December 2, 2016 by Loyola Maroon

Loyola University • New Orleans • Volume 95 • Issue 12 • December 2, 2016

THE MAROON FOR A GREATER LOYOLA

FOR THE WIN!

Courtesy of Loyola Athletics

Brett Simpson, Loyola athletic director, and Coach Kellie Kennedy celebrate her milestone win as the Wolf Pack defeat Millsaps 84-53 on Monday, Nov. 28 at First NBC Court. The women's basketball team will travel to Georgia to take on the College of Coastal Georgia on Dec. 3.

Coach Kellie Kennedy records her 174th career win and surpasses Jack Orsley as Loyola's winningest coach By Brian Wollitz bawollit@loyno.edu @brian_wollitz

With Loyola’s 84-53 win over Millsaps College on Monday night, Kellie Kennedy, women’s basketball head coach, cemented her name in the record books, becoming the winningest basketball coach in Loyola history. In the home victory, Kennedy, the nine-year head coach, gained her 174th career win and surpassed Jack Orsley, former Loyola men’s basketball head coach and Loyola Hall of Famer, according to Loyola Athletics. After the game, Kennedy was quick to express her joy over the career milestone. “I’m excited. It’s pretty cool; I’m excited for the fact that we were able

to do that, and for my team,” Kennedy said. This win broke the Loyola record previously held for 59 years, something that Kennedy believes is a noteworthy accomplishment considering its rarity in sports. “I think it’s pretty significant that in this day and age we were able to break a record that was held for such a long time," Kennedy said. While the win was a milestone for Kennedy and her individual accomplishments, she graciously praised everyone who has helped her along the way. “It's significant for the program and all of the players that have played for me before and play for me now. It’s a tribute to them, because without them none of this is possible, not to mention the staff, the people who have worked for me over the years who have been great

in recruiting those kids who have come here,” Kennedy said. Kennedy believes the hard work and help from her colleagues and players facilitated the sustained success she has had throughout her career, noting how hard the journey has been. “Being able to sustain that for a period of time is much harder than what people think,” Kennedy said. Last season, Kennedy became the winningest coach in Loyola women’s basketball history, gaining her 156th win in a 74-55 victory over Brewton-Parker College on Jan. 7. Prior to this season, Kennedy ranked 21st on the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics division 1 women’s basketball winningest active coaches list. Kennedy is a native of Concord, North Carolina, and played basketball collegiately at the University of

North Carolina, where she received four letters during her time with the Tar Heels. With her hard work at UNC, she earned Most Improved Player honors in 1988 and received the 1990 UNC Athletic Director’s Scholar-Athlete Award and the UNC Women’s Basketball Senior Award. After graduating in 1990, Kennedy began her coaching career spending time as an assistant coach at UNC Wilmington, head coach at Hollins College, assistant coach at the University of Richmond and assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Tulane University. After leaving Tulane, Kennedy joined Loyola, and in her first season she led the Wolf Pack to the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular season championship and tournament championship, while gaining a spot in the NAIA National Tourna-

ment. In the 2014-15 season, her team started the season 14-0, the best start in Loyola history, and won the program’s first ever Southern States Athletic Conference tournament title, according to Loyola Athletics. The team finished the season 27-4 overall and gained a spot in the first round of the NAIA National Championship. The 27 wins were the second most in program history and the .871 winning percentage is the most in Loyola history, according to Loyola Athletics. Kennedy looks to continue this success and improve as Loyola currently boasts a record of 5-2 overall sitting 24th in the NAIA national rankings heading into conference play.

December 2, 2016

THE MAROON

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news

December 2, 2016 The Maroon

news briefs Wildes signs statement of solidarity with undocumented students

The Maroon Students play with shaved ice on the horseshoe lawn during Sneaux 2014. The annual event hosted by the Department of Student Involvement features hot chocolate, photos with Santa and other holiday activities, allowing students to de-stress before final exams.

Sneaux expected to fall at Loyola next week By Lily Cummings lrcummin@loyno.edu @lilyrain6

Loyola plans to celebrate Christmas early this year, as approximately 10 tons of shaved ice is expected to transform the Marquette Horseshoe into a winter wonderland for “Sneaux at Loyno” Dec. 7. The annual event, hosted by the Department of Student Involvement, is set to take place from 6-8 p.m., as students, faculty and the New Orleans community partake in winter holiday festivities and enjoy sweet treats. According to Courtney Williams, associate director of student in-

volvement, this year’s event will include various activities such as create your own Christmas cards; an interactive photo booth with Santa, Mrs. Claus and elves; a s’mores station; cookie decorating and additional surprises. Kristen Williams, biology freshman, plans to attend Sneaux for the first time this year. She remembered hearing about Sneaux while applying to Loyola, and as a New Orleans native, she is excited to experience a taste of winter and receive one of the coveted Sneaux t-shirts. “I’m most excited to be a part of such an anticipated event, especially as a member of first year council,” Williams said. “I cannot wait to

help SGA put on this huge event at Loyola.” Williams said “Sneaux at Loyno” isn’t just organized for the campus, but also for the surrounding community, and he feels the event unites the two groups and marks the beginning of the holiday season. According to Williams, the best things about Sneaux are the community coming together in celebration, singing Christmas carols and joining in conversation over hot chocolate. Justin Callais, accounting and economics junior, has attended Sneaux for two years and believes it is one of the best traditions Loyola has to offer. He said he looks forward

to the t-shirts, but especially the tradition that brings students, faculty, staff and their families together. “I choose to attend because I’m from south Louisiana, so I never get to experience real snow,” Callais said. “It’s a good way to enjoy snow and have fun with friends and faculty at the same time.” Courtney Williams said around 900 people attended Sneaux last year, and he expects 900 to 1,000 participants this year. As director of student involvement, he said it is a pleasure to host the annual Sneaux event, which he said spreads holiday cheer and offers students stress relief before final exams begin.

New software development certificate program accepting applications By Leah Banks lmbanks@loyno.edu @elle_banks12

Loyola University New Orleans plans to launch a new certificate program beginning June 2017, which will aim to provide recent liberal arts graduates with a certification in software development. The 10-week “bootcamp” program will place a unique spotlight on coding and software development, and participants will work with local software development employers to develop the skills needed for entry-level software development positions. The program provides recent liberal arts graduates with six weeks of

coding fundamentals. After learning the fundamentals, the students will work toward more specific pre-selected certifications determined by local technology firms to be needed in the entry-level workforce. According to the Loyola Center for Entrepreneurship and Community Development, the program’s implementation is a response to a lack of qualified employees in emerging technology fields. Kate McCrery, Loyola’s entrepreneurship and community development program manager, said there are an estimated 3,000 unfilled positions in the New Orleans metropolitan area in software development and coding that have not been claimed because most individuals do not

have entry-level training within this industry. While McCrery said she cannot reveal which companies Loyola has partnered with to develop the program, she said companies in the city are looking to grow. “Across Louisiana, there are 3,000 entry-level tech jobs with a lot of room for growth,” McCrery said. “We are talking to large tech companies that operate locally and are looking to double their workforce within the next year.” McCrery said by focusing the program toward recently graduated seniors who attended a liberal arts college or university, the certificate program will address the skills gap in Louisiana’s workforce and

support the state’s technological entrepreneurs who are looking to diversify the technology workforce and bring economic growth to the Greater New Orleans area. Dec. 9 is the deadline for soon-tobe graduates to apply for entrance into the software development and coding program, and McCrery said the program has seen some interest. “We have an application of interest and a solid amount of interests. We just opened up a $500 discount to the first 10 students who apply and also give a deposit on the certificate by Dec. 16, 2016,” McCrery said.

The Rev. Kevin Wildes, S.J., university president, was one of more than 70 leaders in Catholic higher education to sign a statement of solidarity with undocumented students, according to an email Wednesday to the Loyola community. In the statement, released by the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, Catholic leaders noted the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy, issued in 2012 under the Obama administration, and hoped undocumented students who qualify for the policy will continue to study at their universities. The policy protects from deportation certain undocumented immigrants who arrived in the U.S. before their 16th birthday and enables them to obtain a work visa. President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team has used the deferred action policy as an example of the overreach of executive action on immigration which Trump has pledged to rescind. “Many of us count among our students young men and women who are undocumented, their families having fled violence and instability,” said Wednesday’s statement from Catholic school leaders. “These students have met the criteria of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy, issued in 2012. We, the undersigned presidents of Catholic colleges and universities, express hope that the students in our communities who have qualified for DACA are able to continue their studies without interruption and that many more students in their situation will be welcome to contribute their talents to our campuses.”

Loyola appoints new dean to the College of Music and Fine Arts Loyola has named Kern Maas as the new dean of the College of Music and Fine Arts. Maas’ appointment coincides with the retirement at the end of this academic year of Tony DeCuir, who has served as interim dean over the last three years. Maas is expected to begin his new position Feb. 1, 2017. According to an email Monday from Mark Manganaro, vice president for academic affairs, Maas brings more than 15 years of leadership experience to Loyola, leaving his current position as associate dean for the College of Fine and Applied Arts at Appalachian State University to join the Loyola community. “Kern’s extensive experience includes various important leadership roles in the areas of program development, curriculum review and development, policy administration, assessment, intellectual property, industry partnerships and accreditation,” Manganaro said. “These experiences have given him a unique perspective on how to position and leverage creative practice in multiple contexts.” Manganaro said the search committee that appointed Maas consisted of faculty and staff members and was chaired by Bill Locander, dean of the College of Business.

WORLDVIEW

December 2, 2016 THE MAROON

Senate runoff not getting much attention By Nick Reimann nsreiman@loyno.edu @nicksreimann

Election season is not over in Louisiana. There will be a runoff election for Louisiana Senate Dec. 10 between Republican John Kennedy and Democrat Foster Campbell after no candidate received at least 50 percent of the vote in the Nov. 8 primary, held alongside the presidential election. Kennedy finished in first place in the primary, polling with 25 percent of the vote, ahead of Campbell’s second-place finish with 17.5 percent. Republican U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany came in third, followed by Democrat Caroline Fayard in fourth and fellow Republican U.S. Rep. John Fleming in fifth. The primary was the subject of great attention among media and

the public, with nearly two million people coming out to vote. It featured two sitting U.S. congressmen, a former U.S. congressman, the state treasurer and even former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke. This, along with close polls and the presidential election on the same ballot, provided the backdrop for the race. That is not the case in the runoff. There are no debates scheduled between Kennedy and Campbell, and polls show Kennedy with a commanding lead. In the most recent poll conducted by the Trafalgar Group, Kennedy was shown with a 58 to 35 lead. These factors, experts say, signal the chance for a historically low turnout. “I think it’ll be half, if not less than half [of the number in the primary],” Robert Mann, Louisiana State University journalism professor and former Democratic U.S. Senate press secretary, said. “We’ve

never had a race where the turnout was so high that’s going to go so low. It’s going to be a massive drop off.” Ed Chervenak, University of New Orleans political science professor and WDSU political analyst, believes this race won’t even be on the minds of many people. “I’d be surprised if people are even aware that there’s an upcoming election,” Chervenak said. “You’ve had all the drama of the presidential election, and now people are just kind of exhaling.” In any case, Kennedy’s lead in the polls comes in massive contrast to the last time he was in this position in 2008 when he lost the Senate race to incumbent Democrat Mary Landrieu. But those were different political times, according to Mann. “It hadn’t been that long since Kennedy had switched parties, and before, he had been a fairly liberal Democrat,” Mann said, referring to

Kennedy’s switch from Democrat to Republican in 2007. “Landrieu was able to portray him as a phony, wishy-washy character that couldn’t be trusted. She did a very good job of attacking him with that image, and beat him to the punch.” Campbell, his Democratic opponent in 2016, doesn’t seem to offer the same competition, Mann said. “This is a very different race, you know almost 10 additional years, and in that time he’s established himself as a prominent statewide elected official with his own following, and he’s established his credibility as a conservative,” Mann said, which makes it difficult to pull off the attacks Landrieu found so successful eight years ago. “So far I don’t think that Campbell’s really laid a glove on him.” Chervenak feels that another part of Campbell’s problem is that his message, primarily raising taxes for the wealthy, doesn’t resonate very

well in Louisiana today. “He’s old school, and he’s almost like a museum piece,” Chervenak said. “He’s just bucking the political trend and he’s a populist Democrat in a now reliably red state.” Campbell doesn’t buy into these criticisms, though, and feels that his distance from special interests are what people should consider when they cast their ballot on Dec. 10. “I think I can win,” Campbell told The Maroon. “I’m not going up there owned by anybody. The Republicans are going up there and they’ve got an agenda against everything Obama was for. I’m not going to be against anything anybody’s for.” The election result will decide the final makeup of the U.S. Senate for the first two years of Donald Trump’s term. If Kennedy wins as expected, Republicans will hold a 52-48 majority.

Rare legal skatepark expanding in Gentilly neighborhood By Haley Pegg

and hopes it will continue to help build the project in the future. “Skateboarding for me is freedom; it’s pure freedom,” Sheckler said. “It’s the opportunity to be able Ryan Sheckler, pro skateboarder, to do whatever I want on my board.” was in New Orleans Nov. 11, helping Skylar Fein is one of the buildwith plans to expand the city’s first ers of the park, and is proud of the official public skatepark. work he and his fellow builders have Parisite Skatepark opened in Feb- done. He said the skaters were deruary 2015, and has since attracted termined to keep their spirit alive, lots of fans. Named for its proximity and that was their motivation for to Paris Avenue, the park brings a building the new park. After the cool atmosphere in its hidden loca- original park was torn down, skattion beneath a highway overpass. ers were eager to get it back up and “This is basically the coolest do- running. They showed up to the lot it-yourself skatepark I’ve ever seen,” one day with buckets, shovels and Sheckler told The Maroon. bags of concrete, and began buildAccording to USA Today, two to ing ramps. three skateboard parks are built “We deserve this, we get to have each week in the United States. this, and it gets to be beautiful,” Fein However, these parks are not said. “It’s kind of an extended family publically recognized because their here. If you want to be a part of that, builders do not go through the legal all you have to do is show up.” process of establishing them as offiEric Womack, a New Orleans cial city parks. native, also emphasized the imParisite Skatepark was originally portance of community in the built illegally, and later torn down skatepark. He loves the sense of todue to city regulations. getherness that the skatepark has to Skaters united to rebuild it under offer. He began skating about five the I-610 overpass by Paris Avenue years ago, and comes to Parisite to and Pleasure Street, very close to its skate almost every day. original location. This time, howev“[The skatepark] is good for the er, they did whole world,” he things differ- “Skateboarding for me is said. “People from ently. out of town will B u i l d - freedom; it’s pure freedom.” come and we just ers went show them love.” through City — Ryan Sheckler The skatepark is Hall to legal- Pro skateboarder not only popular to ize the park, experienced skaters, making it an also for children and official city park open to the public. teenagers. This way, they ensured it would not Research from the Public Skatebe torn down again due to any type park Development Guide found that of legal regulation. Builders are now 93.7 percent of the 13 million skateworking on extending the park to boarders in the United States are make it bigger and better. younger than 24. Many of Parisite’s Ryan Sheckler visited Parisite regulars agree one of the best things Skatepark, skating around the ramps about the park is that many of the and hanging out with fans after his people who visit are children. foundation donated $10,000 to its Ian Cary has been skateboarding development efforts. The Sheckler for 18 years and said that Parisite Foundation was established as a has something special to offer comway for Sheckler and his family to pared to other skateparks. give back to the community and the “The good thing about this skatesports industry. park is that it’s bringing in a lot of Sheckler began skateboarding as kids to skateboard here, so that’s a toddler and went pro at the age of what I find exciting,” Cary said. 13. He is happy his foundation was Construction of Parisite Skateable to make a donation to the park, park’s extension will begin soon.

hapegg@loyno.edu @haleypegg

HALEY PEGG / The Maroon

Eric Womack performs a pop shove-it in at Parisite Skatepark in New Orleans. Nov. 11, 2016. Parisite skatepark was originally constructed illegally before going through the process of being officially recognized as a legal city park, a rarity among skateparks.

THE MAROON

December 2, 2016

C R O S S W O R D

ACROSS 1. Floating platforms 6. Guy or fellow 10. Haughty sort 14. Creepy starer 15. Top military draft category 16. Skid row denizen 17. German cars bought by Riyadh residents? 19. Not many 20. Releases (on), as an attack dog 21. Cafeteria carriers gone missing? 23. QB’s mishap 24. Tennis icon Arthur 25. Makes a choice 26. Drawing upon 28. 100-yard race 30. Shoulder wrap 32. “Once __ a time ...” 34. PC software 38. Rose of baseball 39. Hard to hear 40. Was a passenger 41. Figure skater’s leap 42. Uncle Remus’s __ Rabbit 43. Nursery-rhyme Jack or his wife 44. Put down, as floor tile 46. “__ my case” 48. Fixes with thread 50. Plastic coffee container designed for a Keurig brewer 51. Sports enthusiast 54. Streamlined onion relatives? 57. Pie à la __ 58. Basketball’s __ “The Pearl” Monroe 59. Stories you’ve heard a bajillion times? 61. Bad to the bone 62. Promgoer’s concern 63. Leaning somewhat 64. Lousy grades 65. Like so 66. Zappos.com inventory DOWN 1. Big name in vermouth 2. A second time

3. Vary irregularly, as prices 4. Koppel and Knight 5. __ Lanka 6. Teeth-and-gums protector 7. Conductor Previn 8. “Star Wars” princess 9. “Piece of cake!” 10. Out-of-tune string instruments? 11. Like Jack 43-Across’s diet 12. Does as directed 13. Curtain call acknowledgments 18. Part of YMCA: Abbr. 22. How-__: instruction books 24. Feel lousy 27. Neato water sources? 28. Insult comic who was a frequent Johnny Carson guest 29. Crumb-carrying insect 30. Relaxation center

31. Put a curse on 33. Dessert with a crust 35. Financial planner’s concern 36. Handheld computer, briefly 37. Go down in the west 39. “The X-Files” gp. 43. Ninth mo. 45. Pop the question 47. Ploy 48. Work really hard 49. Spooky 50. Reeves of “Speed” 52. Dancer Astaire 53. Homes for chicks 54. Future flower 55. J.D.-to-be’s exam 56. __ A Sketch 57. Trig or calc 60. Prof.’s helpers

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RELIGION

December 2, 2016 THE MAROON

International students celebrate Thanksgiving By Chasity Pugh cmpugh@loyno.edu @chasitypugh_

John Amis/AP Exchange

Ruth Ndiagne Dorsey arranges a Kwanzaa setting for a media photo at her church, The Shrine of the Black Madonna, in Atlanta. Kwanzaa, which is celebrated from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1, is an African holiday created in 1966 by Maulana Ron Karenga, a professor at California State University, Long Beach.

Kwanzaa: A time of reflection, celebration and family By Jessamyn Reichmann jjyoung2@loyno.edu @jessamynreich

Kwanzaa is a unique holiday that lands in the middle of Hanukkah, Christmas and New Year’s Eve, but does not receive as much attention. Unlike the Christian and Jewish observances, Kwanzaa is not religious in nature. It is a celebration of culture, community and family mainly by people of African descent throughout the world. This year Kwanzaa will take place between Dec. 26 and Jan. 1. With the rich African culture New Orleans holds, there are various different Kwanzaa celebrations in the Crescent City. The Ashé Cultural Arts Center holds a celebration relating to Kwanzaa in a unique way.

Frederick Delahossaye, Ashé’s community and cultural program assistant, described the upcoming events to look forward to. “Usually we begin the day after Christmas with a candle vigil and introduce each day’s unique purpose; we host various events each day like performances from New Orleans Natives, community dinners and supportive events (like job fairs),” Delahossaye said. Kwanzaa has seven guiding principles derived from Swahili words: Umoja (unity), Kujichagulia (self-determination), Ujima (collective work and responsibility), Ujamaa (cooperative economics), Nia (purpose), Kuumba (creativity) and Imani (faith). Olivia Jones, political science freshman, celebrates the event with

her family and friends each year. She describes the importance of this holiday and how it pertains to her African-American identity. “Kwanzaa has always been a part of my life since I was little. It’s a time where my family and I reflect on the past year like the struggles and achievements we have all experienced,” Jones said. “After we’re done sharing, we usually give gifts, eat food and set out personal goals for the upcoming year, as well as sing songs and share stories passed down through our elders and family members.” Last week, Southern University at New Orleans’ Center for African and African American Studies held an event called “Kwanzaa: A Celebration of African Heritage and Culture” with keynote speaker and poet

Chuck Perkins. Asha Johnson, Southern University pre-med student, shared her experience of the evening’s event. “Kwanzaa is usually seen as a time to think, but Perkins spoke more on civil responsibility,” Johnson said. “He talked about modern racism, but instead of making the audience feel defeated, he kind of initiated a charge within us.” “Chuck shared the poems he articulated throughout the year. My favorite talks about black womanhood in modern America and describes that trials are just a part of life, but your individual actions determine your path in it.” Kwanzaa is more than a time of reflection and motivation; it’s a celebration that values African culture and history.

Loyola celebrates Advent with annual wreath drop By Robert Laurent rjlauren@loyno.edu

As the holidays approach, Loyola University New Orleans celebrated the beginning of the Catholic season of Advent with a university tradition. The annual wreath drop ceremony was held on Sunday, Nov. 27 at 8:30 p.m. Students were encouraged to attend the ceremony, which featured cookies, hot chocolate and apple cider. The wreath drop ceremony celebrates the beginning of a new liturgical year and is reminiscent of the glass ball that drops in New York on New Year’s Eve. During the event, a cord is hung between Bobet Hall and the West Road parking garage, and a lit Christmas wreath is sent sliding down to hang in front of Bobet. For Catholics, Advent is the start

COLLEEN DULLE / The Maroon

A lit Christmas wreath slides down a rope in front of Bobet Hall to ring in a new liturgical year. The Advent Wreath Drop is a longstanding Loyola tradition.

of the liturgical year and the time of year that leads up to Christmas, which celebrates the birth of Jesus.

The season celebrates waiting for the coming of Christ, commemorating both the Jews in the Old Tes-

tament waiting for the coming of the Messiah for thousands of years and Catholics who await the second coming of Jesus. Traditionally, Catholics celebrate Advent by making wreaths. These wreaths have four candles that represent the four weeks of Advent, three purple and one pink. The purple candles represent the first, second and fourth weeks, while the pink represents the third week. Each week, an additional candle is lit as it gets closer to Christmas. The wreath drop ceremony is hosted by Ken Weber, university minister for liturgy and music. He identified Advent as a joyful season. “My favorite part of the celebration is having a bunch of people come together in a festive community for a season we don’t usually celebrate, when leading up to Christmas,” Weber said.

While the Thanksgiving break gave students the opportunity to return home and eat their favorite dishes, for some international students it was their first time celebrating the American holiday. In addition to the university holding holiday programming, Loyola’s International Student Association held its annual Thanksgiving meal and activities for students. During the Thanksgiving meal, the main courses of turkey, mashed potatoes and stuffing are provided and international students are asked to bring a dessert to share with the rest of the group. Ana Raquel Rivas Ruiz, director of activities for the International Student Association, said that activities were also provided for students to participate in such as pin the tail on the turkey and Jenga. “In addition to that, we created leaves where we wanted students to write what they were thankful for this year—and we hung them on a billboard. This was pretty nice because we got to see that most international students feel very safe and comfortable in this group and community. Most of them wrote ‘International Student Association family,’ or friends at Loyola, etc., which was a nice turnout,” Ruiz said. As for Ruiz and International Student Association President Elsa Lacayo, this was not their first time celebrating Thanksgiving in the United States. Ruiz is a native of El Salvador and Lacayo is from Nicaragua. “For Elsa and myself, we were already familiar with the holiday, having been here for three years already; don’t really celebrate it back home, but during the holiday here we always to try to do a ‘Friendsgiving’ since we don’t have family herewhich is also the purpose of hosting the dinner for the rest of international students,” Ruiz said. Ruiz says that both she and Lacayo are very passionate about the international student community at Loyola. “It’s always nice to plan these events and see that they have such good turnouts,” Ruiz said. While some international students celebrated the holiday with the International Student Association, other students decided to attend local Thanksgiving dinners with peers. Mairead Cahill, journalism junior, celebrated her first Thanksgiving this year with friends. Originally from Jersey, England, she said her first taste of Thanksgiving was an interesting one. “Last November, I decided to go home for the Thanksgiving break to be with my family. This year, I ate a massive Thanksgiving dinner with my friend and their family on the Northshore,” Cahill said. Cahill said that she enjoyed her first Thanksgiving with friends in New Orleans. “It was nice to experience this American tradition,” Cahill said.

December 2, 2016

The Maroon

Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP Exchange In this Nov. 10, 2016 file photo, President Barack Obama meets with President-elect Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. President Barack Obama took on America’s problems of a lack of access to health care and high cost, but he and the Democrats paid a political price. Now President-elect Donald Trump has promised to undo much of what Obama put in place while vowing to make the system better for average folks.

Opinions on Obama’s legacy sharply divided By Grant Dufrene gmdufren@loyno.edu

Eight years after his historic election in 2008, Barack Obama will soon leave office as president of the United States, to be replaced by President-elect Donald Trump. According to Roger White, Loyola political science professor, Obama’s inauguration into office as the first black president was a turning point considering the United States’ history of slavery, discrimination and struggle for civil rights. “President Barack Obama has caused a great demographic shift in the country, especially with a multi-

cultural component. There has been more of an emphasis on pluralism, diversity and inclusion than ever before,” White said. But not everyone agrees with the idea that President Obama has done enough for inclusion. “He has been the most divisive president since I can remember, though he claimed he would heal us,” William Barnett, Loyola economics professor, said. Barnett cited Obama’s economic policies, which included greater government intervention in the economy, as the primary reason he feels that Obama failed. “Our country has seen the worst period in its economy since the great depression under the Obama

Administration,” Barnett said. “Obama has doubled the national debt. He’s added about ten trillion dollars, which is almost as much as the entire [legacy] of presidents who came before him.” White disagreed, saying, “President Obama will be remembered for successfully getting us out of the recession that could have been devastating for the country.” “Obama’s stimulus program was a way to infuse money into the economy through construction projects, like roads, bridges and other infrastructure. It seems President-elect Donald Trump took some notes because he is advocating for a similar plan,” White said. “Obama was able to get the un-

employment rate down from double digits to 4.9 percent. Economic growth has been slow, but in the beginning of his term, we were in a negative growth, and now we are at about a 1.9 percent consistent growth.” White also cites foreign policy under Obama as a positive mark of his achievement. “On an international level, President Obama will be recognized as someone who has prevented us from getting ever more deeply involved in foreign conflicts, getting our allies more involved and building a coalition of countries when it comes to involvement in international conflict,” White said. Barnett disagreed, saying that

“too much money has been put into futile military ventures overseas.” President Obama currently enjoys his highest approval rating in years, holding a 53.9 percent rating in the RealClearPolitics average. His highest rating came shortly after taking office in 2009, when it reached 65.5 percent. He has never experienced an average rating below 40 percent at any point during his presidency. According to Gallup, he is the first president since John F. Kennedy to hold this mark, and the only president that served at least a full term to hold it.

In My Opinion Students sharing their opinions on topics

Students should educate themselves on the Electoral College Brianna Daniel Hitory pre-law sophomore bjdaniel@loyno.edu

Hellfire has reigned down upon the Electoral College since the results of the 2016 presidential election were announced. Members of each party can be found in both strong support and wild opposition. Students in all majors at Loyola can be found promoting their opinions and ideas about the Electoral College to their fellow colleagues. With all the commotion surrounding the

Electoral College, one would hope that the arguments from both sides are rooted strongly in history (not pseudohistory) and a thorough analysis of the Constitution. This is not always the case. Here are some things to consider about the Electoral College. The structure of our great nation lies in a sense of distrust. Colonists severed ties with Britain because they distrusted the British government’s ability to rule adequately and fairly. Rhetoric in the Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation and the Constitution feature phrases such as “engage the faith of our respective constituents,” “provide new guards for their future security,” “absolute tyranny,” and “by and with the advice and consent.”

The Framers designed our government to prevent tyranny, which is demonstrated clearly through their language and in the checks and balances established between the branches of government. A sense of distrust existed not only between the Framers and the branches of government, but between the Framers and the people, as well. It can be argued that the Framers distrusted not only the process of democracy, but the common citizens that participated in it. They went back and forth between whether the Congress or the citizens should elect the president of the United States. A compromise resulted in the Constitutional framers’ decision to create the Electoral College. Now flip to Article II Section I in

your pocket Constitution. This section outlines the establishment and process of the Electoral College and the duties of the president. Read it. Read it, again. Now you have the knowledge about the establishment and set-up of the Electoral College. You should also now realize that the abolishment of the Electoral College would require an alteration to the Constitution. Arguments exist stating that the electoral college serves to represent the voices of those who are not normally heard. For example, some argue that without the Electoral College, candidates would only campaign in cities due to the population density in order to garner as many supporters as possible in one sweep as opposed to campaigning to multiple small towns.

Others argue that a direct democratic election would empower all areas since there is no threat that either the rural or the urban areas would overpower the other. There are plenty of other arguments that exist on either side, but legitimacy and accuracy is not always present. However, now that you, reader, have a basic foundation of knowledge in the origins of the Electoral College, you can read against the grain and not take every article as complete truth. You can base your opinions in history and in the Constitution and come to your own conclusions about whether the Electoral College is good for our nation or not. The ball is in your court now to further educate yourself.

Life &Times

December 2, 2016

Film • Arts • Food • Music • Leisure • Nightlife

ZAYN ABIDIN/The Maroon

World renowned violonist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg instructs a student in Nunemaker Hall during one of her master classes. Salerno-Sonnenberg began her tenure as an artist in residence in fall 2016, and she set a goal to turn the university’s chamber orchestra into a conductorless ensemble, which she achieved.

Resident artist revamps chamber orchestra By Andrew Callaghan atcallag@loyno.edu

The College of Music and Fine Arts’ resident artist, Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, has transformed the university’s chamber orchestra into a conductorless ensemble over the last year. The chamber orchestra is a large ensemble which features string instruments, woodwinds, brass and percussion. The ensemble’s musicians are divided into physical sections respective to their instrument

type. Typically, a conductor leads the ensemble, often with a baton. However, Salerno-Sonnenberg’s philosophy is that a group is stronger without a singular conductor, adding that it “develops their sense and ability to listen.” “They cannot be reliant on anyone but themselves,” Salerno-Sonnenberg said of the musicians. “They own the performance. And when a musician has developed this keen ability to listen and hear everything that is going on in any particular piece, they are superior musicians without a doubt.”

Salerno-Sonnenberg is an internationally acclaimed classical violinist and graduate of The Juilliard School. In 1999, she was awarded the Avery Fischer award for excellence in music. She is also the music director of San-Francisco based musical group, the New Century Chamber Orchestra. Last fall, Loyola introduced Salerno-Sonnenberg as the school’s first resident music artist. In her year of residency, she visited Loyola in four 10-day increments. Jean Montes, director of orchestras, believes the chamber orchestra

has evolved significantly throughout Salerno-Sonnenberg’s residency. “Their level of responsibility and awareness becomes much more intense, like a reflex. They have to take charge at times, because there’s not somebody telling them when to come in,” Montes said. Montes praised the way Salerno-Sonnenberg was able to play alongside the ensemble while simultaneously teaching them how to be independent leaders. “She was like a quarterback. Playing solo, but also leading,” Montes said. “In doing so, [she] created little

quarterbacks. Little leaders. Like the saints did the other day ... the trick now is to have multiple quarterbacks, so that any point, any section leaders can lead.” Salerno-Sonnenberg said her experience as resident artist was very gratifying. “I’m so proud of these kids. What they have learned in such a short period of time is something they will take with them forever. And it [was] an honor to share this experience with them.”

Alumnus DJ Coolhand reflects on new success and Jesuit education By Caleb Beck cmbeck@loyno.edu @CalebBeckIRL

An established New York-based DJ and Loyola alumnus is set to return to New Orleans on Dec. 10, bringing with him over ten years of performing experience. Performing under the name DJ Coolhand, Luke Joachim, A’14, has garnered an impressive list of accolades since graduating, putting his music industry studies degree to good use. Today, Coolhand has toured the United States, opened for the likes of the Wu-Tang Clan, Young Money and Miguel, and currently maintains a DJ residency at The Delancey, a lounge and music venue in New York. “The only reason I have any level of success in this industry is because I show up to venues and answer emails,” Coolhand told The Maroon. Coolhand began DJing in high school in his hometown of Oakland, California, by attending audio engineering programs after school. He steadily began developing his interest in a music career.

“Oakland is a historically rough town, and while I loved hip-hop from a young age, I found hip-hop culture to be very competitive. Electronic music was much more welcoming and I found DJing to be an open, eclectic format. I began learning how to mix vinyl tracks and worked to promote shows in high school,” Coolhand said. By Coolhand’s senior year of high school, he was playing packed nightclubs across the San Francisco Bay area. The producer said that Loyola’s music industry studies program was key to navigating the challenges he faced in his career. “In a cutthroat industry like this, there can be a lot of false promises from people you meet,” Coolhand said. “The Jesuit ideals I learned from Loyola and the tribe of like-minded individuals I found in the major help keep me professional and humble.” Coolhand’s peers and professors in the music industry studies program are impressed to see how far he’s come since graduating two years ago. Tony Stancampiano, mu-

sic industry senior, fondly remembers Luke as a humble artist and classmate. “It was a pleasure to know Coolhand. Whether it was through music or just conversation, he had a way of relating to everybody. It doesn’t surprise me at all to hear about his recent collabs; he’s got the talent and, more importantly, the attitude to cut it up with the industry’s best,” Stancampiano said. When asked what advice he could offer aspiring DJs and artists, Coolhand emphasized that artists need to be creative in order to host a great experience. “DJ’s need to be able to read the crowd, be it a wedding, a bar mitzvah or a club, and play to the audience based on what they see. I’d recommend exploring all different types of music, learning to beatmatch and putting yourself out there so others can discover you. Above all, you can never give up on learning your craft,” Coolhand said. DJ Coolhand will perform at Barcadia, located on 601 Tchopitoulas Street, on Dec. 10 from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Courtesy of Zach Breaux

Luke Joachim, A’14, performs under the name DJ Coolhand, and he is performing again in New Orleans at Baracadia on Dec. 10 from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.

THE MAROON

December 2, 2016

‘The Clock’ film makes southern premiere By Davis Walden jdwalden@loyno.edu @DavisWald

You lose track of time staring at a clock. That is what audience members can expect with Christian Marclay’s “The Clock,” a 24 hour compilation of film clips that present themselves as a functional clock. Christian Marclay, a Swiss-American artist, explores connections between sound, photography, and film. “The Clock” is not his first compilation. Marclay presented “Telephones” in 1995, which, like “The Clock” uses a video compilation of telephone film clips, as well as “Crossfire,” a 2007 piece that has clips of actors handling and discharging weapons at viewers. “The Clock” uses film reels from various nationalities, sampling both well-known and obscure movie choices. Viewers may recognize some films that are more notable than others, such as “The Pawnshop” from 1916, which starred Charlie Chaplin, or 2009 film “The Taking of Pelham 123” starring Denzel Washington and John Travolta. The film took three years to make, according to Emily Wilkerson, curatorial associate of Prospect New Orleans, a citywide celebration of contemporary art. Wilkinson helped organize the screening in New Orleans, which required some construction on the venue.

“We built out the gallery and worked with the Solomon Group to install carpet and all the curtains, and there are two projectors and a great computer system running it,” Wilkerson said of the two week long installation. Viewers enter the exhibit on a first-come, first-serve basis and sit down on the exhibit’s couches for as long as they like. “It’s quite a feat,” Wilkerson said. “There are people who will sit down for four hours and begin to notice a theme.” Sampling from decades of film, “The Clock” uses the time being shown or said in movies to create a real-time clock. Filmmaker Paul Anton Smith gathered clips by helping Marclay watch movies, Wilkerson said. Smith aided in the installation of the project at the Contemporary Art Museum and ran the technical rehearsals of the screening. “I love the way it all ties together. I love that it’s tied to time,” Lanie Dornier, chairwoman of the department of kinesiology at Louisiana Tech University, said. “It draws you in. Once you start watching, you can hardly stop watching it.” “The Clock” will be presented at the Contemporary Art Center until Dec. 4 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and run on a continuous daylong period on the weekend of Nov. 25. It is free and open to the public.

DAVIS WALDEN/ The Maroon

People watch “The Clock,” a 24 hour film installation that compiles clips from movies telling the time to complete a daylong cycle. The installation is playing in New Orleans through early December.

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The Maroon

December 2, 2016

WORLDVIEW briefs Flames erupt at house on Calhoun Street No one was harmed as a twoalarm fire engulfed a house in the 2100 block of Calhoun Street on Monday evening. Neighbors reported seeing a large fire erupting from the house’s attic before being quickly put out by firefighters who arrived on the scene at around 7:15 p.m. A Gofundme has been set up for residents of the house, with a goal of raising $5,000. Within the first four hours, it had raised nearly $4,000. No official word on the cause has been released. A spokesman for the New Orleans Fire Department said the case is still under investigation.

Walgreens to offer drug stopping heroin overdose With the Office of National Drug Control Policy saying more Americans die every day from drug overdoses than from motor vehicle crashes, Walgreens has decided to join the fight against drug abuse. As part of Walgreens’ national plan, their Louisiana pharmacies will no longer require customers to have a prescription to purchase naloxone, a medication used to reverse the effects of opioid overdoses. They currently offer the overdose antidote in 24 states, and intend to expand their provision of naloxone across 35 states and Washington D.C. in accordance with each state’s pharmacy regulations. When the program is complete almost 8,200 Walgreen’s stores across the country, including more than 150 in Louisiana, will carry the drug for over-the-counter use.

Bike sharing coming to New Orleans in late 2017 The New Orleans city council has approved a plan for Social Bicycles, a bicycle sharing company, to bring bike sharing to New Orleans beginning in late 2017. Bike sharing programs where bikes are rented out from public stations have become increasingly popular in cities, with the Mineta Transportation Institute stating there are systems currently set up in 712 cities worldwide. The exact cost for the bike rentals has not yet been announced, but The Gambit reports that prices are expected to be at $8 per hour, with a $15 monthly plan that would allow bike use for up to one hour per day.

Big Mac creator dies at 98 (AP) – You probably don’t know his name, but you’ve almost certainly devoured his creation: two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun. Michael James “Jim” Delligatti, the McDonald’s franchisee who created the Big Mac nearly 50 years ago and saw it become perhaps the best-known fast-food sandwich in the world, died Monday at home in Pittsburgh. Delligatti, who according to his son ate at least one 540-calorie Big Mac a week for decades, was 98. Delligatti also helped introduce breakfast service at McDonald’s, developing the hotcakes and sausage meal to feed hungry steelworkers on their way home from overnight shifts in the mills, his family said.

The Maroon

Etefia Umana, mass communication senior, lead a protest his sophomore year after the grand jury announced it would not indict Darren Wilson, the police officer who shot Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. The protest reached a temporary standstill outside Tulane’s library, where a security guard blocked the door.

To Protect and Serve Law enforcement is here to keep us safe, but what happens when they’re the ones doing harm?

By Chasity Pugh cmpugh@loyno.edu @chasitypugh_

On Wednesday, Nov. 2, six people were arrested at Dillard University of New Orleans while protesting against ex-Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard David Duke who was participating in a debate at the university. Met with Tasers, pepper spray and force, protestors and organizers were left battered and confused— the law enforcement hired to protect these students instead was putting them in danger. One of the six protestors taken into police custody was Max Wilde, an organizer with Take ‘Em Down NOLA and the New Orleans Workers Group. As a community member and recent graduate, he joined with student organizers in support. “An open white supremacist being allowed to speak on this majority black campus speaks volumes about the priorities of school administration and the education system in general. Dillard students and their safety are not priorities to the establishment, and I was there to support them in their efforts to stand up for themselves,” Wilde said. When the group Socially Engaged

Police violence is a national issue, Dillard University Students showed up with a list of demands, universi- though. According to the Washington ty officials ignored them. And when students began protesting and Post, 878 people have been killed walking into the building Duke oc- by police in 2016 with 17 of these occurring in the state of Louisiana. cupied, they were met with force. In July 2016, the shooting of Alton “Even after the demands were ignored, the march still only con- Sterling by two Baton Rouge police sisted of vocally making our posi- officers caused a stir in the media, tion known and marching, as we are heightened racial tensions and bewell within our rights to do. When gan the forming of protests across students attempted to walk into a Louisiana. Daniel Garribuilding they marketing also were well “If we look at police violence son, sophomore, said within their that police vioright to enter; more scientifically and lence is compapolice began historically, there’s no need rable to a global to push back in to wonder what the role of pandemic. order to defend “Darker skin David Duke police is, who and what people and mifrom us,” Wilde they defend, and who and norities all around said. the world are sufAs students what they repress.” fering at alarming began to pro— Max Wilde rates. It especialtest more, unily has become a versity police Organizer, Take ‘em Down NOLA painful disease for grew more African-Americans and Americans forceful. “Pushing and shoving and pep- of Latin decent,” Garrison said. “Police have weapons. Police per spraying and baton waving aside, one cop straight up slapped have legal power to use those weapa girl. They were of course violent ons when they see fit. The question and on a couple occasions we had of whether or not unarmed, legally to defend our people against that oppressed people are being violent towards armed, militarized police violence,” Wilde said.

forces is sort of odd. Oppression is violent. Resistance against oppression is empathetic,” Wilde said. While students and community members remain disappointed in the way city police departments have been inflicting violence upon citizens, they have now turned their distrust to college police enforcement since the Dillard incident. “Basically, if we look at police violence more scientifically and historically, there’s no need to wonder what the role of police is, who and what they defend, and who and what they repress. Police have, since their foundation, been designed to maintain white supremacy and mass exploitation. When we defend ourselves, it is their job to stop us,” Wilde said. Wilde said that he is proud of his community and of the students at Dillard University. “Standing up against state violence is the only way to stop it, and it was heart warming to be among so many people who innately understood that. I have no surprising feelings about the way police treated us because that’s just what police do,” Wilde said. Dillard University Police Department and NOPD could not be reached for comment on this story.

December 2. 2016

The Maroon

Loyola theatre delivers social justice message By Davis Walden jdwalden@loyno.edu @DavisWald

This semester, Loyola’s theatre arts department put on two productions: Eugene O’Neill’s “Beyond the Horizon” and “The House That Will Not Stand,” written by New Orleans native Marcus Gardley. Both productions evoked social justice themes, something Laura Hope, chairwoman of the department, said has become a criteria for her when selecting which plays the department will pursue. After becoming chairwoman in January of this year, Hope said she made a promise to choose one classic play, one new play and one musical each year to educate students on different types of theatrical performances. In addition, Hope said she is devoted to picking productions that have one or more social justice components. “I promised greater diversity so that the plays we do are a better reflection not only of the campus community, but of the city at large,” Hope said. For this season, Hope looked to the College of Music and Fine Arts’ artistic theme “The Creative American Spirit” and chose American plays she felt reflected that. “Beyond the Horizon,” directed by guest artist Mark Routhier, was the first major production of the fall semester and dealt with a family struggling with the gloomy reality of the American Dream. Next semester, the theatre arts department will perform “The Spitfire Grill,” a musical based on the movie of the same name. Directed by theater professor Patrick Gendusa, the play will focus on the American criminal justice system. This season’s most recent production, “The House That Will Not Stand,” directed by Hope, chronicles a family of free women of color living in New Orleans during the early 1800s. The family struggles with the ramifications of the Louisiana Purchase and learns what it means to be both female and African American in 19th century America. Hope said she knew the play would send a powerful message. “At the time I chose the play, I didn’t know what the rhetoric of this election would be. I didn’t know

Courtesy of Kyle Encar

Students perform in “The House That Will Not Stand“ this semester at Loyola. The show was part of the theater department’s social justice themed season.

there would be so much misogynistic and racially charged language,” Hope said. “I think the theater is one of the few places where you see a different viewpoint being put out there and are asked to deal with someone’s humanity.” Alana Walker, computer information systems freshman, said she recommended “The House That Will Not Stand” to all her friends after seeing the show. “The play was so amazing, so empowering and had a sense of culture,” Walker said. When choosing each semester’s plays, Hope said she also listens to the suggestions of other theater fac-

ulty members and considers what types of shows will sell tickets. Once the upcoming year’s season is announced in March each year, production schedules are made, and faculty members determine the campus location for each show. Following auditions, the rehearsal process begins. Hope said it usually lasts about a month. During that time, the theater department’s stagecraft classes, taught by Professor George Johnson, build the set. With about 70 undergraduates in the theater department, Hope estimates 25-50 students work on each production. She said students outside of the theater program are wel-

come to audition for plays and help with technical aspects. Talia Moore, musical theater freshman, was cast in “The House That Will Not Stand” and said a huge amount of work goes into making productions the best they can be. She said this show in particular took a lot of work because it incorporated acting, singing and dancing. “I think this is the best play I could have done my first semester,” Moore said. “It’s a cast full of black women, and it’s empowering. It’s a sad story, but at the end of the day, it’s so much more than a play. It’s a message.” Theater freshman Kevin Agu-

lar had similar sentiments when it came to being cast in his first Loyola production, “Beyond the Horizon.” “There is a sort of magic that comes to light in theater,” he said. “Being part of a great cast has been one of my most memorable experiences so far.” According to the theater department, students will collaborate and perform “The Spitfire Grill” next semester, which is set to take place during the weekends of March 24 and 30. “I’m hoping that we can have a conversation with our audiences while also presenting high quality artistry,” Hope said.

Pets in dorm rooms comfort college students in New Orleans By Colleen Dulle mcdulle@loyno.edu @ColleenDulle

Barks, panting and scampering paws have become common sounds in the residence halls at Loyola University and other New Orleans colleges despite longstanding rules against non-fish pets. Dorms at Loyola are now home to six emotional support animals, which differ from service animals because the animals don’t receive special training. Instead, they comfort students who need them. Eric Aufderhar, a Loyola special needs counselor, said students can have support animals approved with a doctor’s note. “It needs to be explicit saying that the student or individual would benefit from an emotional support

animal,” Aufderhar said. Tulane, Xavier, Dillard and the University of New Orleans have similar policies and rules. Victoria Hedin, a Loyola mass communication freshman who keeps an emotional support dog named Paisley in her dorm, said it was easy to get a doctor’s note because she suffers from anxiety and depression. “It helps a lot, having that comfort,” Hedin said. “She sleeps with me at night, and just knowing that she’ll be there when I need her is really nice.” Hedin said that she adopted Paisley to comfort her as she got used to being far from her family who lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. After talking to staff at the Office of Disability Services, students need to get permission from the Office of Residential Life. This step ensures that the animal is healthy and

well-behaved. The office also gets approval from the student’s roommate. “I had to write out a very detailed list of care for Olivia,” Loyola student Dejah Tanner said about her cat. Aufderhar said that emotional support animals can serve a variety of needs. “A lot of times, it’s having something comforting, something living in the dorm that’s not your roommate that can comfort you,” Aufderhar said. Tanner said that Olivia is very popular in the dorm. “Everyone likes to come and play with her because they are like ‘I’m very stressed,’” Tanner said. After getting her doctor’s note approved, Tanner said she and her roommate went straight to Petco to pick out Olivia. Freshmen Skylar Arnold said all

CHRISTIAN BESHEL / The Maroon Victoria Hedin, mass communication freshman, pets her emotional support dog, Paisley, on her bed in Buddig Hall. Every university in New Orleans now allows emotional support animals in the dorms.

her friends come to play with her dog Blue. “I think that’s one of the best parts of having an emotional animal is that everybody loves your emo-

tional animal,” Arnold said. “It is great for socialization.”

Christian Beshel contributed to this story.

SPORTS

December 2, 2016 The Maroon

Men’s basketball finds early season success By Starlight Williams slwillia@loyno.edu @star_lightw

Even with the loss of five players last season and injuries to a few key players this season, the Loyola’s men’s basketball team is matching adversity with success. Nearly a third of the way through the 2016-17 season, Stacy Hollowell, head basketball coach for the team, said that even though the team is young, the players have really stepped up to fill in the gaps. “It’s evolving, and it changed the way we defend. They hold each other up and step in to fill the void, but sometimes it’s a little bit like stock. Sometimes guys are hot, sometimes they aren’t, and we kind of go with the trends,” Hollowell said. Eric Brown, sophomore guard, has become the Wolf Pack’s most productive bench player—averaging 8.3 points per game off the bench. Brown said that he’s fortunate for the opportunity to rise to the occasion when needed, and he looks forward to improving as the season goes on. “We got a few people out so I feel like when my time has been called I have stepped in and did pretty well,” Brown said. “Personally, I want to work on myself defensively because offensively I know I am a very talented player, but defensively, I feel like I’m not always focused as I should be, so going harder in practice every day should get that mentality up.” Hollowell said that he wants his team to be prepared for every remaining opponent on the schedule. “I’m very strategic. We watch a lot of video to analyze the strength and weakness of our opponents. I just want the guys to be as well-prepared as possible,” Hollowell said. “Knowing our opponents, knowing what we do best and that they always go out and execute. It’s a simple game, so we try to keep it simple.” However, while Hollowell can coach the team to play their best, he leaves it to them to get motivated to play. “I’m probably the weakest at getting the guys hyped,” Hollowell said. “But when it comes to energizing the team, they are a lot better at doing it themselves than I am.” Nick Parker, the Wolf Pack’s leading scorer, claims that a particular teammate has assumed the team’s leadership role, injecting motivation

@j_e_casey

Loyola’s cross country team saw momentous success this past season with the arrival of a new head coach, who has already made an enormous impact on the program. Several athletes posted personal records this season, and the team found its first National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics national qualifier since 2006 in sophomore Anthony Rizzi. The team’s sudden improvement can be largely attributed to the new hire at the head coaching position: Coach Nick Dodson. Dodson has had an extensive career in collegiate athletics as a player, coach and director, serving most recently with Southern States Athletic Confer-

Women’s basketball defeats Millsaps at home The women’s basketball team rebounded well after their heartbreaking 63-61 loss to Oklahoma City on Friday, Nov. 25. with a dominant 31 point win over Millsaps on Monday, Nov. 28. The Wolf Pack came out scoring early and got up to a 21-10 lead by the end of the first quarter. The Majors however, were able to tighten the margin in the second quarter to make it 37-24 in favor of Loyola at the half. In the second half, the Wolf Pack took over and they didn’t let up. Loyola ended the fourth quarter on a 10-0 run, securing the 84-53 victory. Senior Meghan Temple continued her exceptional play, leading Loyola with 16 points and eight rebounds. The Wolf Pack advance to 5-2 on the season with their latest victory.

Anthony Rizzi competes in NAIA nationals

STARLIGHT WILLIAMS / The Maroon

Biology junior Robert White and computer science sophomore Tre’Von Jasmine practice with head coach Stacey Hollowell and assistant coach Ryan Brock at First NBC Court. The team is on a four game winning streak.

and passion into his teammates. “I try to bring high energy, especially on defense, because our coaches stress defense makes the offense come, but it’s really Johnny,” Parker said of teammate Johnny Griffin, Jr. “He is the one that brings all the energy before the game and is our motivator.” Playing his last season of college basketball, senior forward Griffin isn’t just the team’s leader. Griffin is arguably the Wolf Pack’s most

valuable player—averaging 14.8 points per game and 11 rebounds per game. “My mentality on the court offensively is that there ain’t nobody who can guard me, and defensively, I can guard anyone,” Griffin said. “That’s what I do. I put my mind into saying it because if you put it in your head, you will be able to do it.” While Griffin plays his best for himself, he said he wants the whole team to push themselves because

he wants the younger players to get a championship experience. “I hope that we will be able to gel together and really do something special by the end of the season, like win a ring or get to the national tournament, because I know it will be a great experience for the young guys,” Griffin said. The Wolf Pack currently stand at 6-2 on the season and are in the midst of a four-game win streak.

Cross Country team showing steady improvement under coach Dodson By John Casey jecasey@loyno.edu

Sports briefs

ence rival Brewton-Parker College as the director of track and field and cross country. Dodson has changed many aspects of the team at Loyola since his arrival. He has intensified training and increased team morale. As a result, the team has seen continuous improvement and the number of injuries this season is remarkably fewer than last. Hernan Espinal, international business sophomore, is a member of the team who believes Dodson was a perfect selection to lead the program. “Just seeing how [Dodson] turned around the team culture this semester gives me a lot of hope for the future of this program,” Espinal said. He hails Dodson for his success in motivating the team, saying Dodson truly motivates his athletes to

love what they do and consistently reminds them that they will be great. He backs up this motivation through their training. Dodson points to the team’s performance at the 11th annual Jacksonville State University Foothills Invitational as a clear example of how far his team has come. “It’s a testament to the training and the things we’ve done throughout the year,” Dodson said. Loyola saw runners set seven lifetime personal records and nine season personal records at the meet. On the women’s team, Dodson praised freshman Tristin Sanders, who he says is a remarkably determined and hard working athlete. “She shows up on the big stage,” Dodson said. “Had she not been sick during conference, I believe she would’ve made the NAIA all-fresh-

man team.” In regards to the men’s team, Dodson spoke highly of Anthony Rizzi. Rizzi is the first member of the Loyola cross country program to qualify for the NAIA National Championship since 2006. Rizzi finished 280 out of 332 runners in the championship, four minutes behind the first place finisher. “He [Rizzi] shows up at game time and sets the standard,” Dodson said. Overall, not only is Dodson happy with this past season’s performance, but he is hopeful for the future. In addition to his current squad, Dodson believes his incoming 2017 class is filled to the brim with prospective talent and is excited to have them at the collegiate level.

On Saturday, Nov. 19, Anthony Rizzi competed in the National Intercollegiate Athletic National Championship, placing 280th out of 332 runners. Rizzi finished the race with a time of 27:51:70 to cap off his sophomore season. Rizzi led the Wolf Pack throughout the course of the season, finishing the highest in every event for the men’s team. Rizzi set a personal-record in the 8K on Oct. 15 at the Berry Invitational with a time of 27:39 and posted the highest placing of his career, coming in seventh at the Southern States Athletic Conference Championships on Nov. 4. According to Loyola Athletics, Rizzi gained All-SSAC honors for the second time while earning a spot on the SSAC All-Academic team.

Saints pour 49 points on the Rams and capture fifth win of season Drew Brees accounted for five touchdowns in the Saints 49-21 win over the Los Angeles Rams on Nov. 27. Brees connected with rookie standout Michael Thomas for 108 yards and two touchdowns in the win as the Saints advanced to 5-6 on the season. The Rams were led by rookie quarterback Jared Goff, who threw for three touchdowns in the first half as the Saints entered halftime with a 28-21 lead. After giving up three touchdowns in the first half, the Saints defense clamped down and held the Rams scoreless the rest of the game. A pair of 21 yard touchdown passes from Brees to Mark Ingram and Thomas, respectively, put the game away, but the Saints weren’t finished. The Saints continued to pour it on their former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams as Willie Snead hit Tim Hightower for a 50 yard touchdown pass on a trick play that gave the Saints a 49-21 lead early in the fourth quarter. The Saints advance to 5-6 on the season and will host the (7-4) Detroit Lion in Superdome on Sunday, Dec. 4.

December 2. 2016

THE MAROON

Medical marijuana could serve as anti-epileptic alternative New research opportunities through the DEA may advance clinical medication trials for treatment-resitant epilepsy

ANNA DOBROWOSKI/ The Maroon

By Jamal Melancon jmmelancl@loyno.edu @Jam_M_Mel

On Feb. 28, 2015, Frédéric Whitaker, the younger brother of Charles Whitaker, A’16, died when he had a seizure in the shower and hit his head on the faucet. He suffered from epilepsy. “I think before it happened, I’d never known anybody or heard of anybody dying from an epilepsy-related incident, so it was definitely a wake-up call of how seriously it affects the family of people with epilepsy,” said Joseph Allen, computer science junior at Tulane, who graduated from Benjamin Franklin High School with Frédéric Whitaker. When asked how the death affected the Benjamin Franklin community, music industry studies junior Rai Chamber said she thought it shook the school’s alumni who graduated with Whitaker in 2014. “A shocking number of people that we knew in our Franklin class have passed since Fred passed away, and that was just really shocking,” Chambers said. “I did wish that I got to know him better when he was alive.” “When I first heard about it, I was in my dorm,” said Louisiana State University engineering junior William Abbot. “I didn’t talk to anybody for a day; I just basically threw my phone away.” Frédéric Whitaker regularly smoked marijuana, and Abbot said he may have smoked so much because he thought it really helped with his epilepsy disorder. “I think it helped. I think it really did help, but I’m sure the medications helped more,” Abbot said. Medical marijuana may currently be viewed as an appealing alternative for epilepsy medication, especially treatment-resistant forms of epilepsy, but conclusive research on the issue isn’t available. According to the National Institute of Neurological

Disorders and Stroke, the risk of seizures increases from the potency of medication potentially diminishing over time, and people with treatment-resistant epilepsy may have up to hundreds of seizures a day or one seizure a year with possibly disabling or lethal consequences. “There are people who have multiple seizures every day who can’t live a regular life, where their brain has not been given the chance to even develop because of how severe their case of epilepsy is,” Zach Brien, A’16 and Benjamin Franklin alumnus, said. Brien was diagnosed with juvenile miltonic epilepsy about five years ago and said that not getting enough sleep puts him at risk for his particular case. “I’ve had to change medicine levels and things of that nature, but for the most part, I’ve been on the same medication the whole time,” Brien said. Brien said he thought what happened to Frédéric Whitaker was frightening because he himself has fallen and smacked his head on occasion due to seizures. “From my point of view, we should be doing everything we can to help these people. Nothing should be off the table,” Brien said. Nicole R. Villemarette-Pittman, administrative director of research at the Louisiana State University Epilepsy Center of Excellence, said a big problem with medical marijuana in treating epilepsy has been its “absolute lack of effectiveness” as shown in early studies. Because of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s classifying of marijuana as a schedule I drug, accumulating research for the plant has been difficult and has not featured large-scale clinical trials, like with other tested drugs the federal gov-

ernment says are safe. Doctors can also be hesitant to prescribe or recommend the plant, even in states with medical marijuana dispensaries, since the plant is federally illegal. “It’s this big circular problem of how just legalizing doesn’t make it accessible or effective,” Villemarette-Pittman said. This August, the DEA rejected two petitions to reschedule marijuana. In their report, they reviewed 11 clinical studies as recent as 2013 that met their criteria, but the studies overall failed to provide sufficient evidence for marijuana being used as an acceptable medical treatment in the United States. Although the drug is still illegal under the federal law, there is hope for those looking for ailment relief through marijuana. In rejecting petitions, the DEA also announced a policy change to foster research. The agency expanded the number of potentially registered marijuana manufacturers that are authorized to grow the plant for research purposes. Prior to this announcement, only the University of Mississippi could supply the marijuana used in research. The drug is also making progress in being available medically in Louisiana. Governor John Bel Edwards signed the Louisiana medical marijuana bill this May, and LSU is one of two authorized schools in Louisiana in the planning stages for supplying the state with medical marijuana, which will be given to 10 marijuana pharmacies to be selected by the state. LSU and Southern University are slated to be the first institutions

in the nation to begin a medical marijuana program that focuses on supplying the drug to patients. “I’m really shocked that this is happening,” Abbot said. Charles Whitaker said that he thinks the nation could see marijuana legalized across the country in our lifetime. “It’d be ridiculous that marijuana is still looked at in the eyes in the law like cocaine or more harmful drugs. I think it’s clear that there’s a lot of medicinal benefits.” But Villemarette-Pittman explained that anecdotal success stories are not enough. “A lot of people that self-medicate say that it helps them, but in fact, there’s really no way of knowing that.” Even with patients that suffer from epilepsy having medical marijuana dispensaries available, it may be difficult to tell how effective each marijuana dose may be for each individual diagnosed with epilepsy. There are the variables of different marijuana strains, the number of dosages to take and adverse side effects to consider. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are over 30 different types of seizures that exist. “It’s not just about access, it’s about getting access to a reliable amount of medication, as you want it prescribed,” Villemarette-Pittman said.

Time will tell if the DEA’s action to open up the opportunities for marijuana research end with studies producing more sound results from medication such as epidiolex, a liquid drug derived from cannabis used to treat some cases of epilepsy, according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse. There are currently four active studies listed by the U.S. National Institutes of Health regarding epilepsy and marijuana research. One study is analyzing the genetic differences between responders who suffer from the case of epilepsy known as Dravet Syndrome who benefit from the marijuana strain Charlotte’s Web and those that suffer from this case of epilepsy but do not benefit from the strain. This kind of study is looking to reveal how marijuana may have an anti-epileptic effect. Abbot said he thinks that once a state has passed medical marijuana, recreational use is not far from becoming legal; however, he thinks less attention should be geared to “just getting high” and more on beneficial research. Allen explained that he thinks there might be supporters of marijuana that want the drug to be recreational, so they support medical marijuana implementation. “And I think that’s probably a bad thing. Recreational is recreational. I think that the more research and documentation, the better,” Allen said. According to Villemarette-Pittman, people who have seizures will always have a fall risk, and that presents potential lethality. “I remember his [Whitaker’s] father talking during the funeral,” Abbot said. “He was saying that they never really thought that it would take his life like that. It was a shock to everybody, but people kind of expected it. Everyone that was there, I think, realized that it [epilepsy] can be much more dangerous than an occasional seizure; it can actually take your life.”

EDITORIAL

December 2, 2016 THE MAROON

OUR EDITORIAL

The majority opinion of our editorial board

HOWLS & GROWLS

RESEARCH THE GREEN Dispelling the ambiguity of medical marijuana’s effectiveness is important before planting a seed for supporting federal legalization

HOWL to still being stuffed from Thanksgiving GROWL to Monroe Library being over crowded during finals HOWL to Coach Kellie Kennedy breaking the Loyola record for all time wins GROWL to the Cuban regime HOWL to death of Fidel Castro GROWL to 3 a.m. tweets HOWL to less than three weeks of school left

EDITORIAL BOARD Colleen Dulle

Editor-in-Chief

Lauren Saizan

Managing Editor for Print

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Managing Editor for

Popular support for marijuana legislation appears to be on a steady path to creating full legalization, especially for medical measures, but there lies a huge problem in how legalization is happening: we’re getting ahead of ourselves in what we know. Marijuana may serve to act as a great alternative or even innovative medicine, but how can we be so sure? The federal government is correct: we need more research. Supporting medical marijuana may seem like a no-brainer, but because different state medical marijuana laws and the federal law of marijuana as a schedule I drug are in conflict, research through larger scale clinical trials has been mostly non-existent. Doctors do not wish to readily prescribe to their patients a drug that could potentially cost them their practicing license, especially now that the country is awaiting a new federal administration.

Back in August, the Drug Enforcement Administration published their responses for rejecting two petitions for rescheduling marijuana, which remains a schedule I controlled substance. The DEA cited 11 clinical studies as recent as 2013 that met their criteria, but that overall failed to provide sufficient evidence for marijuana being used as an acceptable medical treatment in the United States. The DEA did, however, change their policy to allow more than just the University of Mississippi to be authorized to grow marijuana to supply research purposes. New entities may now apply to become registered with the DEA, so they can distribute the drug for research purposes authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Although still federally illegal, marijuana legislation showed

its progress in this year’s election results, which legalized recreational use for California, Maine, Massachusetts and Nevada, while medical marijuana passed in Arkansas, Florida and North Dakota. The country’s priorities in observing use and distribution of this drug is becoming increasingly important now that medical marijuana is legal in 28 states, and the most populous state in the country, California, has now legalized recreational use. Now that the DEA’s policy is open to more than one entity researching medical marijuana, many more people are in a position to take action in their advocacy. Research should be, and is, the leading component that can lead to federal legaliza-

tion. The more common large clinical trials are, the quicker we can ensure people are helped as much as possible in safe ways with medical marijuana. The days of medical experts “recommending” medical marijuana for patients to go to dispensaries to obtain will seem primitive when there’s conclusive, scientific evidence of the many specifics of marijuana components, such as what specific marijuana strains contain components to aid specific medical issues. As those committed to pursuing just approaches and ideals in the world of academia, it is up to us to support institutions and entities willing to supply the leaf product necessary to conduct research and help experts produce telling, detailed results, and achieve legal policies that benefit people and prevent harm.

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EDITORIAL POLICY The editorial on this page represents the majority opinions of The Maroon’s editorial board and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Loyola University. Letters and columns reflect the opinions of the authors and not necessarily those of The Maroon’s editorial board. The Maroon does not represent the opinion of administration, staff and/or faculty members of Loyola. Letters are subject to editing for length, grammar and style. Please limit submissions to 400 words. Submissions are due no later than 4 p.m. the Sunday before publication. Please send all submissions — The Maroon, 6363 St. Charles Ave., Box 64, New Orleans, LA 70118. Email us your letters — letter@ loyno.edu. Submissions may also be made online at www.loyolamaroon.com.

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OPINION

December 2, 2016 The Maroon

Please don’t tell me not to celebrate Castro’s death Dannielle Garcia

Mass communication senior dcgarcia@loyno.edu

My whole life I have been told by my grandparents that they will never return to Cuba until the Castro brothers are gone and communism on the island is dead. Growing up in Miami, Fidel Castro was a household name, a name that we could freely and openly curse as we pleased unlike those in Cuba who have neighborhood spies watching for people who talk badly about the government. I learned very early on that he was the reason my family lost everything – their businesses, their homes, their money, their schools – and why so many families were separated and risked it all to come to a safer America. My grandmother was 9 years old and her two older sisters were 12 and 14 years old when they came to Florida with nothing but $5, the clothes they could carry in a small bag and whatever jewelry fit into the secret pockets sewn into their purse. Their father, my great grandfather, could not leave because he was a doctor. They came without their parents because coming here alone was safer than staying there together. My grandfather’s family, like many others who bear the same struggle, was wealthy in Cuba. He came to America at the age of 13 after the Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961, when his school, Belen Jesuit, was seized by the Castro regime. When his parents came later, they went from being millionaires to factory workers, where they worked until they were well into their 80s. On Friday night, Nov. 25, I was getting ready to leave my cousin’s house in Tampa, Florida, where I celebrate Thanksgiving, when my grandmother switched the TV channel to CNN. “Former Cuban Leader Fidel Castro Dies at 90” it read, in all caps. Over the next few days, I saw

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Placed in a small coffin covered with a Cuban flag, the ashes of Fidel Castro are driven along the streets of Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016. Castro’s ashes have begun a four-day journey across Cuba from Havana to their final resting place in the eastern city of Santiago.

lengthy Facebook posts from my friends about how this death affected them and their loved ones. I saw a video of an old woman with Alzheimer’s who wept when she heard the great news. I saw my people dancing in the streets, moving their hips to Celia Cruz and Gloria Estefan. I felt my Cuban roots rejoicing in the hope that there could be a brighter future for the island. Change will not come overnight to a country that has been frozen in time by a regime that cares nothing about its people. (Those vintage cars that the Kardashians loved to pose with are not there by choice of the Cuban

people, but because Castro placed a ban on all automobile imports.) But the death of Fidel Castro marked closure for my family and millions of others. I also saw people telling the Cuban people that we should not be celebrating someone’s death, the death of a murderer. Those same people praised the “healthcare” system he created, the one where the brilliant doctors are sent overseas while they’d make less than the equivalent of a dollar a day in Cuba. I would like to think that those people were just not informed about his actions.

I got messages and questions from others asking, “How do you feel now that Fidel is dead?” And I could not think of any other word except hopeful. I am hopeful that Raul Castro, Fidel’s brother and current “president” of Cuba will soon follow suit and mark the end of the Castro regime. It sparked a hope, which was almost obsolete, that Cuba may eventually become a liberated country. One that holds elections for their president, not appointments for their dictators. One that does not ration food for families or limit internet access. One where mothers and children will not have

to die risking their lives on a makeshift raft to float 90 miles to American soil. One where taxi drivers do not make more than doctors who spent years studying. One that takes care of its people, not destroys them. One that allows freedom of speech without fear of imprisonment, torture or death. It sparked a hope that I could one day visit Cuba with my grandparents and not worry about the communist regime. It does not take a historian to know that Fidel had a long track record for ignoring basic human rights. It is no coincidence that Fidel rhymes with hell. His death brought happiness to many in the United States. People stormed the streets in true Cuban fashion with pots and pans letting everyone know that we are celebrating. But in Cuba, they are in a forced mourning period for nine days; anyone that is seen celebrating will be thrown in jail. When I left my cousin’s house on Friday night, all I wanted to do was run to Versailles, the landmark Cuban restaurant in Miami, the hub of many business negotiations, political rallies and protests, and the place I passed every morning for un cafecito on my commute to my high school in Little Havana. But instead I got to experience the celebration on the one day where my entire family was together. I heard the older generation, who experienced the tragedies firsthand, tell their stories and talk about how much of a monster this man was. I got to laugh at the memes that were already circulating about his death. I got to cry that he was finally gone. I thought, how funny that the one man who spent his life ripping so many families apart died the day after Thanksgiving, when so many families are together. I hope Fidel Castro can hear our pots and pans from above—or below—and know that he did not silence us. I hope our family members, my great-grandparents, who were outlived by him can hear us rejoicing in their honor and banging our way one step closer to a liberated Cuba.

Geographic shifts in heroin production caused new strains Christopher Brown

Loyola community member jcbrown@loyno.edu

Following World War II and the resurgence of the Mafia, the global heroin trade increased. The monopoly of shipping for the war effort ended, and strict control of customs relaxed. The Sicilian Mafia diverted heroin legally produced in Italy into the illicit trade; New York City was the largest market. After the Italian government curtailed the legal production of heroin, the Mafia began to produce their own from Turkish opium. In the 1950s Turkey was the largest producer of opium for medical use, but some of this legal opium was diverted to the illegal trade. The opium was smuggled into Marseille, France, and the heroin produced in

clandestine laboratories controlled by the Corsican underworld; the Sicilian Mafia formed a partnership with the Marseille gangs, negotiated by mob bosses Lucky Luciano and Meyer Lansky. In New York heroin use was common among jazz musicians and people associated with the entertainment industry. Famous musicians, including Charlie Parker, Billie Holliday and Miles Davis were heroin users, which gave a cachet of acceptability to heroin. Some aspiring musicians began to use heroin, thinking it would help them succeed in music. This made as much sense as cutting off an ear in order to paint like Vincent van Gogh. From New York heroin was distributed to other major cities and then to smaller cities. Mafia wholesalers serviced black and Latino dealers, who were not directly involved in producing or smuggling heroin, and heroin became a major destructive force, especially in African-American neighborhoods.

After Turkey eliminated opium production, the Mafia had to turn to other sources, primarily the “Golden Triangle,” where Thailand, Laos and Burma meet. The area is very mountainous, and the central governments had very little authority there. The mountain tribes had cultivated opium for centuries for local use. Because of France’s colonial history in the former “French Indochina,” the French underworld was able to use Oriental gangs and warlords to increase the production of opium in the Golden Triangle. During the U.S. war in Vietnam, very pure, cheap heroin was sold on the streets of Saigon, and some GIs began using heroin. U.S. authorities estimated that perhaps 10 to 15 percent of American military personnel used heroin. Many of these GI addicts were detoxified in Vietnam under military supervision and had a very low rate of relapsing into addiction again. In contrast, addicts in the USA had a very high rate of relapse, illustrating the importance

of social factors in maintaining addiction. People who became addicted overseas and returned to drastically different conditions at home had greater success in ending their addiction. People who became addicted in slum neighborhoods in American cities and returned to these same neighborhoods after treatment found it much more difficult to remain drug-free. After the Vietnam war ended, the Golden Triangle continued to be a source of opium, and production increased in Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan. The Soviet Red Army occupied Afghanistan from Dec. 1979 to Feb. 1989 in a failed attempt to prop up a pro-Soviet government. Many Soviet soldiers came back from Afghanistan addicted to heroin, beginning a very serious addiction problem in the former Soviet Union. After the USSR left Afghanistan, neither the Taliban nor the pro-American government that replaced it were able to suppress the

opium trade. Afghanistan today is the world’s largest producer of opium, and some Afghan officials have been credibly alleged to profit from the opium/heroin trade. In recent years heroin production has increased in the Americas. Mexico has been producing a low grade of cheap heroin for some years. More recently, Colombian narco gangs, previously specializing in cocaine, have been adding heroin to their business plan. Opium poppies are grown in remote areas in the Colombian mountains and refined into what is reputed to be the most potent heroin in the world, approaching 80 percent purity; formerly, American addicts had been accustomed to heroin that was only about 5 percent pure. This increasingly powerful heroin is responsible for a dramatic increase in deaths from heroin overdose. From 2002 to 2013 there has been a 63 percent increase in heroin use in the USA and a 286 percent increase in heroin-related overdose deaths.

December 2, 2016

THE MAROON

ON THE RECORD

Staff and faculty speaking on important topics

Johnson should have won, but Trump is better than Clinton WALTER BLOCK Economics professor wblock@loyno.edu

An economist was asked, How is your wife? Came the reply: com-

pared to what? Let’s compare Donald Trump to Hillary Clinton and then to Gary Johnson. Why did the American electorate properly support Donald over Hillary? Exhibit A: World War III. I bitterly oppose a war between the U.S. and Russia. Such a conflagration can ruin our entire day! Donald can get along with Vladimir Putin; Hillary called him a “Hitler.”

She favored a “no fly” zone over Syria. But guess which nation is now dropping bombs from aloft in an attempt to support Bashar Assad? Russia. Not only did Clinton sabre-rattle against a strong nuclear power, she favors war-mongering all around the globe. She giggled as she said of Libya’s strongman Muamar Khadafy “We came, we saw, he died.” The Republican averred of this episode:

“Not on my watch.” Similarly, Hillary was knee-deep in the toppling of Iraq’s dictator Saddam Hussain. Don’t get me wrong: these were not nice people. But, due to the policy reinforced by Hillary, ISIS was created, which is far worse. She now wants to overturn the duly elected government of Syria, a bitter enemy of ISIS. A similar pattern emerges regarding NATO. Donald wants to “rethink” this entire matter; Hillary favors

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their eastward-creep and wargames right on Russia’s border. How would we like it if Russia massed its military might off the shores of Miami or Seattle? Or in Canada or Mexico? Americans didn’t much appreciate the USSR placing missiles in Cuba. The U.S. has some 1,000 military bases in about 150 countries. Hillary supports this; Donald wants to remove our soldiers from places such as Germany, Japan, Korea and elsewhere. Donald was the peace candidate. He was the skunk at the neo-con garden-party; Hillary was their pinup girl. Consider these statements by our founding fathers. George Washington: “The great rule of conduct for us in regard to foreign nations is in extending our commercial relations, to have with them as little political connection as possible.” Thomas Jefferson: “Peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none”. John Quincy Adams: “America . . . goes not abroad seeking monsters to destroy.” Now contrast them with these statements by Trump and/or his advisors: “I would say that NATO as a political alliance does need to be relooked at in terms of everything resourcing, capabilities.” “We have to look at the cost of resourcing the US military around the world.” “The United States should not have to intervene in every single problem around the world.” “Putin will be a reliable partner for certain things for the United States, yes. Absolutely. We need to have a relationship from the top to the bottom, same with China.” Regarding America’s decades-long push for exporting democracy: “Will that come to an end if Trump becomes president?” “Yes, because it’s wrong.” Why didn’t the leftist anti-war movement support Donald? Could it be because they only oppose Republican, not Democratic, imperialism? Exhibit B: The Supreme Court Hillary would have appointed judges who favored welfare, affirmative action and (the abomination of partial birth) abortion “rights,” all of which disproportionately hurt black people; who would force bakers, photographers and florists to provide for gay weddings (would they compel a Jew or a black to serve at KKK or Nazi weddings?); who would trash the First Amendment in favor of PC, and also the Second, even though her own bodyguards are well-armed. Exhibit C: Political correctness Most universities now promote trigger warnings, safe spaces, snowflakes. For rape charges, no more innocent until proven guilty, no longer any presumption of innocence. Defendants can no longer confront accusers. Under Hillary, these exercises would no longer (mostly) be confined to universities. As a libertarian, I preferred Gary Johnson to Donald Trump, despite his stepping on his tongue a few times and support for the evil socalled Civil Rights Act of 1964. Of course, Gary had no chance to actually win. So, my voting suggestion would have been: Yes, vote for Trump, but only in purple states. In clear red or blue ones, Johnson. In that way, libertarians can have our cake and eat it too. If the libertarians attain 5 percent, no more wasteful ballot drives. Hillary loses. Johnson or Trump? Johnson. Trump or Clinton? Trump!