Issue 10 • Vol. 101
Loyola University New Orleans • Since 1923
Oct. 27, 2023
Glass Half Full Local recycling restores coastal erosion
By Eloise Pickering ewpicker@my.loyno.edu
“Louisiana has lost approximately 1,900 square miles of its coast since 1932,” according to the City of New Orleans. The rapid coastal erosion comes as the byproduct of climate change, rising sea levels, and human involvement. In order to fight back against this coastal loss, two former Tulane students, Franziska Trautmann and Max Steitz, founded Glass Half Full, a company dedicated to the recycling of glass, which is then used for coastal restoration projects throughout the Gulf Coast. Glass Half Full came into existence in 2020, when Trautmann and Steitz began to think about how and why they couldn’t recycle the bottle of wine they had just finished, as the City of New Orleans halted their curbside glass recycling program following low participation in 2016. Through their pick-up and drop-off services, the glass that the company collects is crushed and sifted into sand. The majority of this sand is used for coastal restoration purposes, however the recycled glass is used in a variety of ways.
“It's used for eco construction [and] new glass products like jewelry. The applications are quite vast and fun,” said marketing & outreach coordinator at Glass Half Full, Ellie Watts. According to Watts, the company’s growth in just a few years has been immense, with discussion about expanding into Birmingham, Alabama taking place following the construction of a new Louisiana facility and the exponential growth of pickup services and community involvement. While the city of New Orleans accepts glass at a weekly drop-off center, they still struggle with obstacles in terms of their curbside recycling program and recycling processes. “The two materials recovery facilities currently utilized by the City's contractors do not accept glass as part of their single stream recycling portfolio,” said deputy chief resilience officer at the Office of Resilience & Sustainability, Greg Nichols and director of sanitation, Matt Tori. Following a $3.98 million grant awarded by the Environmental Protection Agency, the city is looking to expand their curbside recycling program, however they still struggle with resources to effectively recycle glass.
In order to meet this niche in the recycling market the City of New Orleans contracted with Glass Half Full to take care of the city’s glass. The glass that the city receives to be recycled is sent to the company, increasing output of sand to be used for coastal restoration projects and new glass products. While the city and Glass Half Full are partnered, New Orleans is using the grant to fund their goals of improving the recycling system within the city. “That master plan will evaluate regional recycling infrastructure and capacity with an eye towards building a local Materials Recovery Facility that can accept additional waste streams, including glass,” said Nichols and Tori. According to Glass Half Full drop off assistant Jamie Koffler, the company is able to recycle so much glass that they are able to send several hundred tons of sandbags to the North Shore a couple of times each year. Because of efforts like this, there has been visible progress in the restoration of the coastline thus far. “Glass Half Full is definitely a pioneer in transforming glass into something that can be used to save our coast and save our wetlands,” Watts said.
A local sorts glass bottles into recycling bins at Glass Half Full on Oct. 21, 2023. Sophia Maxim/The Maroon
Sand bags of recycled glass lay along the Louisiana coast. Courtesy of Glass Half Full.
Sophia Maxim/The Maroon Loyola band Uncle
including p. 8 BenJessica, Delgado, Ava
Faith, and Agustín Clavier, performs at NOLA Funk Fest on Oct. 22. Laci Barrow/The Maroon
Sunny Bedford/The Maroon
'Satan' visits
Buddig Hall Students perform at NOLA Funk Fest
Article from 1974 Maroon archives - p. 3
PUZZLES
2
Oct. 27, 2023 THE MAROON
ACROSS 1. Time for Sweater Weather at Loyola with this week’s ____ front 5. Religion with pillars 10. Owner of the dance company in Dance Moms 14. The stench coming from the trash room 15. Actress Davis of “The Fly” 16. Pastry layer for baklava 17. Memento ____ 18. The feeling before an exam is passed out 19. Stick 20. Toilet attachment that often surprises people 22. ___ Kravitz of High Fidelity (T.V. series) 23. Mother in Mamma Mia! 24. An action to deceive; a cunning trickery 26. Free ____ (total control) 28. Interdisciplinary degree 31. Popular festival in Nevada that suffered heavy rains this year “_______ Man” 33. 401, in roman numerals 36. Old Testament Queen 38. The proportions of a picnic insect 40. Genus of European owls 41. Lawn trimmer 43. One of Utah’s state symbols 44. Pablo Escobar is from this country 46. Garbage bucket particularly from after a fire 48. Chemical formula of Hydrochloric acid 49. To clean for 51. Nasa telescope launched in 1990, abbr. 52. Sephora competitor 53. Sir Mix-A-Lot’s “Jump ____” 55. Famous drag queen Mattel 58. Impractical Joker that has a fear of cats 60. Picasso’s first name 64. Health Economics and Outcomes Research, abbr. 65. Take what is not yours 67. Rainbow ___ bracelets 68. Former Sanyo competitor 69. Bright signs outside of establishments 70. Killer sea animal that threatens the lives of yachters 71. “Well, well, well,” to a Brit 72. Bert’s buddy in “Sesame Street” 73. Leavened Indian bread DOWN
2. Professional English soccer player #14 3. William Golding’s 1954 novel “____ of the Flies” 4. Less wet 5. Market chain based in Chicago 6. Professional gamer headsets come from this company 7. Played Joker in “Suicide Squad” 8. Pertaining to a goose; silly or foolish 9. Mother’s Day month 10. Main antagonist William in “Five Nights at Freddy’s” 11. “Black Ice/White Noise” Atari video game, abbr. 12. Thin Russian pancake 13. Stress-reducing exercise 21. Toothpaste container 23. Action often used in archaeological sites 25. Shell game, to a con man 27. Put onboard at the station 28. Many college students go to this for spring break 29. Association, abbr. 30. Not moving 32. Bother persistently; Something your mother may do
33. Native of Prague 34. Ballerina artist Edgar 35. Words with “care” and “mind” 37. Boo-___ :( 39. Suffix meaning “sorta” 42. Hurricanes, tornados, and earthquakes are in this category 45. 1551, in roman numerals 47. Doctor does this with many newborn male babies 50. “Beautiful cloud” in Hawaiian 52. Platform for analyzing user experience 54. Bird of prey’s claw 55. Southeast Asian takeout option 56. Rice, in German 57. Members of Slipknot come from this Midwestern state 59. Vast period of time 61. Many of honeymoons take place in Bora ____ 62. “Livin’ La Vida ____” 63. Country on the southeast corner of the Arabian peninsula 65. The previous name for Sony 66. London School of Economics, abbr.
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1. Hair-care tool
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NEWS
Oct. 27, 2023 THE MAROON
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Loyola hosts Community aims to take back the night weekly vigil for community By Tiara Perrie
teperrie@my.loyno.edu
By Ava Acharya aaacharya@my.loyno.edu
In response to the ongoing violence in the Middle East, Loyola will be holding a weekly open-mic vigil for students to share their thoughts and feelings surrounding the conflict. Ken Weber, Loyola’s associate director of ministry, said he hopes this forum will open a dialogue in pursuit of truth, a key factor in the Jesuit mission. “The need for a space to peacefully, constructively, and charitably listen to each other's perspective inspired the planning of this event,” he said. He added that he hopes this forum will help the Loyola community relate to one another. Environmental science junior Nour Saad said she attended to hear others perspectives, as the issue hits incredibly close to home. “Every day for the past couple of weeks, my chest has been weighing me down,” she said. “I feel really sad to see my people suffer.” Saad said she has difficulty distancing herself from the ongoing violence towards Palestinian people. Although Saad said she is interested in hearing others' perspectives on this issue, she hopes events like this vigil will help students recognize the humanity behind the lives lost due to this conflict. “It’s easy to be desensitized,” she said. “You’re so far away from it, you have your own lives.” Loyola’s vigil will be held on Tuesdays at 6:30 in the residential quad. Saad believes it's important for students to come. “It's important people come so we can share our humanity,” Saad said.
Loyola’s annual Take Back the Night event showcased community and support for survivors of sexual assault and gender based violence. Loyola University’s 33rd annual Take Back the Night event took place on Tuesday, Oct. 17, and included attendees from the school as well as other students and faculty from Dillard University, University of New Orleans, Xavier University, and more. According to Patricia Boyett, director of Loyola University’s Women’s Resource Center and chair of the Take Back the Night committee, the event first began at Loyola during the 1990s to raise awareness of the issue of sexual violence and as a call for justice for survivors. However, the event is not exclusive to the Loyola community. Take Back the Night has been hosted at countless universities and organizations around the world since its original inception in the 1970s, according to Boyett. This celebration was put on by Loyola’s Women’s Studies Program and partners from six different universities and community organizations. The event included a range of speakers, and audience members were given the opportunity to hear from experts in the field of criminology studying gender and intimate partner violence, and university faculty who help implement structures to support survivors. The keynote speaker of the night was a current Loyola student who gave a powerful speech on her own experience with sexual assault and the supportive community she found to help guide her past her trauma. The night was a celebration of
solidarity, leaving a number of students emotional towards the end of the event. “It’s super emotional to hear the stories, but it’s a great cause and I’m really glad our community gets to rally together to support victims,” said mass communications senior Josie Guidry, who attended the event. This solidarity is something Boyett says they strive to show through the event. “We hope to demonstrate that we stand in solidarity with all survivors of all forms of gender violence, and we seek to demonstrate our commitment to raising awareness, to seeking justice for survivors, and to eliminating the patriarchal culture that fosters and perpetuates sexual violence, domestic violence, intimate partner violence, and gender hate crimes,” said Boyett. Psychology sophomore Khalessi Yousef said he believes this event has a great importance for the Loyola community. “The Loyola community definitely benefits from this event because all the survivors get to come out with people that want to gain more knowledge about the issue, and we all just get to be together and spread positivity,” said Yousef. Guidry said she believes this event is especially essential for not only Loyola students, but university students and faculty everywhere. “I think in general for Loyola this event is great because college students make up a big portion of the victim statistics, so I think it’s great for college students to see us out here rallying for them and to know that they have a support system here. They have professors that are here to support them, as well as students and organizations that can rally behind them with whatever they’re going through,” said Guidry.
Students hold candles at annual Take Back the Night event on Oct. 17, 2023. This event is for community members from around New Orleans to stand in solidarity of violence against women. Sophia Renzi/The Maroon
Tampa 5 figure speaks to Loyola Spooky Flashback: 'Satan' visits Buddig Hall By Eloise Pickering
EDITORS NOTE: This story was originally published on Feb. 14, 1974 by The Maroon following an exorcism on the eighth floor of Buddig Hall. The story has been republished in honor of the Halloween season.
ewpickeri@my.loyno.edu
Chants saying “Justice for the Tampa 5, protesting is not a crime” rang out of a Monroe Hall classroom as a group of students and staff welcomed speaker for the Tampa 5, Laura Rodriguez, to tell her story. Rodriguez is a graduate of University of South Florida who was arrested, along with four others, in March for protesting against Florida governor Ron Desantis’ anti-education laws. She currently is traveling to schools throughout the parts of the South to gain support and spread awareness to the issues taking place not only in Florida but nationally as well. Her latest stop on this tour was Oct. 24, 2023 here in New Orleans, where she spoke at both Loyola and Tulane. According to Rodriguez, the five students arrested were mistreated and abused by police officers and campus officials throughout the arrest, booking, and charges. Although they were charged with felonies, the group of USF students continue to persevere. “As they doubled down, we knew that we had to double down, we had to stand even stronger.” Rodriguez said. The national campaign began as the students, Gia Davila, Chrisley Carpio, Lauren Pineiro, Jeanie Kida, and Laura Rodriguez shared their story to raise financial support and awareness of Florida’s attacks on education and First Amendment rights. They became known as the Tampa 5. Loyola’s branch of Students for a
By Vicki Salloum Staff Writer, Spring 1974 Tampa 5 figure Laura Rodriguez speaks at Loyola on Oct. 24, 2023. Tampa 5 is a group of five protesters who were arrested in Florida. Erin Gillen/The Maroon
Democratic Society, invited Rodriguez to speak during the Tampa 5 national campaign through the national SDS, an organization that she is a member of and says has provided valuable levels of support. “The only way out is through,” Rodriguez said. According to Rodriguez, SDS chapters across the country have been campaigning for Tampa 5 for the student movement and the attacks that have been taking place against diversity, student rights and the freedom of speech.
See TAMPA, page 4
With the overwhelming success of the movie made from William P. Blatty’s novel, The Exorcist, people have become fascinated with the occult, the preternatural, and the demonic. According to Harold J. Vetter, Chairman of the psychology department, the world is in a state of tension. This fascination with occult reflects a real yearning of the people to restore an element of faith in God and the supernatural order. “It’s ironic this takes the form of accepting the validity of evil,” said Vetter. For some, however, the fascination has grown into morbid imaginings of diabolic interference in their own lives, according to Rev. A. Patrick Phillips, director of campus ministry. “I’m already beginning to get calls and the movie hasn’t even come to town yet. People are already beginning to get upset by it,” he said.
But two Loyola co-eds were confronted with a series of bizarre happenings long before The Exorcist focused attention on the horrors of demonic influence. And, in 1968, a priest was called to perform a minor exorcism on an eighth floor suite in Buddig Hall. Through several long-distance calls, The Maroon pieced together a series of incidents which for years have been rumored among Loyola faculty and students. The principals in these strange events were two 18-yearold freshmen, Marie Price Stevens and her roommate, Brenda (who asked that her last name be withheld). Witnesses to the incidents were Janet Jones and Dorothea Brennan, who occupied the adjoining room, 812. The priest who met with the girls and who later performed the ritual is Rev. Harold Cohen, associate director of campus ministry. He declined to be interviewed by The Maroon. Janet Jones begins the story: “It was Brenda, Marie, and I who first began playing with the Ouija board. Dorothea didn’t believe in it, and I absolutely refused to cooperate with her. For a while, Maria watched while Brenda and I worked it. It would spell out that it was an evil spirit, and three or four times, it asked us to put Marie on. When she got on, it said it wanted to possess her. Marie
simply laughed, but when it kept repeating this, she became nervous. And then we began to be afraid.” Marie Stevens continues: “Then we communicated with a woman named Hazel. Moving in fluent sentences, she said she was a Creole from New Orleans whose husband died in prison for a crime she committed. She gave a date close to the turn of the century. “We communicated with her daily. One day, while playing in Neil’s room (a student who lived in Biever Hall), Hazel again came to us. Neil laughed at her once and she spelled, “Cut stomach. Kill Neil.” “The next morning, Neil had stomach cramps in the cafeteria and collapsed on the way out. We rushed him to the hospital and were told he had acute appendicitis. “We were afraid after that, but continued playing. Finally, Hazel disappeared and “Satan” appeared to us. We asked it to prove it was Satan, and it said it would appear in a blue flame over Brenda’s head. We turned out the lights, and Janet and I saw only the shape of Brenda’s head. On her face were blue features; blue eyes, nose and mouth. And on her mouth was a tremendous, Satanic grin. Screaming, I turned on the lights.
“In 1968, a priest was called to perform a minor exorcism on an eighth floor suite in Buddig Hall."
See SATAN, page 4
Oct. 27, 2023 THE MAROON
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SATAN: TAMPA: Continued from page 3
“Soon after, Dorothea, who never believed in the Ouija, called a priest. Fr. Cohen called Janet, Brenda and I into his office. He said he’d never seen anyone possessed by the devil and had never performed an exorcism, but he never wanted to. He said the possibility existed that we were in contact with Satan. And if we were, he didn’t know what would happen.” Brenda continues: “It wasn’t like you had to convince Father of these occurrences. It was as if he knew something he couldn’t tell us. He read from the Bible of someone who was possessed by the devil. I didn’t think it appropriate. He made us promise not to play with Ouija anymore. But we walked out of the office and said, “Let’s go see what it has to say.’” Marie added: “We continued to play with the Ouija occasionally. But whenever we contacted “Satan,” we’d stop. Then at 2:00 A.M. several weeks later, Brenda and I were dozing off when we heard noises. The objects on the shelves above our beds were moving back and forth. Thinking Brenda was up and moving things, I asked what she was doing. “She said, “I’m still in bed. What are you doing? I sat up and tried to see her when suddenly the big poster tacked to the right of the window flew at me with tremendous force. We had screens on our window and there’s no way the wind could have lifted the poster with such force. “I turned on the lights and saw the poster lying on my bed. And the objects on the shelves were rearranged. The ash trays were on the other end of the shelf and many things were moved. In hysterics, I called Fr. Cohen at 3:30 that morning. Later that morning, he met us in the lobby, we took him to our room, and he
performed an exorcism. “There were six of us girls who formed two lines on each side of him. He said prayers in Latin and sprinkled holy water on our beds and throughout the suite. We all said the “Our Father.” After Marie related the story of the exorcism, she looked back on what may have caused the bizarre events. “They say that subconsciously, you can make the Ouija move. But some of the things it spelled out were so absurd, so wild, I knew none of it was in the back of our minds. So I threw out that theory. I decided we had contacted some spirit, and I also knew it was evil. But I didn’t know whether it was actually Satan. “By saying at first it was Hazel, it might have been lying, trying to lead us on, trying to make up a fantastic story to have us in its power. “If we had stopped playing with the Ouija, maybe the incident would never have happened. But the frightening thing is, if we had kept on with it, perhaps one of us would have been possessed.” In retrospect, Brenda is doubtful she was in contact with evil spirits. “Some really strange things happened, and I believe there was something there. But I also believe we made too much of it. We were freshmen, and it was the easy way out. We went too far with it,” Brenda said. In referring to the incident, Rev. Stephen Duffy, Chairman of the department of theology, admitted to the possibility of obsession, but, “I would be very skeptical. The boy with the appendicitis sounds sheer coincidence. No one can demonstrate to me there were devils. But neither can I disprove it.” There is no way of knowing if Hazel were actually Satan, said Rev. Joseph McGill, Associate Chaplain, because, “the devil is a liar and a nihilist.” “But one thing is certain,” he added. “Marie was convinced she was in con-
tact with a reality that caused her repugnance and fear. But we have no way of knowing if the communicator was the devil. If it was, her fears were not groundless.” Rev. Louise Lambert, Vice Provincial, who was in doctoral studies in historical theology, (specializing in demonology), draws no conclusions from these bizarre happenings, but suggests they might have been caused by hysterical suggestion. “Ninety percent of these occurrences are hoax, five percent are genuine and unexplainable, and five percent are from abnormal powers.” Fr. Lambert added that two abnormal powers include telekinesis, a physical force the brain exerts in matter which can actually will an object to move, and clairvoyance, a power to read minds. “But these are natural, rather than spirit-given powers,” he said. He warns that playing with sorcery and Ouija boards can open one to the power of illusion and hallucination, and “we can base our life decisions on these foolish things.” Walter S. Maestri, assistant dean of arts & sciences, is doubtful that one can contact evil spirits through the Ouija board. “We know for certain that Ouija boards and seances are many times fraught with fraud. The devil doesn’t manifest itself at the beck and call of an individual.” But Fr. McGill disagrees. Fr. McGill believes that playing with the Ouija, astrology, and seance can lead to more serious consequences. They can bring out the devil. “We can become so fascinated with evil that we unconsciously fall into an abyss of the Evil One. There is a saying ‘When you supper with the devil, use a 10 foot spoon.’ I prefer to say I don’t eat.”
Continued from page 3 Rodriguez has already traveled across the East Coast and will continue to travel to cities in Texas, Arizona, and Colorado with SDS chapters. Rodriguez calls on students who disagree with the anti-education laws that remove the discussion surrounding LBGTQ+ rights, racial rights, and history in education to get involved. Louisiana’s governor-elect, Jeff Landry, has expressed support for similar if not more extreme ideals and agendas to that of Desantis. “It’s important that students get organized and prepare to fight back against the oppression.” said Carson Cruse, Loyola’s SDS president. Cruse encourages students to join Loyola’s SDS chapter, as well as support the Tampa 5 in any way they are able.
“It’s about the growing student movement in this country,” Cruse said. In addition to joining organizations that students are willing to fight for, Cruse and Rodriguez urge the community to escalate the fight against the actions that politicians and governments are taking against students, and to join the movement against politicians who share stances to that of Desantis. While in New Orleans, community members raised over $8,000 for the Tampa 5 during their trial in December. This, according to Rodriguez, was more than any other city she has yet to visit. “I’m so glad that people are so generous and that people want to support in any way that they can - and that people understand that it’s not me who’s under attack, it’s them, it’s their family, it’s everyone across the United States,” Rodriguez said.
Loyola SDS president Carson Cruse hands clipboard to United Teachers of New Orleans representative Dave Cash on Oct. 23, 2023. Erin Gillen/The Maroon.
Oct. 27, 2023 THE MAROON
WORLDVIEW
5
IPNO fights death penalty By Eloise Pickering ewpicker@my.loyno.edu
Raymond Flanks speaking on the steps of the Orleans' Parish courthouse at the Rally Against Killing the Innocent by the Innocence Project New Orleans on Oct. 2, 2023. Flanks was exonerated after serving 38 years for a wrongful conviction. Sophia Renzi/The Maroon
“In Louisiana, for every seven executions, there have been three people exonerated,” said Innocence Project New Orleans executive director, Jee Park, at the Rally Against Killing the Innocent that took place in New Orleans on Oct. 2, 2023. The rally, organized by IPNO, took place to fight against the death penalty due to a system that has a history of wrongfully convicting and executing people who often have not had the chance to receive a fair, honest trial. “The prosecutor had taken those Black kids and put them around a corner in his office while the trial was going on so they could not testify that I was with them on the night of the murder,” said Sharif Cousin, who was wrongfully convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to Lousisana’s death row when he was 17 years old. Cousin was convicted of first-degree murder three weeks after the night of the incident and after a $10,000 reward was announced to whoever could find the murderer. On the night of the murder, Cousin is on videotape playing basketball with his friends. When his friends went to testify as witnesses for Cousin, the prosecutor had ushered them out of the hallway so Cousin’s lawyer could not find them and bring them into the courtroom. Two years later, the Supreme Court of Louisiana reversed Cousin’s conviction and ordered a new trial, finding that prosecutors had improperly questioned witnesses and withheld information. “We have an appeals process. We have a post conviction process. We even have a process in place where you can appeal for wrongful compensation for being wrongfully convicted,” said State Senator Royce Duplessis during the rally. While Cousin was denied wrongful
compensation, he was able to appeal his case and be found innocent, a reversal that many other wrongfully convicted death row inmates do not get. “How could we not but fail when the Supreme Court legalized death?” said advocate for death penalty abolition Sister Helen Prejean. The justice system is flawed nationwide, with at least 4% of those sentenced to death later found to be innocent, according to the Innocence Project. “George Stinny. 14 years old. South Carolina wrongfully accused, wrongfully convicted, wrongfully executed a 14-year-old child. It is a known fact throughout this nation, that we live in a flawed system,” said Duplessis. In New York City in 1989, Yusef Salaam spent nearly seven years in jail following the infamous Central Park jogger case, where he and four others were found guilty for a crime they did not commit. Former President Donald Trump and other politicians at the time fueled the fire of wrongful conviction, calling for the death penalty to be reinstituted to kill the men, who were only teenagers at the time. “It's a system that looks at the color of your skin and deems you guilty for it. When I was 15, 34 years ago, I was run over by the spiked wheels of justice,” said Salaam at the rally. 13 years after the initial conviction, DNA evidence and a confession by the man who committed the crime exonerated Salaam and the others. “How can you have a system that acknowledges fault but also have finality? Finality in saying we will put someone to death? Those two things can't coexist,” said Duplessis. In calling on the people of New Orleans to write letters and advocate to Governor John Bel Edwards to grant clemency to the Louisiana death row, Prejean said, “Of course [the system]’s broken because it's human. … So it's going to be up to us to pass the definition of justice.”
Prejean also spoke on the eagerness of politicians to be “tough on crime” throughout the 1980s at the rally. “We have prosecutors in Louisiana who ran for office bragging about how many death penalties they got.” Prejean said. Similarly stated by Cousin, when a crime took place, “someone is going down for their crime and someone is going down for their crime fast.” Politicians and prosecutors adopting the idea of being tougher on rising crime rates urged them to find a person or people guilty quickly, according to Cousin. Raymond Flanks was arrested in 1983 and falsely charged with first degree murder by a single witness and evidence that later disappeared. Although the prosecutors sought the death penalty, the jury sent him to life in prison. Flanks was sent to a former plantation at a penitentiary, where he picked cotton, filled sandbags, and washed dishes. “I did everything that my ancestors did along that journey,” Flanks said. While serving time, Flanks was able to receive a theology degree and minister to men who were on death row. 38 years later, Flanks was found innocent through the work of IPNO and attorney Richard Davis. On Nov. 17, 2022, Flanks walked out of the New Orleans courthouse a free man. There are currently 56 prisoners on death row in the state of Louisiana. During the rally, he spoke of those who are still on death row today. He questioned if it would be worth it to kill 60 prisoners if only one of them were innocent. In quoting Bryan Stevenson, executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative, Duplessis said, “just because a person may deserve death, it doesn't give the state the right to kill me. There's a big difference between those two.”
Activists rally against Landry and far-right legislation By Jacob L'Hommedieu jllhomme@my.loyno.edu
Not everyone is happy with the results of Louisiana’s 2023 state elections. Some of the most vocal about their displeasure are members of the Real Name Campaign and Freedom Road Socialist Organization. The two groups, along with Jewish Voices for Peace New Orleans and Students for Democratic Society, came together to rally in Washington Square on Oct. 22 in order to call attention to and protest against attacks on LGBT+ youth and diversity, equity, and inclusion as well as the racist policies of Republicans like Ron DeSantis and Jeff Landry. “We can expect repression, we can expect to be villainized, but we’re here to say that none of that scares us,” said Real Name Campaign member Quest Riggs. However, the low turnout for the state elections seem to have carried over to the rally’s turnout, as only volunteers and organizers were present at the 4:30 p.m. starting time. “I was worried about turnout beforehand because a lot of people’s energy is focused politically on the situation in Palestine,” Riggs said. “A lot of people, I’m assuming, might have been out of energy.” Political analysts seem to agree with Riggs sentiment, as they cite voter burnout to national politics along with dis-
trust in those who govern for some of the main reasons why election turnout was so low, according to KTAL News. Despite the setback, the rally continued by changing locations to the neutral ground on the corner of Elysian Fields Ave. and Dauphine Street. There, they chanted political messages like “Landry says get back, we say fight back” and “When trans kids are under attack, we say stand up fight back” and had representatives from each group make speeches to cars and pedestrians that went by. Among the speakers were Quest Riggs, Lucas Harrell, Lou Blumberg of JVPNO, Serena Sojic-Borne of FRSO, and Laura Rodriguez, representing both SDS and the Tampa 5. Rodriguez had flown out to New Orleans as a part of the group’s outreach campaign to rally others against DeSantis’ policies, copycat legislation from other Republican politicians, and for the exoneration of her and the four other members of the Tampa 5. “We know that the anti-diversity bills are being copied in states like Ohio and Kentucky, as well as abortion bills are being copied from the state of Florida,” Rodriguez said. “[DeSantis] is a cornerstone of what can happen when the farright are in charge of our country.” During his campaign and even before, Jeff Landry and the Republicans of Louisiana have called for the ban of DEI in colleges, have taken actions
against abortion in New Orleans following the dismissal of Roe v. Wade, made statements in support of actions that disproportionately affect the Black community, and have made efforts to obtain the personal data of those seeking gender-affirming care out of state. Other than access to abortion, none of the other issues seemed to match with Louisianians’ political interests. According to a survey conducted on over 800 voters by WWL-TV, one of the biggest issues to Louisiana voters was increase in crime and violence. This matches with a survey conducted by Louisiana State University, where 19% of respondents said crime was their top concern for the state. In the same survey, 52% of respondents said that abortion should be legal in all cases, according to LSU. Banking on these concerns, Landry promoted himself as a ‘tough-on-crime’ candidate, who would promote policies that would help to curb rising rates of crime in Louisiana, according to his website. Evidently, these promises were enough to garner Landry 51.6% of the around 36% of registered voters who participated in the state elections. Groups like the Free Name Campaign, FRSO, JVPNO, and SDS now look to the future with concern for what is to come. But they also look to promote their cause and encourage others to fight with them. “I just hope that, as the consequenc-
Lucas Harrell stands with fellow protestors on the neutral ground outside Washington Square, Oct. 22, 2023. He spoke out on the injustices perpetrated by the far-right along with Quest Riggs, Laura Rodriguez of the Tampa 5, Lou Blumberg of Jewish Voices for Peace New Orleans, and Serena Sojic-Borne for Freedom Road Socialist Organization. Jacob L'Hommedieu/The Maroon
es of [the] election play out, and as we see more attacks on reproductive rights, on funding for schools and universities, and for the rights of LGBT people, that [people] plug into the movements for
justice, plug into the movements to defend those rights, and engage however [they] can,” Riggs said. “Next time there’s a governor’s election, you can be a part of the solution.”
COMICS
Oct. 27, 2023 THE MAROON
6
Sofia Johnson/The Maroon
STAFF
Assistant Editors: Chris Maldonado, Sunny Bedford, Grace Knight, Eloise Pickering, Taylor Falgout, Sophia Maxim! Comics Editors: Sofia Johnson, Grace Knight, Taylor Falgout! Associate Producer for The Maroon Broadcast: Chloe Caudle, Sunny Bedford, Matthew Richards,
Francisco Esteves, James Hufnagel, Christopher Nesbit, Leonard Jackson III, Mabel RegaladoHernanzed! Staff Writers and Photographers: Guelan Zaour, Pharell Every, Nadir Benslimane, Laci Barrow, Rodrigo Delgado, Ashlyn Bobb Collins, Napkin Calhoun, Inaki Espana, Emma Grace Condon, Ashe Gravenkemper, Daniel O' Connell!
Layout Designers: Daniel Wong
Adviser: Michael Giusti
CONTACT US Main Office (504) 865-3535 Business Office/Advertising (504) 865-3536 Adviser’s Office (504) 865-3295 Correspondence maroon@loyno.edu
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Oct. 27, 2023
THE MAROON
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LIFE & TIMES
OCT. 27, 2023 THE MAROON
Film • Arts • Food • Music • Leisure • Nightlife
"Travel" the world at Loyola's International Fair
Two Loyola students pose with their pupusas from El Salvador. Pupusas are one of the most popular foods in El Salvador Heidi Herrera/The Maroon
Student grabs food from the Pakistan table. She made pit stops to grab food from different countries. Heidi Herrera/The Maroon
By Natalia Silva nssilva@my. loyno.edu @Natalia3Nola
Loyola's community comes together to showcase the diverse cultures and tra-
ditions the students have to offer. Loyola's international students set up tables with flags, pictures, native clothing, and traditional plates. The international festical also features live entertainment.
Loyola student gets traditional henna tattoo. As the Pakistani table tattooed students, they shared history about the culture behind body art. Heidi Herrera/The Maroon
Loyola students grab food traditional to Netherlands. Every culture that was showcased at the International Fair had their own traditional plates. Heidi Herrera/The Maroon
Krewe of Boo spooks parade goers By Piper Demman pldemman@my.loyno.edu
Krewe of Boo parades through the heart of New Orleans. Featuring 3-D fiberglass and papier-mache extravaganzas. Taylor Falgout/The Maroon
Spooky season has officially arrived in New Orleans after the streets of the French Quarter were lined with parade-goers last Saturday for the annual Krewe of Boo parade. The Halloween themed parade featured 450 riders, 15 floats, and a variety of incredible costumes and marching bands. Krewe of Boo attracts thousands of locals and visitors to celebrate traditional New Orleans music, dancing, and of course…beads, with a spooky twist! Parade riders throw objects that are collectable or consumable, which helps cut back on waste, including items such as candy, chee wees, pralinettes, light-up beads, voodoo doll pins and magnets, and toys, which the children and adults both love. Some of the krewes presented at this year’s parade included the Streetcar
Strutters, the Disco Amigos, members of Tap Dat, and the rolling Elvi. Extravagant floats lit up the parade route with giant papier mâché Halloween characters made by artists from Kern Studios. Kern Studios is one of the best known float-building organizations in America and has been in charge of creating the Krewe of Boo floats since 2007, when the parade was created as a fundraiser for hurricane Katrina. Creativity and innovativeness has only increased, and this year was no exception. Two of this year's most loved floats included a giant disco ball that moved with the Disco Amigos and Michael Weber's Peace Mech robot, which honed over the crowd at over 15 feet tall. Krewe of Boo is a time for everyone to express themselves, not only are riders dressed up, but so are parade-goers. Loyola students Ava Werner and Alyssa Hendren attended their first Krewe of Boo parade last Saturday and were not
disappointed. “This was my favorite parade that showcased some of the best costumes and Halloween spirit I've ever seen,” said Hendren. The two took the streetcar to the parade and said they enjoyed seeing all the creative Halloween costumes both in the parade and among the crowd. “I would definitely go back to Krewe of Boo next year. The music, dancing, and floats really put me in the Halloween spirit,” said Werner. As Krewe du Boo has grown in popularity, other Halloween events now follow the parade, including: the zombie run, post-parade parties, and haunted history tours. Krewe of Boo is a unique New Orleans celebration that continues to impress crowds with its creativity and Halloween spirit. Don't miss out and mark your calendars for next year’s Krewe of Boo parade!
Oct. 27, 2023
THE MAROON
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REVIEWS
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Oct. 27, 2023 THE MAROON
"Bewitched":Dreamy, jazzy pop for the hopeless romantic By June Fernandez jferna3@my.loyno.edu
Icelandic singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Laufey Lin Jónsdóttir, known by many as simply “Laufey,” has continued to showcase her talent over the course of recent years. Through her music and social media presence, Laufey introduced generations both young and old to her unique sound, blending both folk-pop and classical jazz. Her music quickly gained international attention and popularity, and Laufey has since performed for audiences around the world. The artist’s first album, “Everything I Know about Love,” continues to stay relevant with listeners, with her single “Falling Behind” recently finding itself in the TikTok spotlight once more. Laufey’s songs present the sounds of the violin, cello, and piano in a modern and more mainstream way, creating a style that many believe to be a modern form of jazz; combined with whimsical singing and reflective lyrics, Laufey approaches topics like romance and grief while focusing on the hope that can be found within relationships. Bewitched, the artist’s latest LP, continues to explore these themes while introducing new sounds and more grandiose instrumentation. Laufey’s second album is a magical experience, one that is as entrancing as it is familiar. The first track on the LP is called “Dreamer,” which tells the story of Laufey’s frustration as she remains determined to never give up on love. The
smooth percussion and whimsical piano work with the artist’s lively vocals to create a great opening track. The song has a very soft but joyful vibe; it’s a catchy tune about the stress and excitement of searching for love. This is, of course, nothing new for Laufey, but “Dreamer” has a more vintage sound that makes it a standout among the album’s tracklist. “Haunted” is the next notable song, bringing in a mysterious acoustic guitar and almost whispered vocals. This bossa-nova inspired piece talks about returning to a situation where you care about someone way more than they care about you. Laufey sings about this person’s presence, touch, and how he appears in the night only to disappear the following morning. The artist’s vocals reveal that she knows this person isn’t right for her, but she can’t help but welcome him back into her life repeatedly. This common scenario is accompanied by complex orchestration and melodies. This track is especially unique, as it is one of the only songs on the LP lacking that lighthearted sound. In fact, “Haunted” is far less dreamy than the other pieces on the album, and I think it certainly stands out because of the darker mood it conveys. There is little to note about the following 3 pieces, for better and for worse. Many of the songs on “Bewitched” feel like an interlude; these songs all have similar sounds, but they all capture the yearning, fantastical feeling that the album represents. These tracks, while very similar, are all heartfelt, and Laufey’s lyr-
icism is witty and catchy throughout the entire album. The most spectacular song on “Bewitched” is track 7: “California and Me.” Accompanied by the brilliant Philharmonia Orchestra, Laufey mourns the end of a relationship and the literal distance it creates. After her partner leaves for New York to chase another, Laufey is only left with the city of Los Angeles. The artist is not defeated, but she feels foolish and is constantly reminded of the relationship every time she travels through the city. “California and Me” serves as a musical, Disney-like representation of an experience that many people go through at some point in their lives. The string and woodwind instruments make this song sound so much more like something you would hear in a fantasy musical, providing an excellent contrast to Laufey’s lyrics about modern-day California. While the album’s second half is not as bombastic as “California and Me,” these songs provide a soft, dreamy ending that is very similar to how “Bewitched” begins. The LP’s title track, in particular, is a fitting finale to the album. Laufey sings about how falling in love with someone new can feel both familiar and foreign at the same time; this new person has cast a spell on the artist, making her feel the excitement of love in an entirely new way. This song is an appropriate way to end an album about giving love another shot despite the pain, sadness, and disappointment that may come with it. Overall, Laufey’s “Bewitched” is a solid genre-blending album. The dreamy
"Ahsoka": A delightful treat for some fans, but just another spinoff to others By James Salinas asjones@my.loyno.edu
Editor’s note: This review contains spoilers for “Ahsoka”. Despite mixed reviews, audiences this August were delighted to return to a galaxy far, far away with Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) and the crew (unpopular opinions to ensue). Long before the creation of the fatuous “Star Wars” sequel trilogy, George Lucas and Dave Filoni created the fan favorite, 4 time Emmy Award winning animated television series, “The Clone Wars”. The show tackled the war between Episodes II and III: “Attack of the Clones” (2002) and “Revenge of the Sith” (2005) respectively. In its seven critically acclaimed seasons, viewers met and became enamored with the now famous Ahsoka, with her show of the same name marking her second live action iteration. Set years following “Star Wars: A New Hope” (1977), Ahsoka and fellow rebels are thrust into chaos against the dangerous Dathomir witch, Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosato) and the ever cunning, universally anticipated “Star Wars” legend, Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelson) all while trying to find their comrade, audience favorite Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi) from the beloved animated show, “Rebels”, with many easter eggs to follow. The die hard “Star Wars” lovers around the world feel completely star struck when Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) arrives to speak to Ahsoka.
As I recall being eight years old, jumping up and down on the couch harder than Winnie the Pooh’s “Tigger,” in excitement every Thursday at 6 p.m. to see the week’s episode of “The Clone Wars”, seeing a live action “Clone Wars” era Anakin gave me chills on my neck and teary, wet eyes. The last moment we saw the iconic master and padawan duo was in “Star Wars: Rebels” when Ahsoka fights Darth Vader on Malachor, learning of his true identity and vowing to not leave him as she did during Order 66 when he turned to the dark side. With stakes that high, being an all time favorite scene for many franchise enthusiasts, seeing them on the screen together again has been an overwhelmingly anticipated event. The pay off of experiencing the full scope is mesmerizing, at times dizzying in excitement. However, it is not without its faults, with many critics noting how it fell flat for them. The relationship between the World Between Worlds and Mortis, while absolutely thrilling for audiences to see in the live action scope for the first time, ultimately is riddled with inconsistencies and plot holes that Jedi master Filoni ultimately could not justify. Wonderful, dearly yearned scenes from Ahsoka’s training with Anakin are inconsistent
within the canon timeline. Additionally for the casual watcher, much of Ahsoka can drag along, as lots of its content and dialogue is geared with the intention of small references back to all of the “Star Wars” catalog preceding it (12 films and 8 television series of content, to be exact). Additionally, Ahsoka still falls victim to the plague of the streaming wars, with a show being so long overdue, the final product was clearly a rushed one, more concerned with staying on a budgeted schedule with big reactions and external elements than character development and blocking. While some audiences may not be able to reconcile with these downfalls, Ahsoka remains an irreverent, affable character, a treat for fans, and a fun addition to the always expanding Star Wars catalog. “Ahsoka” is now available on Disney Plus.
Rating: 8/10
Courtesy of AWAL Records
classical sounds are excellently juxtaposed with the more typical jazz-pop tracks. With consistent themes, fun and introspective lyricism, and magnificent instrumentation, this album is comfortably familiar at its worst and fantastically bewitching at its best.
"Bewitched" is now available on all streaming platforms.
Rating: 8/10
Watch This Weekend Five Nights at Freddy's A troubled security guard begins working at Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria. His first night on the job, he realizes the late shift at Freddy's won't be so easy to make it through.
Rocky Horror Head over to the Prytania this Friday or Saturday to watch the "Well-Hung Speakers"' rendition of thr renowned cult classic.
The Gilded Age: S2 Though Mrs. Astor is determined to keep Mrs. Russell from rocking the boat in the established social scene, Mrs, Russell is prepared for a fight. The season is set to see the two women go to war for a foothold in society.
Oct. 27, 2023
THE MAROON
Every election, your rights could be on the ballot. But you can’t vote if you aren’t registered. Get #VoteReady and register to vote by visiting vote.org/chat-to-register
11
THE WORKS
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Oct. 27, 2023 THE MAROON
Submit to maroon@loyno.edu to be featured
Love, what a waste By: Dajah Saul Journal entry #346 “I’m so sorry, I really like you, but I don’t think that we should be in a relationship anymore,” Journal entry #594 “I like you, and it’s not you, it’s me, I promise,” Journal entry #832 “I like you, but not in that way; I’m just not ready for a relationship,” Journal entry #2,379 Why can’t I ever be happy in finding love? I’m starting to believe I never can be. I’m starting to believe that’s the better option. Journal entry #2,380 “You just have to stop thinking about it, and it will happen,” Journal entry #2,381 I don’t know why I’m always so shocked. The heartbreak is bound to happen, even if it never breaks my heart. So many attempts, so many chances at love, only to end with nothing. Always end with the other person walking, running away. Journal entry #2,382 “It’ll come when you least expect it, you’ll find the one someday,”
Sharp & Fragile Rin Andrews
Untitled Rin Andrews
Journal entry #2,999 I’m tired. I just want to make someone happy. But, in doing so, when does my happiness begin? Is that the solution? Do I need to give up, drain all of my happiness, in order to be someone else’s? Where could we overlap so that the happiness could be shared? Nowhere. That’s too unrealistic. I can’t imagine sharing happiness in a relationship, not when I pour my all into it. I dedicate my entire being, my every thought to this other person. And for what? I don’t ever love the other person. I’m not in love with them, but I want to be. If I only had attention given to me, then that’s my best bet of a relationship. I’ve given up long ago. So I’ve accepted my fate. My fate to never find love. Never find a partner. I’ve accepted that no matter how much I want love, I don’t have the capacity to have it, hold onto it, hold onto them. That’s what I’ve earned. So, I collect the scraps of my failures. The unrequited crush in fourth grade that ended up bullying me. The unrequited crush in high school that liked me back only after we graduated. The eventual first crush in college, going on for months and months, only to end in radio silence. The infectious crush I had for someone who I knew I could never have nor hold onto to their heart. All of the fantasies and daydreams about someone truly caring and loving me? Out of the question. Throw the concept out of the highest window to make the bloodiest impact once it lands. Journal entry #3,000 This is the end. The last to exist. So, I have one thing to request, universe. Please, if you have the capabilities of taking away the concept of falling in love, I’m begging, pleading, on my hands and knees. I hold a silver platter up to you, asking for no more, because every time you serve me a dish, it comes back spoiled. So take this away from me. Harden my soul. I’m tired of praying that you will have something different in store for me. It will never happen. So, goodbye, universe. You’ll never hear from me again. And I hope to never hear anything from you.
OCT. 27, 2023 THE MAROON
LIFE & TIMES
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Film • Arts • Food • Music • Leisure • Nightlife
NOLA Craft Culture cultivates community amongst artists through glitter By Maleigh Crespo macrespo@my.loyno.edu
Some things are inherently New Orleanian by nature, and one of those things is: glitter! At NOLA Craft Culture, owners Lisette Constantin and Nori Pritchard have found a way to turn that New Orleanian love of glitz and glam into a community and culture. In October, the craft store hosts a glitter pumpkin patch, which is their spin on a fall tradition that features glittered faux pumpkins, a pumpkin-glittering table for kids, and an art market with a variety of vendors that sell things from jewelry to stickers to tie-dyed clothing. “It's so quintessentially New Orleans to put glitter on everything, so why not pumpkins?” Pritchard said. “They last year after year, and who doesn't love a good fall fest?” Although they host art markets a few times throughout the year, Constantin and Pritchard said their favorite is during the Halloween season, as it has
become a destination holiday for the city, which provides for greater turn-out and participation in the event. Loyola alumna and NOLA Craft Culture event coordinator Valerie Meyer said their goal is to cultivate and support the New Orleans arts community. “We just really want to support the local art community,” she said. "We don't charge a vendor fee or anything because we want people to just come out here and be able to sell their stuff and make some money.” Loyola alum and market vendor Storm Wells said they started selling their work under the name Nervous Kid Art at an arts market hosted at Loyola. Wells said after graduating, they were able to maintain their business through no-cost markets, like the ones hosted by NOLA Craft Culture. “It's nice to have a space to meet other artists, and they’ve helped me so much,” Wells said. Constantin and Pritchard consider themselves a resource to local makers.
A child paints glitter pumpkin at kids’ craft table at the Glitter Pumpkin Patch on Oct. 21, 2023. This was NOLA Craft Culture’s 3rd annual pumpkin patch event. Anna Hummel/The Maroon
Loyola alumna and NOLA Craft Culture event coordinator Valerie Meyer holds up a glittered pumpkin at the Glitter Pumpkin Patch on Oct. 21, 2023. Anna Hummel/The Maroon
Rows of earrings by artist Zoey Moorman of Peaches N Worms on display. Moorman said most of her artwork is inspired by childhood nostalgia. Anna Hummel/The Maroon
Artist and art market vendor Dominick Navarra shares a laugh with a customer while telling the story behind his artwork. Anna Hummel/The Maroon
“We have this amazing community of artists, and we wanted to showcase our people, give them an audience, and bring everybody together,” Constantin said. Beyond being a craft retailer and hosting seasonal art markets, NOLA Craft Culture also offers a variety of “crafty classes,” which includes Specialty Glitter 101, and provides an opento-the-public craft workspace in the shop for people to create at their leisure. Constantin said the workspace is BYOB-friendly, and people bring food, snacks, and have even had pizza delivered while they were working. “It's a fun community, and we love the way it feels. When it's buzzing with all the excitement, there's this cross-pollination that occurs, and everybody enjoys themselves.” Constantin said. "It's just a real fun, at-home atmosphere while you're glittering or working on a project.”
Glittered pumpkins await packaging in the NOLA Craft Culture workshop. The pumpkins are glittered and packaged by hand in the craft workshop before being placed in the Glitter Pumpkin Patch. Anna Hummel/The Maroon
Glittered pumpkins await picking from the patch at NOLA Craft Culture on Oct. 21, 2023. This was NOLA Craft Culture’s 3rd annual pumpkin patch event. Anna Hummel/The Maroon
Catch the funkiest musicians at Nola Funk Fest By Laci Barrow lmbarrow@my.loyno.edu
A local festival dancer entertains a crowd in the courtyard of the New Orleans Jazz Museum in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana, on Sunday, Oct. 22. Behind the dancer, the Jason Neville Funky Soul Band can be seen. Laci Barrow/ The Maroon
The three-day NOLA Funk Fest captivated music enthusiasts and culture connoisseurs with its lively blend of live performances, delectable cuisine, and vibrant arts.
This event marked a significant milestone as the inaugural public gathering of the Louisiana Music & Heritage Experience, an exciting project aimed at establishing a music museum along the picturesque Mississippi riverfront. On the closing day of the festival, the crowd grooved to the soulful tunes of
Jason Neville's Funky Soul Band, and even got a taste of local talent, including Loyola University's very own student musical group, Uncle Jessica. The festival resonated with the spirit of New Orleans, celebrating the city's rich musical heritage and artistic diversity.
OPINION
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Oct. 27, 2023 THE MAROON
The government places blame on homeless people NADIR BENSLIMANE English junior nmbensli@my.loyno.edu
Behind Louisiana's tourist attractions and rich culture, a horrifying reality lies, one of appalling poverty and destitution. According to Census 2021, Louisiana: Poverty, Income and Health Insurance, Louisiana ranks 1st in poverty, 2nd in child poverty, the 3rd lowest household median income, and 3rd highest income inequality. In addition, it’s reported that the percentage of Louisianans who live below half the federal poverty line increased to 9.4% in 2021 from 8.7% in 2019. This could have been caused by the COVID-19 virus, a lack of recent tourism, or some even suggest that there is an issue with the culture of Louisiana that causes this abject poverty. I believe, however, there is a deeper reason for homelessness and poverty not only in Louisiana but in America as a whole; I wish to explore the causes of homelessness, how it persists, and how it could be solved. Causes When delving into the topic of homelessness, it is often simplified about how people plummet into that position. Some presume that homelessness is caused by a person's bad decisions that they must pull themselves out of through hard work. Others see it as an unfortunate circumstance that could be assisted or solved through basic charity. The reality of how homelessness is caused is actually very complex. While it would be impossible to speak on every cause of homelessness, we should look into the most major factors. The most prevalent reason is the market unwilling to provide affordable housing. According to the United Way National Capital Area, 16 million homes are vacant across the US. Instead of these homes being used to help shelter the homeless population, they collect dust and mildew to keep the prices of the housing market and rent inflated at exuberant rates. Alfred M. Clark, a real estate attorney, said renting prices and the rental housing market contributes heavily to the homelessness issue. “The Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University reported that, in 2015, 43 million families and individuals reside in rental housing, an increase of 9 million over 2005. As a result, 37 percent of U.S households rent, up from 31 percent in 2005, and the highest rate of households rent since the mid-1960s,” he said. Clark is saying not only are American
families relying more on rental housing but they are also suffering due to a lack of affordable rent compounded by their stagnant wages. Rental housing has become such a problem that it is ‘burdening’ these families’ financial status significantly, according to Clark. These statistics are very worrying, especially when combined with the fact that wages for Americans have barely budged in decades. “Average hourly earnings peaked more than 45 years ago: The $4.03-anhour rate recorded in January 1973 had the same purchasing power that $23.68 would today,” Drew Desilver, a senior writer for the Pew Research Center. When this is taken into consideration, it could be better understood why homelessness has become so prevalent in America. When rental housing provides itself as the only reasonable alternative to unaffordable housing, landlords are given the ample opportunity to rob families out of huge percentages of the incomes which put these families at greater risk of poverty. This is not even mentioning other essentials these families have to pay for such as food, water, healthcare, gas and insurance for cars, or any other financial emergencies. When all of these costs pile on, homelessness or the high risk of it, doesn’t seem so far-off. But does this relate to Louisiana exactly? As previously mentioned, Louisiana is the leading state in poverty. According to the 2021 census, Louisiana's median household income is currently $52,087 while the national median household income is $70,800. According to RentData.org, if a Louisiana citizen wanted to rent a 2-bedroom apartment, they would have to pay an average of $844 a month or $10,128 dollars a year, taking quite a hefty chunk of income from renters' hands. But rent and stagnant wages aren’t the only factors contributing to homelessness, other essential necessities, like food and healthcare, are also not provided to citizens at an affordable rate. What sustains homelessness? I believe that three major factors are in play which are the myth of the American Dream, lack of political will, and the use of punitive measures against the homeless population. Put simply, the American Dream is the belief that all people are given an equal opportunity to succeed, regardless of race, gender, or other factors, through hard work and perseverance. American ideology was founded on this dream; it was propagandized to us since we were children from our parents, schools, and our cartoons. So when someone fails to achieve this American Dream, the immediate response is to blame the individual. This obsession with equating homelessness with personal and moral failure is a brilliant narrative by those who stand
Sofia Johnson/The Maroon
at the top of the socioeconomic ladder. So when these systemic issues bring people into poverty or homelessness, propaganda of the American Dream allows people outside of that position to see themselves as superior. This seeps into the political decisions as societal apathy is aimed against these marginalized groups and disincentivizes voters from voting for policies that could help end homelessness and poverty. In the absence of effective policies, only policies that maintain the status quo are pushed out into broader society, including those that criminalize homelessness. These policies include encampment evictions, hostile architecture, stripping of safety net programs, and more. In regards to encampment evictions, the police forcefully evict homeless people from their temporary encampments they use to sleep in at night so they don’t end up sleeping on the street. Not only is this method of “eliminating” homeless inhumane, but ineffective as well, according to the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty. “Sweeping encampments too often harms individuals by destroying their belongings, including their shelter, ID and other important documents, medications, and mementos. More often than not, this leaves the homeless person in a worse position than before,” they say. Hostile architecture is another method used to reduce the visibility of homelessness but only hurts the community economically in the long run. Hostile architecture is essentially structures made to deter homeless people away from a certain area. These could include fences, bars, rocks, spikes, and even loudspeakers.
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Not only are these structures expensive to build and maintain but they drain money away from resources that could be used to help house the homeless while also making the aforementioned homeless more vulnerable to natural hazard and crime. But why is this done? Apparently, it is meant to help the homeless to turn to housing services instead of the streets. The hypothesis is that when the homeless are constantly being dispersed and put into danger, they will go into housing services and become productive members of society again. This logic is questionable at best. In fact, this line of logic is quickly dispelled by the National Law Center on Homeless & Poverty. “Providing outreach backed with resources for real alternatives is the far better, proven approach,” they said. “This approach may require upfront investment of time, but has documented far more permanent solutions, ensuring those communities’ street corners will be free of homeless individuals not temporarily, because they are in jail, but long term, by ensuring they have an adequate alternative place to be.” The forceful and punitive responses to homelessness not only fail to solve the problem, but actually perpetuate the issue by draining resources from actual solutions to permanently end or reduce homelessness across the nation. Possible solutions Through the use of proper funding, the 16 million US homes left vacant could be used to help create stable and affordable housing. This would give the homeless
population access to jobs, education, work, government benefits and other opportunities that could make the path out of homelessness and poverty much easier. If the creation of a universal basic livable income is established, more people would be given access to greater buying power, not only helping reduce poverty substantially but allowing people to participate in the economy and stimulating it as well. The best way to eliminate it would be to have necessities such as childcare, medical care, education, and housing to become deprivatized and be paid through taxes, like many other first world countries. Through this new system, many citizens would be able to focus their incomes on improving their lives rather than on basic necessities. This could be funded by reallocation of funding from inefficient or bloated systems such as the police and the military, which both cost hundreds of billions of dollars. By making the affluent billionaires and millionaires pay taxes and eliminating unnecessary tax write offs and other loopholes, the ability to have these necessities is much closer in grasp. While some may argue that this would waste taxpayer money and encourage a culture of laziness, these programs give people better opportunities to succeed rather than using that money for ineffective punitive measures to punish those already hurt by the system. We must look for solutions that create humane programs and compassionate communities to help destroy the systems that create oppressive punishments and callous people to benefit the few.
Quote of the week
"There is a saying, 'when you eat supper with the devil, use a ten foot spoon.' I prefer to say I don't eat." -Fr. McGill on the exorcism in Buddig Hall. Feb 14, 1974
Oct. 27, 2023 THE MAROON
EDITORIAL
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COLUMN: As nature mourns, our outrage must be direct By C.W. Maldonado
HOWLS & GROWLS
cwmaldon@my.loyno.edu
Once more the natural world is experiencing a period of mourning. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 21 species have been delisted “from the Endangered Species Act due to extinction”. As of October 16, 2023, 21 beautiful species of various kinds of mussels, fish, mammals, and birds have embarked on their final pilgrimage to the endless ether and the gaping wound that’s been left behind on our wonderful natural world is one that will never heal over. The Guam flying fox will never be gazed upon again outside of artificial recreations of its image just as the supple tones of the Bachman’s warbler nor the Molokai creeper will ever reach anotherperson’s ears with their tantalizing serenade. Companionship amidst rivers and springs will never be found with the San Marcos gambusia of Texas or the Scioto madtom of Ohio. A wail of remembrance can be heard throughout the rivers and springs of the U.S. that dearly miss theirtreasured mussels such as the flat pigtoe, the upland combshell, the stirrupshell ,and a litany of others. An irreparable loss has taken place and the worst part? It seems like anyone has yet to notice. Hawaii has lost 8 different species of bird, the U.S. mainland has lost 8 species of mussel, and all around the world biodiversity is being pushed to the brink of extinction. The effects that climatechange is inflicting on every aspect of the natural world is undeniable and what is anyone doing about it? Educational endeavors and legislation, while effective, are time consuming prospects that can’t result in the necessary sweeping change in the face of the countdown to greater environmental disaster which worsens with each day. An aggressive response to the major polluters propagating the destruction of the natural world is necessary if we ever hope to greatly reduce carbon dioxide emissions alongside protecting the holy wilderness that is consistently barraged by industrial development and exploitation. Do we want to write more eulogies for the endless wave of species that will suffer as a result of passivity in the face of oppressive industries that care for nothing but their bottom dollar? Eco-defense is the only means by which any level of bargaining can be achieved with the titans of industry who exploit and develop with wanton disregard for the world as a whole. There are 100 corporations responsible for 71% of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions. The only true fear that these companies feel is when their wallet is threatened. Lately it sees like there hasn't been enough fear in the hearts of gutless industrialists. To think that these cabals of moraless, economical, and technocratic buffoons are barely punished for their disgusting behavior towards the environment is gut-wrenching. “We stand for what we stand on” is the mindset that needs to be branded into every environmentally conscious person on the planet. There can be zero tolerance for the industrialist who stabs at Gaia and pollutes the air she breathes. No more eulogies for species that never should have been threatened in the first place and only funerals for the forces of pollution that continue to violate the remnants of Eden. Earth must always come first and we must keep it that way by any means.
HOWL to Halloweek GROWL to Mike Johnson HOWL to dirty iced chais GROWL to the broken toilet seat HOWL to the Buddig 8th floor ghost GROWL to jumping in the elevator HOWL to 1989 Taylor's Version GROWL to wolf buck bankruptcy HOWL to negative results
EDITORIAL BOARD Patrick Hamilton
Editor-in-Chief
Maleigh Crespo
Managing Editor for Print
Addison Laird
Managing Editor
Ayana Thomas
Diversity, Equity, and
for Digital Inclusion Officer Daniela Martínez
Maroon Broadcast Executive Producer
Maria DiFelice
Maroon Broadcast Operation Manager
Sophia Maxim
Design Chief
Anna Hummel
Photo Editor
Kloe Witt Athena Marks/ The Maroon
Halloween is in New Orleans' blood Celebrating Halloween in New Orleans is something many of the newcomers look forward to in the city. We may run to the Prytania Theater to see the midnight showing of Rocky Horror or walk down the street to visit the infamous Skeleton House on St. Charles. Although these traditions are fun, there is so much more in the history of New Orleans that should be recognized during the spooky season. Ghost pirates, swamp monsters, and all manner of haunting myths of the things that walk the streets of the city at night are all testament to the wide variety of cultural history that New Orleans is home to. The tale of Jean Lafitte’s Barataria Bay buccaneering and the scourge of the American and British governments in the early 19th century is just one example of how the history of the city can be celebrated during the Halloween season. Lafitte’s legacy lives on at Jean Lafitte’s Blacksmith Bar in the French Quarter, where people still claim they see his specter leaning against the piano enjoying a cocktail and the sultry rhythms playing. People may already
be wary on nights with a full moon due to the classic tale of werewolves making their canine transformations on those nights. But what many may not know is that it’s not a werewolf you should fear walking back from Broadway liquor on a night with the moon at its brightest point, it’s the Rougarou. The Rougarou has its origins in Cajun folklore, a half-man, half-beast that transforms on a full moon’s night that prowls the swamps and sugarcane fields of south Louisiana. However, the non-Catholics of Loyola’s campus have nothing to worry as the beast only goes after Catholics who don’t follow the rules of Lent during the season. But let’s not forget the scariest monster of them all, currently walking barefoot from Lafayette to Baton Rouge with a hat on that says “Fish want me, women fear me,” incoherently rambling about being the next governor: a certain janky Loyola law graduate who we legally shouldn’t name. But it’s not just the particular monsters that roam the streets that fulfill New Orleans’ historical legacy surrounding the mysterious and the haunting. It’s
also the unique relationship that exists between death and New Orleans culture. After all, what other city celebrates funerals with parades? No other place has as much history between the walls of its cemeteries. This is why cemetery tours are such an amazing glimpse into the relationship between the past and the present, the dead and the living in the city. Just ask Nicholas Cage who has a pyramidal tomb in St. Louis Cemetery Number 1, which many fans in the past have adorned with lipstick marks. Who likes Nicholas Cage that much? I don’t know either, but that’s besides the point. The city of New Orleans’ history and cultural legacy is one that’s famously unique. Traditions adorn every holiday that deserve to be celebrated and appreciated for how they form the cultural legacy of New Orleans, and Halloween is no exception. During the holiday, while you’re pregaming Rocky Horror, take time to remember that appreciation for all things Halloween and appreciation for what makes New Orleans unique are often one in the same.
Melody Newsome
News Editor Breaking News Editor
Natalia Silva
Life & Times Editor
Jacob L'Hommedieu Worldview Editor Sofía Johnson
Comics Editor
Athena Marks
Chief Visual Artist
Mark Michel
Opinion and Editorial Editor
Mia Oliva
Reviews Editor
Taylor Falgout
Senior Staff Photographer
Ava Acharya Ecoi Lewis
Senior Staff Writer Content Editor
Heather Rabassa
Copy Editor
C.W. Maldonado
Columnist
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.
Oct. 27, 2023
THE MAROON
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