The Kent Stater - March 23 - April 2, 2017 by The Kent Stater

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Kent Stater 3/23 – 4/2

DEFINING DIVERSITY Appreciating the vast diversity found in everyday life

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THE WEEKEND GUIDE TO ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND STUDENT LIFE

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Flashettes hope to start dance legacy on campus

Immigrant Ohio

McKenzie Jean-Philippe Diversity Editor After the Flashes’ loss last Friday to the University of California Los Angeles Bruins during the first round of the NCAA Tournament, to many at Kent State, basketball season came to an end. But to the eight members of the Flashettes dance team, March Madness is a time to plan ahead. Formed in March 2016, the Flashettes are a relatively new group on campus. Though the Kent State cheerleading and dance teams have an established presence at football and basketball games, the Flashettes came to be after member Lacy Talley realized the university spirit program needed a change. “Me and a couple friends — we went to one of the games — and it was, like, we saw a lack of diversity at the game, and we just wanted to improve that,” said Talley, a junior visual communication design major. “I feel like Kent State needs a group like this because it shows another population that isn’t represented.” This past November marked the dance team’s premiere performance. Though the team is only a student organization — and not part of the university spirit program — they have danced at nearly every home women’s and men’s basketball game. The Flashettes specialize in a type of dance they categorize as majorette; a style popular in historically black college and university dance teams across the country. Talley said what separates majorette dance from other styles is that routines are usually choreographed to music

Flashettes captain Michaela Broadnax, sophomore, dances with Lacy Talley, junior, and Diamond Carroll, junior, in Centennial Court F lounge on Monday. Jana Life / Kent Stater

played by the band, which means dance teams typically perform in the stands alongside the band. Movements also tend to be more stylized and sensual. Body rolls of the hips and shoulders, exaggerated arm movements and rhythm that’s hard to mimic are all key components of majorette dance. Angelica White, senior business management major and team president, is eager to enhance the campus presence of the Flashettes. Along with Talley, White is one of the founding members of the team. She said the goal when creating the Flashettes was “to bring awareness to a different style of dancing (and) a different culture to a predominantly white institution.”

SEE FLASHETTES / PAGE 2

A Look Inside Columbus’s Somali Community http://kentwired.jmc.kent.edu/immigrantohio/somalia

Recognizing women of Kent State McKenzie Jean-Philippe and Jenna Kuczkowski Diversity Editor and General Assignment Editor As cliché as it may be, women do come in all shapes, colors and sizes. While that will never change, Women’s History Month is as good a time as ever to recognize those differences that make each female unique. Women make up 61 percent of the student body; the majority at Kent State, according to the university’s student body profile. Here are the stories of three of those women. Each has her own perspective, but what they

share is their passion and pride in being a woman in the United States in 2017. These stories are a part of the Kent Stater project, “Celebrating Diversity: The Women of Kent State” that highlights a diverse group of women across Kent State’s campus. Look for the full video stories in early April online at KentWired.com.

Lama Abu-Amara When asked what trait women have that

strengthens society, junior chemistry major Lama Abu-Amara had a simple answer.

“I would say their kindness,” she said. “We just have very big hearts.” According to Abu-Amara, as a MuslimAmerican, she sees that same trait in her own culture, where honesty and an open mind are held in high regard. As president of Kent State’s Muslim Students' Association (MSA), Abu-Amara represents a community that doesn’t always see those same values reciprocated. This only stresses the importance of a campus organization like MSA. “Muslims need a place where they can feel that they’re safe, and they’re surrounded by

Screenshot of Lama Abu-Amara via KentWired.com

other people who are similar to them,” she said. “And it helps a lot since MSA acts as a sanctuary for those people, and it’s just really nice to have the company.” See extended article on KentWired.com

Page 2 | Thursday, March 23, 2017 From Page 1

FLASHETTES Flashettes hope to start... Although White doesn’t dance for the team herself, her interests not only lay in the culture, but from family history: Her mother was a majorette. White joined the Flashettes with the intent of carrying on that tradition at the university long after she graduates this May. While basketball season is over, White is using the time to meet with the team to go over plans for next semester. White organizes tryouts, uniform orders, team advertising and performances at games and other university events by communicating with the athletic department. “In the beginning, honestly, I wanted to be a part of something at Kent State,” she said. “Something that could build a legacy at Kent.” Casey Cegles, Kent State’s deputy athletic director, has followed the Flashettes’ progress since last semester ’s homecoming parade when Shay Little, vice president for Student Affairs, pointed out the team’s talent. “We’re always looking to diversify and be different,” Cegles said. “It’s important to bring all kinds of dance together and not just be as traditional as we’ve been in the past.” Cegles explained that in order for a new team like the Flashettes to be part of the spirit program alongside cheer and dance, they would have to adopt the same stipulations that cheer and dance have. Not only does the current spirit program attend gymnastics, soccer and volleyball events in addition to basketball and football games, but they fundraise on their own to be active in athletics. “It’s tough because technically our cheer and dance programs are part of the athletic department,” Cegles said. “We do provide some funding for them, but we don’t completely fund them. They are almost

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like a student group.” Leading the Flashettes alongside White is captain Michaela Broadnax. Broadnax, a sophomore criminology and justice studies major, has danced for 17 years. Other members, like freshman accounting major Janae Blalock, have never danced before joining the Flashettes. “I tried out originally because my friend asked me to come, but then I actually saw that I really liked the team, and I liked what they were doing so I wanted to stay,” Blalock said. “It was different because I’m used to action sports. I ran track and played soccer, so I’m used to stuff that’s hardcore, but I joined because … it’s something that I’ve always wanted to do that now I have the chance to.” Other members have varied reasons for joining the Flashettes: Courtney Jones, junior early childhood education major, sees dance as a stress reliever; Tia Beaty, sophomore fashion merchandising major, turned her joy of partying into a passion for performing; and Diamond Carroll, junior human development and family studies major, loves being part of a team. All the Flashette members do share one reason in common, however: Representation is key in the Kent State community. African-Americans are the second largest race represented at the university, though they are only 8 percent of the student body. Through dance, the Flashettes see the opportunity to share a part of the black culture with the rest of the community. “We’re accepting of anybody and want everybody to be a part of (the team),” White said. “(We want) to create awareness and to create something where people can feel comfortable being here ... for people whose culture isn’t as bright here. I think they can come here and feel a part of something as well as still feel incorporated within our school by performing at a game.” mjeanphi@kent.edu

Omani students pursue education at KSU Eryn Gebacz International Students and Issues Reporter Imagine a scholarship where travel, tuition, rent, fees and insurance were all paid for by the government, allowing a student to learn in another country. That dream scholarship is a reality for the Omani students at Kent State. Since 2012, the university has had a cohort with Oman where students have all of those expenses paid for by their government. Salma Benhaida, director of International Recruitment, Admissions and Sponsored Student Services, discussed the vast increase in Omani students over the past few years. In 2012, Kent State had only one student from Oman. There are now 93. Kent State received its first large cohort in 2013, with 12 Omani students who came fully funded by their government. Many students come here knowing a select few people. These are typically students who attended high school within Oman, or those who share the same major. Benhaida created the Omani Student Organization for those students to call home and connect with others through their shared culture. “I thought, since we’re growing, maybe we could organize a group which would help our new students coming in — that there’s a place for them to ask questions,” Benhaida said. “Also, so they could have people to celebrate their national and religious holidays.” The Omani Student Organization was established in 2013, and the membership total is now 93 undergraduate students. Khadija Al Habsy, a senior mathematics major, described how close-knit the group of Omani students are. “We try and do a lot of things together, though there are a portion of Omani students we don’t see around. As a family, we all try to take care of each other,” Al Habsy said. A typical Omani student’s experience at Kent State is different from the majority of other students. Their decision to attend the university depends on more than simply acceptance and figuring out financial aid. These students have majors that are picked for them, by their government, based on test scores and previous performance in high school. Ahmed Al Abri, a senior mechanics major, shared how his major was chosen for him by an official in Oman. “Before I chose this major, the ministry of higher education checked our grades and give us our majors, which are related to our GPAs,” Al Abri said. Based on his grades, the officials in Oman originally chose economics for Al Abri, but once he came to Kent, he changed his major because he had a love for engineering. “Up to high school level, I didn’t really know

Trump’s presidency and the Black millennial Valerie A. Williams UHURU Entertainment Editor The following article was contributed by UHURU Magazine. Read more online at uhurumag.com, and look for its new print issue on stands April 20. After a long day of news updates and refreshing my Facebook feed, I find myself asking, “How the heck did we get here?” We heckled for months the idea of “Celebrity Apprentice” star Donald Trump getting anywhere near the White House. I mean, there was absolutely no way, right? Meme after meme, laugh after laugh, we were convinced that nobody would really vote for him. Right? But they did, and at alarming rates. And before we could even cry out the words “Oh no,” Donald Trump became the 45th president of the United States. Though it was not the fate that many of us wanted, we’re here now and it is really happening. Although everyone may not feel the same way about our new commander in chief, there’s a pretty unanimous feeling among one group — Black millennials. That feeling is fear mixed with a little nausea and a hint of Black power. Amid all the injustice toward Blacks in America, there seems to be a surge in pride among us and we are fired up with resistance and ready to face whatever the new administration throws our way. Post-election, although the country as a whole was in utter disbelief, many passive Trump opposers took on the idea that, “Well, maybe he won’t be that bad.” But, fast forward only a few months and we’ve already realized that he will, indeed, be that bad. Since he has been in office, his changes from the Obama administration have been cringeworthy for minorities, women and the lower class. According to The Washington Times, President Trump signed an executive order in January barring federal funds from organizations that promote abortion around the world, including the International Planned Parenthood Federation. According to CNN, another trustworthy news outlet, but “fake news” according to the president himself, Trump said he is “pro-life,” but Planned Parenthood provides free and affordable birth control measures, such as the pill, condoms and IUDs. It also provides the morning-after pill and, in fact, provides so much more than just abortion services. Each year, the organization does 830,000 breast exams, close to one million cervical cancer screenings and nearly half a million HIV tests, according to CNN. Why would a president who values the human life so much oppose an organization like PP that is saving the lives of low-income women every day? Aside from reproductive rights, since Trump has been in office, he has also vowed to repeal Obamacare, which would leave millions of people unin-

sured. Under his plan, poorer and older Americans will be the ones left without adequate health insurance. One surely cannot claim to be pro-life if he allows millions of low-income families to suffer and struggle to stay healthy every year. It does not end with health care though — President Trump has incited fear in minorities across the U.S., specifically Muslim-Americans and immigrants. From the Muslim ban to plans for the infamous “wall,” it seems our new president is doing his best to reverse America’s melting pot history. Where does that leave us? As Black millennials, what can we do to stay afloat in this new tide? For starters, I say we declare our worth. This administration may not seem to value minorities in America, so we must value and protect ourselves. We must become knowledgeable of the laws and rights and study our amendments. We must make our fight inclusive of the LGBTQ community and remember that we are not the only minority that needs protecting. We must show compassion for all people and extend a helping hand when we can. Believe it or not, it costs nothing to help someone. If you want to help in a big way, there are many organizations that need support more than ever in this Trump era. Groups like the American Civil Liberties Union, Planned Parenthood, Southern Poverty Law Center, Lambda Legal, Council on American-Islamic Relations and the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN) are in place to protect the civil liberties of all faced with adversity (race, religion, sex, income, reproductive rights and sexual orientation). Donating or volunteering for an organization is a great way to get involved and learn more about activism and the changing laws. We are the future, so it’s time we start acting like it. We have to look out for each other and make sure we are doing our part in making America SAFE again. vwilli14@kent.edu

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After the Omani National Day ceremony put on by the Omani Student Association, women get free henna tattoos on Nov. 23, 2015. Kaitlin Walker / The Kent Stater

what I wanted to do in the future, and when this scholarship opportunity came about, they wanted (for us to) list what majors we would want and I just wrote education,” Al Habsy said. Abdullah Al Bahouli, a freshman finance major, described a process that exists in Oman where officials match the student to their major and country. “We have a book that has all the available universities and countries we can study in it," Al Bahouli said. "But if you get this GPA, you can go for this country, etc. Get the GPA you have to get to go to the country. If you get the GPA, you get the applications and then you have a major form and essay to complete." Ahmed Al Gharibi, a freshman computer science major, shared how his decision to come to Kent State was out of his control. “I actually didn’t want to come here,” Gharibi said. “Because my major just had like three choices here in America. There was Dayton, Iowa and Kent. I know some friends here, and they told me their experience at Kent State, which is why I chose here.” Abdallah Al Mahri, a freshman business management major, had a similar story. “I wasn’t ever interested in studying abroad, but my sister studies here," Al Mahri said. "She told me about Kent and the studies here. That encouraged me to study here." See extended article on KentWired.com

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STUDENT MEDIA DIRECTOR Students gather in Bowman Hall, Dec. 6, 2015, before service. Kassi Jackson / The Kent Stater

Younger generation finds new way to pray Rachel Duthie Student Life Reporter Jake Ball feels off about the idea of going to church on Sunday mornings. The freshman digital media production major regularly attended church with his grandparents when he was younger. When his grandmother passed away when he was in middle school, Ball stopped going altogether. "I would say I'm still a Christian, but loosely," Ball said. "I still believe in the concept of heaven and hell, but I don't pray often. I live by morals." Ball is one of millions of millennials who have shown a disinterest in organized religion, instead shifting toward personal, day-to-day spirituality. A study conducted by the Pew Research Center shows that millennials are considerably less religious than previous generations. According to the data, Americans ages 18 to 29 attend religious services less often than their older peers, and fewer are interested in spirituality in general. Jennifer Basich, a senior special education major, is the president of Cru, a Christian student organization that holds Bible studies and weekly meetings. "I notice a solid amount of people seeking some spiritual life, but overall I would say I do not see a lot fully pursuing and committing to one," Basich said. "Millennials are entering a phase in their lives where they are really figuring things out, and that includes religion, whether they realize it or not." While hot topic issues such as gay marriage and abortion rights are key factors for young people determining their faith, this shift is largely generational. Compared to their elders today, millennials are much less likely to be affiliated with any religious tradition or domina-

tion. Only 27 percent of millennials attend religious services weekly, a contrast from the 38 percent of baby boomers and 51 percent of silent and greatest generation members who do. "When millennials think of religion, they think of their parents," Jason Slack, a pastor for H2O Kent State, said. "They think of waking up early to dress up and all the things the Bible tells you not to do." However, membership is not a problem at H2O Church, a Christian organization largely marketed toward college students. In fact, it's growing, Slack said, and most students come to the organization to make friends and develop a community. Spirituality is not completely lost among millennials. 76 percent of younger Americans feel a strong sense of gratitude or thankfulness weekly. Activities like practicing self-care, going on long walks and journaling are now considered a millennial "religion." "Students want to think of their God in terms of a relationship, and less of a judge who tells you what you can and cannot do," Slack said. "It's not necessarily less interest in spirituality, but less interest in religion." It's a shift Basich believes is good for millennials. "When people hear the word 'religion,' they associate it with the doing of good deeds, following rules well, basically a big to-do list," she said. "But, when people hear the word 'spirituality,' they think more of a connection. That's what is important." As for making religion more attractive, even former church-goer Ball doesn't know the answer. "I'm not sure, really," Ball said."Making it less like church, essentially, (and) more like a youth group. That's what students want." rduthie@kent.edu

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Opinion

SUBMISSIONS

EDITORIAL BOARD

The Stater hopes to encourage lively debate about the issues of the day on the Opinion Page. Opinions on this page are the authors’ and not necessarily endorsed by the Stater or its editors. Readers are encouraged to participate through letters to the editor (email them to jmill231@kent.edu) and guest columns. Submissions become property of the Stater and are subject to editing without notice.

Opinion Editor: Lucas Misera Senior Editor: Karl Schneider Managing Editor: Alex Delaney-Gesing Sports Editor: Henry Palattella Assigning Editor: Jack Kopanski Assigning Editor: Andrew Atkins

THE OPINION PAGE IS AN OUTLET FOR OUR COMMUNITY’S VARIED VIEWS.

JOSEPH MCGRELLIS’ VIEW // To see all the cartoons this semester, visit KentWired.com

Softball falls to Pitt Henry Palattella Sports Editor

The Kent State softball team’s losing streak reached six games Wednesday, as they dropped their tilt to the University of Pittsburgh (15-11), 7-0. The Flashes (8-14) found themselves down right out of the gate when the Panthers scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Two of those runs came on an RBI double off the bat of Pitt junior Giorgiana Zeremenko. Zeremenko — who came into the game second on Pitt with 16 RBI — also hit two solo home runs in the victory. See the full story at KentWired

Cheers&Jeers Cheers to ... The Hangover Heaven Bus. Based out of Las Vegas, the busing service acts as a mobile clinic and promises to cure hangovers in 45 minutes. Jeers to ... losing your license. A Japanese town is offering discounts on funerals to elderly citizens in exchange for their driver’s licenses.

Tomi ‘Turncoat’ Lahren Stephen D’Abreau Columnist For those of you who don’t know, Tomi Lahren is a 24-year-old conservative talk show host working for conservative outlet TheBlaze. She’s outspoken and attracts a large following for her firebrand style of political commentary. Her show has never really been my cup of tea, and — even if I’d agree with her sentiments on occasion — there would be plenty of times I’d find her comments utterly ridiculous. I really haven’t spoken about the conservative firebrand — until now. The reason? She has recently landed herself in some hot water for espousing a pro-choice stance on “The View,” a markedly and annoyingly liberal talk show of which I am not fond. Now, in my personal politics, though a centrist and moderate on most things, I am fiercely pro-life and have always been so, in spite of my past Democratic leanings and liberal upbringing. You might be tempted to think my disappointment in Lahren stems from my pro-life stance, but that isn’t it. One of the reasons I’ve never identified as a Republican is because modern conservatism is plagued by a self-defeating “libertarian prochoice” strain that I’ve never liked. Lahren attempted to tap into that libertarianism on “The View,” and that is par for the course from the political right to flip-flop on the pro-life issues. Her subsequent suspension of her show is, therefore, an unwarranted response. Yet, TheBlaze has no obligation to platform a talk show host who gets rounds of applause from “The View.” However, two things about Lahren’s comments on “The View” really angered me. First, she thinks it’s hypocritical to support limited government and be pro-life. If there is one thing I know about the pro-life movement, it’s that it’s a diverse group of people coming to the cause from a vast plethora of angles. Lahren, as a Republican, needs to respect that other Republicans aren’t being hypocritical when they are committed to the universal human right to life, or that the Supreme Court has no legitimate power to legislate from the bench and trample over that basic human right to life. I’m no Republican, but Lahren gets no sympathy from me for turning against her Republican fans and calling them hypocrites. Of all the petty, snide things I’ve heard come out of that woman’s mouth, I have little sympathy for a Judas that attacks the people who pushed her career so far forward. Second, it reveals a deep problem with American conservatism: its disjointed, dysfunctional and incoherent framework. Just as the left tries to reconcile incoherent ideologies and principles like Western feminism and Islam, the right seems to think it can remain stable with its deep rifts. You cannot be the “prolife party” and the “pro-choice libertarian party.” Being pro-life has never fit squarely in either party, and for someone who has never fit squarely in either party, that’s OK with me. However, Lahren’s current controversy just reminds me how Republicans are happy to court pro-lifers like me while flirting with Planned Parenthood talking points. Frankly, it’s both exhausting and stupid. sdabrea1@kent.edu

OUR Diversity: more than skin color VIEW Editorial Staff During the production of Thursday’s Diversity Features Edition issue of The Kent Stater, uneasiness surfaced among staff members concerning the top half of this front page’s design. To some, the close-up photographs of the subjects emphasize only skin complexion, perpetuating the misconception that diversity is solely the product of racial differences. Discussions evolved into what makes Kent State diverse, if racial variation is indeed not enough. From gender to ethnicity, the staff collectively contemplated the litany of characteristics that contribute to somebody’s identity within a community. The dialogue sparked by the design elicited a consensus: Diversity runs substantially deeper than skin color. It is imperative for society to embrace

this notion. Varying sexual, economic, professional, political and intellectual backgrounds shape our heterogenous community — race is only one factor in the pool of individuality. Though the easiest route to recognizing diversity may be through outward appearance, the truest iteration of the word is the one that manifests itself in ways that aren’t so visually obvious. Because the Stater staff finds it crucial that readers similarly explore the dynamic nature of diversity through conversations such as the one we shared, the design remains. The above editorial is the consensus opinion of The Kent Stater editorial board, whose names are listed above.

Just when I thought I’d seen and heard it all, this dandy comes along. Capitol Hill is a mess right now (to quote President Dingus) after the aforementioned Dingus’ Supreme Court appointee short circuited during one of his congressional hearings. Shortly thereafter, authorities examined the slumped Neil Gorsuch and discovered he was actually some

As Poe puts it:

Neil Gorsuch short circuits during hearings, is actually a robot Matt Poe Columnist Editor’s Note: The following column contains satire. Events mentioned in the piece are fictitious. Just when I thought I’d seen and heard it all, this dandy comes along. Capitol Hill is a mess right now (to quote President Dingus) after the aforementioned Dingus’ Supreme Court appointee short circuited during one of his congressional hearings. Minnesota Sen. (and personal man crush of mine) Al Franken was in the midst of grilling Gorsuch on his judicial record when the so-called judge began to exude a plume of smoke and sent sparks flying from the neck area. Whether it was Sen. Franken’s terrific line of questioning that made Gorsuch spontaneously combust or some major malfunction in hardware, is currently unclear. Luckily, no one else was injured in the incident, aside from a partial area of the head belonging to Republican Majority Leader and Franklin the Turtle look-alike Mitch McConnell. He’ll survive, and there’s no signs he’ll be inhibited from doing his job because, well, he never did a good job of it in the first place. Reports also indicate the incident won’t affect McConnell’s line of thinking that fills his marble-headed brain. But that’s neither here nor there. Anyway, this development surrounding Gorsuch is shocking and prompts more questions than answers right now. For starters, Gorsuch was questioned many times on whether or not he could remain impartial in his rulings and separate from President Cheese Whiz, who appointed him. He stated that he could, but I did notice a small shock that made him twitch upon answering that question. I’m not ready to say that someone in the White House was controlling him via remote device and that

he was shocked as punishment. The question of who programmed this Gorsuch bot also leads me to believe maybe another agency or force was at play. President Doofus’ administration has routinely been alleged to have Russian ties, and it makes me wonder if Vladimir Putin and his government could have helped program the Gorsuch bot. After all, they’ve meddled so much in our politics and election over the past 18-plus months that it wouldn’t be a shock to find out they had deliberately programmed this so-called judge to help rule in matters preferential to them. As some of you may recall, Republicans blocked the appointment of President Barack Obama’s Supreme Court pick, Merrick Garland, for almost a year’s time. I reached out to Garland in an attempt to get his thoughts on the matter. “Look, am I surprised? Hell no. All I do know is that seat on the highest court in the land should be mine,” Garland said as he stared deeply at pictures of past and current Supreme Court justices. “But it is what it is and now I have a lot more time to work on my model train set and collect used toothpicks,” Garland said. That being said, with Gorsuch malfunctioned and currently being rewired like Arnold Schwarzenegger in one of the “Terminator” films, it’ll be interesting to see what comes next. Will he still be appointed? Will we find out his replacement is also a robot? What did Bill Murray really say to Scarlett Johansson at the end of “Lost in Translation?” Let’s hope these questions, and more, are answered on next week’s episode of “America is going to hell, and I hijacked the White House because I was bored and there’s nothing you can do about it,” exclusively on America, channel 1776. (Gets word from earpiece.) Actually, channel America has just been renamed Trump Land. Dammit. We’re so screwed. mpoe3@kent.edu.

The United States of the Internet Nicholas Hunter Columnist The internet has a pretty bad reputation. Often times, things like “safe spaces” and ideological bubbles are blamed on the internet and, specifically, social media. To a degree, these are real issues: political issues have made us collectively more polarized than ever before, family members are being cut out of lives, and friends are being left behind over these differences. On the other hand, the internet has made us more connected than ever before. It has exposed me to ideas I would have never known without the ability to make connections with people in, essentially, a different world than mine. I grew up in a small town — only about 4,000 people — that, to say the least, lacked much diversity. In addition to being an almost entirely white town, most of the people who I grew up around had conservative views. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing; it was just hard to find a difference of opinion on any subject. Once my family managed to get home internet and I joined social media networks like Facebook, Instagram and Tumblr, I found diverse opinions left and right. This sudden influx of new people and their opinions made me challenge the everyday parts of my life that I had never thought about before. I made friends in the LGBTQ community who deal with issues like gender identity and sexuality. They explained how much of an issue homophobic language is, the high rate of suicide among trans people and the importance of LGBTQ representation in media. I also heard from people of color whose stories and perspectives I never would have found in my hometown. I obviously knew about what words and phrases were offensive, but I never would have understood that asking one black person what that entire race thinks about an issue. Without hearing the stories of black people, I wouldn’t understand the Black Lives Matter movement. I could hear those perspectives and understand outside viewpoints because of social media outlets. Hearing the stories of people who don’t look like me or live near me made me into the person I am. The internet may divide some of us or help the spread of fake news, but it also is vital to understand the world around us. nhunter6@kent.edu

Page 4 | Thursday, March 23, 2017

The Kent Stater

Student government struggles for votes Low turnout plagues elections Cameron Gorman Senior Reporter This year, 6 percent of Kent State’s student body — 1,622 students — voted in the 2017-18 undergraduate student elections. During the campaign season, candidates touted the importance of outreach from Undergraduate Student Government (USG) to the community as part of their platforms. Candidates were convinced that it might result in more community participation given back to the government, including presidential candidate Logan Pringle, who lost the race to Dan Oswald. “This year, there (were) only 1,600 total votes,” Pringle said. “I only had around 600, and Dan had around 900, so it leaves out 100 people voting, and a lot of those people are just voting because we asked them to.” During the campaign, which officially lasted three weeks, Pringle said he handed out 800 fliers, emailed 1,000 people, posted on nearly every Kent State social media page, Facebook messaged 800 people and spoke to more than 40 student organizations. “Dan and I are really good friends. We probably spoke to over 5,000 people in total, and just to get only 1,600 people to vote is just ... that’s awful,” Pringle said. Oswald noticed similar patterns. “I personally feel as if voter participation is low because of two reasons: overall brand awareness of USG and just lack of caring,” Oswald said. In the 2016-17 elections, the total number of voters was 1,093. In 2015-16, only 1,088 voters showed up. The 2014-15 elections had 1,178 voters, said Donna Carlton, a USG adviser who has been with the government for 10 years. Carlton said that although the number of student voters fluctuates, it usually remains between 8 and 10 percent of the student body. “If students don’t feel they have a stake in a particular person or issue and are unable to change policy, they don’t feel motivated to vote,” Carlton said. Pringle said that he feels part of the reason students may not have been interested in participating was a lack of knowledge about what USG is, what its functions are and that “the system needs a whole new revamping.” “We’re not doing our best to reach out to students, to show them that we basically represent them,” Pringle said. “If they don’t see that, then they just won’t vote.” In fact, he said he believes a larger voter turnout may have changed the outcome of the election. “There are those campaigns that win by a mere handful of votes, and even last year by one vote and one position ending in a tie," said current USG President Samuel Graska. "The more voters we can get to turn out, the better. Always." Collin Czehut, the current director of community affairs for USG and the only director on this year’s election commission, said he felt one

Gates to be inducted into MAC Hall of Fame Henry Palattella Sports Editor San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates never played a down of football in his time at Kent State. But that didn't stop him from making his mark in athletics, as he spent two seasons on the Kent State basketball team. Gates was a integral part of the team that reached the 2002 Elite 8, a season in which the Flashes finished the regular season with a record of 24-5. Gates was an All-American honorable mention his senior season, averaging 20.6 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. He scored 1,216 points in his time at Kent — the 16th highest mark in school history — and had his jersey retired in 2010. Gates has spent the past 14 seasons as a part of the San Diego Chargers, where he is the franchise's all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. He currently has 111 career touchdowns — the most ever by a tight end. The ceremony inducting him to the Mid-American Conference Hall of Fame will be held at the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel on Wednesday, May 31. hpalatte@kent.edu

Senior political science major Matthew Chernesky greets the audience before commencing with the 2017 USG elections on Thursday, March 16, 2017. Alexander Wadley / The Kent Stater

of the reasons for the low turnout was Wednesday’s school closure. “Normally the last day, usually Wednesday, sees a spike in numbers because everyone was excited, but this year we had the weather issue — school was cancelled,” Czehut said. Another possible reason for the disappointing engagement was problems with the physical USG website, Czehut said. The website had compatibility issues for Mac users, and there was a “next” button featured at the bottom of the page that, instead of saving the voter’s data, erased it when clicked. Some candidates found more creative ways to campaign. “I ran around on Monday in a golf cart just yelling at people, 'Hey, go vote for USG,' and most people really just look at me like, 'Why?,'” Czehut said. “And they don’t really see a point because I don’t know if they see our impact as much.” The problem is something recognized within USG. “I think we finally realized (the problem) after two years of seeing (the low turnout), and we are really, really trying to push for (more student voters)," Czehut said. "I think next year, we’re going to have record numbers." If USG is to accomplish this growth, however, it will be up to Oswald and the new administration. “I would love to get more voter participation, and the main idea of mine to get that is to educate students more throughout the year on what USG does,” Oswald said. “If they care about what we are doing, they will be more inclined to vote.” cgorman2@kent.edu

It’s all Greek to USG Mitch Felan Senior Reporter After results from last week’s Undergraduate Student Government (USG) election were released, it’s safe to say the representation of Greek life continues to grow. In the 2014-15 school year, TV2 reported that 17 of 25 USG positions belonged to members of Greek life organizations at Kent State. Matthew Chernesky, who heads the committee that oversees the USG election, said Greek life usually makes up around 85 percent of USG’s governing body most years. Fraternities and sororities, on the other hand, have roughly 2,000 students enrolled or 10 percent of the student population. “One of the first things that USG candidates tell me is, ‘I don’t know if I’m going to win because I’m not Greek,’” Chernesky said. In last week’s USG election, about half of the winning candidates belonged to a Greek organization and both presidential candidates are involved in fraternities. The winning presidential candidate Dan Oswald is a member of Phi Delta Theta. He said his involvement in the Greek life community helped him become a better leader. “It has helped me get more comfortable in front of a crowd, prioritize what is best for the

common good and think more analytically,” Oswald said. Greek life is also a talking point for one of the Greek community’s most prolific representatives in student government, current USG president Samuel Graska said. “I committed myself to something bigger than myself, and I surrounded myself with others who would challenge me to be the absolute best I could be,” said Graska, a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE). “(It) helped me become a better version of myself, which gave me the necessary skills to serve my fellow students as student body president.” Graska pointed out that running for USG office as a Greek life student is no different than running as any other student. He said involvement in any Kent State community is important, whether it is a Greek organization or not. “I would say, just like any other avenue of support, it is wise to reach out and campaign to Greek life in general, as any individual should for every avenue of support that they can earn the trust and hopefully the vote of,” he said. But not all USG candidates agreed with Graska’s claims. Thomas Watral, a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon and USG’s future director of governmental affairs, thinks there is a definite benefit to being involved in Greek life and running for USG office. Watral, who won in an unopposed race, also publicly endorsed his fraternity brother Jonathan Merlo, who won his election for director of community affairs. Oswald’s competitor for president, former USG presidential candidate and SAE member Logan Pringle, also has his concerns about the advantage he believes Greek students have in elections. He said that being Greek and running for USG office was a “huge advantage” due to the community’s strong connection and interests. “If you’re in Greek life, you have the opportunity to speak to everyone Greek,” Pringle said. “I reached out to a lot of organizations and I never heard back from them, but the moment I reached out to a Greek organization, they immediately contacted me back and set up a time to campaign and speak.” Unlike other student organizations or campus groups, Chernesky said Greek life students have an interest in being heard in USG elections. “If we see voter turnout in non-Greek life as we’ve seen in Greek life, we would see a tremendously different USG,” Chernesky said. Chernesky said the problem in this situation is fairly obvious. Less than 10 percent of the student body turned out for USG elections this year. “We had very low voting turnout as we have had for years and years and years. The only people who can stop that are the students themselves,” he said. “I think the students should hold themselves more accountable to vote to make USG more representative.” But Chernesky and Pringle both pointed out several students not affiliated with Greek life were able to beat their Greek opponents. “You don’t have to be in Greek life to be a leader and you don’t have to be in an organization to be a leader,” Pringle said. mfelan@kent.edu

REVIEW

‘Beauty and the Beast’ magically retells classic tale Michael Nied Entertainment Reviewer Following in the footsteps of “Alice in Wonderland,” “Cinderella” and “The Jungle Book,” “Beauty and the Beast” is the latest Disney film to receive the live-action remake treatment. From director Bill Condon (“The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 2"), the film provides a lively and joyful new take on the beloved fairytale. The greatest risk with liveaction adaptations of classic stories casts actors capable of breathing life into iconic characters. It’s worth noting that Disney’s first forays into the genre provided the company some leeway in its casting. The company began by focusing on auxiliary characters in the case of “Maleficent” (2014's prequel to “Sleeping Beauty”) or by reimagining older stories from their collection, such as the 1967 take on “The Jungle Book,” which still relied heavily on voice acting and computer animation of anthropomorphic animals. “Beauty and the Beast” is the first project from Disney’s '90s renaissance to receive a retelling.

The risks were higher this time around, but the roles were expertly cast. Emma Watson shines in the role of Belle, who received a bit of an empowering update from her original portrayal. The determined character is as bookish and curious as ever; however, she’s also taken over the role of the inventor that her father held in the original. As the only woman in the town capable of reading (and, potentially, unique thought), Belle is distrusted by her peers but she refuses to mask her hunger for knowledge outside the constraints imposed by the provincial farm town. Watson’s portrayal is headstrong in her relationship with the Beast, but she quickly develops relationships with other inhabitants of the enchanted castle, going as far as to offer whatever help is necessary to break the curse that hangs over them. Determined and loyal, Watson is more lovable than ever and assumes the role of the Disney princess with ease. Dan Stevens as the cursed Beast and Luke Evans as the overly confident war hero Gaston are both equally dynamic and well-cast.

The Beast receives a portrayal that remains true to the animated counterpart and is spectacularly ghastly at first. His appearance becomes less frightening as his cold heart melts. Gaston, on the other hand, remains foolhardy and cruel throughout the film. His selfish exterior is the perfect foil to the Beast as he falls further in love. The film’s supporting characters (human and enchanted furniture alike) reverberate with life and support the leads on their journey. The casting is effective, and each character helps bring the story to life. The film largely follows to Disney’s original telling of the classic tale with a few surprise twists and turns to add a fresh take. Chief among those changes is the addition of a new magical gift from the enchantress that serves the double purpose of bringing Belle and the Beast closer together, while also providing more insight into Belle’s mysterious mother. The enchantress responsible for cursing the Beast plays a larger role this time around. See the full article on KentWired.

Photo courtesy of Disney Pictures

Former Flash Cribbs officially retires from National Football League Henry Palattella Sports Editor

Screenshot of Kent State graduate and three-NFL Pro Bowler Josh Cribbs announcing he will be the 2016 Homecoming Parade Grand Marshal . Screenshot courtesy of the Kent State University Alumni Association.

From 2001-2004, Josh Cribbs totaled 86 touchdowns as the Flashes' dual-threat quarterback. That still didn't get Cribbs an immediate spot on an NFL team as the 2005 NFL Draft came and went, Cribbs said. All that changed on April 29, 2005, however, when the Cleveland Browns signed him, forever changing Cribbs' career path. That path officially came to an end Wednesday when Cribbs announced his formal retirement from the NFL. "I had a great run that I had nothing to be ashamed about or look down on," Cribbs told clevelandbrowns.com. "I felt like I have nothing but great memories in playing in the NFL. I can now look myself in the mirror and say I'm done." Cribbs is tied for fifth all time with 11 combined return touchdowns and is tied for third in NFL history with 13,488 career return yards.

Cribbs also tied an NFL record on Dec. 20, 2009, when he returned two kickoffs more than 100 yards for touchdowns. Cribbs — who was named to the NFL's all decade team of the 2000s — spent eight seasons with the Browns, three of which were Pro Bowl seasons. Cribbs returned to Kent State this past fall when he served as the Homecoming Parade Grand Marshal — something he felt honored about. "I am extremely honored," Cribbs told KentWired in the fall. "Kent State is where I started my life. I met my wife here, started my family here, I played football here — which gave me the chance to play in the NFL — and I earned my (bachelor's) degree in communications from Kent State. This place is a very important part of my life." Cribbs last played in the NFL in 2014 as a member of the Indianapolis Colts. hpalatte@kent.edu

Thursday, March 23, 2017 | Page 5

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