST Angela Salas, candidate for provost, answers questions from the audience.

“We hold this valuable endeavor in common trust.”

- Angela Salas, provost candidate

and asked how Salas planned to ensure diversity is at the forefront of policy and academic decision making in her role as provost.

Salas said, “We hold this valuable endeavor in common trust. We would move from there. … We would need to have some conversations about what must feel like a profound rupture in some peoples’ vision of Framingham State. We can only have a sense of moving forward if we can see where people are disagreeing with each other.”

She said the most important part of fostering diversity is following the lead of community members who “have a sense of urgency for change” and supporting those missions. She said, “We are all stakeholders in this,” and the entire community is responsible for “cultivating” change.

A student forum was held the same day, but due to lack of advertising, only three students attended.

Ben Carrington, SGA president, asked Salas to talk about an accomplishment in her career.

Salas discussed her university’s goal to bolster retention of first year students. “If you don’t manage to get from the beginning of your studies to your end, it’s an unmitigated problem.”

She said, “We were able to bring the issues to faculty and departments as necessary.” She discussed how the team she led was able to reconfigure “gateway classes” that were causing students to drop out after failing the course.

She said, “I’m proud that my colleagues in two different departments were able to create co-requisite courses” that allowed struggling students an opportunity to persist through the first year.

Salas is the first of four candidate visits to campus. The next open forum will be held April 3 at 1:30 p.m in DPAC.

CONNECT WITH BAILEY MORRISON bmorrison1@student.framingham.edu

Club Meeting Times Monday Art Club, 1:30 pm, May Hall 407 Education Club, 1:30 pm, MC 413 Nutrition Club, 1:30 pm, HH 219 Wildlife Club, 1:30 pm, HA 325 Gatepost, 6:30 pm, MC 410 Dance Team, 6:30 pm, Aerobics Room MISS, 7 pm, CIE, O’Connor 120A Math Club (every other week), 4:30 pm, HH 402 Tuesday Equestrian Club, 4:30 pm, MC 413 Hilltop Players, 6:30 pm, HA 136 Pride Alliance, 6:30 pm, MC 413 Black Student Union, 7 pm, CIE, O’Connor 120A SGA, 7:30 pm, Alumni Room Young Democrats Association, 7 pm, MC 520 Wednesday History Club, 1:30 pm, May Hall 111B

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

Wednesday, continued SUAB, (2nd & 4th Wednesday of each month), 6:30 pm, Club Room 1, MC 413 Fashion Club, 7 pm , HH 218 LUNA, 7 pm, CIE, O’Connor 120A IGNITE (every other week), 7:30 pm, MC 520 Thursday Gatepost, 6:30 pm, MC 410 Onyx, 6:30 pm, May Hall 213 African Student Association, 7 pm, North Commons Afro Carribean Dance Group, 7 pm, Aerobics Room Anime Club, 7:45 pm, WL 221 & 222 Brother 2 Brother Meetings, 8pm, CIE, O’Connor 120A Friday E-Sports, 6 pm, HA 534 Gaming Club, 12 pm, MC 413 Medical Awareness (every other week), 2:30 pm, MC 520 Sunday Symphonic Band, 6 pm, DPAC

NEWS

MARCH 29, 2019 | 5

John Lewis Continued from pg. 1 Both Cevallos and Linda VadenGoad, provost and vice president for academic affairs, said Lewis history and prominence in the civil rights movement make him an appropriate speaker choice.

In the wake of the recent string of racial hate crimes on campus, administrators believe Lewis address will provide a positive message for the FSU community.

Lewis will also receive an honorary doctoral degree for public service during the ceremony.

According to Vaden-Goad, education professor emerita Diane Lowe will be delivering the graduate commencement speech.

Vaden-Goad is the chair of the Commencement Speaker Advisory Committee, which elects the speakers for the ceremony in May. She said she is “delighted” to have served on it for the past nine years.

She said of the selection process, “We work by a set of bylaws that establishes the membership on the Commencement Speakers Committee. The full committee begins to meet as soon as the graduating class officers are selected by the students.”

She added the committee includes the student officers of the class of 2019, Pamela Edrehi of the FSU Alumni Association, and Director of Communications Dan Magazu, as well as faculty and staff on different governance and advisory committees.

Magazu said, “It’s a nice mix of folks across campus.”

Vaden-Goad said, “We work for most of the year, first discussing

Courtesy of Lawrence Jackson / obamawhitehouse.archive.gov President Barack Obama awards Rep. John Lewis the 2010 Medal of Freedom. themes that are especially meaningful to this class, nominating possible speakers, surveying the graduating student body - this is done by the students - discussing the outcomes, and ranking the top five.”

The next steps, she added, are then making these recommendations to Cevallos and sending out invitations to the chosen speakers.

Cevallos wrote in the email, “I would like to thank members of our Commencement Speaker Advisory Committee for their work in selecting another outstanding speaker to provide our undergraduate commencement address.”

Vaden-Goad said, “The members of the committee take their work

very seriously and I believe each year ... we have selected top speakers that are good fits with our themes.

“Our students’ values and engagement drive the selections that are made, and I am so proud of our students here at FSU for their seriousness and commitment to building a better world.”

According to Vaden-Goad, the themes of this year’s class are “empowerment, social justice, and service to others.”

Cevallos said in a Feb. 27 FSU press release, “As a leader during the civil rights movement, and a voice for the vulnerable and oppressed during his more than 30 years in the House of Representatives, Con-

gressman Lewis is a true inspiration to our students, faculty, and staff.”

He added, “I can think of no one else more qualified to show our graduates what it means to live a life that is dedicated to doing good for others.”

Cevallos said in an email, “Congressman Lewis has dedicated his life to the fight for civil rights for all Americans. I’d strongly encourage any of our students who are unfamiliar with the Congressman’s life story to look him up. I think you will quickly see just what an honor it is for the University to host him.”

CONNECT WITH NADIRA WICAKSANA nwicaksana@student.framingham.edu

FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM

OP/ED

6 | MARCH 29, 2019

OP/ED Fighting games are the ‘Easy Mac’ of video gaming

By Robert Johnson Jr. Editorial Staff OK, let’s get this fact out of the way, college students - you do not have time to play long video games anymore.

Back when you were in middle and high school, you could play through “Mass Effect 2” and its sequel in the same seven-day week, and it would barely nick your academic positionality.

Sure, you’d be putting a little more time to playing games than doing your homework, but at least you had fun, right?

Right.

Unfortunately, as you dive deeper into the five-layer burrito that is the college experience, and as you get further involved with extracurricular activities, you start to lose that time very quickly, as I have learned the hard way.

That said, there’s just no time for long-term games.

However, do not fret - there is a way to scratch that itch. Fighting games have been in the spotlight, as of late, and, let me tell you, that spotlight is very bright.

“Mortal Kombat 11” is almost here, “Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid” is the talk of Tokusatsu fans on social media, and the Fighting Game Community’s (FGC) push into the Esports ecosystem is staggering, to say the least.

You, too, can get in on all this fun.

The fighting game genre is a unique art, and, yes, it greatly deviates from your first-person shooters, MOBAs, and battle royales of the day, but it is also a quick one to get into.

First, let’s talk about the accessibility of the

hobby - fighting games have, despite the vitriol they get from more “old school” players, become easier to get into, with simple controls and intuitive methods to help a new player out.

“Dragon Ball FighterZ,” “Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid,” and “BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle” have this element of “easy to learn, hard to master” to them, and those games can bring new players in and reward those who continue to hone their skills in the long term.

If you have a background in the “Super Smash Bros.” games, your fundamentals of movement and defense can also be of use in mainline fighting games.

The FGC is also quite the helpful bunch many people, like me, are willing to help you out, especially with the collective found on campus. They always want new players to get into their “brand,” so to speak, and it builds a sense of community and comradery among friends.

However, what makes this hobby beautiful, and this is the main point here, is how fast they are. One could call it the “Easy Mac of video games,” if you wanted to.

Fighting game matches could last three or five minutes, and could go longer or shorter, dependent of skill, but those few minutes could be the most fulfilling moments you can spend with a game. With the right friends, learning a fighting game can be a fun, and occasionally heartwarming, experience.

So, don’t worry about getting one of those fancy fight sticks. If you have a game console and a controller, you can get into one of the finest gaming genres out there. That, and your schoolwork and grades will possibly thank you for it.

Get ready for the next battle.

Have an opinion?

Feel free to email it to: gatepost@framingham.edu Opinions should be about 500 words.

Anyone can submit.

We look forward to hearing from you! @TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

THE GATEPOST EDITORIAL

We need great leaders In the wake of the murder of 50 worshippers at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern took swift action and banned all types of semi-automatic weapons and assault rifles, such as the ones used during the shooting.

The shooter wrote and released a manifesto rampant with Islamophobic and white supremacist ideology. The shooting, which he livestreamed on Facebook, was viewed over 4,000 times.

And so with a few clicks, the murder of 50 people was sensationalized and will be immortalized on the internet forever.

Though it’s been over two decades since New Zealand last updated their national gun laws, it took one mass shooting and three days for Ardern to do so. It never should have taken 50 deaths to prompt change, but the swift response is admirable.

The government is even working to repossess the nowbanned weapons and repay all citizens who turn them in. The government will be footing the $100 to $200 million cost. The country’s citizens have overwhelmingly supported this move.

This seems to be the response across the globe when mass shootings occur - the government wastes no time in taking action to regulate the weapons that caused such devastation.

But there is one glaring exception.

Our own country has been wrestling with a simple measure to pass universal background checks for gun purchases - something already supported by 90 percent of Americans, according to Gallup.

Our country cannot even come to an agreement to prevent guns from being put into the hands of violent offenders or those with severe mental illnesses.

The government in New Zealand understands that no price is too great when it comes to protecting its citizens.

Time after time, the U.S. finds itself mourning the deaths of its citizens following a mass shooting, yet in the last 20 years, there have been no major gun reforms to stem the tide of senseless violence.

In 2017, more school-aged U.S. children were killed by firearms than on-duty police officers and active duty military stationed across the world, according to a 2019 study by Florida Atlantic University’s Schmidt College of Medicine.

In cases of gun violence, our leadership would rather Tweet “thoughts and prayers” than enact meaningful legislation that would allow children to live long enough to see their high school graduation.

The delicacy and poise with which Ardern and the entirety of the New Zealand government responded to the tragedy is notable in contrast with to our own nation’s leadership.

When Ardern met with survivors of the shooting, she donned a hijab to show support and respect. Further, she has offered to cover the cost of every funeral and provide financial support to all survivors.

Following the Tree of Life shooting in the U.S., Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto urged President Donald Trump not to attend the city’s grieving ceremony - but he still did. What does it say about a president that his presence alone was so unwelcome at a time of pain and suffering?

His presence was merely a painful reminder of the lax gun laws that allowed for a shooting like that to happen.

A reminder of the bill that Trump reversed in 2017 - one that made it harder for mentally ill citizens to obtain gun licenses.

A reminder of the fear-mongering tactics he so famously employs to galvanize the base that supports him so unflinchingly that he once claimed, “I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, OK, and I wouldn’t lose any voters.”

Presidents are more than policy pushers - great leaders can provide solace and understanding in the wake of tragedy.

Great leaders use compassion to help the grieving and unite nations.

The U.S. deserves a great leader.

When our children are being gunned down in schools and our religious are murdered in their houses of worship, we need a great leader.

We must actively fight back against hatred in all its forms and curb the availability of guns so where hatred exists, it has no violent outlet.

But we must demand a true leader to guide the way, one who will display compassion and condemn violence as Ardern has done.

Let’s hope our nation votes for one in 2020.

OP/ED

MARCH 29, 2019 | 7

To mask over a manifesto

By Evan Lee Staff Writer Fifty people were left dead, and 50 more were injured after a gunman livestreamed himself shooting worshippers at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand earlier this month.

It was a sickening massacre which “can now only be described as a terrorist attack,” according to the country’s prime minister, Jacinda Ardern.

And it is one that has prompted an immediate push to purge all shared copies of the obscene livestream, as well as censor writings of the accused terrorist - Brenton Tarrant.

The most prominent of which being his manifesto.

It’s a lengthy piece, strewn with cold-hearted sarcasm, that, among other tirades, details a radical “ethno-nationalist” future which Tarrant strives to establish - and is the basis of the ideology which led him to kill.

Unsurprisingly, both the manifesto and its corresponding livestream have been banned from public view in New Zealand. The country’s chief censor, David Shanks, has classified them as “objectionable” speech.

Being an issue of speech, however, Shanks’ decision has also unsurprisingly faced criticism. Free speech advocates are specifically concerned over whether censorship of the manifesto has gone too far, according to AP News.

However, Shanks defended his decision in a press release, saying the work “crosses the line.”

“It promotes, encourages and justifies acts of murder and terrorist violence against identified groups of people,” he said.

Therefore, it is nothing more than “terrorist promotional material,” in his eyes.

And, after having read parts of the manifesto, I am obliged to agree.

As a person of mixed race and ethnicity, I found it personally offensive as I’m part of one those identified

groups of people which the manifesto seeks to terrorize.

Being half-white, the manifesto labels me an “invader” of pure white society and a participant in a so-called “white genocide.” Therefore, it makes me an enemy of the white race who must be killed.

It is truly an absurd piece of literature.

That said, I do not believe it poses much of a threat to the general public, other than leaving them with a sense of disgust.

Its ideology is extreme to the point

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that it is unlikely to be receptive to anyone other than those who already hold Tarrant’s views.

But, with his terrorist attack still fresh in the minds of many, including those sympathetic to his cause, is it plausible that a sympathizer could be motivated enough by his manifesto to commit another act of terror?

It’s a potential that leads me to side with the decision to censor the manifesto, at least for the time being.

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8 | MARCH 29, 2019

OP/ED

An open letter to evil

By Gordon Rupert Editorial Staff

Slut shaming

By Kay Ann Staff Writer OK guys. I’m mad, so let’s jump right in to this week’s topic.

Sluts.

And no, I’m not here to call women out for being promiscuous I’m here to ask why we still use this barbaric term and why we, as a society, still shame women for their sexual choices.

Let’s dive a bit into the history of sexual shame - it all starts with religion.

In most religious texts, from the Bible to the Qur’an, women are damned for their sexuality, literally. In ancient biblical cultures men were considered to be superior to women and were always placed in positions of power or ownership over them.

This is evident by the custom of fathers selling their daughters to men as wives, and the husbands would then have total control over the wife. Women were seen as objects to be bought, sold, used, and disposed of as men pleased. Luckily, this practice of fathers selling their daughters isn’t widely practiced in the U.S. anymore, but it has continued in other countries.

Also, in the U.S. we have that thing that happens at wedding when the father of the bride quite literally gives her hand to her husband. What’s that called again?

Oh yeah.

“Giving the bride away.”

But let’s get back to ancient times.

A woman was expected to be virginal and pure so that the man she was sold to would be the one to “deflower” her. Gross. And if a woman was seen as impure, either because she had sex, was accused of having sex, or was raped - she would be cast out of her home and forced to live on the street or even murdered by her family for disgracing them.

Yes. If you were raped, you were murdered by your family.

So, what does that have to do with today, you ask? Well, I’ll tell you. We still shame women for their sexuality and praise men for theirs. We are still using these same practices, just sneakily.

If a man sleeps with three people in a week, he’s some sort of testosterone-filled sex god, but if a woman has three partners in a month, we think she’s a disgusting troll with no standards.

A slut.

Calling a woman a slut perpetuates the idea that a woman’s worth is tied to how many people she sleeps with. I hear women being called sluts for the way they dress, and just this week, I overheard a man refer to a girl’s lipstick as “slut red” while conversing with his friend. I’m an art major. That’s not a real shade name.

And women are guilty of slut shaming, too. We call other women derogatory names when we don’t approve of the way they present themselves, and that’s just not cool. Let women do whatever they want.

People can do whatever they please with their bodies and should not have to apologize for it. Ever. Women don’t need a man’s approval or permission to do whatever they want.

We are never going to stop hearing the word “slut” shouted at us, so I propose we make the definition more accurate. A slut is a person who does whatever they want with their body and doesn’t care who approves. A slut can have as many or as few orgasms as she wants. A slut can wear nothing or cover herself completely.

It’s time to redefine the word “slut” as someone who doesn’t care how she is perceived and does what she wants with her body.

[Editor’s note: Due to the unfortunate stigma surrounding women discussing sex, the author of this column has requested to use the pseudonym “Kay Ann.”]

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

Every April 1 we celebrate the farce that is April Fool’s Day - a dedication to sadism, internet hoaxes, and societal hazing.

Let’s first take our focus on the sadistic aspect of April Fool’s Day by looking at the prominence of targeting those most trusting of others - children.

The dedication towards tricking children, particularly small children, the pure antagonism and betrayal of trust rampant in this “holiday,” of the next generation is deplorable.

From feeding innocent younglings vegetables covered in chocolate, to fake bills of sale claiming to send the children back to the cabbage farms or coal mines from where they were picked from, the actions of parents on this cursed day readily display the eagerness of human beings to revel in “innocent” cruelty, even to their own flesh and blood.

These sadistic activities are nothing less then a society-wide promotion of hazing, perpetrated every year, with challengers to the tradition being decried as “stick-in-the-muds” or “Gordon sit-alone-no-funs.”

Any other time of the year, saran wrapping toilets and waking others up with the sound of a chainsaw would be considered a toxic side effect of a hazing culture.

Not only is this sort of thing encouraged on April Fools, it has become and internet-wide phenomenon, with nearly every company on Twitter making some outrageous statement.

This is incompatible with the constantly connected world we live in,

where the news cycle is 24 hours, and a new, supposedly life changing, story is both constantly appearing, and often outrageous.

Within the past month, major, well-respected news organizations, have run stories such as “Man Inadvertently Proves That Hipsters Look Alike By Mistaking Photo As Himself” (NPR), “Man lost in snow for five days survived on Taco Bell sauce packets” (Fox News), and “Facebook apologizes after mistaking Trump social media director for a bot” (CNN).

With stories like this being real, and internet hoaxes being propagated almost weekly, it’s not unreasonable that stories written for April Fool’s Day would be seen as real and probable causes for anxiety and paranoia for those who hadn’t yet realized that April Fool’s Day makes everything a joke.

But even if April Fool’s was just an offline experience, it’s still a harrowing ordeal for anyone who chooses to not engage in the revelry of predatory behavior.

Granted, everyone must be cautious to the extreme, looking out for the next prank being played, but more often than not, the less invested you are in the holiday - the bigger target you become to others.

Nothing elicits more joy on April Fool’s then to pull a prank on someone who will react poorly to something “innocent.”

I’ve had enough of it, and this is my open letter to anyone who will listen, politicians, pranksters, and the common folk of the Earth, we MUST end April Fool’s.

Think about the children.

April Fools!

(It’s not a joke.)

OP/ED

MARCH 29, 2019 | 9

Letter to the Editor

An open letter to my fellow white people Racism isn’t an abstract idea.

Racism lives here, in this country and on this campus. Eight racially motivated hate crimes have been reported in the last two years - who knows how many others have occurred without a report?

But that’s not all. Professors aren’t currently mandated to receive bias training in any capacity. While we have a long list of general education requirements, students aren’t currently mandated to participate in diversity/race classes.

Call on administration to take more action - it’s time to go beyond open forums and require the trainings that have thus far been optional.

White students, faculty, and staff: we need to step up in every aspect of the word, and we need to start using our privilege to magnify the voices of people of color.

We are so quick to label ourselves “not racist,” but what are we doing in the face of racism? If the answer is nothing, then we cannot say we are not racist as we are complicit in allowing racism to continue unchecked. In the wise words of Ange-

la Davis, “In a racist society, it is not enough to be non-racist. We must be anti-racist.”

No, I’m not suggesting that we start a militia to find the perpetrators of the hate crimes. While identifying them may seem like a swift act of justice, punishing individuals does nothing to address the systemic racism and white supremacy of this campus and country.

We can uncover every hate crime perpetrator on this campus, but it won’t erase the mentality of racism that lives here (and everywhere).

The victims of these crimes, both direct and indirect, will not see justice until the systematic racism that cultivates racists is dismantled.

What we need to do is start calling our white friends out when they say something offensive. Even when y’all are alone.

Call out your white professors/ colleagues when they neglect to talk about the racism students and faculty of color are facing.

Write in to The Gatepost and post on social media - don’t let these acts fade away. And, almost more import-

ant than everything above - check in on your friends of color, classmates of color, and professors of color.

While this may seem like too much for us to handle, imagine having to live or work on a campus that you don’t feel safe being in. That is too much to handle.

Our white tears, quite frankly, are not what should be centered here.

This is not about us.

It’s time to decenter our feelings, and instead put that effort into enacting change.

This is uncomfortable - trust me, I get it. However, comfort never got anything done.

Sincerely, Molly Roach

Campus Conversations

What do you think of President Donald Trump being found not guilty of collusion?

By Sara Senesac and Ryan Feinblatt

“Even if the FBI couldn’t find evidence for that particular crime, there are still several things they could charge him with, like, sexual assault.”

-Lilly Sullivan, freshman

“At this point, I don’t like him, but to say that he might have rigged the election with Russia is pushing it. That would be hard for him to do during the election.”

-Victoria Brown, senior

“It’s been a long two years, and everyone deserves to see the report. If Mueller found him not guilty, then he’s not guilty.

It would be interesting to see the case reopened.”

-Ben Reppert, sophomore

“I think people actually believe in him, and he gave a voice to how people felt when Obama was president.”

-Danny Bichalho, freshman

“I think he’s a lucky duck. He just got lucky.”

-Sydney Buono, senior

“I think it’s stupid because he fired everyone that had credible evidence against him.”

-Chris Calix, freshman

Op/Ed submissions reflect the opinions of their authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of The Gatepost or its staff.

FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY’S INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM

ARTS & FEATURES

10 | MARCH 29, 2019

ARTS & FEATURES Split In Syllables

Bihler and Gjika speak about the connective power of poetry and literature

By Tessa Jillson Arts & Features Editor Starting in fall 2010, almost nine years ago, the Authors and Artists series prompted scholars within the FSU community to share their creative processes and the formative ideas behind their work, said Linda VadenGoad, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs.

“Sometimes people in the audience or other people in the University, within the community, have something that they’ve been wanting to write, but they haven’t exactly been sure about some of the logistics behind it all,” Vaden-Goad said.

Lori Gemeiner Bihler, professor of history, and Ani Gjika, visiting lecturer in the English department, discussed their books in the Heineman Ecumenical Center for the 18th Authors and Artists series event March 13.

Both authors spoke about the personal connections they had to their work, how transformative their work had been for them, and what they learned throughout the process.

Bihler is currently a part of a group of refugee descendants who are lobbying the German government to change the “sexist and ageist” rule denying them German citizenship. She first started research for her newest book, “Cities of Refuge: German Jews in London and New York, 1935-1945,” almost 15 years ago.

She pored through different archives and traveled around the world to multiple museums and libraries, where she read numerous diaries, newspaper clippings, letters, and advertisements. She analyzed all the “different levels of life for refugees,” such as where they settled, where and how they got housing, who they lived with, and where their meeting places were.

“When we think about refugees today, we think about terms like asylum seekers, detention centers, separation of families, documentation, and trauma. Sadly, these are nothing new. As a historian, it comes naturally to me to look at historical cases of refugees, and experiences, to understand how policies and politics shape refugee experience,” Bihler said.

In her book, she said she examined the dispersion of approximately 200,000 of the 500,000 refugees from Germany and compared two specific communities - London and New York -

which had an “active life” for refugees before the war was declared.

Bihler found the 52,000 refugees in the U.K. looked and sounded British over time, some even changing their names. However, she said, they did not identify as British. They identified as refugees, continentals, or sometimes exiles.

The U.S. took approximately 100,000 refugees, and although the German Jews in New York spoke German, looked German, and kept their names, they identified as American immigrants and not refugees, she said.

Bihler questioned how one culture can go in two completely different directions and places.

She established the place, immigration policy, proximity, and the response to the war had played major roles in how refugees survived and thrived.

In Britain, German Jews did not get immigration visas. Instead, most were put into transit camps and prevented from working, according to Bihler.

Despite the fact most couldn’t work or stay there permanently, the Kindertransport allowed 10,000 Jewish children in Germany and Austria to stay in Britain temporarily and 20,000 German Jews to get domestic visas - her grandmother being one of them, she said.

After Paris fell in 1940, 20,000 refugees in London were imprisoned for almost a year due to the threat of England falling under German Nazi control and the paranoia that scared British citizens into thinking there were German Jewish spies in Britain.

Because of Britain’s response and proximity to the war, the refugee experience began to change, she said.

Across the Atlantic, Japanese Americans were imprisoned due to the attack on Pearl Harbor. German Jews received quotas and immigrant identification cards through the U.S. Department of Labor. This allowed them to work and start “a path to citizenship,” Bihler said.

Gjika, an Albanian-born writer and literary translator, was granted 16 different awards and fellowships for her work in poetry, according to VadenGoad. Gjika most recently translated a collection of poetry by the Albanian poet Luljeta Lleshanaku, creating her newest book, “Negative Space.”

Lleshanaku, who was born in Albania in 1968, was not allowed to attend college or publish her poetry until the collapse of the regime in the early

Kathleen Moore / THE GATEPOST Ani Gjika talks about her experience translating Lieshanaku’s poems. ’90s, said Gjika. Now, eight collections “What’s ironic in one language of Lleshanaku’s Albanian poems are might come across absurd in another. published in her native tongue and in … Rendering some images proved to other languages. be quite challenging,” she added. “‘Language arrived fragmentary / Due to Lleshanaku’s support Split in syllables / Spasmodic / Like throughout the process and her lecode in times of war,’ writes Luljeta niency for Gjika to change an image Lleshanaku in the title poem to her in her poetry when translating, Gjika powerful new collection ‘Negative said she has become more intimate Space.’ … As most of her poems and with other works she translates now. in these lines, we are encouraged to “Much of my processing of transread the text as a personal biography, lating Lleshanaku’s work is the story or as a biography of an entire genera- of my love and longing to connect tion that grew up under the political again to the language. … For now, I say pressure of a communist regime,” Gji- translation changed me. It changed ka said. what I do or what I knew about writLleshanaku’s poetry was Gjika’s ing.” first experience with translating.

She said she arrived in the U.S. at the age of 18, she attended Atlantic Union University, and, eventually, received an MFA in poetry from Boston University. At BU, she discovered Lleshanaku’s work and contacted her about translating a few poems.

She said what helped her recreate Lleshanaku’s voice was paying attention to the language and syntax in the CONNECT WITH TESSA JILLSON tjillson@student.framingham.edu poem.

FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY'S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM

ARTS & FEATURES

MARCH 29, 2019 | 11

Jordan Peele proves himself again with ‘Us’

By Brennan Atkins Asst. Arts & Features Editor

By Noah Barnes Entertainment Correspondent Back in 2017, Jordan Peele blew audiences away with his directorial debut, “Get Out,” going as far as winning best original screenplay that year.

Now, Peele delivers yet another horror film and shows that he is much more than a one trick pony.

“Us,” directed by Jordan Peele, is a horror-thriller film featuring Lupita Nyong’o as Adelaide/Red, Winston Duke as Gabe/Abraham, Evan Alex as Jason/Pluto and Shahadi Wright Joseph as Zora/Umbrae.

The Wilson family decides to go on a vacation to Santa Cruz, which for most is a place of serenity and sun-filled fun, but for Adelaide Wilson, it is the source of a lifelong fear. As a child, she wandered off from the aforementioned pier into a funhouse of mirrors, where she was attacked by a carbon copy of herself. Adelaide was never able to rationalize what she saw that day.

She hasn’t been the same since.

Nyong’o performs what may be her

best role to date. Not only does she play two roles in the film, but she also pulls off these dramatically different characters flawlessly. Red is the “evil” version of Adelaide, and her monologues are some of the most memorable moments in the film.

Duke as Gabe acts as a much-needed comic relief at points in the film.

Our favorite quote in the film has to be, “If you wanna get crazy! We can get crazy,” when confronting the mysterious family for the first time while brandishing nothing but a baseball bat.

The writing in the film is nearly bulletproof, and it seems as if Peele really thought about everything - and for such an elaborate narrative that is an incredible feat. Audiences will find themselves thinking about the story and how all the details fit in rather than an overarching message or theme, but there’s certainly still one there.

It’s like a violent Scooby-Doo with the audience trying to figure out what is happening throughout the runtime of the film.

The soundtrack mostly revolves around hip-hop, and the inclusion of the Beach Boys and N.W.A made for some interesting and fun scenes.

There’s a remix the song, “I got 5 on it,” by Luniz, a song about getting crossfaded, and they somehow turn it into a creepy, slow tune.

The original song “Anthem,” written

by Michael Abels, features a fairly simple instrumental accompanied with a children’s choir. There’s a sort of juxtaposition in having children sing over such horrific scenes.

However, the movie isn’t without its flaws.

The first and third act of the film is where the concepts really shine, and offer the most thought. The second act is a bit more focused on the action, and this seemed to slow the film down a bit.

This isn’t to say that they were bad scenes, but comparatively, they were uninteresting.

There are also a couple of odd editing choices throughout, which for the most part were bearable - but nonetheless distracting.

The ending of the movie is a hit or miss, as we seemed to love it but the guy next to us said - “Well, that was garbage.” It’s a fairly dramatic reveal, so it’s no wonder that one may have a strong feeling one way or the other.

Jordan Peele has established himself as among the best contemporary horror directors in cinema.

ADMIT ONE

Grade: B+ It stuck with Us ADMIT ONE

CONNECT WITH BRENNAN ATKINS Batkins@student.framingham.edu CONNECT WITH NOAH BARNES Nbarnes@student.framingham.edu

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12 | MARCH 29, 2019

ARTS & FEATURES

New Inca Son gets the audience dancing at the Forum

By Robert Johnson Jr. Asst. Arts & Features Editor

Let’s hear it for the boys

By Lauren Paolini and Caeley Whalen Staff Writers As much as we love women’s fashion, we can’t ignore the fab looks that men are stepping out in lately.

There’s no reason we can’t give a “yasss queen” to our favorite dudes and their outfits, because there’s plenty of them embracing fashion.

We love a guy who takes a fashion risk. A black tux is a timeless classic, but there’s no shame in having a little fun when getting ready for a night out.

First, we can’t talk about men’s fashion without mentioning two iconic forces: Freddie Mercury and David Bowie. Both men were responsible for strutting some of the most memorable outfits during their time, and their bold choices helped pave the way for men in today’s society to have more fun with fashion.

A more modern figure having a fashion moment is none other than Post Malone. Roll your eyes if you want to, but have you seen his custom rodeo suits paired with Cuban heeled boots covered in rhinestones? We have to applaud his fashion risks time after time on the red carpet.

Plus, his accessory of choice is a red solo cup - so he clearly doesn’t care.

Don’t worry, this column isn’t going to be telling you where to buy a leotard to match Mercury’s.

If bright colored western suits with glitter boots isn’t really your thing, try taking some baby steps to begin with. Switching out the grey Champion sweatshirt you wear every day for a lilac crew neck is a simple way to add color to your wardrobe and gear up for spring.

No shade, but the pastel-colored Vineyard Vine polos are getting boring. Another way to inject some color into your wardrobe for the warmer weather is with some prints. If you want to go full dad-on-vacation Hawaiian-style shirt, then you do you. We’re just gonna suggest a top with some bold stripes or a muted floral print, but to each their own.

And what would men’s fashion be without a dose of Jonathan Van Ness?

The “Queer Eye” host is in charge of grooming on the Emmy-Award winning Netflix show, but his expertise certainly isn’t limited to hair. He struts the line between men’s and women’s clothing, proving to everyone that damn, a man really can rock a skirt.

Oh, and he also walks better in heels than all of us.

Men’s footwear is thought to just be sneakers and the occasional dress shoe. JVN can be seen rocking a heel more often than anything else, but that doesn’t mean all guys need to start practicing their stiletto catwalk. Next time you’re getting all dressed up, try a Chelsea boot. The tiny heel and low rise make them super comfortable and perfect for sprucing up a pair of jeans and a button-down.

And don’t be scared off by the “heel.” We promise it’s not even noticeable.

Hopefully, this gave you some inspiration for the next time you’re picking out your outfit - do guys even do that or do they just grab an NBA jersey and walk out the door?

Next time you’re looking in your closet, just refer back to this column and think, “What would JVN wear?”

CONNECT WITH LAUREN PAOLINI AND CAELEY WHALEN lpaolini@student.framingham.edu cwhalen2@student.framingham.edu

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

Four members from New Inca Son performed an 11-song concert at the McCarthy Center Forum March 26, to an audience of 40 people.

New Inca Son has a lot of prestige behind them: they performed at the 1994 FIFA World Cup, as well as the 1996 and 2002 Olympic Games, among other noteworthy performances.

Performing styles of music that evoke the feeling and heroism of Andean and Peruvian folklore, New Inca Son took the audience on a trip across Hispanic cultures.

The band included Santos Alva (acoustic guitar), Alfredo Velasquez (charango), Cesar Villalobos L. (sikus/flutist), and an unnamed bassist, all of them dressed in ceremonial ponchos from Chile.

The opening piece, “The Flight of the Condor,” which they gave with no introduction, was one intended to pull the audience in, playing deep melodies and low notes, creating a feeling of intensity.

They played a powerful outro led by the charango, a 10-string guitar that is popular in the Andean regions.

Many of the songs focused on Villalobos’ flute playing and the harsh strums of Velasquez’s charango. Villalobos asked the audience to clap along to the beat.

Villalobos said, “During this presentation, we are going to be playing a variety of rhythms coming from the Bolivian folklore, the Peruvian folklore, so I hope you like our music.”

The second piece was a more “happy, upbeat” piece, which had a reggaeton-inspired feel to it.

Villalobos’ flute playing really set the mood and the bass provided a smooth, auditory ride for the listener, topped with an awesome flute solo.

The fourth song, which was “inspired by Bolivian folklore,” showcased Villalobos’ expertise in his craft - he switched among four instruments of varying sizes, the malta, the sanka, and the toyo, as well as the flute that he started out with, leading to much confusion and wonderment from those in attendance.

“Playing this instrument is a beautiful experience - it allows me to play my heart out,” Villalobos said.

Then, something magical happened.

“Now, we’re gonna change the rhythm.

This song is going to be one that some people know. … It was a big hit in America,” prefaced Villalobos.

Song number six’s opening guitar notes were played by Velasquez on his charango. The crowd leaned forward in their seats, recognizing it in shock.

“Des-pa-cito,” sang Villalobos, along with the rest of the crowd.

What followed was an Andean twist

Corey McFeeley / THE GATEPOST

Two attendees dancing to New Inca Son.

on one of the biggest hits of last summer, compelling some members of the audience to get up and dance including Dexter King, a junior.

From there, he danced for the rest of the concert.

“I didn’t grow up dancing, but in the past few years, I realized that live music is a good thing, so if it’s good music, I think it’s nice to get up and dance a little bit,” said King.

After that surprise, the dancing continued as the band played on, song after song. They got to their 10th song, this one based around Bolivian folklore, with vocals from Villalobos, the bassist, and Velasquez, with solos from Villalobos and Velasquez.

However, they had one more thing up their ponchos - as that song ended, the tempo picked up and turned into a rousing rendition of Richie Valens’ 1958 version of the Mexican folk song, “La Bamba.”

Complete with a passionate flute solo

by Villalobos, it got everyone up on their feet, dancing to their heart’s content, closing out the show, in the process.

The final Midday Performance of the semester is April 29, in the Heineman Ecumenical Center, featuring the Hinge Ensemble.

CONNECT WITH ROBERT JOHNSON JR. rjohnson10@student.framingham.edu

ARTS & FEATURES

MARCH 29, 2019 | 13

Women making history Continued from page 1 of life here in the United States.

“That combination is what makes us better,” Shepard said.

On the subject of responding to racist incidents on FSU’s campus and in general, Shepard said that action is key.

“My voice is for every government, every town, every city to act and not only speak,” she said.

Amy Brown is an elementary school art teacher at Hemenway Elementary in Framingham. When Brown accepted her award, she recounted the events that took place at her school that motivated her to begin a kindness project with her students.

“Recently there was an incident at my school where some hateful notes were written to a 10-year-old Muslim student, and I saw her classmates and herself and all the staff understandably and visibly upset,” Brown said.

She said many students and faculty were struggling with their feelings and how to process the event.

“A lot of them wanted to write notes but didn’t know exactly the right words to say. I’ve felt that way, and in the past, the solution for me sometimes comes without written words through art. So, I kind of threw away my schedule for that week, threw away the curriculum, and came up with another plan that I really felt in my heart was more important,” she said.

Brown encouraged students to create artwork to express how they felt and spread kindness through the community. This project expanded to include parents, staff members, and community members.

Brown said her students came up with the hashtag #HemenwayKindness and covered the school with their artwork.

“I think nowadays with social media and screens, it’s easy to forget that our words really are important and there’s a real person on the other end,” said Brown.

Margareth Basilio Shepard accepts her award.

Attendees pose for a group picture to celebrate the achievements of women in the community.

Audrey Hall of “The Audrey Hall Show” on Access Framingham T.V., was the next award recipient, was the first female general manager of Framingham Cablevision and shared her story of perseverance in her career.

She said her mother passed when she was just 6 years old of a heart infection that could have been treated had her doctor taken her mom’s symptoms seriously. This turned Hall’s life upside down and taught her how to advocate for herself.

Hall shared the many highlights of her life and career, which included how she had to fight for equal pay as a woman promoted to a senior management job.

“I was outraged. … They reduced the pay by $15,000 and told me to take it or leave it. I took it, but I persisted until I finally got the same pay, and more,” she said.

This is just one of the many gender-bias challenges Hall has overcome.

U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley was the

Ashley Wall / THE GATEPOST

next woman to receive an award.

Pressley could not be at the event herself, but her civic engagement manager attended to accept the award on her behalf and read remarks written by the congresswoman.

“Some people have referred to this time as a blue wave or a women’s wave, and as I take a moment to reflect, I realize that this is not a moment. This is a movement,” Pressley wrote.

El Salvador native, Patricia Sanchez-Connally was the next to receive an award and tell her moving story.

The next award recipient, Patricia Sánchez-Connally, immigrated to the U.S. at just 11 years old, and has grew up to become a professor, academic counselor, and program coordinator.

She also organized a trip to Texas where students participated in the Border Awareness Experience.

“I’d like to share with you something I have learned from all the strong women in my life,” said Sánchez-Connally.

She went on to explain how an El Salvadorian slang term that loosely translates to “will not let whatever it is belittle you, chain you, keep you down, have no fear,” has impacted her life.

Sánchez-Connally heard the women in her life use this phrase as she was growing up, and it shaped her to be the strong-willed person she is today.

“It is that same attitude and belief, and valued knowledge, that when faced with tremendous losses, reminded me that I am alive, and that I must be courageous and face a level of pain that has now become part of who I am,” she said.

Sánchez-Connally ended her ac-

Ashley Wall / THE GATEPOST

ceptance speech by sharing what she learned during her trip to the border in Texas, and explaining how easy it is to turn the other cheek at all that is wrong in the world.

“I’ve learned that denial is for cowards,” she said.

The final nominee to be recognized was Courtney Thraen.

Thraen thanked the audience via webcam for her award. The Navy veteran is the executive director at the non-profit organization Downtown Framingham, Inc. Thraen explained how she overcame her insecurity as a leader throughout her life. She knew confidence was necessary to make a difference in her community.

“With confidence and collaboration, it’s really doable to make it happen for our community. … We can do it together and show tangible results.

And with confidence and compassion, together we can defend and protect the reputations of those who live and work in our cohesive downtown,” Thraen said.

Following the words of all six awardees, State Rep. Maria Robinson presented them all with citations before giving her own remarks.

“One of the things that really excites me about all of the women being honored today is that quite a few of you, myself included, are not Framingham natives. We weren’t born here but we chose to live here in Framingham, and I think there’s got to be something in the water, something exciting about Framingham that says, ‘Hey strong, brilliant women, come to Framingham,’” Robinson said.

CONNECT WITH LAUREN PAOLINI lpaolini@student.framingham.edu

FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY'S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM

14 | MARCH 29, 2019

ARTS & FEATURES ALBUM REVIEW

Activist anthems or ennui made sexy?

Hozier does both

By Nadira Wicaksana Editorial Staff Hozier made history in 2014 when his best-known song, “Take Me to Church,” climbed to the tops of charts across the globe after the release of its accompanying music video. It provided a scathing commentary on the hypocrisy of the Catholic church and flung pent-up religious repression of human expression back in its face.

He hasn’t released a full-length album since then - until earlier this month. And his fans are eating up these graceful, but lascivious forest nymph king vibes.

His sophomore album, “Wasteland, Baby!” is the culmination of a year’s worth of previously released singles and new tracks, such as “Sunlight” and “Would That I.” Andrew Hozier-Byrne, known by his mother’s maiden name, is also renowned for his poetic lyrics - often invoking a beautiful, but unhinged woman from whom his eyes can’t tear away.

Perhaps one of the most evocative

ACROSS 1. Woodcutter Ali 5. Sec 9. Time off, slangily 14. Perched on 15. Leader of Qatar 16. Earthy hue, in Canada 17. Dope seizer 18. “I did it!”

19. “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” channel 20. Mechanics, informally 23. Move like a crab 24. Firm VIP 25. Pic from a parlor 28. ___ Rapids, Iowa 32. Allow 34. “Come to think of it ...”

37. Win back 39. Like couples and kittens 40. 1961 hit with a mailbox on its album cover 43. Sylvester’s speech feature @TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

examples of his lyricism is displayed in “Shrike,” a sweet song of quatrains and named for a carnivorous bird - “Remember me, love, when I’m reborn / As a shrike to your sharp and glorious thorn.”

In the upbeat tune, “Dinner and Diatribes,” Hozier gets eyebrows raised with this pleading line - “I’d suffer Hell if you’d tell me / What you’d do to me tonight.”

The album starts off directly naming a real-life female figure, however.

In the aptly powerfully toned, eponymous song, “Nina Cried Power,” Hozier refers to Nina Simone, along with other musical talents of the American civil rights movement, including Billie Holiday, Curtis Mayfield, and even Mavis Staples, who joins him on this track.

My favorite song, “No Plan,” the longest track of the album at 5 minutes and 31 seconds, is evocative of many other Hozier songs - a sensuous, sexy ballad that makes the listener envision the musician crooning to his lover of the frivolity of the universe.

“There’s no plan, there’s no race to

be run / The harder the rain, honey, the sweeter the sun / There’s no plan, there’s no kingdom to come / I’ll be your man if you got love to get done.”

Hozier even name drops Katherine J. Mack, an astrophysicist and professor at North Carolina State University - “As Mack explained, there will be darkness again” - to illustrate the concepts of entropy and increasing galactic disorder.

With this album, Hozier shows versatility and creativity, evident of the unique brand he’s cultivated through songs as daring and unrestrained as his hair.

Whether he’s singing about watching his pyromaniac lover set fire to the world in “Nothing F***s With My Baby,” or paying tribute to the great jazz icons of the 20th century in “Almost (Sweet Music),” Hozier captivates listeners and allows apocalyptic drama to unfold right before their eyes.

The album is deeply significant of relevant social issues, but also peppered with relatable millennial flair the world is ending, God doesn’t exist,

44. Get together 45. Get too personal 46. Just some 48. Sacred song 50. Breath mint container 51. Word replaced in “herstory” 53. Get in touch with 57. University of Florida student’s 2007 plea 62. Shorthand user, for short 64. Micro or macro subject 65. One to two, e.g.

66. Jigsaw puzzle part 67. Bohemian 68. Deadlocked 69. Tapering hairstyles 70. Landform found backward in 20-, 40- and 57-Across 71. Swimmers that can be 13 feet DOWN 1. They’re layered at a salon 2. “Centipede” game company 3. Stifling a yawn, maybe 4. Tough H.S. math course 5. Ballet jump 6. Muslim sermon leader 7. Generic dog name 8. Swiss coin 9. Hold an election for 10. Feeling sore 11. High-five alternative 12. Rainbow shape 13. Tree that sounds like “you” 21. They keep an eye on the ball 22. Sign on a teen’s door 26. End of a bridal path 27. Wee 29. Judge proper

so let’s love, because who’s stopping us from throwing all caution to the wind with reckless, wanton abandon “That’s just wasteland, baby!”

Grade: A Hozier cried musical prowess in his latest work.

MENU

CONNECT WITH NADIRA WICAKSANA nwicaksana@student.framingham.edu

30. Apex 31. “Our Town” composer Ned 33. “Macbeth” division 34. Water balloon sound 35. “I was out of town,” e.g.

36. “Absolutely!”

38. No more than 41. Well-suited 42. ___ whale (ambergris source) 47. Internet slang for “What a disaster!”

49. Giggle sound 52. Prepare broccoli, say Puzzle solutions are now 54. Outranking exclusively online.

55. Nasty 56. Devil features 58. Back in the day 59. Land measure 60. No teetotalers 61. Singer from County Donegal 62. Cover letters?

63 Aunt, in Spanish

ARTS & FEATURES

MARCH 29, 2019 | 15

New Age movement crystallizes among college students

By Tom Maye Staff Writer The spires of Towers loom over The Serendipity Place, a sliver of a store just five minutes from campus.

In the wall-to-wall lavender, Kristina Paige occupies the counter. Having set up shop just two years ago, she said she sees several college students buy the glimmering crystals and gems she claims help with ailments varying from depression and anxiety, to test-taking jitters.

Her beliefs have yet to reach mainstream status - but they could be getting close.

The New Age movement of the ’70s is back and better than ever in Framingham, but its come a long way from the bell bottoms and Grateful Dead posters of yesteryear. From “sacred childbirth with Reiki” sessions on Main Street, to past life readings and “chakra balancing” sessions in Natick, psychics and new age healers have become something of a strip mall phenomenon.

And while they’re a bit off the radar, beliefs in New Age concepts like healing crystals are resonating far beyond the crazy cat lady and aging hippy demographic they’re typically associated with.

The non-denominational, calming spiritualism of the New Age Movement is increasingly gaining traction with millennials, whom the New York Post calls “The Anxious generation.”

The generation is afflicted by high rates of reported mental illness and a growing skepticism toward organized religion, according to Pew Research Center. Stress, mental illness,

The Serendipity Place entrance.

and anxiety are an epidemic among college students - and, with crystal sellers claiming their products hold the power to ward off negative energy through mysterious, psychic energy fields - New Age beliefs are more popular.

First, a few disclaimers - while healing crystals have accumulated a growing following, they’re widely regarded as pseudoscience. In other words, there are no double-blind studies proving that crystals work better than a placebo.

For the most part, crystals enthusiasts are well aware of the fact. Despite collecting moonstone, amethyst, selenite, and other crystals for their metaphysical properties, junior Emily McCabe said she wasn’t sure if their calming influence went beyond the placebo effect.

When McCabe described what people believed each of her crystals can do, there was a definite element of individuality lacking in more structured beliefs. Each crystal can help for a different need, she said - clear quartz can help in “clearing minds,” while moonstone can help people “connect to their femininity,” for instance.

And though there’s an undeniable spiritualism to the belief in healing crystals, it isn’t always the same as outright worship. Paige described the practice as “spiritual,” but not always necessarily religious - people can vary in how devoted they are to them, she said.

Still, for some, crystals provide users with a deep connection and feeling of security.

Junior Kit Mauriello said, “Keeping them with me feels like walking

Crystals on display from The Serendipity Place. around in a suit of armor, like I’m being protected.”

Paige said, “Sometimes, the crystal chooses you.”

According to “Crystal Crash Course: A Beginner’s Guide to Healing Crystals,” crystals are used as a tool for “manifestation.” Users reflect and visualize a desired outcome in their minds, and believe the crystals can absorb negative or attract positive energies.

According to the site, the energy of the crystals can be “recharged” to maintain effectivity by burying it in the Earth to “absorb Earth energy” other sites mention submerging them in salt water, or laying them out in the moonlight. However, as most sites mention, users should not expect a panacea.

“They’re a tool,” Paige said. “You still have to put in the physical work.”

The meditative quality of crystal manifestation may not be far from

Thomas Maye / THE GATEPOST

Thomas Maye / THE GATEPOST

mindfulness, which has exploded in popularity in recent years. A Forbes article says that Headspace, a popular app teaching mindfulness meditation, has been valued at “about $250 million” - in other words, helping Americans chill out is big business.

Healing crystals echo this trend - McCabe and Mauriello both emphasized the “calming” quality of the crystals, which they said brought them a sense of peace and tranquility.

“There’s this energy that they give off that feels so healing and alive,” Mauriello said.

The crystals industry may not be harmless, though. Marie Young, writing for online magazine The Liberty Project, said that many sellers don’t know where their crystals come from after changing hands multiple times.

As a result, she said, they could be selling products from mines with harmful environmental practices or unethical labor practices, like the use of child labor.

However, Paige said crystal sellers have an economic incentive to use sustainable environmental practices, as this ensures a better quality product.

And, as Paige mentioned, crystals are only a tool - they cannot be relied on to replace standard medical intervention.

Regardless, with well over 300,000 results for “Healing Crystals” on Etsy, the trend shows no signs of slowing down.

“I think the main factor that draws me towards this type of lifestyle is the freedom of it - there aren’t really the strict rules that often come with traditional religions. The main goal is to better yourself and the world around you,” Mauriello said.

“I also like the philosophy that everyone has power within them, and it’s up to each person to decide how they interact with it,” they said.

CONNECT WITH TOM MAYE tmaye@student.framingham.edu

FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY'S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM

SPORTS

16 | MARCH 29, 2019

SPORTS Women’s Lacrosse impresses on West Coast trip

By Matt Ferris Sports Editor The Rams traveled to Southern California for a three-game stretch during their annual spring break trip.

The first game came against Whittier College on March 19.

Within the first three minutes of play, the Rams jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead. Alissa Marino got the scoring started with an unassisted goal. Morgan Begley followed with a goal of her own just 30 seconds later with an assist from Nicole Pacheco.

In the next five minutes, the Rams struck four more times with scores four different players to take a 6-0 lead just eight minutes into play. Marino scored her second goal of the day off a feed from Begley. Tara Palermo scored unassisted, and Hanna McMahon and Audrey Duhaime scored off free-position shots.

Framingham added seven more goals to the lead before the end of the first half. Grace Gamache had a hand in the first three goals, scoring one and assisting on two. Shae Riley, Chandler Farley, Perin Genaway, Jenna McMahon, Pacheco, and Begley also scored goals, sending the game into the half at 13-0.

The Rams took their foot off the gas pedal in the second half, only scoring three goals. Gamache, Palermo, and Farley all scored unassisted goals to extend the Rams’ lead to 16-0, the eventual final score.

Indigo Fox Tree-McGrath and Mikayla Seavey each played 30 minutes in net for the Rams and combined for the 10-save shutout.

With the win, the Rams improve to 4-1 on the season.

In their second game on the spring break trip, the Rams visited Chapman

FRAMINGHAM STATE 16 WHITTIER COLLEGE 0 College to take on the Panthers on March 21.

Chapman opened the scoring just over five minutes into play, but the Rams responded with back-to-back goals to take a 2-1 lead 10 minutes in. Palermo and Duhaime were the goal scorers with assists coming from Jacey Salvie and Gamache.

The Panthers struck back with two straight goals of their own to snag a 3-2 lead.

Marino answered for the Rams with three straight goals to put the team up 5-3. Gamache and Genaway assisted the first two and the third was unassisted.

Both teams added one more goal before the half, sending the game into the break at 6-4.

Hanna McMahon struck first for the Rams in the second half to extend their lead to 7-4.

The Panthers answered back with three unanswered goals of their own in the next five minutes to knot the game at 7-7.

Marino scored three goals in the second half before Gamache netted the game-winner for the Rams.

Framingham earned a 13-12 victory over Chapman.

Tree-McGrath played in net for the Rams and made nine saves.

With the win, the Rams move to 5-1 on the year.

In the finale of the spring break trip, the Rams traveled to Occidental College on March 23.

Framingham got off to a fast start, scoring the game’s first two goals in the first three minutes of action. Marino and Pacheco scored the goals to give the Rams an early lead.

FRAMINGHAM STATE 13 CHAPMAN COLLEGE 12 Occidental responded with four unanswered goals to take a 4-2 lead.

Duhaime stopped the Tigers’ run with an unassisted goal to make it 4-3.

The Tigers answered with another 3-0 run to extend their lead to 7-3.

The Rams carved away at their deficit, narrowing it down to just one goal after a Gamache score off a feed from Britney Herskowitz to make it 8-7.

But the Tigers struck again with 30 seconds left in the half to take a 9-7 lead into the break.

Both teams went back and forth throughout most of the second half.

Framingham made a final push, scoring three goals in the last 10 minutes.

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

But the Rams came up just short, losing the game 14-13.

Tree-McGrath played in goal for the Rams and made 16 saves.

With the loss, the Rams snap their five-game win streak and fall to 5-2 on the year.

On March 27, the Rams traveled to Connecticut College to take on the Camels in a nonconference match.

Less than 30 seconds in, the Camels struck first to take a 1-0 lead.

Gamache countered for the Rams just two minutes later off a feed from Pacheco to knot the game at 1.

The Camels answered back with five straight goals to take a 6-1 lead.

OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE 14 FRAMINGHAM STATE 13 Framingham battled back with a 5-0 run of their own. Pacheco, Begley, Duhaime, Jenna McMahon, and Hanna McMahon all netted goals to send the game into the break at 6-6.

The second half was more of the same. The Camels went on a 3-0 run that was quickly countered with a 3-0 run from the Rams to tie the game at 11.

With 12 minutes remaining, the Camels regained the lead 12-11 with a goal from Hannah Lombar.

The Rams rallied back with six minutes left on the clock as Gamache scored unassisted, tying the game at 12-12.

But the Camels ended the game with three unanswered goals to earn a 1512 victory.

Framingham was outshot 27-24 in the loss.

Tree-McGrath played in goal and made six saves for Framingham.

With the loss, the Rams drop to 5-3 on the season.

CONNECTICUT COLLEGE 15 FRAMINGHAM STATE 12 CONNECT WITH MATT FERRIS mferris2@student.framingham.edu

Upcoming Schedule 4/1 vs. Wellesley 4/3 at Smith 4/6 at Bridgewater State

SPORTS

Ferr or Foul:

Gronk announces retirement

MARCH 29, 2019 | 17

Softball extends winning streak to three games with sweep of UMD

By Matt Ferris Sports Editor After winning their third Super Bowl title in the last five seasons, you’d think it would take a lot to bring the New England Patriots down from their high.

But that’s exactly what happened on March 24.

In an absolutely shocking decision, the Patriots’ star tight end,Rob Gronkowski announced on his Instagram account that he will be retiring from football.

Gronkowski, who isn’t even 30 years old yet, has played in just nine NFL seasons, making his decision even more surprising for football fans.

In just nine years, Gronk has put his name on the list of the best tight ends ever to play the sport.

Gronkowski’s career will end with 521 receptions, 7,861 yards, and 79 receiving touchdowns.

Just to put his numbers into perspective, he ranks 12th all-time in receptions among tight ends, fifth in yards, and third in touchdowns.

This is crazy considering Gronkowski has only played in 115 games in his short career.

But that’s not the most impressive part. In just nine seasons, Gronk was a three-time Super Bowl champion, a five-time Pro Bowler, and named to four First-team All-Pros.

What does Gronk’s retirement mean for the Patriots?

The bottom line is - New England is in trouble.

Over the past few seasons, the Patriots have gotten some good practice at playing without Gronkowski, considering he hasn’t played a full season since 2011.

But to be frank, the Patriots simply aren’t the same team without him.

Sure, Tom Brady is one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game, but without Gronk, his production just isn’t the same.

With Gronk on the field, Brady has a QBR of 79, which is very impressive. But when Gronkowski isn’t on the field, Brady’s QBR drops down to 63, which is mediocre at best.

Not to mention that Brady throws far more interceptions when Gronk isn’t on the field. When Gronkowski plays, Brady’s touchdown-to-interception ratio is 5.29, but without Gronk, it plummets all the way down to 2.95.

Without Gronk, the Patriots’ best tight end is Jacob Hollister.

Hollister has played in 23 games in his career and has caught eight passes for 94 yards and zero touchdowns.

Yes, you read that correctly - just eight catches for 94 yards.

To put that into perspective, eight catches for 94 yards was a typical game for Gronk.

But the timing of Gronkowski’s retirement could not have come at a worse time for New England.

Gronk prolonged his decision just long enough that all the big-name tight ends who were free agents have already signed elsewhere, meaning the Patriots will have a lot trouble finding a replacement.

Many experts are speculating that the Patriots will try to draft Gronk’s replacement in April’s draft, but even if they do, it’s unlikely that a rookie will have the same impact as one of the best tight ends in NFL history.

Gronkowski has put the Patriots’ offense in quite the predicament.

Other than Julian Edelman, no receiver on the Patriots’ current roster has ever caught for more than 600 yards in a season.

If the Patriots don’t invest in a couple of weapons for Brady this offseason, New England’s future could be pretty dark.

But one thing is for sure: Gronkowski has had one of the most impressive careers of any tight end, cementing himself among legendary tight ends like Tony Gonzalez and Shannon Sharpe.

But where Gronk may be missed most is among Patriots’ fans. He will go down not only as one of the best Patroit ever but also one of the most popular players the game has ever seen.

CONNECT WITH MATT FERRIS mferris2@student.framingham.edu

Corey McFeeley/ THE GATEPOST Mycala Moody (8) throws the ball to teammate Grace Caughey at first base.

By Carlos SIlva Staff Writer The Rams hosted UMass Dartmouth on March 26 in a MASCAC doubleheader.

Game one of the doubleheader was a fairly easy 7-2 contest for the Rams thanks to amazing pitching by Kelsi Gunarathne, who struck out six of the 31 batters she faced.

The game was close until the fourth inning, when the floodgates opened for the Rams with a two-run homer to left field by Kaylea Sherman.

In the same inning, two more runs were scored, making the game 5-2 at the end of the fourth.

The Rams never looked back as they added two more runs toward the end of game 1 to earn the victory.

FRAMIKNGHAM STATE 7 UMASS DARTMOUTH 2 Game 2 was a back-and-forth battle that ended at a 5-4 win for the Rams.

The major story of the game was the dominant performance shown by freshman Laela Pepin.

Pepin went 2-for-2 at the plate with two RBIs and scored a run.

When asked after the game about her performance and how she keeps gaining confidence as a freshman, Pepin said, “A game like this definitely adds to my confidence, because coming into this game and stepping up to bat, I just want to do well for the team and ‘hold the rope,’ considering that’s our motto.”

Coach Lawrence Miller complimented Pepin, saying, “Laela has done an amazing job, and she is someone we trust in big moments. It showed today with some big hits from her that helped us win.”

The game was tied until the bottom of the third, when Grace Caughey scored a run to make the score 2-1 Rams.

Later in the same inning, Pepin stepped up to bat and hit a laser to left field, which allowed Lauren Salisbury to score and extend the lead to 3-1.

The Rams seemed to collapse in the fourth inning, and the Corsairs put up three runs in the span of two at bats, making the score 4-3 Corsairs entering the bottom of the fifth.

Pepin stepped up to bat and hit a single to right center that allowed Kammarie Pelland to score and tie the game at 4-4.

Victoria Ziner then stepped up and doubled to right center, which gave enough space for Pepin to score the goahead run.

After the strong inning from the Rams, solid pitching by Gunarathne over the next two innings closed the game out and sealed the 5-4 victory for the Rams.

The Rams are now on a three-game win streak and have a 5-7 record on the season overall.

FRAMINGHAM STATE UMASS DARTMOUTH

5 4

CONNECT WITH CARLOS SILVA csilva14@student.framingham.edu

FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM

SPORTS

18 | MARCH 29, 2019

Men’s lacrosse

Players of the week

fsurams.com

Grace Gamache had six assists and the game-winning goal in Women’s Lacrosse 13-12 win against Chapman College.

Liam Gambon / THE GATEPOST The men’s club lacrosse team poses for a team picture before a team practice.

Continued from page 1 of our games last season, we barely had enough players to compete.”

He added, “We have made a concerted effort to reach out to the FSU community and encourage new participants to join club lacrosse.”

The assistant coach even tried to convince me to join the team when I went to cover their practices.

He added, “Many have not played before, but they are very good athletes. Several are hockey and football players at FSU, and we are very excited to see their continued development.”

The few returning players have experienced both the team’s lows and the now-promising highs.

Senior Captain Shayne Hurley said, “To come from last year with the low numbers we had, to now with the numbers we got for this year, shows that the sport at the school is growing in interest.”

Hurley was one of the few athletes who laced up his cleats for the Rams during the club’s struggles, and he now laces up as a captain for a much larger group of players.

“It is a tremendous honor to be one of the captains of this team. To have that honor put upon you means a lot,” Hurley said. “This is a tremendous group of guys that come to work every day and it makes it that much better. At the end of the day, everyone on this team is a leader.”

Many of the new players have never played lacrosse before, but the returning players like Hurley are always willing to show them the ropes.

Even Roche’s son takes care of teaching the new players the game. The season only started a month ago, but the team already looks like they’ve known each other forever.

Roche directly impacted the growth of the team and the interest for the sport.

Roche said, “Changing the culture has been the

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

most difficult part, since the prior coaching staff had dissuaded former players to continue. I feel like we’ve changed that, and I’m very excited to see what happens with the 2019 team.”

Now with a full starting lineup and a loaded bench, the team is looking past getting enough players and is focusing on putting themselves on the map.

Hurley said, “Overall, everyone wants to make it to the playoffs, but it starts off with the everyday goals: winning battles, getting ground balls, sticking to our systems, and always staying focused.”

He added, “These will help us in winning games and getting us to the overall goal of making the playoffs.”

Roche said, “We try to get better every day and hope that our student athletes are gaining a valuable experience along the way. Ultimately, we’d like to be competing at the national level and playing a more difficult schedule.”

With the growth the team has experienced and the new team culture, it won’t be long before men’s lacrosse becomes an official sport at Framingham State.

After winning only one game over the last four seasons, the Rams will look to be more successful this year and create a whole new image and expectation for the sport at FSU. With the hard work the team has been putting in, this certainly looks like it could be a reality.

fsurams.com

Kelsi Gunarathne pitched a complete game in Softball’s 7-2 victory over UMD, giving up just three hits, one run and striking out six.

fsurams.com

Laela Pepin went 3-for-3 at the plate with two RBIs and a run in Softball’s 5-4 win over UMD. CONNECT WITH LIAM GAMBON lgambon1@student.framingham.edu

SPORTS

MARCH 29, 2019 | 19

Despite solid pitching, Baseball’s bats fall silent

By Liam Gambon Asst. Sports Editor

Babson got the game started early as they plated four runs and collected five hits in the first inning.

Framingham responded with a run in the third, but Babson fired back with five

Nine total hits, nine pitchers, and one run scored.

That was the story of Framingham’s Tuesday afternoon matchup against Western New England College.

Six of the nine total hits came from the Rams, and three came off catcher Kyle Dembrowski’s bat.

Head Coach Sean Callahan said, “Kyle had a great performance, not only at the plate but behind the plate as well. He simplified his approach and was barreling up everything against a very solid WNEU pitching staff.”

He added, “He is going to be a critical part of our offense moving forward in NE competition.”

Despite Dembrowski’s very solid performance, the Rams did not plate a single run all game.

Framingham left 14 runners on base, as they were unable to capitalize on pivotable chances.

The one run for the game came in the third inning as WNEU knocked in a baserunner on a groundout.

Kevin Connelly gave up the run on the mound and was later replaced by Al Wallach.

Wallach pitched three innings in relief and allowed only one hit while striking out four.

“Al is one of our top arms and constantly proves it every time he takes the mound,” Callahan said. “We have total trust in him when he is on the mound and know he is always going to throw quality innings and shut down other teams.”

In the ninth inning, Framingham got two runners on base with two outs before Matt Fogarty struck out to end the game 1-0.

WESTERN NEW ENGLAND

FRAMINGHAM STATE

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more runs in the bottom of the inning.

After ceding nine runs in the first three innings, the Framingham pitchers were stellar, as only three hits were given up over the next six innings.

The defense backing them only made one error in that timespan.

Callahan said, “They made us pay for a few mistake pitches early, but other than the three innings, we played a solid game defensively.”

The Rams were able to score only once during this stonewall performance, as they left six runners on base through the six innings.

“Offensively, same as WNEU, we left a lot of guys on base. Moving forward, we will improve our situational hitting with runners in scoring position and increase our run production,” Callahan said. “We know our pitching staff is going to keep us in a lot of games, and now we need to produce offensively to back them up.”

With the 9-2 loss, the Rams fall to 6-8 on the season.

The next day, the Rams took on Babson in a matchup that once again consisted of nine pitchers, more than double the number of hits.

BABSON FRAMINGHAM STATE

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CONNECT WITH LIAM GAMBON lgambon1@student.framingham.edu

FSU offensive leaders Baseball

batting average

1. Kyle Lippert

.368

2. Andrew Curtis

.333

3. Joe Ambrosino

.278

4. Aaron Williams

.275

Baseball

runs batted in

1. Matt Fogarty

12

2. Andrew Curtis

11

3. Kyle Lippert

8

4. Joe Ambrosino

8

FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM

PHOTOS

20 | MARCH 29, 2019

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Elsewhere University Radio

A Singular Kind of Guy

Members of Hilltop Players present their stage readings for the FSU community. Featured readings were directed by Kit Muriello, Dan Regnier, and Sam Wayson March 28 to 30.

FSU Hilltop Players present...

Spring 2019 Stage Readings!

Photographs by Kathleen Moore/THE GATEPOST

FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM