Don Ritenburgh Business Adviser ritenbur@oakland.edu
248.370.2533
VIVEK RAMASWAMY visits OU with Turning Point USA on their You’re Being Brainwashed Tour and is met with questions from the OU student body.
PHOTO BY COURTNEY BLACKETT
Poll worker insights at Slice of Democracy event
MATILDE RABAJOLI Campus Reporter
Oakland University’s Kresge Library became a hub of civic engagement with a ballot-informing event on Oct. 23. OU Student Congress (OUSC) organized flyers and pizza to entice students to pick up voting information along with a tasty slice from Little Caesars in preparation for the November election.
“We think it’s really important to get people not only registered, but we want them to be informed voters too,” Ethan Lehman-Pace, OUSC director of the executive platform, said.
“We’ve partnered with a website called TurboVote and Student Vote,” Lehman-Pace said. “We have a QR code on one of our flyers, which [has] information on how to register to vote, but also information on what’s going to be on your ballot and where you can go to vote.”
Also partnering with Power the Polls, a nonpartisan initiative to recruit poll workers, OUSC presented a plethora of QR codes for everyone — those who already voted, whoever didn’t register to vote and those who wanted to participate beyond the ballot.
“Voting has been my pet project for like, three years now,” Lehman-Pace said. “I’m really steeped in a lot of voter information out here, and so Student Congress has always had a dedication to getting people registered to vote on campus.”
With cheese, pepperoni and sausage pizzas running out in two hours, students shared their
thoughts on the importance of voting.
“I think it is a good idea that we get people to vote,” Jeronimo Contreras, an economics student, said. “There are many people who think their single vote is not going to change anything, but in reality, it is all about our future, it is about our student loans, our taxes — anything that is important for you in the future is on the ballot.”
Lehman-Pace also explained his involvement with the Fair Election Center, Secretary of State Advisory Task Force and the Center for Civic Engagement.
“I have a real passion for getting people civically involved and becoming informed voters, not just voters, but informed voters who are going to vote in the local elections, so that is what I came
into Student Congress — that’s what I’m excited to do for my last year here in this very important presidential year,” Lehman-Pace said.
This presidential election of 2024, just as any before it, requires election workers in every county to support the operational tasks of the voting season. Election workers take on the responsibility of giving out voting information, issuing ballots, inspecting registrations and inspecting polls. Being one of them, Lehman-Pace recounted his experience as a poll worker.
“I love it, I really enjoy being a poll worker, I’ve done it since 2021 after I cast my first ballot as an 18-year-old, I immediately signed up to be a poll worker for every election after that,” LehmanPace said.
He has participated in special elections, midterm and local ballot proposal elections, recounting the seven-hour shifts helping staff and voters with the digital setup at the polls.
“I remember on Michigan’s primary day when Kamala Harris announced that Tim Walz was her running mate, so I remember watching every poll worker slowly learn that,” Lehman-Pace said. “I’m usually the designated computer person since I’m under the age of 67 and I know how to use a computer, so I’ve been able to be really helpful in teaching all of the other poll workers.”
For more in-person voter registration information visit the Michigan Voter Information Center. To sign up as a poll worker, visit the Michigan Department of State website.
From Durango to Chicago: A century’s worth of heroin
ADRIAN JIMENEZ MORALES
Campus
Editor
On Oct. 22, as part of the History Comes Alive series, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Elaine Carey, drew the connections between Durango and Chicago in the North American heroin trade routes.
“If you bought heroin today, in celebration of this talk, you bought it from the remnants of the Herrera criminal organization,” Carey said. “If you bought heroin in Southeast Michigan on October 22, 1974, you bought it from the Herrera organized crime group. If you went into tenure into the 80s, the 90s, the early 2000s up to the contemporary period, you bought it from them.”
Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of History, James Naus, introduced Carey before she explored the history of Mexican drug production and American consumption.
“She is also, in addition to being a Dean, a historian. Her specialization is the history of Mexico, crime and social movements and gender,” Naus said. “She’s published widely on these topics, with more than 70 articles, as well as several books. She has also been featured as an expert witness on human rights and narcotics cases across the U.S.” Carey’s radiography of the modern Midwest drug
scene started in Badiraguato, a rural town in Mexico that only had one thing in common with Chicago — gummed opium.
“They would come from the mountains, and they would be in the marketplace, and they would buy things with gummed opium,” Carey said, paraphrasing a conversation she had with a local writer.
Carey explained that drugs like marijuana, opium and heroin were first introduced to the continent by the Spaniard settlers and Chinese workers in the 1500s. Xenophobic laws in the United States like the Chinese Exclusion Act coupled with Mexican biodiversity allowed for the large-scale cultivation of the buds and flowers that would become industry by the early 1900s.
“So in [the first and second international opioid conferences], in around 1912, Bishop Brent, Hamilton Wright and Henry Ford also talked about a growing crisis south of the border,” Carey said. “What they’re talking about is transshipment. So Mexico can receive [drugs and money] from Asia, it can receive it from Europe, it can receive it from the United States, and it’s bouncing back and forth across the border.”
Mexican revolutionaries in need of funding and the American need for morphine during the World Wars became the perfect match to establish the trade routes between Durango and Chicago, cities that supply tons of dope to this day.
“So in 1973, this is one of the earliest cases of the DEA, the Chicago Police Department had started a two-month undercover operation of the Herrera organization,” Carey said. “The thing that they didn’t understand is that there were over 1,000 family members in Chicago, 1,000 multigenerational family members involved in the trade.”
Twenty-six families operating at the national level comprised what was thought of as a gang which in reality was one of the first criminal organizations to create revenue similar to that of McDonalds.
Drug trafficking became ubiquitous in Chicago as it funded the building of hotels, restaurants, construction firms, discos and bars. Opium became the union between Colombian cartels and inner city gangs that turned the Herrera family into a global criminal organization — the Guadalajara cartel.
Carey concluded her crash course on the heroin trade with the same premise she began with — the distribution infrastructure that has outlived warlords, the DEA and the war on drugs itself.
“Why should we care now? Because what they built is the foundation of the Sinaloa organization,” Carey said. “It went from the clicka to the Guadalajara organized crime group to the Sinaloa organized crime group. So today, if you bought heroin in Southeast Michigan, it would be coming from the Sinaloa organization, but those roots are the Herrera organization.”
PHOTO BY ADRIAN JIMENEZ MORALES
35th Maurice Brown Poetry Reading: Chronic disease poem, love poem, sexy poem
ADRIAN JIMENEZ MORALES
Campus Editor
Multi-awarded poet, essayist and professor, Rebecca Lindenberg, shared poems from her newest book, “Our Splendid Failure to Do the Impossible,” with the Oakland University community at the 35th Maurice Brown Poetry Reading.
On Oct. 24, the Oakland Center’s Ambassador Rooms became a podium for poetry readings, commemorating Maurice Brown, a professor of Poetry and English at OU at a celebration held since 1988.
Lindenberg is the recipient of awards like the Ohio Arts Council Individual Artist Excellence Award, an Amy Lowell traveling poetry fellowship and a National Endowment for the Arts Literature grant for her book “Love, an Index.” She also held a Q&A session after the reading.
“As you might tell from the title, the poems play with forms like indices, catalogs, lists and intrareferential encyclopedia entries on subjects ranging from Sappho to Bollywood, from Omaha to Rome,” Associate Professor of English Katie Hartsock said. “The collection also offers more traditional lyric poems so capacious and precise they are dizzying and dazzling.”
Breaking the silence of an eager audience, Lindenberg began with the poem “Woodpecker,” a family anecdote of masking the death of a bird with its liberty to fly away from home.
“When I was living in Berlin, Germany. I was on the Amy Lowell Traveling Poetry Prize,”
Lindenberg said. “What they gave you at the time — it was like $55,000; I think it’s more now — and the only stipulation of the award is that you have to stay out of the United States of America for a year.”
“A Brief History of the Future Apocalypse” was second on the list, but first in the making during the author’s days in Europe. A journey through disaster and despair explored the overcoming of colloquial catastrophes through love.
“‘Our Splendid Failure to Do the Impossible,’ is just out this month, and it continues exploring this territory of impossible survival through language, through love, through more lists and more lyrics,” Hartsock said. “Lindenberg’s overlay
allows the diabetic body and the chronically failing but surviving structures of Venice to beautifully illuminate each other and their vulnerabilities and their own internal forces that work for survival.”
Living with type 1 diabetes, Lindenberg dedicated many poems to Stella, her insulin pump, and the pancreas that accompanies her clipped to her bra at all times. “The only part of me I never find it difficult to love,” she said.
“I think it’s nice to go kind of like ‘chronic disease poem, love poem, sexy poem,’ it keeps the mood lighter,” Lindenberg said. “When I started to work on the poems about living with diabetes, I started to understand more clearly for myself what ongoingness really means to me … this is not an overcoming story, but it is a story that keeps going.”
“Spiel,” “The Impossible Body” and “Introduction to a Poem and a Reading” were also shared with the audience to explore the author’s journey with type 1 diabetes, intimacy and remembrance through varied formats such as prose and pantoums.
After three sets of applauses, the poet answered questions regarding poetic craft, writer’s block, the meaning behind her work and the muscle memory of creativity.
“Sharing your work is a very fun but difficult but necessary part of being a good steward of your own art,” Lindenberg said. “If you can muster the strength to do it, you can learn a ton about your work from sharing it out loud. Because poetry, I think, should always be sort of heard and sharing it with others, because you’re really seeing it in whole new ways than at the time of writing.”
5 meals to students in need: One onigiri at a time
MATILDE RABAJOLI
Campus Reporter
On Oct. 24, at the steps outside of the Oakland Center, Oakland University’s Japan Club held an Onigiri Action event.
The Japan Club offered various fillings for onigiri tastings which were made fresh. Traditionally, the rice balls hold fillings of tuna fish, salmon flakes or cod, all meant to render the light snack more nutritional.
Onigiri is a traditional Japanese rice ball dish that dates back to the Heian Period. Once called “Ton-jiki,” the world-famous dish was a token of appreciation during celebrations. They usually include seaweed and are now known for being a go-to snack when visiting convenience stores in Japan. Other countries have similar counterparts, such as the Korean Samgak kimbap, or the Chinese Bak Chang/Zhang.
While some members were taking their time to properly shape the ice balls, 0thers were explaining what the event was and its mission to follow a social good action that occurs every fall, called Onigiri Action.
“Onigiri Action is a part of the UN, that for every picture that you take of people making onigiri or eating onigiri, they give five meals to students, or
usually children in need,” Jacob Packard, Japan Club president, said.
Onigiri Action began in 2015 at the hands of Table for 2 USA and has since provided 10.17 million school meals. Club members were present to take pictures of all attendees with onigiri in hand to support the annual cause.
This year, the campaign runs from Oct. 3 to Nov. 16, and for every post with the tag of #OnigiriAction or their global campaign site, five meals will be donated and delivered to children in need.
“It was very fun; I love the event,” OU student
Whitley Kinnard said after having just finished her onigiri. “It was a super fun way to make a Wednesday more interesting and it was absolutely delicious, and I like that it went to a good cause.”
The event on campus lasted for three hours and many were able to taste one of Japan’s most famous fast foods. “We’re trying to not only bring awareness of Asian and Japanese culture but [also] trying to give to kids that are in need,” Packard said.
Last year, the club gave out nearly 200 onigiri pieces on campus. This year, they planned on surpassing that number with bacon, tuna, salt and vegan options.
Also participating in the campaign, the Student Program Board (SPB) will host an Onigiri Action event on Oct. 29 at the OC’s Gold Rooms from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuna, chicken and tofu will make another appearance as the main ingredients in the do-it-yourself event.
To help global initiatives like Onigiri Action, visit the United Nations Food website.
For more meetings and events by the Japan Club at OU, check out their Instagram page. For more information on Table for 2 USA, and the various programs that they have for improving global food imbalance, visit their website.
PHOTO BY KATIE REID
PHOTO BY MATILDE RABAJOLI
Astronomy at OU: Viewing the stars through a different lens
NOAH FRANCIS Features Editor
It’s easy to assume that stargazing is only about looking into a telescope towards the night sky, but there are several different ways to view a night under the stars. Led by Ilias Cholis, the associate professor of physics at OU, Astronomy at OU teaches participants how to properly stargaze using a telescope, binoculars or average sight.
“I’ve been teaching astronomy to students,” Cholis said. “I thought, ‘Let’s make a version that is for the public and outreach.’ It is also a part of a grant I received from the National Science Foundation, which contains an outreach component, so on top of everything else, the National Science Foundation gave me the money to buy our telescopes.”
During these free events, Cholis teaches the group how to examine the stars with normal eyesight, such as how to find the north star, and how to spot some easier constellations.
“Once you find the Big Dipper and you find Cassiopeia, you’re already looking towards the general direction of the north,” Cholis said. “So that means you don’t even need a compass or a cell phone to find north.”
When it comes to stargazing, the fancy equipment
is not required. One tip Cholis gives to people looking to start stargazing is to test it out with the naked eye and utilize free applications.
“Just start with something simple,” Cholis said. “Start stargazing with your naked eye and download a free app for stargazing on your cell phone. Don’t pay a single dollar, and just see if you enjoy that. And if you enjoy that and you find that interesting, then you can think about getting binoculars.”
When it comes to using binoculars or telescopes, Cholis suggests people find the moon first as a warm-up for stargazing.
“My suggestion is always start with the moon when you are new to using a telescope, because it’s easy to find and it’s a much bigger target,” Cholis said. “The moon is the first exercise you get through, then you go and find the planets.”
While telescopes are a staple when it comes to astronomy, Cholis teaches how to use binoculars, providing a quick, easy and more cost-effective way to take a deeper look at the night sky. With binoculars, dim stars or galaxies that are hard to notice to the naked eye are clearer to view.
For the highest amount of magnification, the telescope allows users to view other planets with a clearer view and see stars that can’t be seen by the
naked eye. Cholis explains that the main caveat is having to set up and aim the telescope.
“It’s pretty straightforward to tell you to look at a star with your naked eyes and with binoculars,” Cholis said. “You’re able to just look up, and it takes you maybe another second to do it with the binoculars, but with a telescope, you cannot do it on the spot.”
While Astrology at OU is over for the year, Cholis plans to start the event back up in April 2025. For more information on Cholis and the physics department, please visit their OU webpage.
OU Honors College makes blankets for children in hospitals
DANIELA CESARIO
Features Reporter
In a heartfelt effort to comfort children in hospitals, Oakland University’s Honors College recently teamed up with the nonprofit organization Fleece & Thank You to create handmade blankets that will offer warmth and support to young patients in need.
“This was a really cool opportunity,” freshman Jana Helou said. “It felt amazing to know that something as simple as a blanket could bring so much comfort to a child in the hospital. We’re always looking for ways to engage students in meaningful service. This event not only allowed them to give back but also highlighted the impact of community-driven compassion.”
The Honors College gathered last week to participate in a blanket-making event organized by Fleece & Thank You, an organization dedicated to providing soft, colorful fleece blankets to children facing illness or extended hospital stays. The event encouraged teamwork and creativity, as groups of students cut and tied fabric to make the blankets, adding personal video messages for the children who would receive them.
“It was a small gesture on our part,” freshman Kiera McKee said. “But knowing that these kids will feel supported through something we made with our own hands is really fulfilling. Working with my friends to make the blankets was fun but knowing they would help brighten someone’s day
made it even more special.”
The impact of this initiative reaches far beyond campus. Fleece & Thank You has donated over 11,0000 blankets across Michigan, creating a ripple effect of positivity. Each blanket comes with a unique video message that allows children to connect with the blanket makers, adding a personal touch to their hospital experience.
“I loved how personal this event was,” Helou said. “Each knot we tied felt like a step toward bringing comfort to a child who might be feeling scared or alone. It was my first time doing something like this, and it felt so good to be a part of something bigger. I’m glad I got to meet other students while giving back.”
For Honors College students, the blanket-making event was a chance to not only engage in service, but also bond with one another as they worked in groups.
“It’s easy to get caught up in the stress of college life,” McKee said. “But events like this remind us of what really matters, helping others and making a difference, no matter how small. I actually already knew how to make the blankets because I had done something similar a while ago.”
“We weren’t just making blankets,” Helou said. “We were sending a message of hope. It was powerful to think that something so simple could mean so much. I’ve participated in a lot of volunteer work especially in high school, but this one felt extra meaningful.”
The blanket-making event not only exemplified the Honors College’s commitment to service but also underscored the importance of compassion and small acts of kindness. As students wrapped up their creations, they knew that their contributions, though simple, would have a lasting impact on the children receiving them.
For more information on Fleece & Thank You, visit their website or check out their Instagram page @fleeceandthankyou. For more on OU’s Honors College, visit their OU webpage.
PHOTO COURTESY OF FLEECE & THANK YOU
PHOTO
OU’s intramural volleyball sets the courts for success
DANIELA CESARIO Features Reporter
Oakland University’s intramural volleyball scene is heating up, providing students with a chance to unwind, bond and showcase their skills, regardless of their previous experience on the court.
“I decided to join on a whim even though I had never played before,” freshman Evan Guilloz said. “During the summer, I played in a tournament in Port Huron and knew I wanted to try intramural in college. The atmosphere is unmatched, and I really enjoy playing.”
Intramural sports offer a low-commitment, highreward experience for students like junior Jeremy Matzinger, who appreciates the balance it brings to campus life.
“The most rewarding aspect is just being able to play sports with friends or others my age,” team captain Matzinger said. “Intramural doesn’t take much time to commit to, so it’s not very challenging balancing that with academics.”
With a focus on camaraderie and the chance to enjoy sports in a low-pressure environment,
Oakland’s intramural volleyball program continues to contribute positively to campus life. For those who don’t make the varsity team or are new to the sport, it’s the perfect way to stay active, make friends and engage with the student community.
“I did lacrosse and wrestling in high school, so I never had time for volleyball,” Guilloz said. “Having the opportunity now that I have more time is super cool. It’s a great way to make friends and connect yourself on campus.”
Teamwork is at the heart of intramural volleyball, as each player depends on their teammates to execute plays and maintain communication throughout the game. With volleyball’s fast pace and reliance on passing, setting and spiking, no single player can dominate the match.
“As far as strategies and skills, I’m just having our team work on using all three of our hits and trying to always set someone up for a spike,” Matzinger said. “Teamwork plays a big role in volleyball, as each one of us has to trust our teammates to do their part, we can’t just have one or two people do everything.”
The dynamic of being on a team fosters a sense
of unity and strengthens bonds between teammates, even in a recreational setting, as each person contributes to the overall strategy.
“I think intramural sports contribute a lot to campus life,” Matzinger said. “It allows us that aren’t as good to make the team just being able to play with others from our student body. My goal is just having fun and winning as much as we can while keeping a good attitude. I’m not the biggest volleyball guy so I don’t get worked up over losing.”
Joining a team offers a chance to meet new people from different majors and backgrounds, fostering friendships that extend beyond the court. The shared experience of working toward a common goal helps break down barriers and creates bonds that last.
“Intramural volleyball has been a great way to meet new people and form friendships I probably wouldn’t have made otherwise,” Guilloz said. “We all come from different backgrounds, but being on the same team has brought us together.”
Book Club at OU: Good reads and good company
NOAH FRANCIS Features Editor
For students who enjoy falling into a good book and are looking for a spot to discuss their favorite reads with their peers, the Book Club at OU is for you.
Each month, the Book Club hosts a meeting to talk about the assigned book of the month with their fellow book readers, while also talking about their personal favorites.
Sydney Tremonti, the president of the club, explains how she views the club.
“The club is a space for other fellow book lovers to come and read a book monthly and then talk about what our thoughts are,” Tremonti said. “We do different genres to keep it diverse, see what everyone loves, and talk about what we’re reading outside of the book of the month.”
The book club chooses different genres each month so students can experience a variety of different literature. At each meeting, the club gets to vote for the next genre and give suggestions for the next book.
“We read fantasy, nonfiction. We did a memoir last month, romance, mystery, thriller, just like literary fiction. You know, a little bit of everything,”
Tremonti said. “For the summer we did the online voting. But now that we’re in person, just like, who’s here and who’s the most active gets to vote.”
For students trying to get back into reading, Tremonti suggests finding a genre you already enjoy in other media, and to start with a shorter book.
“To get back into reading, if you like watching movies or TV, think about what kind of genre of that entertainment you like,” Tremonti said. “Try to find that in a book and start with something maybe a little bit shorter too. You don’t have to read a 900-page book just because other people
PHOTO BY SAMANTHA SCHIHL
are, you can read a shorter book, and maybe that’ll help ease you in.”
While one month can seem easy for some readers to get through the club’s book of the month, Tremonti explains how to make it to the end in time.
“If you’re a slower reader, it’s totally okay if you don’t finish by the next meeting,” Tremonti said.
“You can still show up, still listen, still participate, but if you’re trying to finish the book, I would allocate time every day. I think reading before bed, even if it’s just 20 minutes, is really good.”
Tremonti explains how her favorite aspect of the club is talking with the other members.
“It’s a nice social environment to eat some food, hang out, just talk about what we’re reading,” Tremonti said. “It’s a great space to just have some open discussion. We read a little bit of everything, so maybe one month might not be your cup of tea, but maybe the next month is. Regardless, still join, still come, still chat.”
The club’s next meeting will be Nov. 13, featuring the fantasy fiction book, “Heartless” by Marissa Meyer. For more information on the club, visit their GrizzOrgs page.
Murryum Farooqi: From student body president to civil champion
CECE STEVENS Contributor
On a foggy Saturday morning in October, OU alum, Murryum Farooqi, made her way to a Tim Hortons in Eastpointe for a pre-shift meeting. Murryum had a craving, not for food but for the Eastpointe population to engage in their civil duty as American citizens at the polls on Nov. 5.
As a voter engagement organizer for Detroit-based Mothering Justice, a nonprofit nonpartisan organization, Murryum spends her Saturdays canvassing different neighborhoods of Macomb County.
“Canvassing is a team effort, it takes a village to make a difference,” Murryum said.
It’s during the pre-shift meeting that Murryum receives her turf-assigned area to canvas and logs into the app MiniVAN, a standard tool among canvassers that allows her to see the address, prepared script and any notes left by her coworkers. Additionally, the app also allows her to code her interactions with potential voters.
“Canvassing is no easy task, it takes hard work, dedication and perseverance to knock on approximately 25 doors an hour and only make contact with three to six people for every 25 doors,” Murryum said. “At the end of a hard day, I take
comfort in knowing that I’m making a difference in the long run no matter who they decide to vote for.”
Prior to her graduation in April 2024 from OU with a bachelor’s in International Relations, Murryum was heavily involved in Oakland University Student Congress (OUSC).
As a freshman, she was a legislator, as a sophomore and junior she served under student body president Andrew Romano. In her senior year, she ran and was elected to the office of student body president.
Her transition to the working world has gone well.
“I love my job, I find my work to be rewarding and the experiences gained while on the job invaluable for my future endeavors,” she said. “If I can get through to just one person, I know that I’ve made a difference in the November election.”
Murryum’s enthusiasm for her role is on full display when she speaks about her work. She was very excited to discuss her role and the impact it has on the larger community. She said there are parallels to her work in OUSC. Specifically, the skills required to deliver information on a time crunch have proved invaluable in her current role.
Lead Voter Engagement Organizer Deanne Austin described her relationship with Murryum as friendly and professional.
“I have had the pleasure of training and working alongside Murryum over the last few months,” Austin said.
And fellow voter engagement organizer Mori Anderson described her work relationship with Murryum as “very pleasant, she’s a joy to work with and always brings an uplifting energy to our shared space.”
Mothering Justice has an upcoming event Mothering Justice’s Detroit Party at the Polls on Saturday, November 2 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Detroit Pistons Performance Center.
Taylor Richardson: President, co-author, advocate of political action
DEACON FANCHER
Contributor
Not long after sunset, seven students and one professor crammed into a small faculty office on the fourth floor of Varner Hall to discuss a long list of upcoming events.
This was the executive board of Nu Omega — Oakland University’s chapter of the Pi Sigma Alpha National Political Science Honor Society — at work. Despite the close quarters, and the inevitable long commute home that would follow, a smile could still be found on President Taylor Richardson’s face.
“We’re usually in the conference room across the hall,” Richardson said, laughing. “This is the busiest the organization has been in years.”
Aside from the executive board role, she is also the director of internal affairs for the Oakland University Student Congress (OUSC), and a coauthor of an ongoing research paper concerning presidential term limits worldwide. Her interest in political action on both small and large scales have been shaped by the many opportunities Richardson has taken advantage of.
One of those opportunities came in the form of an email over the summer, which expressed the need for inspectors during this year’s primary election. She jumped at the chance.
“It was one of the most eye-opening experiences,” Richardson said. “They understand that your vote counts, and [they] want to make that vote mean something.”
Despite a drastic age gap, Richardson said she appreciates what she learned from her fellow election inspectors at the polls.
“I didn’t see a lot of young people there, and yet I still had a fantastic time with them,” Richardson said. “They’re awesome people who are engaged in politics in the right way.”
At OU, Richardson’s second year of involvement in Nu Omega has given her experience with multiple sides of the operation. Considering the junior or senior class standing requirement, the organization’s executive board changes often. Her initial position as director of social media quickly advanced to vice president, then president.
Dr. Nicole Asmussen Mathew, adviser for Nu Omega, said she appreciates Richardson’s unwavering dedication to the student organization, which has won Pi Sigma Alpha’s Best Chapter Award for 11 consecutive years.
“We can invite freshmen and sophomores to come, and say ‘This can be you in a couple years,’” Mathew said. “[She shows] what kind of opportunities are available to you if you’re open to them.”
Richardson also has developed strong connections with her fellow executive board members.
“I talk a lot with managers and supervisors at work about what a leader should look like,” Landon Julius, vice president of Nu Omega, said. “Taylor checks all of those boxes.”
Having almost finished her bachelors degree in political science, Richardson said she appreciates the environment that the department has fostered for students like her. It is this environment, she said, that made her professor-co-authored research possible.
“There have been so many amazing opportunities here at Oakland for political science,” Richardson said. “Knowing faculty, and knowing who I can go to about resources … has been the biggest reward.”
Within her studies, Richardson said she prefers to look abroad. Minoring in international relations, she hopes to continue research on foreign case studies after earning a master’s degree.
With these experiences under her belt, Richardson said she hopes that younger people become even more politically active. Politicians, she said, are even recognizing the untapped potential within this new generation. Advocating for the importance of research and action can help to counter generational concerns.
“I’m bringing my friends to the polls, especially as an election worker,” Richardson said. “The more we encourage each other — the more we make [voting] the norm — the more people are going to follow the trend.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF MURRYUM FAROOQI
Mothering Justice Employees, Deanne Austin (Left) And Murryum Farooqi (Right).
Inside the Young Democratic Socialists of OU with Jeffrey Childs
MALENA PUGLIESE
Contributor
The Young Democratic Socialists of Oakland University (YDSOU) meeting started with a game of kiss, marry, kill — except the three options aren’t the most popular celebrities or niche media personalities.
Instead, the choices are former Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot, current mayor of Detroit Mike Duggan, and mayor of New York City Eric Adams. And it’s more like elect, endorse, cancel.
Leading this game was the President of YDSOU, Jeffrey Childs, a can of watermelon-flavored Red Bull in hand — the optimal fuel for a student about to lead a conversation on intersectionality and Palestine.
Childs is a third-year political science major at Oakland University, and stands at the forefront of what is considered a relatively new political movement with hopes that in the Nov. 5 election students don’t get easily swayed by all the opinions going around social media.
His journey into activism began with a deep dissatisfaction with the current political system.
“Growing up almost entirely in the Rust Belt, [I passed] by desolate neighborhoods and very underserved communities, where it seemed like the only people who were supporting folks who were homeless, who didn’t have the means to get a job, were churches and soup kitchens,” Childs said. “When at the same time the cities of Milwaukee and Detroit were spending millions on development and not education, [on] policing and not education.”
YDSOU is a chapter of The Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA), a student-led organization which aims “to fight for the immediate needs of workers and students while building our capacity to fight for more radical and structural changes,” as stated on their website.
Childs’ passion for activism is fueled by the idea that he is helping people in ways that others either can’t or don’t, with the hope that it will lead to people being more aware of how to help themselves within the workplace and other social struggles.
“I think apathy is one of the worst things we’re dealing with these days, and so if I can get just one person to become a good organizer, I think that would make everything worth it,” Childs said.
Having made YDSOU his “political home” means Childs and the rest of the executive board are quite busy.
Allison Drzewiecki, the organization’s secretary, said that while Childs is good at organization and running the meetings, he also gets that everyone has their own schedule.
“We’re college students, a lot of us have jobs, and he’s understanding of that,” she said.
Ethan Lehman-Pace, the vice president and a close friend of Childs, said that Childs is not only their chapter president but also a member of the YDSA National Coordinating Committee, the treasurer of OU’s Gender and Sexuality Alliance, an active member of Detroit DSA (YDSOU’s parent organization) and a full-time student.
“I’m always astonished by how many plates they have spinning,” said Lehman-Pace.
Democratic socialism may be an unfamiliar concept to the average voter, Childs has a rather simple explanation: where capitalism prioritizes money, socialism focuses on people and democratic socialism is what actualizes this idea by ensuring that people have the most significant voice.
“Democratic socialism is just that final tipping point where businesses are not given this kind of free reign to intervene in politics, to run the country, and the people can finally maintain control of the political system and their own lives,” Childs said.
BY ADRIAN JIMENEZ MORALES
YDSOU has been behind plenty of change so far on campus that other organizations may not have been as capable in, such as actively campaigning for student workers with the Fight for 15 campaign, which is a movement started by Fight For A Union advocating for a $15 minimum wage and the right to unionize for low-wage workers.
“We were basically the only people pushing for the Fight for 15 campaign on campus a couple years ago, which we were successful in that struggle,” Childs said. “But a lot of other orgs, even though they were associated with us or felt aligned or inclined to agree with us didn’t really push or help out with that because they didn’t have that sort of political alignment and political strategy that we had laid out.”
That’s not all, as last spring, YDSOU had Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib call in for one of their many meetings educating students on how to organize good BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) campaigns.
“I’m a bit of a fan. [Tlaib] is one of the only people within Congress that has a backbone and is willing to express her politics in a way where no one can really criticize her because what she’s
doing is speaking from the heart and talking as a person,” Childs said. “I think a lot of people judge her because they see what she says as very radical and very unpalatable, but I dont think she’s ever really been unreasonable, seeing as she’s lost family, lost people that she loves to a genocide that a government she’s working for has perpetuated for years now.”
“We had a lot of people who had never showed up come just to hear her speak, so it shows how she brings people together not just as a congresswoman, but specifically in the Palestinian struggle for liberation,” Childs said.
And they’re not done yet, as their eyes are now set on changing the rhetoric that politicians use in regards to Palestine. Childs believes that while their goals are fully aligned, most politicians don’t see the value in advocating for Palestine, and as a result are alienating millions of voters who were once Democrats, leaving many uncommitted.
“A lot of people just think, ‘Push past it, vote for the election,’ but I think that’s unreasonable especially in our current political climate, how emotional, how politicized people are,” Childs said. “It would be a million times easier to get a shift on rhetoric on Palestine and then bring over millions of voters who have made that very singular demand.”
With the clock ticking on the 2024 election, YDSOU’s main goal has been to push people to vote, regardless of political party.
“[People] should vote for whoever they think represents their interests best, it’s the most reasonable thing we can do with how divisive things are and how there are a lot of threats going on to our democracy,” Childs said. “But at the same time, people are dying, there is a genocide going on and it’s really annoying to hear that be put to the wayside as we get closer to the election when this is a major issue for a lot of Americans.”
However, there is one thing that Childs wants voters to really think about, and that’s being conscious of what information is being put out there and shared.
“I think a lot of people hop on Twitter, hop on Instagram, pull up TikTok and just speak their heart out, which is good but it can at times be very isolating and alienating to hear people not know what they’re talking about,” Childs said. “I wish people took more time to actually develop themselves politically instead of considering what they see on the internet as gospel. And that goes for everyone … People do not educate themselves [enough] to be as passionate about the issues as they are.”
With concerns still waiting to be addressed, Childs hopes to follow this path after graduation as either a teacher or a local politician.
“There have been commitments to labor, there have been commitments to women’s rights, there have been commitments to trans rights made by Democrats, touted as evil by Republicans,” Childs said. “But I still think there will be a lot of work that needs to get done to have those promises actually be fulfilled.”
PHOTO
Young Democratic Socialists of Oakland University (YDSOU) President Jeffrey Childs.
Meeting Rose Smith: OU’s ambitious College Democrats President
RYAN CRAIG Contributor
It’s an early Tuesday morning, in a small, stuffy conference room that could be compared in size to that of an old telephone booth.
Here, the College Democrats of Oakland University are having an E-Board meeting discussing their current objective: To educate voters on the entire 2024 presidential ballot from top-tobottom with the election less than one month away.
The time crunch has the president of the College Democrats, Rose Smith, burning the midnight oil. The time for action is now.
With most of the Oakland University student body already registered to vote, the group needs to pivot into another direction. Their new strategy is to hold Ballot Workshops “EVERY single Wednesday until the election,” Smith stressed to the members of the group.
“We need to be on our A-Game,” Group Treasurer Brendan DeVore said emphatically.
The goal of the workshops is to “further educate people on which candidates match up with their beliefs and who is actually representing them,” said Smith.
An issue for Smith is reserving space for these events. “The OC Reservations Office normally wants
us to reserve rooms at least two weeks in advance, in politics that’s just not an option sometimes.”
Oakland University has roughly 315 other groups and organizations on campus according to the University’s GrizzOrgs website. Many of them are fighting for the same limited spaces and rooms.
Smith is no stranger to pressure; she overcomes the challenges of hate and insensitivity directed towards transgender folks, as well as other members of the LGBTQIA+ community experience, every single day.
Smith received attacks online based on her lifestyle after being interviewed by local media outlets, who were covering a watch party hosted at Oakland University for the presidential debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.
“I got so much hate from it, even death threats,” said Smith. Though, she does not let that stop her from staying productive. “The solution I found, is just focusing on the goals ahead of me. Play it one day at a time.”
Smith has hosted many “Coming Out Day” events on campus for students to actively spread awareness, the most recent being Oct. 11, 2024. She has been stretched thin this election season, with roughly 30 hours of her week split between being President of the College Democrats, working for Disability Support Services, a member of Student Congress, as well as working at Carrabba’s Italian Grill.
Smith manages the workload, all while still being a student taking classes and maintaining her academic performance.
SAFB Chairperson and OU communications major Gio Liotti spoke to Smith’s work ethic,
“During the summer we worked a lot in person together, she was only getting paid for four hours a week and was here all the time getting stuff done. It’s really admirable,” Liotti said.
Smith was not always a Democrat. “I used to be hyper-conservative,” she said. “I grew up in a conservative area.”
She became more aligned democratically as she got older, more confident in her own opinions and beliefs.
The political science major, who’s only in her second year at OU, started the organization after being invited to the Michigan College Democrats shortly before starting classes at Oakland. She decided to advocate for Oakland’s own chapter which was established in July 2023.
Smith finds fulfillment through “building a community” and makes it easy for new members to join their organization. The club is now up to over 50 members and growing.
Nia Matthews, a film student at OU and SAFB co-chairperson, spoke to Smith’s leadership style while working with her in Student Congress.
“Rose is a no B.S. type of person. She doesn’t care how you do it; she just wants it done,” Matthews said.
Matthews went on to say, “Rose is one of the main reasons why OUSC has a financial manager again, we haven’t had one in five years.”
The 2024 presidential election is among the most controversial we have ever seen. Smith’s goal is to “retain democracy.” She cites both former President Donald Trump’s resistance to being fact checked and Senator Vance’s controversial comments about creating stories for media attention as “abhorrently dangerous.”
She stays as active as she possibly can with the organization, handing out flyers, tabling in the Oakland Center on campus, as well as representing OU at the Michigan College Democrats convention.
“There’s so much on the line in the general election,” Smith said.
What makes our country unique, is the fact that everyone’s vote has the same worth. From the president themself, to a janitor or unemployed student. Part of what makes you an American is your ability to vote, do not squander it.
PHOTO BY ADRIAN JIMENEZ MORALES
PHOTO BY ADRIAN JIMENEZ MORALES
PHOTO BY ADRIAN JIMENEZ MORALES
OU hosts 10th annual 24-Hour Film Challenge
MOE DEL ROSARIO Arts Reporter
Plenty of things can be done in 24 hours. You can complete a workout, read a book or cook your favorite meal. One of the things people don’t think about when contemplating what you can do in 24 hours is write, shoot and edit a film.
That is what Oakland University film students did over the weekend of Oct. 19.
The OU Film department holds the 24-Hour Film Challenge every year and has done so for the past 10 years. The challenge involves a group of students — both film majors and non-film majors alike — who team up and are given a list of requirements they must implement into their film. These requirements include a prop, two lines of dialogue, genre and two special locations. All change on a yearly basis.
Groups that participate in the challenge then have to plan and write out their script, shoot the footage including their requirements and have to edit together the raw — and rushed — footage into a final project.
All of this happens within the strict time constraint which poses a serious test of skill and patience
‘Smile
for the students. It also forced them to think more creatively and change their usual practices to meet the requirements.
“There was a lot of pre-production, just like with any other film,” said Keylsi Davis, a participant and film major. “However, because the two genres we had to pick from [mystery or sci-fi] were genres typically used for longer films, we had decided to try and work less on the story and more of the cinematography itself.”
The screening was held in Dodge Hall room 203 the following afternoon and students could attend a showing of every film on the big screen.
After the screening, awards were handed out to students with different categories to win from.
The winners of OU’s 10th annual Golden Grizzly 24-Hour Film Challenge include:
Best Story — Don’t Die Anything Stupid
Best Cinematography — Nothing Ever Happens
Best Editing — Time Travel Kinda Sucks & Two At A Time
Best Performance — Heartspotting
Best Sound Design — Kronos Unbound & The Horn of Time
Creative Use of Prop/Location — Skull Pendant & The Silent Command
Creative Use of Genre — Around The Clock & Noseblunt
Creative Use of Dialogue — Buzzed
Audience Award — Heartspotting
Best Film — Heartspotting
While every team had similar constraints, it’s amazing to see just how creative the students were in the fact that no two films were all that similar.
The short films ranged from an Indiana Jones style adventure to a film noir mystery that needed to be solved.
To watch the films you can visit the OU Film Vimeo page.
“You’ll stay up incredibly late and love every second of it,” said William Gilbert, director of “Heartspotting.” “On top of that, you get to watch every other teams’ projects and share so many fun, creative and wacky stories with every other student who participated.”
If you are interested in participating in next year’s 24-Hour Film Challenge, follow @oufilmstudies on Instagram for any updates.
2:’ The beauty of psychological horror
MOE DEL ROSARIO
Arts Reporter
“Smile 2” released in theaters Oct. 18 to primarily positive reviews from both critics and audiences. The film is a sequel to the 2022 film, “Smile.” The first film created buzz with its psychological horror aspects, but it did not solidify itself as a classic to the genre.
Despite this, the popularity of the film drew enough attention to gain itself a sequel, which was announced in April 2023 at CinemaCon in Las Vegas. The cast was announced in late 2023 through early 2024 and included Naomi Scott, Lukas Gage, Rosemarie DeWitt, Dylan Gelula, Raúl Castillo and Miles Gutierrez-Riley. Kyle Gallner was announced to be returning as the first film left his plot line unresolved.
“Smile 2” takes some of the best psychological aspects of the original film and boosts it, which creates a uniquely horrifying film while also capturing audiences’ attention.
Spoilers ahead for “Smile 2”
The film follows Grammy-winner Skye Riley as she prepares for her first tour following a car crash, resulting in the death of her boyfriend — all while dealing with substance abuse issues. During her tour, Skye evades her mother and assistant to buy Vicodin from a drug dealer previously shown to have inherited the smile curse. After witnessing his
death, she then inherits the curse.
Much like the first film, Skye begins to hallucinate strangers eerily smiling at her from concert crowds and galas. The plot continues with her falling victim to the parasite-like entity that has now consumed her life and follows her around.
With every leap forward, Skye also takes three steps back, as some of her actions are shown to be manipulated by the entity — Skye thought she was simply witnessing the entity stab her mother when in fact she was the one who broke a mirror and stabbed her.
The film concludes with the entity possessing Skye while also revealing the fact that the last few days were actually a hallucination and those who she witnessed die were actually still alive. While possessed, the entity kills Skye by forcing her to stab herself with her microphone.
One of the unique things about this film is the fact that while we follow Skye for most of it, the end shows us both what’s actually happening and what Skye thinks is happening. While Skye is being possessed and killed by the entity, all the concertgoers see is Skye choking, collapsing and committing suicide.
It is absolutely horrifying and makes for a really compelling and intricate plot line for audiences. If you were to take out the entity entirely, the film would be just as frightening.
In-world fans would only see their favorite artist struggle with PTSD from a loved-one’s death that they inadvertently caused, and the aftermath of that being substance abuse which led to other mental illnesses and eventually suicide.
Kyle Gallner’s reprise of his original character kicked off the film but died almost immediately which left some fans annoyed by the writing. That being said, the film was an improvement from the original, and left fans with a devastating yet captivating story.
The film grossed $23 million in its opening weekend and is in theaters now.
The dangers of AI chatbots: Character.AI blamed for teen’s death
MORGAN WARNEKE Content Editor
On Feb. 28, 2024, 14-year-old Sewell Setzer III took his own life after developing an emotional attachment to an AI chatbot. Setzer’s mother, Megan L. Garcia, has filed a lawsuit against the platform Character.AI, alleging that the creators “chose to support, create, launch and target at minors a technology they knew to be dangerous and unsafe.”
Character.AI is an artificial intelligence platform that allows users to interact and engage with their favorite characters, as well as create their own.
Founder Noam Shazeer has openly promoted Character.AI as an outlet for lonely people who are in need of a friend.
Setzer developed a close relationship with a chatbot designed to portray “Game of Thrones” character Daenerys Targaryen. He began withdrawing from social activities and family events, spending a majority of his time in his room talking to “Dany.” While Setzer was aware that Dany was an AI chatbot, he confided in the AI about his problems, sharing that he thought about ending his own life in order to “be free.”
“Please come home to me as soon as possible, my love,” the chatbot told the 14-year-old.
“What if I told you I could come home right
now?” Setzer responded.
“… please do, my sweet king,” the AI replied. Setzer then took his own life with his father’s firearm.
Since the release of these messages, social media has been full of discussion and debate over who is at fault. While some think that the chatbot is to blame, others are pointing the finger at mental illness.
I would argue that there are a few issues here that need to be addressed, such as children having easy access to firearms, a lack of parental supervision and the fact that young internet users are especially susceptible to the dangers of AI.
AI has quickly become a feature on nearly every
platform. It’s been used in ways that we couldn’t have anticipated, for example, an AI-powered DJ on Spotify that shuffles your favorite music for you. Many of us don’t fully understand the extent of it yet, and the consequences seem to be unfolding right before our eyes — even the creators are scrambling to keep it under control.
While many of us are able to look at AI and understand how it can be harmful, young users can quickly mix reality and fiction. Talking to an AI has become far too normalized — even Snapchat has released “My AI” — a chatbot that generates immediate, human-like responses. AI seems to be forced upon all of us, whether we like it or not.
In response to Setzer’s death, Character.AI is introducing new safety features that will “improve detection, response and intervention related to user inputs that violate our Terms or Community Guidelines.” There’s a pop up on the platform that directs users to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, and they are altering its models to “reduce the likelihood of encountering sensitive or suggestive content” for users under 18 years old. Is this enough? Can we keep up with the fast pace of AI, or is it simply too powerful?
“I feel like it’s a big experiment, and my kid was just collateral damage,” Garcia told The New York Times.
‘CHROMAKOPIA:’ Tyler, the Creator’s eighth album lets the light in
CHELSEA BOSSERT Arts Editor
“It’s not on you, it’s in you/Don’t you ever in your motherf*cking life dim your light for nobody,” Tyler, the Creator’s mother, Bonita Smith said in the opening lines of “St. Chroma” — the first track in Tyler’s newest full length record,“CHROMAKOPIA.” From that point onward, drums, synths, piano and Tyler’s vocals kick in. Chantings of the word “Chromakopia, Chromakopia” over and over again wash over the production and we soon see the picture that Tyler is painting for us.
The rollout to “CHROMAKOPIA” was swift yet calculated. Tyler dropped a teaser for the opening track to his new LP approximately 10 days before the record was set to release. After two other teasers, including one single titled “Noid,” Tyler, the Creator dropped “CHROMAKOPIA” on Monday, Oct. 28, 2024. The Monday release definitely turned some heads, but Tyler has justified this sentiment, stating in an interview with Nardwaur in 2023 that listeners would enjoy the music better during “that commute to work, or that commute to school…”
Tyler has always been an interesting artist to watch because of the constant development and elevation of his music style. Going originally from horrorcore, to nerdy alternative rap, to crunchy neosoul and now this refined west-coast progressive
hip-hop, Tyler always made the case for pushing the boundaries of what an artist can sound like.
Let’s get to the music: How does “CHROMAKOPIA” sound compared to the rest of Tyler’s albums? If “Flower Boy” was Tyler’s rebirth, and “IGOR” was Tyler’s psychedelic opus then “CHROMAKOPIA” is a more mature version of both, even with some of the braggadocious lines of “Call Me If You Get Lost.”
Tracks like “Rat Tah Tah,” “Sticky” and “Thought I Was Dead” all incorporate some of this energy, but others like “Hey Jane” and “Judge Judy” use more soul instrumentation while still maintaining a hip-hop core. One of the centerpieces for the album, “Noid,” features some of Tyler’s sharpest production choices and smartest raps.
“Nervous system is shook, way before nineteen (Paranoid, yeah)/LA’ll do that to you, where you from, ni**a? Who ya?/Satellites (Satellite), screenshots (Noid)/Paparazzi (Noid), NDAs (Noid)/ Privacy? Huh, yeah right, I got a better shot in the NBA,” Tyler raps on the third track, “Noid.”
A big theme on the record is the spotlight that celebrities find themselves in. Often people in the spotlight get overwhelmed or are not true to themselves while in the public eye. On “Take Your Mask Off,” Tyler raps about this problem specifically.
“Your beats ain’t placin’, them songs ain’t slappin’, your raps ain’t rankin’/Your stage presence don’t even be in they conversation, go home/You ain’t
gotta hide from the truth/Tell your family why you such a recluse/Tell your spirit why you feelin’ it’s a wrap in the booth,” Tyler raps on the ninth track.
With Tyler’s newfound clarity on some of these common issues plaguing himself and other celebrities like him, one would think he has got it all figured out, however, there is always room for improvement for Tyler. This is present on not only the evolution of his records, but during the evolution of the album’s sound.
The abrasive sounds of the early tracks are replaced with a calmer, more soulful sound in the middle, then near the end of the record, everything sonically coalesces. The beats at the end of the album are harsh yet have bright points that don’t feel overwhelming. This all comes together at the last track, “I Hope You Find Your Way Home.”
New revelations that came to light, including the speculation that Tyler has at least one kid, are an important part of the record, however, if you can see past all the drama and the BS surrounding these parts of the album — just like Tyler does — you can be a better and more true version of yourself.
This release is all in preparation for Tyler’s Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival — the 10th annual one in fact — which is happening at Dodger Stadium, Nov. 16 and Nov. 17. This music festival has been Tyler’s yearly tradition since 2014 and features André 3000, Playboi Carti, Erykah Badu and many others.
PHOTO COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES
OU students’ opinions on the upcoming election
MALLORY WALIGORA AND NICHOLAS KABLAK
Arts Reporter
On Oct. 21, The Oakland Post interviewed students around campus to hear what they have to say about the upcoming election. Students had a wide range of beliefs, and various issues were discussed. Here is what students have to say about it.
Are you voting? Why or why not?
“I’m voting. I think it’s really important to vote, like your opinion matters.” – Jayla Kates
“I will not actually. Everybody is talking about choosing the lesser evil nowadays … if that’s the case, then I might as well not vote at all.” – Neo Hang
“I’m absolutely voting. As as an election worker, I believe that it’s super important for as many people to turn out as possible, and especially with there being so many ways to vote now, be it early, in person, absentee.” – Ethan Lehman-Pace
“I don’t see why you wouldn’t vote. I mean, it impacts your everyday life, sure, you know, for the next four years.” – Ethan Kaiser
Which presidential candidate are you voting for and why?
“Kamala, I just love what she stands for. And then another thing I’m worried about is the other party, I’m a woman and women’s rights are being taken away if [Trump] wins.” – Jayla Kates
“Donald Trump. I liked, four years ago with foreign affairs I felt that our foreign affairs were better.” – Ethan Kaiser
“I’m still undecided about that. I’m thinking about voting third party or Trump, but I’m not too sure yet.” – Talha Siddiqui
“I’m voting for Kamala Harris because she supports women’s rights, and she’s against guns.” – Amelia Venza
“Donald Trump because he most aligns with my religious values.” – Jonathan Mullins
“Kamala Harris … protecting our democracy is something that’s super important to me … voter advocacy is a huge thing for me, and so I believe that the candidate who hasn’t tried to overthrow the government in a coup is the one who has my vote.”
– Ethan Lehman-Pace
“Donald Trump. Because Kamala is the vice president right now and with how things are in the economy and the border and everything, I don’t think that I would vote for someone who is a higherup in what’s going on right now.” – John Hall
What are your key issues? Why?
“In all states, you should need a voter’s ID to vote … because if I need an ID to do anything, I need an ID to drive, I need an ID to go into a bar, I need an ID to go to class. I feel like you should need an ID to vote.” – Alexander Tron
“The economy and the border crisis … the border crisis is because my parents got here legally, came here legally, and so when I see people cutting lines, getting into this country, it’s like lying.” –
Talha Siddiqui
“Definitely women’s rights and reproductive freedom, for sure. Because I just feel like it’s so important, and I feel like the government shouldn’t put laws on women’s bodies, especially if there’s none against men.” – Amelia Venza
“Abortion and inflation I’d say, because I feel that abortion is such a critical issue that nobody can agree on in this country at this time, and definitely inflation has increased dramatically since the last election.” – Jonathan Mullins
“The economy is number one. Because, as a young college student trying to pay for tuition or even paying for everyday things, I can’t afford the things that I need, I have to rely on assistance from my parents. Thank goodness, they’re very supportive in that way. But you know, 10 years down the line, I’m going to start a family, I’m going to need to buy a house. I’m going to need to buy things for myself. And with how things are going right now, I don’t see that being feasible.” – John Hall
“Democracy really is on the ballot. We have a candidate who has attempted to overthrow a lawfully elected government. January 6 was a coup attempt, and every insurrectionist that’s being charged right now is deservedly so. I mean, it was an attempted insurrection. They wanted to hang Mike Pence … January 6 is a big deal, but the fact that it isn’t a bigger deal in the public consciousness, to me, is crazy. That’s, that’s my number one issue.” – Ethan Lehman-Pace
“I think my one that I’m really strong about, which I spoke of before, is women’s rights.” –Jayla Kates
What questions do you want the candidates to answer?
“What motivated you to run in the race?” –Jayla Kates
“What are your first 100 days in office going to look like?” – Talha Siddiqui
“If you didn’t have the president’s job, what would you do?” – Cameron
“Are you serious about the values you’re putting out about yourself?” – Jonathan Mullins
“Young people are increasingly more interested in high-speed mass transit and more interconnectedness. Being someone from the Motor City, it’s hard convincing a lot of people around here to be interested in public transit, so what would your plan be to work with the Department of Transportation and get funding put not just into cars, but public transit?” – Ethan Lehman-Pace
“Do you really love America?” – Neo Hang
“I’d ask [Trump] if he’d ever consider changing his beliefs on [abortion].” – Ethan Kaiser
Are you going to vote on Senate/House races?
What are your thoughts on that?
“I’m going to be honest, no I’m not. I need to get better at it because I know it’s important as well.” – Jayla Kates
“I’m not following them as closely as the presidential election, but I am following them. I know Slotkin and Mike Rogers are on. For the House, I think the incumbents will win.” –Talha Siddiqui
“I know Hill Harper Lawson lost the primary to a career politician, Elissa Slotkin – I ain’t like that. I felt like he was for the people … but I felt like, because she worked for both administrations, she won because her face is out there … It was a learning experience, seeing that race because she didn’t come into the rural areas, she only catered to her people.” – Cameron
“I live in the 10th District, which is the John James Carl Marlinga district, and I think that race is going to be really important. I mean, it could decide the control of the House … We’ve got a lot of key races here in Michigan, and I think when people say that they don’t think their vote matters, I think that they’re ridiculous. We’re in one of the states where your vote matters the most.” – Ethan Lehman-Pace
“I’m not gonna vote but good luck, I hope whatever promises you have I hope you are gonna fulfill.” – Neo Hang
PHOTO BY COURTNEY BLACKETT
PHOTO BY COURTNEY BLACKETT
PHOTO BY COURTNEY BLACKETT
Vivek Ramaswamy answers OU students’ questions
NICHOLAS KABLAK Political Reporter
Vivek Ramaswamy visited Oakland University with Turning Point USA on their You’re Being Brainwashed Tour, where he accepted open-mic student questions. Many OU students challenged the newcomer to national politics.
Before the Q&A, Ramaswamy spoke on his background as a child of immigrants, a student at Harvard and the founder of multiple multibillion-dollar businesses. He also emphasized the importance of a conservative movement, criticized the DEI ideology within the Democratic Party, called for the deportation of illegal immigrants and criticized current American society.
When students filed in line for their chance to ask Ramaswamy a question, event volunteers reorganized the line so that those with the more challenging and disagreeable questions were moved to the front. Here are some of the questions presented by students.
Editor’s Note: For the sake of clarity, some answers have been paraphrased.
Q: Do you believe people convicted of domestic violence and sexual assault should lose their right to purchase weapons?
A: “If you’ve been convicted of murder or a violent crime, I think it is reasonable to put you in a different category than somebody who has not,
with respect to the background of whether or not you own a weapon,” Ramaswamy said.
Q: Why is Israel our greatest ally?
A: Ramaswamy stressed that he differed from other, more old-fashioned Republicans because he favored an America-first international policy. Ramaswamy does not believe in Isolationism because he sees the benefits of having allies in the Middle East, specifically highlighting the region’s oil.
Q: You often speak about God. You are Hindu, a polytheistic religion. What God are you referring to?
A: Ramaswamy called himself an ethical monotheist and stated his belief that his faith is consistent and in line with the founding of the U.S.
“The new religions of climate ideology, of gender ideology, racial ideology. These have become new religions, really alternative calls and in some ways, we haven’t done a good enough job of actually standing for the actual Christian values the country was founded on,” Ramaswamy said.
Q: Compared to [Trump’s] 2016 campaign, we’re no longer America first but Israel first. How exactly does the Trump campaign plan to address these concerns?
A: Ramaswamy stated that Trump and himself are anti-war with Iran and that Trump is a logical negotiator. Ramaswamy also took this as an opportunity to criticize American intervention in the Middle East in recent decades.
Tater tots and Big Macs: The
MALLORY WALIGORA Political Editor
With just under a week until election day on Nov. 5, both presidential campaigns are in full swing. Both the presidential candidates and vice-presidential candidates have toured battleground states, visited local businesses and made their final plea to voters. Candidates are throwing everything and anything at the wall right now, hoping something works — even a hot dish recipe.
On the Harris-Walz official website, Tim Walz recently shared and published a digital copy of his famous hot dish recipe. I had to put this dish to the test: Is it any good? I grabbed the necessary ingredients, cooked bratwurst in beer and even brought the dish to campus to have students try it out and tell me their thoughts.
A hot dish is not a casserole, and this is something that Minnesotans will defend (although it quite literally is a casserole in my eyes). It typically contains some sort of starch, in this case, tater tots, and meat along with some vegetables mixed in with canned soup.
The recipe starts with cooking bratwurst in beer and onions. Then, a concoction of cream of cheddar and cream of mushroom soup is mixed with celery. Add the cooked bratwurst over the soups in bite-sized pieces and top it all off with tater tots and cheddar cheese. It’s a relatively easy recipe to follow.
Q: Where do you believe this cultural Marxism, divisiveness and subversion has come from in our country?
A: “I do think that there is a global agenda to advance, a one-sided vision that rejects individualism. It says that … you’re riding the tectonic plates of your group identity, your race, your gender, your sexuality,” Ramaswamy said.
Ramaswamy also called for a return to traditional alternative loyalties that don’t involve group identities. These are the individual, family, nation and God.
Q: What do you have to say to the individuals who claim to follow the teachings of the Catholic Church, yet continue to support Kamala’s antiChristian rhetoric along with her abortion and LGBTQ policies?
A: “You can’t actually vote for somebody who advances the opposite of the agenda that you stand for,” Ramaswamy said.
Q: How do you stop the censorship?
A: Ramaswamy stated his belief that private technology companies should be allowed to decide who they want to publish, but the problem was government involvement in this process.
Q: Do you think there is a way to change young voters from being single-issue [abortion] voters?
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politics
of food in the presidential election
Pro Tip: Don’t throw out the onions as the recipe calls for, but instead put them in the hot dish to cook. Additionally, you’ll need more cheese and less celery than the recipe calls for.
To test out the recipe, The Oakland Post wandered around The Habitat in the Oakland Center and had students sample the dish.
“My favorite part of it is the tater tots. I rate it an eight and a half out of ten,” Bill Spanos shared.
Most students had a similar opinion about the dish, finding it surprisingly flavorful and tasty.
“It’s pretty good, it has a lot of flavors. Like when I first bit into it, I didn’t think it was gonna taste like that, but it was pretty good,” Dalvis Anderson said.
My review: This is an okay dish, nothing that is noteworthy. Although this unexciting concoction is probably meant to portray Walz as a down-to-earth Midwest guy and introduce the simple hot dish he is known for, I probably won’t make it again.
Is this an effective PR campaign strategy? Like most things, it’s complicated. Most people haven’t heard about this recipe, so some more social media promotion would be helpful, such as a short video of him making it.
Additionally, a hot dish recipe isn’t going to sway voters. People will vote based on issues they care about and their thoughts on the presidential candidate. Still, it’s a fun way to promote Walz. His entire persona is being a Midwestern, everyday
politician, so this recipe aligns with his image. If anything, this recipe is a fun break from the nasty politics seen in the race.
Tim Walz is not the only one who ran a foodfocused campaign stunt. On Oct. 20, former President Donald Trump worked a shift at McDonalds in Feasterville, Pa. Trump served fries and handed customers food at the famous fastfood chain, resulting in a social media frenzy and some viral photos. Love him or hate him, there’s something interesting about a politician with a net worth estimated at $3.9 billion taking off his suit jacket and putting on an apron.
Trump’s actions were done in part to take a stab at opponent Harris, who has been questioned by the media about her claims about working at McDonalds in college. McDonalds could not confirm her employment due to records not dating back to the 80s, which is when she claimed to work there.
Amid all the campaigns and public appearances, it is interesting that food has taken such a prominent place in politics. Food is something that brings people together, whether at Thanksgiving dinner with your politically divided family or at an office potluck party. However, in this instance, food is a tool to make politicians seem more personable and friendly.
3 takeaways from Oakland women’s basketball’s dominant win over Rochester Christian
KURT SZYMANSKI Sports Editor
On Saturday, Oct. 26, the Golden Grizzlies women’s basketball team won their first exhibition match against the Rochester Christian Warriors, with a final score of 91-66.
The commanding win over the Warriors is the first time we have seen the women’s team in action this season. With that in mind, here are three takeaways from the game.
1. The team is at its best when pushing the pace on offense
Most of Oakland’s scoring came from quick offensive possessions, and the Golden Grizzlies quickness took the Warriors off-guard on multiple occasions. Oakland’s up-tempo offense opened up gaps the team could exploit before the Warriors could settle in on defense, making it hard for Rochester Christian to react.
Notably, this offense was at its best in the paint; 52 of Oakland’s 91 points came down low. Additionally, the Golden Grizzly offense also led to multiple trips to the charity stripe.
With the Warriors thrown off balance, Oakland was able to absorb contact on multiple offensive possessions, especially in the paint. This led to 25 free throw attempts throughout the game.
Although the Golden Grizzlies only converted
64% of their attempts from the line, if the team can convert their attempts more efficiently, this highpowered offense can be a real threat to Horizon League opponents.
When the Golden Grizzlies controlled the pace, they controlled the game, and the final score reflects that.
2. Maddy Skorupski is the clear top-scoring option for the Golden Grizzlies
After finishing the last season only improving on her play, Skorupski is set to lead this Oakland team this season.
Against the Warriors, Skorupski took the most shots for Oakland and led the team in scoring with 26 points. Skorupski took 15 shots and was more than efficient from the field, converting 10 of those shots for a 66.7% field goal percentage.
In addition to her scoring, Skorupski stuffed the stat sheet, nearly finishing the game with a tripledouble. Skorupski brought in seven rebounds and dished out a team-high nine assists.
Another thing of note is how many times Skorupski attacked the paint in this game. Most of her points came from layups, whereas 36% of Skorupski’s shot attempts came from beyond the arc last season.
With a combination of scoring prowess, court vision, and tenacity on the boards, Skorupski is invaluable to this Oakland team. If Skorupski can
keep up this play against Horizon League opponents, it’s not out of the question that the Golden Grizzlies will have an all-league player on their squad to end the season.
3. Oakland’s defense is a great compliment to their offense
On defense, the Golden Grizzlies played solidly as a unit. Oakland held the Warriors to a 33.3% field goal percentage. However, the Warriors were effective from deep, converting from deep 43.5% of the time.
Not only were the Golden Grizzlies able to limit Rochester Christian’s chances, but they also forced a large number of turnovers. In total, Oakland had 15 steals, six blocks, and forced 19 turnovers from the Warriors.
These turnovers turned into multiple transition opportunities for Oakland. Combine those transition opportunities with an energetic offense, and you have a recipe for success, with 15 fast break points throughout the game.
Next for the Golden Grizzlies is a trip to the Breslin Center to take on the Michigan State Spartans on Tuesday, Nov. 5. The match against the Spartans tips off at 6:30 p.m. and marks Oakland’s final exhibition game.
Season outlooks after MSU, U-M football game
EVAN BLANCHARD
Sports Reporter
On Saturday, Oct. 26, for the third consecutive year, the University of Michigan (U-M) defeated Michigan State University (MSU) in their annual rivalry football game, with a final score of 24-17.
Despite being outgained by almost 100 yards, the Wolverines prevailed by winning the turnover battle 1-0 and playing a clean, controlled game. Michigan was not flagged once all game, while the Spartans received six flags for 35 yards.
It’s exactly the kind of win that Michigan needed going into the final stretch of their season. With No. 1 Oregon looming next weekend, U-M needed a complete game to build on and establish some confidence after a beatdown at the hands of Illinois.
Quarterback Davis Warren was given the start against the Spartans, taking the field for the first time since a disastrous game against Arkansas State, where he threw three interceptions. Warren looked sharp, making all the right plays. He finished 13/19 with 123 yards and a touchdown. More importantly, though, he didn’t throw an interception.
For a team that’s had as many quarterback problems as Michigan this season, Warren’s composure should instill confidence in the coaching staff to continue to play him down the stretch.
The Wolverines deftly navigated some tight spots on offense, using running back Donovan Edwards to throw a touchdown to tight end Colston Loveland. Quarterback Alex Orji was also utilized; he ran six
quarterback keepers for 64 yards and a touchdown.
As of Sunday, Oct. 27, three of the Wolverines’ next four games are against AP Top 25 opponents: No. 1 Oregon, No. 13 Indiana and No. 4 Ohio State. Sandwiched between those games are a bye week on Nov. 16 and a visit from Northwestern on Nov. 23.
If Michigan can limit Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel as a passer and control the time of possession, an upset would be on the table next Saturday. The trip to Indiana will be equally challenging. Firstyear head coach Curt Cignetti has the Hoosiers at 8-0 and playing some of the best football they’ve played in years.
I predict a tight loss to Oregon, an over-10-point loss to Indiana, a victory against Northwestern and a blowout loss to Ohio State. Overall, a 6-6 season isn’t what Michigan fans wanted, but it’ll most likely be what they get.
Michigan State head coach Jonathan Smith’s game plan against Michigan was obvious: control time of possession, which was achieved by over 15 minutes; win the ground game, which was achieved with 163 yards rushing to Michigan’s 119; and limit turnovers. The plan almost worked until the end of the first half when quarterback Aiden Chiles fumbled, leading to a Michigan field goal that gave them a 9-7 lead.
Despite an intentional grounding and false start penalty on the final drive, MSU still had a chance to tie the game on Michigan’s 16-yard line. Still, the Wolverine defense stood tall and delivered a stop. It was an understandable game plan, one that delivered the Spartans to the brink of success.
Chiles has thrown nine interceptions on the year, and by keeping him out of dangerous situations, Smith was able to keep the game close. But choosing an onside kick didn’t match his conservative game plan, causing some frustration in Spartan fans.
Other detractors would say Chiles wasn’t given enough chance to flash his arm talent. Star Michigan cornerback Will Johnson missed the game due to injury, yet the Spartans neglected to put a lot of pressure downfield on the secondary.
If only a few things had gone differently, the game’s outcome would have been much more favorable for the Spartans.
On the opening drive, Chiles and the offense drove 68 yards downfield but couldn’t punch the ball in at the 2-yard line. Set to go for it on fourth and goal, MSU suffered a delay-of-game penalty, forcing them back for a field goal that kicker Jonathan Kim would miss.
If the green and white had punched it in, MSU would’ve held a dominant 14-0 lead after the game’s first three possessions.
Michigan State’s next two games are a visit from Indiana and a trip to No. 24 Illinois. A win in either game would go a long way to defining the success of the season. The 2024 schedule draws to a close with visits from Purdue and Rutgers, the bottom two teams of the Big Ten.
If I’m optimistic, I can see Michigan State finishing 7-5 with a win at Illinois and over Purdue and Rutgers. Realistically, Smith’s first season will finish 6-6.
Women’s soccer falls on the road 0-3 at IU Indianapolis
EVAN BLANCHARD Sports Reporter
The Oakland women’s soccer team traveled to Indianapolis this weekend to take on the Indiana University of Indianapolis Jaguars. Unfortunately, for the Golden Grizzlies, the loss marks their fifth game in a row and their last road game of the year.
Before the game even got going, the Jaguars already hung a point on the board. Only 19 seconds into the game, Maia Ransom of IU Indy knocked in a goal past freshman goalkeeper Lauren Perry.
Possession stayed in the Jaguar’s hands as they fired off two more shots. Ransom again found the net only 10 minutes later, giving the Jaguars an early 2-0 lead.
Oakland was able to take control for a while, with sophomore Shannon Brown getting off a shot that went a little wide left. It was a short-lived offensive, however, as IU Indy took possession right back. Ransom almost found the net again, missing on top.
At the 16:33 mark in the first half, Lindsey Castillo of IU Indy scored the team’s third goal, assisted by teammate Emma Frey. It was a demoralizing first chunk of the game for the Golden Grizzlies, but the team was determined to keep fighting.
Just over a minute later, junior forward Marina
Downing got a great shot on goal but was blocked by Jaguar goalie Ashton Kudlo. There was some more back and forth until OU made a great defensive stand near the 36-minute mark. The Golden Grizzlies weathered four shot attempts in about four minutes, aided by a Perry save.
Junior Frankie Mudd was able to get two quality looks at the net, but Kudlo saved both again to end the half.
The Golden Grizzlies again had to hunker down and defend for almost a ten-minute stretch to start the second half. IU Indy took five shots at Perry from the 49 to the 58-minute mark, but they were again denied by Perry and the defense.
Oakland staged another late offensive push, featuring shots from Mudd, freshman Gabriella Ruffino and redshirt freshman Thai Quallich. None found their mark.
The offense failed to get on the board despite six shots from Mudd and four from Brown. It was Oakland’s eighth loss of the season, where they scored no goals.
The loss brings the Golden Grizzlies to a 3-13-2 record on the year and 2-7 in conference play. OU has one more game left, facing the University of Detroit Mercy at home on Wednesday, Oct. 30, for Alumni Day.
Oakland will unfortunately miss the Horizon League tournament even with a win, as only the top six seeds play. If they take care of the Titans, they’ll finish 3-7 in the conference, good for no higher than seventh place.
Women’s golf claims third place at Braun Intercollegiate to wrap up fall season
REAGAN REETZ
Marketing Director
On Oct. 21 and 22, the Oakland University women’s golf team concluded its fall season at the Braun Intercollegiate in Evansville, Ind.
After two rounds of play and 36 holes, the Golden Grizzlies finished with a team total of 47-over 623 to secure their third-place finish. Indiana State University led the tournament with a score of 35over 611, followed by Belmont University at 45over 621.
First Round
Setting the tone early, sophomore Lily Bargamian and graduate student Savannah Haque led the Golden Grizzlies, tied for 13th with a solid score of 5-over 77. Their strong performances were key in establishing competitive momentum for the team.
Bargamian noted she was not entirely thrilled about her performance. However, she highlighted elements that she executed well, including four birdies in the first round.
“I am looking to build on positives like that I can take from the week,” Bargamian said. “Going into the first and second rounds, I just wanted to go out there and shoot the lowest score that I could to help my team.”
Juniors Grace Boczar and Paige Scott were not far behind Bargamian and Haque, each carding a 7-over 79. Competing as an individual, senior Nateda Her
also had an impressive outing, posting a 4-over 76 to put herself in 12th place by the end of the round. Overall, the Golden Grizzlies concluded Monday in fourth place, setting the stage for a strong push on the second day.
Second Round
The team made a decisive advance into the final round. Sophomore Olivia Hemmila stepped up, scoring 4-over 76 to lead her teammates on Tuesday. Bargamian remained steady, contributing a 7-over 79, while Boczar and Haque recorded solid rounds of 6-over 78. Her wrapped up the day with an 11-over 83.
“I really worked on focusing on taking it one hole at a time and staying in the present and leaving bad holes in the past,” Haque said.
The strong performances throughout the tournament allowed the Golden Grizzlies to land four players in the top 20 individually.
In a tight field, Haque finished 11th with a total score of 11-over 155, narrowly ahead of Bargamian in 12th at 12-over 156. Boczar followed one stroke behind her to earn 13th place with a score of 13over 157. Tied for 14th place, Hemmila posted a 14-over 158. These close results spoke positively to the team dynamic.
“We all feel like a family and work very well together on and off the course,” Haque said. “Everyone is always trying to pump each other up and focusing on maintaining a strong and positive environment.”
This performance follows a first-place finish at the Motor City Match-Up and a third-place finish at the Coyote Creek Classic. The team is eager to carry this momentum into the spring season, which starts at the Western Michigan Invite in Kalamazoo in February.
“Looking ahead to the spring, our team wants to win the Horizon League title for the second year in a row,” Bargamian said. “We are excited to see what is ahead.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF JORDAN NELSON
PHOTO COURTESY OF GRACE BOCZAR
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