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09.25.14 VOL. XLVI, NO. 3
09.25.14
An Evening with Champions e Sport of Kings Women Taking the Reins
Indy Rising
The Indy is coming soon with controversy. Cover design by Anna Papp Photograph by Milly Wang
CONTENTS FORUM 3 HI1969: Intro to Troglodytes SPECIAL 4 Skating for a Cause 5 Skating for a Cause NEWS 6 Fierce Feminism ARTS 7 Film Studies 8 Fin de 1970s SPORTS 9 Horsing Around 10 Holy Rollers 11 Gridiron Jails
President Albert Murzakhanov '16 Editor-in-Chief Sean Frazzette '16 Director of Production Anna Papp '16 News Editor Forum Editor Arts Editor Sports Editor Associate Sports Editor Associate Forum Editor Associate Arts Editor
Milly Wang '16 Caroline Gentile '17 Sarah Rosenthal '15 Shaquilla Harrigan '16 Peyton Fine '17 Aditya Agrawal '17 Michael Luo '16
Illustrator Yaara Yacoby '17 Designer Alice Linder '17 Business Managers Farhana Nabi '16 Manik Bhatia '16 Staff Writers Whitney Gao '16 Manik Bhatia '16 Terilyn Chen '16 Yuqi Hou '15 Chloe Li '16 Dominique Luongo '17 Orlea Miller '16 Albert Murzhakanov '16 Carlos Schmidt '15 Frank Tamberino '16 Jackie Leong '16 Andrew Lin '17 Madi Taylor '16 Shreya Vardhan '17 Peyton Fine '17 Michael Luo '16 Eloise Lynton '17
DESTINATION OF THE WEEK: Madrid, Spain
As Harvard College's weekly undergraduate newsmagazine, the Harvard Independent provides in-depth, critical coverage of issues and events of interest to the Harvard College community. The Independent has no political affiliation, instead offering diverse commentary on news, arts, sports, and student life. For publication information and general inquiries, contact President Albert Murzakhanov (president@harvardindependent.com). Letters to the Editor and comments regarding the content of the publication should be addressed to Editor-in-Chief Sean Frazzette (editorinchief@ harvardindependent.com). For email subscriptions please email president@harvardindependent. com. The Harvard Independent is published weekly during the academic year, except during vacations, by The Harvard Independent, Inc., Student Organization Center at Hilles, Box 201, 59 Shepard Street, Cambridge, MA 02138. Copyright Š 2014 by The Harvard Independent. All rights reserved.
Forum
Let There Be Laptops
indy
An open letter of frustration. By RITCHEY HOWE
Dear Professors, Although you have written best-selling books, received tenure, been quoted in the New York Times, and are certainly some of the most distinguished academics on the planet, you are not dictators. While you can lecture us on your beliefs, your research, or the basic facts of the material of the course, there are certain liberties that should remain with us. You can help shape our minds with knowledge, but I argue that you don’t have jurisdiction on how we process this information. I have two classes this semester where there is a strict “no laptop” policy. Professors implement this policy because they claim to get distracted by the constant clacking on the keypad. Furthermore, they believe that students will pay more attention to the lecture material without distraction only a click away. My first day of lecture, I remember the strange sore feeling in my hand after scribbling down notes. I hadn’t written this many notes since high school! I was also shocked by how many pages were taken up by one lecture class: as many as five pages! Due to my left-handedness, I left the class with pen smudged all down the side of my hand. To be honest, I do pay more attention in lecture without a laptop and feel more engaged with the professor’s lesson. But I don’t have time to write down all of his/her words, so I need to interpret and shorten their words. On a computer, my made-
up abbreviations would be auto-corrected, but when I hand-write, my notebook page is my oyster. However, there are many issues with not being able to use my laptop. It seems near impossible for me to write down all of the information. I think I speak for many people when I say that I am a much faster typist than I am a writer. Additionally, there are times in class when I need to look up a word or a painting (as I am an Art History concentrator), and Google becomes a good friend. Taking notes on a computer are also infinitely neater than anything I could ever handwrite. My notes typed on Notebook appear beautifully organized, clear, and evenly spaced. I can correctly spell words (especially when they are in other languages). The benefits of taking notes on a laptop are certainly known to us all and I need not go on. Yet my problem with the “no laptop policy” isn’t solely because my notes won’t be as wonderfully organized, correctly spelled, or coherent. My problem lies with the fact that the teacher claims the right to tell me how to process information. I believe that in grade school, and potentially high school, as students are still learning ways to take notes and process information, teachers reserve the right to execute a no laptop policy. Yet by the time they are in college, students should know the most effective way for them to study and engage
with information. If students use their laptops and simply browse through Facebook for an hour of lecture, let them! Either their grade will suffer the consequences or they will have to take time to learn the information later. I agree that it is rude when students are blatantly doing other work on their laptop in class, but assume that these students are missing out. I think it’s unfair to force a policy on all students because some haven’t learned to type quietly or because they haven’t mastered how to shop online discreetly. I have recognized the benefit of taking handwritten notes and will continue to do so in some of my classes. However, many students are frustrated when they are told what to do, and I sympathize. Hand-written notes may not be for everyone, especially when students have become accustomed to typing notes. Let each student be responsible for their work and how they engage with the material. Thank you,
Ritchey Ritchey Howe ’17 (ritcheyhowe@college) wrote this on a laptop.
Illustration by Yaara Yacoby
The Harvard Independent • 09.25.14
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An Evening with Champions
Indy on Ice One night with champions. By MILLY WANG
T
he 44th annual An Evening with Champions ice skating show was held this past weekend, on Friday September 19th and Saturday September 20th, at the Bright Hockey Arena in Allston, Massachusetts. The money raised from this annual event goes to the Jimmy Fund, which is the fundraising arm of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, to help support the development of new ways of diagnosing, treating, preventing cancer. The very first An Evening with the Champions show took place in 1970, and started with an idea conceived by John Petkevich, a junior who lived in Eliot House. He was a two-time Olympic figure skating competitor. And 44 years later, this event has raised a total of roughly 2.8 million dollars for the Jimmy Fund. Paul Wylie, a 1992 Olympic Silver Medalist, has hosted this show for the past 15 years. This year, Emily Hughes, a 2007 US National Silver Medalist and
Harvard graduate of the class of 2011 joined him as co-host. “We couldn’t be more pleased with this lineup that we have,” said Wylie, as he and his co-host, Hughes, opened the show. “Over the years, what started from a small idea has eventually become this performance that we can give you this year,” Hughes said. “At that time [when this event first started], there was only a 50% chance that children with cancer could survive.” This year’s show featured an impressive list of skaters. Men’s singles featured Shotaro Omori, 2013 Junior World Bronze Medalist, Nathan Chen, 2014 Junior World Bronze Medalist, Douglas Razzano, 2013 US Challenge Cup Silver Medalist, Shawn Sawyer, 2011 Canadian Silver Medalist, Ross Miner, 2013 US National Silver Medalist, Joshua Farris, 2013 Junior World Champion, Johnny Weir, 2008 World Bronze Medalist, and Jeremy Abbott, 2014 Olympic Team
Bronze Medalist. Women’s singles featured Alissa Czisny, 2011 Grand Prix Final Champion, Yasmin Siraj, 2010 US Junior National Silver Medalist, Ashley Cain, 2012 US Junior National Silver Medalist, Agnes Zawadzki, Two-time US National Bronze Medalist, Courtney Hicks, 2013 US National Pewter Medalist, Christina Gao, 2012 Skate America Silver Medalist, Kimmie Meissner, 2006 World Champion, and Maria Kalina, 2009 U.S. Junior National Championships Intermediate Pewter Medalist. Pairs skate featured Meagan Duhamel & Eric Radford, 2014 Olympic Team Silver Medalists, and Marissa Castelli & Mervin Tran, 2014 Olympic Team Bronze Medalists. Ice Dancing featured Alexandra Aldridge & Daniel Eaton, 2013 Four Continents Bronze Medalists and Anastasia Cannuscio & Colin McManus, 2013 Ice Challenge Champions.
Behind the Scenes I
t isn’t easy to put together a show that brings together so much talent and attracts so many attendees from all over Boston. One family even mentioned that they came all the way from New York. And so, it is really thanks to all the committee members who worked hard to pull this off. This writer had the opportunity to speak with two of the people who helped to run this show. “I think that we sold close to 1500 tickets this year,” said Jeffery Edwards, the Sales Chair. This is his second year on board, and when asked about what it is that drew him back for another year, he said, “Seeing the show really brings it all together. Just seeing how well it is done is just really encouraging! And the money goes towards cancer research, which is a great cause.” He revealed that in addition to putting on this show, they also invite kids with cancer to come skate with the skaters, a separate event that happened on earlier that Saturday afternoon. Patrick Liu, one of the co-chairs, started out as a volunteer freshman year and was a Skater Liaison last year. He became interested in An Evening with Champions in part due to his history of competitive figure skating. It was this background and interest in figure skating that really influenced his decision to become involved. “It is a lot of work putting on this show, and we have a lot of incredible individuals on board,” he said. “Everything seems a bit fragmented going into the event, but it all really comes together, and this event is something great that I would really like to share with my friends.” “Being active on social media, finding a great cast, and pushing for a greater Harvard presence are the key things,” he remarked when asked about advice for the future board. “Learning to be a professional while being a Harvard student is hard,” he admitted. “But I hope that the co-chairs next year will also come to realize that you can definitely do a lot and have a lot of sway even as a student.”
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09.25.14 • The Harvard Independent
Interview with Shawn Sawyer A
t the storyboard meeting before the show, the writer brainstormed a list of potential questions to ask the skaters. One in particular was: if you had to dress up as an animal on ice, what animal would you be? Of course, we didn’t really expect anyone to actually dress up as an animal during the performance. We expected sparkly dresses, black pants, dress shirts, and all of the usual flair. So, imagine this writer’s surprise when a little more than halfway through the performance, Shawn Sawyer, dressed as a leopard, sprinted onto the ice and proceeded to wow and impress the crowd with his back flips (on ice!), twists, turns, glides, and leopard-like movements. How creative can you really get on ice? Very, apparently. This performance, ladies and gentleman, definitely made the greatest impression on this writer that evening. Milly Wang: Why did you choose the leopard as your theme today? Shawn Sawyer: I chose the leopard because when it has something in mind, it doesn’t walk towards it, it runs. And that’s how I am. MW: What were your favorite moves out of today’s performance? SS: The backflip and the cantilever. I really like the cantilever because I think that it shows different levels, which adds to the program. MW: That backflip was really impressive! How long did it take you to learn it? SS: Not long at all, actually! It took about 30 seconds. MW: When you plan your performances, how do you strike the balance between athleticism and artistry? SS: I come up with twenty new programs a year. Some fall out, but others just keep growing, and these are the ones that I keep. Usually, I end up with four programs a year. MW: What genres of music do you prefer to skate to? SS: I prefer music that doesn’t scream figure skating. I like to take these and try to make something from them. MW: And finally, what advice do you have for budding figure skaters? SS: Figure skating is an ongoing challenge, and if you like challenges, then this is something that you should do. This writer’s favorite part of the performance (apart from that backflip of course) was the part where Shawn Sawyer mimicked a leopard and raced across the ice.
Author’s Note I
just love figure skating. It’s so beautiful and elegant — a little like gymnastics on ice. It’s exciting — the twists, and turns, and graceful glides. It’s exhilarating — holding your breath when someone is in midair and waiting in anticipation for the landing. It’s fast-paced — sometimes a triple-axel is over if you just blink at an inopportune moment. And fashion critics could have field day with all of the vibrant outfits and styles. I watch figure skating on TV during every Winter Olympics, but watching it in person just made the whole experience all that more wonderful. Hearing the sound of metal on ice, watching the shavings fly, following the movements of the skaters as weave and dance across the ice — it was beautiful! But the one difficulty I had? Differentiating triple-axels from double-axels. Unlike watching the Olympics, there were no commentators to help me follow along, and I found myself wondering numerous times whether what I saw was a triple-axel or a double axel. How many turns was that? How long were they in the air for? Does it even matter? Moral of the story, I have a long way to go before I can become a commentator for figure skating (oh, but what a wonderful job that would be!). Milly Wang ’16 (keqimillywang@college) still isn’t clear if this is an arts, news, or sports article. Photographs courtesy of Milly Wang.
The Harvard Independent • 09.25.14
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Forum
Who Runs the World?
indy
A look into Lean In at Harvard. By HANNAH KATES
T
his past Thursday, members of Lean In at Harvard invited the Harvard community to ‘Sit at the Table’ and watch a 45-minute video presentation by Cheryl Sandberg at the club’s first informational meeting of the year. The event, one of many “watch parties” worldwide, boasted free food — platters of salad and Diet Pepsi — and a forty-five-minute informational/inspirational video about Lean In Circles. Thought up by Sandberg, the author of the book with the same name, these circles are groups of about ten people that discuss relevant issues and “empower each other to achieve their ambitions.” Currently, there are more than twenty thousand circles in seventy-three countries and on three hundred fifty campuses. This much enthusiastic participation is in itself an indication that the circles are effective. Harvard was the first university involved in the Lean In on Campus initiative, and this is its second semester of hosting circles. After about ten minutes of a premovie soundtrack including Beyoncé’s “Run the World (Girls)” — a “girl power thing,” a club member explained — the club’s founder, Mirta Stantic ‘15, its treasurer, and various other leaders introduced themselves to about twenty spectators scattered throughout the Fong auditorium. Once the video began, Cheryl Sandberg thanked the men in the room for attending, quoting Gloria Steinem in saying that “when the inevitable revolution happens and you’re a man who’s been to one of these events, you get a free pass.” leanin.org was founded, she continued, because the world is still run by men. Modern-day tragedies — the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri — are an example of the “problem of leadership” in today’s world, a problem that would be remedied by leaders that “nurture as well as lead.” Women need to “own [their] own success,” rather than constantly attribute their successes to others’ help, so they can be part of making decisions.” They also need to be firmly convicted that they can have both families and careers. One of Lean In’s goals is to convert the way the world thinks about women — from, for example, considering them ‘bossy, aggressive, and too ambitious’ to appreciating their executive leadership skills. The generation currently in its twenties, Sandberg emphasized, is the one that can create real change in the world, and universities play a huge role in many types of activism. Rachel Thomas, the president of leanin.org, explained the purpose and impact of circles. Because
people are often more effective in groups where they are “challenged on one hand” and “supported on the other,” these “small peer groups that learn and grow together” can empower women to step outside their comfort zones and realize their ambitions. The Lean In website offers an interactive dashboard, a moderator checklist, a search feature that searches for circles in various discussion modules, and contact information for students who have run successful circles and can act as coaches. One such module emphasizes the importance of body language, revealing that even once people are well-acquainted, they judge competence based only 7% on what a person says and 55% on his/her body language. There is no structured order to the modules, and enough are being added to the site that, for the time being, no topic will be repeated. Two college students then spoke about their experiences as coaches and as instigators of change at their universities and in their own lives. Amanda Russo, a student at University of Wisconsin - Madison, was watching this video presentation with her friends at this time last year. Her school
involvement in Circles has transformed their comfort level with this subject matter. Stantic paused the video a few minutes into the Q&A session to talk specifically about Harvard’s Lean In initiative, which had 180 registered members and sixteen circles last year during its inaugural semester. Stantic actually hopes for slightly fewer this semester — about 100 to 120, with eight “legit, active” circles including a Quad circle, a freshman circle, and the only computer science Circle in the world, among others. Initially, the circles were made to be as diverse as possible, but Stantic has realized that they are more effective when members share some set of common experiences and can discuss common struggles in a particular setting. As a result, this year’s circles have some theme — a concentration, a location, or a year (there is a freshman circle and a senior circle). Lean In at Harvard didn’t exist one year ago. Last September, Stantic was busy translating Lean In, Sandberg’s book, into Croatian. She received a thank-you email from Sandberg herself when the translation was finished and, acting on a whim, she replied to that email asking if Sandberg would like to grab lunch a few days later when Stantic, coincidentally, would be in San Francisco. The two ended up eating lunch together and discussing how to start topical events and dialogues at Harvard. This is how Harvard became the first campus involved with Lean In Org. Mirta Stantic and Cheryl Sandberg still correspond via email. This year, Stantic wants to enrich the circles by encouraging inter-circle discussion, so that members of the organization can benefit from its diversity of mindsets while retaining a core discussion group with a shared interest. She hopes that events including a speaker series will achieve this end. She is also corresponding with a number of corporate sponsors, and with a neighborhood school where she hopes to begin a mentorship program with sixth- and seventh-graders. Though Stantic will graduate soon, the initiative she started seems to have years of success ahead of it.
"The generation currently in its twenties, Sandberg emphasized, is the one that can create real change in the world, and universities play a huge role in many types of activism."
The Harvard Independent • 09.25.14
now hosts seven circles, and two hundred fifty students signed up for circles at this year’s activities fair. “They keep me accountable,” she said of her fellow circle members. Furthermore, her “A year ago I never thought I’d be here, but I am,” she said, “because I did what I’m afraid of.” Amanda’s favorite thing about her circle is its diversity - a variety of majors, ages, and personalities are represented. That it is comprised of her peers is also conducive to easy conversation - discussing these issues with older adults can be intimidating. Danielle Noel, a student at the George Washington University, said that discussions in Circles are “an effective way to talk about gender equity issues.” Lean In’s initiatives, she said, provide a great avenue by which to “change the dialogue” about feminism, especially in a culture that has given the word ‘feminism’ so much weight. A member of the studio audience asked what role men can play; the two coaches replied that men “are in a position of power,” and that dialogue is “much more effective with men in it.” “No one talks to men about gender,” added Amanda, and especially at the U.S. military academies, men’s
Hannah Kates ’18 (hkates@college) is inspired by the incredible leadership she’s witnessed at Harvard.
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Giving and Receiving An evening with Micheal Flaherty. By MICHAEL LUO
“‘Memories need to be shared,’ says the Giver.”
I
n Lois Lowry’s The Giver, memories are painful not because they are held, but because of the loneliness with which the Giver holds them. “Memories need to be shared,” says the Giver. This idea to share the good and the bad is brought to screen well in the film adaptation directed by Phillip Noyce and produced by Walden Media. Fortunately for us at Harvard, Walden Media’s Co-Founder and President, Micheal Flaherty, was on hand to discuss his involvement in the film this past Saturday, September 20th at the SOCH. Sponsored by Harvard Christian Impact and Athletes in Action, this event included a free firstcome, first-served screening of The Giver, popcorn and drinks included. The movie itself was an entertaining feast for the eyes. Staying true to the originality of the story, most of the film was shot in black and white except for the Giver’s memories and moments when Jonah could “see beyond.” While this was a unique approach to storytelling in contemporary film, some of the artistry was downplayed by redundant, superimposed sans-serif text repeating the already drawn-out voiceovers and narration. On
The Harvard Independent • 09.25.14
the other hand, the cuts to colorful collages encompassing all that is inspiring in the world did leave an uplifting taste in the viewer’s palette. From fascinating footage of flora and fauna to historical acts of bravery such as the fall of the Berlin Wall, these scenes integrated well as images of humanity’s greatest triumphs. Overall, the film, bound by its PG-13 rating, retained a more implicit commentary on the sociopolitical issues of the original story. Infanticide, equality, censorship, freedom, and love were tackled from the angle of destined heroes attempting to break the mold of oppression through inspiration, never explicitly challenging the establishment head-on as rebellions in the real world historically took place. No matter your opinion on the film, the event was a wonderful opportunity to hear the thoughts of Micheal Flaherty, who helped to produce the film. Flaherty’s insights on his own views towards sociopolitical matters framed in his Christian beliefs were thought provoking in a way that was neither intrusive nor overbearing. Although he affirmed that his motivation was drawn from faith, which contrasts with much of the perception of
working in Hollywood, Flaherty was both open and honest to questions regarding his own life experiences tied to his career. Such a manner of believing strongly in your own path while not judging or being affected by the choices of others is a difficult lifestyle to lead, especially in the competitive environment of the entertainment industry. Being able to have that fortitude is certainly a plus, and definitely a perspective useful to university students insecure about which “path” they have to take. Sometimes, you may have to make decisions and compromises that are not ideal, but if you stay true to yourself, then even the most unlikely of opportunities may occur. Flaherty was certain to emphasize that point in how he stumbled his way to bringing a fan-favorite of children’s literature to film. And above all he drove home that no matter your dream, optimism goes a long way for you to one day “see beyond” as well. Michael Luo ’16 (michaelluo@college) now realizes he is not special for being able to see in color. Illustration by Yaara Yacoby
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A Decade of Downfall A look at Western decline in the 1970s and its artistic portrayal. By ANDREW LIN
T
he usual artistic language of downfall and ruin is an almost archetypal form: fire and brimstone rain down upon the sinful and overindulgent people, their cities and economies and lives dashed to ruin by vengeful gods or plagues and whatnot. Examples of such an idea are as numerous as they are repetitive, from the biblical Sodom and Gomorrah to the historical Roman Empire to the science-fictional Galactic Empire of Star Wars fame. Outstanding among these many gathered exemplars of collapse, however, is a single decade in the 20th century, a decade now fondly associated (by our generation who did not experience it) more with aching disco falsettos and ill-advised fashion choices than economic malaise and decline: the 1970s. The ‘70s certainly posed a great challenge to the established nations of yore: by the end of the decade, Western democracies were left reeling from ten unrelenting years of oil shocks and geopolitical nightmares. The established popular culture — music, movies, and television — for the most part attempted to hide this internal malaise behind the banalities and shadows of flashy music and flashier art. But some artists of the period, and indeed many artists and journalists of today, certainly took notice, and their movies and documentaries of and about the period reflected that same world view. In between landing a man on the moon and the continual increase of living standards, the Western world was seemingly riding high on a formidable list of government-derived scientific and economic achievements as it emerged out of the 1960s. Nowhere was that better exemplified than in Great Britain, where the Labour government had presided over a new Britain forged in what thenPrime Minister Harold Wilson in 1963 had called the “white heat” of a new technocratic government bound not by class distinctions. By 1970, however, this white heat had fizzled out amidst spiraling spending, and the once-adored Wilson saw himself and his former cabinet booted out of office and left at the mercy of television journalists and directors. The result was the 1971 BBC documentary Yesterday’s Men, a scathing look at the lives of ex-government politicians that showed exactly none of the pre-1960s deference to the establishment that journalists had once shown. Everything was open for inspection: the money troubles of former cabinet ministers, party struggles for the leadership, and indeed the general world-weariness of ex-government politicians. Even a hippy-dippy rock song was commissioned for the title theme, and psychedelic caricatures jabbed at Wilson’s hawking of his memoirs to make up the shortfall in his salary from losing the premiership. State-side, life in the early 1970s was not much better for the American people and leaders. Economically, America’s increasingly precarious infla-
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tionary economic situation boiled over the top by the early 1970s, with government price controls and food shortages hitting American supermarket shelves for the first time since the Second World War. The 1973 oil crisis did nothing to help: as the OPEC nations made their vice grip on international oil supplies ever tighter, further strangulating the American economy. The result of all of this was a noticeable shift in popular television: the pleasant wholesomeness of both late-night TV such as “The Johnny Cash Show” and pleasant sitcoms such as “The Beverly Hillbillies” were out in a move deemed the “rural purge”, a nod to their target demographic. Their replacements, almost by cultural necessity, took a harder look at modern and specifically urban issues of race, social inequality, and economic trouble: the wholesome-sounding sitcom “All in the Family” featured a working-class bigot who broached then-no-go issues such as homosexuality and racism. But even as Richard Pryor riffed on the Watts race riots and Johnny Carson joked up the airwaves about supposed toilet-paper shortages, a national nightmare of incalculable proportions was coming into the light: Watergate. Richard Nixon had succeeded a discredited and exhausted Lyndon B. Johnson as President of the United States in 1969, and indeed had steered a fairly even course for American government at home and abroad. For all the consumer frustration Nixon’s aforementioned price controls and oil policy caused, they did bring some measure of stability to an economically-ravaged America. Nixon’s relative popularity, bolstered by more successful Moon missions and rapprochement with China, was accordingly rewarded by a landslide election victory in 1972. But the whole edifice came crashing astonishingly down by 1974, with a now-also-discredited and exhausted Richard Nixon resigning from the presidency altogether over the Watergate scandal. Watergate as an event had — and still has — all the classic hallmarks of tragedy writ large: the flawed hero with a secret, the confidence misplaced, the innocence of a nation lost. And tragedy did it make, for the arts did seize on this moment, with documentarians and moviemakers alike rushing to perform just such an interpretation. From the 1977 Frost/Nixon interview to the 2006 Frost/Nixon play by Peter Morgan to the 2008 movie adaptation by Ron Howard, history and America have attempted to reconcile the Watergate moment through artistic expression. Even Nixon himself tried it, publishing his memoirs in 1978, and authored nine more books on various geopolitical subjects as a sort of literary atonement for his political sins. No amount of political atonement, however, could save the Western world from the crises of the second half of the 1970s. Watergate, though still a formative moment for American democracy, could
at least be put to rest by Gerald Ford’s pardons. The same could not be said for the economic woes of the nations, which after a brief respite came back in full force in the late 1970s. Another oil shock in 1979, combined with a near-meltdown at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant, precipitated a major energy crisis that simultaneously jumpstarted American environmentalism and helped direct American foreign policy for years to come. Indeed, the images from that era are now-characteristic: long lines of cars at emptied gas stations protected by police and the National Guard are the common currency of documentaries and movies portraying that era. A Great Britain stifled by trade union strikes saw even worse turmoil, with another Labour government there brought down spectacularly in a no-confidence motion following a winter of strikes that became known as the “Winter of Discontent.” The general election that followed produced some of the most influential political propaganda ever, with Thatcher’s Conservatives employing advertising agency Saatchi and Saatchi. The results were devastating: the posters depicting snaking queues of unemployed and video party political skewered the economic and social decline of the Western democracy. Here the 1970s swung to a close, and indeed for most people, the 1970s were not a decade to be missed. The high-tech, high-strung 1980s, with its Reaganite free-hand economic boom, presented an altogether more optimistic view of the Western world resurgent again. Historical events proved that as well: Britain’s successful defense of the Falkland Islands ushered in the beginning of a Thatcherite economic boom, and the fall of the Soviet Union represented the ultimate triumph of the Western democratic model. But the lessons of the 1970s, the budding willingness to confront politicians and big issues alike, are still ideas to be espoused and admired. Indeed, the similarities between the malaise of the 1970s and the issues of today are all too apparent: the United States stands on precarious economic ground, entangled in a mess of geopolitical commitments in the Middle East while fending off a resurgent Russia and emergent China. Great Britain faces similar issues, and with the extremely close result of the recent referendum on Scottish independence, the very future of the United Kingdom hangs in the balance. And in confronting these issues — issues which we at Harvard all do face — we and our leaders would do well to remember that decade of decline some 40 years ago. Andrew Lin ’17 (andrewlin@college) heartily endorses the return of the mullet from the graveyard of the ‘70s as a force for fashion.
09.25.14 • The Harvard Independent
Sports
Harvard Gallops Ahead
indy
Club polo at Harvard grows By ANDREW CRONIN
T
his past weekend marked the annual alumni celebration and polo tournament for the Harvard Polo Club. If you need clarification, I am talking about polo on horses with mallets and helmets, and not the rather pedestrian diversion in which boys and girls flail about in water wearing silly caps. It was the event of the season, and I am truly sorry for those of you who were unable to attend. Balls flying, horses galloping, young men and women strutting about in those tight, oh-soflattering, impeccably white pants — indubitably a most jovial jaunt, I must say! I imagine that images of Ralph Lauren and Tom Buchanan are running through your head right now. Even though most of the Harvard ponies are donated by Harvard grad and polo enthusiast Tommy Lee Jones (you may have heard of him), polo is not as stereotypically pristine as it seems. As the head coach of the Harvard team, Crocker Snow, reminds all the players, polo is a heck of a lot more than just looking pretty atop one’s steed. In all seriousness, most students at Harvard do not know much about the sport of polo, least of all that we have a club team. Polo can be played indoors or outdoors with 3 or 4 players and their mounts per team, playing on the field in seven and a half minute periods called “chukkers.” The players attempt to drive a ball through the opponents’ goal posts, hitting and passing it down the field while also defending their own goal. It is a fast-paced, rough and exciting sport to play, with immense rewards, the greatest of which being the companionship of truly marvelous creatures that are the polo ponies. The Harvard Polo Club is actually the oldest collegiate polo program in the U.S. (of course it is, you say), but it was defunct for several years and then reestablished in 2006. The team plays college polo teams in America like Yale (who stink, coincidentally) and Cornell, among others. But perhaps most exciting is the international traveling the team does to play against teams in Europe and Asia. The summer of 2013 was an especially notable one for the Harvard Polo Club as the team traveled to Mongolia to play the Genghis Kahn Polo and Riding Club. This past weekend, Harvard hosted members of the Mongolian team at the newly acquired Harvard Polo and Equestrian Center, located in Hamilton, MA (I know, worlds away for those of us strictly Harvard Square bound). Official games are played at the Myopia Hunt Club, right next door to the Harvard farm. Current players, new members, alumni, parents, and sponsors were all present for the Saturday alumni game events and Sunday’s Harvard versus Mongolia game. The games, dinner, and open house were meant to celebrate the work of head coach Crocker The Harvard Independent • 09.25.14
Snow, assistant coach Ashley Mackenzie, the support of Friends of Harvard Polo and, of course, to honor the Mongolian coach and team. Women’s captain Aemilia Phillips ’16 says, “I think the purpose of this weekend was to celebrate everyone who has worked incredibly hard to make Harvard polo what it is.” However, as Phillips so aptly put it, “One thing I’ve learned from Harvard Polo is to always expect the unexpected.” It was not easy for the team to put together this weekend’s events but it was certainly worth the work. Players and new members came out multiple days this week to practice and to prepare. There was cleaning, weeding, polishing, and grooming to be done, but by the end, the horses gleamed, the tack shone, and the barn never looked better. Harvard owns all the ponies and the stables. The club takes great pride in both the work and play. This also gives the team a new reason to be excited about this year’s season. Phillips says, “Now that we officially have our own farm, I think the Harvard Polo program can only grow. We had an unprecedented number of people tryout this year, and have a really great group to work with. I’m excited to see all the new players become
obsessed with the sport (which they always do!), as well as work with my incredible teammates in what will be a busy fall season!” So maybe, if the spirit moves you, come out to a game this fall and check out what the hullabaloo is about. Who knows, you may leave and find yourself saying things like “I don’t like the look of his backshot!” or at least a new appreciation for white jeans. Caroline Cronin ’18 (ccronin01@college) is looking forward to spending more time with polo as a new member.
Photo courtesy of Aemilia Phillips
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Sports
Off Field
By ANDREW ADLER
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his past Friday the Crimson football squad opened their 2014 campaign with a decisive win over Holy Cross. Though I was only on hand for the first forty-five minutes or so of this important game, I enjoyed each of those minutes tremendously. I can’t think of a Harvard football game I’ve enjoyed more since I started college. On the way to the game, my roommates and I stopped at the DAPA tailgate. With the two lawn games and pizza, it felt more like a hastily prepared middle school birthday party than a tailgate for a football game. The pizza was average, but the lawn games were excellent. We left after some time and made our way into Harvard Stadium, quietly one of the most beautiful structures on a famously beautiful campus. The Grecian stadium reminds us that while football might be relatively young, the joy of spectating freakishly athletic men repeatedly hit each other
A snapshot of Harvard Football’s fan section
is as old as time. So is drinking at these events. Despite DAPA’s best guidance, many partook in this ancient rite. Convincing college kids to drink responsibly is a difficult task, especially when they’re on their way to watch their larger, faster peers launch themselves headfirst into one another for their own amusement. We nearly showed up on time, making it to the stadium only a few minutes after kickoff. The next challenge was choosing ideal seats. We weren’t alone in this endeavor: another group of guys suggested that we “just follow the girls.” Sure, what better way to appear attractive to girls than to remind them that we’re not big or fast enough to play on the football team! We settled for a spot somewhere between a group that seemed like frat bros, if you will, a posse of freshmen, and some alums that brought their young children. There was a clear disparity in attentiveness, intoxication, and actual knowledge of the sport.
One drunken fan near me hurled insult upon insult at the Holy Cross players and fans. “Holy Cross? More like Holy Shit, you’re bad!” The reactions of the surrounding fans ranged from mildly amused to mildly annoyed. The freshmen fell in the first category. The younger children had no comment. “The pope doesn’t love you” was another crowd pleaser. Calls to the Vatican went unreturned, so we can only assume he feels that way in lieu of a denial. Despite being hundreds of feet away from anyone remotely in favor of Holy Cross, he would not relent. At one point, an even more inebriated Harvard proponent mistook a sarcastic jeer at Holy Cross as a taunt of his beloved Crimson. He would not let his school be debased in its own horseshoe of a stadium. He confronted the student, and after a few seconds of tension, he realized they in fact supported the same team. The two proceeded to share a beer, the rest of us proceeded to exhale, fortunate to avoid a needless fight. As for the game being played in front of us; it remained competitive while I was there. In the second half, the Crimson blew open the flood gates en route to a 41-18 final score. An applied math concentrator confirmed that this was an embarrassing score for Holy Cross. As far as I could tell, our team looked poised to take sole possession of the Ivy League title this year. I, on the other hand, was poised to walk JFK back toward campus. As I left immediately before halftime, I couldn’t help but wonder why we don’t play more night games. I stood waiting for the light to change, shivering in the gentle early fall breeze, wishing I would get another opportunity to sit outside in an unheated stone stadium on a brisk New England evening. Andrew Adler (andrewadler@college) is looking forward to the rest of the football season and plans on staying for an entire game.
Photos courtesy of Nicole Sarvis
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09.25.14 • The Harvard Independent
Sports
indy
The NFL:Where “Men” Act Like Boys How domestic abuse is handled in the NFL. By PEYTON FINE
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s I watch football games, I am constantly bombarded with comments about how this is a “man’s” game. Commentators discuss a player’s toughness, strength, and speed. Players brag about how their play gains them respect from fellow “men.” Then, they leave the gridiron and beat their wives, kids, or kill people. These “men” become boys, who have no respect for anyone in a vulnerable position, no respect for life, no respect for basic decency. And, no one stops them. Other “men” turn blind eyes, dole out slaps on the wrists, or worst of all, follow in the footsteps of the players. It is a sick cycle that has come to a head in the last few weeks, and someone needs to truly step up, not on the field, but in the line. Someone needs to make a play and end this. Greg Hardy, defensive end for the Carolina Panthers, was found guilty of assault and communicating assaults to a female. He was found GUILTY in a court of law. At any other job besides the NFL, he would have been fired on the spot. Hardy actually played in Week 1 for the Panthers. It was not until the wave of public disapproval hit the Panthers that the Panthers front office put Hardy on what is called the exempt list. That sounds like actual discipline, right? Nope. Hardy will be receiving the entirety of his thirteen million dollar salary for doing zero work. Adrian Peterson, running back for the Minnesota Vikings, took a tree branch and beat his child. His child had cuts, bruises, and welts across his body. He was arrested, then deactivated from the roster, then reactivated, then deactivated again, then placed on the exempt list. Like Hardy, Peterson will receive the entirety of his salary for doing nothing. That sounds like a reward to me. Ray Rice, running back for the Baltimore Ravens, was convicted of third-degree aggravated assault. In February, he punched his then-fiancée unconscious and then proceeded to drag her limp body out of an elevator. Rather than receiving the normal penalty of serving between eighteen and twenty-four months in prison, Rice was placed in a special program where his prison term was null and void. He only needed to attend a class to vacate the conviction. It is a deal given to less than five percent of the convictions in New Jersey. The Ravens hid the video of the assault from the public in an attempt to shield Rice. Jonathan Dwyer, running back for the Arizona Cardinals, was detained for assault. Let me describe what constituted assault in this case. Dwyer headbutted his wife after she would not have sex with him. Think about this: he took his head, lowered it as if he were breaking through the line, and rammed into his wife. As if this weren’t enough, the next day, he hit his infant with a shoe. Arizona at least suspended him on the spot when the arrest went public.
The Harvard Independent • 09.25.14
Then, we move onto murder. Look at the case of Ray Lewis. After a Super Bowl party in 2000, Lewis was involved in the stabbing of a man outside a club. His bloodstained white suit was never found. Traces of the victim’s DNA were found in Lewis’s limousine. Lewis along with two other men were originally charged in the killing. Lewis was offered a plea deal to testify against the two other men and have the charges dropped except for one conviction of obstruction of justice. Lewis’s career continued with another Super Bowl victory, and he currently is a personality on Monday Night Countdown on ESPN. He is revered within the football community for his passion for the game and playmaking ability. No one brings up the killing. In the Lewis case, I am bothered that now that the opinion of the public has shifted on Lewis, ESPN is more than happy to brush the issue under the rug. I cannot seriously watch ESPN’s coverage of football when someone like Cris Carter is moved to tears when describing his disgust over the Adrian Peterson incident, but Ray Lewis will come on the air the next day. The hypocrisy of ESPN may be no more evident than what happened this weekend on College Gameday. Mark May, the host of College Gameday was criticizing Jameis Winston for his actions. First, let me say that Jameis Winston’s actions make me sick. The fact that he found humor in saying something so profane makes me sick. However, for Mark May to say anything is worse. May has been arrested three times during his playing career. Winston for all of his faults has yet to be arrested. One impressive Florida State student created a sign that conveyed this fact on ESPN’s broadcast. Clearly, the media’s coverage of the above incidents was helpful to these cases. It allowed teams to react faster in their discipline and brought coverage to an issue that needs it. However, as the media condemns these actions, we quickly forget that many of the media members have had their own issues. As a media executive, you should make your employees confront their personal issues headon on the air or do not allow them on the air. What may be even worse is that multiple media members have simply dropped the ball when responding to domestic violence. Stephen A. Smith, a personality for ESPN's First Take, told women to be careful not to “provoke” a man into physical violence. This is a man’s issue, end of story.
As a man, I am sick that not only could someone be capable of such violence against a woman or child, but also that those who should be in a position to criticize have either no moral high ground to stand on or say exactly the opposite of what needs to be said. We messed this up completely, and it’s time we fixed it. How? Be a real man. A man is defined by his ability to respect those around him. A man is defined by his ability to make a tough decision even if it will hurt his livelihood, popularity, or image. Every “man” mentioned in this article remains on a payroll. All of these “men” will most likely one day play in the NFL again or will continue to cover sports. All of these “men” are massive human beings at the pinnacle of their athletic prowess who used it to beat someone in a vulnerable position. Someone be a real man. Roger Goodell, I don’t care how it hurts your league’s image. Ban every single player who has had any sniff of domestic violence. If you are an NFL owner, I don’t care how much it will hurt your team’s winning percentage, cut any player involved in an assault. If you are a media executive, fire every “man” on your coverage who cannot properly discuss domestic violence. Or, stop pretending to be able to cover the issue and just go back to football. This issue is about so much more than a game. Yet, because these “men” have jobs to play or cover this game, it has somehow been treated in the context of a game. STOP. Treat this like you would anything else. Powerful “men” took advantage of the vulnerable, and no one has stopped them. Take away what they love. Take away the game. Then, maybe these boys can become real men. Peyton Fine ’17 (peytonfine@college) is fed up with all of it. Fix it now.
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D R A WN&Q U A R T E R E D
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