SPILLING THE BEANS: WHAT’S REALLY IN DUNKIN COFFEE
CABRINI ROLLER HOCKEY ROLLS IN NEW SEASON
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THELOQUITUR.COM
CABRINI UNIVERSITY VOL. LIX, ISSUE 8
PACEMAKER WINNER
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2017
G.O.P. tax plan affects college students and beyond BY ANGELINA MILLER AND HOPE DALUISIO Editor-In-Chief and Visual Managing Editor Defining the G.O.P Tax Plan On Saturday, Dec. 2, the United States Senate passed a $1.5 trillion tax cut after a final 51-49 vote. This nearly 500-page bill not only ranks as the biggest tax bill ever, but as the biggest tax cut in American history. The decisions that President Trump and current Republican leaders in Congress are making will affect the present and future lives and financial state of every American citizen, young and old. On one hand, the thought of that is fueling high-earning Americans with a buzz of excitement. On the other hand, students, teachers, families and most of those in the middle class are all left feeling anxious and worried. In the eyes of President Trump, the passing of this bill will take our country one step closer to delivering massive tax cuts for working families across America. A majority of Republicans and American U.S.
Senate leaders such as Mitch McConnell and Orrin Hatch are on Trump’s side, only advertising the positive ideas of job growth and economic expansion within this bill. While they are intending to market their intentions with this bill as a middle class tax cut that will benefit everyone, others do not think it is that simple. Many Democrats such as Senator Chuck Schumer are aware of that and view Trump’s WIKIMEDIA COMMONS actions as a way to The United States Senate passed a $1.5 trillion tax cut after a final 51-49 vote. “stuff even more money into the pockets of the wealthy and the biggest corporations.” sure they eat and get enough sleep at night. Along with Schumer, millions in America’s How it affects college students With that being said, a majority of young middle class are fixated on how this will adults do not choose to spend their free negatively affect their taxation and spendBetween balancing classes, extracur- time reading up on what is happening in ing on health care, education, transporta- ricular activities, jobs and internships, the world around us. tion and social services. college students barely have time to make CONTINUE READING ON PAGE 5
Scratching the surface of catcalling BY MICHELLE GUERIN Staff Writer
PIXABAY/GERALT
About half of gay men and 32 percent of lesbians hid their sexuality in youth sports.
Professional sports lack open LGBTQ+ players BY CHRISTINE MCCOLLUM Staff Writer There are thousands of men playing professional sports in the United States. Despite the abundance of athletes, there are no openly gay athletes active in the five major team sports: NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB and MLS. It is not uncommon for professional athletes to openly come out as gay after retiring from their sport.
John Amaechi played in the NBA from 1995-2003 and came out in 2007. He discussed what it was like being closeted in his book “Man in the Middle.” Another player who publicly came out after their career is Will Sheridan. Sheridan played for the Villanova Wildcats Men’s Basketball program from 20032007. He privately came out to his teammates in 2003 and publicly came out in 2011. CONTINUE READING ON PAGE 14
Across the globe, women walk significantly fewer steps every day than men, according to a recent Stanford study. Fear of assault and harassment is attributed to this gender gap. While only about a quarter of American men do not feel safe walking alone at night, nearly half of American women do not feel safe doing so, according to Gallup. Catcalling is among the most common forms of street harassment keeping women in fear. Catcalling, a word that means little to some but brings flashbacks to others, is when someone comments on another person’s body on the street, according to the Urban Dictionary. In certain instances, catcalling can include touching as well. Men are typically catcalling women. Tommie Wilkins, former social worker and violence against women on campus grant coordinator at Cabrini University, compared the way catcalling makes the victim feel to stalking.
“Definition wise, catcalling is not related to stalking, but it can feel that way because you are being pointed out,” Wilkins said. “Catcalling can feel like stalking [and] can be a form of stalking, especially if it is happening every day.” CONTINUE READING ON PAGE 9
EDITORIAL
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WE ARE THE
LOQUITUR 2017-2018 Editorial Staff EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ANGELINA MILLER WRITING MANAGING EDITOR
CORALINE PETTINE VISUAL MANAGING EDITOR HOPE DALUISIO NEWS EDITORS EMMA RODNER-TIMS KELLY BUSH SPORTS EDITORS JOHN WILLIAMS RYAN BRONG LIFESTYLES EDITORS ERIC STONE KAITLYN D’AMBROSIO
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2017
Male discusses sexual misconduct issue Trust is a powerful feeling. The media is a platform that we, as consumers, put our trust in every single day; however, as more and more powerful figures in the media continue to have allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct, our trust begins to waiver. As someone who grew up watching Matt Lauer on the “Today” show, it is hard to come to terms with the accusations. Someone that I looked forward to seeing in the mornings found behavior like this to be acceptable. The problem in this matter is that we do not know how to talk about the issue. Sexual assault, sexual harassment and sexual misconduct are all falling under these accusations. It can be difficult to differentiate between these titles.
Granted, none of them are acceptable. Should Senator Al Franken slipping his hand onto a woman’s breast during a picture carry the same weight as Kevin Spacey drunkenly groping a 14 year-old boy? To hear stories of Matt Lauer sexually assaulting women in his office or Charlie Rose exposing himself to female interns disgusts me. I struggle to understand how someone’s mind could even work that way. The scary part in this scenario, from a male’s perspective, is the idea that someone’s reputation could be immediately tarnished based on accusations. In no way am I justifying any of the actions, but someone claiming under false pretences that they were sexually harassed could tarnish an innocent man’s reputation.
At the end of the day, your reputation is all you can take with you. Therefore, having tarnished the only one you have can be harmful to the rest of the life that a person will live. All in all, it is blatantly very difficult to have conversations about these issues. I can empathize with the women who request to remain anonymous in these situations, in fear that they would lose their jobs. I want to be able to talk about the issue without being offensive or inappropriate; however, I cannot help but question if my views are seen as biased. Am I seen as someone who cannot be a part of the conversation because I am a male? As a male though, in an issue that is centered around men, it is hard to know where to begin.
PERSPECTIVES EDITOR LAURA SANSOM WEB EDITOR ALEXIA PAGLIA SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER ASHLEY LODISE ADVISER JEROME ZUREK
MISSION The Loquitur student newspaper and website are integral parts of the educational mission of the Cabrini communication department, namely, to educate students to take their places in the public media. Loquitur Media provides a forum of free expression. All members of the univeristy community may submit work to the editors for possible inclusion. Publication is based on the editorial decision of the student editors.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Loquitur accepts letters to the editors. They should be less than 500 words, usually in response to a current issue on Cabrini University’s campus or community area and are printed as space permits. Name, phone number and address should be included with submissions for verification purposes. All letters to the editors must be e-mailed to loquitur@ cabrini.edu
ERIC STONE/LIFESTYLES EDTOR
Taking control of sexual harassment BY KELLY BUSH News Editor Sexual harassment is happening so often in this society, but many people do not know what to do in these situations. Whether you are male or female, when you are sexually harassed, it can be very confusing as to what to do. Sexual harassment can be an unwanted behavior that can happen just one time. This can happen at home, in the workplace or even in school. It can happen anywhere that there is more than one person with bad intentions. It is important to know the signs of sexual harassment and what you can do to protect yourself. Signs of harassment According to the U.S. Equal Employment opportunity commission, harassment occurs is many different forms. If someone flirts and it is unwanted, ask them to stop. If the individual does not stop, it is harassment. Intimidation is another form of harassment. This usually happens when the harasser is older or has a higher position of power. Making someone feel pressured is harassment. Inappropriate communication is also considered harassment. This can be online or through text. Whether it’s asking about one’s sexual life or to someone else’s, it is harassment. Sexual harassment can also occurr when the individual is afraid to ask questions. If this is going on, there is a possibility one is afraid to speak up or even question what may be happening.
Know your rights Never be afraid of the unknown. If an individual feels that this is happening to them, it is important they know their rights. There are laws in place that makes sexual harassment unlawful. Cabrini University has certain policies that fall into place when sexual misconduct happens. Residence Life Assistant Director Akirah Fenimore said, “If this happens in a dorm, students should refer to the sexual misconduct policy online.” If something like this happens in a classroom on campus, students should report the situation to Human Resources located in Grace Hall. From there, “Whoever filed the complaint has the choice to handle it formally or informally,” Title IX coordinator Susan Rohanna said. Along with going to Human Resources at Cabrini, if you or a friend is harassed in the workplace, HR is who to go to in order to resolve the issue. Victim blaming To some survivors, the aftermath of an attack can be worse than the sexual offense. Tommie Wilkins, violence against women on campus grant coordinator at Cabrini University, said that when hearing of an assualt, “As humans, it is in our nature to look at the victim and ask questions.” “What were you wearing?” “Where were you?” “Why did you not report it to the police?” “What time was it?” Wilkins said that none of those questions
are appropriate because it is not wrong to be any age and naive. It is never wrong to be kind and to think that others will not harm you. No one should have to withhold themselves from situations because they think that they will get physically harmed. Perpetrators of sexual harassment and assault do it because they are empowered by causing physical harm to others. Wilkins said, “What emboldens people to do it can be power.” KELLYBUSH97@GMAIL.COM
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2017
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Climate change hurts coffee bean growth BY BRIELLE TOFF Staff Writer Climate change’s affect on unpredictable rainfall and rising temperatures in places in Central America will have an everlasting impact on the coffee industry. In North America, specifically in the United States, New Jersey grows tomatoes, Idaho grows potatoes, Georgia grows peaches and Florida grows oranges. In South America, just about everywhere grows coffee. According to World Atlas, the world’s largest coffee producing country is Brazil, who produced 5,714,381,000 pounds of coffee in 2016 alone. On World Atlas’ “Top Coffee Producing Countries” list, Guatemala comes in 10th place. In 2016, Guatemala produced 449,743,000 pounds of coffee. As much as the different states in the United States harvest different crops, none of them usually harvest coffee. Although Americans do not typically harvest coffee on their own, most American’s would say that they need it to survive. The coffee industry brings in a huge amount of revenue into the United States. According to ABC News, in 2012 $14.40 is spent per week on coffee, excluding coffee drank at home, by the typical American worker. So what is the big deal? Climate change is hindering the coffee business. One of the main reasons as to why coffee grows so well in Central and South America is because there is more rainfall and less dry seasons. This type of weather is needed
A coffee bean leaf in Guatemala has rust on it that will kill its root. to harvest and dry coffee beans. Currently in countries like Peru, Ecuador and Columbia, the amount of rainfall is going to decrease, which may cause more dry periods. Climate change is posing a threat on many different types of crops in Central and South America, but coffee is a vulnerable crop because it has an unique gene pool that is much more shallow than the rest of the crop’s gene pools. Sarah McCarron, a sophomore sociology major at Cabrini University, frequents many different places that are known for selling coffee such as Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts and WaWa, but goes to Dunkin Donuts the
JACLYN LABES/CABRINI ALUMNA
most because it is her favorite. McCarron states that she is definitely worried about the outcome of coffee growth. “I drink coffee on a day-to-day basis and it would be impossible for me to live without it,” McCarron says. “I get really bad headaches when I don’t drink coffee. During my junior year of high school, I was drinking almost everyday and stopped for a period of time. Once I did this, I realized that my headaches started to get worse. There is no way that I would be able to live without it.” BTOFF98@GMAIL.COM
Domestic violence affects all genders Former ‘Glee’ star Naya Rivera arrested for domestic battery BY ARIANA YAMASAKI Staff Writer One in three women have been victims of physical violence by an intimate partner in the United States, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. When thinking of domestic violence, people commonly think of a man abusing a woman. However, one in four men have been victims of physical violence by an intimate partner in the United States. Naya Rivera, former “Glee” star, was arrested for allegedly assaulting her husband, Ryan Dorsey, in West Virginia. According to the Daily Mail, Rivera allegedly struck Dorsey in the head and face. The physicality left him with minor injuries. Rivera was arraigned and released from custody on a 1,000-dollar bond. According to The National Domestic Violence Hotline, an average of 24 people every minute are the victims of rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner in the United States. “I think that it is different when you hear about a woman hitting a man because the opposite is more commonly talked about. So, when it is in the news of a woman hitting a man you think about it in a different way,”
Danielle Basile, sophomore early education major, said. After the incident happened Dorsey sent out a tweet saying, “This is a difficult time for everyone in the family especially for Naya and I. This isn’t some reality show, this is our life, and I ask everyone especially ‘the media’ please respect our privacy and treat us/this situation how you would want a loved one to be treated.” “When I think about the man being the victim, the first thing that I think of is what did he do first to make it get that far. It is not the best way to think, but that is where my mind goes first,” Basile said. Men particularly might decide not to report domestic violence to authorities because they do not want to be labeled as the instigator or not believed, according to Domestic Shelters. “Our society is set up for there to be no outlet for men to go to,” Tommie Wilkins, violence against women on campus grant coordinator, said. “My mother sat me and my brother down and explained to us that a lot of women abuse men. They physically abuse them because they think it’s okay and ‘boys can’t hit girls,’ but it’s not okay and we don’t have to take it,” Tarrell Clark, a psychology major, said. No matter woman or man,
FLICKR/NAYA RIVERA CHILE
Naya Rivera and husband, Ryan Dorsey, have been married since 2014. They had their son, Josey Hollis Dorsey, in Sept. 2015. everyone deserves respect and no one should feel that they cannot talk to someone because of embarrassment. “We keep making excuses for women abusers and saying they must have underlying issues but in reality, they are just an abuser,” Wilkins said. “Men are held at a standard
to be strong and women to be weak, so if a woman ever holds more power, it’s embarrassing to the man, so they, in turn, hide it,” Guadalupe Mendez, political science major, said.
ARIANAYAMASAKI@GMAIL.COM
Marketing AssociateDescription: Candidates must have a bachelor’s degree in marketing or another related field. The ideal candidate will possess excellent organizational and time management skills and have the discipline to focus on (and achieve) long term goals, while still managing short term needs. In addition, candidates must possess excellent written and oral communication skills; be able to set goals and devise strategic plans to accomplish those goals; and possess excellent computer skills. Interested Candidates should send resumes to Careers@LF-Mail.com Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Desired Majors: Marketing Events Intern Description: This position plays an integral role in assisting with the coordination and implementation of events at the Philadelphia Zoo. We are looking for a hard-working intern that desires hands-on experience. The applicant must be dependable, detail-oriented and high-energy. The desired background experience includes at least a junior level college education and involvement in any of the following areas: event planning, public relations, customer/guest service or marketing. Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Desired Majors: Business, Communication Business Software Trainer Description: Seeking a software trainer to work in our headquarter office near Washington, D.C. to train clients on the use of our software. Seeking highly motivated individual with good technical skills and ability to do some travel. Location: Rockville, Maryland Desired Majors: Computer Science If you are interested in any of these positions, please visit the Career Center or contact career@ cabrini.edu
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2017
Net neutrality repeal kills the freedom of internet BY EMMA RODNER-TIMS News Editor One of the largest providers of information, if not the largest, is the internet. It allows us to educate ourselves, communicate with others and stay up-to-date with news and entertainment. All of that and more can be accessed freely with a few clicks. That ability to access and use the internet freely is known as net neutrality. More specifically, net neutrality prevents internet service providers (ISPs) such as AT&T, Comcast and Verizon from altering the speed of or blocking forms of content entirely and subsequently charging their subscribers for it. Net neutrality allows those with access to the internet the opportunity to consume and view all content equally, regardless of socio-economic status or the price they pay per month on their bill. “As a citizen of the United States, I feel like I am entitled to have net neutrality; we all are,” freshman communication major at Cabrini University Jason Coladonato said. “I believe the internet should be free.” “I think the rules are fair and support the idea that the internet is a utility that many people rely on and should not be micromanaged,” junior computer science major at Cabrini University Tyree Holmes said. However, this freedom and access is currently being threatened by those in higher positions of power. Ajit Pai, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman under President Donald Trump, is working to revoke
the freedoms and access put into place in 2015 by the Obama administration. “[Under the Obama administration] companies cannot block websites, slow down websites or ask for a fee to get out of the ‘slow lane.’ These ISPs should be open and honest with consumers. No matter what ISP you use, you should be able to access the internet without interference,” Jillian Smith, the manager of student media operations at Cabrini University, said. The Obama administration made the access people had to the internet and its content completely equal, totally indiscriminately. Everything was available to everyone, with no additional costs or any hindrances. “The rules that are in place have an effect on our ISPs so that ISPs cannot restrict us from using the internet freely,” Chris Brady, a sophomore English and psychology major at Cabrini University, said. “It prevents a monopoly from happening on the internet.” This kept the internet free and open but that may not be the case in a few weeks. Pai’s proposal will allow ISPs to charge their users to view certain content and control the speed at which it is viewed. “If net neutrality is killed by the FCC, this could all change and ISPs could charge money to view certain websites or slow down the speed of other websites just because they don’t align with their business needs,” Smith said. “The internet should be an open and free tool for all, not just for those who choose or are able to pay for it.” The proposal will be voted on by the FCC on Dec. 14. “I think that the new rules are created
HOPE DALUISIO/VISUAL MANAGING EDITOR
Net neutrality threatens the freedom and accessibility of internet users. to get rich quick. They will be able to sell website packages to people and get a good amount of money quickly, but I believe the long-term effect on our economy will not be worth it,” Holmes said. If passed, the internet will no longer be of equal access to internet users and consumers. “It sounds like wants Pai to restrict the internet to create profit, to create money. It will make it harder for less popular and dissonant voices to express themselves,” Brady said. “Pai is only trying to take the internet as a free space for everyone to equally engage in away and monopolize it
and make money off it so I do not think it’s good.” Everyone would be affected by Pai’s intended plan. “The negatives will be a lot of upset Americans on social media and there may be small riots and a lot of people’s lives could be affected. Perhaps I am blowing this out of proportions, but, overall, getting rid of our net neutrality is a step in the wrong direction,” Coladonato said. CONTINUE READING ONLINE ERODNERTIMS77@GMAIL.COM
faces controversy as hack revealed over a year later BY CONNOR TUSTIN Staff Writer In a Nov. 21 report, the ride sharing service Uber disclosed that 57 million riders and drivers had personal information stolen by hackers last year. Some of the information stolen included phone numbers, email addresses and personal identities. In addition to the personal information stolen, 600,000 license numbers were recovered by the hackers as well. The popular app is widely used by college students and adults across the United States. “I hope the app is safe because I use Uber almost every day,” Cabrini student Kayla Hunt said. “I use Uber so much that I know that issues will come up, so I don’t really care,” Cabrini student Geneva Stone said. Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi reported that the hackers accessed the data by using a third-party service. The information was taken from Uber’s GitHub account, a service used by companies to help store codes. The GitHub account is where the hackers found an Uber username and password, ultimately leading them to user data being stored on an Amazon server. The two unnamed hackers demanded Uber to sacrifice $100,000 in return for the information. Although it is suggested to companies such as Uber to report hacks like these to law enforcement, they ignored it. Instead of making the situation known, the company covered it up by granting the hackers their $100,000 request. This caused most of the uproar within the Uber community, as it took almost a full year for anything to be officially reported. Clementine Mottola, an Uber driver in the Greater Philadelphia area, claims that even after the hack was reported by the company, they did not inform the drivers.
“Luckily, I was unaffected by the hack, but I feel as my information is never 100 percent safe on any kind of technology,” Mottola said. It is quite possible that Uber will be face legal trouble with federal and state agencies for leaving the breach unreported. The hack not only affected United States users, but it also made an impact in the United Kingdom as well. “I was never really sure how safe my identity really was, but this worries me,” Cabrini student Marie Camara said.
This is not the first time the company has been in trouble with the law, as Uber has faced a good deal of controversy throughout its operating years. Between many rape and abuse cases involving its drivers, this case only makes the controversy bigger for Uber. “Honestly, I’m the one taking the risk. If I’m getting somewhere cheap and safe, I’m fine,” Stone said. TUSTIN.CONNOR1013@GMAIL.COM
FLICKR/MARK WARNER
Uber waited over a year to reveal the hackings that attacked their users and drivers.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2017
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Cabrini takes steps to help human trafficking victims BY MEGAN WILLING Staff Writer
Ross said, “To me, it was kind of personal because I knew someone who that had happened to and I really found that I would like Human trafficking is one of the top crimes in the U.S. to help victims and not see someone else fall and the world today. It is a form of modern day slavery. prey to the kinds of things that this young Many people are trying to put a stop to this issue and help woman fell prey to.” those affected. In the class, the students learn about what There are multiple people at Cabrini University that are traffickers do and what the victims go through. willing to help this cause. They also learn about different organizations Cindy Ross works in the library and teaches some that are working to combat human trafficking. classes at Cabrini. One of the classes she teaches is ECG The class worked an event that will help vic200: Human Trafficking. Ross got involved with anti-hu- tims of human trafficking. On Dec. 5, a pockman trafficking because she knew someone who had ex- etbook and purse sale took place in Grace Hall perienced it. atrium. New or slightly used designer purses were sold at discounted FLICKR/IRA GELB prices. There was also a 12 to 14 years-old is the average age a teen will enter the sex trade raffle to win some prizes. in the United States. People donated money, gift cards, clothing ica a lot more often than you think it would.” and other items that trafficking vicKarol Brewer works with the Missionary Sisters of the tims needed to Cabrini Closet. Sacred Heart of Jesus in the Cabrini Cottage, with CAAC The Cabrini Closet was created by and with the Cabrini Closets. the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred According to Polaris Project, there are 20.9 million vicheart to directly help female sur- tims all over the world. The industry also brings in $150 vivors. The Missionary Sisters also billion annually. have an organization, Cabrini Action Anyone from anywhere can be a victim. Anyone from and Advocacy Coalition (CAAC). Ac- children to young adults and even sometimes older than cording to MotherCabrini.org, they that can be trafficked. work to put a stop to human traffick“We originally were trying to think of fundraisers that ing and support the rights and digni- were fun, where people didn’t have to dedicate a lot of ty of immigrants. time. We could price items a lot higher than we do, but it’s Sophomore Nicole Holland, who a way to have an audience. We can talk about human trafis in ECG 200, took the course to ficking, raise awareness [and] answer questions maybe to learn more about the human traf- some people that know very little about human trafficking. ficking. That’s the audience we’re trying to attract,” Brewer said. Holland said that one of the most FLICKR/THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION shocking things she learned about MEGANWILLING11@GMAIL.COM There are approximately 20 to 30 million slaves in the world today. human trafficking is, “It occurs in Amer-
G.O.P. tax plan affects college students and beyond CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE Gabrielle Case, a 20-year-old junior student at Cabrini University, is one of many college students that are unfortunately allowing the news about the tax plan go right over their heads. “I’m honestly pretty unfamiliar with what’s going on, besides that they are trying to cut fundings for schools,” Case said. Case is currently studying to become an elementary level special education teacher. Although she said she typically receives “every daily news story” through Twitter and other social media platforms, she still remains unaware of how her future will be affected by this bill. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, grants and loans are the major forms of federal financial aid for degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students; however, the GOP tax plan would eliminate the current $2,500 student loan tax deduction and begin taxing loan payments and scholarships that act as tuition waivers. In simpler terms, this plan would potentially make it impossible for millions of American students, such as Case, to pay back their student loans. It would also make college more expensive and further out-of-reach for future middle- and lower-class Americans. As if that is not enough, the plan would also eliminates a current $250 tax deduction for teachers who spend an average of $500 their own money on classroom supplies. This would leave major corporations as the only one’s who will still receive a federal tax deduction for items such as office supplies, sales tax and mortgage interest. This has a direct impact on the future of a student like Case who are studying to go into the field of teaching, when teachers
currently spend an average of $500 on office and classroom supplies. “When someone like myself is beginning to pay off their loans after college, I won’t have much money to buy supplies for my classroom and a huge tax cut won’t help,” Case said. “I have seen so many children in the classroom be deprived of resources and there’s sometimes nothing the teachers are able to do about it and it’s very upsetting. Children need resources to learn.” Diminishing the future of graduate students Graduate students such as Giavanna Garsey, a 23-year-old counselor for Cabrini University’s Undergraduate Admissions office, will also not only be deprived of having the resources to learn, but being able to continue their education and advancement in life altogether. “My plan for 2018 was to finally move out of my parents house and live on my own. But with this bill being passed, instead of moving onto the next step of adulthood, I’ll just be stuck at square one.” Garsey has only been out of college for a year and a half but is in a position where she loves her career in higher education and everything about the university she works for. A few benefits of her job include helping prospective students through their college selection process and receiving a tuition waiver to work towards her graduate degree. Garsey and a multitude of other graduate students are earning their graduate degrees tuition free, in exchange for working at the college itself; however, under the GOP tax plan, graduate students would no longer receive this tuition reduction. This would not only make it basically, financially impossible for lower- and middle-class
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Display of tax code books in the office of Tom Southard, Wolfington Center Director. individuals to earn a Ph.D. in the United States, but moreso strip graduate students like Garsey of their current endeavors. “Tuition remission is the best thing for me,” Garsey said. “If it wasn’t an option, I could not afford to go back to school.” Each month Garsey pays around $1,000 towards her student loan debt for her undergraduate degree. She received a little bit of money when she attended Temple University, but pays for her tuition on her own. Garsey unfortunately described the money she currently owes to her loan provider as a “very scary number.” “If this bill goes into effect, I will not be able to continue with my degree if I want to be able to have spending money,” Garsey said. “There is no way that I would be able to afford both undergraduate loans and a
attain a graduate degree.” Garsey is also aware that she will not be the only one affected by the tax bill. Many of her coworkers, friends and family members that work for an organization that provides tuition remissions would also suffer with her. “It is very frustrating to be in this position,” she said. “I feel like the people who want this bill to be passed don’t want people like me to move forward in life. I am working hard for a better future, and they are taking it away from me.”
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2017
Children of divorce experience Holidays differently BY KAITLYN D’AMBROSIO Lifestyles Editor
During the holiday season, families and friends come together, exchange gifts and take part in the holiday spirit; however, this is easier said than done. For people with divorced parents, the holidays are spent a little differently. According to the American Psychology Association, 40 to 50 percent of marriages end in divorce. As a result, some children become torn between two families and two separate holiday celebrations. For my brothers and I, Christmas consists of running around to numerous places. It took a few years to perfect our Christmas schedule and to figure out where we are going and what time we are opening presents with each parent and grandparent. Trying to fit in the holidays around my father’s work schedule was our greatest challenge. I did not realize how crazy the holidays were for us until my brother’s fiancé joined us on our adventures Christmas Day. She was exhausted from all the running around that day. After doing Christmas the way I have for over 10 years, I got used to the way we did things.
I did not realize it was not common for other families. The first Christmas after my dad got his own place was the worst. We woke up at my mom’s house. Then, after opening gifts, we got ready and she drove us to my dad’s apartment. I saw my dad for a mere half hour that afternoon and opened our presents while my mom stood there, waiting impatiently, because we were going to be late to go to my grandparents house. After that year, my brother decided that after we ate at my grandparents house, we were going to sleep at my dad’s house on Christmas Eve. Then we would wake up open presents with my dad after that we would get ready and open presents at my moms. We spent the rest of Christmas Day at my grandparents house with my aunts, uncles and cousins. According to Pew Research, 15 percent of children had two parents in remarriage in 2014. As the years went on, Christmas did not feel broken anymore
and neither did my family. My parents got remarried to other people and it began to feel like I had two families, rather than pieces of one. My mom and dad both remarried their significant others recently. Before my mom got married, my now stepdad still spent Christmas with us and my mom’s family. My stepmom and stepbrothers moved in a few years before they got married. When they began living with us we always opened Christmas presents together and spent the holidays together. One of my favorite Christmas memories is the Christmas after my stepmom and step brothers moved in. We spent Christmas Eve and woke up at my dad’s house together, opened presents and had a great time together. Being with my family puts the magic back into the holiday. I think some people do not understand what kids of divorced parents go through on a regular basis, let alone during the holidays. Christmas and other holidays can be hard for divided families because other people get that typical Hollywood movie Christmas and we do not. Despite the hectic feeling on Christmas, I never complained. On Christmas Day, I always woke up to presents under my tree, no matter how many there may be or whose house I woke up at that year. KDAMBROSIO97@GMAIL.COM
Spilling the beans: What’s really in Dunkin’ coffee BY ANGELINA MILLER Editor-in-Chief
Many Snapchat filters give users blue eyes.
LAURA SANSOM/PERSPECTIVES EDITOR
Snapchat should stop idealizing blue eyes BY LAURA SANSOM Perspectives Editor
Snapchat lenses can be fun. They can make people look like dogs, superheroes or hippies. Lenses are one of the most popular features that Snapchat has to offer. According to Business Insider, 80 percent of Snapchat users have used or seen a friend use a lens. However, when swiping through these lenses, users may notice something strange. A lot of these lenses— be they of festive flower crowns, bear ears or floating hearts— add fake, blue eyes with long eyelashes. The eyelashes are a bit annoying. They make the person using them look like they have makeup on when they may have just wanted to add a cute pair of ears to their no makeup look. They contribute to a stereotypical standard of beauty that is not needed. However, the blue eyes are evocative of a deeper issue, one that Snapchat has been criticized for before. Snapchat filters often have idealized Caucasian features such as lighter skin and a more narrow face, morphing people’s faces to have these features. Blue eyes are another one of these features.
Having superimposed blue eyes on the cute filters makes blue eyes seem like the ideal, like something everyone should want. In reality, very few people have blue eyes. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, only 17 percent of Americans have blue eyes. While blue eyes can be obtained by people who do not naturally have them with color contacts, that is a choice. Snapchat does not allow for there to be a choice, other than to not use the filter at all. For someone who just wants to look festive by adding some reindeer antlers to their selfie, there is no way to avoid the addition of blue eyes. It perpetuates the idea that people need to be blue-eyed to be beautiful. Snapchat lenses should not be forcing people to have blue eyes or lightening their skin. They should be fun, not implying that any one race is cuter than or superior to another. Keep the lenses, but remove the blue eyes. People will look just as good as a bunny with their natural eye and skin color. LAURALEESANSOM@GMAIL.COM
According to a 2017 study done by the Harvard School of Public Health, the United States spends $40 billion on coffee each year. While the average American cannot live without drinking around three cups of coffee per day, it seems as if the average college student cannot live without at least one cup of iced coffee a day. At Cabrini, a delicious cup from Dunkin’ Donuts is only a five minute drive away. This leading coffee chain knows exactly what kind of artificial, brain stimulating crap to put into their products to keep tired, stressed and overwhelmed college students coming back for more. This is something that only a crazed nutrition and health obsessed millennial like myself would be aware of though, after hunting down Dunkin’ Donuts mind blowing online nutrition information. Dunkin’ Donuts advertises their iced coffee as the “perfect pick-me-up,” full of flavor that will get a person energized and “ready to go.” There is no way that is just based off of their “unique” original, dark roast or decaf blends alone, though. The added dairy, sweetener, flavor shots and swirls are what truly connect with one’s taste buds, brain chemicals and wallet. Take a simple, medium, iced caramel coffee with cream, for example. Without any added sugar or additional sweeteners, this 24 oz beverage is 260 calories and contains 9 grams of fat and 90 grams of sodium.Shall I go on? It gets worse. There are also 41 grams of carbohydrates, 37 grams of sugar and 0 grams of nutritional value. While one’s taste buds dance from the coffee’s caramel flavor, their body is absorbing high fructose corn syrup, sugar, sweetened condensed nonfat milk, potassium sorbate and salt from the contents of the swirl’s syrup. Try searching an ingredient such as high fructose corn syrup on the internet
and watch how an article entitled “5 Reasons High Fructose Corn Syrup Will Kill You” comes up before the actual definition itself does. In addition to that, the delicate splash of cream in their coffee is actually made of milk, cream and stabilizers called disodium phosphate and sodium citrate. This is where my golden rule of nutrition comes into play: If you can’t pronounce it, DON’T EAT IT. Coffee can actually be nutritional, though. We are talking about a drink that is made from roasted bean like seeds from a Coffea plant. The plant was first discovered in tropical Africa and is now native to over 70 countries around the world. Coffee berries are picked, processed and dried into beans. The beans are then roasted to various degrees for flavor, ground up and brewed with hot water into coffee— the delicious drink we know, love and tend to abuse. When coffee is first brewed, it could be served in its utmost raw form as black coffee. In other words, without milk, creamer, sweetener or any other fancy additives. Black coffee is not only low in fat and calories, but is filled with an abundance of antioxidants that can actually benefit one’s health. However, most people in our generation sadly value taste over time. By time, I genuinely mean how much time you will spend on Earth and how long of a life you will live, based on the things that you are putting into your body.
ANGMARIEMILLER@GMAIL.COM
7| THELOQUITUR.COM
PERSPECTIVES
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2017
Young adults hesitant to advocate for mental health Editor’s Note: The name of the subject in this article have been changed to protect their identity. Students are encouraged to visit the Counseling and Psychological Services in Grace Hall room 174.
plication can be hesitant to advocate for themselves. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, about a quarter of teens have experienced some sort of anxiety disorder. Additionally, about one tenth of adolescents, or around 2.6 million, have experienced major depression in the past year. Seventy-five percent of mental health problems emerge during young adulthood; however, this age group is the least likely to seek help when suffering from a mental disorder or distress. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality reported that four percent of young adults refrained from mental health care in the past year, despite self-reported ALEX/CABRINI SENIOR mental health needs. Alex created a visual representation inspired by the lyrics of Christina Perri’s “Human.” Joesph Kelly of Cabrini’s Counseling BY CORALINE PETTINE Colleen Canfield, a senior studying vet- and Psychological Services is a licensed Writing Managing Editor erinary technology at Harcum College, professional counselor. He said young said she did not contact a professional adults are often reluctant to seek mental What would you do if a 17 year-old when she saw the things Alex was posting health treatment because they are conyou knew posted the photo above to one because she felt being there for Alex would fused about how they feel, afraid of being of their social media accounts? Would be good enough. judged and confident they can handle it you ask them if they were okay? Would Canfield said, “I knew [Alex] was going themselves. you encourage them to seek counseling? through a hard time, but instead of reportKelly said, “We always think that we can Would you tell a professional? ing anything, I just wanted to be a good handle things. I think everyone has a little Before Alex was treated for depression, friend.” bit of that.” they had an Instagram account where they Laura Stettner, a sophomore manAdditionally, though the stigma surposted their artwork. agement major at Montgomery County rounding mental health keeps some indi“My drawings were nothing to write Community College, agreed, saying she viduals from talking to a professional, Kelly home about. Aside from middle school, I felt if she offered support and an ear to believes the stigma is on a decline. have never taken an art class,” Alex said. listen, it would be sufficient. “Stigma, I believe that there’s less and “The sketches were simply a way for me to “I felt like we were going through a less,” Kelly said. “I think there’s still stigma depict how my depression felt. lot of similar feelings and while I want- on medication— and perhaps rightfully so, Alex used the account to attempt to ed to help, I didn’t want to risk [Alex] with being prescribed too early and being illustrate their feelings and portray lyrics being embarrassed or getting in trouble,” prescribed first and foremost, without that resonated with them. Stettner said. “I kind of figured that by other, simpler interventions and seeing “Despite having a following of more being kind and just occasionally check- what that does— so I think the stigma’s still than a hundred of my friends, classmates, ing in, I was doing everything that I could prevalent with the psychiatric element. I peers and strangers, no one ever consulted without being intrusive. This seemed like don’t think it’s as much [with counseling].” a professional or an adult about my mental what a caring person would do, as I didn’t A 2015 survey by the Military health complications,” Alex said. want to make them uncomfortable by Association of New York found that nearStudents need to be able to advocate for escalating the situation.” ly 90 percent of Americans value mental themselves and each other. In addition to young adults not report- health as equally as physical health, but Often when young individuals see their ing what their friends are experiencing about 30 percent find mental health care friends are in need, they want to help to professional counsellors, individuals inaccessible and more than 40 percent and offer support but they are hesitant to experiencing depression, anxiety, stress, see cost as a barrier to treatment for most report anything to a professional. addiction, abuse or any other mental com- people.
Nearly half of Americans think they have or have previously had a mental health condition, yet only 38 percent have received treatment. Receiving treatment can be extremely valuable, especially since dealing with issues on your own can be challenging. Kelly said it can be difficult to step back once a person’s issue takes over. “Inside, it’s this swirling mess,” Kelly said. “It can keep you from making clear decisions, such as seeking support, and you’re kind of in survival mode at that point, and you’re just looking for ways to get through each day.” For this reason, it is important to seek mental health treatment when you cannot manage it on your own and when you feel it impacts your life. The benefits of counseling are remarkable. Kelly said, “One of the things in counseling that’s very helpful for people that I noticed and that is very palpable— when they come in here and they haven’t talked about things before with people and then they take it from inside the head and the heart and the gut and all that stuff, and they put it out in front of them, it becomes instantaneously more manageable.” Mental health treatment is incredibly beneficial and people should learn that getting help is a normal part of life. I am proud to attend a university where individuals are not afraid to talk about their struggles. While it can be difficult to seek help for yourself or for a friend, Kelly said Cabrini seems to have a tight-knit community with individuals that want to help each other. “I notice in my brief time here, there have been a lot of friend referrals,” Kelly said. “I would say it’s not cultural in societal sense, but within smaller communities, it is cultural. I feel as though Cabrini is one of those places where people do speak up. Not just referring people, they’re coming to talk about ‘how do I help?’ I think that’s wonderful.”
COREYPETTINE@GMAIL.COM
Social media detrimental to self esteem BY SYDNEY LYNCH Staff Writer
In today’s society, it is rare to see anyone without a smart phone. About 77 percent of the United States population own smartphones. A study conducted by Jean Twenge, a psychology professor at San Diego State University, found that between 2012 and 2015, there was a spike in depression and suicide rates among teenagers ages 13 through 18. The study suggests the link between elevated depression and suicide rates and young people is the constant use of smartphones. Social media is easily accessible on smartphones via apps. Ninetyone percent of people between 16-years-old and 24-years-old use the internet for social media. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat are all in the palm of our hands each day. These apps have the ability to connect people without any geographical boundaries, making us feel like we can access anyone at any time by looking at their social media account. While conducting research for her newest book, Twenge found that with the surplus of technological interconnectivity, there has been a lack of human contact in the millennial generation and generation Z. Human communication and connection is what people
thrive on. Without these relationships, people begin to feel socially isolated. Social media has been found to add to this isolation. While we can text someone all day long, there is a lack of humanization. When texting, tone of voice can get lost in translation. In a study conducted by Royal Society for Public Health, it was found that the use of social media has increased anxiety and depression rates in young people. Seeing their friends constantly having fun via social media can make young people question their own life occurrences. There is a sense of unrealistic expectations that is built up by social media, creating a feeling of self-consciousness and low self-esteem. I think social media gives us the ability to put up a front. We chose the photos that get posted on our Instagram accounts and we choose the thoughts that get sent out to all of our followers on Twitter. We are capable of picking and choosing what content we want people to know about us in a public view. On an average Instagram account, you see the highlights of someone’s life, selfies, pictures from the beach— overall fun activities. What you don’t see is what is really happening in a person’s daily life. As someone with an account on every social media platform under the sun, I understand the evidence behind these studies. I put my best foot forward on social
media. I don’t post personal information or personal struggles for the world to see. Some people put it all out there and that’s okay. I love using social media to see what people are up to, but social media has the ability to make me question my own social media interactions. “Do I post too much? Am I annoying to my followers? Will people like this picture I post? I wonder why this picture didn’t get as many likes as I thought?” These are just a few of the questions I asked myself before posting an Instagram picture last week. But why? We are not defined by the amount of likes on our Instagram pictures or our follower count on twitter, but it’s the sense of wanting people we have a technological relationship with to know that we’re having fun. My best advice to you, from the perspective of a millennial and social media fanatic, just put down the phone— just for a little while. Clear your mind of what everyone else is doing and focus on you, because you deserve all of your attention. SYDNEYLYNCH929@ GMAIL.COM
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LIFESTYLES
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2017
A cartoonist who never wanted to draw cartoons BY ERIC STONE Lifestyles Editor
With many aspiring artists in today’s society, it is a common understanding that you must devote a lot of time to develop your skills. It has become somewhat of a necessity that young adults who are interested in taking those skills forward take classes or even go to a university focusing on art. For Dave Blazek, the head writer and illustrator for The Philadelphia Inquirer’s comic strip “Loose Parts,” that was quite the opposite. Blazek had never experimented with drawing while growing up nor did he ever have the desire to design comics. “I liked comics. I read them everyday,” Blazek said. “My parents bought me books filled with Peanuts cartoons that I would read on road trips.” Blazek states that he did not start making comics until he reached his 40s. Blazek had experience in writing humorous advertising for the Inquirer, as well as a large background in stand-up comedy. Blazek only ever started drawing when he turned 43. “Since I was a stand-up comic, cartoonists who made comics for The Inquirer would show me their cartoons and I’d keep telling them they weren’t funny,” Blazek said. “What they basically told me was, ‘why don’t you just do it yourself, Mr. Smartypants?’” In 1999, the comic strip “Loose Parts” began as a collaborative effort between Blazek and fellow co-worker, John Gilpin. Blazek originally just wrote for the strips, while Gilpin, who had prior experience with drawing cartoons, illustrated the comic. In 2001, Gilpin grew sick and could no longer fulfill his duties when it came to illustrating the comic. Blazek then was faced with the choice of taking over the comic entirely from both a writing and illustrating standpoint. “I figured I had to learn how to draw and I had to learn fast,” Blazek said. It was difficult for Blazek at first but after daily practice, he quickly learned to get into the pace of things. “At first, it was a lot of hours that were spent sitting in a chair,” Blazek said. “If you do one everyday for a while, you get better and by now, I’ve done six or seven thousand in a row.” Blazek acknowledges that while drawing is something everyone is capable of doing, he believes it takes special talent to be done well. He struggled to make his comics look as visually appealing as Gilpin was able to. “I had a friend who helped me with drawing at the time and I kept telling him that my comics sucked and that I needed to get better,” Blazek said. “He told me, ‘you’re not as good as John [Gilpin] but your style and humor matches your artwork.” Since Blazek makes comics daily, he is constantly required to obtain new and fresh ideas to include in his panels. Despite this, Blazek mentioned that he is not constantly thinking about it and books out a certain period of time a week to specifically focus on ideas. “It’s too all-consuming if you’re just constantly thinking about it all the time,” Blazek said. “I find that if I sit in a corner for 15 minutes or so, I usually have somewhat of a funny joke or premise to work with.” The humor in “Loose Parts” largely derives from Blazek’s ability to find anything funny, no matter what the circumstances are or how dark a topic may be. “I have found that I can make fun of just about anything and so it’s all about finding the right premise to make fun of,” Blazek said. Blazek also acknowledge that while it is important to find an audience, he mainly focuses on what he thinks is funny, rather that what others find funny. “I’ve probably done more harm to my career than helping it by insisting upon writing what I specifically think is funny,” Blazek said. Blazek mentioned that being a cartoonist is a full-time commitment and that anyone
DAVE BLAZEK
who is interested in making comics should commit to making one at least once a day. “I’ve seen far too many people dilly-dally with it in the past,” Blazek said. “They try it for a little while and do about 12 dozen or so, when really, you need to be making them on a routine schedule.” “These skills are something that can only be learned when doing it repetitively,” Blazek said. ECSTONE31@GMAIL.COM
DAVE BLAZEK
Blazek works specifically with one-panel comics, as seen in the strip above.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2017
LIFESTYLES
THELOQUITUR.COM | 9
Scratching the surface of catcalling CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE
Wilkins said catcalling cannot entirely be prevented but it can be stopped by speaking out in the moment. Wilkins feels this is the best way to stop the harassment. “Speaking up in anyway works,” Wilkins said. Many people, women in particular, have experienced catcalling on a daily basis. According to Runners World, 42 percent of women choose to run when it is light outside due to this issue. This survey was conducted, asking about safety and harassment concerns, and 4,670 runners responded. Men composed 2,137 of those respondents. In addition to making the victims feel frightened, catcalling is invasive and can make the person feel degraded. “I felt violated and scared because [the catcaller] basically kept catcalling me and telling me to come over while walking towards me when I was walking away,” Carolyn Alcantara, a sophomore studying accounting, said. “I would consider catcalling sexual harassment because, in my situation, they kept calling me and harassing me to come to them when I clearly was not interested.” A poll posted on the Cabrini University Class of 2020 and transfer page revealed, within hours, that the majority of respondents considered catcalling sexual harassment. Forty-six people responded, with 43 saying catcalling was sexual harassment. Chelsea DiPompeo, a senior studying accounting and international business, remembered clearly a time in Center City when she was catcalled, hearing phrases like: “Hate to see you go, but love to watch you leave.” “There is a difference between complimenting someone and actively shouting things at them and trying to get their attention,” DiPompeo said. “I think, so often, people think this is flattering but don’t understand how terrifying it can be. I’ve had men follow me for blocks before and I refuse to wear two headphones at once if I am alone. I even make phone calls if I feel the need to have someone as back up.” Talking on the phone is one way women feel more secure walking alone. There are also multiple applications now that are specifically made for women that can alert nearby friends if they feel unsafe, such as bSafe, Circle of 6 and Hollaback! “Getting catcalled makes me feel frustrated and angry,” DiPompeo said. “I’ve had a stranger come up to me and compliment me on my hair, an article of clothing or just
HOPE DALUISIO/VISUAL MANAGING EDITOR
Women can endure catcalling while running or exercising in public. in general and I did not mind that at all. It is about how someone is addressing me and presenting themselves. When someone is catcalling, they are typically vulgar or shouting to get attention. I immediately get defensive and snap back.” Noel Angelique, a sophomore studying biology, has experienced catcalling before. Walking alone to a friend’s house, Angelique remembers a car with two guys following her for almost two blocks. After ignoring them was not enough, Angelique turned around to them and said, “Did it ever occur to you that I am ignoring you for a reason? I’m not interested.” The feelings of being uncomfortable, frightened, violated, infuriated and afraid stuck with her in the
situation. When the car turned the corner after she turned to avoid them, she felt threatened. “As a whole, I do believe catcalling is a form of sexual harassment,” Angelique said. “It makes me feel as though I am being treated as an object and not as an actual human being. These issues of catcalling need to be addressed and less difficult to discuss in order for a change to occur.” Angelique said, “Aiming for a perfect world may be impossible, but working towards a safer one is far from it.”
MICHELLECG122@GMAIL.COM
Hair a key component of self-expression BY KELLY BUSH News Editor
When looking at a person, one of the first impressions you have of them is how they wear their hair. All people have all different types of hair. Every religion and every race has a different way they wear it. Hair is more than just something that is on a person; it is something that is a part of them— a way to express yourself. Women and men feel empowered through hair and use it to express themselves. Briana Ramos is a 20-year-old hair stylist. Ramos has been doing her own hair since she was 13 and doing other people’s hair since the age of 16. “The best part about doing hair is you can see the difference in the attitude of your client,” Ramos said. Ramos was able to pay for her senior dues by doing other people’s hair and feels it was a fun and easy way for her to make money. In 2016, the hair care market was worth about $83.1 billion and is expected to reach $105.3 billion by 2024 because of the exponential growth. Hair is one of the most important features on your body. Even if you do not prefer any hair style, it is mandatory to keep it tamed. In order to do that, hair care companies provide shampoos and hair products for healthy, strong hair. According to the The Middle East and Africa Market, the variation of the hair products, hair colors, styling products, oils, conditioners and shampoos are influencing more consumers across the region to buy.
Hair is one part of a person that is very versatile. People can wear their hair up on a lazy day, in a braid or even just in a plain ponytail. When it comes to braids, there are many different types of braiding people do: cornrows, individuals, Havana twist, faux loss and more.
These different styles give people a way to show a more fun, funky style. The products that are used for different hair styles also vary. There are different types of gels, hair mousse, holding sprays and straight or curly hair sprays. Right now, AXE is senior Jake Cheeseman’s favorite hair product. He likes that it gives him the messy hair look and helps him achieve whatever he is going for. To Cheeseman, his hair is his identity. “It’s a way to express yourself and try different things and people start to recognize you because of it,” Cheeseman said. What Cheeseman likes best about his hair is that when it grows out, there is a lot he can do with it. Rather you experiment with your own hair or let others take over, it is always fun. Junior Brierra Woods changes her hair once a month. She feels that this defines where she comes from. Though some people hesitate to change their hair for fear of judgement or discrimination, Woods said she has received no backlash because of it. “I do not feel like people have judged me because of my hair, but they have copied me,” Woods said. KELLYBUSH97@GMAIL.COM
PIXABAY
10 | THELOQUITUR.COM
LIFESTYLES
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2017
HOPE DALUISIO/VISUAL MANAGING EDITOR
Happy holidays from all of us at Loquitur media.
Holiday Crossword
Across 3. The humorous faux-holiday mentioned in “Seinfeld” that takes place the day before Christmas Eve. 7. Co-creators of the beloved stop motion Christmas specials. 8. A beverage to wash the taste of Aunt Gertrude’s fruitcake out of your mouth. 9. The wise way to say “merry Christmas” in Hawaii. 10. A garment that has spawned thousands of themed parties in popular culture.
Down 1. The fourth reindeer mentioned in “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” 2. Scrooge’s deceased business partner. 3. What Santa Claus was referred to in the Victorian period. 4. A present from your true love on the second day of Christmas. 5. The angel who visited Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem upon their son’s birth. 6. Band who sings “Little Saint Nick.” 9. The name of the Grinch’s dog.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2017
LIFESTYLES
THELOQUITUR.COM | 11
Nazism in video games reflects our society today
FLICKR/JOHN KITTELSRUD
Nazism in video games has garnered controversy in relation to current issues. BY JUSTIN BARNES Staff Writer
Nazis have been a popular choice of villains in video games for a while. They are an especially popular choice in firstperson shooter games; however, most of those games portray Nazis as mere cannon fodder. One game series that has been widely known for using Nazis as their main villains is the “Wolfenstein” series. The “Wolfenstein” series has focused on the Nazis trying to use supernatural and occult forces to help win World War II and the series protagonist, William Joseph “B.J.” Blazkowicz, must fight them off. However, when “Wolfenstein: The New Order” was released in 2014, the series
took a different turn by focusing on an alternate history. In this timeline, the Axis powers have won World War II and the Nazis have expanded their reach across the globe. The sequel to “The New Order,” “Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus,” was released on Friday, Oct. 27 and takes place in a Nazi-controlled America. There, B.J. and his resistance movement, the Kreisau Circle, hope to team up with the American resistance to ignite a second American Revolution and get payback on the Obergruppenführer Irene Engel, for murdering their leader, Caroline Becker. However, despite not facing controversy in the past, “New Colossus” received a ton of criticism and controversy through-
out its marketing run. Before the game was released, “Wolfenstein’s” marketing always used the hashtag #NoMoreNazis in its social media posts; however, there was one tweet that sparked criticism, which included a video of Nazi soldiers marching down the streets of Roswell, N.M. as the words “Not my America” flashed on screen. In addition, “New Colossus” marketing has used a bunch of other slogans and hashtags that have tied into current events. For instance, their main campaign slogan is “Make America Nazi Free Again,” which is a play on President Trump’s campaign slogan “Make America Great Again.” Additionally, the hashtag #PunchANazi, has been referenced in tweets related to “Wolfenstein” as well as a Twitter ad where B.J. punches a Nazi soldier in the face. This is related to a viral video where Neo-Nazi leader Richard Spencer was punched in the face by a masked man on Trump’s inauguration day, Jan. 20. Psychology and criminology double major Nick Erick has played “New Colossus,” “The New Order” and “Old Blood” and greatly enjoyed playing those games. He saw the controversy surrounding “New Colossus’” marketing and felt that it was unnecessary. “I feel that the actual controversy came from Nazis and alt-right members because they portrayed their ideology for what it was,” Erick said. Erick also pointed out that people do not like it when their media is connected to politics, but in a way, all media is political. For example, the story of Superman, an immigrant story about a humanoid alien who came to Earth as a baby and people have questioned whether he should live among them. Junior history major Malachi Purnell brought up that Nazis have been the main villains of not just video games, but other various forms of American pop culture, such as early Wonder Woman and Captain
America comics that were set in World War II. Purnell also noted that “Wolfenstein’s” portrayal of the effects of the Nazis winning World War II would not be entirely accurate from a historical perspective. “It is impossible to predict what the world would have been like had Germany won World War II,” he said. “With the elimination of both Britain and the USSR as superpowers as well as the conquest of most of Europe, combined with the likely consequent success of the Japanese in Eastern Asia and the Pacific, one could not begin to unpack the changes.” Despite the surprise controversy of Nazism in “Wolfenstein,” fans agree that the controversy was undeserved and unnecessary. “I don’t find it controversial to be against Nazis,” Erick said. “Any decent human beings wouldn’t find it controversial to be against the Nazi ideology.”
JUSTIN.WANNABARNES@GMAIL.COM
FLICKR/ELVERT BARNES
Nazism still exists in our world today.
The freshman 15 plagues us all BY RENIN BROADNAX Staff Writer
With school work, extra-curricular activities and just the added stress of being a college student, it can be difficult to find time to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Whether you are trying to escape the freshmen 15 as newly arrived students on campus or simply trying to be a healthy upperclassman, eating healthy and staying active is quite the challenge. “I want to stay healthy but sometimes it is really hard with everything I am doing on campus,” Danielle Basile, sophomore education major, said. The Dixon Center offers a lot of exercise options such as treadmills, stationary bicycles and plenty of different weights to lift. The center is open from Monday through Friday 6 a.m. until 11 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday at 10 in the morning until 8 p.m. Sophomore Asha Jackson said, “I go the gym as often as possible. It helps me forget about the stress of school and I feel great after.” However, if that walk to the Dixon center is just a little too far for your liking, there are other options for staying healthy to explore on campus. The cafeteria always also offers different healthy options and an abundance of different fruit options. Additionally, there is the make-your-own salad option every day at the opposite side of the Mindful area. Also, there is the option of joining a sports team on campus to keep yourself in shape during your college experience or taking a one credit class, like yoga. “Being an athlete is a great way to stay in shape and when you are on team, you have work out partners with you all the time.” Carolyn Alcantara, sophomore accounting major, said. “Playing a sport you actually enjoy makes it feel like you are not even working out. After a hard practice, you may be sore in the morning but it all pays off in the end.” Despite Cabrini’s campus offering so many options on campus for staying fit, many college kids worry about gaining weight on campus. “In my opinion, the only
challenges to staying fit on campus are internal: not having the desire to stay fit or not knowing how to get started, since there are so many options available,” Dustin Malandra, head strength and conditioning coach, said. The challenge is sticking to the healthy habits you are trying to implement in your busy everyday schedule. “I’ll be healthy for a week, then I fall off, then I’ll get back on. It’s a constant cycle,” Basile said. If you are not used to working out or you have not been physically active for quite a while, it is going to take some time to get back into the swing. Jackson said, “If you don’t go the gym, you need to eat healthy that day. It is all about balancing it out.” RENIN9819@GMAIL.COM
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2017
LIFESTYLES
THELOQUITUR.COM | 12
Plus-size women separated in stores Editor’s note: The surname of the subject in this article has been withheld to protect her identity. BY KAITLYN D’AMBROSIO Lifestyles Editor
Being a plus size woman 20-year-old Rebecca had many struggles regarding her size. Due to her weight, she experienced bullying growing up at the hands of her classmates in person and online. This had a serious effect on her self esteem. “Its affected me a lot,” Rebecca said. “Being an overweight kid when I was younger it was hard. I remember I was at lunch, I’d get bullied. Once, I was at lunch and this girl who was my friend at the time she kicked the bench and she told everyone that it was my fat butt that pushed it over.” When Rebecca posted a photo of herself online, her followers were anything but kind. People would make mean comments by insulting her and telling her she was a fat horse. The negative attention she got online made her feel worse about herself. “On Facebook, this one kid, he actually commented that he showed his dog my picture and his dog threw up every time he showed him my picture,” Rebecca said. The torment got so bad that Rebecca nearly resorted to self-harm. Therapy and music helped her feel better and get some of her confidence back. “I think that’s why I am so attached to Nick Jonas and the Jonas Brothers, because they helped me get through one of the darkest times of my life and I will forever be grateful for that,” Rebecca said. Doing normal tasks can be especially difficult or embarrassing for Rebecca because of her size. She is afraid she is not going to fit into the seats at places such as amusement rides and airplanes. “Especially on airplanes, I get so scared because it’s embarrassing when you have to have a [seat belt] extender,” Rebecca said. Rebecca recalled when she and her family went to Universal Studios in Florida. She went onto the Harry Potter ride and stood in the two-hour wait only to be kicked off when she got to the front of the line by the employees. They pulled her aside and had her sit in a demo seat. Since she couldn’t fit, she had to leave the ride and could not go on, even though she fit in the demo seat out front of the ride entrance. “Going on rides scares me sometime because I am either afraid I can’t fit or I’m afraid I’ll get stuck. One time, we went on the Star Wars ride and I remember I couldn’t buckle myself and I kind of let it go and bypassed it,” Rebecca said. Relationships are a struggle for most people. Rebecca has an added fear when trying to find a relationship with a man. She fears that she is not pretty enough for a man to like her. “Towards a guy, no guys would like me because I’m overweight,” Rebecca said. “They want they skinny girl or curvy girl, not the plus-size girl. I want a guy that likes me for me and I don’t want a creepy guy. There are guys out there that have fetishes [for] fat girls.” There are some common misconceptions about plus-sized women. Rebecca has experienced a few of them. People think she is mean and intimidating because of her size. She also experienced people believing that she is incompetent and thinks she uses her weight as an excuse to not do things. “People think I’m a lesbian,” Rebecca said. “They think ‘Oh You’re fat. You’re not going to get a guy, so I’m guessing you’re a lesbian.’” Through all of her ups and downs, Rebecca is remaining confident in herself. Through inspirations such as Demi Lovato, Kelly Clarkson and Tess Holliday, she knows her self worth. “I’ve changed so I know my weight doesn’t define me and I am beautiful just the way I am,” Rebecca said Rebecca struggles finding clothes in stores that are flattering. The stores she shops at are either really pricey or do not have clothes that make her feel good in her own skin. Other stores lack a plus-size section in general. Rebecca said, “It’s not fair that people who aren’t plus-size have all these options and basically the whole store, while people who are plus-size only have a small little indent in the store and not enough choices and cheap clothes.” Clothing stores and sizes “Some of the struggles I’ve had regarding my size are trying to find the right shirt or pants that fits,” Rebecca said. According to Statista, in 2015, plus-size clothing was one of the top five fastest growing fashion segments in the United States. “Plus-size sections in stores are so little or they don’t exist,” senior gender and body studies major Lauren Stohler said. Victoria’s Secret and Pink brand does not have a plus-size section at all online or in stores. In their size chart, the largest bra size Victoria’s Secret has available is a 40 DDD, meanwhile Pink’s largest bra size is 36 DDD. Charlotte Russe in the King of Prussia mall has a tiny corner in the back of the store for their plus-size section. Their sizes run from 00 to 17, extra small to extra-large. Their plus sizes run from 16 to24 and 1XL to 4XL. “The major brands that most people shop at are trying to expand on a plus-size section,” said Vanessa Lawrence-Fulton, senior international business major and president of Body Image Coalition. Abercrombie and Fitch was under hot water in 2013 because former CEO Mike Jeffries told The Salon in 2006 the kind of shoppers they want in their stores and why they don’t have plus-size clothing. “That’s why we hire good-looking people in our stores, because good-looking people attract other good-looking people and we want to market to cool, good-looking people. We don’t market to anyone other than that,” Jefferies said.
Abercrombie and Fitch has since expanded their sizes to include more plus-size sections and hired a new CEO, Fran Horowitz. “They need to have sizing made and incorporated into each fixture, size zero to 20,” Stohler said. “I have heard both sides to the argument where it makes plus-size people feel empowered,” Lawrence-Fulton said. The effect sizes have on women “The most common [issues people have] are their stomachs. They say they are too fat or not toned enough there,” Vice President of Body Image Coalition Paige Wagner said. “Another one would be their legs and saying they are not toned enough there or their arms.” Women often see the models in ads and commercials that represent popular brands. This can have a negative effect on women’s body image, especially on girls, teens and young adults. According to Do Something, 58 percent of college-aged girls feel pressured to maintain a certain weight. “I think models do affect [the way people see themselves],” Rebecca said. “If you look at Victoria’s Secret angels, that’s what people look up to and it sucks because that’s not what the normal person is supposed to look like.” “Models are 5 feet 9 inches and up so they appear super tall and super slim and beautiful,” Lawrence-Fulton said. “It can make people feel like they should have lighter skin [and] they should be prettier— not necessarily what it means to be beautiful.” There is not a universal size chart for all clothing, therefore stores and brands come up with their own size charts that will always vary from store to store. If a women is a smaller size in one store but bigger in another, this can have an effect on her self confidence. “Its very unhealthy that certain brands have qualified sizing differently,” Stohler said. “I could go into one store and I could be a size eight then I could go into another store and be a size 10.” “They make people alter how they think of their weight and their body image,” Wagner said. KDAMBROSIO97@GMAIL.COM
HOPE DALUISIO/VISUAL MANAGING EDITOR
SPORTS
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2017
THELO QUITUR.COM | 13
Swimming to new heights: Freshman swimmer already breaking records BY ALLIYAH MADURO Staff Writer
The transformation from high school to college can be a tough challenge for anybody to face. A person has to acclimate him or herself while making a new group of friends at the place they will call home for the next four years. For some freshmen, joining one of the school’s sports teams is crucial for their college experience. Having to adjust to a new environment is what freshman swimmer Cameron Mousley had to battle. The challenge has not stopped Mousley from achieving any of his goals for this swimming season. This is his first year at Cabrini, and he has already broken multiple records as a freshman swimmer. Mousley is from Bangor, Pa. He discovered his passion for swimming at the age of 10. As a young athlete, Mousley played baseball and football. His mother has had a big impact on his decision to start swimming. “I wanted to get into a different sport so my mom signed me up for swimming,” Mousley said. Mousley loves to challenge himself in the water. He came into the season with multiple goals, one of which was to finish a race within five minutes. In high school,
developed a strong bond. “Him and I are in the same lane, so we will push each other, even if it means racing in practice,” Schaeffer said. “I think Cameron is one of the people I am closest to on the team.” Swimming is not the only thing that has made these two close friends. Mousley and Schaeffer also share common goals for the team this season. Schaeffer also views his close friend as a person who helps improve the team in major ways. “For the season, we want to break as many records as SOPHOMORE MIRANDA SMITH possible and we will start to Cameron Mousley swims freestyle at the Diamond. train harder for that to happen,” Schaeffer said. “He has definitely this was something he often focused on. “The biggest thing that has happened in been helping the team because distance Unfortunately for Mousley, he did not my swim career wasn’t the records on the is now one of our strongest events and, of achieve that goal in high school. After board but my personal record in the 500, course, he wins most of the races ” months of relentless practicing, Mousley which was 4:58,” Mousley said. was able to reach his goal when he started He has always set his mind to improve at Cabrini University. from each of his last performances. CONTINUE READING ONLINE He has broken many records as he Mousley has had a major impact on his began to swim on the team this season. close friend Matt Schaeffer. Schaeffer is a He believes that the scores he posts are graphic design major and first year memMADUROALLIYAH@GMAIL.COM still not his biggest achievements in his ber of the team. He and Mousley have entire career.
Work visas not a foreign concept among professional athletes BY SYDNEY LYNCH Staff Writer
When you’re watching a sports game, what kind of elements are you paying attention to? The pace of the game, the performance of the players and the strategy of the coaching staff are all possible answers. Something that is common on many teams but may not be notced by fans is that some players are not American citizens. When a person is not looking to become a citizen of the United States but wants to work for the country, they apply for a work visa. A work visa allows a person from another country to work in the United States without any threat of deportation. Visas are categorized by the purpose of travel, including work, students and tourism. There are several types of work visas, depending on the time-length of the job and what type of occupation a person is perusing. José Rodriguez, director of diversity initiatives at Cabrini University, works closely with the reality of work visas.
If an athlete from outside of the United States wants to play in a U.S. national league, they must apply for a P-1 visa. “A work visa is the permission to do a specific job here [in the United States],” Rodriguez said. “In order to fulfill jobs that are in great demand here, work visas allow people who have those skills, who might not necessarily be United States citizens, actually to work.” Athletes fall under the category of P-1, encompassing team or individual athletes and members of music groups. The United States of America’s Department of State defines this specific visa as “to perform at a specific athletic competition as an athlete or as a member of an entertainment group. It requires an internationally recognized level of sustained performance. It includes persons providing essential services in support of the above individual.” P-1 visas expire when the player retires. “Typically, a work visa does not last forever,” Rodriguez said. “There is a time limit with working visas, followed by a renewal process, if necessary.” After gaining a P-1 visa, athletes often apply for
citizenship in the United States. Before being able to apply for a P-1 visa, an athlete must meet at least two of the requirements of the United States Government: the athlete must participate in the sport for a significant amount of time prior to playing in the United States and the player must have competed on a national team in their country, evidence that the player is ranked and excessively skilled and evidence that they have been awarded for their athletic ability. “I think there are too many players in United States national sports leagues that are not native citizens,” Lexi Douglass, junior elementary and special education double major, said. While proffesional athletes are the most common recipient of P-1 visas, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services recognizes eSports players under the P-1 visa jurisdiction. Professional videogamers from around the world can apply for visas to play in tournaments in the United States. SYDNEYLYNCH929@GMAIL.COM
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2017
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Although there has only been one professional football player to come out as gay during his playing days in the NFL, there might be a few others who are afraid to do so.
Professional sports lack open LGBTQ+ players CONTINUED FROM THE FRONT PAGE
In an article for Sports Illustrated in 2013, NBA player Jason Collins came out to the public, becoming the first openly gay NBA player who, at the time of his statement, was still active. When Collins announced his sexual orientation to the world, he became the first male professional athlete across all professional sport leagues in the United States to state that he is gay. After releasing his statement, Collins received support from NBA players across the league. In addition, former President Barack Obama also provided words of encouragement. Sarah Martinez, a student assistant for the women’s basketball team and former player, said, “I came out during my senior year of high school. At first, I felt as if my sexuality would affect my relationship with my teammates before starting my freshman year of college, only because I didn’t know them and didn’t know how they felt about homosexuality. Luckily, they welcomed me, regardless of my sexual orientation and even at times asked me questions to better understand what goes on in the LGBTQ community.” Due to the steadily growing acceptance of openly gay athletes in the world of sports, many may argue that it is admissible for athletes to come out; however, some argue otherwise. There are currently over 3,400 men playing in the five major sports— football, baseball, basketball, soccer and
hockey— and not one is openly gay. While LGBTQ+ rights are rapidly progressing throughout the country, why are gay athletes remaining in the closet? The NFL’s last openly gay player was Michael Sam, who retired in 2015. Sam was a defensive end who played with the Rams and the Cowboys. Sam made immense strides for the LGBTQ+ community when he was still recruited after coming out of the closet before the draft. However, the community lost an icon when he retired for mental health reasons. Since Sam, the NFL still has not deployed an openly gay player during a regular-season game. Out on the Fields is the first international study and largest conducted on homophobia in sports. Nearly 9,500 people took part, including 2,064 lesbian, gay, bisexual and straight Americans. The study concluded that nearly half of gay men and 32 percent of lesbians hid their sexuality while playing youth sports because they feared rejection by teammates. Only one percent of all participants believed LGB people were “completely accepted” in sports culture; 78 percent said that an openly gay, lesbian or bisexual person would not be very safe as a spectator at a sporting event. “Unfortunately, it’s almost frowned upon for men to be gay, especially on a sports team,” Martinez said. “It’s as if they have to always be masculine and being gay is always looked at as feminine. Most male athletes who are gay are probably scared that they will lose their brotherhood with their teammates if they were to come out.”
In 2013, Robbie Rogers, a midfielder for the Los Angeles Galaxy, made headlines when he revealed he was gay. Rogers, now retired, had hoped that his coming out would encourage more male athletes to do the same. “I was hoping there’d be more athletes that would come out and after that; it just wouldn’t matter,” Rogers said in an interview for the Chicago Tribune. “I was hoping there would be so many out athletes that it wouldn’t be a topic to talk about.” Multiple active WNBA players have come out and thrived over the last decade, setting an example for young women everywhere. Many question why there is not the same encouragement for men who play professional sports to come out as well. Cyd Zeigler, one of the founders of Outsports, a website devoted to covering gay issues in sports, said in an interview for the Chicago Tribune that there is a clear reason as to why it is a rarity for professional athletes to come out as gay. “People will try to point to the fans,” Zeigler said. “Some people will try to point to the coaches. Some will try to point to the front offices. Some will try to point to the media. But at the end of the day, despite all those things, nobody has chosen to do it. Social change happens when somebody just decides to do it and nobody decided to do it.”
CHRISSYMCOLLUM@GMAIL.COM
President Trump, Lavar Ball feud over China incident BY CONNOR TUSTIN Staff Writer
President Donald Trump used his diplomatic relations to free three American college basketball players, after they were jailed in China for shoplifting. The famed UCLA men's basketball program flew overseas to Shanghai, China to kick off their 2017-2018 season. Although they were there to play basketball games, the program drew in more attention from the shoplifting incident. Cody Riley, Jalen Hill and, most notably, LiAngelo Ball, were caught shoplifting designer sunglasses on Nov. 8 from a Louis Vuitton store in downtown Shanghai. were involved in the incident. Ball drew the most attention in the incident because of his zany family who is always causing an uproar in the sports world. As a result of the popular following of the Ball family prior to the incident, President Donald Trump took notice as well. While on a recent overseas trip to Beijing, President Trump approached Chinese President Xi Jinping about the situation. Trump asked Jinping to resolve the case in hopes of sending the three
players, who were under house arrest, back home to the United States. "Trump shouldn't have intervened just because they have some privileges being famous college basketball players," freshman Morgan Fuller said. After receiving Trump's help in
more reason to head to Twitter to express his thoughts. Trump said in a tweet that he "should have left them in jail," because of Ball's words about the president. In the tweet, Trump criticized Ball as being ungrateful of what he did for his son and the two other freshmen. This
@REALDONALDTRUMP/TWITTER
President Trump tweeted about the three players he helped. returning the three players back home, Ball's father, Lavar Ball, did not mince his words. When asked about Trump's role in the situation, Ball said, "Who?" "Lavar Ball should've been a lot more thankful, instead of showboating, like he usually does," junior Vaughn Jenkins said. The response from Lavar Ball only enraged Trump and gave the president
tweet confronting Ball came only days after Trump called out the three players, demanding a thank you for what he did for them. Although Lavar Ball did not have much to say about Trump's role in the situation, LiAngelo Ball and the two players did. After being sent home from China, Riley, Hill and Ball held a press conference back
on UCLA's campus. All three expressed their gratitude and thanks to Trump for his role in bringing them back home. Trump took to Twitter once again to accept their apology, telling them to "give a big thank you to President Xi Jinping." "The three players were young and made a stupid mistake, so I think President Trump did the right thing by helping his citizens out," sophomore Luis Reyes said. Unlike Reyes, some strongly disagree with Trump's decision, saying the three men did commit a crime. Freshman Daquan Ali said, "They made the choices that they did, so I think Trump should have left them alone and made them face their consequences." On December 5, Lavar Ball pulled his son LiAngelo from UCLA according to Darren Rovell of ESPN. The elder Ball suggested that his son would play Internationally instead of in the NCAA ranks until the NBA draft in June 2018.
TUSTIN.CONNOR1013@GMAIL.COM
SPORTS
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2017
Sports Source Editorial Column
Maybe an NFL implosion is possible BY JOHN WILLIAMS Sports Editor
In 2014, when entrepreneur Mark Cuban predicted that “the NFL would implode in 10 years,” many fans and experts alike laughed in his face. Just three years later, his words might not sound nearly as crazy as they once did. Cuban cited how the NFL’s greed would eventually get in their own way. “When pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered,” the tech mogul said in a discussion with reporters. “When you try to take it too far, people turn the other way. I’m just telling you, when you got a good thing and you get greedy, it always, always, always, always, always turns against you.” And while greed itself might not be the exact reason why the league’s ratings were down 15.6 percent as of Nov. 2, according to Fox, all the negative noise around the league is starting to catch up with them. Between the anthem protests, constant off-the-field shenanigans involving star players like Ezekiel Elliott, who allegedly hit his girlfriend, and the whole concussions issue, people are beginning to tune out the league and move on to other arenas of entertainment. The NBA is one of those arenas, as their ratings are up 32 percent, the highest they’ve been since the 2010-2011 season, according to CBS Sports. Even the NFL’s sponsors are starting to get frustrated. When the league’s protests began to rise by the week early in the season, one of its top sponsors, Papa John of Papa John’s pizza, spoke out on the league’s dismay, blaming the NFL for its “poor leadership” and costing the company business. Although he has apologized since, don’t think other companies who sponsor the league weren’t thinking the same thing as the 56-year-old pizza man. Then there’s the whole dilemma of parents not wanting their kids to play the game anymore because of the injuries that could potentially be sustained. Just look at the Dec. 4 Steelers and Bengals game where two players needed to be carted off the field and sent to the hospital, including Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier, who wasn’t able to move his legs after landing a hit and going down on the field. Of course, the convenience of having just one game a week will always work in the NFL’s favor. It is America’s new pastime, but maybe, as Cuban predicted three years ago, not for long. JAWILLIAMS1224@GMAIL.COM
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Cabrini roller hockey looks to win third title in four years in 2018 BY SYDNEY LYNCH Staff Writer
Some sports are a staple of the Cabrini University community. Lacrosse, soccer and basketball are sports that are always talked about on campus, but there are some that students don’t know we have. The Cabrini roller hockey team has been active since 2001 and is one of the few club teams on campus. Chris Fonte, a senior communication major, is the president of the roller hockey club team. Fonte has been playing hockey since he was 13 years old and began playing for Cabrini his freshman year. “I was inspired by the 2003 New Jersey Devils who won the Stanley Cup,” Fonte said. “My roommate actually was the one who got me to play for [Cabrini]. I wasn’t going to play, but he forced me to play and I did.” Due to the team’s recreational status, they do not fall under the NCAA regulations. The team is part of the Philadelphia Collegiate Roller Hockey League, or PCRHL. This is a competitive league, hosting schools in the Philadelphia area, including St. Joseph’s University, University of Pennsylvania and Widener University. “We play pretty tough teams,” Fonte said. “We play top Division I teams who have both NCAA hockey teams [and a club team].” As a club team, there are no restrictions on player eligibility.
The league allows anyone who is enrolled in a class at Cabrini University, as well as staff and faculty members of the institution to participate in the game. The Cabrini roller hockey team is co-ed, allowing men and women to play. Devon Scharf, a junior exercise science major, is currently, the only female on the roller hockey team. “Being the only girl on the team really PAIGE WAGNER isn’t that big of a deal to me,” Scharf said. Ryan Mullen on Cabrini’s roller hockey team over skates the puck in their “Honestly I’m just like game against Penn. one of the boys.” Scharf got involved with the team after approaching have more time.” “I play hockey because it’s the roller hockey table at an Cabrini roller hockey, in really fun. I love fast sports, and open house. recent years, has had many there are not many sports faster “I love being on the school successful seasons. The team than this one.” team,” Scharf said. “It’s nice won the PCRHL championship The roller hockey season to play on a team where we title in 2011, 2015 and 2016. runs from the end of the fall to just get to show up and do Tyree Holmes, a junior the beginning of the spring. As something that we love. It’s low computer science major, of December 4, the team has commitment and tons of fun.” started playing roller hockey his played seven games and owns a The team does not practice freshman year. 2-5 record. regularly, due to the costly “Winning the championship The team doesn’t solely focus price of private rink time. When my freshman year was a great on winning as putting their they do practice, the team memory,” Holmes said. “We passion for the game in motion goes to work, focusing on the played best two out of three is the main purpose they lace up importance of teamwork and games and ended around their skates every Sunday. improving their roller hockey midnight. It was an intense and “Being a part of a Cabrini skills. rewarding night.” University team is great,” Tyree “We usually have one or two Holmes was always Holmes said. practices a year,” Fonte said. “We interested in playing hockey, CONTINUE READING ONLINE do get lots of work done in those but didn’t start until he joined practices, but stinks we can’t the team at Cabrini. SYDNEYLYNCH929@GMAIL.COM
Cleveland Browns receiver aims to come back from addiction BY BILLY MORGAN Staff Writer
ESPN’s Steven A. Smith said, “America is the land of second chances, especially in sports.” Josh Gordon has had many second chances throughout his 26 years of living. Gordon was recently reinstated by the NFL, after being suspended due to his consistent drug use. On average, more than 23.5 million people over the age of 12 are victims of substance abuse, according to a 2009 study by Caron. To most people, it is blasphemy that an athlete can still play at a high level while indulging in different types of drugs and alcohol. Although this may be difficult for some to understand, there are plenty of reallife examples out there. One of the most famous addiction stories in the sports world is that of former pro basketball player Chris Herron. Herron was a sensation coming out of high school, ranking among the nation’s top recruits. Being from the Boston area, he wanted to stay close to his roots, so he decided to attended Boston College. It was at Boston College that Herron’s life took a turn, which is when he started using and abusing drugs. After many years of battling drug and alcohol addiction, Herron finally sought help. Herron was addicted to drugs, while
performing at a high level athletically. Today, Herron makes his story known. He travels around lecturing others about his encounters in life as well as how and when he started to head down the dark and scary path of addiction.
FLICKR CREATIVE COMMONS
Josh Gordon practicing with the Browns. There is a fine line between using and abusing drugs. Some individuals can benefit from the affects of a substance. One substance, for example, is medical marijuana. Some athletes have spoken out about this current issue on this particular drug. “Just because we are athletes doesn’t mean we are super-humans,” NBA-star Karl Anthony-Towns said. “Some of us have
conditions that could use medical marijuana to benefit our everyday living.” Even former NBA commissioner David Stern has spoken outright about the benefits of cannabis. In an interview with Uninterrupted, Stern said, “I am now at the point where personally I think it should be removed from the banned substance list.” Marijuana is considered a gateway drug. In Josh Gordon’s case, this belief turned out to be true. In his documentary with Uninterrupted, he discussed the different drugs that he had been taking over the years. Marijuana was first on his list. Gordon is traveling down a road that other NFL’s players have also walked. Hall of Fame wide receiver Cris Carter has also fought his own battle with substance abuse. Luckily, the eight-time Pro-Bowler realized he needed help for his condition, once he was cut from the Philadelphia Eagles. Carter had a falling out with his head coach, Buddy Ryan, which changed his life forever. Carter said, during a segment on ESPN, “That was the only thing to make me stop smoking cocaine was Buddy Ryan releasing me from my job and that’s when I realized the responsibility was on me to get myself some help.” BILLYMORGAN22@GMAIL.COM
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2017
SPORTS
THELO QUITUR.COM | 16
Studies show youth sports builds leadership qualities LAURA SANSOM Perspectives Editor
Children who participate in youth sports learn much more than how to throw a ball or score a basket. They learn a series of invaluable and practical life skills. Sabrina Hackendorn, one of three captains of Cabrini’s women’s basketball team, started playing sports at age five. When she was young, she played basketball, softball, volleyball and track and field. She also participated in dance and cheerleading. “I think sports have helped me learn how to communicate and connect with people, which are important qualities for leadership,” Hackendorn said. “By having good examples before me of coaches and captains, I’ve learned how to lead on the court as well.” Mike Doyle, one of four captains of Cabrini’s men’s basketball team, started playing organized team sports at age four; however, he says he has had a basketball in his hands ever since he was born. The skills that athletes gain through participating in sports from a young age are transferable to all areas of life. “The life lessons learned in youth sports are invaluable. Some of them are teamwork, time management, the importance of setting challenging goals and working tirelessly to achieve them,” 35-year-old high school basketball coach Jim Conover said. Setbacks on the field often allow athletes to better handle setbacks later in life. According to the Journal of Athletic Training, athletes found themselves to be 65 percent better at handling failure than nonathletes. “I’m a firm believer that youth sports help with learning traits and provide experiences while growing into adulthood. Win or lose, they are still gaining knowledge they have no idea they are acquiring,” Paul Sparano, coach of a 13U boys Amateur Athletic Union baseball team, said. Sparano has more than 20 years of coaching experience. “While losing, you learn to push through adversity,” Sparano said. “It helps to understand sometimes things are not
always going to turn out they way you want. But that one moment does not define you in sports, just as that one moment in your life will not define you as a person.” The ability to deal with setbacks allows
dling co-workers in their future careers. “Most athletes learn to deal with failure and, hopefully, success, how to understand roles and the value of different types of contribution to team success, and how to problem solve quickly,” Nick Weisheipl,
HOPE DALUISIO/VISUAL MANAGING EDITOR
athletes to be better leaders later in life. When things get hard, they are more likely to be able to solve the problem. “The best leaders learn to handle failure as gracefully as they handle success. It’s important to expose future leaders to disappointment rather than protecting them from it,” Denise Savastano, Egg Harbor Township Youth Organization cheerleading coach, said. “Children need to learn how to handle the loss and move forward when the other team wins.” Whether win or lose, athletes are also taught from an early age how to work together. This can help them with han-
head baseball coach and assistant strength and conditioning coach at Cabrini, said. These experiences can lead athletes to have faith in themselves and know they are able to handle these issues. According to the Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies, compared to people who did not participate in youth sports as children, people who did reported a much higher level of self-confidence and had a higher level of career success throughout life. This is often due to the role of coaches, who encourage and reward the leadership skills of their players.
“I try to always point out character and sportsmanship, as first and foremost. I explain how not everyone is going to have a good day. At different moments there will be others who be called upon to pick each other up,” Sparano said. “They understand there are ones who play a big role on the team, but they need everyone who plays a role on the team. This helps them learn to appreciate each other, regardless of what position they are in on the team, or in adult life.” Athletes take these lessons and apply them as they take on leadership roles in their own lives. “My coaches showed me how leadership isn’t about dictating, but it’s about connecting your players and wanting what’s best for the people you’re leading, not just what’s best for you,” Hackendorn said. Considering athletes often see their coaches as role models, it is important for coaches to be the type of person they would want their athletes to grow up to be. “As a leader, you realize the importance of setting a good example for your team,” Savastano said. “By allowing my athletes to see how I balance my career, my personal life and being a volunteer cheerleading coach, I am hopeful these qualities will teach them accountability through effective leadership.” Athletes often take this to heart and strive to be people that others can look up too, just like they look up to their coaches. “My dad was my coach in high school so he taught me a lot about leading and doing what needed to be done,” Doyle said. “The main message was always to lead by example and others will follow.” Overall, coaches hope that in the future, they can see their efforts pay off. “I have seen athletes grow from the age of 5 or 6 to 23. It is great to observe them in the sports environment, then later on in life, continuing to grow as a person,” Sparano said. “I see many of these young athletes as adults now and they still exhibit respect and manners they have kept since youth.” CONTINUE READING ONLINE LAURALEESANSOM@GMAIL.COM
Cabrini coaches discover their purpose through their careers ABIGAIL SCARDELLETTI Staff Writer
McDonald has been coaching basketball at Cabrini for eight years. For the first four, he was the assistant coach, but he has spent the Coaching is a career that has ups and downs, but at the last four as the head coach. end of the day, it is really rewarding. It allows coaches to McDonald enjoys helping his athletes grow be able to have a positive influence on student-athletes both on and off the court. McDonald also and help them inside and outside of practice. Coaches enjoys watching the plays grow as students teach their athletes how to problem solve and achieve in mature into adults and succeed in internships ways that are not possible or common in the classroom. and careers after college. “No two days are the same and I get to be in a comEven after players graduate and leave both petitive atmosphere with extreme highs and, at times, the team and Cabrini, McDonald is able to crushing lows. It’s never boring,” Nick Weisheipl, Cabrini’s keep in touch with them and see them grow baseball coach, said. even more as they start their families and conWhat helps Cabrini volleyball coach Eric Shaefer is the tinue their lives. constant change within the sport. The changes range from Jackie Neary is the head coach for Cabrini’s HOPE DALUISIO/VISUAL MANAGING EDITOR how players are developed to the mannerisms of a match. women’s field hockey and lacrosse teams. The men’s baseball team stand during pregame ceremonies. Schaefer did not always intend on coaching, especially Although becoming a coach was a complete at the college level. He became a coach at a local high accident, she has been coaching at Cabrini for All four of Neary’s children were raised on the sidelines school that needed a coach. Then, after realizing he could the past 22 years. of both lacrosse and field hockey fields, and Neary would take on the role of a college volleyball coach, he was lucky In 1994, Coach Neary found out about a coaching not have it any other way, as it created a lot of learning enough to earn Cabrini’s vacant head coaching position. opportunity at Cabrini through a newspaper ad and inter- experiences for them. While Schaefer just happened to become a coach, not viewed for the job of starting a women’s lacrosse team. A Cabrini’s coaches have spent much time honing their every coach stumbles across the career. year later, she was not only head coach for a soon-to-be skills; however, being a coach is not something that is The head coach of the men’s basketball team, Tim very victorious team, but took on the field hockey team learned overnight. It is a constant learning experience McDonald, is very passionate about basketball and has as well. that results in better programs for the coaches and the been since high school. Coach Neary finds coaching to be fulfilling as the play- student-athletes. While in high school, McDonald played three different ers are her favorite part of coaching and loves to see them CONTINUE READING ONLINE sports: soccer, basketball and baseball. During his junior come back after graduating and being successful off the and senior years, McDonald started thinking about how field as they create families and succeed in their careers. he could use his passion for basketball and become a “Not only did I get a lot out of it, but so did my kids,” ABIGAILSCARDELLETTI@GMAIL.COM coach. Neary said.