OPINIONS

Tuesday, February 22, 2022

The MarqueTTe Tribune OpiniOns

PAGE 10

Aimee Galaszewski, Executive Director Benjamin Wells, Managing Editor of The Marquette Tribune Skyler Chun, Managing Editor of The Marquette Journal

ediTorial board

Alexandra Garner, Executive Opinions Editor Hope Moses, Assistant Opinions Editor

Megan Woolard, News Executive John Leuzzi, Sports Executive Randi Haseman, A&E Executive Lelah Byron, Projects Editor Eleanor McCaughey, Copy Chief Grace Pionek, Design Chief Izzy Bonebrake, Executive Photo Editor Nancy Flaherty, Social Media Executive Andrew Amouzou, Station Manager of MUTV Reese Seberg, Station Manager of MURadio Alex Rivera Grant, Editor of Diversity and Inclusion

STAFF EDITORIAL Be safe on National Marquette Day

National Marquette Day should be a day to celebrate each other and the Marquette bond that we share. This also means making sure we are all safe and care for one another.

While Saturday, Feb. 26 is a day to have fun, acting in unsafe manners is an easy way to ruin it, potentially putting each others’ health and well-being at risk.

People intending to drink should also be responsible and know their limits. Drinking past limits could not only lead to alcohol poisoning but also put people in dangerous situations. Additionally, having to go to the emergency room due to alcohol poisoning could take a space away from someone with an unavoidable medical emergency, such as a severe COVID-19 case.

It’s also important that students be the difference and take action if they see other students who are in unsafe situations on National Marquette Day. Every first-year student living on campus participates in Red Band Watch training, which teaches students how to recognize the signs of acute intoxication and how to intervene in potentially dangerous situations.

Students should remember and even revisit this training before National Marquette Day, keeping in mind the signs of a lifethreatening overdose: the person cannot be woken up, they get sick and don’t wake up, they have slow breathing or cold, clammy or altered skin. If you are unsure if someone needs help, it is better to be proactive and cautious. Call 911. Know when it’s time to get help. Someone’s health is also more important than getting in trouble. If you are alone and need assistance, call a friend, someone you trust or 911.

Additionally, people should not try to peer pressure others into drinking or doing things they don’t want to do. Some students may also struggle with addiction and mental health issues, so pressuring them into drinking may be triggering and put them in unsafe situations.

Consent is also important. If someone cannot offer consent, do not try to have sex with them, or try to pressure them into having sex. It’s that simple.

There are a lot of events this upcoming weekend on campus where students can have fun and be sober.

Marquette University Student Government is handing out beads and stickers among other spirit wear at The Commons from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 26.

The Commons is also hosting a brunch party from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. as well as a watch party for the men’s basketball game at 12 p.m. Feb. 26. Marquette is hosting a pep rally and brunch at 10 a.m. at Mecca Bar and Grill. There will also be a Late Night Breakfast event hosted by Late Night Marquette later that day at 9 p.m. Students can also go to the men’s basketball game at 12 p.m. at Fiserv Forum.

The day after National Marquette Day, there will also be a pregame reception at the Union Sports Annex at 12 p.m. as well as a women’s basketball game at 2 p.m. in the Al McGuire Center Feb. 27.

Dressing appropriately for the weather on Saturday is also important, considering the current weather forecast predicts a 30-degree and below day.

We must also be mindful of the communities living near Marquette, making sure to be respectful of property and noise levels. While National Marquette Day is a time to celebrate the Marquette community, we need to remember that we are closely knit with nearby communities.

Regardless of how students choose to celebrate, making safe decisions and being aware of your surroundings and friends is essential to having a fun National Marquette Day.

Laura Niezgoda

As COVID-19 vaccination rates increase and COVID-19 cases decrease, the United States, cities and universities across the country are dropping mask mandates. Marquette University should follow suit.

The University of Wisconsin System President Tommy Thompson announced Feb. 16 that the UW system would be phasing out the indoor mask mandate as soon as March 1 and no later than spring break. This announcement addressed high vaccination rates in students and faculty and the lowering number of cases on college campuses.

This announcement also follows Dane County’s expiring indoor mask mandate March 1, as it will not be renewed. The mask mandate in Milwaukee will end March 1.

Across the UW system, vaccines were required in order for the universities to obtain federal funding in compliance with President Joe Biden’s executive order. This order

University should lift mask mandate

imposed a vaccine mandate for all federal contractors, individuals who have a contract with the United States government to complete a job. While this was just required of faculty and staff, the UW system expanded this mandate so that all students must have the primary series of the COVID-19 vaccine by Jan. 4.

All 13 universities across 26 different campuses, including UW-Madison and UWMilwaukee have a COVID-19 dashboard. These dashboards track infection rates, COVID-19 tests and vaccinations statuses.

At UW-Milwaukee, the COVID-19 dashboard reports that 91% of the student population is vaccinated and 83% of the faculty and staff are vaccinated.

In comparison, Marquette’s COVID-19 dashboard reports that 94% of students are vaccinated with the primary series and 85% are boosted. As for faculty and staff, 95% of employees have the primary series and 79% are boosted.

The risks of COVID-19, such as severe illness, hospitalization and death are diminishing, especially among the majority of college-aged students. The rates of hospitalization for 18-29 yearolds are 78.5 per 100,000 cases as of September 2020, a time prior to the widespread availability of vaccines that lower the risk of hospitalization and death.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the omicron variant symptoms are generally less severe than prior variants. The vaccine and booster have proved to be 90% effective in preventing hospitalization. Across the country, transmission rates of the omicron variant have dropped by 67% over the past fourteen days. For those who are vaccinated and boosted, which 82% of Marquette is, the threat of COVID-19 is diminishing.

If the UW system is lifting their mask mandate, even though their students are not required to be boosted yet, Marquette, which required the booster for the spring semester, should lift it too.

Major cities and schools in Wisconsin are not the only places that are dropping their mask mandates. New York State, Washington and New Mexico are among the most recent states to drop their indoor mask mandate, including in schools. Some Americans have expressed concern over dropping the mask mandate, arguing that it is too soon to be removing all of these restrictions.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the chief medical advisor to Biden, advised against easing up restrictions too soon in an interview released Feb. 19. He expects the CDC will come out with an update on mask-wearing very soon.

A majority of college students have not experienced the traditional college experience. Mixed reactions between students consist of worry and excitement regarding the updated mask policy. Lifting the mask mandate proposes the chance of normalcy for students.

If Marquette ends the mask mandate, it is not implying that you should stop wearing your mask. The students and faculty who are either not vaccinated or immunocompromised should continue to wear well-fitting masks. The CDC recommends N95s for the highest level of protection. If wearing a mask is what makes you comfortable, wear a mask.

The mask mandate should not be an imposed restriction to those to whom COVID-19 poses little threat. Instead, it should be a choice for those who are vaccinated and boosted.

People want to protect themselves and their communities, but making choices about public health is challenging and involves tradeoffs. COVID-19 restrictions can help minimize the threat of COVID-19, but it also has terrible consequences. These consequences, such as mental health problems, lost learning for children and isolation, are immensely damaging to our society. Though there are risks to lifting the mask mandate, the benefits outweigh the risks. Lifting the mask mandate is safe given the vaccination status of our community and the declining number of cases on campus.

Marquette should lift its mask mandate, signaling a step into a post-pandemic future.

The MarqueTTe Tribune

11 11 Non-Black people of color must strive for allyship

Krisha Patel

Non-Black people of color need to listen, learn and reflect on how to be better allies with the Black community during Black History Month.

Working to help minimize racism against Black people is important, especially in Milwaukee where nearly 39% percent of the population is Black and nearly 56% of the population are people of color.

White people and non-Black people of color will never experience what it’s like to be a Black person in the United States. However, we can work to understand and listen, coming from our own experiences as nonBlack people of color. Standing in solidarity with Black people is also important to do in a society that values whiteness.

February is Black History Month, which is a time to uplift and celebrate the successes of Black people in our local communities and across the United States.

Listening is an integral part to being an ally. We need to listen to Black stories and uplift Black voices, not just in February but in every month. Following or connecting with Black activists on social media can be a good place to start. We also need to uplift our Black peers in our own communities as well.

Starting to re-learn history as well as reflecting on how we engage with Black people is also important during Black History Month. Re-educating ourselves will show more support for Black people. We can start this process by reading, watching and listening to stories, films and television shows and music created by Black people.This can begin with acknowledging ways that we as non-Black people of color contribute to racism.

While non-Black people of color may share similar experiences as Black people in the U.S., from being a person of color, we are not Black. And that makes appropriating Black culture and using the N-word, whether in singing along to song lyrics or talking to friends, inappropriate and wrong.

White people and non-Black people of color don’t have permission to say the word. Ever.

Non-Black people of colormay intentionally or unintentionally remove the history attached to the N-word, or may feel that since they’ve shared in some experiences of racism in the U.S., that they can use the word as well. Many people of color have experienced some kind of oppression in the past, but the N-word is not ours to reclaim from a history of slavery.

We need to do our part to show support rather than further perpetuate racism against Black people.

Non-Black people of color may also appropriate Black culture through other types of speech. Recently, actress Awkwafina came under fire for using a “blaccent” and Black mannerisms in many of her roles in movies and television shows. Other celebrities such as musical artists like Olivia Rodrigo and Billie Eilish have spoken with a blaccent, and Eilish also said in an interview that she identified with a white character from the show “Boondocks” who also speaks in a blaccent.

Although these celebrities’ We need to ... uplift Black “ voices ...”

actions may have been unintentional, it’s important that non-Black people of color, as well as white people, recognize when they cross the line of celebrating Black culture to appropriating Black culture.

We have to be mindful of our actions; what we say or imitate can be harmful, regardless of our intentions.

Reflecting on our own biases toward Black people, such as recognizing when we perpetuate stereotypes, is also essential to combating racism against Black people.

We also need to be mindful that we don’t try to engage in an “oppression olympics,” a term first coined by activist Elizabeth Martinez in 1993, which describes how marginalized groups may compete to determine who has been most oppressed. Trying to determine which group has had it worse in the U.S. can prevent moments for listening as well as opportunities of solidarity.

To truly stand in solidarity with Black people, we need to empathize and understand the struggles that Black people experience. Our experiences as people of color are unique. And these experiences are also unique beyond our skin color, as other aspects of our identities create different challenges and advantages, such as our sexuality, gender, ethnicity, nationality, physical and mental ability and socioeconomic status.

Being an ally means recognizing our diversity of experiences, and being there to stand with each other.

Krisha Patel is a junior studying nursing and Spanish for the health professions. She can be reached at

krisha.patel@marquette.edu

Book banning, burning harmful to learning

Grace Cady

Reading is a great joy in life that can teach us many things, and it should not be restricted.

A recent American Library Association report found that there were 330 “book challenges” in fall 2021. A book challenge is when a person requests for a book to be reviewed with the intent to withdraw it from a library or curriculum. This number is higher than previous years.

All types of schools across the country have seen a push to ban books containing content such as issues of sexuality, race and religion.

In Oklahoma, Senator Rob Stanbridge has gone so far as to write a bill which would give parents the power to request removal of books in school libraries that involve sexuality, specifically non-heterosexual relationships, such as “All Boys Aren’t Blue” and “Two Boys Kissing.” This bill would give parents the power to sue school districts up to $10,000 per day that the book remains in the school library.

The discussion of race in novels is under attack as well. Texas Representative Matt Krause put together a list of books that he wants school districts to review. One of the novels on this list include “The Hate U Give,” a book inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement. The book is centered around Staar, a Black girl who lives in a poor neighborhood but attends a wealthy suburban school. Staar witnesses the death of her best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Krause’s argument is that books about the Black experience may be harmful to white students.

Another book Krause wants school districts to review is “Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You,” which discusses issues of racism in American history and aspirations for an antiracist future.

At the local level, these “book challenges” are increasing because parents are concerned that the material their children are being exposed to is inappropriate or harmful. However, something that challenges what you may believe or an opinion you may hold cannot be automatically deemed inappropriate or harmful.

The idea that parents are upset by their children learning about issues of race and sexuality in America is the real issue. Although there is a reasonable line of what is appropriate and what is not, such as a book that is offensive, restricting children from learning about real world issues through novels is a hindrance on their education and overall growth. Parents who argue against their children reading such books are stunting their children’s awareness, emotional intelligence and progress in life.

Texas legislators argued in June 2021 that extracurriculars and coursework in schools need

Graphic by Kendal Bell

Book burning jeopardizes students’ abilility to learn other perspectives.

to remain separate from “political activism,” in reference to social studies instruction material. But, the purpose of public education is not to guard students from the truth of the state of our country. Students need to understand the full picture of America to be viable participants in a democracy.

There is also concern being raised by religious individuals over books that detail witchcraft.

Recently, a controversial Tennessee pastor went as far as setting fire to books to battle “demonic influences.” Pastor Greg Locke led a book burning, which was livestreamed on Facebook, to incinerate copies of books including “Harry Potter” and “Twilight.” The participants were followers of Locke who also believed that the witchcraft and special powers included in the novels were unholy.

“We will be in our continued series on Deliverance from Demons. We have stuff coming in from all over that we will be burning. We’re not playing games. Witchcraft and accursed things must go,” Locke wrote in a since-removed Facebook post.

The issue here is not the pastor, or other people involved, disliking the contents of these books – it’s the degree to which they channeled their anger.

Throwing a novel into a fire because of a personal opinion about it is more than extreme, it’s unsettling. The volatile reactions people have to things they disagree with and the lengths they will go to in protesting them nowadays are frightening.

When I say this, I am not talking about serious issues such as hate in America, gun violence or police brutality. I am talking about the inability people seem to have with living amongalternative ideas. Some people are still afraid of deviations from society’s perceived norms of sexuality, race, gender and overall what the status quo should be.

In some people’s homes, “Harry Potter” may be read, in others it may not. In some people’s homes, “The Hate U Give” may be read, in others it may not. That is okay.

What is not okay is a movement to ban books from school libraries because people disagree with the concepts in them.

The freedom for people to read and learn about race, religion and sexuality is not one that should be taken away because some people are still uncomfortable, as adults, with discussing them.

Grace Cady is a sophomore studying journalism. She can be be reached at grace.cady@mar-

quette.edu

Statement of Opinion Policy

The opinions expressed on the Opinions page reflect the opinions of the Opinions staff. The editorials do not represent the opinions of Marquette University nor its administrators, but those of the editorial board.

The Marquette Tribune prints guest submissions at its discretion. The Tribune strives to give all sides of an issue an equal voice over the course of a reasonable time period. An author’s contribution will not be published more than once in a four-week period. Submissions with obvious relevance to the Marquette community will be given priority consideration.

Full Opinions submissions should be limited to 500 words. Letters to the editor should be between 150 to 250 words. The Tribune reserves the right to edit submissions for length and content.

Please e-mail submissions to: alexandra.garner@marquette.edu. If you are a current student, include the college in which you are enrolled and your year in school. If not, please note any affliations to Marquette or your current city of residence.