9 25 14

VOICE the georgetown

A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS GU Improv adds humor to the Hilltop

By Daniel Varghese Georgetown University’s Weekly Newsmagazine Since 1969 w September 25, 2014 w Volume 47, Issue 6 w georgetownvoice.com

the

Voice

SEPT. 25, 2014 This week: Editorial ... No good choices for free speech, pg. 3 News ... GUPD removes H*yas for Choice protest, pg. 4 Sports ... Men’s soccer defeats Tribe, pg. 6 Feature ... A closer look at the GU comedy scene, pg. 8 Leisure ... D.C. Fashion Week struts its stuff, pg. 10 Page 13 ... Why Students Chose their Majors, pg. 13 Voices ... Commit to the things you love, pg. 14

A Light in the darkness: GU Improv A profile of the members of GU Improv and the place of comedy at Georgetown

Last week’s key:

Corrections: September 18, 2014

“Start Me Up” inaccurately printed that Jeff Reid started at the Georgetown Entrepreneurship Initiative in 2007.

He actually started in 2009. In addition, the events slated for Startup Weekend occurred on Friday, Sept. 19, not Saturday, Sept. 20.

BLOG

Editor: Ryan Greene

Assistant Editors: Grace Brennan, Marisa Hawley, Jared Kimler, Kenneth Lee

HALFTIME

Senior Leisure Editor: Daniel Varghese

Assistant Leisure Editors: Micaela Beltran, Simone Wahnschafft

COPY

Chief: Eleanor Fanto

Editors: Lauren Chang, Judy Choi, Rachel Greene, Ryan Miller, Dana Suekoff

NEWS

Julia S. Tanaka

Assistant Editors: Shalina Chatlani, James Constant, Lara Fishbane

Steven Criss

Editor: Julia Jester

Editor in Chief

Managing Editor

FEATURE

Mary-Bailey Frank

EDITORIAL BOARD

Noah Buyon

Editor: Caitriona Pagni Chair: Ian Philbrick

Board: Chris Almeida, Shalina Chatlani, Steven Criss, Lara Fishbane, Ryan Greene, Lucia He, Julia Jester, Caitriona Pagni, Ryan Shymansky, Julia S. Tanaka

General Manager

Technical Director

Dayana Morales Gomez Editor-at-Large

Tim Annick

Managing Director

SPORTS

Editor: Chris Castano

Assistant Editors: Kevin Huggard, Joe Pollicino

LEISURE

Editor: Josh Ward

Assistant Editors: Elizabeth Baker, Sam Kleinman, Manuela Tobias

VOICES

Editor: Chris Almeida

Assistant Editor: Grace May

COVER

Editor: Christina Libre

PHOTO

Editor: Ambika Ahuja

Assistant Editors: Sabrina Kayser, Gavin Myers, Joshua Raftis

DESIGN

Editors: Pam Shu, Sophia Super Assistant Editor: Leila Lebreton

PAGE 13

Editor: Dylan Cutler

editorial

georgetownvoice.com

The georgetown voice | 3

cardinal sin

Removal of H*yas for Choice evinces limits of free speech on campus A Georgetown University Police Department officer temporarily removed H*yas for Choice from a public sidewalk just outside the front gates on Monday while the student group silently protested the University’s decision to award an honorary degree to Archbishop of Washington, Cardinal Donald Wuerl.

Citing the orders of a superior, the officer insisted that the group relocate their table, which had been set up in response to the Catholic Church’s—and by extension, Wuerl’s—stance on homosexuality in a location that the University approved last year for the purpose of protesting. Although H*yas for Choice was later allowed to return to the sidewalk, this latest incident

shows a continued disregard for free speech by University administration.

Not recognized as a legitimate student organization by the University and historically at odds with Georgetown’s Catholic identity because of its support for contraception and abortion rights, H*yas for Choice has been subjected to this treatment before. Last May, the group’s protest of the Cardinal O’Connor Conference on Life in Healy Circle was disbanded and the University set their precedent for off-campus tabling.

On Monday, the University proved once again that it places little value on upholding student freedom of expression. It is no coincidence that GUPD

allowed H*yas for Choice to return to their off-campus location after most of the foot traffic to the event in Gaston Hall, where Wuerl received his degree, had subsided. The group’s efforts to engage and spread their message was seriously undermined, illustrating the disparity that remains between University administration’s superficial support for free speech and how free speech is actually practiced on campus.

A defense of H*yas for Choice’s actions and values need not take issue with Georgetown’s Catholicism, the Catholic Church’s stance on homosexuality, or even the University’s decision to confer a degree on a public figure. That

the University has unambiguously weighted these factors over students’ Constitutional right to free speech, however, particularly when that right is exercised outside the front gate—and therefore outside the University’s jurisdiction—is unacceptable.

Georgetown’s circumspection about protecting its public image as a Catholic institution is understandable. However, an institution of higher learning—especially one grounded in Jesuit values—must uphold intellectual and expressive freedom. The Memorandum of Understanding, a revision of Georgetown’s free speech policy made last May between GUSA and VP for Student Affairs Todd Olson, des-

ignates Red Square, the Leavey Center, Regents Lawn, and the Healey Family Student Center free speech zones. While an improvement on past policies, this nevertheless continues to allow the University to silence student groups it finds distasteful.

Rather than allowing challenging and necessary conversations to occur freely, the University selectively sequesters dialogue about controversial issues when those issues publicly conflict with Georgetown’s Catholic identity.

Students should continue to pressure the University to remove barriers to free expression on campus. After all, speech matters most when the powers that be don’t want to hear what’s being said.

triggering the Gag reflex

Mutually assured delusion

Israeli boycott restricts dialogue, but GU fosters academic approach

“Daily Show” Redskins showdown displays monopoly of PC

Georgetown recently became the American college with the highest number of academics to boycott Israeli academic institutions in response to Israeli Defense Forces operations against Hamas in Gaza, with 13 professors participating. Started by the American Studies Association and involving faculty at Columbia, New York University, and the University of California at Berkeley, among others, the boycott is meant to put pressure on Israeli policymakers. It also expresses solidarity with Palestinian academics who are, according to ASA statements, without “substantive academic freedom … under conditions of Israeli occupation.”

Although the boycott is an acceptable expression of professors’ political beliefs, the act conflicts with the central tenets of academia by silencing dialogue over a controversial issue sorely in need of discussion. Academia’s mandate to foster productive debate is central to its purpose at a worldclass institution such as Georgetown. Responding to the announcement of ASA’s boycott in December of last year, President DeGioia articulated University faculty’s “respon-

sibility to deepen engagement and foster dialogue between scholars and societies to enhance the entire global academic community.” Scholarship is diminished when it does not work to advance a dialogue in which otherwise intractable problems can be reasoned through.

Despite its potential disservice to resolving the wider Israeli-Palestinian conflict, this intersection of politics and the classroom has the potential to enrich students’ intellectual engagement with the issue on campus. Though some might see the potential for professorial bias, no lecture will ever be perfectly objective. The ability of students to respond to highly politicized issues via a focused and critical opinion has the potential to yield a classroom environment of discussion and debate hospitable to both those who agree and disagree with the opinions of their professors.

As an institution founded on religious principles, Georgetown constantly walks the thin line between retaining a certain institutional identity and allowing the free exchange of ideas in an academic setting. With the University’s Catholicism come myriad beliefs, te-

nets, and perspectives that not every student or faculty member on campus may necessarily hold or agree with. While ripped-from-the-headlines boycotts may justifiably rile emotions, the precedent for scholarly temperance is rooted far deeper in Georgetown’s academic culture. This culture does not adhere unilaterally to a single frame of mind, but instead allows—or should allow—for a diversity of opinions to be aired freely and safely on the Hilltop.

A recent on-campus dialogue between Ambassador Dennis Ross and Former Deputy National Security Advisor Elliott Abrams that considered, among other issues, the recent Israel-Hamas fighting provided a strong counterweight to the silence of boycott.

As long as professors involved in the boycott do not allow their personal or political biases to hinder the education of their students, academic integrity will remain vibrant at Georgetown. Those who welcome the free exchange of ideas go a step further—involving themselves in the valuable search for a solution, rather than seeking evergreater division.

The debate between Native American activists and National Football League officials over the Washington Redskins’ team name has antagonized participants on both sides of the issue. This past week, reporters for “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” staged a showdown between Native American protesters and Redskins fans. The show’s producers did not warn the invited fans that the confrontation would take place, however, and some complained of being attacked for their beliefs.

A rare satirical misstep for “The Daily Show,” the incident highlights an ever-growing problem in which individuals with little stake in debates are pulled into public dialog meant for a specific few.

While Native American activists have every right to voice outrage over the perceived commodification of their culture, the expectation that everyone should have an equally passionate response unhelpfully mobilizes polarized factions around social issues.

The monopoly of political correctness, together with social media, has bred an environment in which everything from activism to philanthropy

have been reduced to virtual bandwagoning. Twitter and Facebook enable everyone to instantly and uncritically access the opinions of their friends and followers about every “trending” topic—from the recent crisis in Iraq to Kim and Kanye’s wedding. The inherent problem with this culture of immediate participation in “trending” opinions is their forced brevity.

Messages diluted to 140 characters or Facebook statuses are inhospitable to complexities of message including narrative, logical argument, and nuance. This environment has hobbled individuals’ ability to inform themselves adequately about current events enough to express a decisive yet informed opinion. Instead, issues far too expansive to be encapsulated within a single Tweet have been reduced to their most provocative, radical, or contentious essence.

Internet activism began as a valuable tool for bringing to light important global issues, including sexual assault (recall the #YesAllWomen trend this summer) and political corruption (social media played an important role in galvanizing the Arab Spring).

This becomes problematic, however, when social media is viewed as the most important outlet for social change. The Wall Street Journal’s Jeff Wang refers to this phenomenon as “the weaponized hashtag.”

Unintended negative consequences occur when this kind of activism becomes not only the only acceptable view but also one that must be defended through online militancy.

Last fall, Slate columnist Emily Yoffe’s suggestion that women could reduce their chances of being sexually assaulted by reducing their binge-drinking tendencies was viciously attacked as another example of “victim blaming,” rather than engaging in a more complex conversation about the intersection between alcohol and sexual assault.

The power of social media activism is its ability to reach millions. But when the broadcasted message is not multi-faceted, misunderstanding reigns. Every issue is complex, and there is nothing to be gained from oversimplification. Acknowledging gray areas is not a weakness, but rather the strength that reduces hostility, generates conversation, and triggers action.

news

4 | the georgetown voice

SEPTEMBER 25, 2014

GUSA introduces Multicultural Council in Town Hall LARA FISHBANE Bringing together representatives from different cultural groups on campus, GUSA debuted its Multicultural Council during a town hall session held on Sept. 23.

The Multicultural Council’s leadership team, led by GUSA Director of Outreach Eng Gin Moe (SFS ’16), took turns discussing the ins-and-outs of their newly minted council, stressing its role as a unified front for advocacy on issues of culture, ethnicity, race, and diversity. Moe and her fellow leaders spent a portion of the evening appealing directly to cultural groups on campus—manyofwhom had members in attendance—asking them to sign up for the Multicultural Council’s committees and initiatives.

GUSA President Trevor Tezel (SFS ’15) initially proposed the idea for a Multicultural Council during the election last semester.

“One of the things Omika [Jikaria] and I gathered when we were talking to student groups was the lack of prioritization and attention given to the needs of cultural groups on campus,” Tezel said.

The Multicultural Council aims to create a stronger relationship betweenGUSA,studentculturalgroups, and university administration.

“We really hope this Multicultural Council can really facilitate forum and act as an advocacy body through GUSA,” said GUSA Vice President Omika Jikaria (SFS ’15).

The Council will be divided into four working groups that will meet biweekly, according to MC Deputy Chair and GUSA Deputy Director of Outreach Rodrigo Gonzales (SFS ‘15). The working groups are open to all students and will address multicultural groups’ academic, funding, institutional, and programming and outreach issues.

Tezel, Jikaria, and Moe also worked with Vice President of Student Affairs Todd Olson in order to create a Cultural Board Working Group. According to Moe, the goals of this group are to address the challenges faced by multicultural groups, explore alternative funding structures, and potentially implement a Cultural Advisory Board during the 2016 fiscal year.

The Cultural Board Working Group does not provide funding to student groups as other advisory boards do. It will be working, nonetheless, to make funds more accessible to multicultural groups.

“One of the avenues we’ll look at to address the problems cultural groups face is possibly the creation of a new advisory board,” said Moe. “We could be sitting at the table at [Council of Advisory Boards], giving out money to cultural groups, instead of SAC.” When asked during the town hall about whether the Council’s lobbying will affect student groups disproportionately, Gonzales expressed confidence in the equity of the MC’s efforts. “This Council gives support to voices which historically haven’t been heard,” said Gonzales. “It’s not a question of whether we’re giving more weight to one group … we wish to treat all issues as equally important.”

students from cultural groups voice concerns during the town hall.

Megan Howell

In emergency vote, D.C. council approves concealed carry law RYAN MILLER The D.C. Council unanimously approved emergency legislation on Tuesday that will allow D.C. residents to carry concealed handguns with a permit.

Council members met for this emergency vote after a federal judge ruled in July that the District’s ban on concealed handguns was unconstitutional.

Concealed weapon permits will be distributed only if gun owners demonstrate a clear need for a firearm, for instance, having been a victim of domestic abuse, and if the applicant attends firearm safety training. Additionally, concealed weapons will remained absolutely banned in certain locations, such as government buildings and university or school campuses.

“We are pleased that the legislation keeps weapons off of colleges and universities,” Chief of the Georgetown University Police Department Jay Gruberwrote in an email to the Voice. “We will work with our [Metro Police Department] partners​to respond to reports of weapons on our campus.”

Gruber recommended that students take the same precautions the police department always advises. In addition, he believes that the levels of safety off-campus will remain the same. “Criminals who want to carry weapons will be unaffected by this change,” Gruber wrote. “Students that want to carry weapons off-campus will have to comply with the new D.C. Code that legislates the carrying of weapons.”

The new law not only affects campus safety, but also has reignited the highly partisan political conversation about gun rights.

“The GU College Democrats supported the full ban on handguns in the District that was in place until it was ruled unconstitutional in July,” GU College Democrats’ Vice President Betsy Johnson (COL ‘16) wrote in an email to the Voice.

“Given the circumstances, I believe that the concealed carry measure, which includes provisions requiring that license-seekers prove a ‘legitimate need’ for carrying a gun and go through gun safety training, is a very reasonable one.”

GU College Republicans did not respond to a request for comment.

The federal court that originally deemed the District’s law unconstitutional, suspended its ruling until October, allowing D.C. lawmakers to craft legislation adhering to constitutional rights. The Council modeled the bill after regulations in M.d., N.Y., and N.J. that use a licensing system as well. Mayor Vincent Gray is expected to sign the bill, which will be in effect for 90 days, into law.

During this period, D.C. lawmakers hope to refine the emergency legislation with a more permanent solution. They have also asked the federal court to reconsider its decision.

D.C. officials did notwant to ease old regulations, however, like the GU College Democrats, they felt that the billwas the best possible solution in light of the federal court’s ruling.

“While I would prefer that we did not have to change our laws to allow the carrying of concealed weapons by civilians, this bill ensures that we will be able to meet the requirements of the Constitution while maintaining the maximum amount of safeguards possible to protect our residents, visitors, workers and public-safety officers,” said Gray in a press release from the Executive Office of the Mayor.

CITY ON A HILL :

a tri-weekly column abouT D.C News and POLItics

THE BRUTAL TRUTH ABOUT D.C.’S FINEST

SHALINA CHATLANI

Watching the riots unfold in Ferguson while sitting on my couch back home in Jackson, Miss., during the 50th anniversary of the South’s Freedom Summer movement for racial equality no less, was enough to make me seriously wonder whether I was watching footage from the 1960s. The cruel murder of a black teenager by a policeman, a supposedly upstanding citizen, was an unfortunate harken back to the days of law enforcement’s unchecked corruption and brutality against minority citizens.

In the weeks following the ordeal, America once more turned a reflective eye on the reality of police misconduct and their abuse of power. The violence against Michael Brown, a young man bound for college, is a stark reminder of just how important it is for college students to be aware of their environment.

Georgetown students know all too well the frequency with which “Public Alert” emails students fill their inboxes, but there isn’t much of a comprehensive discussion on the nature of crime within the city.

A closer look into the details will reveal that D.C., the nation’s judicial center, is actually far from having a perfect lawenforcement system. D.C. certainly is not cemented in a Jim Crow class structure, however, data shows that the city’s police still seem to operate under a racial bias. Over the years this appears to have caused a disproportionate numberof arrests with minoritygroup citizens and cases involving police misconduct.

Eight out of 10 people arrested in the city for “disorderly conduct” are either hispanic orAfricanAmerican, according to a 2013 report from the Washington Lawyers’ Committee on racial disparities and crime rates. What’s even more telling, however, is that eight out of 10 arrests listed under “other assault”—a general category that contains the “least serious assaultive” behavior noticeable to law enforcement— were African American. While the majority do not lead to confinement or probation, it’s important to remember that an arrest record can be detrimental to an individual’s ability to find a job and hold public office, among other opportunities.

One might think it reasonable that in Wards 5, 6, 7, and 8 where the majority of the population is African American, that they would be involved in a greaternumberof arrests.

However, the report found that even in wards where there are fewer African Americans, they still accounted for the majority of arrests. In Ward 2, for instance, blacks account for only 12.6 percent of the population, but just underhalf of the total arrests.

Let’s look more closely at a specific case, one that has actually caused significant concern this past year in the debate on the decriminalization of marijuana. From 2009 to 2011, African Americans accounted for 91 percent of all drug related arrests and nine out of 10 simple possession charges—a trend that appears to be somewhat suspicious.

While most of the wards with higher percentages of blacks reported a higher number of drug-related arrests, Ward 3, with a population that is 78 percent white, only reported 27 total drug-related arrests in 2011. Not to mention the fact that the SubstanceAbuseandMentalHealth Services Administration’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that the national rate of drug use among both black and white communities in the United States fell around 15 percent of the population.

What’s more, the survey found that drug use rates in Ward 3 were about the same as all otherwards.

Now, as police set a precedent in Ferguson by arming themselves with military grade weapons, should students become overly paranoid by the statistics? While I don’t think anyone needs to start looking over their shoulder, the information above is certainly cause for some alarm. And, given that D.C.’s transparency index for reporting misconduct charges is theworst in the nation, it’s difficult to know for sure just how effectively cases of police brutality are handled.

Yet, there’s a bit of light at the end of the tunnel. As early as Oct. 1, some police officers may be donning body cameras that will record their interactions with the public as part of a pilot program—and it will be interesting to seewhether this sort of constant vigilance will have an affect on thosearreststatistics.Justasastudent should call the police when his safety is in danger, a student that finds himself or any other person being harassed or wrongfully addressed by law enforcement absolutely needs to report it. Events occurring in Ferguson, and throughout the country, point to why it’s so important to not let history repeat itself.

news

georgetownvoice.com

the georgetown voice | 5

GUPD officer removes H*yas For Choice members protesting on 37th Street JAMES CONSTANT An officer from Georgetown’s Department of Public Safety removed H*yas for Choice members from tabling on the sidewalk outside the University’s front gates Monday. The group was protesting a ceremony in Gaston Hall where Cardinal Donald Wuerl, the Archbishop of Washington, was granted an honorary degree by Georgetown.

“He’s made a lot of homophobic comments in the past,” said H*yas for Choice President Abby Grace (SFS ‘16). “Our decision to table stemmed from the dual motive of making it clear that we exist, that we’re a group of people with a voice, and that we disagree with a lot of the things that Cardinal Wuerl has done.”

The removal was a painful reminder to H*yas to Choice members of an incident last semester, when students tabling in front of Healy Hall were forced to move to the exact spot they were expelled from this Monday. H*yas

for Choice Vice President Vincent DeLaurentis (SFS ‘17) said that no sufficient explanation was given for their expulsion.

“I asked the officer why we had to move, and he provided zero clarification,” said DeLaurentis. “He said he didn’t really know why, but that he was getting orders from his superiors.”

According to DeLaurentis, the officer provided the group with three options for relocation— Red Square, outside Lauinger Library, or Copley Lawn, the last of which H*yas for Choice eventually settled on.

“By moving us to Copley Lawn, [GUPD] interfered with our ability to get our message across and engage with the people attending the conference,” said DeLaurentis.

The group tabled in peace on Copley Lawn for about an hour and a half before the same GUPD officer notified them that they could return to their previous place on the sidewalk. This notification only occurred, however,

after the ceremony had begun and the flow of attendees through the front gates had stopped.

According to DeLaurentis, a man identified as the officer’s superior told the group that they had to be following D.C.’s “threefoot rule,” meaning they had to leave three feet in between their table and the edge of the sidewalk. The officer who ejected the group earlier did not measure the space nor did he or she mention the three-foot rule. DeLaurentis said H*yas for Choice was in compliance with the rule before they were initially removed. “[GUPD] did something wrong, and then they tried to find an excuse to cover for it,” said DeLaurentis.

In an email to the Voice, GUPD Chief Jay Gruber acknowledged that the officer mishandled the situation on 37th St. “One of our officers mistakenly asked students to move,” wrote Gruber. “It was a miscommunication. I have apologized to the students.”

H*yas for choice tabling promotes SEX POSITIVITY. In a press release sent out this afternoon, GUSA President Trevor Tezel (SFS ‘15) and Vice President Omika Jikaria (SFS ‘15) decried GUPD’s response.

“What happened yesterday appears to be a clear violation of the MOU [memorandum of understanding] reached between GUSA leadership and Dr. Olson last semester,” wrote Tezel and Jikaria. The MOU extended free speech protections throughout campus, but the incident yesterday was on public property maintained by D.C., not Georgetown.

Joshua raftis

Grace and DeLaurentis expressed concern for the future of free speech at Georgetown since student groups continue to face the threat of arbitrary relocation.

“We’ve taken every step possible to try and be respectful and rule-abiding,” said Grace. “The fact that we intentionally set out to table in a place we were sent to last semester… we’re trying very hard to cooperate, and it’s just not working.”

“The university is paying lip service to the idea of free speech while actively implementing means to repress substantive speech,” added DeLaurentis.

Malaysian Prime Minister discusses Southeast Asia, open society in Lecture Fund event ELIZABETH TEITZ Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak kicked off the year for the Georgetown University Lecture Fund, participating in an event concerning the global “pivot to the Pacific” on Tuesday. The event featured remarks from Razak, a conversation with Marc Mealy, the Vice President-Policy for the United States Association of Southeast Asian Nations Business Coun-

cil; and a concluding question and answer period, in which students pressed the leader on societal tensions and freedoms in Southeast Asia.

The prime minister, whose trip to Georgetown was on the heels of a discussion on climate change at the United Nations’ headquarters in New York, spoke in Gaston Hall on the impact of increasing global multipolarity, as well as the significant development and

economic growth in East and Southeast Asia.

“Fifty years ago, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s capital, was not even classed as a city. Today, in population alone, it would rank as the fifth largest city in the United States,” Razak said. Additionally, the political and economic changes in the region have led to increased influence and involvement in international affairs.

Michelle Yaw (COL ’15), who introduced the prime

minister at the event, said the decision to bring Razak to Georgetown was based on a desire for increased conversation about the changing region of Southeast Asia.

“A lot of the past geopolitical events that have been happening over the summer have very much centered around him, so he’s been very involved and Malaysia’s been getting a lot of attention,” she said. “We felt that it would be really great to engage students in sort of a dialogue and to allow them to learn more about Malaysia, behind everything that is going on.”

It doesn’t hurt that one of Razak’s daughters, Nooryana Najwa Najib (SFS ‘11), is a Georgetown undergraduate alumna.

Among the topics students brought up during the question and answer period was a concern about Razak’s description of Malaysia as one of the many “free societies in Asia.” One student questioned the validity of Razak’s claim,

citing media censorship and “preferential treatment given to ethnic Malay people.”

In his response, Razak remarked that he sees work done during his time in office as a “huge leap forward,” though the nation has not yet “fully matured,” and also referred to the freedom of social media as evidence of open society.

Undergraduate student Medha Chandorkar (COL ’15), who attended the event, was impressed by Razak’s candor during the question and answer session, remarking that the prime minister took risks and opened up in response to each of the student’s questions.

“He became more human during the Q-and-A,” she said, specifically referring to Razak’s comments on the need for reform in the United Nations, which he hopes will include a place for Malaysia on the Security Council. “Not a lot of people are willing to say that.”

READ MORE ONLINE:

PRIME MINISTER NAJIB RAZAK ENGAGES IN CONVERSATION IN GASTON HALL.

ANA RUNOVA

• University holds Ebola symposium, addresses student concerns • White House ‘It’s On Us’ campaign includes GU leadership

sports

6 | the georgetown voice

September 25, 2014

Men’s soccer defeats William and Mary in brutal heat KEVIN HUGGARD Some wins come ugly.

That was the case this past Sunday as the Georgetown men’s soccer team (3-1-3, 0-0 Big East) faced off against William and Mary (2-4-0, 0-0 Colonial Athletic Conference) on a scorching afternoon at Shaw Field. The Hoyas had trouble finding a rhythm, yet managed to grind out a 1-0 victory.

“It wasn’t a great advertisement for college soccer today. To be honest, I don’t think we played the most pretty game to watch. But, you know, you’re not going to go through your season and have every game go easy and great and look beautiful,” said Georgetown Head Coach Brian Wiese.

The oppressive heat slowed the game down as players dug deep for stamina, with several players forced to leave the field. The 22nd minute saw senior midfielder and captain Tyler Rudy collapse of dehydration on the field.

Following a few nerve-wracking minutes, he was helped off the field for treatment.

Later, he would return to watch his teammates finish the game, but wouldn’t get back on the field.

“You saw [junior midfielder] Bakie [Goodman] had to come out, he’s normally a 90-minute player. Rudy, obviously, had to come off.

[Sophomore forward] Alex [Muyl] needed a little bit of a break. But we feel comfortable with the guys we put on that they’re going to do the job,” Wiese said.

While this game didn’t highlight the usual aesthetic

appeal of a normal Georgetown soccer match, the game did have its highlights. The lone goal came from freshman midfielder Arun Basuljevic, who opened the scoring in the 34th minute with a strike from several yards outside the box. The play preceding the goal looked harmless as the Hoyas possessed the ball, yet failed to threaten the Tribe’s goal. Basuljevic took his chance after junior defender Josh Turnley curved a high cross into the top of the penalty area from his position on the left wing. Muyl sent the ball into the box, and after a couple of ricochets, the ball landed at Basuljevic’s feet. He made no mistake with one of his first touches of the game, driving the ball into the bottom left corner of the net.

“I was just trying to make an impact as a sub. I got kind of a lucky bounce at the top of the box, and I just hit it, and it ended up going in,” Basuljevic said.

The goal seemed to come from nowhere, and afterwards the play returned to its previously glacial pace for much of the remainder of the game.

The Hoyas kept most of the possession, yet every through ball or cross that seemed like an oppotunity for either team to add to the scoring travelled just wide of its mark.

“They were disciplined and kept a pretty compact field, and there wasn’t a huge amount of space to play. And on the flip side of it, we were really not sharp. We were missing passes, the weight of stuff was off,” Wiese said.

The second half brought about a handful of chanc-

Men’S Soccer Will Kick OfF Big East Play Against Butler This Saturday.

ANnA RUNOVA

es for both teams, with the Hoyas looking the more dangerous side. In the 78th minute, junior defender and captain Keegan Rosenberry cut inside from the right wing and fired a low shot to the near post. The Tribe’s goalie recovered just in time to deny the chance. Minutes later, Alex Muyl stumbled and fell to the ground after sidestepping the William and Mary goalie on a breakaway, but Georgetown’s shouts for a penalty went unanswered.

“They [William and Mary] made it tough for us.

They really worked hard.

They ran a lot and that combined with the weather made it tough for us,” Goodman said.

The Georgetown defense had a solid game, keeping William and Mary’s offense

largely contained for the majority of the game. Except for a few scattered attacking plays from his opponents, senior goalkeeper Tomas Gomez had little work to do on the day. His best moments came late in the first half when a forward for the Tribe received a through ball along the left side of the field and attempted to curl a poorly angled shot into the far post. Gomez was ready, and deflected the ball out of bounds. He then leaped to grab the ensuing corner kick from the air and end one of the only uncertain stretches of the game for the Hoyas.

The game’s best save came from junior midfielder David Witkoff, who came on to replace Tyler Rudy. In the 88th minute, a William and Mary forward managed

to step around Gomez on a breakaway, only to see his attempt bounce back off of Witkoff’s chest, who then cleared the ball, ending the danger on the Hoyas’ half of the field.

The team has built up some momentum as the schedule now turns to Big East play, when the results start to determine the pecking order within the conference. The Hoyas will have a short break to rest before travelling to face the Butler Bulldogs (3-2-3, 0-0 BE) this Saturday at 5:30 p.m.

“We’re confident. We’ve got two wins in a row, which we haven’t done too many times this season. But heading into the conference, we’re looking forward to it. We won it last year and we’re trying to repeat,” Goodman said.

Chrisastano’s SPORTS SERMON--C “Not cool, Mark! Mr. Kraft, I know how you feel.”-Tom Brady commiserating with Robert Kraft on missed high-fives These days, you can’t so much as look at the homepage of a major sporting news outlet without seeing Johnny “Football” Manziel’s name somewhere in the headlines.

Between tearing it up at Texas A&M, tearing it up in Las Vegas, and nearly tearing up any hope he has of getting respect in the NFL, people can’t seem to get enough of the Browns’ most promising rookie. While the majority of the commentary on Manziel’s antics is largely negative, the tone is less disciplinary and more affectionate: “You adorable little scamp,” sports pundits seem to say.

Johnny Football isn’t the only one. Sports fans absolutely love bad boys. Whether it’s Liverpool forward Mario Balotelli setting off fireworks in his bathroom, China-based baller Metta World Peace punching fans in the stands, or NFL journeyman Plaxico Burress shooting himself in the leg, we eat this stuff up. Watching these goons go about their daily routines is like a meathead’s version of a soap opera. Considering the events of the last few weeks and sporting organizations’ tolerance of poor player behavior, fans’ attitudes towards such “antics” will have to change if we hope to see any sort of improvement.

Basic psychology says that from an early age, human beings learn how to act based on

the idea of positive reinforcement: your behavior is dictated by rewards and punishments.

Reinforcement isn’t a process that only occurs in children, it’s a concept that’s active in our lives at all times, even in the lives of our favorite athletes.

Essentially, every time a sporting organization or fans allow a player to get away with behavior that wouldn’t fly in any other workplace, we’re playing out the positive reinforcement scenario. Players behave negatively, and yet somehow, they’re rewarded with paychecks, sponsorship deals, and a continued spot on some teams. Their poor conduct is rewarded with riches and copious media coverage.

Of course there’s no way they’d even contemplate change.

Will veteran wide receiver Santonio Holmes ever stop making open references to weed on Twitter or stop disobeying flight attendants? Probably not. Even after leaving the Steelers, he still managed to get a contract with the Jets. Why? Because he’s a great receiver.

He would go on to throw a bottle across a nightclub, injuring another patron.

Did anyone think Mike Tyson would never box again after allegedly participating in a mugging back in his hometown? Obviously not.

Why? Because “Kid Dynamite” ruled the world. He

wound up biting Evander Holyfield’s ear off in the ring.

Thanks to the way our culture treats these men, there’s a decent chance of Johnny Manziel winding up in the headlines for something far more serious than heading to a UFC fight when he should’ve been practicing. He’s probably already got it in his head that no matter what he does (such as flip off the Redskins bench), he’ll be totally fine as long as he can play.

Provided an athlete can deliver on the field, rink, or court, people don’t give a damn how they conduct themselves until it’s too late—as was the case with Ray Rice. We sow the seeds of bad behavior in athletes because we’re willing to reward them with affection, not punishment. There’s nothing there to stop these people from beating their wives or assaulting people in nightclubs.

There’s no red alert that goes off in their brains.

To be honest, the problem starts with us fans and the easy forgiveness—or worse, blind eye—the sports community has for high-profile players. But for some reason, we just don’t seem to be getting the message.

If you don’t want bad behavior to be a problem in the future, nip it in the bud now. Now is the‘ ‘ time or Manziel’s antics to stop.

We have to change now, before it’s too late.

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the georgetown voice | 7

Women’s soccer dethrones Dukes MAX BOROWITZ

The Georgetown women’s soccer team (5-2-2, 0-0 Big East) strolled to a comfortable victory over Duquesne University (3-3-2, 0-0 Atlantic 10) this past Sunday by a score of 2-0.

Georgetown struck first in the 12th minute with a goal from senior midfielder Daphne Corboz, tying the school record for most career points. Not only was the opening goal a career milestone for Corboz, but it was also especially noteworthy because it was the first time she had scored off an assist from freshman midfielder Rachel Corboz—her younger sister.

After scoring this early goal, the Hoyas continued the attack against the Duquesne Dukes, producing a number of scoring opportunities on offense, ultimately increasing the lead to 2-0 on a goal from senior forward Vanessa Skrumbis.

Georgetown consistently threatened Duquesne, while the Dukes themselves came tantalizingly close to scoring on multiple occasions. Most notably, junior goalkeeper Lauren Trower made an acrobatic save on a rolling shot on goal.

She managed to get enough on the ball to deflect it against the post, preserving Georgetown’s clean sheet.

“Overall I was disappointed.

We talked about coming out fast at them and we did,” said Head Coach Dave Nolan. “We knew that if we could get an early goal, it would encourage them to open up the game a little bit

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Women’s Soccer StopPED Their LoSing Slide With A Win Against Duquesne. … when it actually did open up, we weren’t good enough to take advantage of the space.”

The Hoyas certainly seemed to check out of the game after their second goal. Nolan was not impressed with his team due to several minor mistakes made as the game wore on.

“I think the game was too easy. At 2-0 going in to the second half, I told the kids that if we could get a third goal, we could go on to score six or seven.” Nolan added, “Not enough of our players brought energy in the second half,” said Nolan.

In regards to the Hoyas’ defensive lapses, Nolan was critical of some of the mistakes midfielders made, saying, “That’s just sloppiness. It wasn’t that defenders made mistakes, the mistakes were made farther up the field because people were being too casual… Once we started to make mistakes, they started to manifest.”

This victory comes after a few weeks of tepid results for the Hoyas, who will be looking for an unequivocal return to form.

Over the last few weeks, the Hoyas suffered a number of discouraging matches, starting with a demoralizing 6-1 loss at Virginia Tech. Following this defeat, Georgetown uncharacteristically lost again, this time to Wake Forest. Although Georgetown managed to come away from West Virginia with a contentious draw, and managed to defeat George Washington 1-0 on September 14, the Hoyas have undoubtedly failed to live up to their own standards.

Notwithstanding, Nolan is not concerned, emphasizing that improvement is a daily process. “The lessons for improvement are the same everyday in practice. They are about people making smart decisions.”

The Hoyas will travel to Chicago to face DePaul on Thursday at 5:00 p.m., followed by a matchup at Xavier on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. to mark the beginning of Big East play. Georgetown will hold their first home match of Big East play with games against Butler and Providence on Oct. 2 and 5, respectively.

Football poisons Ivy, beats Brown MAX ROBERTS

The Georgetown University football team (2-2, 0-0 Patriot League) capped its 50th anniversary off this Saturday with a definitive win over Brown University (0-1, 0-0 Ivy League) by a score of 17-3. This victory was their first ever win against the Brown Bears and their second win of the season.

“To beat a team like that, for us, is a big deal because that’s where we want to be,” said Head Coach Rob Sgarlata.

After Brown jumped out to an early 3-0 lead with a field goal, the Hoyas’ defense quickly clamped down. Georgetown recovered two fumbles and junior cornerback Ettian Scott intercepted two passes, foiling the Bears’ attempts to reach the endzone. In addition to the four

– Backdoorcut –

turnovers, Georgetown also piled on five sacks in the game, thanks to senior defensive end Alec May who finished with a career high of four.

“The defense did a great job.

We gave up some yards, but we didn’t give up many points,” Sgarlata said.

While the defense shut down Brown after the early field goal, the Hoya offense was unable to capitalize early in the game. Toward the middle of the second quarter, however, the offense finally managed to hit paydirt. In only three plays the Hoyas covered 69 yards, capped by senior running back Daniel Wright’s 57-yard touchdown run to take a 7-3 lead.

The Hoyas continued to dominate the game in the third quarter as a 25-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback

Kyle Nolan found junior wide receiver Jake DeCicco to add to Georgetown’s tally. In the fourth quarter, sophomore kicker Henry Darmstadter managed a 44yard field goal to bring the final score of the game to 17-3.

The real strength of the Hoya offense on Saturday was the running game, which exploded for 250 yards while averaging 6.6 yards per carry. Junior running back Jo’el Kimpela added a career high 104 yards.

“Looking back on the stats this is one of the most dominant games we’ve had running the football… we felt confident to call the offensive line’s number,” Sgarlata said.

The Hoyas will now play their first Patriot League matchup of the season against Colgate University (1-2, 0-0 Patriot League) on Saturday, Sept. 27 at noon.

The role of starting quarterback for the Redskins isn’t exactly a glamorous one. Over the last decade, there hasn’t been a single player in this group that made any contributions to the team that would be considered notable on a national level.

That is, until Robert Griffin III showed up.

Before the 2012-2013 season, the Redskins traded the football equivalent of the world to St. Louis for the second pick in the draft. That pick would be used to select RGIII, who took the league by storm in his first season, leading the ‘Skins to a division title and their first playoff berth since 2007. He earned a Pro Bowl selection and Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in his maiden season, but failed to produce in his second year.

During the 2013-2014 campaign, RGIII, recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament and lateral collateral ligament tear sustained in the previous season, could not reproduce the magic from his rookie season, as the Redskins fell to a 3-13 record amid a series of well-documented disagreements between RGIII and Redskins Head Coach Mike Shanahan. With Griffin’s mobility impaired, deficient passing skills became clear as the quarterback often overthrew receivers and transferred blame during his press conferences. Griffin was pulled for the last three games of the season under the guise of fear of further injury, but it was clear that conflict with Shanahan and his poor play also contributed to the benching.

This season, under the control of new Head Coach Jay Gruden, the RGIII-led Skins scored a measly six points in their first game of the season against the cellar-dwelling Houston Texans. Early in the team’s Week Two matchup with Jacksonville, RGIII injured his leg on a characteristically scrambled throw, in which an awkward landing led to a dislocated left ankle.

Then Kirk Cousins entered the game. Cousins, the backup quarterback who was onboarded in the fourth round of the 2012 draft, had shown moments of promise during his first two seasons in Washington. RGIII’s constant injuries gave Cousins a number of opportunities to play meaningful minutes, but last season, the Michigan State

alum struggled to carry a sinking team at the tail end of the season. Against Jacksonville, Cousins looked spectacular, throwing for 250 yards and two touchdowns in a 41-10 rout of the Jaguars. Admittedly, Jacksonville might be the NFL’s worst team, but Cousins did what Griffin hadn’t done in over a year: run the offense. Cousins’ form carried over to Week Three where, despite suffering a 37-34 loss, the quarterback threw for 427 yards and 3 touchdowns.

The backup is good. So what’s the problem? There’s no guarantee Cousins will continue to play when Griffin recovers.

The Washington professional football franchise is notorious for making bad decisions, especially when it comes to on-field personnel. Owner Daniel Snyder has staunchly stood behind RGIII, despite the quarterback’s erratic performance and disruptive presence. Snyder was willing to part with Shanahan, a historically proven coach, and all of his staff before he was willing to make Griffin unhappy. Keeping this in mind, when a healthy Griffin is chomping at the bit to start again, it is likely that the higher-ups will mandate that the “franchise quarterback” take the field over Cousins.

It would be an exaggeration to say that Cousins is a great starting quarterback—tearing apart Jacksonville’s defense is hardly a resume-making accomplishment. But, Cousins has managed to make the passing game dangerous in two consecutive contests, taking advantage of the Redskins’ intimidating receiving corps and alleviating the pressure on the team’s emerging ground game.

More so, Cousins has one essential attribute that RGIII very publicly lacks: a tempered ego.

If this trajectory continues, the Redskins will be a cohesive, winning team, and any player that can bring about winning football in Washington should be given a fair chance.

RGIII should not be assumed a starter simply because of his name and strong first year record. If the team has found a winning formula, it would be a mistake to revert to the status quo. The Redskins may have found their franchise quarterback in 2012; it just might have been in the fourth round, not the first.

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8 | the georgetown voice

GU IMPROV “WE MAKE IT UP AS WE GO ALONG”

By Daniel Varghese

When Joe Luther (COL ‘16) decided to come to Georgetown, he had many predictions about the future. Like many of his classmates, he was focused on making friends, excelling in his classes, and on his professional development.

“What I really liked about Georgetown,” Luther said, “was that you have this really great campus...but you also have big city access, both for fun and professional opportunities.”

Of the seemingly endless opportunities that present themselves to new Georgetown students every year, Luther, who had acted only once before in his life in a sixth-grade adaptation of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, never expected that comedy would become a cornerstone of his Georgetown experience. Now the editor-in-chief of The Georgetown Heckler and the publicity director of the Georgetown Improv Association, Luther has certainly found a home in this niche of the Georgetown community.

Luther attributes his introduction to Georgetown’s comedy scene largely to luck. “When I came here as a freshman, I really had no idea what I wanted to get involved with,” he said. “I managed to get trapped in the performing arts section [during SAC Fair], saw improv there, and thought ‘Hey, why not give it a shot?’”

Like Luther, many of the the members of GU Improv began their improv careers only after stumbling upon Georgetown’s comedy scene.

Of the nine active members of the group, only five had previous acting experience. For the majority of students in the group, the choice to audition for the troupe was a spur-ofthe-moment decision, motivated by a

random sighting of a flyer and irregular external confirmations of their humor. This scenario was the case for Thomas Moakley (SFS ‘17), who had no experience performing in an improv group before coming to Georgetown. “My friend from home kind of pushed me to audition for the improv team,” he said. “I kind of just saw the posters and decided to do it.”

Connor Rohan (COL ‘16), who transferred to Georgetown last year from George Mason, also found Georgetown improv in the same way. [ Full disclosure: Connor Rohan is a Voice staff writer .] Rohan was first introduced to the improv world during the second semester of his freshman year by the George Mason Improv Association. “They did something called jams … which are like workshops where anyone can come and just have fun and do improv.”

For Rohan who now acts as the business manager of Georgetown’s troupe, the art came easily. “Some people try a sport and it just feels natural. That’s what improv is for me...The one thing that I knew for sure that I wanted to do when I got here was to try out for improv.”

Despite the slapdash way most of the troupe joined improv, becoming a member of GU Improv requires a large commitment. The group rehearses twice a week for a total of five hours. In addition, auditions are incredibly selective, even more so than those of many other performing arts groups. “At least 60 people auditioned this year for three slots,” according to Emlyn Crenshaw (COL ‘15). [ Full Disclosure: Emlyn Crenshaw is a former Voice Staffer .]

Crenshaw’s decision to audition for improv came after numerous years as a child actor. “It’s not like I was super famous, but I was involved in professional shows.” During this time, Crenshaw fell in love with theater. But when she arrived at Georgetown, Crenshaw had to re-evaluate whether or not she would be able to enjoy her time within the collegiate theatrical world. Crenshaw’s reservations about pursuing theater were confirmed by her first experience with arts at Georgetown. Crenshaw received a part in a collaborative play with Gallaudet during her freshman year, but dropped out after the first rehearsal due to the heavy time commitment.

It was at this point where Crenshaw, still searching for an outlet for her creativity, saw a poster for GU Improv. Despite having only done improv once, when she was a child, Crenshaw decided to give it a chance, thinking that it might be the perfect medium to express herself. “Improv is kind of stupid,” Crenshaw said, looking back on how it had shaped her Georgetown career. “But it just became exactly what I was looking for. A really laid-back way to stay creatively engaged.” *** Since it’s formation in 1995, then the Georgetown Players Improv Troupe, the Georgetown Improv Association, commonly known as GU Improv has been the face of comedy at Georgetown—sometimes literally.

“A lot of people I’ve never met before, come up and say, ‘Oh, you’re on improv!’” Rohan said.

The group performs about once a month in Bulldog Alley, but despite the unconventional venue—the stage is usually a simple raised platform—GU Improv’s shows are popular among students. “We usually sell out or almost sell out the house for all of our shows,” Crenshaw said.

We’re a very tightknit group. If we had a 30-person team it wouldn’t be possible at all really to do the type of shows that we do.”

In addition to their monthly performances, the troupe also gets invited to collaborate with other student groups or bands quite often. Last year alone, the group performed at the South Asian Society ball and an event for East Campus Res Life, held a workshop for MBA students in Management Professor Rebec-

September 25, 2014 ca Heino’s class, and hosted groups from Princeton, Ohio State, the University of Maryland, and George Mason in their 18th annual Improvfest. “We’ve managed to make a lot connections,” Crenshaw said, “which I think is really cool.”

Even though GU Improv thrives on-campus, comedy and the performing arts exist on the periphery of Georgetown’s culture. “When people think Georgetown, they think of a humorless, pre-professional world,” Rohan said.

“Which it is, a lot of the time.” But for the students in the improv community, Georgetown’s environment is nurturing toward the perfection of their art. “You can’t get comedic material from comedy,” Rohan said. “You get comedic material from the rest of the world. And this school is mostly the rest of the world.”

Likewise, the small size of the improv community itself has proven to be a great benefit to those within the troupe.

The eight students who are currently members of GU Improv only make up 0.1 percent of the undergraduate population. “You really get immersed in the craft,” Rohan said. “You can foment within this tiny community.”

“We’re a very tight-knit group,” Crenshaw said. “If we had a 30-person team it wouldn’t be possible at all really to do the type of shows that we do … When I step out on stage with Connor [Rohan], I don’t know what’s going to happen, but … I kind of know the things he would say, and he kind of knows the things I would say and what type of characters I would gravitate to. We really have to be able to operate on that level of familiarity.” *** Despite widespread support from the student population, the creativity of GU Improv is not entirely uninhibited. GU Improv, much like most other extracurricular groups on campus, must go through a complex bureaucratic process to obtain funding. This process, for GU Improv and other performing arts groups at Georgetown, is overseen by the Performing Arts Advisory Council.

“PAAC was formed along with several other advisory boards, including the Media Board and the Center for Social Justice … about 30 years ago, as a direct response to the lawsuit that the Gay Student Association brought against Georgetown University,” said Ron Lignelli, administrative director of the Department of Performing Arts.

The GSA brought the lawsuit forward in 1981 because they did not have equal access to funding and campus spaces. Following the successful lawsuit, the University decided the best way to assure student groups equal access to benefits was to create these additional advisory boards.

At the time of its founding, PAAC only oversaw five different performing arts groups, which were previously part of the Student Activities Commission. The board, which is comprised of four faculty members and five students, is now in charge of 18 groups, ranging from acappella, dance, and theater groups, and

georgetownvoice.com GU Improv. The board audits and assess each of these group’s financial needs and is the source of a majority of each group’s capital.

Currently, each group under PAAC must submit their budgets in February to be reviewed by the board in March.

“In the performing arts, the budgets are pretty standard, as the groups tend to do the same things each year,” Lignelli said. “Improv will do the same number of shows, Mask and Bauble will do the same number of shows … we know when all of the concerts are, we’ve already booked all the halls, everything gets confirmed.”

There is also a supplementary procedure in place for when groups need access to additional funding for something that may not be in their approved budget, such as unanticipated travel expenses. In order to acquire funding for these expenses, groups must fill out a form that details the expenses that will accompany the proposal. If the proposal is for less than $357 it can be approved directly by Lignelli, unless it involves travel. Otherwise, it must be reviewed by the board, who generally only meet every three to four weeks.

Additionally, groups may pay for some expenses with their gift fund, which holds any donations the group receives from students’ parents, alumni, other students, or money they make while performing off-campus. Often,

feature PAAC asks groups to draw funds from their gift accounts to supplement whatever money they might receive.

This system is a cause for concern for the members of GU Improv, who sometimes find that its inefficiency stymies their capacity to grow as a performance group. PAAC approves budgets based on its judgement of how much is required to run the organization in its current state. Thus, it allocates groups with relatively low overhead costs with less funding than other groups.

The repercussion of this system is that GU Improv, which practices in random open rooms they find in Walsh and performs in a space that costs the University very little money to maintain, never has direct access their revenue from on-campus performances. “We pull in about $5,000 a year,” Rohan said, “and we only get a budget of $2,500.”

The cost factor makes it difficult for GU Improv to grow as a team and for its members to develop as individual artists because their budget lacks any room for advancement opportunities. “We’ve found that travelling really helps us as a team,” Crenshaw said. “When you are exposed to a lot of different improv teams, you get to understand your team better … you develop an understanding of your strengths and weaknesses.”

Last semester, when the team proposed their new budget, they

tried to reallocate money they were not using within their budget to cover potential travel opportunities, but these line items were declined

by PAAC. “We were essentially told, ‘Look, the stated purpose of your organization is not for travel, it’s for performances here on campus,’” Crenshaw said. If the group wanted to have more funds for traveling, and other opportunities that would benefit their group, they would have to change their mission statement.

Granted, changing a mission statement is not too difficult and the members of GU Improv are looking into doing so, but Crenshaw worries that there is a misconception within the PAAC board and other administrators that GU Improv is attempting to shift its overall focus. “We don’t want to change our mission to be primarily about travel, because shows on campus are our main deal and always will be,” Crenshaw said, “But travel is important to us too.”

Ultimately, though, despite the disagreements that have come up between the two parties, GU Improv is generally happy to be a member of PAAC. “They provide us with a lot of necessary support, administratively,” Moakley said. “So that we’re not totally on our own.”

“The fact that PAAC works in the way it does keeps us in existence,” Crenshaw said. “Our team is so small

the georgetown voice | 9 and it’s character can fluctuate so much, that unless we had PAAC as a controlling entity, we could so easily dissolve in a year of lazy, sloppy leadership.” *** In its almost two decades of existence, the Georgetown University Improv Association has produced its fair share of impressive alumni, including Mike Birbiglia (COL ‘00), Nick Kroll (COL ‘01), John Mulaney (COL ‘04), Jim Gaffigan (MSB ‘88), and many other stand-up comedians, actors, and writers. And while a career in comedy doesn’t appear to be on the horizon for most of its members, only two of whom plan to pursue a career in comedy, they all recognize that the potential foundations of one are still present.

“Just the knowledge that [GU Improv] can be the first step to a career in comedy is massively important.”

Luther said. “But, if this is the first step, then I’m still tying my shoes.”

The benefits of improv stretch even beyond the performing arts. “Improv is my home at Georgetown, really,” Crenshaw said. “It’s where I feel the most comfortable and something I can always look forward too...it’s such a relief to be a part of a group like that.”

“I can’t tell you the good it’s done for me,” Rohan said, “for me, it’s truly been a light, within the darkness.”

Photos by Tucker Cholvin

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10 | the georgetown voice

September 25, 2014

District’s Fashion Week struts its stuff down the Capitol’s catwalks CAROLINE KOCH Each September, the upper-echelon of the fashion editorial world sits shoulder-to-shoulder with celebrities and savvy socialites on the frontlines of designer runways displaying next season’s trends.

The eyes of the couture world are fixed for four weeks on the major cities of production—Paris, London, Milan, New York.

D.C. is not one of these lavish locales, but don’t count out the land of blue ties and power pantsuits just yet.

This week marks the 10year anniversary of D.C. Fashion Week. The project began in 2004 as a small hotel soiree and has since matured into a seven day runway marathon at some of the District’s most recognizable venues. Kors, McCartney, Chanel and Diane Von Furstenberg will not be on display, but the event will exhibit looks from over 30 international designers.

“We want to be, truly, an international fashion week,” said D.C. Fashion Week’s Executive Director Ean Williams. The founder of DCFW, Williams told the Voice that this week’s design-

sic has taken on over the past decade. After a vocal performance, the final presentation was the Corjor International 2015 spring ready-to-wear line. Magenta organza cocktail dresses with hand stitched detail and gold metal belts flew down a roped-off runway, set to an orchestral version of Beyonce’s “Drunk in Love.”

Organizers read Mayor Gray’s official declaration of fashion week in front of the Constitution, with portraits of the founding fathers watching from above. A representative from the National Archives mentioned there is always something to discover at the Archives; Tuesday’s well-attended visit unearthed a budding international fashion community.

A number of Georgetown students were in attendance, seizCaroline koch ing the opportunity to dress up. “this’ll be a straight walk-off, old school rules. First model walks; second model duplicates, then elaborates.”

Abigail Femi-Ogunyemi (MSB D.C.’s contribution to the try, a unique backdrop for a designer, highlighted in this ‘16) enjoyed the show: “[The proyear’s British Vogue Big Fash- duction] could’ve been a little bit fashion industry is not limited fashion week installation.

“During the day we run ion Issue, took the audience on more polished, but the clothing George Washington graduate was really interesting to see...I Rachel Zoe. The city’s inter- the most powerful city in the a ride through two collections.

First came an ode to the was surprised there was a D.C. nationality gives residents a world, but when it comes to sense of style entirely their fashion, we take off our day job black evening gown and the fashion show at all though, it reown. Take a walk down M St. and we go out on the town—it’s different iterations the clas- ally worked for me!” ers have flown in from Africa, Indonesia and Paris. “We want to showcase designers from all over the world and make sure they have the opportunity to launch their label here in the U.S., and what better place to do it than in the nation’s capital?”

Breeches&Bodice: A bi-weekly column about style by Tim Annick

All the bros down in Hariri like Christmas a lot, but this Grouch of Henle Village does not. This Grouch hates the winter—the whole freezing season. Don’t bother asking why, he’ll tell you exactly what his reasons are anyway.

A dear friend of mine puts Christmas lights up in mid-August and plays the Mariah Carey Christmas album on repeat—Justin Bieber’s, too. I, however, waste away my remaining summer days strategically avoiding the coming school year— decidedly not packing and maintaining radio silence on social media. Wake me up when September ends, right?

With the start of the school year in D.C., comes the inevitable slide past a brisk fall, and into a winter horrorland, a rapid transition I dread. To

make matters worse, eggnog doesn’t agree with my dairy-free, gluten-intolerant, grass-fed, and organic lifestyle, thank you very much.

As a California boy, I didn’t even know that winter existed before arriving at the Hilltop. Sure, I had heard of seasons. I obviously studied my man Pieter Bruegel and the Flemish Renaissance in high school like everyone else. But where I come from, winter is 65 and sunny.

But something happened this summer. I learned to drive stick, I ate fish tacos, I hung out in Silverlake, and my friend Ericka bought a cat sweater. Uncharacteristically, I loved it, and somehow, this cat sweater changed me. Formerly the king of beach days and outdoor concerts, I might now actually be looking for-

and you’ll see that every major designer has a presence here.

But take notice of the shoppers on your stroll. Whether tourist, student, government official, local hipster or mother of three, the District’s diversity weaves a bold and rich tapes-

a totally different experience,” said Williams. “We have multiple personalities.”

Tuesday opened the weeklong anniversary event at the National Archives with a fashion show from Corjor International, Williams’ label. The

Baby it’s cold outside, Don we now our gay cat sweater apparel ward to the dreadful seasonal slide. But, while Ericka is rocking her cat sweater, how can I possibly hope to compete in the winter with my existentially despairing flannels? See, I like the idea of looking spiffy in cooler weather, but the second the temperature drops below 60, all I want for Christmas is summer.

But apparently people on the Hilltop have actually seen winter before, and, I hear, even lived through it (exclusively Canadians, I’m sure). It is blatantly clear to me that my winter frump has nowhere to bunk. My winter wardrobe consists of my beloved flannels, oversized sweaters, wool socks, and, most recently, my hideously awesome Birkenstocks. No wonder I’m not getting any Tumblr reblogs of my selfies.

But a year later, now that I’m no longer a sopho-moron, I get that the second the temperature drops, insulation is all that matters for winter clothes. Style? Style dies with the leaves. There’s a reason Bro-riri will be clogged with Fratagonia fleece sweaters and those ugly duckling Hunter boots. It’s no longer about self-expression and being the coolest cat on the block: it’s about keeping warm, staying dry, and not falling on the ice.

Fortunately, my timeless sensibilities feel right at home with the cozy winter garb of the Hilltop. Many of my wool socks are my dad’s, handed down to me after years of hiking and camping. Those socks are still going—and smelling—strong after 20-plus years. In the same way, my favorite sweaters are ones that I

have freed from my dad’s closet (a veritable treasure trove).

Clothes should be around long enough to take supporting roles in your life stories.

My favorite non-winter jacket, my dad’s Levi’s trucker jacket, has been in the family since the early ‘80s. That’s history.

But I cannot wear a jean jacket in the middle of a blizzard, much to my frustration, so the time has come to make new stories with new winter gear. This year, I plan to take the winter horrorland by storm and pick a supporting cast that does my figure some justice. Why wait until New Years for a resolution? Those flannel shirts, wool socks, and Birkenstocks are not going anywhere, but I’ll also be wearing sweaters that fit, a wool winter coat, and maybe even boots. At least, I’ll (probably) try until it drops below 60, then all bets are off.

Keep Tim warm tra25@georgetown.edu.

at

georgetownvoice.com

“It is a kingdom of conscience, or nothing.” — Kingdom of Heaven

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the georgetown voice | 11

Corcoran curates concluding collection COLLEEN ZORC Although the Corcoran Gallery of Art, the capital’s oldest and largest private art museum will close its doors at the beginning of next month, the words “Dedicated to Art” will remain carved above its 17th St. entrance.

George Washington University will assume ownership of the building, and the National Gallery will appropriate over 17,000 pieces of art from the Corcoran.

The gallery’s founder, William Corcoran, was the son of one of the region’s first mayors. Corcoran worked as a merchant and a financier but, most notably, he collected American art at a time when most collectors focused on purchasing European pieces. Through his patronage, he grew close to many important American artists including Frederic Church, Thomas Doughty, and George Inness. In 1869, Corcoran commissioned John Renwick Jr. to design a new building, now the Renwick Gallery, to house his collection, establishing the first iteration of the Corcoran Gallery.

The Corcoran will close for a period of extensive renovations. It is, at this point, unclear which art pieces will remain on display in the Washington area, and what will be sold to galleries elsewhere or tucked into Smithsonian storage.

Corcoran gallery

“good fences make good neighbors” The Gallery’s impending closure has been growing starkly more obvious over the past few months, ever since its impending closure was announced earlier this summer. The galleries bustle with unusually high energy as tourists and locals clamber to get a last glimpse of the collections.

The Corcoran is hosting one final exhibition before it closes its doors next month. American Metal: The Art of Albert Paley offers a remarkable look at the craft of metal smithing, from cathedral gates to naturalistic sculptures.

Albert Paley manipulates metal with incredible prowess, creating science fiction-worthy furniture and intricate sculptures of animals that dominate entire galleries. His industrial, futuristic pieces seem

most fitting for his media, iron and bronze. However, he also manages to drape the same materials with the daintiness of a piece of ribbon.

Paley launched his career in metalwork by winning a design contest for the metal gates of the Renwick Gallery. It is only fitting that the final exhibit at the Corcoran Gallery honors the work of that same artist 42 years later. As the Corcoran Gallery closes its gates, the District will lose one of its longest running cultural establishments. With its closing the city must ask itself how it will, once again, dedicate itself to art.

Corcoran Gallery 500 17th St N.W. 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. all week corcoran.org

Thai restaurant, Soi 38, curries favor with Foggy Bottom residents TIM ANNICK When you enter through the cage-like wood portico, the sultry reimagining of a groovy hotel bar incites the kind of villainy that Miami Vice’s Tubbs and Crockett could only dream of. “Soi” is the Thai word for “side street,” and Soi 38 has the allure of the Bangkok night markets that founders

Nat Ongsangkoon and Dia Khanthongthip aim to replicate.

It’s Foggy Bottom’s answer to Georgetown’s Mai Thai, and, like Foggy Bottom, the restaurant is innovative and cosmopolitan. The space is tiered with sunken floors, elevated platforms, and cocooning booths, like a winding network of cobblestoned back alleyways. The

Concerned about D.C.’s humidity, Soi 38 installed giant moth traps.

Vicki Lam

subdued lighting emanates from hanging, woven chandeliers and lotus-inspired paper enclosures, with gold-on-black murals lining the walls. Fortuitously, the network of alleys all lead to one destination: the bar. Situated at the back of the restaurant, customers must wind through the dining area to get to their alcoholic destination, which, no matter where you sit, makes you a sideshow attraction in the marketplace of Soi 38.

My companion and I started with the Thai cuisine-inspired cocktail list. Soi 38’s take on a Manhattan was presented in a small glass bottle with a paper tag, which made it feel—dare I say it—prepackaged. My lemon ginger tea was delivered in a charming white ceramic tea set, but its presentation did not distract from the tea bag. For a locale that seemed so preoccupied with presentation, I expected loose-leaf tea.

The tea foreshadowed what was to come. We began with Tom Ka Gai, the traditional Thai coconut and lemon grass chicken soup, and the Yum Goong Fu, a lime and chili fried shrimp dish served over lettuce. The Tom Ka was a standard take on the Thai classic, with its coconut milk base, and chili paste seasoning.

The Yum Goong Fu was crunchy and piquant, but the taste of the shrimp was difficult to discern among the spicy cacophony of fruit, nuts, and garnishes.

We followed with Pad Cha Talay and Gaeng Phet Ped Yang, a seafood dish and duck curry, respectively. The Pad Cha Talay, a dish of squid, scallops, shrimp, and mussels in a ginger and red chili sauce, was overall very good, however, the squid was slightly overcooked, which threw off the textural uniformity of the dish.

The duck curry remedied all of the Pad Cha Talay’s missteps with its classic interpretation of

a Thai curry specialty. The dish’s pineapple, appropriate spice level, and well-rounded depth of flavor complemented the wellcooked duck, but nothing elevated the dish beyond a predictable, if well-rendered, iteration of the Thai staple.

Soi 38’s food and drink were conventional, without standing apart from the tastes of Bangkok’s winding marketplaces. There was no “great sea urchin ceviche,” no dish that curb-tomped hopeful competitors. The food is good and well-prepared, but not daring enough to warrant any further attention. While Soi 38’s aesthetics might suggest grand capers and vivacious villainy, the kitchen is anchored in conventional flavors, never taking a step off the main street of Thai cuisine.

Soi 38 2101 L Street NW 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. all week soi38dc.com

leisure

12 | the georgetown voice

CRITICAL VOICES

alt-J, This Is All Yours, Infectious Alt-J’s new album, This Is All Yours, is like cappuccino-flavored potato chips: mystifying and unconventional, yet also a joyride for the senses. Building upon their hit debut album An Awesome Wave, alt-J undeniably confirmed its broad repertoire and eclectic influences loudly and clearly, just like their smooth, abstract lyrics.

A softer and more intricate mix of instrumentals, tones,

The Drums, Encyclopedia, Minor The Drums drive home their predilection for eerie contrast, setting unapologetically somber lyrics against a background of cheerful synth-pop in the sickly-sweet darkness of Encyclopedia, their third and newest release. Though the dark lyrics inevitably drag the listener into hopelessness, the synth-heavy trance remains hypnotic. We involuntarily relax as The Drums chillingly muse, “I never thought

and beats sets this album apart from the emphatic, booming bass of fan favorites like “Fitzpleasure” or “Tessellate” from their debut release. “Hunger of the Pine” is undoubtedly the masterpiece of the album that seamlessly combines dub, saxophone, drums and, most importantly, a Miley Cyrus sample to create a banger.

The album’s experimentation may leave you feeling as if you have fallen down the proverbial rabbit hole. Alt-J flips your listening experience upside down by creating a collection of songs that could have been recorded by multiple artists spanning across a wide range of genres, from folk-infused alternative, to synthheavy dance jams.

Without a common musical identity, This Is All Yours is thematically inconsistent, its aural melange more distracting than

meaningful. Alt-J’s style resonates with listeners throughout the album at different times, but those may be few and far between with the amount of variety in their sound. Though each track presents a new element to layer atop the band’s confused and unique resume, without cohesiveness between songs, the album as a whole falls short.

Proving that they are not defined by genre, but by the lack thereof, alt-J has once again broken down—or ignored— the boundaries that separate genres. On their sophomore effort, alt-J lose the single awesome wave that defined their first release, and run freely through a pine forest of disparate genres, leaving the listener hungry for a sense of cohesion.

I’d want to die, but I was looking for a gun when you found me.”

Childhood Bible camp friends Jonny Pierce and Jacob Graham have not only had two band members leave since their last album release, but also their fear of God, judging by the track “Face of God.” On first listen, Encyclopedia comes across as brash, with professions of love such as “they might hate you, but I love you, and they can go kill themselves,” which beg for attention, yet are lacking in allure. These flashy lines, however, demonstrate The Drums’s rebellious spirit, clear evidence of the grungy influence imprinted by Joy Division and The Smiths on The Drums’s work.

Bold declarations of laughter in the face of death give way to the essence of the album—an innocent hopelessness. Encyclopedia radiates an odd sense of calm through its more irreverent tracks. Sympathy seeps into Pierce’s gloomily murmured lyrics and weaves

through songs like,“I Can’t Pretend” and “There is Nothing Left.”

In sharp contrast to the distorted and unwelcoming opening track, “Magic Mountain,” the final track, “Wild Geese,” leaves the listener in a state of introspection.

It builds emotion, unlike many of the album’s flat, repetitive songs, conveying an uplifting tone that confirm the scattered elements of resilience amidst an album characterized by hopelessness.

“When the sky turns black, we’ll wait right here for the first lights of morning,” croons Pierce on “Wild Geese.” While Encyclopedia’s bleakness persists, moments of solace subdue the album’s brooding gloom, presenting a constructive alternative to the horror.

Voice’s Choices: “Hunger of the Pine,” “Nara” —Dinah Farrell

Voice’s Choices: “I Can’t Pretend,” “Wild Geese” —Elizabeth coscia

CONCERT CALENDAR THURSDAY 9/25 Tennis Black Cat, 8 p.m., $16

SUNDAY 9/28 Kasabian 9:30 Club, 7 p.m., $30

TUESDAY 9/30 ODESZA U Street Music Hall, 10 p.m., $15

FRIDAY 9/26 Bonobo 9:30 Club, 10 p.m., $20

MONDAY 9/29 Tauk Gypsy Sally’s, 9 p.m., $25

WEDNESDAY 10/1 The Raveonettes Black Cat, 8 p.m., $20

IdiotBox:

September 25, 2014

All the single ladies, grab your claymores

A bi-weekly column about TV by Julia Lloyd-George

Fantasy is a tricky genre for television, easily blown out of proportion and easily dismissed as a juvenile art form when dragons or witches are involved.

Though shows with big budgets for lavish fantasy sets haven’t historically been too common on the small screen, the “golden age of television” means that more people are willing to pay attention and pay the price for greater production value. Call it the Game of Thrones effect.

Outlander, a new series from small cable provider Starz, is a fortunate offshoot of this trend. Based on a bestselling series of novels I’ve never heard of, it’s about a 20th century English nurse, Claire, who gets accidentally transported through time to the 18th century Scottish highlands in the midst of a broiling conflict between the Scottish and the English. Leaving her historian husband behind in 1945, she is forced to navigate the tricky terrain of a war-ridden country in 1743, while also happening to meet a chiseled, sensitive, kilt-sporting Scotsman, not unlike many a romance novel cover.

I’m aware it’s a pitch that’s more likely to produce eye rolls than anything else, but it’s definitely worth looking past the fantasy--adventure-romance label that’s easily attached to the stigma of “chick lit.” Pulp fiction this is not. Outlander is a rarity––a show with a nuanced female perspective. Dismissing it as “chick lit” is plainly shortsighted, misogynist, and reductive. It’s skewed toward a female audience, yes, but that shouldn’t make it a guilty pleasure for anyone, gender aside.

Particularly interesting about the show is the online hype that often frames it as the feminist answer to Game of Thrones. It’s a claim I feel ambivalent about, since I’m such a diehard Game of Thrones fan and have found some of my absolute favorite female characters on that show.

The ambitious aspiring monarch Khaleesi, for example, steadily progresses from a place of victimhood in a forced arranged marriage to being a fierce, Beyonce-like queen— and reminding us that she’s the

Mother of Dragons pretty much every chance she gets. Don’t even get me started on Arya Stark: she’s undeniably one of the greatest fictional badasses ever—female or male—and there is no limit to my fangirl love for her. Moreover, there are plenty of other women on the show who seem to always be manipulating their way into positions of power.

What I realized when watching Outlander, however, is what a different experience it is to see a fictional world through female eyes. Unlike Game of Thrones, Outlander allows the audience to hear our protagonist’s internal monologue as she meditates on matters like the tension between science and suspicion in a society unfamiliar to the progress she’s witnessed as a visitor from the future. Thrust into a world unfamiliar with her modenity, Claire is endowed with a poignant power––knowledge no one else has.

Even more significantly, though, I don’t feel myself constantly on guard while watching Outlander, whereas Game of Thrones has me holding my breath in case one of my favorite characters bites the dust in gruesome fashion. There’s conflict, obviously, since there’s an ongoing war, but there’s a level of comfort that comes with watching a story driven by a female voice with a stable level of power. This show is centered around her story and hers alone, making the key parts of the plot work in her favor. Though it’s undeniable that she’s fallen into a world unfriendly to her kind, she is rarely at a disadvantage impossible for her to overcome.

Differences aside, positioning Outlander as a woman’s show in opposition to the masculine extreme of Game of Thrones is not only artificial, but harmful. While the former will likely always be the underdog, marketing it to a female demographic can only be isolating. Welcoming everyone to the party, after all, is the best way to broaden the conversation. Now, if only we can find a tagline to rival “winter is coming.”

Show Julia your claymore at jfl49@georgetown.edu.

- Dylan Cutler

voices

14 | the georgetown voice

September 25, 2014

You are what you commit to, so stick to what you love JUPITER EL-ASMAR Commitment is one quality that heavily defines who we are as human beings. It is a reflection of not only our values and beliefs, but also of how strongly we feel about them. We can only truly commit ourselves to doing what we love because we need to love what we are doing to devote ourselves entirely to it.

At Georgetown, students come from all walks of life.

When the Intercultural Center Auditorium is filled to capacity during an economics lecture, we sit among Pell Grants recipients, the progeny of millionaires, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Catholics, Nigerians, Koreans, homosexuals, heterosexuals, bisexuals, suburbanites, and urbanites. We are musicians, sailors, writers, debaters, and scientists.

We like to think of ourselves as a community, and we tend to get along.

But sometimes we don’t.

Sometimes there are cases— occasionally extreme—where one of us is singled out for our religious beliefs, race, or, as in the assault case earlier this month, our sexual orientation. In more moderate cases, people disagree and argue over education reform and what the U.S. should do regarding the intervention in Syria. In Red Square, Vita Saxa and H*yas for Choice table side-by-side while trying to avoid making eye contact with each other.

How do we resolve incidents of bias that occur on a campus that also holds events to promote tolerance, such as interfaith sandwich-making?

While different people holding different commitments can lead to friction or conflict, commitment to higher values, such as pluralism, helps keep us in check and define us as either militant and biased or open-minded and understanding. Therefore, a homophobe is one who com-

mits homophobic actions instead of practicing tolerance.

We weigh our adherence to our own biases against our obligations to common ideals according to how committed we are to one or another set of ideals.

If we hold this idea to be true, then commitment must also vary by degree. We can be devoted to some activities more than others. Many Hoyas involve themselves in multiple clubs on campus, but they invariably end up committing themselves to some more than others. These clubs end up defining them, and their levels of dedication become indicative of their reliability in other aspects of life.

By throwing ourselves into our activities, we display our zeal for that cause or organization and, as a result, end up in leadership positions because we’ve proven ourselves to be trustworthy and capable of handling greater responsibilities. We assume that no one wants to see something they

care about crumble under their stewardship. When our club activities conflict with our academic assignments, what we decide to prioritize defines us as athletes, actors, or academics.

Realizing this, we find ourselves deciding what we want to commit ourselves to. In our considerations, we sometimes find ourselves weighing our chances at leadership positions, how leadership positions of that organization will look on our resume, and whether or not it is an organization that we believe in and enjoy being a part of.

We must be careful not to subvert the latter for ambitious motivations: seeking a position just because we think it will look more attractive on a resume. When we don’t pursue what we love, we sabotage our own happiness. If we attain leadership positions in organizations we don’t care about, we will find ourselves burned out and doing the bare minimum to get

by without leaving the organization worse off than we found it. If we do something we want to devote ourselves to, our enthusiasm will shine through and when we do get those leadership positions we will be poised to leave that club better off than we found it. We will have the energy and desire necessary to innovate. Arguably, the type of organization you join doesn’t matter quite as much as what you end up bringing to the table.

Commitments define us.

Our beliefs, interests, and the intensity with which we dedicate ourselves to them say much more about who we are to our friends, families, and future employers than any title, position, or GPA alone.

JUPITER EL-ASMAR SFS ‘17 and his beliefs are in a serious relationship

We aren’t kitten around: Stop catcalling and inappropriate behavior DAYANA MORALES GOMEZ I was running like I had never run before. The wind was blowing through my hair, adding wings that made me feel extra aerodynamic. I had taken my earbuds out because I wanted to really hear the sound of the cars guzzling gas while I pounded the pavement. I was wearing capri spandex and a tank top. I don’t feel like I have to defend what I was wearing, but it was a hot day, and I wanted to feel comfortable.

It had often happened to me at home, where crime is more frequent and my guard is always

up. But I didn’t expect it to happen at Georgetown.

From behind I heard a car slow down. And then they were next to me—some yelling, maybe some clapping. Then came laughter, and finally the sound of the car driving away.

I was being catcalled.

Even as the car began to slow down, I knew exactly what was happening. And how couldn’t I? From the countless times it has happened, even as I traveled in groups, I always knew when it was coming, but that never takes the edge off.

I have met countless people who have been confused when I express anger over being

“Knick-knack, Paddy-wack, you gave this dog a bone.”

river davis

catcalled, some jokingly, and some—mostly men—defensively. “Why don’t you run in the gym if you don’t want people looking at you?” Worse yet, one friend said, “You would be angry if no one said something to you.”

For the last two years at Georgetown, the catcalls have been sporadic. It happened once or twice freshman year, maybe a few more times sophomore year. But it has happened at an increased rate this year—and not just to me. My friends and I now actively avoid certain areas during certain times of the day.

It is unpleasant but necessary to point out that women are always in danger by the mere virtue of being.

Many won’t agree with me— “what’s dangerous about someone trying to be nice to you?,” or, “What does it matter if all they do is yell?” are common refrains to my complaints.

Though maybe words may seem like nothing more than sounds in the air, the anxiety and self-consciousness that they produce is not something that women should have to put up with.

There’s very little fun in being outside and feeling like an object that people can manipulate at their leisure. I don’t go out so that others can ogle and scream at me. More importantly, I’m not going to talk to—much less sleep

with—a guy who hits on me from the side of the street.

As someone who has never taken part in catcalling, I still don’t understand what makes it so amusing. It’s one thing to be confident and politely approach a woman during a social situation and let her know that you find her attractive. It’s quite another to see her alone on the street, corner her, and tell how much you would like to “tap that ass.”

Recently, fellow students have expressed concerns regarding the construction contractors on campus, who have been making unwelcome comments or staring at their bodies, giving them a lascivious once-over.

There are a lot of non-community members present on Georgetown’s campus recently because of all of the construction. The university needs to be more proactive about holding these people up to the same standards to which we hold the rest of the community. Why should women have to feel like they must take different routes around campus because of the construction more than they must already just so that they can have the peace and quiet of simply not being catcalled?

My hometown, and probably just about every city, also needs to think about how it handles this form of microaggression. I

can think of exactly zero women—or men—who have expressed to me their desire to be yelled at on the street while they go about their day.

About a month ago, Playboy released a catcalling flow chart.

And interestingly enough, it was great. So great, in fact, I would like to echo their sentiments here: only catcall her if she a) is literally a cat, or b) has given you explicit permission to do so.

Even Playboy has recognized that women in public aren’t sexually available just because they’re walking outside. Not everyone is a centerfold.

I don’t really run anymore, and I think there is a bit more to it than mere laziness. I sometimes go with a friend, but any time I am alone I cannot help but feel self-conscious and paranoid, like I’m being watched. Though there aren’t always people ready to make unnecessary comments, there is something unnerving about knowing that they can come at anytime, in any place.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like this is going to be changing anytime soon.

DAYANA MORALES GOMEZ sfs ‘16 Does not believe in the species binary

voices

georgetownvoice.com

THE GEORGETOWN VOICe | 15

Females and the family feud: Why we deserve to have it all LEILA LEBRETON Every conversation I have with my mother nowadays seems to end up in the same place: my future. In my mother’s mind, women of my generation are supposed to subscribe to the feminist ideal of female empowerment and putting their career before all else. She often makes me feel like the only way I will lead a fulfilling life is by graduating from college and building a successful career. Only then should I even begin to consider settling down, getting married, and raising a family.

The ironic part is, my mother did just the opposite.

She graduated school, married her college sweetheart, then went on to have four children and be a housewife.

A part of me wants to be her opposite—an ambitious workaholic who has no time for feelings or people. But I also have been influenced by her, as I too want to get married and have children, although probably not four of them. I plan to prioritize having a family over any career opportunity I am presented with.

There was a time when I tried to be the ideal modern woman. I used to claim that having a career was so much more important in this day and age than settling down.

lizzy blumberg

“Everybody has that point in their life where you hit a crossroads.” —T. Swift

CARRYING ON

But every time I saw a cute baby, I would know that not having children would never be an option for me.

Nowadays, people place so much emphasis on having a career that they undermine the value of personal relationships. Relationships are put on the back burner in favor of commitments that will contribute to future career development.

This behavior is especially prevalent in college culture, especially at competitive schools like Georgetown. It is incredibly common to hear people complaining to others that they don’t have time for friends or romantic interests because they are just too busy with clubs and student groups in order to stay ahead of the pack.

The way I see it, the people who you were in contact with, who you made time for, and who made time for you are infinitely more valuable if you want to live a well-rounded life than any kind of work experience or career path you might be pursuing.

I applaud those who find their passion and are fulfilled by pursuing a career they care about. I just hope that they didn’t forgo relationships for the sake

Navigating a commitment-phobic culture

BY ISABEL ECHARTE

A rotating column by senior Voice staffers

Sex has changed drastically in recent years. Well, not the act of sex itself, but American cultural norms surrounding it have certainly changed substantially.

Most of us consider it acceptable to have casual sex, to have premarital sex, to have relationships with any gender or race, and to use contraceptives. Sex is now something we can try to form our own opinions on without a Bible-thumping priest telling us masturbation will send us straight to hell.

In theory, because of these changes, we should be able to create individual values regarding sex. But I’ve found that trying to formulate my own criteria on a college campus, where hook-up culture dominates, is more difficult than avoiding a one-night stand in line at Leo’s brunch the next morning.

While open-minded views make it permissible for anyone to have sex, hook-up culture takes this a step further. With

hookup culture, sex is supposed to be simple—it’s just sex, no strings attached. While longterm relationships clearly aren’t the goal of these interactions, hookup culture tends to close off any other non-casual exchanges.

Let me explain this point with an example: a conversation I had while waiting in line at Uncommon Grounds. I was in line, deciding whether I could stomach a cup of Corp coffee or if I would need to get tea. A guy I had met a few days before got in line behind me. I whipped out my best small talk skills, and after a bit of conversation regarding classes, I got my coffee and no longer had an excuse to be chatting with this boy. “Good luck with classes and everything this week.

Maybe I’ll see you around this weekend, a few friends are throwing down in Village A,” he offered with a smile and a slight head nod. I, of course,

of their passions, and that they lead a well-balanced life.

As a woman, having the opportunity to hold a career in almost any field is something that should not be taken for granted—equality has been, and remains, a hard-fought, uphill battle. Women should not be afraid, however, of being labeled as regressive if they feel that focusing solely on a career wouldn’t be fulfilling in and of itself.

I’m not demeaning women who don’t want children or those who think that having a successful career is what they need to feel fulfilled in life, but I recognize that we can empower women in a different way. With all the progress we’ve made toward equality, we have also made it seem as if women only have two options: a career or a family.

Women should be able to strive for a career and a family, or just one or the other without anyone judging them. The long march towards equality has pulled these two futures far apart, when they should be compatible. Women feel pressure to adhere to the new model of being a woman: she is no longer a meek housewife, but a strong, independent career woman.

It’s a shame that many people think being strong, in-

responded with the incredibly promising, “Sounds cool, let me know.” I said it with a slight smile, so he knew I actually did want to see him.

“

It doesn’t just offer an alternative to commitment, it rejects commitment.

”

Obviously at that point I didn’t have any expectations for what could happen—I didn’t expect him to show up on my doorstep Friday night with a bouquet of roses and a reservation for a nice dinner. The problem here is that both of us were afraid to make any kind of commitment or show any kind of obvious interest. Maybe he would have sent me a Facebook invite, but maybe not. Maybe I would have messaged him, but again,

maybe not. It’s a competition of pretending to be indifferent, everything based on subtlety.

And that’s because hook-up culture values this appearance of indifference, this lack of expectations. Hook-up culture avoids commitment. Why ask someone to hang out when you can just add a smiley after mentioning the possibility of some vague weekend plans? Hook-up culture strives for the easy way out.

People who want more than just casual sex, the brave and the bold, are often caught up in this indifference. Turns out, that boy would have been interested in hanging out with me in a non-party scene, meaning I had the possibility of having something more than just a one-night stand. Our mutual friend told me this after I mentioned I couldn’t go to the party he invited me to.

He and I never really talked after that. He thought I wasn’t interested because I didn’t go and I thought he wasn’t interested

dependent, and career-driven, and wanting more traditional things, such as a family, are mutually exclusive. I consider myself a feminist. I believe women should be able to want a career and be as ambitious as men have always been encouraged to be. I also feel strongly that women should not be judged based on whether or not they fit the mold of what is seen as an antiquated family model by today’s standards. Some people, men and women, will always value relationships more than a career or will prioritize having children, and that choice should be equally applauded.

As long as women feel that they have to make the choice between career and family, when these two things are not mutually exclusive for men, equality between the sexes will not be achieved. Equality should not just be about women striving to enter the workforce on equal footing with men, but about women being able to have the same choices and opportunities as men in all aspects of society.

LEILA LEBRETON col ‘17 wants to have babies and get rich or die tryin’

because he never tried to talk to me again (and God forbid either of us actually make the effort to ask about it).

Hook-up culture only has an illusion of liberated openness: in theory we engage in it to enjoy sex without unnecessary stress or pressure, where really we are just frightened of any sort of commitment. And while yes, I am happy I can have premarital sex without being given a scarlet ‘A’ to wear and be shunned, hook-up culture takes the idea of casual a bit too far. It doesn’t just offer an alternative to commitment, it rejects commitment. I’m not saying that relationships in college are impossible because of this attitude.

That’s clearly not true. Hookup culture merely makes meeting people and dating more difficult. It makes walking that fine line between one-night stand and relationship quite blurred.

Being asked on a simple date just to get to know someone is as rare as finding a decent beer at Brown House: you see one of the hosts walking around with a few nice, cold bottles of Magic Hat #9, but you don’t bother asking for fear of coming off as forward and somewhat out place.

A snapshot of

GU Improv

through the years