I N D I A N A D A I LY S T U D E N T | F R I D AY, A P R I L 2 4 , 2 0 1 5 | I D S N E W S . C O M
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Down 1 in Dem. mayoral primary By Lyndsay Jones jonesly@indiana.edu | @lyndsayjonesy
NICOLE KRASEAN | IDS
Sophomores Cris Warren (left) and Clarissa Tokash participate in the SlutWalk in Dunn Meadow on Thursday. The event included poster-making, guest speakers and a performance by Ladies First.
CALL FOR CONSENT IU Feminist Student Association hosted SlutWalk Bloomington on Thursday to raise awareness of sexual assault “We are labeled as sluts, we are labeled as whores, as bitches and we are labeled as monsters. And the truth is, we are monsters. Not because we are agents of destruction, but because we are agents of change.” Evelyn Smith, Crisis Interventiion Services Coordinator
By Alexa Chryssovergis aachryss@indiana.edu | @achryssovergis
I
t was 7:30 p.m. on the Thursday of Little 500 week, so the line on Kilroy’s on Kirkwood was already out the door and down the sidewalk to the next crosswalk. Nearly everyone in line craned their necks to watch the protesters as they marched past on the opposite side of the street. They were hard to miss. Almost 100 students and community members carrying neon signs marked with bold letters and chanting anti-slut shaming, pro-consent incantations drew attention. “Fuck You Robin Thicke,” one sign read. Another one read, “If she was asking for it ... why couldn’t you?” in black capital letters with red marker further emphasizing the “asking for it” and the “you.” Several other signs said things like “stop slut shaming” or “rape hurts everyone.” The march was part of SlutWalk Bloomington, an event hosted by the IU Feminist Student Association Thursday night to raise awareness about providing consent and preventing sexual assault. SlutWalk began at 6:30 p.m. in Dunn Meadow. Other groups such as Stop the Kyriarchy, Sexual Assault Crisis Service and The Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender, and Reproduction set up tables as well. Beyoncé music blared out of the speakers as students milled around from table to table, picking up signs or putting anonymous slips into a tissue box colored with pink roses with an index card on it reading “SLUT STATEMENT.” At 7 p.m., speeches started as Emily Springston, the Title IX SEE SLUT WALK, PAGE 6
Three men stood in the lights. Bloomington’s mayoral candidates had come to the Radio/TV building at IU, prepared to convince an audience why each deserved a vote for the May 5 primary election more than the other. Relying on years of experience was John Hamilton, who said his diverse career included years of leadership that made him an apt fit for mayor. To his left was Darryl Neher, a city councilman who said he had come with new ideas for the office of mayor, and was a “good listener ... who brings several solutions to a problem.” The third candidate introduced in the debate was John Linnemeier, who, by the time the debate was over, predicted the results of his participation in the race. “I entered this race because things needed to be said that weren’t going to be said unless I said them,” Linnemeier said. “I can already tell I’m not going to win.” He promptly dropped out of the mayoral race. Linnemeier said he disagreed with fiscal decisions by Hamilton’s campaign. Linnemeier said he asked Hamilton to return money to his donors who were outside of Bloomington. When he refused, Linnemeier said that was what confirmed his drop-out, then endorsed Neher. “Over the course of the campaign, I grew to have more respect for Neher,” he said. “I think Neher is a hell of a guy.” The questions of the debate were diverse, ranging from economic issues to senior care to preserving the Bloomington aesthetic. Since they had more direct experience, Neher and Hamilton relied on their experience in public policy making and leadership to answer the questions. Linnemeier spoke as he saw things. When introducing some of the ideas he hoped to implement for the city’s benefit and economic growth, Linnemeier’s answer was candid. “Some people have mentioned the legalization of marijuana,” Linnemeier said. “Well, why the heck aren’t we doing that?” Hamilton described himself as progressive who was interested in government transparency. He was the first to mention the idea of a whistleblower line that would be available 24/7. Neher also agreed. Often, the candidates varied in how they thought about certain problems, but one thing that they all agreed on was the importance of protecting Bloomington’s traditional appearance. “One my responsibilities as SEE PRIMARY, PAGE 6
Lil BUB, friends raise Freshman guard Blackmon opts funds for LGBT causes to return for sophomore season By Adam Smith adbsmith@indiana.edu | @adbsmithIU
In the aftermath of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, celebrities across the country have made their opinions of Indiana known. Recently, Bloomington’s own Internet-famous cat Lil BUB joined their ranks. Indianapolis record label Joyful Noise Recordings has put together a musical compilation called “50 Bands & A Cat for Indiana Equality” with Lil BUB as the mascot. The compilation features 50 songs from 50 different bands. The profits will be sent to Freedom Indiana, the ACLU of Indiana and Indy Pride. The compilation is available through May 31. Karl Hofstetter, president and curator of Joyful Noise Recordings, said he was horrified when he heard RFRA had been passed into law. In addition to the things he didn’t like about the law itself, he also said it gave people the wrong idea of what the state is like. “The idea for the comp. was to just gather as many good songs together from bands that we’re friends with and try to put it out in an interesting way that lets people know that this isn’t our Indiana,” Hofstetter said. Valparaiso native Chris Funk, a member of Portland, Ore., band The Decemberists, contacted Joyful Noise Recordings with the same idea, Hofstetter said. It was originally his idea to have Lil BUB involved. Then, when he found out Lil BUB
owner Mike Bridavsky had already written a statement from the cat’s perspective on the subject, Hofstetter said he knew he wanted the social media-famous cat to be involved. After talking to friends involved in politics and LGBT issues in Indianapolis, Hofstetter said he chose Freedom Indiana and the ACLU of Indiana because “they’re the ones that are actually changing the legislation that we want to have change.” He said he chose Indy Pride for the third organization because he didn’t want the compilation to only be about politics. “That’s what spurred this thing, but we also wanted some of this money to go to helping in the community, not just changing laws,” Hofstetter said. People who purchase the compilation receive a digital download of the compilation as well as the song of their choice on a lathe-cut vinyl record. Lathe-cut vinyl is a 1940s process in which each record is made in real-time by a needle sticking into the vinyl, cutting the groove. While this style of record pressing is impractical for making large amounts of a single record, Hofstetter said it gives them flexibility to press the individual songs to vinyl. “We might end up with 400 people who want the Godspeed You! Black Emperor song, but we might only end up with 10 people who SEE BUB, PAGE 6
By Sam Beishuizen sbeishui@indiana.edu | @Sam_Beishuizen
Oversigned by one player, the IU men’s basketball team will see someone leave. It won’t be James Blackmon Jr. The Marion, Ind., native announced Thursday he will pass on the NBA draft to return for his sophomore season. Among other things, Blackmon said feedback he received from people working in the NBA and a desire to improve his game led to his decision to return. “I just felt like the best situation for me is to come back for next year and play my sophomore year here and continue to be a student athlete at Indiana University,” Blackmon said. The former McDonalds AllAmerican was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team and was named all-conference honorable IDS FILE PHOTO mention after averaging 15.7 points Freshman guard James Blackmon Jr. shoots during a game against Michigan during and 5.3 rebounds per game last the 2014-2015 season. Blackmon Jr. is returning for his sophomore season. season. But after discussing this and Lauded by coaches and team- of projections, instead opting to mates for his jumper, Blackmon was use resources like the evaluations other factors regarding the draft described as a “sniper” by NBA per- given from the NBA Undergradu- with Crean, his family and his teamate Advisory Committee and other mates, Blackmon decided his NBA sonnel, IU Coach Tom Crean said. “Put that on a T-shirt,” people Crean called “NBA decision- draft potential wasn’t strong enough to sway him out of Bloomington. makers.” Crean said. “Every day you look forward to The committee, which is made Blackmon was projected as a second-round NBA draft pick at up of NBA player personnel ex- being (in the NBA), but right here, best by some NBA analysts in an perts, is operated by the NBA to I love it at Indiana,” Blackmon said. provide potential early-draft entrees already guard-heavy class. Crean and Blackmon both said with information regarding their they weren’t listening to those types professional prospects. SEE BLACKMON, PAGE 6