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HERITAGE WEEK
OUSC wraps up annual Middle Eastern heritage event PAGE 6
Volume 49 l Issue 8 l November 22, 2023
2 | NOVEMBER 22, 2023
EDITORIAL BOARD Arianna Heyman Editor-in-Chief aheyman@oakland.edu Autumn Okuszka Content Editor aokuszka@oakland.edu Megan Parker Managing Editor meganparker@oakland.edu
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CAMPUS
NOVEMBER 22, 2023 | 3
OUSC wraps up successful Middle Eastern Heritage Week CHLOE KUKUK Campus Reporter
Oakland University Student Congress (OUSC) recently hosted its annual Middle Eastern Heritage Week from Nov. 13 through Nov. 17. This is the second year the event was hosted. The celebration was organized to showcase the desire students on campus have for cultural events — and, ultimately, to institutionalize Heritage Week for future years so it will no longer be hosted only by student organizations. “There’s a want for this on-campus by the students,” Valerie Aljajawi, OUSC’s director of diversity and inclusion, said. “From the success of heritage week… There are some departments that are working to put together a committee to institutionalize the Heritage Week, so it’s going to be a reoccurring thing.” Aljajawi added that events such as the ones throughout the week are important to keep students engaged. “Every year, whether you’re a new transfer student, freshman, whatever it is, everyone has their own ability to celebrate their culture, see themselves, feel welcomed, feel at home on campus and it helps with retention and engagement,” she said. Some of the events throughout the week consisted of a Middle Eastern Student Organization Showcase, an Identity Round Table featuring OU student author Mena Hannakachl, live stand-up comedy from Ali Majed and a Friendsgiving featuring multiple
Middle Eastern student organizations. “We incorporated a variety of types of events so that everyone would enjoy the week regardless if someone was an extrovert, introvert, or just super busy with work and studies,” Aljajawi said. One of the biggest hits, Alajawi said, was the Middle Eastern Dance Class on Nov. 15. More than 50 people attended the event. “People were asking to do this every week,” she said. “It was amazing. We were teaching Chaldean dances, Kurdish dances, Iraqi dances, Debka, which comes from Lebanon, Syria, Palestine and Jordan, and also Albanian dances. “Everyone was starting to realize that all these dances were more similar than they really thought they would be, so that’s something that I was glad people caught onto,” Alajawi said. “Middle Eastern people, whatever country you’re from — even from Eastern Europe, like Albania, Greece, even Serbia and just the Balkan area — they have traditional line dances as well. And it was a very nice bonding moment that I saw happen between people, which was very sweet.” Aljajawi also said she was glad to see people open up at the comedy show. “People were so engaged, and that made me really happy because as OU, we’re a commuter school and especially after COVID, people tend to stick to themselves and are a little more quiet,” she said. “But I really felt like people let themselves open up today.” Additionally, Hillcrest and Vandenberg Dining
Hall offered Middle Eastern cuisine specials throughout the week, including Halva, Lokaymat, Chick Shawarma and more. The feedback, Aljajawi said, was incredibly positive and uplifting in more ways than one. “I’m also Middle Eastern, so throughout this whole week, I saw the people in my community light up with emotion and with smiles,” she said. “It was really nice for me to see personally, but it also just goes to show that students do want this, and there is a sizable amount of people on campus that are Middle Eastern. “OU students will go to other universities for their events because…they don’t see themselves in the programming. So to be able to have an opportunity to provide that for the students, it makes me really happy,” Aljajawi added. “It makes the college experience more memorable and fun. And that it is partially what college is about.” For more information about OUSC and its initiatives, please visit their webpage.
SPB hosts OU Has Talent DAYSHAWN FIELDS Campus Reporter
The Student Program Board (SPB) hosted OU Has Talent, an annual talent show, in The Habitat on Thursday, Nov 16. It was a joyous occasion with what turned out to be a sizable crowd and a great reception. The night had the audience coming in droves, even fetching fans from other universities. Eastern Michigan University sophomore Kimberly Coleman made the drive to catch the event. Coleman was impressed with the show Oakland was able to put on. “I decided to go to Oakland with some of my friends from Eastern Michigan, and honestly, it was worth it. We had a great time,” Coleman said. Students from all corners of the university could participate in the talent show, with entries taken as late as when the event took place. Contestants were encouraged to dress in their finest attire, with the night’s theme being Hollywood. Many acts were on display, ranging from singing performances to stand-up comedy. Being slated to go from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., many contestants displayed a bevy of talents throughout the night. The first two contestants, Sarah and Charlie, opened up with renditions of popular songs, respectively. They set the stage for the energy inside The Habitat as they caroled to much fanfare. The tunes kept flowing throughout the venue, this time complimenting a dance act. Malik, a junior, danced to a mix of music encompassing several
genres. The audience raved, and the judges gave nothing but positive feedback. Malik almost served as a prelude to what act stood next, as a hip-hop dance troupe called “Infinity” took the stage. The judges’ jaws dropped as the group showed their chemistry and the fruits of their practice. An SPB staple made an appearance in the form of Positive Norm, though this appearance was introduced entirely as a surprise. Norm, the large goose companion of SPB, jumped through hula hoops and signaled for the audience to get loud. It was a welcomed addition to the night. Grace Reechy sang Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You,” bringing those in attendance to
PHOTO BY LINDSEY SOBKOWSKI
their feet. The judges were marred with astonishment at Reechy’s performance. Covers were not all that was on the table for the night. James Mitchell sang an original song called “Falling for You” as part of his act. As the judges said, he brought his own “vibe,” which resonated with the audience. WXOU music tech Anaya Brown was up next, singing up a storm herself. It encapsulated the event with the way everyone stood behind her: great talent, great vibes and friendly competition. Last but not least was Skyler, who promised to give the most incredible impersonation of Elvis Presley. Skyler had the style and cadence of Presley, even getting down and grooving on the floor to sell the impression. The traveling EMU group found a favorite in Skyler. “My favorite part was Skyler, who did the Elvis impression,” Coleman said. They weren’t the only ones left impressed. To add a bit of competition into the fold, there were three winners to be named, with $250 going to first place, $150 to second place and $100 to third place. However, the competition was so stiff SPB decided to add a fourth winner on the fly, who was set to receive $75. Reechy was named fourth with her spectacular cover of Whitney Houston. Infinity took home third place. The competition came down between Elvis impersonator Skyler and cover artist Anaya. With her strong voice and cadence, Anaya walked off with $250 and the first place title.
CAMPUS
4 | NOVEMBER 22, 2023
OU’s annual day of service: successful yet again DAYSHAWN FIELDS Campus Reporter
OU’s Day of Service commenced in the Oakland Center Banquet Rooms on Nov 15. It was a day of service, highlighted by arts and crafts and other projects for the good sake of the immediate community. Still, Oakland University students could also give back through charitable means. Hosted by the Office of Student Involvement (OSI) in tandem with the Leadership and Volunteer Center (LVC), the Day of Service has blossomed into an annual event. It’s a unique opportunity for students to volunteer, as it requires no sign-up and is entirely drop-in. The event kicked off at 9:30 a.m., with an array of tables set up for students and others affiliated with Oakland alike to volunteer in many ways. One table, sponsored by Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, was home to the creation of cheerful holiday ornaments. The most popular table was where volunteers could create bookmarks, benefiting young students in Oakland and Macomb County. Freshman Lauren was at that table. When asked why she decided to come out that day and why it was significant to her, she said, “I really like volunteering, and I am a part of ECLIPSE, and we do a lot of volunteering, and I just feel like it’s really important.” Lauren, through mentioning ECLIPSE, a leadership program unique to the School of Health
Sciences, highlights how the Day of Service was an amalgamation of the good of several programs and organizations within the university. Some of those organizations included the club football team celebrating its 10th team this year. Oakland requires club sports to meet a number of hours of volunteer work, and the OU Day of Service proved satisfactory for this requirement for the members who dropped into the event. Outside organizations also made an appearance
and allowed students to volunteer. Arts and Scraps, a Detroit-based non-profit organization, sponsored many tables and was directly involved with distributing its sponsored projects. Rainbow Connection, a social services organization, showed up to allow students to create projects that would land in the hands of kids with life-threatening illnesses, whom the organization ‘grant wishes’ for. Running until 9 p.m., the Day of Service saw a great turnout. However, it’s just a part of Oakland’s series of “Seasons of Service.” The university has six more dates established for students to volunteer. From Dec 1-17, students can contribute to the Acts of Kindness Tree from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and the Bottomless Toy Chest will be taking donations to its Toy Drive until the end of the Fall 2023 semester. OU’s Golden Grizzlies Food Pantry was also at the Day of Service, taking food donations for students subject to food insecurity. However, the pantry is an omnipresent fixture that can be found next to the OSI in the Oakland Center.
PHOTO COURTESY OF GREEK COUNCIL AND LEADERSHIP VOLUNTEER CENTEr
OU’s Graham Health Center gears up against flu season CHLOE KUKUK Campus Reporter
As the cold and holiday season approaches, Oakland University’s Graham Health Center (GHC) has been hosting various pop-up flu shot clinics at Kresge Library, Hillcrest Hall, the Oakland Center and other convenient locations around campus. 630 doses have been administered to students on campus in the semester, including both scheduled appointments and those given at the pop-up clinics. Additionally, the GHC has partnered with Alana’s Foundation to cover the vaccine cost for students who are uninsured or underinsured. As of Nov. 6, Alana’s Foundation has provided 195 vaccines. As the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes, college campuses provide an opportune place for flu to spread. GHC Director Ann Rayford said the goal is to keep students as healthy as possible during the semester. “We don’t want students to get any upper respiratory or any illness that will put them down and out and miss classes,” she said. “If you have a really severe flu illness, then it can really make it where you’re missing class for one to two weeks. “The [COVID-19] pandemic taught us that we can do things remotely, and there can sometimes be other ways to be flexible for students to meet their learning objectives,” she added. “But when you’re really that down and out sick, you don’t have the energy to focus. We want to try to prevent that.”
Furthermore, Rayford said the flu vaccine is not only important for an individual’s health — it’s important for the health of the general population on campus and beyond. “It not only protects you, but it does protect other people,” Rayford said. “Maybe if you have a very strong immune system and you get the flu, you maybe feel like it’s just a cold. But then you could be around someone else who’s immunocompromised, or as we get ready to go home for the holidays… you might be around small children or older grandparents, aunts, uncles, or parents. “We not only want to reduce the inconvenience of feeling miserable and missing classes and work
PHOTO COURTESY OF ELYSE GREGORY
and things like that, but we also want to make sure that we’re taking care of ourselves and our loved ones,” she added. Rayford said she encourages students to get vaccinated regardless of where they schedule an appointment. “Whether they come here or whether they go to a pharmacy or their primary care provider, the best vaccine is the one that they actually receive,” Rayford said. “Wherever that takes place is what we would encourage for them, for their own health and for the health of those around them.” The next pop-up clinic will be on Nov. 15 in the Pawley Hall lobby from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Attendees are asked to bring their photo ID and insurance card for billing. More pop-up clinics may be scheduled before the end of the semester. Additionally, students can choose to schedule an appointment instead of attending a pop-up clinic. For more information, view GHC’s website. Departments and student organizations interested in sponsoring a flu shot clinic can contact Rayford at arayford@oakland.edu.
NOVEMBER 22, 2023 | 5
FEATURES
6 | NOVEMBER 22, 2023
Oakland University hosts Curtis Chin, Detroit author and activist NOAH FRANCIS Features Reporter
The Oakland University AAPI and LGBTQIA+ Employee Resource Groups (ERG) invited Curtis Chin, a talented writer and author, to Oakland University’s campus. On Nov. 8, Chin led a discussion about his memoir, “Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant.” In Chin’s memoir, he recalls his memories growing up in his family’s restaurant in Detroit, Chung’s Carry Out. Through his take-out menuinspired chapters, Chin talks about his experiences with his customers and his family, and how working for his family’s restaurant helped him learn life lessons that he will never forget. “I felt like the city came to us,” Chin said. “They came to our dining room, so I got to see the whole gamut whether it was Mayor Coleman Young, or literally the prostitutes and pimps that would come in after six or seven at night. I really got to see all of Detroit.” At the OU event, Chin was a featured Q&A panelist alongside Randiah Green, a reporter from Metro Times. Green and several others at the event are Detroiters who have known about Chung’s Carry Out or have experienced the restaurant themselves. Many of the questions given to the panelists felt as though they were out of a place of love for the restaurant and Detroit as a whole. Although there were many horrific events
happening in Detroit at the time of the book, from the crack epidemic to the murder of Vincent Chin, Chin’s memoir still feels relatively positive. Green asked Chin why it is important for a Detroiter to tell a story set in Detroit. “Detroit gets a really bad rap. But I feel like I had a great childhood,” Chin said. “I wanted to present Detroit. Detroit produces good things, and it’s still a good place to raise a family, despite all the difficulties and the challenges that the city has gone through.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF OAKLAND UNIVERSITY
In an anecdote from his book, Chin explained how his creative writing teacher at university accused him of plagiarism, due to his story being too good. Ultimately, he decided not to make a big deal out of the situation. During the discussion, Green asked Chin if he had any advice for current students who may struggle with the same problems. “Just find better writing buddies,” Chin said. “Find situations where you feel like people are going to give you good feedback. It is still useful to get different feedback. If you’re a young writer, it’s really important for you to surround yourself with people that nurture you, that believe in your writing, and who can help you discover your voice. Not shut it down.” Chung’s Carry Out was a beloved restaurant for many Detroiters; unfortunately, Chung’s shut its doors for good in 2000. Green asked Chin about the general audience’s reaction to the book. Chin expressed how the response to the book was emotional for him. “He [his dad] just closed it, and one day it was there and then it was gone,” Chin said. “Now that I’m coming out with this book, I feel like this is my chance to sort of thank the customers, the people who came to our restaurant for all those years, because you guys gave my family a great life.” To learn more about Curtis Chin, visit his ‘Curtis from Detroit’ webpage.
Ceiling Connoisseurs: The sky isn’t just the limit, it’s the point NOAH FRANCIS Features Reporter
Oakland University is home to over 300 different student organizations, with new clubs emerging throughout the year. One of these new clubs on campus is the Ceiling Connoisseurs, a club inspired by beautiful ceilings. The Ceiling Connoisseurs meet every other Wednesday at the Oakland Center, with weekly meetings to come next semester. The group’s meetings typically involve discussions and debates on different types of ceilings. Later meetings will involve guest speakers and club trips to view great ceilings in the area. A big part of the club is dressing the part. While any ceiling club can simply talk about ceilings, the Ceiling Connoisseurs converse while dressing to the nines. Robert Quigley, the Ceiling Connoisseurs’ president, explains why the Ceiling Club members wear formal outfits for their meetings. “Connoisseur is such a fancy word,” Quigley said. “To me, what comes to mind are wine connoisseurs, the fanciest people. If we’re going to be connoisseurs, we have to commit to the bit. We’re gonna dress up and play the part because you can’t just be a connoisseur without the mindset of a connoisseur.” Although originally intended as a joke among friends, the club is more than just two random
words slapped together. Quigley explains how the number of people helped the Ceiling Connoisseurs grow past a joke into a real club. “I was really hoping [the club would get to become official],” Quigley said. “I don’t think I actually thought it would be a real club at the time. Around the beginning of the year, I was like, ‘Alright, now that we have more people, we can make it a real club.’ It took a while though.” While OU clubs primarily use GrizzOrgs to share their club information, Aaron Bryan, the Ceiling Connoisseurs’ vice president, comments on how Discord has been effective in spreading the club. “It’s [Discord has] been a lot better than GrizzOrgs,” Bryan said. “Right now, we have 20 members on GrizzOrgs, but on Discord, we have over 100. We get submissions all the time.” Despite the club’s silly nature, the Ceiling Connoisseurs has brought together a diverse array of OU students. Logan Pizzurro, the Ceiling Connoisseurs’ treasurer, explains why the club is so special. “It’s a silly club, and we all know that,” Pizzurro said. “But I think at the same time, it shows that you don’t need something substantial to bring people together. Even something as ridiculous as talking about ceilings is enough to just bring people together, and at the end of the day, I think that’s what we’re all trying to do. As the Ceiling Connoisseurs have gone from a joke to being a genuine club, Quigley explains the
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CEILING CONNOISSEURS
most important aspect is not the ceilings but the connoisseurs themselves. “I think an important aspect of the club is the people who make up the club,” Quigley said. “It is important to not only appreciate the ceilings but also realize that maybe the real ceiling connoisseurs were the friends we made along the way.” For more information on the Ceiling Connoisseurs and what they do, visit their GrizzOrg web page and join their Discord server.
FEATURES
NOVEMBER 22, 2023 | 7
Drew Elwarner, founder of the vintage and secondhand fashion club PAYTON BUCKI Ana Gjorgjevski
For as long as she can remember, Drew Elwarner has had a passion for fashion. The Oakland University senior has been thrifting since age 13, spending years curating her personal style of unique patterns and bright-colored garments. Ever since she discovered the world of vintage fashion and thrifting, Elwarner has made it a priority to share her unique finds with the rest of the world. In fact, Elwarner runs a Depop marketplace where she sells vintage garments. In August of 2023, Elwarner had the idea to bring her love for sustainable fashion to OU’s campus by starting a student organization of her own. When she shared her idea with a friend’s mother, she was encouraged to make her dream a reality. “I was like, wait, actually, I could do that. So then that’s when I start DMing people on Instagram, like do you want to be secretary?” Elwarner said. Elwarner quickly assembled formed a leadership
team, with Isabella Lenzi, Chloe Kukuk and Bella Williams eager to serve as e-board members for the organization. Elwarner herself took on the role of president for the group. The foursome named their group the Vintage and Secondhand Fashion Club, with the goal of attracting members interested in sustainable, oldfashioned clothing. When the club began its marketing efforts at the beginning of the fall semester, Elwarner was overwhelmed with support. Dozens of students joined the group and have been regular attendees at the group’s biweekly meetings. “It [the club] is basically a passion project where I did not expect it to be, to really catch on with so many people at Oakland,” Elwarner said. “It was very exciting but it was also super overwhelming because I
Latin Dance Club to host a swing dance event. Elwarner is overjoyed to be able to provide a space for individuals to express themselves through clothing and connect with others with unique styles. “ I did not know that this club was going to be such an interest for so many people on campus. I feel like everyone else probably feels that same way,” Elwarner said. “A lot of us thought that our fashion interests were so niche; it’s great to realize that a larger community shares your interests.” Although Elwarner will be graduating this April, she is confident that the Vintage and Secondhand Fashion Club will continue to thrive in future years due to the wide array of dedicated students involved in the group. On November 27, the club will host a basic tailoring workshop at 5:30pm in the Oakland Center’s Lake Huron Room. The workshop will teach attendees basic
was only expecting like 20 people to join.” In its first few months as an official student organization, the Vintage and Secondhand Fashion Club has already had multiple successful thrifting outings. The group recently collaborated with the Ballroom and
sewing techniques for mending and altering garments. To learn more about the Vintage and Secondhand Fashion Club, please visit the group’s webpage on GrizzOrgs. For timely updates on club activities, follow @vintageclubou on Instagram.
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LEARN how to avoid cancellation (drop) at oakland.edu/financialservices/payments-refunds/payments-cancellation
GOLDEN GRIZZLIES UNSTOPPABLE IN 110-51 VICTORY OVER CLEARY From the opening whistle, it was evident the Golden Grizzlies meant business in their 110-51 win over Cleary University in their home opener. The Golden Grizzlies came out strong the entire first quarter, and from that point on, Oakland showed no signs of slowing down. Markyia McCormick’s triples, along with Jasmine DupreeHebert’s consecutive threes, widened the score gap to 55-21 with under four minutes left in the second quarter. The Golden Grizzlies kept their foot on the gas for the remainder of the game and reached the 100-point mark off a Maddy Skorupski triple. Cleary struggled to convert on shots, and this allowed Oakland to maintain its stronghold. The Golden Grizzlies had scored 56 points off of their 38 turnovers. There were contributions from many Golden Grizzlies. Madison Royal-Davis scored 17 points, and Dupree-Hebert had 15 points. Alexis Johnson showcased exceptional accuracy, netting 16 points on an impressive 8-12 shooting from the field. Kianni Westbrook had 10. Brooke Quarles-Daniels added 11 points. Linda Van Schaik’s sharpshooting abilities resulted in 11 points, hitting three of six from beyond the arc, while Skorupski’s efficient scoring rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points, shooting 4-7 from the field. This high-scoring performance highlighted Oakland’s depth and versatility, showing that this was a team effort where multiple players contributed significantly to the scoreboard, capitalizing on scoring opportunities all across the lineup. “Our team did what they had to do,” head coach Jeff Tungate said. “It was good to see a lot of people score the basketball, shots were going in. I thought we were really unselfish with the basketball, that was good to see. I thought we made the extra pass, trying to find an open teammate. “It’s great to be home. I thought it was a really great crowd tonight to be our first home game. It was great to see everyone back. It’d be great to see everyone back again when we play Madonna and continue the crowd’s growth as the season goes
on because this team deserves it. They’re a great group of kids and work really hard. I think they’re great representatives of Oakland University, so I hope everyone comes to follow them.” Reflecting on the team’s performance, Tungate also had some positive things to say about how the team’s unity shines. “I think we got great chemistry. I think they enjoy playing together. I think they enjoy being on the floor together, and I think that’s a huge thing, and if that continues, I think we have a chance of doing something special. So, I’ve said from the beginning, this team’s got great depth — the deepest team I’ve ever had. They’re just a fun group, fun to be around every single day.” His words underscored the underlying strength of this Oakland team, and the camaraderie that was shown was the driving force behind their success and a great way to open the season on the blacktop.
STORY BY SUMMER WEATHERS | DESIGN BY MEGAN PARKER | PHOTOS BY KATIE RIED
What’s Next?
The Golden Grizzlies are scheduled to play against Madonna University at the OU Credit Union O’rena. Tip-off is slated for Saturday, Nov. 25, at 5:30 p.m. Conference play is then set to begin on Thursday, Nov. 30, when Oakland hosts Purdue Fort Wayne.
ARTS
10 | NOVEMBER 22, 2023
The 2024 Grammy Awards: Picks and predictions ARIANNA HEYMAN Editor-In-Chief
Nothing flips a cultural moment around like a good award show and the drama that comes from it. The 66th annual Grammy Awards nominations have come out for the award show scheduled for Feb. 4, 2024. Let’s talk about the biggest and most popular categories and hand out some predictions. Album of the Year: Boygenius — “The Record” Janelle Monáe — “The Age of Pleasure” Jon Batiste — “World Music Radio” Lana Del Rey — “Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd” Miley Cyrus — “Endless Summer Vacation” Olivia Rodrigo — “Guts” SZA — “SOS” Taylor Swift — “Midnights” In my opinion, the Grammys have set SZA up to take the crown this year. Releasing “SOS” in the final moments of 2022, SZA put out hits like “Snooze” and the immense “Kill Bill” that set her up for billions of streams and success for 2023. It would be the smartest — but also one of the safest — moves for the Grammys to award the new Queen of R&B the big prize. Her biggest competition is Swift, Rodrigo, Del Rey and Boygenius. Best Pop Solo Performance:
Billie Eilish — “What Was I Made For? [From the Motion Picture ‘Barbie’]” Doja Cat — “Paint the Town Red” Miley Cyrus — “Flowers” Olivia Rodrigo — “Vampire” Taylor Swift — “Anti-Hero” One of the biggest songs released this summer, “Vampire,” is a favorite to nab this one. Rodrigo, arguably, was robbed of Album of the Year two years ago at the 64th Grammys — where she lost to returning nominee Jon Batiste — and now she is poised to take home Best Pop Solo Performance this award season. Her biggest competition is Taylor Swift — who is back with a vengeance this year after losing Album of the Year to Batiste as well. Swift’s “Anti-Hero” is also nominated for Song of the Year. Record of the Year: Billie Eilish — “What Was I Made For? [From the Motion Picture ‘Barbie’]” Boygenius — “Not Strong Enough” Jon Batiste — “Worship” Miley Cyrus — “Flowers” Olivia Rodrigo — “Vampire” SZA — “Kill Bill” Taylor Swift — “Anti-Hero” Victoria Monét — “On My Mama” This one has Swift’s name written all over it. After winning Album of the Year in 2021 with the careerreviving “Folklore,” Swift has been on a tear lately with her newfound NFL worship, her no-surprise
PHOTO COURTESY OF GRAMMY.COM
status as a new billionaire, her Eras Tour success and her sales for the rerecordings of her old albums. Winning Record of the Year will likely be easy — and for the Queen of Pop, likely no big deal. Best Alternative Music Album: Arctic Monkeys — “The Car” Boygenius — “The Record” Gorillaz — “Cracker Island” Lana Del Rey — “Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd” PJ Harvey — “I Inside the Old Year Dying” An easy pick for sure, but the most likely one. PJ Harvey might be a dark horse, but the female pop-folk-rock supergroup of Julien Baker, Lucy Dacus and Phoebe Bridgers (a.k.a. Boygenius) will inevitably pull through in the category with their name all over it. (Continue on our website)
OU screens ‘Warrior Women’ as the fight for Native American rights continues MOE DEL ROSARIO Arts Reporter
November is Native American Heritage Month in the United States. It is a month to pay tribute to Native American life, culture, history and more. During this month, and every month, it is also important to acknowledge how Native Americans were — and still are — treated in their home territory. “Warrior Women” — a film directed by Elizabeth Castle and Christina D. King in 2018 — seeks to speak on that subject and brings to light a first-hand perspective: one of Madonna Thunder Hawk. The film centers around Lakota activist Hawk’s life in the 1970s as she fights for Native American liberation and becomes a part of the American Indian Movement (AIM) to help her do so. Accompanying that timeline is the story of her daughter Marcy’s life. The documentary discusses several experiences Native Americans have to face. Such topics include the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative created to force the assimilation of Native Americans, the removal of Native Americans from their own land and fighting off the Dakota Access Pipeline. The relationship between mother and daughter is less of a familial one and is instead more of a camaraderie between two women fighting for the same cause.
After the initial screening of “Warrior Women,” “Into the Sugarbush” — directed by filmmaker Eden Sabolboro — was also screened. “Into the Sugarbush” introduces and describes the Black to the Land Coalition and co-founder Antonio Rafael. The panel held after the screenings opened conversations about Native American stories in the modern day and how they interact with land — including discussing the Dakota Access Pipeline protests. “We all sat and watched it happen on Thanksgiving while a bunch of peaceful, you know, indigenous people are protecting their land, protecting water for all of us on Thanksgiving. Let’s let that irony set in for a moment,” local activist Rosebud Será said during the panel. “Mother nature does not recognize bureaucracy.” Será continued.
PHOTO COURTESY OF WWW./WARRIORWOMENFILM.COM
The panel also discussed the health of our presentday ecosystem in Detroit and Metro Detroit. Black to the Land is an organization for BIPOC people to engage with nature and hosts many events and outdoor programs. “I think people have an intrinsic desire to, like, connect to something bigger than themselves, and we have trouble finding meaning in, like, service sector labor, which is predominantly what this economy is becoming,” Black to the Land cofounder Rafael said during the panel. If students want to engage with Black to the Land, they can visit their website by going to blacktothelandcoalition.com and seeking out future events. They can also visit their Instagram at @ blacktothelandcoalition for updates. The discussion of these topics is important year-round, both to Native Americans and to others who depend on their land for sustainability — which is everyone. Oakland University has been making progress in showing respect to the Anishinaabe — made up of the Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi people — and to honor the ancestors that resided on this land. The OU Land Acknowledgement Statement can be found on OU’s website and is a great first step by OU and a good read — especially during November.
NOVEMBER 22, 2023 | 11 ARTS ‘Priscilla:’ Sofia Coppola’s newest tale of girlhood OLIVIA CHIAPPELLI Arts Editor
After the summer of Elvis in 2022, it only feels right that it is Priscilla’s turn. I wrote a story last year called “Yeah, Sofia Coppola cast Jacob Elordi as Elvis” when it was announced that Sofia Coppola would be releasing an A24 adaptation of Priscilla Presley’s 1985 biography “Elvis and Me” entitled “Priscilla,” and had cast Jacob Elordi as Elvis Presley. Keep in mind, the news of this adaptation came about two months after the release of Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis” where Austin Butler had somehow been possessed by the spirit of Elvis and everyone was obsessed and impressed — this was the height. In said article, I — affectionately — referred to Elordi as “giant Elvis” as the first look photo from the set showed him absolutely towering over Cailee Spaeny’s Priscilla, and his look was very unlike Butler’s sparkly fake tan interpretation that I had grown accustomed to. I have to admit that I was initially a little concerned, and was even prematurely labeling Elordi’s casting as “an opportunity to be camp,” so that I could mentally prepare myself for what was to come — but I should’ve never doubted mother Coppola. When “Priscilla” first premiered at the 80th Venice International Film Festival on Sept. 4 — with Priscilla herself in attendance — Spaeny won the acclaimed Volpi Cup for Best Actress for her performance, and early reviews for the film were overwhelmingly positive. However, there was a growing line of discourse
from die hard Elvis fans that had seemed to think that Coppola’s adaptation of “Priscilla” would somehow taint the reputation and legacy of Elvis that had become so re-established in our culture after Luhrmann’s tribute. “It’s another point of view. Sofia wants to tell the real story of Priscilla and I think she succeeds. Priscilla Presley herself is happy with the film. I’m not sure the rest of the family are as in favor,” Venice Film Festival President Alberto Barbera said in an interview with Deadline. After hearing this reaction, I had no doubt in my mind that Coppola’s goal when creating “Priscilla” was not to “slander Elvis” in response to Luhrmann’s movie, as some would like to surmise, but rather to offer up
PHOTO COURTESY OF IMBD
a nuanced take on a relationship that was so central to American culture — one that started with a young girl. One of my favorite things about Coppola as a director — and what she is especially known for — is the care in which she handles themes of girlhood. As seen in her prior ventures like “The Virgin Suicides” and “Marie Antoinette,” Coppola has a talent for displaying beguiling themes of loneliness and isolation all through a pale pink lens — and “Priscilla” is no different. From the film’s opening, it was apparent that Coppola would not be shying away from the 10 year age gap — and accompanying power dynamic — that existed between Elvis and Priscilla. At 25, Spaeny’s ability to believably jump around in age — playing a 14-year-old to a 28-year-old — was impressive, yet sickening. Elordi’s Elvis towered over Spaeny’s Priscilla, and carried a sinister sense of foreboding that made me appropriately recoil. You know it’s bad when you feel like you’re about 45 minutes into the movie, and then the main character in a relationship with an older man graduates high school — in his hometown that he fought to bring her to after completely changing her appearance. And yet, the film was still nuanced enough to show moments of love and companionship between Elvis and Priscilla — something that Priscilla herself remains very vocal about to this day — but never undermined the reality of their relationship, and the manipulation, infidelity and loneliness that Priscilla endured. Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Stevie Nicks returns to Michigan ANA GJORGJEVSKI Features Reporter
On Tuesday, Nov. 7, Stevie Nicks returned to Michigan at Little Caesars Arena on her ongoing tour. People of all ages and genders gathered in the arena, decked out in their Stevie Nicks-inspired looks, livening up the stadium with their dancing and screaming along to all the iconic and timeless lyrics. Those who do not know who Stevie Nicks is may know her as the lead vocalist for Fleetwood Mac. Nicks’s journey dates back to her decision to drop out of college and pursue a music career. Up until that point, Nicks had been financially supported by her parents. When Nicks dropped out of college, so did her parents’ financial support. Nicks moved out with her then-boyfriend, Lindsay Buckingham, and began working as a waitress and house cleaner. Nicks was the breadwinner of the pair, spending her time taking endless amounts of orders and scrubbing houses. Buckingham stayed home to work on their hopeful music career. After the band Fritz that the two joined years prior disbanded in 1974, the pair’s big break finally happened. Mick Fleetwood, Fleetwood Mac’s founder, sought out Buckingham. Buckingham insisted that he and Nicks came as a pair. It was up to Christine McVie, the band’s keyboardist and vocalist, to decide the duo’s fate. As luck would have it, McVie supported the inclusion of both Nicks and Buckingham in the band.
The rest of the band’s history is well-documented and drama-filled, which is still a hot topic of discussion. Throughout her years in the music industry, Nicks has left an everlasting legacy on the world. Her talent for songwriting, unique voice and white-witch lifestyle have made her an unforgettable figure in history. In fact, Nicks was the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice. “Nicks’s appeal among younger generations has only grown. On TikTok, her songs provide a soundtrack to viral videos, and fans pay tribute to her witchy aesthetic. Artists such as Harry Styles, Miley Cyrus and Lana Del Rey have asked her to lend her voice to their songs, and she’s become ‘fairy godmother’ to a wide circle of younger artists. For listeners, too, she has always acted
PHOTO BY ANA GJORGJEVSKI
as a kind of spiritual guide,” Tavi Gevinson of The New Yorker said. For every song she performed, Nicks gave the audience a backstory and rundown of the song’s meaning, its origin and why some of the songs were released independently. These stories ranged from comical to sentimental and had the entire arena in awe, laughing, or crying. Sometimes, all three at once. Many like to argue that as stars get older, they lose their once genuine and enthusiastic charm, but that is not the case for Stevie Nicks. Not only has her voice stayed as strong as it was in the 60s, but she still dances around on stage with her trademark shawls and unique dance moves. Nicks’s legendary shawls played a key role in her career and the persona Nicks created for herself. Nicks did not get the name “The White Witch” for no reason, and she owns it. Nicks brought out many original shawls that she wore during the filming of some of her most iconic hits, such as “Gold Dust Woman,” and danced magically around the stage adorned with them. Nicks has always been herself on and off stage, and for many, it was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience to see and hear her up on that stage. “There is always magic to be summoned at any point. I love to live in a world of magic, but not a fake world of magic. We all really basically have a lot of magic… It’s only those of us who choose to accept it that really understand it. It’s there for everyone. That’s the only thing that I feel I am able to give to people, and that’s why I know that they respond to me because I try to give them only their own magic… not mine, but theirs,” Nicks said in an interview with Jim Ladd.
ARTS ‘Rockstar:’ Dolly Parton at her most fiery and versatile 12 | NOVEMBER 22, 2023
CHELSEA BOSSERT Arts Reporter
On Friday, Nov. 17, Dolly Parton released her newest and biggest album yet — a 30-song, two-hour and 21-minute opus titled “Rockstar.” This era of Dolly Parton is an artistic evolution akin to a caterpillar finally escaping its chrysalis and spreading its wings. A mix of covers and new songs, Parton’s new record only plays to her strengths as a singer, songwriter and musical curator. Parton sounds as comfortable as ever on cover songs like “I Want You Back,” “Baby, I Love Your Way,” “Purple Rain,” and “Let It Be.” The 77-year-old artist sounds like she is just plain having fun on these songs with her equally famous collaborators. Released as a single, Parton covered Miley Cyrus’s “Wrecking Ball,” originally released in 2013. “Wrecking Ball,” in a broader cultural context, was part of a culture war around women’s bodies and their sexualities. It was a song that was culturally lambasted by a more socially conservative population at the time. However, times are different now. Miley and Dolly — goddaughter and godmother — have artistically changed over time, and so has our understanding of social issues as listeners. “Wrecking Ball,” in this context, is covered as a pop-soul ballad of female empowerment no matter what age. Speaking of empowerment, the first and title track of the album, “Rockstar,” features a younger Dolly saying in the intro, “Well, I’m gonna be in rock ‘n’ roll, whether you two like it or not/I’ll show them.”
This triumphant anthem is for everyone who has ever been doubted in their life. “I stand before my mirror, play and sing and dream, someday/I’ll be standing in the lights, selling shows out every night/Have ’em dancing in the aisles, I’ll be famous/I’ll be a rockstar,” Parton sings in the chorus. The features on this album are absolutely nothing to scoff at either and are immediately impressive with Lizzo, Peter Frampton, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Steven Tyler, Steve Perry, Cyrus and more. The legendary rock greats and more are here for this triumphant love letter to not only rock and roll but to music in general. The best songs and covers on the album not only add their own original flare, but they enhance the experience as a whole. “Stairway to Heaven” is a big
standout to me. Robert Plant’s original lyrics are only sweeter when Parton sings them, and it only makes sense that the Queen of Country would cover one of the greatest rock songs of all time on her rock album. The progression of the song is done incredibly well instrumentally, and Parton’s vocal passages still hold up compared to the original. The length of Parton’s opus is its only downside. While I could not have gotten enough of Parton, 24 songs and two hours in, I was starting to feel the fatigue. However, I was not ready for the end of the record. The album closes with “Free Bird,” which contains what is largely believed to be the single greatest guitar solo of all time. Parton brings in the original band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, to play along. I have said this enough in this write-up, but triumphant is an understatement. The original song and Parton’s cover can go toe-to-toe with each other, and I cannot tell you which one I prefer. It’s that good. When that guitar solo hits around five minutes in, you feel as free as Dolly, free as the entirety of Lynyrd Skynyrd and you feel as free as you have ever felt in your entire life. Free as a bird. Rating: 4/5 stars
PHOTO COURTESY OF SIRIUSXM
OU hosts ‘Hamtramck, USA’ screening MOE DEL ROSARIO Arts Reporter On Wednesday, Nov. 8, “Hamtramck, USA” was screened for Oakland University students in Wilson Hall — with the addition of a Q&A panel at the end of the documentary. There is a long history rooted in Hamtramck, Michigan, especially one of Polish Catholic heritage and culture. But between then and now, the city has transformed, and it is important to talk about it. Hamtramck made history by becoming the first Muslimmajority city in the United States in 2013. The city, founded in 1798, has a whopping 60% Muslim population — comprised primarily of those from Yemen, Bangladesh and Pakistan. The Polish background of the city dates back to the early 1900s, and nearly 75% of the people who lived in Hamtramck at that time were Polish or of Polish descent. By the 1930s, that number rose to about 83%. And while the city seems to be just that, a city, co-directors Justin Feltman and Razi Jafri found more to it than that. “Most people don’t think that their lives are that interesting… and so we had kind of a range of reactions. A lot of people were surprised. A lot of people didn’t think they had anything that interesting to tell,” Jafri said during the panel discussion for the film. The documentary explores more about the city than just what is known about it from outsiders, but instead digs deeper into the actual community and uses an election to understand how the city interacts with one another fully. “I know that this is a powerful media that’s used to express ideas. I want to be involved in the discourse on not only how
Muslims are portrayed, but how other communities are also portrayed,” Jafri continued during the panel. The film follows Hamtramck’s first female mayor, Karen Majewski, community activist Kamal Rahman, council member Mohammad Hassan and youngest candidate, Fadel Al-Marsoumi, as they fight for spots within the city’s local government. With the election of 2017, the title of mayor of the city was up for grabs, but former mayor Majewski wanted to defend it. Council member Hassan was her main competitor. The votes
PHOTO COURTESY OF ROTTEN TOMATOES
were split, and the campaign was hard for Majewski, as she was going up against a Muslim candidate in a predominantly Muslim city. The documentary primarily follows politicians but also ensures time is spent on the people of Hamtramck and the day-to-day lives of voters. It paints a picture of the city for those who haven’t yet visited — and an inspiring one. The film had an important message to send out and succeeded. “I think a lot of coverage seems to project whatever they want onto Hamtramck. A lot of writing we read would claim that ‘it’s a clash of civilizations,’ ‘a multicultural future vs. the white old guard,’ and others would just straight up use the city to spread Islamophobic and anti-immigrant sentiments,” co-director Feltman said in an interview with Film Inquiry. At a time of high tension between the Muslim community and the Polish community, this film extends an olive branch between the two and instead leaves the audience with hope. Hope for the future, hope for its politicians and hope for the city.
POLITICS
NOVEMBER 22, 2023 | 13
Oakland University Student Congress: a month in review MALLORY WALIGORA Political Reporter
This October, Oakland University Student Congress (OUSC) has led many initiatives on campus. On October 27, OUSC hosted a Meet the Reps event in The Habitat. Students were encouraged to learn about OUSC, what they do and who their student representatives are. All attendees were provided free OUSC spirit wear at the event. Meet the Reps connected students with their student representatives, so the representatives were able to learn about ideas and concerns from the general student body. This event placed OUSC representatives in a better place to advocate for student interests in the future. “The legislature had our Meet the Reps event, which was super exciting. Meet the Reps is an event that we’ve built for the Legislature to be able to plan, design, and execute all without any major external help from the Executive Board. It went really well with lots of turnout from the students.” Emma Garrett, the OUSC Speaker of the Legislature, said. Throughout the month, campus sustainability was one of OUSC’s primary initiatives because October is sustainability month. Katya Eskander, the OUSC Director of Sustainability, planned several engaging events for sustainability month. Eskander’s Sustainability Town Hall and Sustainability Showcase events were especially well attended. The Sustainability Showcase event, held on October
30, invited individual students to present their research on sustainability. Student organizations were also invited to the event to educate the community about their group’s sustainable initiatives. On October 17, OUSC hosted a Civics and Succulents tabling event. OUSC representatives handed out succulents and voter information to students passing by at the front of the Oakland Center. Eskander planned a campus plog took on October 27. The event invited community members to take a jog around campus while picking up litter. OUSC continues its college merch exchange program, which is part of the Oakland University Swag Exchange initiative. Workers in the OUSC office will help exchange college apparel for OUSC merch. Students may send in a request to Marco Yu, OUSC’s Director of Marketing, to receive the service. OUSC met for a General Body Meeting on October 27. These weekly meetings allow all student members to meet and vote on bills as well as discuss future goals. Bill C.B. 66-10, sponsored by Murryum Farooqi, OUSC President, passed. This bill reallocates and adjusts funding related to Middle Eastern Heritage Week. Uncategorized funds in OUSC funds were transferred into the Middle Eastern Heritage Week general fund under the diversity and inclusion category. “I’m personally excited to see how much further we can go with planning more events for the students, showing up for other events like our Middle Eastern Heritage Month events, and continuing to write legislation benefiting the student body,” Garrett said. OUSC continues to support cultural celebrations
around campus, and the passing of a new bill to reallocate funds solidifies OUSC’s goal of campus inclusivity. “I was really excited when Bill C.B. 66.10 was passed, it was the first bill I had worked on with VP Maris Ferguson,” Leann Hadeed, the OUSC Director of Executive Platforms, said. On October 30, OUSC led a Halloween handouts event in the Oakland Center. OUSC handed out goodie bags filled with candy and voter info. Ethan Lehman-Pace, the OUSC Director of Community Engagement, is committed to getting students involved in sharing their voices at elections. OUSC continues to provide free menstrual products in bathrooms. More recently, dispensers have been installed in the Engineering building. Ryan Olds, OUSC Director of Student Services, has devised some great systems for keeping track of usage and inventory for menstrual products to collect data on product usage so all bathrooms can be fully stocked. If a dispenser does not work, students may simply scan the QR code on the dispenser and fill out a form. To stay up to date with OUSC initiatives, follow the group’s Instagram, @ouscofficial.
UAW ratifies contract agreement with the Detroit Big Three NOAH THOMASON Political Reporter
After six long weeks of striking, the United Auto Workers Union reached a deal with the Detroit Big Three (Ford, GM and Stellantis). The new contracts for UAW members will include an immediate 11% wage increase, which raises to 25% by the end of the contract, reinstatement of cost-of-living adjustments that counterbalance rising inflation, a shorter progression period to the highest level of wages and some workers at battery plants will be included in the union. These are major gains for the UAW, and the contracts are a notch on the belt of recent successes for unions in the U.S., such as the Writers Guild and the Teamster workers at UPS. The potential success of the UAW with the Big Three could be the start of a successful movement to unionize at other automakers such as BMW, Hyundai and Tesla. However, these efforts will still be difficult because these automakers are located in southern states with anti-union legislation. Non-unionized automakers will fight to keep their plants from unionizing as most companies do through various, often illegal methods. Since the UAW strikes ended, we have already seen some automakers such as Toyota, Hyundai and Honda raise wages in what is most likely a message to workers that they don’t need to unionize to get higher wages.
Tesla has a unique policy of giving their employees stock options in the company, which would encourage those workers to not do anything like unionizing as that could lower Tesla’s stock value, at least for the short term. Tesla has not been above making threats that this stock option could go away and threatening its workers, such as when Tesla fired one union supporter, which the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled was unjust. Before the UAW can work on unionizing other automakers, the union still needs its members
PHOTO COURTESY OF PAUL SANCYA
to approve the contracts the union leaders and companies agreed to. The voting has been a surprisingly difficult process for the UAW as not everyone is satisfied with the benefits provided. All the contracts currently have over 50% support, with the Ford contract at 65% support, GM at 52% support and Stellantis at 82% support. However, the proportion of workers at each company whose votes have been counted is not equal, as Stellantis is still in the early stages of voting. The main resistance to the deals seems to come from veteran workers who feel they have not gotten enough from the deal. Some are upset that the raises they’re getting are only 25% compared to newer workers who could be getting up to 160% wage increases. Some are saddened that the deal does not do enough for retirees since it doesn’t include healthcare benefits, which can be a problem because workers in the auto industry tend to retire before they can use Medicare. Many demands from the union weren’t met, such as a 40% wage increase and the ending of the tiered benefits and wage system that sees employees hired in the past receiving wages and benefits inaccessible to recently hired employees. The deals also lacked the 32-hour workweek and the return of pensions for all workers.
POLITICS
14 | NOVEMBER 22, 2023
Ron DeSantis’s boot lift allegations MALLORY WALIGORA Political Reporter
Intending to win the GOP presidential primary, Ron DeSantis has a few tricks up his sleeve, or, perhaps, a few extra inches in his boot. DeSantis has been known to wear cowboy boots, but allegations about him wearing height-boosting lifts in these boots have taken the internet by storm. DeSantis is one of the leading Republican candidates for the 2024 presidential election, and he holds traditional, sometimes radical, right-wing beliefs. DeSantis currently serves as the governor of Florida. He advocates for keeping education policy decided at the local level. Earlier this year, he signed an abortion bill banning the procedure after six weeks. In his undergraduate education at Yale, DeSantis played baseball as an outfielder. He balanced the role of being a student at an Ivy League school as well as playing on the field. “I’ve always been a pretty good hitter and found it pretty natural,” DeSantis said. Looking back at the 2001 Yale Baseball statistics, DeSantis’ height is listed at 5 ’11”. DeSantis has never had an official health report published for the public while in office, so this college statistics is one of the few records mentioning his height. In photos next to Joe Biden, who is documented at exactly 6 feet, the pair stand at similar heights. It is theorized DeSantis wears about one-inch inserts into his boot to elevate his height. Donald Trump is 6’3”, and in photos of DeSantis and
Trump together, it seems DeSantis is much taller than his Yale statistics claim. In recent news, Trump has been taking stabs at DeSantis, coming up with a nickname that has stuck: “Tiny D.” DeSantis was once a passionate Trump supporter, but since entering the presidential race with him, a rift has formed. Graham Ebner, who is considered to be one of the best cowboy bootmakers in the United States, is suspicious of DeSantis’ boots. “Three things stick out to me, the instep, the toe spring and where the ball of his foot is sitting in the boots… Instead of the leather hugging the inside arch of his foot, as it should, it looks like his foot is being lifted up and stretching out the leather, ” Ebner said.
The placement of the ball on DeSantis’s foot is extremely important. By looking at photos of the placement of his foot in photos, some believe it seems like there is an insert in the shoe. “You can see where the ball of his foot is protruding… It’s a good inch behind where it should be. It should not be in that position unless the heels were being lifted dramatically,” Ebner said. DeSantis and his public relations team have denied all allegations about DeSantis’s use of shoe lifts. In an interview by Patrick Bet-David on the PBD podcast, DeSantis spoke on the matter. “No, no. Those are just standard, off-the-rack, Lucchese boots,” Desantis said. Taller political candidates have tended to do better in the polls. To the public, height seems to symbolize a political candidate who is strong and confident. Height is a subconscious factor that sways voters, and political candidates are always looking for ways to get extra votes. Biden and Barack Obama have been the exception to this rule, winning against taller candidates. Despite this fact, DeSantis’s alleged boot lifts may help him attract support in the presidential race.
PHOTO COURTESY OF BBC
Third Republican debate analysis NOAH THOMASON Political Reporter
The third Republican Presidential debate happened on Nov. 9, and there are some important takeaways. First, it’s worth noting that one of the candidates on stage, Tim Scott, has withdrawn from the race since the debate. This outcome was expected as Scott was just barely able to meet the requirements of the third debate. Scott’s chance at the nomination was most likely gone once the super PAC supporting him cut future funding once they felt his chances of rising in the polls were slim. While Scott brought a cheery and hopeful message to the Republican debate and somewhat less vitriol, his actual beliefs didn’t stick out from the rest significantly. On issues of immigration and the border to support Israel, the words Scott used might have differed from other candidates, but the substance was mostly the same. The biggest difference between Scott and other candidates was his support for Ukraine. Out of the five candidates on that stage, three, including Scott, showed strong vocal support for continuing aid to Ukraine, while the other two were heavily against supporting Ukraine in their war against Russia. With Scott gone, that leaves the nomination field split between support for Ukraine and against it. This could be important for the future of U.S. aid to Ukraine and the Ukraine war because the U.S. is a significant supporter of Ukraine.
Most of the talking points were the same, concerning statements about many issues like militarizing the southern border and shooting anyone who attempts to cross without assessing their intentions. The most notable issue talked about in this debate was the conversation around Israel’s ethnic cleansing of Palestine. Every candidate except Vivek Ramaswamy voiced intense support for Israel’s invasion of Palestine despite the immense numbers of civilians killed in Palestine by the Israel Defense Force. Ron DeSantis even said he’s “sick of the media, sick of hearing other people blaming Israel, just for defending itself.” This mirrors a later remark from DeSantis. When
PHOTO COURTESY OF JONATHAN NEWTON
the question of dealing with antisemitism came up, he decided to critique Biden’s initiative to combat what DeSantis calls “so-called islamophobia.” The responses from the nominees give a general sense that they don’t consider the lives of Muslim people or Palestinians to be worth the same as Jewish or Israeli lives. One concerning statement came from Chris Christi. When asked about dealing with islamophobia, he said he went to mosques after 9/11 to meet with the leaders and members of the mosques to protect them if they follow the law. The issue here is that Christi’s answer was in response to a question about protecting Muslim Americans, and there was a base assumption that Muslim people might be dangerous. What was more concerning than Christi’s answer itself is that it was by far the most supportive of Muslim people out of any nominee. Besides this answer, no one on stage acknowledged that Palestinian civilians were also being unjustly killed and that hate crimes were being committed against Muslim people. It was good to see a strong opposition to antisemitism. However, with how politicized the topic is, it’s hard to tell if the candidates are only referring to antisemitism or if they’re also opposing people supporting Palestinians and calling for a ceasefire.
SPORTS
NOVEMBER 22, 2023 | 15
Men’s basketball dominant in home opening win against BGSU KURT SZYMANSKI Sports Reporter
On Thursday, Nov. 14, the Oakland men’s basketball team defeated the Bowling Green State University (BGSU) Falcons 81-62 in the team’s home opener at the OU Credit Union O’rena. “I’m really pleased,” head coach Greg Kampe said. “I think that we showed some things. I’m really excited about our future.” Forward Trey Townsend led the way for the Golden Grizzlies, scoring 20 points while knocking down 50% of his shot attempts. Additionally, Townsend posted four rebounds, four assists and three steals while cashing in four of his five free throw attempts. Guards Jack Gohlke and DQ Cole also made sizable contributions to the Golden Grizzlies. Gohlke tallied 14 points, seven rebounds and two steals, while Cole converted four of his five shot attempts for 12 points while notching three steals off the bench. “It’s just an everyday process,” Cole said. “Every day in practice, I try to be the best player and best teammate I can be. So coming off the bench is not a problem, I’m just trying to be that spark plug the team needs off the bench to help us get victories like this.” The Golden Grizzlies jumped ahead early, scoring the first seven points of the night while holding BGSU scoreless in the first three minutes of the half. However, the Falcons eventually battled back
and tied the game at 7-7. Following two straight 3-point conversions from Gohlke, the Golden Grizzlies jumped back into the driver’s seat as the team led 15-9 with 12 minutes remaining in the first half. Midway through the first, the OU zone defense started to take a toll on the Falcons as the team came away empty-handed on multiple offensive possessions. Additionally, the Golden Grizzlies’ defense led to numerous BGSU turnovers. “Our zone is designed to take the three away,” Kampe said. “I thought we adjusted well, my staff saw something I didn’t see, and we took that away. I thought the kids did a great job at adjusting to what they were doing.” Although the Falcons did come within four points
PHOTO COURTESY OF GOLDENGRIZZLIES.COM
of the Golden Grizzlies late in the first half, forward Chris Conway answered by scoring two consecutive baskets before Gohlke nailed two free throws as Oakland led 38-28 at the half. “There aren’t a lot of post players that play in the Horizon League that can score the ball the way he [Conway] can score it in the post,” Kampe said. “And when you put him next to Trey, you have to make a decision: who’s guarding who, right?” In the second half, the Falcons started to keep up with the Golden Grizzlies but never formed a significant comeback. The closest BGSU got to the Grizzly lead was narrowing their deficit down to seven points two minutes into the second. In the later part of the second half, OU started to pull away with the lead. With six minutes remaining, the Golden Grizzlies went on a 12-0 run, extending their lead to the biggest of the night at 73-52. BGSU answered with a 7-0 run of their own, but it was a little too late as the Golden Grizzlies scored five unanswered points in the final minute and came away with their first win of the regular season. Notably, the Golden Grizzlies limited the Falcons to just a 25% success rate from distance. Additionally, OU scored 27 points off turnovers and 11 fastbreak points. In comparison, BGSU tallied 11 points off turnovers and just two fastbreak points. Next, the Golden Grizzlies will face off against the Xavier Musketeers on Monday, Nov. 27, on the road. The team will play its next home game against the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons on Saturday, Dec. 2.
Lions score grit-fueled comeback victory over Bears SUMMER WEATHERS Sports Reporter
In a sensational turn of events, the Detroit Lions pulled off an astonishing comeback win over the Chicago Bears at Ford Field, 31-26. The Lions have now advanced to an incredible 8-2 record to start the season, the first time in over six decades (1962) they’ve reached that benchmark. A Wild Ending It all started with the Bears being up 12 with 4:15 left in the game, but the Detroit Lions flipped the script and came back in a savvy fashion. Jameson Williams was a key factor in the explosive 32-yard touchdown play that initiated the electrifying comeback. With only 31 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Jared Goff put the ball into the hands of running back David Montgomery, who scored the game-winning touchdown against his former team, and the Lions’ stadium erupted. To complete the two-point conversion, Goff connected with tight end Sam LaPorta. As tension soared in the final moments, it was Aidan Hutchinson who called the game with a strip sack on quarterback Justin Fields. His heroic play not only sealed the victory, but he also became the first player in NFL history to total 15.0 sacks and four interceptions through his first two seasons. He continues to be an unstoppable force and has topped this spectacular turnaround. While it wasn’t the best start to the game for Goff, who threw three interceptions, he went 10-11
for 115 yards and a touchdown in the final 4:15 and managed to clean it all up and set up crucial plays that were needed in such a desperate time of need. “He didn’t have his best game, but it’s really when you needed him most in a two-minute drive at the end of the half, that was pretty big,” head coach Dan Campbell said. “And then at the end of the game, down two scores — that’s when he’s at his best, in a game that he’s not playing his best, I think that speaks volumes. At the very least, he’s going to be mentally tough
PHOTO COURTESY OF JUNFU HAN
and physically tough, and you can always count on that. You can bank on that, and today he showed his resiliency. When we needed those plays, he showed up in a no-huddle mode. He was awesome.” Another notable player was rookie Jahmyr Gibbs, who has been a constant presence every week. He is ranked third in the NFL in rushing yards per game and has proved his worth yet again. “Man, I was proud of the guys,” Campbell said. “We knew that if we could get the ball back on our court, we’d get a stop, score, get some momentum back, but man, that’s what I was proud of. Great job by a number of guys, and really the whole team had a part in that, so it’s a great win.” There are a lot of weapons on this Detroit Lions team, and they have so much fight in them. Moments like these epitomize the grit and determination they are forged with. What’s Next? The Detroit Lions will face the Green Bay Packers on Nov. 23 at 12:30 p.m. back at Ford Field and will look to continue their quest for victory in a traditional holiday showdown on Thanksgiving.
16 | NOVEMBER 22, 2023
Oakland Athletics: A week in review (Nov. 12-18) BROCK HEILIG Sports Editor
Fall sports are nearly over, but men’s and women’s basketball at Oakland University are just now gearing up. Greg Kampe and the men’s team, as well as Jeff Tungate and the women’s team were both in action during the week of Nov. 12-18. Here is a full breakdown of how both teams fared, along with an update on the volleyball team’s appearance in the Horizon League Tournament. Volleyball The volleyball team, which appeared to be the final Oakland fall sports team still in contention for a conference title, had its season come to an end on Friday, Nov. 17, in the first round of the Horizon League Tournament. Oakland had secured the No. 5 seed after a solid regular season showing, but the Golden Grizzlies were thoroughly dominated by the Northern Kentucky Norse, having their season come to a close. The first set ended thrillingly, but the Norse got the better of the Golden Grizzlies by a score of 28-26. Things unraveled for Oakland going forward, as the Golden Grizzlies lost each of the next two sets by a larger margin than its preceding set. Northern Kentucky disposed of Oakland in straight sets, 28-26, 25-21, 25-17, to advance to the second round of the league tournament. Oakland’s season is now over. It ends the year with a 17-14 overall record and an 11-7 mark in league play.
Women’s basketball After opening the 2023-24 season 1-1 — a doubleovertime win over Akron and a loss to Michigan State — the women’s basketball team split its slate of games again this week. The team opened the week on Tuesday night in Ann Arbor as they took on Michigan at the Crisler Center. However, it didn’t go very well for the Golden Grizzlies. Oakland was outscored 25-6 in the first quarter, and that was a hole so big the Golden Grizzlies couldn’t crawl their way out. Kianni Westbook and Brooke Quarles-Daniels led the way for Oakland in scoring with 10 points each, but no other Golden Grizzly had more than five points on the night. Meanwhile, Michigan had eight different scorers finish with more than five points. Although the Wolverines left the door open with some subpar shooting, Oakland couldn’t take advantage after falling behind by 19 points in the first 10 minutes. The tough defeat was followed up with a 11051 drubbing of Cleary University at the OU Credit Union O’rena on Friday night. Friday’s win over Cleary was nearly the complete reverse of what happened in Ann Arbor just three days prior. Eight Golden Grizzlies finished in double-figures, and the team connected on 15 3-point attempts. It was a complete, all-around effort from Oakland as it picked up its second victory of the season. Oakland will take the court next on Saturday, Nov. 25, at 5:30 p.m. at the OU Credit Union O’rena against Madonna University.
SPORTS
Men’s basketball Greg Kampe began his 40th season as Oakland’s men’s basketball coach with back-to-back road games against Big Ten foes. The Golden Grizzlies played both Ohio State and Illinois close, but they came up just short in both contests. During the third week of November, though, Oakland secured its first win of the season with an 81-62 win over Bowling Green at the OU Credit Union O’rena. It was the home opener of the 2023-24 season, so the Golden Grizzly faithful honored Kampe as he continues to be the longest-tenured head coach in Division I basketball. As far as the game goes, Trey Townsend led the way for Oakland with 20 points on 8-16 shooting. Jack Gohlke added 14, and DQ Cole scored 12 of his own to help OU to the win. Rocket Watts also had 10 points. Following the Cayman Islands Classic, Oakland will hit the road again to take on Xavier on Monday, Nov. 27 at 6:30 p.m. The game will be aired on FS1.
Oakland women’s swim and dive team falls short against EMU KURT SZYMANSKI Sports Reporter
At the Oakland Aquatics Center, the Oakland women’s swim and dive team lost a tough match to the Eastern Michigan University (EMU) Eagles on Thursday, Nov. 16. In a meet featuring multiple lead changes between the Grizzlies and the Eagles and even a tie at one point, OU came up 10 points short, losing 155-145, following the last event of the evening. Jordyn Shipps paved the way for the Grizzlies, claiming first place in three separate events: the 50 freestyle, the 100 butterfly and the 200 IM. Shipps’ first-place finishes this match elevate her to nine total this season. Additionally, Nora Molnar and Ronja Riihinen each placed first for the first time this season in an event for the Grizzlies. Molnar took first in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:54.10, and Riihinen claimed first in the 100 freestyle, clocking in at 52.36. The meet started with a 400 Medley Relay featuring three teams from OU and EMU. The Eagles started strong early in the race, as their ‘A’ and ‘B’ teams held spots in first and second place, respectively. Midway through the race, the Oakland ‘A’ team surged into second place before taking over first place during the race’s final moments. After the event, the Grizzlies claimed an early 11-6 lead over EMU. The Grizzlies held the lead until the fourth event, the 100 backstroke. The Eagles dominated the event, as OU could not crack into the top three. EMU held a
slight 38-36 lead at the event’s conclusion. Eventually, the Grizzlies snatched the lead back from the Eagles in the 100 freestyle. Led by Riihinen’s firstplace finish, Mia Keranen and Sam Thiessen placed second and third, respectively, giving the Grizzlies an 86-83 lead. Through the next event, the 200 backstroke, EMU swimmer Kiersten Russell took first place, while OU swimmer Clarissa Bezuidenhout placed second with a time of 2:04.13, and Molnar placed third, finishing in 2:05.48. After the event, both teams remained tied with a score of 94-94. Through the 200 breaststroke and the 500 freestyle, the Eagles increased their lead to 138-126 over the Grizzlies. The Eagles secured first and second in the
PHOTO BY KATIE REID
200 breaststroke and first during the 500 freestyle. In comparison, Lola Laenen took third in the 200 breaststroke, while Mia Englender placed second in the 500 freestyle. However, in the next event, the 100 butterfly, OU brought the meet within one point thanks to top finishes from Shipps and Englender. Heading into the night’s final event, the 200 freestyle relay, the battle for first place between the Eastern ‘A’ team and the Oakland ‘A’ team remained neck and neck. Notably, the Oakland ‘A’ team took an early lead. Regardless of the start, the Eastern ‘A’ team slowly caught up with the Grizzlies and finished in first place at 1:33.94. The Oakland ‘A’ team finished just behind in second with a time of 1:34.51, while the Eastern ‘B’ team clocked in at 1:36.93, finishing in third place. The strong showing from EMU in the meet’s final race bolstered their point total to 155 compared to OU’s 145, and the Eagles walked away as winners. Next, the Grizzlies will hit the road and compete in the Zippy Invitational from Thursday, Nov. 30, until Sunday, Dec. 3. The meet will feature multiple universities from across the country. The team’s next home meet will be on Friday, Jan. 12, and Saturday, Jan. 13, against the Xavier Musketeers.