October 3, 2020 Vol. 91 Issue 3

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Thursday, October 1, 2020

Volume 91 • Issue 3

Public Safety

Committee Suggests Student Vote on Guns

The report on Public Safety policies and practices has come up with three recommendations for executive staff to consider and possibly implement

BY BRIAN RHODES EDITOR-IN-CHIEF A committee on public safety policies and practices has recommended that a student referendum be held on whether public safety officers should carry firearms.

“In the Academic Year 2020-2021, the MCLA Student Government Association (SGA) should explore the necessary steps to organize an official referendum to allow every matriculated MCLA student to vote on

the question of whether or not campus police should continue to carry lethal sidearms,” the committee’s report said.

This is one of three major recommendations in the committee’s report. President James Birge, who asked for the formation of the committee initially earlier this year, released the report to students publicly via an email on Monday, Sept. 28.

“The Executive Staff of the College will review the three recommendations and begin

to work with staff, faculty, and student leaders to implement the recommendations where practicable,” he said in the email.

The report notes that, should a simple majority of more than 50 percent vote against public safety officers carrying sidearms, the college should commit to removing them within 12 months.

The report mentions that the committee conducted a survey asking students about public safety policy.

Water Main Break Disrupts Campus

“In this Committee’s aforementioned survey conducted in July 2020, the presence of lethal firearms was consistently cited as a source of major fear and discomfort for students,” the report said.

According to the report, a 2019 review of public safety conduct also found the carrying of firearms by public safety officers to be a point of fear and discomfort for students and recommended that officers be given non-lethal weapons.

PHOTO BY KYLAN MARTUS

Jeff Flake Talk Tonight at 5 p.m.

BY NATALIA GIACOMOZZI MANAGING EDITOR Former Arizona republican senator Jeff Flake is the featured speaker for MCLA’s annual Michael S. and Kitty Dukakis Public Policy Lecture taking place on Thursday, October 1, at 5:00.

The lecture, originally scheduled for the spring until the covid-19 pandemic struck the country, will now be conducted over Zoom. Prior to the event, there will be a student moderated discussion with Flake at 3:15.

Students and faculty interested in attending both the lecture and discussion must register either on the MCLA portal page or by scanning the code on posters promoting the lecture with their phones.

David Cupery, associate professor of political science, said he could not “speak for what Flake will specifically say”, but that Flake was chosen based on his background and reputation.

“Ultimately we wanted to move past the echo chamber of politics. Jeff Flake is someone willing to demand truth and call out his party, [this] gives students a different view outside of past liberal speakers,” Cupery said in a telephone interview.

Flake is advertised as focusing on the country’s current political climate and the role of bipartisanship in his lecture, topics which seem more relevant as the countdown for the 2020 presidential election has nearly a month left.

“I’m sure he will also touch on the Supreme Court and

the Senate. Flake represents someone informed and exposed. [He was] at D.C. for 18 years,” Cupery said.

Josh Vallieres ’22 said he intends on attending the lecture to learn about Flake’s approach to politics during and after his tenure in the Senate.

“I’m attending the lecture because I really want some insight as to why he, as an anti-Trump Republican, has sided with Trump on numerous occasions,” Vallieres said.

At time of print,Vallieres did not have a specific question to ask Flake during the student moderated discussion.

“I do plan to discuss his voting record in particular,” he said.

Flake, Page 10

Gun, Page 10

COVID-19

Birge Excited About Low Positive Cases and Spring Semester

BY BRIAN RHODES EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Workers in North Adams attempting to fix the water main break. All classes were cancelled and several campus buildings were closed on Thursday, Sept. 24. More photos on back page (Page 12).

“To date, MCLA has not acted further on this recommendation and has provided no evidence of having done so to this Committee,” the report said.

Public Safety officers were originally given firearms after a 2012 vote by MCLA’s Board of Trustees, upon recommendation from former MCLA President Mary Grant.

“This decision was not without contention, as both

President James Birge spoke with The Beacon and Beacon Web News about how the first month of the semester has gone and his outlook for the future.

Birge believes that the beginning of the semester has gone well given the issues brought by the COVID-19 Pandemic. He noted that there has been only one positive case in the last seven days, and only three overall.

“I think given the work my colleagues and students have done over the last six months frankly, to establish protocols that would allow us to return to campus, I’m very pleased,” he said.

Birge noted that he has not seen as many issues with failing to follow COVID-19 safety procedures at MCLA as he has at other colleges.

“I think our students are a little more conscientious than the average student,” he said. “I think our students understand the risks of not complying with safety protocols. We have students that are not complying with that, there’s no question that happens, but I think to the scale that it’s happened at other institutions, we’re not seeing that.”

When asked how the college will respond to poten-

tial protests related to the upcoming presidential election, Birge said that he expects protests and that the college will not discourage them, as long as students follow safety precautions.

“I think [students] will find a way to protest that maintains the protocols we need to maintain with masks and distance,” he said. “I have great confidence that students will be able to do that.”

Birge said that the college has responded well to unanticipated issues such as the water main break in North Adams and the test labeling issue that necessitated many students needing to have tests redone.

“Those kinds of issues always happen on a college campus,” he said. “A lot of people don’t understand the chaotic nature of administration; there’s always something that’s happening that we’re trying to respond to.”

Referring to the water main break, Birge said that the college had to take into account more than usual safety and sanitation because of the pandemic.

“Because of that, we alerted a whole range of people that we normally wouldn’t have, just to let them know that there was the possibility

Birge, Page 10

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SGA

Meet The Candidates Running in the SGA Elections

BY NATALIA GIACOMOZZI MANAGING EDITOR The race is on for 21 students vying for positions in Student Government Association (SGA) for the 20202021 academic year.

Voting opens on Oct. 6. at 11 a.m. and runs until 7 p.m. on Oct. 7.

As reported by the Beacon in its previous issue, there are at least two students among every class who are running for a seat on the class council.

Shannon Prouty ’21, Melanie Davis ’22, and Noah Henkenius ’21 are all on one ticket running for president, coordinating vice president (CVP) and executive vice president (EVP), respectively.

“I’m running for coordinating [vice president] because it is in charge of all of the clubs and making sure the clubs are sticking to their budgets. I was co-president of Harlequinn last semester and I’ve been involved in clubs enough to kind of know how it works,” Davis said.

She noted she has wanted to be in SGA since entering MCLA in 2018.

“I’m not doing a lot of club stuff this semester, so when Shannon asked me I said ‘why not?’. SGAs meet Mondays at 7:00 and I would always be in theater rehearsals then, so this is the perfect opportunity since there’s not a ton happening,” she said.

Henkenius considers his work ethic to meet what the role of EVP means. “I’d say that I am tasked oriented to help accomplish our goals this semester if elected,” he said in an email.

Henkenius said he wants to bring positive influence to MCLA before he graduates.

“I am an advocate of campus sustainability and have noticed the Pod and cafeteria have restored back to plastic bags. I would like to put an end to that because often these bags end up in the trash and are a tank on the environment,” he noted.

After serving as CVP alongside current SGA president Dean Little ’21, Prouty decided to continue participating in SGA after Little announced he would not seek re-election and EVP Sophie Smith ’22 resigned two weeks ago.

“I wanted to keep going so I decided to run, but I made sure to let them know when I made my decision,” Prouty said in an email.

She selected Davis and Henkenius to form a ticket because of their work ethic. “I have learned that when they are given a task, they get it done. I also believe that they want what is best for the students, and that

is all I want,” Prouty noted.

If elected president, Prouty says she will maintain safety precautions on campus to slow the spread of Covid-19.

“I think in order to do this, I will follow up on fighting to make campus safer regarding Title IX issues and accessibility issues as Dean had started

last year, but I will also be asking students what they want to see fixed so that I can truly serve as the student voice,” she said.

Crystal Wojcik ’21, Samantha Johnson ’21, and Brian Adelt ’21 are running to be the senior class’s president, vice president, and treasur-

PHOTO PROVIDED BY SGA

Shannon Prouty ‘21 running for SGA President on a ticket with Noah Henkenius ‘21 and Melanie Davis ‘22. Prouty served on SGA during the 2020-2021 academic year, and served as Coordinating Vice President for Dean Little ‘21 before Little chose to step down.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY SGA

Noah Henkenius ‘21 is running alongside Shannon Prouty ‘21 and Melanie Davis to be SGA’s Executive Vice President. Henkenius will be replacing Sophie Smith ‘22, who stepped down as Executive Vice President.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY SGA

Melanie Davis ‘22 is running alongside Shannon Prouty ‘21 and Noah Henkenius ‘21 to be SGA’s Coordinating Vice President.

er, respectively. Wojcik said the pandemic’s effect on higher education prompted her to run.

“I am running for Class President because I want to be a voice to my fellow seniors as we take on a year that is like no other. This year is not the senior year that we have envisioned for the past 5 or more years,” she said in an email.

Wojcik wants the 2021 ticket to figure out how to hold senior class traditions such as senior week, the midnight madness basketball tournament, and Aramark and SAC’s late night breakfast amid the pandemic.

“I also want to ensure that the senior class feels ready for life after graduation. I want to provide them with resources to aide in the job search/ graduate search now that many interviews and job fairs have moved online,” she said.

Edgar Perez ’23 is running for both sophomore class president and student trustee. “I just want to help out in any way because I know some positions usually don’t fill up. I feel like student trustee also benefits me in that it would help me run for SGA senate before senior year,” he said.

Perez believes his involvement with Student Affairs Committee (SAC), class of 2023 council, and the Black Student Union (BSU) last year make him a familiar face on campus.

Alex Holcomb ’24 is running for freshman class president because he believes he brings the right approach to SGA. “I am kind, a leader, and I know that I want to do what’s best for this school, community, and my peers,” he said.

Holcomb did not name any specific proposals he would pursue if he is elected, but said he is open to discussion. “I would like to create a transparent, meaningful, and long-lasting relationship with my fellow members of the Class of 2024,” he said.

Kaytlyn Young ’24, Callista Motta ’24, and Lucien Thomas-Vickory ’23 are all running to be a senator-at-large.

“I want to run for Senate in the real world someday, so I’d really like to get involved especially with such an amazing campus. I would like to get the school more green.

One thing I noticed is that most of the lights in Hoosac are time sensitive, that is pretty cool,” Motta noted.

More information about the candidates, as well as the candidates who were unavailable to comment to The Beacon, can be found at https://www.mcla.edu/ Assets/MCLA-Files/Student-Life/SGA/electioncandidatesfall2020.pdf.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY SGA

Crystal Wojcik ‘21 is running to be the Class of 2021 President.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY SGA

Edgar Perez ‘23 is running to be both Class of 2023 President and Student Trustee. He believes his involvement with SAC and BSU make him a familiar face.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY SGA

Castilla Motta ‘24 is running to be a senator-at-large.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY SGA

Alex Holcomb ‘24 is running for the Class of 2024 President

PHOTO PROVIDED BY SGA

Brian Adelt ‘21 is running to be the Class of 2021 Treasurer.

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Oct. 1, 2020

SGA

SGA Discusses Campus Police Recommendations

BY NATALIA GIACOMOZZI MANAGING EDITOR Student Government Association (SGA) began its third meeting of the semester on Zoom with President Dean Little’ 21 noting he had two weeks left in the position.

Besides Little, Coordinating Vice President Shannon Prouty ’21 Senator Emma Marino ’22, Treasurer Kelli Garrant ’21, SGA office assistant Jack Vezeris ’23 and this reporter were present.

Before the meeting, the MCLA community received an email from President James Birge announcing the findings of the school’s committee on the structure of campus police. One of the committee’s formal recommendations is that SGA organize a referendum to allow students to vote on whether or not campus police should carry firearms.

“In general, I as president will not be pursuing that only because I will be stepping down at the turn of the election so I will wait for the next president choose to take that on or not,” Little said.

However, Little “highly suggests” the next president accept the referendum recommendation.

“After the results of the next election, where a new student government is created and then up and running, they should be the group that will take on that conversation and how to properly lead that forward,” he said.

Little predicted that the referendum, should it be voted into motion, would be seen in the upcoming spring election. He noted that when Birge founded the committee last spring, SGA wanted a student not affiliated with SGA to join the committee.

“SGA did make it a point to see a non-student government representative to it so that it was completely how this student felt about campus. Student government did not participate in the conversation. We wanted the current students to be the ones to dedicate whether or not that conversation should happen,” Little said.

He also noted that someone on the committee reached out to SGA “specifically because they wanted to add this clause in [the report], to have student government run the referendum”. That specific committee member and the nonSGA involved student were not named by Little during the meeting.

SGA also discussed the presence of conservative organization Turning Point USA on and around campus in recent weeks.

“Turning Point USA has reached out to us via our Facebook asking to see how they can get officially recognized through student government. They said they are chartered through the school so our process this week will be checking the charter and

figuring out how to best add them into our recognition,” Little said.

If recognized by SGA, Turning Point USA would resemble how voting advocacy organization MASSPIRG appears on campus.

“If you take SAC [Student Activies Council] for example, SAC is a club. We fund SAC, SAC has to follow all of our rules and regulations.

Basically if we pass something SAC has to follow it.

MASSPIRG is not bound by the same principles. They are a completely independent organization chartered at the school. [This week] is more so of a figuring out where [Turning Point USA] will fit in,” Little said.

Due to a current lack of senators, Little told Garrant and Marino that they will chair the Constitution committee during the semester.

“The Constitution committee will consist of all of us because nobody wanted to volunteer for it, so I will volunteer all of you,” Little said.

The next SGA meeting will be on Monday, Oct. 6 at 7:00 either on Zoom or a Microsoft Teams live event.

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NA Water Main Break Causes Cancellations, Campus Facilities Close

BY BRIAN RHODES EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

A water main break in North Adams caused classes to be canceled and many facilities across campus to be shut down on Thursday, Sept. 24.

Students were notified via both text and email at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 4 that all day and evening classes, including those conducted completely virtually, would be canceled.

“At this time, the City is unable to give us a timeline for completion of the water main repair,” an email from Resident Programs and Services (RPS) said.

This email was preceded by an email from RPS the night of Wednesday, Sept. 23 that first informed students of the water main break, as well as a boil water advisory.

Buildings across campus experienced issues with discolored water and water pressure the night before.

“You are encouraged to boil your drinking water or drink bottled water or other beverages until this advisory is lifted,” the email said.

“You may also get filtered water at your building’s hydration station.”

A follow-up email sent

by RPS at 11 a.m. provided more information. It

noted that bathrooms in buildings across campus would be closed for the day and replaced with portable alternatives, scheduled COVID-19 tests and campus events would be canceled and rescheduled, the Fitness Center and other buildings would be locked for the day and that all dining would be takeout only.

Another follow-up email from RPS, sent at 2:30 p.m., informed students that a momentary fixed had been made for the issue.

“At this time, the City has implemented a temporary workaround that has begun to slowly restore water flow to campus,” the email said.

“In the residence halls, this means that lower floors will see service return sooner and pressure will improve floor-by-floor.”

An email alert sent to students at 7 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 25, said that the water main had been fixed and that all classes and campus facilities would continue on as normal.

“We understand that the current situation may be challenging but all COVID-19 guidelines and restrictions as outlined by the MCLA Trailblazer Agreement are still in place and should be followed accordingly,” one RPS email said on the main break.

Beacon News Briefs: For October 1, 2020 Stay-at-Home Homecoming Weekend Runs Thru Oct. 3 This year’s all-virtual homecoming week began on Tuesday, Sept. 29 and will run through Saturday, Oct 3.

A book discussion with Aaron Gouveia ‘01 about his book“Raising Boys to be Good Men” will be held at 1 p.m. Oct. 1.

Oct. 2 will consist of a faculty talk with professor Daniel Shustack at 12 p.m., a live music

show with Bengey Asse ‘06 at 3 p.m. and a Kahoot Trivia Show at 8 p.m.

On Oct. 3, an art class with be hosted by Erica Manville ‘14 and a summoning spirits show will be hosted at 8 p.m.

Most Homecoming events will be streamed live on Facebook. Those interested should contact alumni@mcla.edu with any questions.

PHOTO BY NATALIA GIACOMOZZI

A follow-up email sent by RPS at 11 a.m. on Sept. 24 noted that bathrooms in buildings across campus would be closed for the day and replaced with portable alternatives. Portable replacements were delivered outside of Berkshire Towers and other residents halls.

Want to advertise here?

Contact Editor-in-Chief Brian Rhodes at br1620@mcla.edu for rates and inquiries

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Belarus Protests Continue As Macron Says Lukashenko Must Go

BY JAMES REAGAN & ALIAKSANDR KUDRYTSKI BLOOMBERG NEWS French President Emmanuel Macron said it’s clear that Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has to step down, as protests over his disputed reelection continued for a seventh week.

Between 50,000 and 100,000 people joined a protest in Minsk on Sunday, according to Interfax and Minsk-based news website Nasha Niva. Police tried to prevent the rally from swelling to the size seen in some previous weeks by blocking streets and making numerous detentions while central parts of the city have been paralyzed with cordons. As usual during protest rallies, mobile internet was slowed down or disabled in Minsk.

Police scuffled with protesters in the country’s second-largest city, Gomel, and made arrests in Grodno near the Polish border, according to local media. Minsk-based human rights center Viasna said that more than 60 people were detained, while the actual number of arrests may be higher. Belarus authorities so far declined to

PHOTO BY SERGEI GAPON

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko. French President Emmanuel Macron said that Lukashenko should step down. meet any of the demands of the opposition.

“What’s happening in Belarus is a crisis of power, an authoritarian power that’s unable to accept the logic of democracy and is clinging on through force,” Macron

told Le Journal du Dimanche newspaper in comments published on Sunday. “Lukashenko clearly must go.”

Lukashenko was sworn in for a sixth term in a surprise ceremony on Wednesday.

Western governments includ-

ing Germany and Lithuania have refused to recognize his legitimacy, while exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said she is the only leader elected by the Belarusian people.

Tsikhanouskaya told Le

Journal du Dimanche in an interview that she would be “very grateful” if Macron refused to recognize Lukashenko as president during a planned trip to Lithuania on Monday and Tuesday, where she is in exile. The French president will also visit Latvia on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The newspaper reported that while a meeting between her and the French. leader hasn’t been ruled out, Foreign Minister JeanYves Le Drian is due to meet her.

Tsikhanouskaya said the priority was to organize fresh elections in her country and that Macron could act as a mediator between the opposition council and the Belarusian authorities. She added that economic sanctions on Belarus were not a solution as they would hurt the people.

Russia’s close relationship with Belarus and its population meant Moscow could influence the situation, Macron said in the interview.

He referred to a conversation with President Vladimir Putin on Sept. 14: “I told him Russia has a role to play, and this role can be positive if he pushes Lukashenko to respect the reality of the ballot box and free political prisoners.”

Washington Boosts Support For Greece In Spat With Turkey

BY TRACY WILKINSON LOS ANGELES TIMES The Trump administration is pumping up U.S. military and diplomatic ties with Greece, an unsubtle warning to neighboring Turkey, which is taking on what U.S. officials see as a more combative role in the eastern Mediterranean and Middle East.

It is tricky diplomatic territory: Greece and Turkey, while historical rivals, are U.S. allies in the NATO military alliance, and both serve as strategic gateways to areas vital to U.S. interests.

But Turkey has been criticized by the Trump administration for its overtures to Iran and repression of religious minorities and political dissidents.

Regional tensions escalated in recent weeks as Athens accused Ankara of impinging on its territorial waters in the Mediterranean Sea, which have hydrocarbons and other energy resources. The two countries positioned warships in the area.

The U.S. has not publicly taken sides in the dispute but has boosted support for Greece.

In a visible sign of that backing, Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Tuesday visited the U.S. Naval Support Activity base at Souda Bay on the Greek island of Crete.

“The relationship be-

tween our two countries is at an all-time high and getting stronger,” Pompeo said from a hangar, with uniformed Greek naval officers in the audience.

He described Greece as a “pillar of stability and prosperity” in a troubled region.

Pompeo was making his second trip to Greece in less than a year. Joint appearances by U.S. and Greek officials were rare until recently, and holding one on the joint yet strictly divided U.S.-Greek military base had a special punch.

Pompeo and Mitsotakis, a conservative who was elected last year, stood aboard the Greek naval frigate the H.S. Salamis, named after a decisive battle 2,500 years ago in which Greece defeated a larger force of invading Persians.

Speaking at the hangar, Mitsotakis outlined Greece’s problems with Turkey, while touching on themes Pompeo favors.

He condemned “Turkey’s aggressiveness with provocative actions outside the international law,” calling them “contrary to the values of the Western world.”

Pompeo called for negotiations but also announced the arrival to Souda Bay of the USS Hershel “Woody” Williams, a naval vessel that can deploy Marines and support naval aviation.

He said Greece can help counter Russian influence, including military action in

PHOTO BY NICHOLAS KAMM

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks during a briefing at the state department in Washington D.C. Libya, the spread of disinformation and the “co-opting” of the Orthodox Church. It was not clear if he was referring to the Russian or the Greek Orthodox Church, but religious freedom has become a focus of Pompeo’s tenure.

The Greeks hope Washington will expand its military presence in the eastern Mediterranean as an alternative to Turkey, which has hosted a major U.S. airbase at Incirlik since the 1950s.

While some U.S. officials have hinted at the possibility, it would be difficult for the U.S. military to extricate itself from

Turkey, and several U.S. officials argued that it was not in the cards.

“It’s apples and oranges,” said a senior State Department official, briefing reporters on condition of anonymity, in keeping with administration protocol. The U.S. military presence at Incirlik is massive and includes nuclear weapons, whose transport would be extremely complicated.

Still, U.S. officials were keen to promote what they called a sharp improvement in American relations with Greece, which was dogged for years by leftist governments, military

dictatorships and a simmering anti-U.S. terrorist movement.

The U.S. is “bringing together all the strands of American power and American diplomacy to meet this challenge,” the State Department official said.

President Donald Trump’s views are less clear. U.S. diplomats at times seem to pursue one policy, while Trump promotes another.

At the Republican National Convention in August, for example, Trump spoke favorably about his relationship with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a strongman with despotic tendencies.

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New Physics Professor Sees A Future at MCLA

BY ISABEL COSTA STAFF WRITER Dr. Thomas Burton, one of MCLA’s new professors in the physics department, has joined the MCLA community during less than normal times due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Burton completed his undergree at Virginia Tech in Material Science and Engineering and then completed his graduate degree at University of Alabama.

A New Hampshire native, Burton was drawn to MCLA for its small size as well as community-like campus lifestyle.

“I love being able to remember all my students names; I came from a large undergraduate and graduate program, really being able to meet and get to know my students was very important to me. MCLA, being a smaller school with a strong focus on teaching and having a really well-rounded education, was very important to me that it highlights those things, but also does those things well,” said Burton during a Microsoft Teams interview.

Burton has said there have been small challenges in beginning his career at MCLA via remote learning.

“With the fact that we are not physically in class together I find that little things like taking atten-

dance can be difficult trying to sort that out on Teams.

Remembering to not only record lectures but to then go archive and post them can be challenging. Although I do find the use of Canvas and Teams to be very beneficial,” said Burton.

Burton said starting a position in a new place as well as during a pandemic was really scary.

“It is harder to teach with the practical obstacles that are in place such as, masking and social distancing.

For our labs we have to keep students 6 feet apart and they yare not allowed to work together anymore which has created an inherent barrier,” he said.

Despite all the technical challenges of this semester, Burton was very thankful that MCLA was prepared to coach and help him conduct his classes online as he began to get involved in the MCLA community.

“Before I got the job here at MCLA, I knew nothing about online learning, so I was really happy that the school put on an online learning course this semester. I was very thankful that MCLA made a big push to do a lot of training on online learning, because if they had not done that I would have been completely lost,” said Burton.

Along with dealing with the pandemic, Burton has

PHOTO BY BRIAN RHODES

Burton completed his undergraduate degree at Virginia Tech in Material Science and Engineering and then completed his graduate degree at University of Alabama. also had to deal with different students reacting to this new style of learning.

“I have had the full spectrum of experiences where there are lots of students that feel like it hasn’t affected them, and they only have noticed the slow down in labs and grading. I’ve also had students that this particular style of learning causes them anxiety, and you can tell in conversations that this is not how I behave or act during a normal semester. That’s where it is my job

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to try as best as I can to make sure they are getting what they need,” said Burton.

Burton added that he enjoys the MCLA community because he feels more at home here on campus than in any other professional setting thus far.

“From moment I even started applying people I ran into was super supportive, my students have shown me so much support. The MCLA community is incredibly supportive and friendly, any time I have a question they are

there to help, I couldn’t ask for a better more supportive work environment,” he said.

Burton sees a promising future for online learning as a good added component to establishes student lifestyles.

“I see online learning components as another tool for making learning more accessible and easier for students to work together, I see it really being useful for students who lead busier lifestyles to make it easier for students to meet and collaborate outside of class,” said Burton.

WJJW is celebrating World College Radio Day on Friday, Oct. 2 from 10 a.m. to midnight.

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* SATURDAY, OCT. 3 - SUMMONING SPIRITS WITH PETER BOIE 9 P.M. VIRTUALVolunteer Center Submissions sent to SwAnna Wardwell

* SUNDAY, OCT. 4

- MINDFUL MASHUP YOGA WITH MONIQUE SYMES ‘11 2 P.M. (VIRTUAL)

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Darnell Moore Discusses “No Ashes in the Fire”

BY MARIAMA NDIAYE STAFF WRITER This past Wednesday, Sept. 23 at 6 p.m., a moderated book discussion with Darnell Moore and Erica Wall, director of Berkshire Cultural Resource Center took place via zoom.

The book, “No Ashes in The Fire” is about Moore’s experience growing up in New Jersey, trying to find his identity now as both black and queer. He discussed his challenges growing up in high school and then how he started living in Los Angeles and working at Netflix because of lessons he had learned as a child.

“I still struggled to love myself, because I was taught that my love for men was wrong,” he said.

Erica Wall is the director of the MCLA Berkshire Cultural Resource Center.

In her role, she oversees MCLA’s public art programs and spaces, including Gallery 51, DownStreet Art, and MCLA Presents!

“I talked a lot about black liberation and black freedom, but I did not engrain black people showing up in my freedom,” said Moore.

“If you have an intersectional lens, you can see the many ways other people are impacted by, for example, racists or homophobes.”

He gave students a piece of advice, “what you have been taught that has never been true, is a lie.” What he meant by this advice, is to not trust the things people have told you in the past, because we are always changing.

“How do I start to make conversation with my white peer?” One student, during the Q&A session after the discussion, asked. Moore answered that they should try to learn to be educated about how to make a con-

PHOTO TAKEN FROM MCLA.EDU

Darnell Moore is the Director of Inclusion Strategy for Content & Marketing at Netflix. He is the former Head of Strategy and Programs (U.S.) for Breakthrough TV, editor-at-large at CASSIUS (an iOne digital platform), and senior editor and correspondent at Mic. versation with their black peers instead.

This event was made possible through the help of alumni and others who contribute via donations to The MCLA Lavender Fund.

Launched in 2019, The Lavender Fund raises annual support to bring LGBTQIA+ community speakers to campus, send students to attend LGBTQIA+ conferences and sponsor student trips to historic and influential locations associated with the LGBTQIA+ civil rights movement.

Darnell Moore is the Director of Inclusion Strategy for Content & Market-

ing at Netflix. He is the former Head of Strategy and Programs (U.S.) for Breakthrough TV, editor-at-large at CASSIUS (an iOne digital platform), and senior editor and correspondent at Mic. He is also the co-managing editor at The Feminist Wire, and the writer-in-residence at the Center on African American Religion, Sexual Politics, and Social Justice at Columbia University. Along with NFL player Wade Davis II, he co-founded YOU Belong, a social good company focused on the development of diversity initiatives.

Want to write a guest column for The Beacon?

If you’re interested in writing a guest column, contact Editor-in-Chief Brian Rhodes at br1620@mcla.edu

Check out this semester’s most recent episode of Beacon Web News on YouTube or MCLA-TV on Philo!

Sports

Oct 1, 2020

TheOnlineBeacon.com

8

LeBron James on speaking out against police brutality: I never condone violence

BY TANIA GANGULI LOS ANGELES TIMES Throughout the summer LeBron James has used his social media and interview sessions in the NBA bubble to discuss issues of racism and police brutality, calling for justice in cases where Black people have been killed or seriously injured by police, and sharing thoughts about what he sees as a broken relationship between police and the Black community.

When two sheriff’s deputies were shot in Compton, pundits and politicians, either implicitly or explicitly, pointed the finger at James and others who have spoken out about police brutality.

On Tuesday night, James was asked about that implication.

“I’ve never in my 35 years ever condoned violence,” James said. “Never have.

But I also know what’s right is right and what’s wrong is wrong, and I grew up in the inner city in a Black community in what we call the hood or the ghetto, however you want to picture it. And I’ve seen a lot of counts first hand of a lot of Black people being racially profiled

because of our color. And I’ve seen it throughout my whole life.

“And I’m not saying that all cops are bad because I actually _ throughout high school and things of that nature and I’m around them all the time and they’re not all bad. But when you see the videos that’s going on and you can see all over the _ not only my hometown, but all over America, you continue to see the acts of violence towards my kind, I can’t do nothing but to speak about it and see the common denominator. But not one time have I ever said, ‘Let’s act violent towards cops.’ I just said that what’s going on in our community is not OK and we fear for that and we fear for our lives.”

In the days after the deputies were shot, Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger said the incident had showed her that “anti-law enforcement rhetoric expressed by many elected officials, community leaders and others has created a toxic environment amid the time of civil unrest.”

Conservative pundit Candace Owens directly pointed the finger at James on Twit-

PHOTO BY MIKE EHRMANN

Anthony Davis (left), LeBron James (center) and Quin Cook (right) of the Los Angles Lakers kneel during National Anthem kneel wearing “VOTE” T-Shirts prior to the start of a playoff game. ter. She reposted a tweet sent by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s twitter account which showed video of the shooting. She added her own comment to say it happened “because pea-brained celebrities that are idolized like @KingJames tell young black men that they are ‘literally being hunted.’ “ It was a reference to a tweet sent by James on

May 6 about a Black man in Georgia, Ahmaud Arbery, who was shot to death by two white men in February while he was on a jog.

Another Los Angeles politician, Sheriff Alex Villanueva, asked James to give the county $175,000 to add to the existing reward for the shooter who attacked his deputies. Villanueva noted James’ comments

about police shootings and the relationship between the Black community and police, before making what he called a “challenge.”

James said he had “zero comment on the sheriff.”

Tuesday wasn’t the first time James had spoken about the Sheriff’s Department. On Sunday after Game 2 of the Western Conference finals, James brought up the officers unprompted.

“My condolences goes out to the officers that were shot in Los Angeles,” James said.

“We want justice for that as well as we want justice for Breonna Taylor and so on and so on. We don’t want no violence. We preach for the better of love and peace.

Hopefully we can get that at some point in our communities. Us as a nation. That’s what’s going to make us the greatest nation again. All peace and all love.”

He reiterated that thought on Tuesday.

“I do not condone violence towards anyone,” James said.

“Police, Black people, white people, anyone of color, anyone not of color because that’s not gonna ever make this world or America what we want it to be.”

Doc Rivers is Out as Clippers Head Coach; Ty Lue, Jeff Van Gundy possible replacement Coaches

BY BRODERICK TURNER LOS ANGELES TIMES

Doc Rivers is out as coach of the Clippers, according to people with knowledge of the situation but not authorized to speak publicly.

The Clippers built a contender around Southland natives Kawhi Leonard and Paul George last summer, and then finished second in the Western Conference this season. They were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs by the third-seeded Denver Nuggets after taking a three-games-to-one lead in the best-of-seven series.

In six playoff appearances under Rivers, the Clippers never made it to the conference finals, with the “Lob City” era featuring Chris Paul and Blake Griffin also blowing a 3-1 series lead in 2015 to the Houston Rockets.

The team released a statement saying that owner Steve Ballmer and Rivers came to a mutual decision to part ways at this time.

“Doc has been a terrific coach for the Clippers, an incredible ambassador, and a pillar of strength during tumultuous times,” Ballmer said in the statement. “He

PHOTO BY MICKEY DOUGLAS P. DEFELICE

Doc Rivers reacts on the sideline in Game 7 of the 2020 Western Conference Finals against the Denver Nuggets.

Rivers and The Clippers would go on to lose Game 7. won a heck of a lot of games and laid a foundation for this franchise.

“I am immeasurably grateful to Doc for his commitment and contributions to the Clippers and the city of Los Angeles. I am also extremely confident in our front office and our players. We will find the right coach to lead us forward and help us reach our ultimate goals. We will begin

the search and interview process immediately.”

According to people familiar with the Clippers’ situation, names that will come up to replace Rivers; include Clippers assistant coach Ty Lue, who is reportedly set to interview for the Philadelphia 76ers job this week, and former NBA coach and NBA analyst Jeff Van Gundy.

Rivers joined the Clippers

before the 2013-14 season and in his seven seasons helped build a team into a championship contender. He was the fifth-longest-tenured coach upon his departure, behind only San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich, Miami’s Erik Spoelstra, Dallas’ Rick Carlisle and Portland’s Terry Stotts.

Rivers owned the second-highest winning percentage among all active coaches,

trailing only Popovich. In August, Rivers passed Red Auerbach for 11th on the all-time coaching victories list. Rivers owns a .506 postseason winning percentage.

Rivers was hired for his championship coaching experience but during his tenure became as much of a spokesman for the franchise. After former owner Donald Sterling was banned for life by the NBA following Sterling allegedly making racist comments that surfaced in 2014, Rivers became the franchise’s voice and helped guide players and the team through uncertain times.

More recently, in August, he delivered a searing postgame address decrying the fear Black men and women feel in the United States because of systemic racism and policing.

After Ballmer bought the Clippers in 2014, Rivers was given responsibility over all player personnel decisions.

Three years later, Ballmer shook up the organization’s structure by limiting Rivers to coaching duties and installing a new front office led by Lawrence Frank, a former assistant coach under Rivers.

Sports

TheOnlineBeacon.com

9

SCORE BOARD Men’s Golf Team Keeps Putting Along NFL: WEEK 3 Despite the Suspension of Season THURSDAY

DOLPHINS (31), JAGUARS (13)

BY KYLE MILLIGAN SPORTS EDITOR

R. FITZPATRICK (MIA) 18-20, 160 YDS, 2 TD

SUNDAY

With Fall sports seasons being suspended, MCLA’s Men’s Golf team looks to have fun and relish the time they have on the course during practice this semester.

“With a unique season like this, having fun and enjoying the moment is what’s most important,” said Brett Norman ‘22.

Norman played golf and baseball in high school and now plays both at MCLA. The overall feeling around the team is the fact that they love to play.

However, they don’t have the luxury of traveling to other courses and competing against opponents.

“I’m glad we still have the great opportunity to continue to play. It’s nice to have an opponent, but you certainly don’t need one to have a good time.”

Norman said.

The golf team looks to develop a relaxed but winning atmosphere in time for next year’s season. Norman spoke about the impact last year’s seniors have had on his game (Reese Dwyer and Nick Bator). “I received a lot of guidance mentally last year from the seniors, they seemed to always be having fun, even under pressure,” Norman said.

“I hope that my demeanor and personality as a teammate and a player will be taken as an example that being part of a team is just as important as one’s individual game and that we are all out here in the end

BEARS (30), FALCONS (26)

N. FOLES (CHI) 16/29, 188 YDS, 3 TD, 1 INT

BILLS (35), RAMS (32)

J. ALLEN (BUF) 24/33, 311 YDS, 4 TD, 1 INT

BROWNS (34), WASHINTON (20) N. CHUBB (CLE) 19 CAR, 108 YDS, 2 TD

TITANTS (31), VIKINGS (30)

R. TANNEHILL (TEN) 23-37, 321 YDS, 1 INT

PATRIOTS (36), RAIDERS (20) S. MICHEL (NE) 9 CAR, 117 YDS

49ERS (36), GIANTS (9)

N. MULLENS (SF) 25-36, 343, 1 TD

PHOTO TAKEN FROM MCLA ATHLETICS

Brett Norman ‘22 looks to see which way the putt shot will move during a contstest last season. to have fun,” Dwyer said.

“I gave some basic advice and tried to lighten the mood before tournaments, being in a positive state of mind goes a long way,” Bator said.

Both former players spoke about some of the knowledge they instilled on the underclassmen.

“Try your best but don’t beat yourself up.

Golf is one of the most aggravating games on this planet. Wanting to whip your putter into the pond comes standard, just don’t let the competition ruin the sport for you,” Bator said.

Both Bator and Dwyer had some success in last year’s season. Dwyer had an individual Brent Williamson invitational shooting a career low round of 72. Bator was the number one man for the team last year.

Although Norman came to MCLA as a base-

ball recruit, choosing to play for the golf team allows him to become better at something he’s always loved doing. “I wanted to golf for MCLA because I knew I could compete for a spot on the roster and have the opportunity to continue to play one of the games I love,” Norman said.

“I look forward to golf every year because of the beautiful courses we get to play and competing in a competitive golf environment. Playing for Coach Puleri has been a lot of fun.” This year will be Puleri’s second year as head coach.

Bator also had positive things to say about Puleri. “Traveling to different courses and receiving consistent advice was very helpful.

It’s definitely under-appreciated just how much having a coach helps,” Bator said.

“I receive a lot of advice and help from coach pouleri when it comes to my golf swing or just golf advice throughout rounds. Coach helps me out a lot,” Norman said.

“I look to play competitive golf and to just try and become a better golfer because I know I can get help from someone who is such an experienced golfer.”

Dwyer and Bator both stressed the fact that the most important part about playing golf is having fun. “My most memorable moment was missing a 2 foot putt on 18 to end my college career and being able to do nothing but laugh about it,” Bator said.

“From a teammate perspective my advice is to take being part of a team as a way to make friends and have a common ground with your teammates,” Dwyer said.

Beacon Sports Trivia: MLB Edition Who led the MLB in home runs in the 2010’s??

Who is the youngest player to hit 50 home runs ina single season?

How many career grand slams did Derek Jeter hit?

A. Jose Bautista B. Nelson Cruz C. Edwin Encarnacion D. Mike Trout

A. Pete Alonso B. Prince Fielder C. Jimmie Foxx D. Ryan Howard

A. 0 B. 1 C. 3 D. 7

BENGALS (23), EAGLES (23) J. BURROW (CIN) 31-44, 312 YDS, 2 TD

STEELERS (28), TEXANS (21) J. CONNER (PIT) 18 CAR, 109 YDS, 1 TD

COLTS (36), JETS (7)

P. RIVERS (IND) 17-21, 217 YDS, 1 TD

PANTHERS (21), CHARGERS (16) T. BRIDGEWATER (CAR) 22/28, 235 YDS, 1 TD

BUCCANEERS (28), BRONCOS (10) T. BRADY (TB) 25/38, 297 YDS, 3 TD

LIONS (26), CARDINALS (23)

M. STAFFORD (DET) 22/31, 270 YDS, 2 TD

SEAHAWKS (38), COWBOYS (31) R. WILSON (SEA) 27/40, 315 YDS, 5 TD

PACKERS (37), SAINTS (30) A. RODGERS 21/32, 283 YDS, 3 TD

MONDAY CHIEFS (34), RAVENS (20)

P. MAHOMES (KC) 31/42, 385 YDS, 4 TD

MLB: WILD CARD SERIES Game 1’s Astros (4), Twins (1)

M. Brantley (HOU) 2-5, 2 RBI F. Valdez (HOU) 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, W

White Sox (4), Athletics (1)

L. Giolito (CHW) 7.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K, W T. Anderson (CHW) 3-4, 1 R

Rays (3), Blue Jays (1)

B. Snell (TB) 5.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 9 K, W M. Margot (TB) 2-3, 2 RBI

Yankees (12), Indians (3)

G. Cole (NYY) 7.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 13 K’s G. Torres (NYY) 4-4, 3 R, 3 RBI, 1 BB

NBA: Finals Schedule

Last Weeks NBA Trivia Answers Who scored the most points in a single playoff game in NBA history?

Who held the longest playoff drought in NBA history?

A. Michael Jordan

B. Clippers

Who has the most What team has the career playoff points most playoff wins in in NBA history?

NBA history?

B. LeBron James

C. Los Angeles Lakers

Miami Heat vs. Los Angeles Lakers Game 1- Wednesday, Sept. 30 @ 9 p.m.

Game 2- Friday, Oct. 2 @ 9 p.m.

Game 3- Sunday, Oct. 4 @ 7:30 p.m.

Game 4- Tuesday, Oct. 6 @ 9 p.m.

Game 5 If Necessary- Friday, Oct. 9 @9 p.m.

Game 6 If Necessary- Sunday, Oct. 11 @ 7:30 p.m.

Game 7 If Necessary- Tuesday, Oct. 13 @ 9

p.m.

News

Oct. 1, 2020

Birge

From Page 1 that we might have to send students back to their homes if we couldn’t have water here,” he said.

Birge recognized that a return to campus would not have been possible without the work of the return to campus committee that was formed over the summer and planned the safety measures and protocols for the pandemic.

“I thought they did a really fine job, a great job for us,” he said. “By in large, we’re seeing the fruit of their labor right now, with a fairly low positive rate.”

Birge said that in March, after the college sent students home to finish the semester off virtually, he was not sure if students would be coming back to campus in the fall. It was not until late May, he said, that he and the college began to think that students could come back.

“In those early days of the pandemic, there were more questions than there were answers,” he said. I think everyone, not just MCLA or

Flake

From Page 1 Vallieres noted he considered a Republican with Flake’s record visiting a mainly liberal campus during a arguably polarized election to be beneficial.

“I do think it’s helpful because as far as misinformation and conspiracies go in the current mainstream republican party, I’m hoping we can have a civilized discussion that doesn’t devolve into adolescent bickering and may have some more substance,” Vallieres said.

When asked why he considered Flake’s lecture to be aiming to resonate with college students, Cupery noted that Flake represents being an outlier.

“Good question. It is interesting to hear from people who have been [in Congress]. Flake is fiscally

higher education, but everybody in the world was trying to make decisions on emerging information and data, so at that point, I wasn’t anticipating that students would or wouldn’t be back in the fall,” he said.

When asked about the virtual end to last semester, Birge said he is still impressed by how quickly faculty and staff were able to adapt to the new situation.

He thinks this experience will make the end of the fall semester go smoother when students go home after thanksgiving break.

“I’m just amazed that, over a period of two weeks, faculty transitioned more than 500 sections of courses last spring,” he said. “The technology that we had isn’t the technology that they were familiar with, yet they got to it, they got that work done.”

When looking ahead to the spring, Birge anticipates that it will be similar to the fall semester, assuming the college and the state continue to deal with the pandemic well.

“Right now we’re trying

to think about what’s gonna happen with spring break and what that’s going to look like; we haven’t resolved that right now,” he said.

Birge said that the college has invested a lot in technology to make the college experience during the pandemic easier for both students and faculty. Some examples he mentioned were moving many forms to be done electronically rather than on paper and installing cameras in classrooms that allow for a blended learning environment.

Birge spoke about students moving in at the end of the summer. He noted that, while he was excited for students moving in, he is disappointed that he has not been able to watch the college’s sports teams play or visit students at the dining hall because of the pandemic.

“I think that for any of us that work in higher education, late summer is when we get most excited because we get to have students back, that’s really why we’re here, we like that,” he said.

“I think that this year, for me

conservative on policy issues but can still call out his party. He is willing to cross the lines of partisanship,” he said.

Examples of crossing partisanship were Flake prompting an FBI investigation into then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh in 2018 and saying 35 GOP Senators would privately vote to impeach President Donald Trump at the 2019 Texas Tribune Festival.

His latter comments can be found here: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/ politics/2019/09/27/ jeff-flake-at-least-35-gopsenators-would-impeachtrump/3792866002/ Cupery did not say whether he expected a big turnout. “I don’t know.

We hope all student and the community can attend.

There was a large turnout

for [Ta Nehisi] Coates when he spoke,” he said.

Author Ta Nehisi Coates spoke at the Michael S. and Kitty Dukakis Public Policy Lecture in the fall of 2018.

Cuper added that due to his retirement from the Senate in 2019, Flake might feel less reserved when it comes to discussing conservatisms and the current government.

“Theoretically he has little bit more freedom to speak independently. This way we as individuals can re-examine our own assumptions and judgements,” he said.

Cupery expressed hope that Flake and his talk would remind students to register to vote.

“The pandemic has made voting more complicated.

Anything we can do to put the election on the radar,” he said.

TheOnlineBeacon.com personally, that was qualified a little bit by the fact that I knew it wasn’t gonna be a typical year.”

Birge mentioned he is looking forward to the spring because both the Class of 2021 and the Class of 2020 will be having commencement within a week of each other.

“I think that’s going to be tiring but very exciting,” he said. “I think that will be a great thing for all of us to look forward to and have a week of celebration for our students.”

Birge noted that he has been meeting frequently with the other state university presidents to discuss COVID related issues. He also said that the college has been working more closely than in the past with local health officials to determine the best ways to keep everyone safe.

“The irony I think is that as we’ve has to accommodate this social distancing, we’ve also understood how close we have to be with each other to respond to these things,” he said.

PHOTO TAKEN FROM BEACON WEB NEWS

Birge said after the college sent students to finish the semester virtually, he was not sure if students would be coming back to campus in the fall.

Gun

From Page 1 the MCLA student body and faculty associations held referendums that showed overwhelming disapproval for this decision,” the report said.

The committee also recommended that the college create a permanent and formal group called the Public Safety Oversight Committee.

“This Committee shall be tasked with, but not limited to, performing annual assessments of all campus police officers; recommending student, faculty, and other relevant appointments to search committees for new officers; and meeting at regular intervals to engage in an ongoing dialogue relative to a community policing model at MCLA,” the report said.

The report also notes that this committee should consist of at least three students and three faculty members.

It notes that one of these students should be a part of the college’s African American community and one should be a part of the college’s LGBTQIA+ community.

A third recommendation

by the committee goes in detail as to what specifically the Public Safety Oversight Committee should do if created. Among other things, it suggests that the committee Work with President Birge to formally sign onto the 8 Can’t Wait principles, Create a plan to recruit racially and gender diverse campus police officers, expand training for officers and ensure Publlic Safety is providing incident information.

“These issues are far too numerous and complex for the scope of this Committee’s work or a single recommendation,” the report said.

“Additionally, the work of creating a model of community policing is one that involves shared leadership and a long-term commitment to systemic change.”

In his email releasing the report, Birge thanked the committee members and MCLA’s Chief Diversity Officer, Christopher MacDonald Dennis, who chaired the committee.

“I am certain that their work, along with our collective willingness and commitment to create a safe and comfortable environment, will be successful,” he said.

Read more about your Trailblazers, and keep up to date with the latest news PHOTO BY MELINA MARA

Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), left, and Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), right, before a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018 on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.

10

at Athletics.mcla.edu

Opinion

Oct. 1, 2020

TheOnlineBeacon.com

11

Editorial

First Debate Raises Questions

The first presidential debate between the President Donald Trump and challenger Joe Biden was very, very loud.

Even moderator Chris Wallace looked uncomfortable raising his voice to ask Trump and Biden to refrain from interrupting each other.

With 33 days left to go before Election Day, Tuesday night should have been a breeze for both candidates to appeal to undecided voters. Instead the public received a crash course in what happens when power goes unchecked and power does not listen.

The president refused to condemn white supremacy. He said the phrase “radical left” more times than the number of victims killed by the Covid-19 pandemic. He repeated his claim that the election will be rigged due to mail-in ballots, yet provided no evidence or statistics to explain why.

And in a stunning display of disrespect, Trump referred to Biden’s son Hunter as an addict on live television, saying Hunter Biden was “thrown out of the military. He was dishonorably discharged for cocaine use”.

On several occasions, Biden looked directly into the camera and talked to the viewers as if they were physically present. He quipped “Will you shut up, man?” when Trump kept interrupting him during the segment on the Supreme Court. And he reversed Trump’s fixture on the suburbs descending into chaos due to anti-racism demonstrations by stating that climate change and a lack of agency combating the coronavirus are the real threats.

But Biden’s body language and his frequent demurring from completing an answer after Trump’s interruptions indicated a pivot from what he expected from preparing for the debate.

There are two more presidential debates before Nov. 3 and the vice presidential candidates go head-to-head on Wednesday, Oct. 7. If decorum could not sustain for an hour and a half on Tuesday night, then the night of the election and the days afterwards risk stamping America’s divisions as the footnote of this time in history. How can the country promise “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” if we can not be courteous or lend a hand to those across the political spectrum? What does it mean to boast to our family, friends, neighbors, peers, and coworkers that we freely enjoy participating in choosing the president, all the while the integrity and independence of the election is challenged by the government?

On Sept. 23, Trump told the White House press corps that he would not commit to a peaceful transition of power if Biden is elected the 46th president.

In response, Utah Republican Mitt Romney wrote on Twitter last week that “Fundamental to democracy is the peaceful transition of power; without that, there is Belarus.” But comparing the USA to Belarus, a country embroiled in mass protests against President Alexander Lukashenko, is not far enough. Romney, as well as the rest of Congress, needs to ensure a smooth continuation of democracy, no matter who is the winner of the 2020 presidential race.

If not, the thread of authoritarianism will replace decorum and continue to be projected if there is no civility between November and Inauguration Day. And following or ending that path is ultimately left up to the folks who decide to vote.

This May Be the Most Crucial Election of our Lives; VOTE As many of you likely noticed, Tuesday, Sept. 22 was National Voter Registration Day. This occasion was so notable in the country’s current political climate that there was even a student-wide announcement email about it from President James Birge.

“As the largest and most diverse generation alive right now, young people have a chance to make a real impact in our country if every eligible voter participates in elections,” he said in the email. In addition to this, the college has held voter registration drives and the Student Engagement Office has several notices on the college’s upcoming events page that are reminding people to register.

Birge and everyone else talking about the importance of voting in this year’s elections is right.

A recent Harvard Youth national poll on the 2020 election found that 63% of those between the ages of 18 and 29 said that they will be voting, compared to only 43% for the 2016 election. In our increasingly divided and alarming geopolitical landscape, voting has become more important now than at any point prior in all of human history, and people are (hopefully) taking notice.

Voting is one of our civic duties, which makes it all the more frustrating that not everyone votes, especially in elections that have significant consequences, like the presidential election. A survey conducted by the United States Census Bureau found that only 61.4% of people reported voting, the lowest since 2000.

Keep in mind that this number is

BRIAN RHODES DEACON BLUES likely higher than the percentage of people who did vote.

“In general, voting rates from the sample surveys such as the Current Population Survey are higher than official results,” an article the Census Bureau wrote on the aforementioned survey said. Even if we are generous and take that 61.4% as the real number, that still means more than 128 million Americans are not taking part in the democratic process, which is more than enough potential votes to swing the election towards any candidate.

It’s not just the presidential election or the senate races that are important either, the ballot questions are often just as valuable. In Massachusetts, one of the ballot questions would, if passed, implement ranked choice voting, which would have a huge impact on how the voting process has traditionally worked.

Even during a global pandemic, people should still feel as if they have an obligation to vote. An article published in August by The

New York Times breaks down mail-in voting options. Nine states, including Massachusetts, will send any registered voter a mail-in ballot upon request.

Nine other states and Washington D.C., including Vermont, are sending all voters mail ballots ahead of the election, even if they did not request one.

“Overall, 27 states and Washington, D.C., have in some way expanded voter access to mail ballots for the 2020 general election, with the broad goal of making it easier for people to vote amid a global health crisis,” the New York Times article said.

Despite President Donald Trump’s rhetoric regarding mailin voting, there is no evidence to suggest that it leads to widespread voter fraud. Another New York Times article from writer Linda Qiu debunks several of Trump’s claims about mail-in voting, such as absentee ballots being more secure, voting using ballots dead people and pets and mail-ballots leading to a rigged or unrepresentative election.

“With election officials running thousands of local, state and national elections, mistakes are bound to happen,” Qiu said.

“These isolated incidents, however, are not evidence of widespread wrongdoing. But they can be taken out of context.”

Ultimately, the American people have no excuse not to vote in these elections. This year’s presidential election may be one of the most pivotal events in the history of the United States; as many people as possible must have their voices heard.

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Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Brian Rhodes

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Adviser Shawn McIntosh

Oct. 1, 2019

IN OTHER BEACON NEWS

Crews in North Adams worked around the clock on Wednesday and Thursday last week trying to fix the water main break in the city.

Photos by Kylan Martus Classroom and administrative buildings across campus had to be locked and closed down on Thursday because of the issues with the water. Classes for the day were cancelled, as were many events.

By Friday morning, the water main was fixed, and waterflow on campus and throughout North Adams returned to normal.

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