Indiana Statesman For ISU students. About ISU students. By ISU students.
Indiana Statesman
Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018
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Volume 125, Issue 46
ISU Communications and Marketing
Alyaa Malibari, the organizer of the social experiment, The Hijab Challenge.
Social experiment to tackle religious stereotype Kiara Dowell Reporter
Students will participate in a social experiment this Thursday, Feb. 1 called the Hijab Challenge to celebrate a Wear Hijab Day, a holiday dedicated to understanding the culture around Hijabs. The Hijab Challenge was created to eliminate Muslim stereotypes and to bring knowledge to students about the Hijab and what it represents. Graduate Assistant of the International Student Resource Center, Alyaa Malibari is the one who had the idea to have this challenge at ISU. “I began the Hijab challenge because a few years ago I had a friend in Washington State, and she tried the full body covering including her face,” said Malibari. “She did the same things, like riding the same
bus to the same grocery store without telling anyone who she was. She reported about her experience and the challenges she had that day and about the people’s perception. The idea was that she was the same person, she didn’t act differently, but everyone else changed the way that they were dealing with her. She felt very sad. Since I am used to wearing the Hijab, I was used to the way people would look at me so I didn’t feel the difference, but she felt the difference, because she tried with and without the head covering.” The Hijab is a scarf or head wrap that covers the hair or face of a female for modesty. This is found in many different cultures such as Arabic, Indian and African. “Another thing is the idea that people always associate the head covering or Hijab with Islam, which is not correct,”
said Malibari. “It is in many cultures and different religions all over the world. We have this whole concept of the head covering as a way of style and a way of culture. I want people to know that is not just for Islam only, and even if it were is it not a reason to treat people differently, because you look different.” Malibari asked that four students participate in the challenge, but over twenty people have asked to be a part of this social experiment. “I think in the long run, it will open people’s eyes to tradition and culture and open them up to difference experiences,” Clara Martin, ISU graduate student said. Students who participate will be provided a Hijab and asked to wear it to the gym, class, or anywhere where they can interact with other people and record how others react to them.
“When I meet other people who try this, they will feel how others feel sometime and at the same time they can experience both sides of wearing a Hijab and not wearing a Hijab, especially in the ISU community,” Malibari said. “I want people to be aware that we have different cultures here.” The idea of this experiment is to understand how students react to people wearing the Hijab. Some students are excited to see the outcome of this experiment. “I think if it’s just someone wearing a hijab without saying what it means to them and why they are doing it, the amount of change will be limited,” said Malibari. “It is a step in the right direction, but I think their needs to be more to it.” Martin explained that they also believe that in order for students to make a difference they must also educate themselves.
Micro Aggression, equity & inclusion Lessen the racial divide to create an inclusive campus culture Alexandria Truby Reporter
Kabrisha Bell|Indiana Statesman
A concert in celebration of Martin Luther King was held in the Boyce Recital Hall on Monday.
Percussing up a storm AJ Golez Reporter
A crowd gathered in the Boyce Recital Hall to enjoy a musical performance in celebration of the late Martin Luther King Jr. The concert was a group of pieces focused around percussion instruments and was named “Percussing Up A Storm.” Jimmy Finnie, a professor of music at Indiana State University, talked about how the pieces played in the concert will be recorded and released at a later date. The concert also featured music from visiting composer Regina Harris Baiocchi. Baiocchi was in attendance at the concert and shared notes
about each piece before it was played. She frequently spoke about her inspiration, style decisions and even history behind her work. Baiocchi’s music has been “performed by Detroit and Chicago Symphony orchestras, US Army Band, Chicago Brass Quintet and Milwaukee Brass Quintet. Performances include concerts in France, Italy, Turkey and Germany,” according to the concert program. Faculty and students of ISU along with guest artists Marquese Carter, Felicia Coleman-Evans and Kirk Moore performed the music of the night. “A rare combination of schol-
PERCUSSING CONT. ON PAGE 3
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On Wednesday January 31 in Parsons Hall room 210, a webinar on creating inclusive campuses is taking place from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. Naomi Sigg, director of Multicultural Affairs at Case Western Reserve University will serve as the panelist of the event. The purpose in the event description is to “give you practical steps and solutions and ensure you understand ‘what is right’ and how to create an opportunity to move beyond civility towards a truly inclusive institution!” The event is fully booked, but everyone can implement these lessons and be more inclusive. Merriam-Webster defines the term micro-aggression as “a comment or action that subtly and often unconsciously or unintentionally expresses a prejudiced attitude toward a member of a marginalized group.” “Martin Luther King Jr said it best ‘Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere
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ignorance and conscientious stupidity.’ This statement simplified how micro aggressions can hinder or hurt our society and campuses,” Leah Reynolds, associate vice president for Inclusive Excellence, said. Campuses bring individuals of all walks of life and backgrounds together for a common purpose: to get an education and better themselves. Faculty members and administrators are expected to serve the diverse populations but “many feel ill equipped to recognize campus dynamics, solicit student experiences, and implement strategies to lessen the racial divide and foster an inclusive culture that addresses micro aggression from the bottom up” according to the Office of Equity’s description of the event. “They [micro-aggressions] tend to interfere with the ways in which we communicate with one another in our diverse space. They stop our process of trying to learn from one another and hurt the human relationships and the respect we have for one
ISU Communications and Marketing
Leah Reynolds
another,” Adeyemi Doss, lecturer in the department of Multidisciplinary Studies, said. “There are many ways students can actively engage in creating an environment that demonstrates inclusive excellence. The first way would be to first encourage students to think about their own implicit biases and then from there recognize where those biases originated.
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NEWS
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Democrats skipping State of the Union for separate women’s event Griffen Connolly CQ-Roll Call TNS At least 11 Democratic lawmakers will skip President Donald Trump’s first State of the Union address Tuesday. Instead, at least two of those absentees plan to take part in a separate event in Washington, the “State of OUR Union,” put on by leading women activists to “offer an alternative view and vision for the country” from Trump’s. Reps. Pramila Jayapal and Barbara Lee, who are boycotting the president’s State of the Union speech, and Rep. Judy Chu are slated to speak at the forum Tuesday. Chu will also attend Trump’s State of the Union address, a spokesman con-
firmed. The event planners hope to “address the persistent gender inequality and ‘crisis of leadership’” they believe is harming America, they said in a statement on Monday. Jayapal and the 10 other lawmakers who have announced they will boycott Trump’s speech Tuesday night cited the president’s caustic and often controversial rhetoric — especially with regard to race — as the primary reason for their no-show. “This president has consistently indicated that he has no interest in leading a unified country,” Jayapal said in a statement earlier this month. “He has gone out of his way to play to a small and shrinking base of voters by using lan-
Paul Christian Gordon|Zuma Press|TNS
U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal speaks to hundreds on July 6, 2017 at a Town Hall meeting in Seattle, Wash.
guage that diminishes and demeans vast swaths of people in our own country and around the world. He does and says things that none of us, as parents, would condone for our
children.” Trump uses language that is “outright racist,” Jayapal added. The “State of OUR
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Brianna Brochu, accused of contaminating her black roommate’s belongings at the University of Hartford, addresses the court during a hearing, Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2017, in Hartford, Conn. She has applied for accelerated rehabilitation.
Ex-student charged with harassing roommate using bodily fluid
Brianna Brochu, the former University of Hartford student accused of harassing her roommate by smearing bodily fluid on the roommate’s backpack and tampering with other items, applied for accelerated rehabilitation Tuesday. A hearing will be held March 12 on the application. If accelerated rehabilitation is granted, the charges against Brochu would be dismissed if she follows the conditions set by the court.
Brochu, a Harwinton resident who was expelled from the university after her alleged harassment of her roommate came to light, was charged by West Hartford police with breach of peace and criminal mischief. She has pleaded not guilty. Brochu, who is white, told police that she did not have a good relationship with her roommate, Chennel “Jazzy” Rowe, who is black. Brochu claimed Rowe was rude to her and posted videos online of her snoring to make fun of her. The NAACP and oth-
Former Gov. John Engler to be Michigan State’s interim president David Jesse and Kathleen Gray Detroit Free Press (TNS)
Mark Mirko|Hartford Courant|TNS
David Owens The Hartford Courant (TNS)
Wednesday, Jan 31, 2018
ers have publicly supported Rowe and have urged Hartford prosecutors to file a hate crime charge against Brochu, but prosecutors have declined to discuss the matter other than to say their decisions are guided by the evidence and the law. Members of the NAACP attended Brochu’s brief court appearance Tuesday. Attorney Thomas Stevens, representing Brochu, has told The Hartford Courant he does not believe a hate crime charge will be added. Brochu told police she
lashed out at Rowe and said she licked her plate, fork and spoon, put blood from a used tampon on her backpack, and mixed her lotions with other lotions from Rowe’s desk. Rowe told police that Brochu “generally ignored her and treated her as a ghost,” according to the warrant for Brochu’s arrest. She had asked for a room change and was moving her belongings out of the room on Oct. 17 when Brochu’s Instagram post describing her alleged conduct surfaced.
Michigan State University will name former Michigan Gov. John Engler to be interim president, multiple sources with knowledge of discussions told the Detroit Free Press. Engler, a Republican, is a Michigan State graduate. He is expected to be named to the position at a special MSU board meeting Wednesday morning. Also coming on board is another former Michigan governor, Jim Blanchard, a Democrat, who will be named as a senior adviser. Blanchard is also a MSU graduate. Board members believe that by adding both Engler and Blanchard — former leaders of both major political parties in Michigan — any concerns about politics will be muted. Engler will be in place while the board conducts a nationwide search for the replacement to Lou Anna Simon, who resigned last week in the fallout of the Larry Nassar case. She made the announcement hours after a judge sentenced Nassar to 40 to 175 years in prison as part of a plea deal on seven counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct involving more than 156 girls and women over more than two decades. She said in her resignation statement there was no cover-up at MSU. “The survivors’ accounts are horrific. They are tragic, heartbreaking, and personally gut-wrenching. I take solace that many victims have indicated that the opportunity to confront Nassar is a step toward healing. I am proud of the exceptional work of the Special Victims Unit led by Lieutenant Andrea Munford with the steadfast leadership of Chief Dunlap. I am proud of my support of their work even though the results have been very painful to all who watched,” Simon said.
After Simon resigned, there were a number of names raised to the board as possible interim presidents, including Engler, Blanchard and former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm. In a tweet shortly after Simon resigned, Granholm said it wouldn’t be her. “Not me, but I’m confident they will find a strong, clear leader. For the sake of current and future Spartans, let’s hope so.” Also raised as a possible interim choice was former Grand Valley State University President Mark Murray, who also served as president of Meijer Inc. Murray told board members he wasn’t interested, sources said. Blanchard and Murray were all mentioned as a possible MSU president when Peter McPherson left in 2004 and Simon was promoted from provost to president. But as MSU graduates and top executives of a large bureaucracy, Engler and Blanchard are natural picks, and will appease both the Republicans and Democrats on the MSU board of trustees, which has a 4-4 partisan split. Engler, 69, has been a longtime political presence in Michigan. He was the youngest person elected to the state House of Representatives in 1970 at the age of 22, where he served until 1979, leaving after winning a seat in the state Senate and serving as the iron-fisted Senate Majority Leader. He scored a razor thin victory over then incumbent Governor Blanchard in 1990 and stayed in the state’s top job through the end of 2002. After leaving the job, he moved to Washington where he served as president and CEO of the National Manufacturers Association and then the head of the Business Roundtable, a national organization of business leaders. He retired last
MI CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
Immigration progress elusive as next deadline approaches Lindsey McPherson CQ-Roll Call (TNS) No. 2 congressional leaders and White House officials involved in ongoing immigration negotiations sounded dour about any progress after their latest meeting Monday but nonetheless vowed talks would continue. The group, which includes Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas; House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.; Senate Minority Whip Richard J. Durbin, D-Ill.; House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md.; White House Chief of Staff John Kelly and White House legislative affairs director Marc Short, has been meeting for weeks but seemingly making little progress toward a bipartisan, bicameral agreement. The status of so-called “Dreamers” (young un-
documented immigrants brought to the United States as children), border security, family-based visas and the diversity visa lottery program are the policy areas the group has been debating. The clock is ticking as the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals is scheduled to end March 5, and the Senate is expected to hold an open floor debate on the matter the week of Feb. 12. “It’s at the same place it was before, but there’s a sense of urgency,” Durbin said after Monday’s meeting. He said the group would meet again Tuesday. Hoyer called the discussion “candid, direct and continuing.” “I think we were candid as to where to each one of us was coming from,” he said. “I’m not going to go into what that is because that wouldn’t be useful, but I don’t think anybody
was not being straightforward.” But no agreements were made, Hoyer said. Short said the group was “continuing to make some progress.” They discussed the immigration framework the White House unveiled last week, he said, but declined to detail their positions. While the White House is not turning its framework into legislative text, Short said he expects some senators are. “Leader McConnell has said that he wants to put a bill on the floor the president would sign,” he said. “Legislation drafted from that framework is a bill the president would sign.” House Democrats and some senators of both parties have suggested the best path to a deal is narrowing the issues down to the status of Dreamers and border security. House
Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi reiterated that view during a Washington Post Live event Monday. “For right now if you really do care about the Dreamers there is an agreement to be reached,” the California Democrat said. Pelosi defined the border security component of a potential deal as what border patrol has identified as its needs, saying a physical wall is “too expensive, almost immoral.” The immigration framework the White House released last week is “not in keeping with what immigration has meant to America,” she said. The White House, however, sees its framework as a compromise measure that puts many issues, such as agricultural visas and the E-Verify program to the side for later debate, Short said.
Alex Edelman|CNP|Sipa USA|TNS
Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas) speaks with reporters outside the Senate chamber in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 1, 2017.
“This proposal we really view as a winnowing down of the things we think are essential to do now,” he said. “And I feel like if we don’t then we’re going to be back here in a few
years. Because if we don’t fix these problems what you’re doing, in essence, is creating a magnet by offering a pathway to citizenship for those DACA permit holders that then
indianastatesman.com MI FROM PAGE 2 year and has a home in Laingsburg with his wife Michelle. His triplet daughters have all recently graduated from college. After losing his re-election bid in 1990, Blanchard became the U.S. Ambassador to Canada under President Bill Clinton and later became a partner in the Washington DC-based law firm of DLA Piper. He ran for governor again in 2002, but lost to Granholm, who was attorney general at the time and who would then go on to win two terms as Michigan’s governor. The choice was applauded by both politicians and people who have worked with the men.
DEM FROM PAGE 2 Union” program at the National Press Club Tuesday is a gesture to “resist this racism and put forward our own progressive vision for our beloved country,” Jayapal said. Reps. John Lewis, Maxine Waters, Frederica S. Wilson, Gregory W. Meeks, Danny Davis, Bobby Rush, Jan Schakowsky, Albio Sires, and Earl Blumenauer are the other Democrats who previously announced they will skip Trump’s speech. Each of those lawmakers has said Trump’s vulgarity, especially comments deemed hostile to nonwhite people, played a factor in their decision. The president has vehemently denied claims that he is racist. “No. I’m not a racist. I’m the least racist person you will ever interview,” Trump told reporters this month.
“John Engler is the right choice to be Michigan State University’s interim president,” said Speaker of the House Tom Leonard, R-DeWitt Township. “He is a strong leader with a proven track record of reform, and the school needs someone who is able to come in from the outside, stand up to the status quo and make immediate changes.” David Doyle was the chairman of the Michigan Republican Party while Engler was governor. While he was surprised that Engler was the choice, given the partisan makeup of the board, “I think he’ll do a great job.”
Other Democratic lawmakers plan to demonstrate at the SOTU address in other ways. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and other lawmakers will wear all black in solidarity with sexual harassment and assault victims. Trump has been accused of sexual misconduct by more than a dozen women. He has denied every such allegation against him. Skipping the State of the Union address, while rare, is not without precedent. Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas missed President Barack Obama’s final SOTU speech in January 2016 because he was campaigning for president in New Hampshire. Cruz’s absence was not a protest, just a scheduling conflict, his campaign spokesman, Rick Tyler, told The Dallas Morning News at the time.
Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018 • Page 3
FEATURES
Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018
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Grammys 2018
(TNS)
Grammy stars from left to right: James Corden, Camila Cabello, Donald Glover (Childish Gambino), Miley Cyrus, and Eve.
Artists supportTime’s Up movement with white roses Claire Silcox Reporter
The 60th annual Grammy awards were held this past Sunday in Madison Square garden in New York City. An array of celebrities sauntered down the red carpet in beautiful suits and gowns. Many were adorned with white roses for the recent movement throughout Hollywood and the world called Time’s Up. The Time’s Up movement was represented by stars wearing all black for the recent Golden Globes awards. And again on Sunday with white roses at the Grammy’s. “Time’s Up is a unified call for change from women in entertainment for women everywhere. From movie sets to farm fields to boardrooms alike, we envision nationwide leadership that reflects the world in which we live,” the mission of Time’s Up said. Kendrick Lamar opened the evening with a performance with U2 and Dave Chappelle. Later, artist Janelle Monae introduced Kesha’s performance. “Tonight, I am proud to stand in solidarity as not just an artist but a young woman with my fellow sisters in this room who make up the music industry. Artists, writers, assistants, publicist, CEOs, producers, engineers, and women
from all sectors of the business. We are also daughters, wives, mothers, sisters and human beings. We come in peace, but we mean business. And to those who would dare try and silence us, we offer you two words: Time’s up,” she said. Kesha followed with an amazing performance of her hit “Praying.” She was joined on stage with many other musicians such as, Cyndi Lauper, Bebe Rexa, Andra Day, Camila Cabello, Julia Michaels and the Resistance Revival Chorus, all dressed in white. Dressing in white represented the #MeToo movement. Maren Morris, Brothers Osborne and Eric Church paid tribute to the victims of the Las Vegas shooting from last year. The group sang “Tears in Heaven,” originally by Eric Clapton. The audience paid close attention and sat with quiet respect, shedding a few tears. Miley Cyrus, Anna Kendrick, Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, Camila Cabello, P!nk, Imagine Dragons, Zayn Malik and many more stars either wore white roses or carried them in honor of the Time’s Up movement. Singer Halsey posted on Instagram on Sunday saying that although she was not attending the Grammy’s she still stood with the movement and held a bouquet of white roses in her photo. Those in attendance laughed with host, James Cordon and those who watched from home did the same.
D. Long | Globe Photos | ZUMA Wire | TNS
Mark Salling attending The Paley Center For Media’s 32nd Annual PALEYFEST L.A. ‘’Glee’’ held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on March 13, 2015.
‘Glee’ star Mark Salling reportedly dead at 35 in apparent suicide Nancy Dillon
New York Daily News (TNS)
Former “Glee” actor Mark Salling reportedly is dead from an apparent suicide. Salling, 35, was found at the Los Angeles River in the Sunland section of Los Angeles, near his home, TMZ.com reported. The actor was facing considerable prison time after taking a plea deal
in his child pornography case just weeks shy of his federal felony trial. He had agreed to serve a 4-to-7year prison sentence for possessing pornographic images of prepubescent minors on his personal computer, the deal paperwork obtained by the Daily News said. A TMZ report in October alleged Salling had attempted suicide in August by slitting both his wrists just before striking his plea deal.
indianastatesman.com
Wednesday, Jan 29, 2018 • Page 5
PERCUSSING FROM PAGE 1 performed five new solo vocal and chamber works in the last three years, he is a specialist in the music of living composers,” according to Carter’s biography in the program. The program also mentioned that Carter was adjunct voice faculty at ISU in Fall 2017. “Coloratura Soprano, Felicia Coleman-Evans is a native Chicagoan, holding Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from Howard University. At an early age, Felicia demonstrated extraordinary vocal ranges and abilities,” according to the program. “Under the tutelage of renowned coloratura soprano Mattiwilda Dobbs, Felicia’s unique talents were honed and developed to a level of stylistic vocal virtuosity seldom heard in any musical arena.” Moore, originally from Ghana, came to the states in 2009. In 2011 he studied at ISU and later graduated with a Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts degrees in Criminology and Criminal Justice. “Kirk has been involved in and held various positions within an array of organizations on the ISU campus including the Center for Global Engagement, College of Arts and Sciences Student Advisory Board, African Student’s Union, International Student Leadership Council as president for four years, Student Government Association and African American Cultural Center’s ISUcceed and Mentoring Assistance for Prospective Scholars programs,” according to the program. The ISU Music Department has recitals and performances running throughout the semester. Check the ISU website for a list of upcoming performances.
MICRO FROM PAGE 1 sations that might make you uncomfortable. Students also play a major role in making their voice heard when they witness or experience injustice. I would even offer that that is the powerful tool students can use to foster inclusivity on campus,” Reynolds said. Accountability is an area that can always be
improved. “Nobody is perfect and institutionally that includes us. There are many areas that we can improve upon but if I had to highlight one, I would say that we all play a major role in accountability. Accountability for making sure that we as institution are striving towards inclusive excellence on a daily basis and in every aspect of our operations,” Reynolds said.
OPINION
Page 6
Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018
Should there be a tax on tampons? Whitney Slaton Columnist
Beeler|The Columbus Dispatch
President Trump defies law, refuses to sanction Russia
Joe Lippard
Opinions Editor
In July of last year, Congress voted overwhelmingly to pass sanctions against Russia. The Republican-controlled House passed the sanctions 419-3, and the Republican-controlled Senate
passed them 98-2, giving Congress a veto-proof majority. Republican President Donald Trump then signed the sanctions into law on August 2, 2017. These sanctions were targeted at businesses that had substantial ties to Russia’s intelligence and defense sectors, according to Politico. The sanctions were intended to force those businesses to cut ties with either Russia or the United States. Well, the deadline to impose those sanctions has passed as of Monday, and the President of the United States has decided that he
will choose not to execute the duties of his office and enforce democratically passed laws. According to Politico, a Justice Department spokesperson has said in an email that the sanctions aren’t needed. “Given the long time frames generally associated with major defense deals, the results of this effort are only beginning to become apparent,” the spokesperson said. “From that perspective, if the law is working, sanctions on specific entities or individuals will not need to be imposed because the legislation is, in fact, serv-
ing as a deterrent.” So the Justice Department’s excuse for not imposing the sanctions that were passed with a supermajority in both the House and Senate is that we don’t need them now because just the threat of sanctions is working. But that’s not how that works. As soon as businesses see that the United States has no intention of following their own laws and slapping them with sanctions, why would they stop doing business with Russia? This is a case of the
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According to the 2010 census, there are approximately 72.5 million females age 10-44, which is the average age range of menstruation. The Association of Reproductive Health Professionals states “women today have an estimated 450 periods during their lifetime.” Each of these periods lasts an average of five days meaning that women spend an average of 2,250 days or just over 6 years on their periods. With this knowledge, why is it that many states still have a sales tax in place on menstrual products? Why is it that the government decides if menstrual products are necessary or not? In recent years, more and more spokespersons have come forward about the issue now known as the “tampon tax” or “pink tax.” The issue revolves around the fact that many states have a sales tax in place on menstrual products such as tampons and sanitary napkins; however, these products are a necessity that the government has decided to find revenue in. Many items that are exempt from or lowered sales taxes are considered necessities by the government and are different for each state; these are products such as unprepared foods, clothing and medicines. These items are considered necessary, so why are menstrual products not? These products allow anyone who has a period to maintain a healthy and sanitary life – something everyone would agree is a necessity – yet these products are still being taxed,
not only allowing the government to gain revenue, but making the price more expensive for those who may not be able to afford them. Speaking of costs, the average box of tampons (36 count) at Walmart costs about $7.00, however, in Indiana, adding a sales tax of 0.07% means that this box of tampons actually costs $7.49. This difference may not seem like much, however it adds up rather quickly and that is not even considering the other products used during a period such as sanitary napkins and pain medications. Over the course of a year, just tampons alone would add up to approximately $89.88, adding the average box of sanitary napkins ($5.00 for a 45-count box, approximately $32.10 a year). This means that it costs roughly $121.98 a year just to have a period and remain healthy and sanitary. However, removing the sales tax would mean that it would cost $114.00 a year, meaning the government is making roughly $7.98 on every menstruating person each year (almost $580 million using the 2010 census data) on simply tampons and sanitary napkins alone. Now consider what the government does with sales tax: it goes to the general fund, which is used for government debts, loans, and other services, meaning the government is taxing necessary health products in order to benefit itself. There are few states that have realized these products are necessary, but these few are the exception to the norm, as only nine states have done
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The stunning ‘role of government’ numbers Stuart Rothenberg CQ-Roll Call (TNS) While most people seem fascinated by shifts in presidential job approval and national ballot tests, I’ve always thought that the “role of government” question asked in the NBC News/Wall Street Journal survey doesn’t get the attention it deserves. The responses to that question offer interesting insights into how voters see government, which, in turn, affects how they view the two parties and how they behave when the next election rolls around. Officeholders and activists tend to be ideologues, viewing every election result and legislative initiative from their own worldview. Conservatives always favor less government, while progressives favor more, no matter what government is doing at a particular moment. But Americans as a whole are more pragmatic. They swing from thinking there is too much government to thinking that government is doing too much. Invariably, their attitudes reflect the news, the behavior of Congress and the agenda of the president. During activist, liberal presidencies, voters start showing their nervousness about too much government, too much regulation and too much social engineering. They tilt toward thinking that gov-
ernment is doing things better left to the private sector. But during a more pro-business, conservative administration, those same voters worry that the private sector will abuse its freedom and power. And they start to think that government isn’t doing enough to protect the rights of individuals. The “role of government” question, which has been asked by the NBC News/ Wall Street Journal survey since at least 1995, seeks to take the public’s temperature about the correct role of government. The two most recent polls that asked respondents about their views of government were conducted after Trump became president — April 2017 and January 2018. Both surveys showed a dramatic swing toward concern that government is not doing enough “to solve problems and help meet the needs of people.” In the Jan. 13-17, 2018, survey, 58 percent of adults said government should do more, while only 38 percent said government is “doing too many things better left to businesses and individuals” — a 20-point difference. That is a huge gap, historically. In most cases, the difference between the two alternatives has been in the lowto middle-single digits. While men split roughly evenly between the two alternatives in this month’s survey, women said
government should “do more” by a ratio of at least 2-to-1. It was even higher for women with at least a college degree. The change from a January 2010 NBC News/Wall Street Journal survey (the beginning of Barack Obama’s second year in the White House) is remarkable. While 45 percent of women with at least a college degree said in 2010 that government should do more, 69 percent said so this year — an increase of 24 points. Among whites, the number saying government should do more shot up from 37 percent in 2010 to 54 percent this month. And in the suburbs, respondents calling for more government action grew from 39 percent in 2010 to 55 percent in 2018. The large margins among all respondents favoring “more government” is a dramatic change from surveys conducted a few years ago, when just a few points separated the two groups. In July 2015, 50 percent of respondents said government should do more to help people, while 46 percent said it was doing too many things better left to business and individuals. In November 2014, the gap was 6 points (52 percent “do more” to 46 percent “doing too much”). And in June 2014, 50 percent of Americans thought government was doing too many things, while only 46 percent thought government should do more.
In fact, the last time those favoring “more government” had an edge comparable to this month’s survey was in September 2007, when respondents said the government should do more by a margin of 17 points. Of course, Barack Obama was elected president shortly, about a year later. Before you jump to conclusions about the midterms or 2020, let me offer two caveats. First, the “role of government” numbers can jump around (sometimes because of short-term events), so it is wise to be cautious about reading too much into a survey or two. For example, in June 2013, equal numbers of respondents thought government was doing too much and not doing enough. Three months later, by 8 points, respondents thought government should do more. Nine months later, respondents, by 4 points, thought government was doing too much. Second, Donald Trump’s agenda isn’t easily classified as either “pro-government” or “pro-business.” While he actively promotes deregulation and empowering corporate America, he has also been active highlighting trade issues, criticizing individual companies and advocating more jobs.
NUMBERS CONT. ON PAGE 7
Editorial Board
Wed, Jan. 31, 2018 Indiana State University
www.indianastatesman.com
Volume 125 Issue 46
Grace Harrah Editor-in-Chief statesmaneditor@isustudentmedia.com Rileigh McCoy News Editor statesmannews@isustudentmedia.com Joe Lippard Opinions Editor statesmanopinions@isustudentmedia.com Claire Silcox Features Editor statesmanfeatures@isustudentmedia.com Andrew Doran Sports Editor statesmansports@isustudentmedia.com Danielle Guy Photo Editor statesmanphotos@isustudentmedia.com Ashley Sebastian Chief Copy Editor The Indiana Statesman is the student newspaper of Indiana State University. It is published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during the academic school year. Two special issues are published during the summer. The paper is printed by the Tribune Star in Terre Haute, Ind.
Opinions Policy The opinions page of the Indiana Statesman offers an opportunity for the Indiana State University community to express its views. The opinions, individual and collective, expressed in the Statesman and the student staff’s selection or arrangement of content do not necessarily reflect the attitudes of the university, its Board of Trustees, administration, faculty or student body. The Statesman editorial board writes staff editorials and makes final decisions about news content. This newspaper serves as a public forum for the ISU community. Make your opinion heard by submitting letters to the editor at statesmanopinions@isustudentmedia.com. Letters must be fewer than 500 words and include year in school, major and phone number for verification. Letters from non-student members of the campus community must also be verifiable. Letters will be published with the author’s name. The Statesman editorial board reserves the right to edit letters for length, libel, clarity and vulgarity.
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Wedsnesday Jan. 31, 2018 • Page 7
RUSSIA FROM PAGE 6 President, who is in charge of the Justice Department, refusing to fulfill his constitutionally mandated duties – in other words, he’s legitimately not doing the job people elected him to do. The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, argued in 2014 that the Supreme Court had a precedent set as far back as Marbury v. Madison, when the Court ruled that Congress could force the President’s hands through passing a constitutional law. They then pointed out that in 1838 in the case of Kendall v. United States ex rel. Stokes, the Supreme Court ruled that allowing the President to just not enforce laws he doesn’t like “would be vesting in the President a dispensing power, which has no countenance for its support in any part of the constitution; and is asserting a principle, which, if carried out in its results, to all cases falling within it, would be clothing the President with a power to control the legislation of congress, and paralyze the administration of justice.” The Heritage Foundation also noted that the Constitution says that “Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors” are grounds for the President’s im-
peachment and removal from office. They then clarified that “[b]ecause ‘high Crimes and Misdemeanors’ was a term of art used in English impeachments, a plausible reading supported by many scholars is that the grounds for impeachment can be not only the defined crimes of treason and bribery, but also other criminal or even noncriminal behavior amounting to a serious dereliction of duty.” What’s more, in Article 2 Section 3 of the United States Constitution, when listing the duties of the President, it specifically says, “he shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed.” The President of the United States is violating the Constitution of his own country. What’s even more concerning to me is that several high-profile Republicans insisted earlier that sanctions against Russia were absolutely needed. Those Republicans have gone ignored by Trump, apparently. In January last year, Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said, “I’m absolutely opposed to lifting sanctions on the Russians. If anything, we ought to be looking at increasing them.” In October, when Trump first refused to meet the deadline to enact the sanctions, Republican Senator John McCain said, “If [Trump and his administration] don’t
TAMPON FROM PAGE 6
NUMBERS FROM PAGE 6
away with taxing menstrual products, and five do not have state sales taxes. This leaves 36 states still taxing and profiting from menstrual products. However, if these products did not have a sales tax in place, any person buying menstrual products would save money that they could use to possibly help feed a family, use on other medications, or to simply help pay rent. Ending the tampon tax is simply a question of right or wrong. Taxing necessary health products is something the government should not be receiving profits from. Unprepared food products should not be taxed because they are necessary, which is exactly what state governments should do with menstrual products. Yet the government is still forcing roughly 72.5 million females to pay a sales tax on necessary health products that are required for their health just as food and clothing is for the entire population. The tampon tax needs to be ended in all 50 states as menstrual products are not something that the government gets to decide is necessary or not. Females cannot control the fact that they need menstrual products, so why is the government?
Given that, it probably isn’t surprising that the most recent NBC News/Wall Street Journal survey found 30 percent of Trump voters saying that government isn’t doing enough, compared to only 12 percent of Hillary Clinton voters who said government is doing too many things. So Trump isn’t necessarily in as bad a position as you might think, given the responses to the “role of government” question. Still, the dramatic shift in sentiment about the government’s role and behavior from before
WOMEN FROM PAGE 8 assists. The Sycamores also got solid contributions from junior forward Kierra Isaiah (9 points), freshman forward AJ Thomas (6 points), and junior guard Alexis Delgado (2 assists). Wendi Bibbins leads the Sycamores in points per game (11.0), rebounds per game (9.0), and blocks per game with 1.3 blocks on the season. Ashli O’Neal leads the team in 3 point field goal attempts per game (5.0), 3 point field goals made per game (1.8), and minutes per game
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Trump’s election to after suggests that many voters believe the president and his party have gone too far to the right, favoring business and private groups at the expense of many Americans. Moreover, the “role of government” numbers seem consistent with the president’s poor job approval numbers even at a time of economic expansion and strong Wall Street performance. Together, the responses from the two polls are a warning to the GOP about what November could look like.
with 29.1 minutes on the season. Tierra Webb leads the team in free throw attempts per game (3.9), free throws made per game (2.5), assists per game (1.9), and steals per game with 1.7 steals on the season. The 7-13 Indiana State University Sycamores will compete against the 3-17 University of Evansville Purple Aces at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana this Friday at 8:00 p.m. The game can be seen on TV on the Valley on ESPN3 and be heard on the radio on the Sycamore Radio Network.
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cooperate, then further actions need to be taken.” Even Trump’s own Vice President, Mike Pence, said in July last year that “the president and our Congress are unified in our message to Russia — a better relationship, and the lifting of sanctions, will require Russia to reverse the actions that caused the sanctions to be imposed in the first place.” Perhaps I missed it, but I don’t recall Russia ever “reversing the actions” that were the reasons for sanctions in the first place. Even Rex Tillerson, Donald Trump’s Secretary of State, said on Oct. 15 last year that “We have every intention of implementing Congress’s intent,” I suppose that was a lie. It’s quite simple. This is what we call a “constitutional crisis”, and those words aren’t used lightly. The President of the United States is refusing to fulfill the duties laid out for him in the Constitution. The sanctions were passed democratically with a supermajority, and Trump himself signed off on the law. This man took an oath to fulfill his duties to uphold and enforce the law as required by the Constitution, and he is refusing to do so. Usually, we have a way to solve this problem: it’s called impeachment.
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Sudoku answers from Monday’s issue
The Samurai of Puzzles by The Mepham Group
SPORTS
Page 8
Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018
Ashli O’Neal (3) led the team in points and scored a perfect eight out of eight from the free throw line in the team’s latest win against Valparaiso.
Athletic Media Relations
Women’s Basketball
Looking to continue red-hot winning streak vs. Evansville Jay Adkins Reporter
This upcoming Weekend, the Indiana State University women’s basketball team will travel to Evansville, Indiana to face off against the University of Evansville Purple Aces. The Sycamores are currently 7-13 on the season and are on a red-hot winning streak with four straight wins, including victories
against: Bradley University (6560), Illinois State University (5249), Loyola University Chicago (73-65), and Valparaiso University (67-54). The University of Evansville Purple Aces are 3-17 on the season and are currently suffering through an 11 game losing streak. The Purple Aces’ matchup of the season was a 82-63 loss against Loyola University Chicago. Guard Hannah Noe leads
the Purple Aces in points per game (14.8), field goal attempts per game (13.1), field goals made per game (4.8), 3 point field goals attempts per game (8.3), and 3 point field goals made per game on the season with 3.0 field goals. Junior guard Kerri Gasper leads the team in rebounds per game (5.3), free throw percentage (.955), assists per game (4.0), steals per game (1.2), and total minutes on the season with 675
minutes. With the help from Noe and Gasper, it is surprisingly shocking that the Purple Aces are having a mediocre season. While Evansville is looking to snap their losing streak, the Sycamores will need to take full advantage of the team’s momentum, as they carry nothing. Sophomore guard Ashli O’Neal led the Sycamores in points (22) and was a perfect 8 of 8
from the free throw line in the team’s latest victory of the season against the Valparaiso University Crusaders. Junior guard Tierra Webb contributed 15 points while also recording a gamehigh 4 steals. Senior forward Wendi Bibbins contributed 10 points and recorded a game-high 2 blocks. Senior forward Ashley Taia recorded a game high 3
WOMEN CONTINUED ON PAGE 7
Sycamores look for season sweep at Valpo Garrett Short Reporter
The Indiana State men’s basketball team hopes to prevent their current losing streak from stretching to three games when they visit Valparaiso tonight. Indiana State beat the Crusaders in their first ever conference con-
test back in December 73-64. ISU has dropped two straight to the likes of Bradley and Southern Illinois, both of which are teams in the top half of the Missouri Valley Conference. ISU currently sits seventh in the conference standings with a record of 5-5 in MVC play and an overall record of 10-12. Val-
po is currently last in the conference with just two conference wins to go along with eight losses. Things have not been easy for the Crusaders so far this season. Things have been especially bad as of late as they have dropped five straight games. During the losing streak Valpo has sur-
Men’s basketball team hope to win again, against the Valparaiso Crusaders tonight.
Athletic Media Relations
passed the 70-point mark just once. The season didn’t always look so bleak for the Crusaders who started the season on an eight game winning streak. However, they have been plagued by two losing streaks of four games or longer. About halfway through the conference regular season, digging themselves out of their current hole looks rather impossible. There has been a shard of positivity for Valpo fans this season that may help them tonight. The team plays extremely well at home. The team posts a record of 7-3 when they don’t have to travel for games. Those seven home wins include two victories over SIU and Drake— two of the top teams in the MVC. After forward Alec Peters departed for the NBA through the draft after his senior season a year ago, someone needed to step up for the Crusaders. Peters was the Horizon League Player of the Year last year averaging 23 points per game and 7.4 rebounds per game. Valpo, in their first season as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference, have been led by their backcourt. The duo of
senior Tevonn Walker and redshirt sophomore Bakari Evelyn have provided a much needed jump on the offensive side of the ball. Walker leads the team and is eighth in the conference in ppg with 15.4 while Evelyn adds almost 12 ppg. Despite the Crusaders using two guards to score a decent chunk of points every game, they are not much of a shooting threat. The team is tied for the worst 3-point percentage in the conference. However, they do defend the 3-point line extremely well allowing their opponents to sink just 31 percent of their looks from behind the arc. For Indiana State, a team that relies on distance shooting in their offense, they may have to look for scoring from a different part of the court. At the helm of the men’s basketball program for Valpo is Matt Lottich. Lottich is in his second season as the head coach after finishing with a record of 24-9 last season with an appearance in the NIT. ISU will have a chance to complete the season series sweep tonight at 8 p.m.
Indiana State Earns CSCAA Academic All-America Honors Indiana State swimming and diving has earned College Swimming Coaches Association of America Division I Scholar Team honors. The CSCAA awards teams across the nation who stand out academically by earning and maintaining a 3.0 grade point average or higher. This fall the Sycamores held a team grade point average of 3.54 which was well above the standard needed. ISU’s academic success and high grade point average has placed them in the top 30 in
the nation as well as third in the Missouri Valley Conference according to the CSCAA. “This program is really excelling not only in the pool, but in the classroom. The Sycamores are laying a great foundation for future swimmers and divers to achieve greatness in academia. It has been amazing working with these young women as they progress and show the nation their drive to succeed in the classroom and in the pool. We look to continue to be one of the top academic programs on campus, in the state and on a
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national scale,” said head coach Matt Leach. Indiana State is now preparing to compete in the MVC Championship meet on Feb. 14 through Feb. 17. For the latest information on the Sycamore Swimming and Diving team, make sure to check out GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Story by Athletic Media Relations
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The swimming and diving team has earned the honor by maintaining a GPA of 3.0 or higher.