Vol. 54, No. 3
Giving back
Student band puts on music festival for local food banks Homecoming preview Page 4
Kanye, Jonas bros and Bad Suns Pages 10-11
Tulsa, Oklahoma • November 1, 2019 • oruoracle.com
Student-athlete pay? Page 15 Photo by James Adamski
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@oruoracle Corrections The Oracle strives for accuracy and integrity in all content. If you find a mistake, let us know. Letters to the Editor Email us your thoughts on a story you’ve read for a chance to be published. 2 • Oracle • November 1, 2019
Left to right: Lynnetta Ruble, Rachel Sligar, Jessica Brown, Luis Jimenez, Dr. Haley French, Rachel Ojeda. Not pictured: Counseling intern Rachel Wood / Photo by James Adamski
ORU counseling department expands by Katherine Kwiatek and ChaeWoon Yoo
Staff Writer and News Editor
Mental health isn’t a taboo topic anymore, but it is still a problem people face all over the world. While college may seem like a hotspot for stress and anxiety, ORU’s expanded counseling department hopes to better accommodate student needs. A new director, three full-time counselors, two fall graduate interns and an intervention and intake counselor position rounds out a 36% staff increase from years past. Dr. Haley French, a licensed professional counselor from Colorado, stepped into the director of counseling services role. Dr. French earned a M.Div from ORU in 2009, an M.A. in Clinical Counseling from Denver Seminary in 2012 and, this year, a Ph.D in Practical Theology from the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. The Counseling Department also occupies new offices in the recently opened Nursing and Engineering Complex, with more space for counseling and instructional rooms. “We needed an expanded staff and space, and there’s definitely vision for the future as well,” said Dr. French. “The space in LRC 5 was probably not sufficient for growing and wanting to serve the needs of the students, so this is definitely in step with looking ahead.”
All students may receive 10 private, typically onehour counseling sessions per academic year with no extra fees, Monday through Friday from 9 to 5 p.m. There are potential extra sessions for students during the summer, based on availability and the students needs. Students can make appointments through the ORU website or on the student life app. Students will fill out an availability schedule, which will be compared with counselor openings and scheduled accordingly. “They may still wait for a little bit, but the bigger picture is that we’re able to see and offer services to more students throughout the year,” Dr. French explained. “We take great care and pride in working with the wonderful students at ORU, both in individual and group settings.” The Coping Clinic, a small group held Tuesdays 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the instructional room, provides a place for students to discuss various dilemmas that may come with adjusting to a new college atmosphere and pursuing purpose in an academic setting. The clinic helps to track the needs of the students to better identify patterns and prepare them for the future. Counselor Luis Jimenez, MA, LPC, taught the first few weeks of class on emotional awareness, self-care and general coping skills. Counseling staff and interns
teach in rotations every three to four weeks, and the upcoming topics and units will be announced as the semester progresses. “It’s not a therapeutic group—it’s a psycho-educational group, which is a distinction we make so that it’s open to more people,” Dr. French said. “They can come some weeks and not the next, whatever suits them.” Students are also encouraged to attend the Hope Clinic, which is an eight-week skill-building group specifically to help those who are struggling with depression, grief, overwhelming feelings or burnout. Co-led by Dr. French and Dr. Philip Nelson, the group covers topics including how to cope with major life changes, grief, loss, personal values, setting achievable goals, safety planning and healthy thought patterns. The Hope Clinic meets on Thursdays from 11 a.m. to noon in the new counseling offices in the Nursing and Engineering Complex, NEC 250T. To indicate attendance beforehand, students can email counseling@ oru.edu and put ‘The Hope Clinic’ on the subject line. “We feel it is an honor to walk alongside students as they process through the difficulties of life,” said Dr. French. “We value them, their stories, and the time we have with them. By the power of the Holy Spirit, we seek to be instruments of healing in their lives.”
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Be aware of IT, secure IT, protect IT by ChaeWoon Yoo News Editor As the world advances with newer technologies and faster electronics, everyday activities have become easier for people. No longer do we need to go to the bank to check our bank accounts, send physical mail to communicate with others or go to the library for research—all are accessible with the click of a button. Yet with all these new advances, cybersecurity has also become an issue as more and more people fall victim to thieves of the web. October commemorates National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, which “stresses the importance of taking proactive steps to enhance cybersecurity at home and in the workplace” according to the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies. “During the past month, we have experienced a drastic increase in the number of student user accounts flagged by Office 365 for suspicious log-on behavior,” said Ron Lee, ORU’s information security manager. Last school semester, ORU students received phishing emails about pet-sitting jobs or prompting them to click a link for better security,
which were actually “phishing” scams to get payment information. “I spoke with my counterparts at the University of Tulsa, and they told me that they have also experienced the same increase in suspicious log-on behaviors,” Lee said. Chegg, a textbook-rental website, was hacked in September 2018, where 40 million users’ email addresses, shipping addresses and Chegg account passwords were hacked, according to Security Today. “It appears that students would create user accounts at chegg.com using their student email addresses,” Lee said. “Many appear to have also used the same email password at chegg.com, and once this information was stolen and deciphered, the attackers have been using it to log-on to the student email accounts using these passwords.” While Chegg might not only be the culprit to this dilemma, Lee wants students to know to “never use [their] ORU email account password with any other account.” When creating passwords for other accounts, ORU IT suggests to create new and unique passwords each time. Password manager services are available that can help users keep track of accounts.
ORU IT discourages students from using school emails on other accounts. / Photo by AlexAndria Ramirez
This Homecoming is all about you by Faith Wilson Opinion Editor
While the homecoming gala last year was ‘timeless,’ this year’s dance expresses a new focus of ‘masterpiece,’ which may carry different connotations. Beauty. Artistry. Care. For ORU’s Student Association, masterpiece is God’s greatest creation—you. Nicole Voerman, a junior sports management major and the programs executive for SA, and Kayli deMelo, a junior graphic design major and the marketing executive for SA, shared their hopes to celebrate the individual through homecoming. “We wanted to highlight, in the most humble way possible, that we are the peak of creation, that we are the Lord’s masterpiece, and we are made in His image,” Voerman said. The recently built Stoney Creek
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Hotel and Conference Center in Broken Arrow will host guests for the event. “It’s a really wonderful space that we can do a lot with,” Voerman said. “Last year, we really wanted to emphasize location, but this year we really want to promote the theme and leave students walking away with the thrill of the experience.” The event has given opportunities for the SA offices to collaborate with other students, including the theatre department that lent a hand with advertising, by supplying props for a photoshoot to make the theme come alive in the promotion photos. “It’s made me so proud and thankful to work among creatives. The student body is just so inspiring,” said deMolo. “ I was able to meet people and form relationships that I wouldn’t have had.” Voerman and deMelo also shared their wishes to improve from
the previous year’s homecoming. Recognizing the shortcomings of last year’s event, including the overcrowding issue at the Mayo Hotel, SA regards the “humbling” time as a way to improve this year, now opting for a simpler enjoyable experience. Homecoming participants are encouraged to channel a “classy” look, while feeling free to also wear a “bold color or a fun print,” according to Voerman. “We’re really wanting to go for an art museum [or] gallery with a dash of the MET Gala,” Voerman said. In a statement given to the Oracle addressed to the student body, SA shared what they hope to evoke in the student body. “This year’s homecoming theme,
Masterpiece, was birthed out of the desire to create an impact that far exceeds just a one-night event you attend with your friends. We wanted to create something that resonates with every single person long after the night is gone. At the heart of this year’s homecoming, you will find this simple but profound truth: We the people, are masterpieces, infused with unique beauty, talents and personalities, purposed with the intent of displaying our Great Creator!”
Illustration by Staci McCoy
Students in the Launch Competition have a chance to win $5000 as well as lifelong business partners and mentors. / Photo courtesy of Simona Gatto
If the shark is in, students will score Stovall Center for Entrepreneurship launches student business competition by Staci McCoy Managing Editor ORU students are in the midst of potential business owners, thanks to the newly launched Stovall Center for Entrepreneurship’s Launch Competition that equips aspiring entrepreneurs. The competition, sponsored by Jim Stovall, an ORU alumni and whom the Stovall Center for Entrepreneurship is named after, the ORU College of Business and SCORE, welcomed all ORU students to enter and compete in a two-semester long competition worth $5000. Teams of two to five members are paired with a mentor who coaches them throughout the fall semester and the beginning of the spring semester, presenting pitches during this time and receiving feedback for improvement. While competing, the teams must develop strategies for their potential start-up businesses to pitch to real investors. “We want to create a vibrant entrepreneurial community at ORU where students can connect, dream together and learn from one another,” said Dr. Kevin Schneider, the executive director of the Stovall Center for Entrepreneurship. “We envision a community where students from every major can connect around ideas and begin taking steps to make their dreams a reality. This will be a place where students can activate their purpose, create profit and impact the world.” A similar program was done twice in the past
with the help of Dr Julie Huntley, dean of the college of business. The Launch Competition is built on this success and is now designed to reach beyond academics and give real-world experience. The competition offers about 20 workshops that discuss topics relating to marketing, start-ups, taxes and other business concerns as well as meetups with Jim Stovall. The meetups are opportunities for students, whether participating or not, to receive wisdom from Stovall and for a chance to network with others attending. Partners of Launch Competition include Jim Stovall and SCORE, a community of entrepreneurs and executives. These influential partners will meet with the teams for mentoring and workshops. SCORE is able to provide mentorship throughout the life of a business when it invests in that specific business, providing a way for students to potentially receive guidance and consulting on a start-up business if their idea is chosen. The process of applying involved the submission of a video pitch and a mentor meeting before officially entering the competition. In just a few months, those video pitches will become full-on business plans. But before the final pitch to investors, the teams’ mentors must sign off to ensure they have committed and prepared for the real deal. “Like shark tank—we want to create a connection between students and investors,” Dr. Schneider said. “We are also working to develop a robust
entrepreneurial ecosystem where students can develop relationships with investors to raise capital for launching new ventures.” The first meetup for the competition was held on Oct. 2 in the Fenimore Room where 43 students attended, which was part of the requirement for qualification into the competition. Some of the ideas in the room included mental health services through an app, Christian content development, a financial investment app, global platform to help athletes and a service to help international students with standardized tests. Students rated the event 99/100, according to Jessica Tenorio, ORU’s Director of Study Abroad. At the event, Jim Stovall shared his experience with entrepreneurship as well as an inspiring word to the students, setting an expectant tone for the coming competition. “The whole world is praying for a great idea, and they trip over one about three times a week,” Stovall said. “The only thing you have to do for a good idea is to go through your daily routine, wait for something bad to happen and say ‘How could I have avoided that?’ The answer to that question is a great idea. And the only thing you have to do to have a great business is go one step further and ask yourself, ‘How can I help other people avoid that?’” Keep up with the competition on Instagram @stovallcenter.
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Net neutrality revisited by Josiah Ingegneri Staff Writer On Oct. 1, the D.C. Circuit issued a court opinion upholding the 2018 Federal Communications Commission (FCC) order which repealed Net Neutrality regulations. Net neutrality includes utility-style regulations that limit a company’s ability to offer different types of services to different customers on broadband internet; the regulation was implemented in 2015 but later repealed by the FCC. For example, if someone was using Netflix or Amazon, they might have to pay more to their Internet Service Provider (ISP) to be able to stream videos at a faster rate. Essentially, net neutrality is treating the internet as a public service in which all access should be equal to consumers, no matter what source is being used. It is a misconception that people would have to pay more now to access social sites, but that has not been happening. It is more of a back-end process, where you pay for better service from your ISP (Cox,
Verizon, etc.). Netflix and Amazon subscriptions are only indirectly affected. “We reverse the Commission’s abrupt shift two years ago to heavy-handed utility-style regulation . . . and return to the light-touch framework under which a free and open Internet underwent rapid and unprecedented growth for almost two decades,” wrote the FCC in its 2018 Restoring Internet Freedom Order. In other words, the policy around the laws and regulation of Internet Service Providers were not as stringent until the Obama administration, and the FCC under the Trump administration is just returning to the way things used to be done. The order re-classifies broadband internet from “telecommunications services” to “information services” and mobile broadband from a “commercial mobile service” to a “private mobile service,” the district court explained. Both of these re-classifications immediately lessened the regulation on business and mobile phone services.
“We uphold the 2018 order with two exceptions,” the court wrote in its ruling. The court states that there is no legal authority for the FCC to issue an order stopping states from imposing net neutrality laws. This means that states may apply their own regulations to broadband internet. “Four states—California, Oregon, Washington and Vermont—have adopted statutes to regulate broadband providers’ network management practices,” said Daniel Lyons in the “University of Pittsburgh Law Review”. Lyons said the laws in Washington and California are more strict than the Commission’s Restoring Internet Freedom Order. Governor Steve Bullock of Washington State, one of the states which has broadband regulations, praised the decision, saying, “From the beginning we said that if the federal government won’t protect our access to a free and open internet, it would be up to the states.”
ISIS leader dies from US raid in Syria
An American girl was forced to marry ISIS leader. Now the terrorist who tortured her is dead. by Faith Wilson Opinion Editor ISIS had held her in captivity for months. She had been belittled, abused, raped and forced into marriage. They had taken so much from her—dignity, freedom and security. But until her last breath, it seemed they could never take away the stubborn hold on her faith. And now the terrorist that tortured her is dead. In early 2015, ISIS leaders reported that 26-year-old Kayla Mueller had been killed in an airstrike. This was confirmed by Mueller’s parents when they saw the photos of their daughter’s corpse. Mueller graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science from Northern Arizona University. Armed with big dreams, Mueller set out to Turkey to aid with Syrian refugees. Her boyfriend at the time, of Syrian descent, worked as a contractor and had a job at the Doctors Without Borders hospital in Syria. Mueller accompanied him and was kidnapped by ISIS when she got in a bus.
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ISIS released Mueller’s boyfriend, but luck did not favor Mueller. For the next 18 months, ISIS forces raped and tortured Mueller in efforts to make her renounce her faith. Mueller did not waver. A group of four British men who joined ISIS, nicknamed “The Beatles” by captives, paraded Mueller in front of prisoners, asserting that she had renounced Christianity and converted to Islam, though fellow hostages denied this claim. “One of the Beatles started to say, ‘Oh, this is Kayla, and she has been held all by herself. And she is much stronger than you guys. And she’s much smarter. She converted to Islam.’ And then she was like, ‘No, I didn’t,’” said Daniel Ottosen, a former captive and Danish freelance photographer, in a quote to ABC News. Fellow captives reported their “surprise” at Mueller’s strength and her unwavering loyalty to Christianity. Mueller was forced to marry Abu
Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS. Zeinat, a 16-year-old Iraqi girl who escaped from the Islamic State, knew Mueller during this time. Zeinat said that al-Baghdadi raped Mueller four times and threatened her with death if she attempted to escape. It was also reported by escapees that Mueller worked to protect the younger girls with her and keep them away from ISIS leaders. On Oct. 26, 2019, Baghdadi had killed himself and three of his children with a suicide bomb in northwestern Syria. U.S. troops had cornered him before he set off the blast. The operation was named after Mueller. The raid had some controversy associated with it, including Trump not notifying Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell or Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi of the operation. Democratic Senator Chris Coons believed the president “disrespected” Pelosi by not engaging in the “the long tradition of notifying” both parties.
Some Syrians and Iraqis question if al-Baghdadi is actually dead, having distrust in the United States. “We are deeply touched by what [Trump] said. We were grateful that they didn’t mess around and went right in,” said Marsha Mueller, mother of Kayla Mueller, in response to al-Baghdadi’s death and the operation named in her daughter’s honor. Additionaly, U.S. forces killed Abu al-Hassan al-Muhajir this week. He served as a spokesperson for ISIS. Although unclear who will emerge as the new leader of the radical terrorist movement, W.J. Hennigan, a political news writer for Time, says ISIS “routinely taps new commanders to fill the vacuum left by those who are assassinated.” While times remain tumultuous in the Middle East, this blow to terrorist threats may represent the beginning of freedom from persecution.
Impeachment inquiry begins by Josiah Ingegneri Staff Writer “The other thing, there’s a lot of talk about Biden’s son, that Biden stopped the prosecution and a lot of people want to find out about that, so whatever you can do with the Attorney General would be great,” said President Trump to President Zelensky of Ukraine over a phone call on July 25, according to a transcript released by The White House Situation Room. The call was mostly amiable, yet on Sept. 24, House Democrats launched an impeachment inquiry into President Trump based upon claims that he had pressured the Ukrainian President to investigate his political opponent, Joe Biden. President of ORU College Republicans Jonathan Naylor voiced in on the inquiry. “I was a little surprised that the Ukrainian president was so forthright in his praise of President Trump,” he said. “But if it’s proven that he is, in fact, doing unconstitutional things, then I don’t believe that he should be in power. We should follow our constitution in regards to impeachment.” The U.S. withheld military assistance to Ukraine for a time, but a Ukrainian official later said that Ukraine saw no connection between the withholding and President Trump’s request to investigate Biden’s son. “The Ukrainians weren’t made aware that assistance was being delayed and reviewed until more than one month after the call,” tweeted a New York Times reporter. On Aug. 28, President Zelensky’s aide texted Ukranian ambassador to the U.S. Kurt Volker, writing “Need to talk with you” and sending a link to a Politico story entitled “Trump holds up military aid meant to confront Russia.” This signals an increased likelihood that Ukraine did not know about the withheld aid until about 33 days after the call. Some say that President Trump was engaged in a quid pro quo during the call with Ukranian President Zelensky, meaning that Trump had asked for the investigation and in return would increase military
assistance to Ukraine. A document revealing texts between Ukranian officials, which was released by the Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, prefaces, “This is not normal or acceptable…American Presidents should never press foreign power to target their domestic political rivals.” On Sept. 24, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced an impeachment inquiry, specifically regarding President Trump’s dealings with Ukraine. Impeachment has taken place only two times in U.S. history, against Presidents Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton. Presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden expressed his support for impeachment shortly after Pelosi’s announcement. “I can take the political attacks,” Biden said. “But if we allow a president to get away with shredding the U.S. Constitution, that will last forever.” New developments impact the inquiry daily. The story was first known to the American people when information about a whistleblower was leaked to the New York Times. On Sept. 17, Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee Adam Schiff claimed on Morning Joe that his committee had not been in contact with this whistleblower, but that was later proven to be false as Schiff said in an interview with the Daily Beast that he “did not know definitively at the time if the complaint had been authored by the same whistleblower who had approached his staff.” Attorneys representing a second whistleblower now claim there is more information about President Trump’s call with the Ukranian president. The second whistleblower “has first-hand knowledge,” according to the first whistleblower’s attorney, Mark Zaid. People are interpreting the developing evidence in different ways. “At the end of the day, I want what’s best for America,” said Naylor. “I believe that this impeachment inquiry isn’t going to help A m e r i c a prosper.”
Bethel worship leader runs for Congress
by ChaeWoon Yoo News Editor and Katherine Kwiatek Staff Writer Sean Feucht, an ORU alumni, is most known for being a worship leader at Bethel Church in California and as the founder of Burn 24-7, a grassroots global worship, prayer and missions organization. But on the last weekend of September 2019, he announced his intentions to run for Congress, specifically the third U.S. Congressional District in Northern California. “I am running because it’s time for average Americans who have no desire to be politicians to stand up and change our country’s path before it’s too late,” said Feucht in an interview with Fox News. “I am running for the unborn, the unheard, the forgotten and millions of unengaged hardworking Americans who have lost hope in politics.” But more than anything, Feucht said his heart is for families. “Family values are being eroded, the unborn are sacrificed, morals are low, and taxes are high,” Feucht said on his website, seanfeucht. com. “Families face unimaginable challenges to make ends meet. We need a new generation of leaders. Leaders with a vision, leaders who don’t seek a career, but are willing to sacrifice to fight for what’s right.” Feucht travels to 20 to 30 nations per year to help plant places of worship and prayer, training and leading worship and speaking to the people. In an interview with the Christian Post, in regard to his decision to run for Congress, Feucht recalled his past 15 years spent traveling the world, reaching about 50 nations to do various works such as ministering to people in war zones and overlooking operations to help save sexually trafficked children. “But in the last year, God began to give me a burden like never before for my own nation,” Feucht said. In the interview with The Washington Examiner, Feucht expressed how even if he didn’t make it to Washington, he would like to see more of the young people being inspired by his campaign. “I want to see a movement of conservative millennials that don’t just whine and complain and go to Twitter,” Feucht said. “I want to see people engage.” “We rarely get these seasons in our lives,” Feucht told CBN. “At least living in the safe zones of the West, where we must make a choice between the fear of God and the fear of men. I know Heaven records our response.”
Illustration by Jonathan Westcott
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NOVEMBER EVENTS On campus For homecoming event information, visit the ORU website.
ORU Theatre “Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley”
Howard Auditorium / Nov. 1-2 at 7:30 p.m., Nov. 2 at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. / Nov. 3 at 2 p.m. / $10 for adults and $5 for students
“Kaleidoscope” Dance Concert Howard Auditorium / Nov. 14-16 at 7:30 p.m.
Local Mother Road Market Birthday Weekend
Celebrate the Tulsa food hall’s first birthday with live music, mini golf, cupcake-decorating, mural painting and more Mother Road Market / Nov. 1-3 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. / Free entry
Rock ‘N Folk ‘N Chili Cook-Off All-you-can-eat chili and live music. Cain’s Ballroom / Nov. 9 at 5:30 p.m. / $15 presale and $20 at the door
An Affair of the Heart
Largest arts, crafts and boutiques show in the state. Expo Square / Nov. 22, 23 from 9 a.m to 6 p.m. / Nov. 24 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. / $10 8 • Oracle • November 1, 2019
People of ORU Daniel Kloehr by Hannah Nelson Staff Writer
The idea started in a 7:50 class. Daniel Kloehr had just finished his morning workout and wanted to stay awake in class. “I needed to grab some form of energy drink or coffee pretty quick. All that really was accessible was a frappuccino,” Daniel said. “To me, it just tasted like a sugary, milk coffee product. I wanted to see if there was anything better out there.” Despite his searching, Daniel didn’t find a drink that really fit the low-sugar, quality-coffee taste he craved. So he created his own. Daniel launched Halo Brew, a cold brew coffee company in May 2019, the day after his graduation from ORU. He graduated with a degree in finance and played on the baseball team, so his undergrad experience yielded many early mornings. The beginning of his junior year, Daniel started looking into creating a product that would fit the needs of college students who want to drink coffee with less sugar. “A lot of the coffees out there are very high in sugar, but I wanted to make something with a great, strong coffee taste but still had the cream and sugar flavor that is not overwhelming,” Daniel said. Halo Brew is a “Sweet, Not Sinful” beverage that comes in four f l av o r s — o r i g i n a l , vanilla, mocha, and maple—and a portion of the proceeds of every can
goes to rescuing, sheltering, feeding or educating orphans, in partnership with the Tulsa non-profit With All My Heart. Daniel had to develop and re-develop the product, failing and restarting, until he finally got it right. But even after the development, several manufactures turned his product down. “When I first started, I thought I could develop a product and get it on the market in five or six months, and it took me two years to do that,” Daniel said. “I had a lot of doors close in that two-year process.” When asked if he ever thought about giving up in the process, Daniel laughed and said, “Oh yeah, there were many times I wanted to give up, but I’m glad I didn’t.” It’s a learning process when opportunities fall flat without any understanding of why, according to Daniel. “Patience will always be an issue that comes up. Sometimes ‘no’ turns into ‘yes,’ and sometimes what you think will be a great opportunity, the door closes,” Daniel said. “Then you ask God, ‘Why did that not work out?’ Then, sometimes the very next day, the opportunity that comes is even better.” What kept him going was going to God in prayer and waiting for the next step. “A lot of the doors that opened came 24 to 48 hours after a door closed. That night before I usually wondered, ‘Really, do I want to keep going? I could move on.’ But doors always opened,” Daniel said. Check out @halobrew_coffee on Instagram or visit halobrew. com for more information. Daniel Kloehr sells “Sweet, Not Sinful” cold brew while helping non-profits. Photo by James Adamski
Photo courtesy of Alireza Etemadi
Recipe: Pumpkin spice chocolate chip cookies by Hannah Nelson Staff Writer
Jacob Brallier on dobro, Adam Muly on banjo and Gabriel Phillips on the cajón. / Photos by James Adamski
Jammin’ with my peaches by James Adamski Staff Writer
Music, family, friends and cans of food—must be none other than Peach Jam. Saturday, Oct. 5 at 6 p.m. marked the second annual Tulsa music festival Peach Jam, started in 2018 by ORU student twin brothers Adam and Isaac Muly for friends and local musicians to gather together and showcase their talents. “Peach Jam is about taking it easy and listening to the music,” Adam said. “Simply put, it’s about family.” The music this year was performed by the Muly family, Gabriel Phillips, Kyle Ross, Jacob Brallier, Mark Zumpano and Tori Sullivan. The Muly Family only charged a can of food for admission to be donated to a local food pantry. Even though rain was in the forecast, the local farm was packed with people coming out to unwind and support, sitting outside on blankets and foldout chairs for over two hours.
The first time around, Adam and Issac knew they would need help to make this event a success, so they called upon their friends from other local bands— Toast, Street Called Straight, John Farrell and others—essentially forming a super band. After Peach Jam, Adam and Issac Muly, Gabriel Phillips, Samuel Bowling and Jacob Brallier formed a band called Los Caballeros and won the 2019 Battle of the Bands at ORU. “We didn’t know if Peach Jam was going to happen again, but people loved it, so here we are,” Adam said. When asked if there would be a part-three Peach Jam, Gabriel Phillips laughed and said, “Only time will tell.” View our Battle of the Bands feature on Los Caballeros at youtube.com/oruoracle.
Step 1. To start, preheat the oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease two cookie sheets or line them with parchment paper and set aside. Step 2. In a large bowl, beat together 1/2 cup of butter (softened) and 1 cup of sugar until fluffy. Add 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree, 1/4 cup of molasses and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Add one egg and stir. Step 3. In a separate bowl, combine 2 1/3 cups of flour, 2 teaspoons of baking soda, 2 teaspoons of cinnamon, 1 ½ teaspoons of ground ginger, 1 teaspoon of ground cloves and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Step 4. Slowly stir dry ingredients into the liquid ingredients until fully combined. Add 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of chopped pecans (optional). Step 5. In another bowl, mix 3/4 cup of sugar and 3 teaspoons of ground ginger and scoop the cookie dough into tablespoonsized balls and roll into sugar/ginger mixture until coated. Place doughballs onto cookie sheets about one inch apart. Step 6. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from oven and place cookies on a cooling rack, allowing them to cool for 1 to 2 minutes. Step 7. Buy a pumpkin spice latte and enjoy your cookies with said-latte. Happy baking!
November 1, 2019 • Oracle • 9
From ‘Yeezus’ to Jesus Kanye West—rapper, songwriter, record producer and fashion designer—drops gospel album by James Adamski Staff Writer Many others thought this day would never come, but on Sept. 29 Kanye West—Yeezus himself— dropped a new album entitled “Jesus is King” for the world to hear. The album clocks in at 27 minutes with 11 tracks, featuring his Sunday Service Choir, Ty Dolla $ign, Ant Clemons, Fred Hammond, Clipse and Kenny G. The most notable thing about the album is that it is a gospel album with few expletives. In the past, Kanye has called some of his previous albums “gospel albums,” including his 2016 album “The Life of Pablo” which he described as “a gospel album with a whole lot of cursing” to radio host Big Boy’s Neighborhood. But this new album, with every track centered on faith, rings very differently in the ears of his listeners. Starting out with the first track “Every Hour,” listeners are met with traditional gospel sounds of a choir proclaiming, “Sing every hour, every minute, every second / sing each and every millisecond / we need you.” This stands as a perfect platform and jumping-off point for the album, especially three tracks later with his song “Closed on Sunday.” Kanye starts hammering his message harder, saying in the lyrics, “Raise our sons, train them in the faith, through temptations, make sure they’re wide awake / Follow Jesus, listen and obey / No more livin’
for the culture, we nobody’s slave.” Kanye preaches a powerful message here, saying that we must stop being slaves to the culture and must follow, listen to and obey Jesus. The album has been long anticipated following months of Kanye’s “Sunday Services” across the country, which were weekly private and public pop-up shows with various artists. After listening, I would say one of the hardesthitting tracks on the album is “God Is.” In this song, Kanye pours out his heart and adoration to God, describing him as “King of Kings, Lord of Lords.” Kanye holds nothing back, saying that it is not about any religion, rather it is about the revolution Jesus brought. The ninth track of the album entitled “Hands On” features acclaimed gospel singer Fred Hammond. Kanye reflects on Christians saying “Told people God was my mission / What have you been hearin’ from the Christians? / They’ll be the first one to judge me, make you feel like nobody love me / Make you
REVERB MUSIC SCENE
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feel alone in the dark and you’ll never see the light.” Kanye is arguably one of the biggest icons in pop culture and holds one of the biggest platforms to speak from, and the fact that he is now using his influence to proclaim the name of Jesus is something to be celebrated and respected. Former Bethel Music and Jesus Culture worship leader Jake Hamilton said it best when he posted on Instagram, “Let’s start a new hashtag. #prayforye...Get the intercession rolling for a man attempting to shine light in the darkness and bring hope to the hopeless.”
ORU STUDENT
FAVORITES
Based on @oruoracle Instagram poll
9% EVERY HOUR 9% CLOSED ON SUNDAY 18% USE THIS GOSPEL 27% GOD IS 36% SELAH
Bad Suns
Jonas Brothers take Tulsa
by James Adamski Staff Writer
by Kendall Brown Staff Writer
“It feels so good to be back here in Oklahoma after two long years,” said Christo Bowman, lead singer of the indie rock band Bad Suns. Bad Suns, a band originally from Woodland Hills, California, played what felt like a hometown show based off of the reception from over 500 fans that packed into the historic Cain’s Ballroom on Sunday, Oct. 6. The night started later than scheduled due to technical difficulties, but that didn’t stop the California band Ultra Q from playing a 30-minute set that foreshadowed the loud and highly energetic show that we were in for. After Ultra Q finished tearing it up, the band Liily from Los Angeles took the stage. Even though it was Liily’s first time playing Cain’s Ballroom, they captivated the crowd with their wild dance moves and blaring sound. Finally, around 9:40 p.m., the moment everyone had waited for was about to happen—Bad Suns made their appearance. Opening with the first track off their latest album Mystic Truth, Bad Suns played “Away We Go,” which was a fitting metaphor for what was to follow, as the song says, “We don’t have forever, so away we go.” What followed was an hour and a half that can only be described as a rollercoaster ride through 18 songs, spanning three of their albums. The band closed the show with their hit song “One Magic Moment,” which felt like the perfect song to commence the evening and leave the crowd wanting more. As Bad Suns left the spotlight, Christo grabbed the mic one last time to thank the crowd and vow to be back soon. Let’s hope it’s not another two years, but if it is, I’m glad I got to experience One Magic Moment with devout fans.
“Nights, flying down the 10, nearly 2 a.m. happiness begins” were the first words the audience in Tulsa, OK heard as the Jonas Brothers took the BOK stage on Sept. 29. The Jonas Brothers—Kevin, Joe and Nick—started in 2005 and quickly became popular with hits such as “Burning up” and “Year 3000.” They grew in fame when Disney signed them to star in “Camp Rock,” later gaining their own TV shows “Jonas” and “Jonas L.A.” In 2013, however, they devastated their millions of fans when the three-brother band broke up. Both Nick and Joe began to work on solo careers, while Kevin had two daughters during that time and a short-lived reality show. Still, age-old fans knew something was missing, and the brothers must have agreed. Six years later they got the band back together and dropped their first single in February 2019 called “Sucker.” Now, they are touring through Feb. 14, 2020—almost one year after their comeback single dropped. BeBe Rexa opened the concert and got the audience moving to her hits “Call You Mine” and “Monster.” After her last song, the lights blacked out, the stadium dimmed, and there was a prolonged moment of silence as the audience waited in anticipation for the band that captivated their childhoods.
“Rollercoaster” was the first song performed, and the screams and sing-alongs could probably be heard a few miles away. Each brother wore a distinctive color from head to toe, keeping in rhythm with their album cover and previous performances. Kevin sported deep purple, Joe dressed in hot pink and Nick in a swanky green. They
sang hits from new and past albums like “Burnin’ Up” and “Year 3000.” The crowd arguably sang those two with the most passion. Of course, even with all the bright colors, balloons and extravagant decorations, there were a few parts that hit a little harder. On the back screen of the main stage, the Jonas Brothers had recorded videos that played in between songs, showing them as adults meeting their childhood selves, seeing who they were and would become. They were touching videos, but by far the one with the best reactions was later on in the show. Nick Jonas had come out performing “Jealous,” his successful song that ranked No. 8 on Billboard Hot 100 in 2015. Joe then joined him to perform DNCE’s “Cake by the Ocean.” While the audience went wild for these performances, there was one thing missing—Kevin. The stadium went black and filled with a chorus of fans chanting Kevin’s name. Then the screen lit up, showing Kevin meeting his younger self while holding his two daughters. The whole arena filled with claps and cheers, and all three Jonas brothers came back on stage to sing “Come Back” from their new album. “You know, when we first talked about getting the band back together, my first question was ‘Would anybody care?’” said Kevin. He paused as the audience went up in uproar. He then circled back to his brothers to continue the show. These moments demonstrated how the three brothers had been held captive by what they were, but were now able to see all the things that had come from not only their band, but the undying love they had for one another. Many people probably left the show with their ears bleeding and feeling as if their 12-year-old self was walking away with them. But the Jonas Brothers, while putting on a great show, showed us that the past isn’t bad or scary, and it isn’t something to run from. You can meet your younger self and say, “I think I know you, would you like to know me?”
November 1, 2019 • Oracle • 11
Photos by James Adamski
View full photo galleries at oruoracle.com/lifestyle
TV & FILM
Review: Joaquin Phoenix’ “Joker” by James Adamski Staff Writer “The worst part of having a mental illness is people expect you to behave as if you don’t.” - Arthur Fleck, also known as the Joker. This quote is the backbone of the 2019 film “Joker,” which was directed by Todd Phillips. As true as the quote is for Arthur Fleck, the Joker character’s given name, I believe it is equally true for today’s society. The Joker isn’t a typical film that shows Batman’s greatest enemy; instead of your traditional superhero film, the audience gets an honest look at the downward spiral of modern society. Starting in September 2018, Todd Philips and the film crew started on a yearlong journey to bring the story written by Todd Phillips and Scott Silver to life. The story of the infamous Joker revolves around a man named Arthur Fleck, played by Joaquin Phoenix, as he tries to find his place in the world. He works as a clown but dreams to be a professional comedian, admiring the character Murray Franklin who is a talk-show host played by Robert De Niro. The movie clocks in at just over two hours and is an emotional rollercoaster much like Arthur’s life. “Joker” touches on many topics ranging from what the world says an ideal man looks like to how we treat those with mental illness. As quoted earlier, Arthur’s character doesn’t feel accepted or normal due to how the world treats people with mental illnesses. “Joker” is a film that sees the world’s issues, and instead of ignoring them, it calls them out and deals with them head on. This film
makes the audience take a real look at society, while possibly dealing with the inner clown in themselves. Jonny Boucher, who is the founder and CEO of Hope for The Day, a company that offers help and material on Mental Health and Suicide awareness, said, “If we are going to be proactive about mental health, we must meet people where they are and not where we expect them to be.” I think this is the whole point of “Joker,” because it shows that when society forces a person to be someone they’re not, they might turn into the worst version of themselves. Illustration by Jonathan Westcott
“Chaos Walking” may never run by Alejandro Contreras Design Editor What happens when a $100 million film seems destined to never be released? Fans wish to know. In October 2011, Lionsgate Entertainment acquired the rights for a movie adaptation of the novel “The Knife of Never Letting Go” written by Patrick Ness, the film to be titled “Chaos Walking.” This was great news for the fans of the book, considering the company has created several big hits out of book-tomovie adaptations. In August 2016, it was announced that the Star Wars star Daisy Ridley had joined the cast, and later in the year Tom Holland had been cast as the main character. The creation of the film could not have been more appealing to its future audience.
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The beginning of production started in August 2017, and it took over four months to complete, ending in November 2017. The movie was announced to be released in late 2018 but was moved to early 2019. The movie was ready to be in theaters in February, but the release was delayed again. There is currently still no release date for the film’s premiere. The reason for the delay of the “Chaos Walking” coming out is unknown. Lionsgate announced that due to crucial re-shoots, the first product was unreleasable, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal. But because of Tom Holland and Daisy Ridley’s full schedules for “Avengers: Endgame,” “Spider-
Man: Far from Home” and “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” they were unable to do the needed re-shoots until 2019. Considering both actors were teenagers when the initial shooting took place, people speculate that re-shooting two years later will cause problems for Lionsgate because the actors’ age gaps would be noticeable between the original and the new shooting. Some people believe this movie is coming out sometime during 2020, while other people believe it will never come out. The release for the book-tomovie film “Chaos Walking” will remain a mystery until a release date surfaces or until Lionsgate delivers the bad news that it won’t be released.
TRAVEL
An American’s guide to Montreal by Faith Wilson Opinion Editor
If you happen to find yourself in Montreal, Canada, consider these tips I gathered from my time up north over fall break.
1.
Brush up on French
All Canadians are going to speak English, but for the signs it’s better to know a bit of French. Quick tip: “sertie” is “exit” and “toilette” or “water closet” is the bathroom.
2.
Save locations on your maps
Save bus and subway routes for easier traveling, especially for when you lose service.
3.
Tell your bank you’re traveling
Primarily, I opted to use my card rather than use cash, but I like to carry some cash for convenience. Also, let your bank do the conversion, as it
is typically cheaper than buying Canadian dollars or letting a store convert the money.
4. If you’re in a tourist location, ask for suggestions and help from workers Odds are, if you’re in a tourist district, everyone else there is also a tourist, except for the workers. Make it easy on yourself and ask those paid to help.
5.
Appeal to their interests
6.
Don’t be afraid to explore
They love Leonard Cohen, Shawn Mendes and pretty much any Canadian celebrity who’s made it big in the U.S. Some of the best places I found were when I hopped on the subway, got off at a random spot and explored my surroundings without my phone. Most of Montréal is very safe, so there isn’t much risk in walking anywhere.
Faith Wilson and a friend visited Montreal, Canada. / Photo provided by Faith Wilson
Study Abroad: I stood where Paul stood by Nina Lange
International Correspondant
Find Turkey on the map, slide your finger west across the Black Sea, and you’ll find the place that I call home this semester. Bulgaria is a beautiful country full of beautiful people who speak a beautiful language—which I am slowly but surely learning. Sofia, where I’m staying, is the capital city nestled in the valley between giant, green mountains. Right out my window, I have a clear view of Mount Vitosha. For a week, my study-abroad team stayed in Athens and was given a historical tour by a local pastor-missionary. The first place we visited was the Acropolis. The Acropolis is an ancient grouping of buildings which include the famous Parthenon. Construction began in the early fifth century. But there’s also a biblical side to the area, which I did not know. Nearby is Mars Hill where Paul once stood as he addressed the Greeks in Acts. Of course, Paul did not have the lovely view of tourists climbing through the ruins of
Acropolis like ants or the white buildings sprinkled throughout modern day Greece. We were also taken to Corinth, which was not as populated by tourists and looked a bit more like I think it would have in Paul’s day. There are still some stone structures standing about, or at least the foundation of where marketplaces and store fronts would have been. And I walked where Paul walked, trying to imagine what it would have looked like in biblical times where donkeys and merchants bustled about rather than stray dogs and tourists. All my life I have read the Bible and formed images in my head about what the places mentioned might have looked like, and I’m sure you have done that, too. So, when I was standing there, in the exact spot Paul stood thousands of years ago as he spoke the name of Jesus to the Corinthians, I felt humbled and amazed that here I was, a young girl who had never truly been persecuted for her faith, walking in the footsteps of a man who had been thrown in prison, beaten nearly to death and ridiculed since the day he accepted Jesus.
Jesus presented himself before Paul, and Paul had a choice between accepting God’s mercy or continuing on the destructive path he was on. And even though the circumstances are entirely different, we are all asked the same question by Jesus. Do you choose me, or not? Paul decided to choose Jesus and went from a man who killed God’s people to a man who would willingly die for Jesus. Because he was such a feared man before he converted, it was not easy for him to turn his life around and follow Jesus. This man lost everything— his status, his friends and his reputation, and he began hanging out with those he once hunted to kill. But he was willing to sacrifice everything to follow Jesus. And as I stood in the exact spot Paul stood as he was persecuted, I thought to myself of all the times I doubted my faith and questioned God and thought maybe this Christian life wasn’t for me. If this man could unashamedly shout the name of Jesus from the rooftops despite everything, who was I to not do the same? And I want to know, will you not do the same?
November 1, 2019 • Oracle • 13
The curse of the cup by Brendon Martin Sports Editor The Tulsa Oilers opened their 2019-20 season under the glimmer and glory of the Stanley Cup at the BOK Center. On Oct. 19, Tulsa hosted the prize possession of the National Hockey League (NHL), the famous Stanley Cup. Defending Stanley Cup Champions, the St. Louis Blues organized the cup’s trip to Tulsa with the Oilers general manager, Taylor Hall. The Oilers serve as the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) affiliate of the NHL’s St. Louis Blues. “We could go to different cities like we are here now in Tulsa, with the ECHL, and we’re promoting their home opener tonight,” one of the individuals in charge of transporting the Stanley Cup, Howie Borrow, explained to the Tulsa Beacon. “We’re always doing something to promote the game and to be able to share the Stanley Cup with people all over the world.” Hockey fans filled the hallways and floors of the BOK Center anxiously waiting in line to catch a personal picture with the Stanley Cup or even put an arm around it. After the game, fans took to the ice for more pictures with the prized cup. The night kicked off what marks the Oiler’s
sixth ECHL season, defending Mountain Division Champions and coming off a strong 2018-19 year with a 58.3% win percentage. Fittingly, the Oilers won their season opener 5-2 against the Kansas City Mavericks. This season, the Oilers record is 2-6 so far, and their schedule boasts a total of 72 home and away games, giving fans plenty of chances to see the team in action. “For more than 20 years it’s been widely believed touching the conference championship trophy is bad luck,” wrote Travis Durkee of Sporting News. Perhaps this “curse” is an explanation of the Oilers 2-6 record or maybe it is nothing more than superstition. At the BOK Center, all games on Monday to Saturday will begin at 7:05 p.m., and Sunday games will kick off at 4:05 p.m. In true Tulsa Oilers fashion, following every home game the team will host a postgame skate with the players. Throughout the fall and spring, Tulsans have a myriad of opportunities to determine for themselves whether or not this “curse” has struck the city of Tulsa and its beloved hockey team, the Tulsa Oilers. On Oct. 11, the Tulsa Oilers won 5-2 against the Kansas City Mavericks. / Photo by James Adamski
Making history Sooner or later by James Adamski Staff Writer Seven NCAA Championships, 48 Big 12 Championships and seven Heisman trophies all belong to one of the highlights of Oklahoma: the University of Oklahoma Sooners. The Sooners are one of the best football teams in the country, currently ranked tenth in the nation out of 130 Division 1 teams in the United States according to the Associated Press rankings. The University of Oklahoma boasts loyal fans of the team, and every year they expect great things, hoping the team brings home another NCAA Championship. Last season, the team made the playoffs, won the Big 12, earned a second
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consecutive Heisman trophy, and finished 12-2. With this history, the stakes are high. The Sooners have the chance to make history this year and do something no NCAA school has done before—winning the Heisman trophy for a third consecutive year. The Heisman Trophy, an award for the most outstanding player, is the toughest individual trophy to win in college football, with 11,050 different players in the running. Since the award was first handed out in 1935, only four teams have ever won it two years in a row. Oklahoma could be the first to win it three years in a row. These chances rest on one man—quarterback Jalen Hurts. Initially playing for the University of Alabama,
Hurts decided to transfer to the University of Oklahoma in January 2019. Hurts immediately settled into his new role as starting quarterback and set the NCAA on lookout after throwing for 332 yards, three touchdowns and rushing for 176 yards in his first game. This season, he has thrown for 2,469 yards, 21 touchdowns and rushed for 801 yards. His case for the Heisman is fairly strong, but he faces competition from his former teammate, the starting quarterback for the University of Alabama, Tua Tagovailoa. Whether you are a diehard fan or enjoy watching college football leisurely, the Sooners provide an array of potential records to root for this season.
The wages of sports is . . . more wages by DayRonda Gause Staff Writer
Throughout the history of collegiate athletics in the United States, student athletes have been prohibited from receiving compensation to compete. However, this will be changing according to a recent bill passed in California in September. Senate Bill 206, known as the Fair Pay to Play Act, states that it will be legal for athletes to accept income for the use of their name, image and likeness. Endorsements, financial deals and anything that shows off their athletic skills are just some of the ways that student athletes in California will be able to earn some extra money. ORU women’s basketball assistant coach, Lee Mayberry, sees the benefits for many student athletes who are willing to take this opportunity. “All students attend college in pursuit of a successful future. I believe this statement is very true for student athletes as well,” Coach Lee explained.
“Not every student who is working toward a successful professional future has the financial resources necessary. As a college coach, we can say to our athletes ‘you are receiving a college degree with additional resources while doing what you love to do.’” If an athlete chooses to follow it, the university or coach will not be able to block the contract or exclude a player from engaging in official team activities. Also, an athlete cannot sign into a brand contract that is not the same brand contract as their institution. In certain ways, this law is a threat to the NCAA rules and regulations that have been set in stone for many years, that has made it possible for every university within their own conference to have fair rights. This law raises the questions of fair recruitment for athletes that are doing things to get noticed by coaches in and out of the state and how it blurs the fine line between college and professional sports. Good communication is the one thing that many
people are counting on until the “Fair Pay to Play Act” goes into full effect in 2023, and there are other states looking into creating similar laws just like this one. On Oct. 29, the NCAA decided to allow student athletes “the opportunity to benefit from the use of their name, image and likeness in a manner consistent with the collegiate model,” as the press release states. The NCAA Board of Governors’ decision urges each of their three collegiate divisions to begin drafting and updating their policies based on student athletes newfound eligibility to receive compensation. The board requested divisions to work immediately and to have policies in place no later than January 2021. “I believe there is room within athletic budgets to take on the challenge,” said Coach Lee. “However, I believe that should not be compared to a professional level or layered dependent upon talent. It should be reasonable but leveled across the playing field no matter how large or small the institution.”
Playing platforms for politics by Halle Richards Staff Writer
Noises surround you—chants, stomping, crying and laughing. Bright lights and colorful jerseys are in front of you. You devour anything your heart desires from foot-long hot dogs to overstuffed supreme nachos to pretzels on a stick. Your adrenaline is pumping as the clock ticks down, hoping your favorite team wins. When the game is over, you go home and wait to do it all over again the next week. Many Americans admire sports and the professional athletes who play the game. These women and men are heroes to many teenagers and kids. Here are some examples of athletes who have received attention for their public stances. Colin Kaepernick is a former NFL quarterback, not only known for his unstoppable plays on the field but also for
his political activism—kneeling during the national anthem in protest of police brutality and racism against African Americans in the United States. “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” Kaepernick told NFL Media. “To me, this is bigger than football, and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.” Following Kaepernick’s lead, NBA stars Lebron James and Dwyane Wade took a stand for Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black teenager who was shot by a neighborhood crime-watch volunteer on Feb. 26, 2012. Both Wade and James posted pictures on their social media wearing hoodies in honor of Martin. “As a father, this hits home,” Wade said. Tim Tebow, another former NFL quarterback, lost his job after
numerous public statements about his faith and beliefs and the media frenzy that surrounded him. These athletes are only a few of the many public stances that have taken place on and off the field among professional athletic teams all around the country. However, not everyone is on board with these stances. President Trump criticized some NFL players at a 2017 rally, urging team owners to fire players for taking a knee during the national anthem. He guaranteed that “things will stop” if fans “leave the stadium” when players take a knee. In 2018, a new NFL policy required players to stand for the national anthem. If players chose not to stand, they had the option to stay in the locker rooms and to come out after the national anthem. Today in America, it seems sports are no longer simply games, instead, sports and politics are present together throughout the arena of athletics. Illustration by Alejandro Contreras
November 1, 2019 • Oracle • 15
We can’t trust the primaries
Josiah Ingegneri Staff Writer Around the time of the 2016 Democratic National Convention, a series of leaked emails revealed that candidate Hillary Clinton was utilizing party funds to benefit her campaign, leaving little money left for state parties. “The agreement—signed by Amy Dacey, the former CEO of the DNC, and Robby Mook with a copy to Marc Elias—specified that in exchange for raising money and investing in the DNC, Hillary would control the party’s finances, strategy, and
all the money raised,” said Donna Brazile, former chair of the Democratic National Committee. If the Democratic political establishment ripped off Bernie Sanders last time around, it might be helping him this time around by ignoring more fringe candidates in favor of mainstream Democratic candidates such as Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. The two primary examples of Democratic presidential candidates who are fighting an uphill battle against the political establishment are Tulsi Gabbard and Andrew Yang. Gabbard, a Democratic senator from Hawaii, qualified for the fourth debate but did not make it into the third. She had reached the unique donor threshold for the third debate but failed to reach 2% in four of the DNC approved polls. Similar to polling criteria for other debates, the DNC polling criteria for the fifth debate will only accept results from 15 poll sponsors. “There’s been a lack of transparency in that whole process about which polls are selected, which aren’t, which they’re seeing as qualifying, which ones are actually polling,” Senator Gabbard said, via The Hill.
Gabbard had received more than 2% in many polls, but DNC criteria did not accept these. In a different way, candidate Andrew Yang, whose popularity has increased, has faced discrimination. A video from the NBC second Democratic debate confirms Yang’s claim that his microphone was muted during sections of the debate. In the video, Yang was shown speaking into his microphone with no sound; he raised his hand, and the moderators completely ignored him. An NBC spokesman denied the claim that anyone’s microphone was shut off, but the evidence shows otherwise. Even if his microphone wasn’t shut off, Yang did not get the attention he deserved in the debate, getting the least speaking time of any candidate— two minutes and 56 seconds. “Well I was only asked two questions over two hours, and that’s there for everyone to see,” Yang said on ABC News. The evidence of discrimination against these two candidates reveals that the playing field is far from level, being highly slanted toward the established players who already get more than enough attention.
Forcing kids into the spotlight
Halle Richards Staff Writer It is no secret that children who become famous at a young age are prone to experience public breakdowns resulting in drug or alcohol addiction. Take Britney Spears for example—an American singer and an all-around performer. In 2007, the Queen of Pop had a mental breakdown
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that led to the shaving of her head. She then appeared at an MTV Music Video Award performance dazed by alcohol and attacked a photographer. Another example would be Amanda Bynes, an American actress and fashion designer, who spent six months in rehab after erratic behavior, accused her dad of child abuse on Twitter and got arrested a second time for a DUI. Many public figures from the younger generation seem to make poor decisions. The problem may be right under our noses. One of the overarching reasons child stars sometimes go off the deep end is their parents’ influence. Parents can be one of the most significant assets in a child’s life or one of the biggest curses. In the performance
industry, parents can sometimes force their kids into acting, singing or dancing for their own financial gain. The young people soon realize they are being used and start to resent their parents by acting out and parents lose control of their child publicly. “If you don’t have a really stable parental unit that’s setting limits ahead of time, then the roles get flipped easily, and the child becomes the parent. They’re not ready for the responsibility. And you see kids spin out a little bit,” said psychologist Ginger Clark, an associate professor of clinical education at the University of Southern California. Greta Thunberg is a 16-yearold Swedish environmental activist focused on climate change. She is highly visible in the media right now
and using that platform to take on world leaders. “This is all wrong,” said Thunberg at the G7 Climate Change Summit. “I shouldn’t be up here. I should be back in school on the other side of the ocean. People are suffering, people are dying, entire ecosystems are collapsing, and we are on the verge of a mass extinction, and all you can talk about is the money...How dare you?” The response to her speech has gone worldwide. She is a kid. She can’t vote and she is onstage talking about climate change and calling out world leaders. Protecting the younger generation is the job of parents. Children are the future. By making good choices for their children, parents can pave the way for a better tomorrow.
Thanksgiving without thankfulness
Dillon Valencia Staff Writer It is recognized by the familiar mouth-watering aromas—the pumpkin pies, the mashed potatoes and—you guessed it—turkey. Thanksgiving is a time for gatherings and a time to spend with family, with moments where we can stop and say what we are thankful for. Arriving on the fourth Thursday of every November, Thanksgiving plays a major role in the United States, including the Christian community, but I can’t help but wonder if all of us are actually thankful during the holiday.
Thanksgiving had its origins in the early 1600s at Plymouth in modern-day Massachusetts. Pilgrims settled with native Americans and feasted together for three days. But Thanksgiving didn’t become a national holiday until Abraham Lincoln was in office and officiated it as a day of “Thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father.” In our modern world, holiday festivities are simply celebrated because of tradition, and many have forgotten the real meaning. When some people hear the word “Thanksgiving,” they think of turkey and Black Friday shopping. Americans should re-adopt the real meaning of Thanksgiving, which is thankfulness. With sales boosting in the stores, people are focusing on consumerism and forgetting to be thankful. Thanksgiving has become a money-driven holiday, a break from school and work, but often those celebrating leave out the most important aspect—God. Both my mother and my aunt work for retail department stores during the holidays and have to leave for work mid-dinner because of Black Friday shopping. Holiday sales are robbing families of that quality time. Black Friday isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but if consumers were to shift their focus, the
holiday would become more about spending time with others and being thankful rather than getting the cheap gifts at your local Best Buy. Even though Black Friday is generally intended for Christmas gifts, the sales should take place later. If they occurred the following week, it would not take time away from Thanksgiving. “I take it as a time to spend with family, but some people aren’t even thankful. If the only reason you look forward to Thanksgiving is food and Black Friday, you’ve lost the meaning of it,” said Francisco Lopez, a freshman mechanical engineering major. “God gave me the opportunity to be here at ORU— that’s something to be thankful for.” For many international students, this is going to be their first Thanksgiving. “It’s a day where Americans are thankful for something, I don’t know what. I know they celebrate by eating turkey,” remarked Ivan Samuel Esley, a computer engineering major from India. Thanksgiving is quickly approaching, and as Americans, we could shift the narrative of our holiday by making it less of a business opportunity and more of a time for true reflection on what we are thankful for and what God has done in our lives.
Satire: Men can’t thrift
Davis Dewar Contributing Writer It was announced last month that Tulsa would be getting a new thrift store at the start of 2020. The ground-breaking new shop has a new feature that is burning a hole in customer’s wallets. Setting it apart from other thrift stores in Tulsa, the inventory is 100% men’s clothing but sells solely to women. Female college students across Tulsa are raving at the news. “Oh, I love it. It’s so fetch. I can finally buy cheap sweaters that fit just right,” said ORU student Helga
Kardashian, who says she plans on clearing out the men’s section of large hoodies. “It’s always a pain trying to find cheap sweaters. The ones in the women’s section just don’t fit the way that I like them so I always run by the men’s section to see if they have something cheap that I can find.” The news has excited male Tulsans, such as midtown resident Joe Mama, who plans on visiting his favorite thrift store, Community Thrift after the new year in hopes that they will have a better selection of men’s wear, considering a portion of the girls will be shopping elsewhere. “Maybe now I can actually find some affordable clothes that actually fit! I have been trying for years to find large jackets and sweaters that are
worth wearing, but by the time I get there, everything is gone,” said Joe Mama. The owner, who has asked to remain anonymous, replied to a question about their store policy by citing recent revenue data. “It’s nothing personal. It’s simply business. Why would I have a section of my store devoted to a demographic that buys so little? We all know that the only people buying men’s clothes are women,” stated the owner. Any men who try and enter the store are politely asked to leave or sit on the benches outside of the store. When asked whether or not men should be allowed inside, no further comments were given. To say the least, the ladies of Tulsa are ready to take this innovative thrift store by storm. Illustration by Sterling Zoe Rubottom
November 1, 2019 • Oracle • 17
Yes, creativity can pay the bills
Staci McCoy Managing Editor “Oh…that’s fun!”—this is often the response I receive after telling people my major, public relations. Possibly they’re just confused as to what public relations professionals do in the real world—we’re everywhere and do just about everything, FYI—but it seems too purposefully opposite of the responses to a future doctor or engineer or businessman. My twin sister is a nursing major, so I regularly notice the opposing reactions when people hear “public relations” and “nursing.” When most people hear anything involving numbers or science, their eyes get big, their eyebrows slide up, impressed by the student’s decision of study. Meanwhile, the creative majors like graphic design, cinema, TV and theatre beckon the automatic question, ‘And what are you going to do with that?’ As if they need a professional field connection to deem the major choice as legitimate. Coincidently, creative majors at ORU are trapped in the tunnels of the LRC, shunned from sunlight and other students. Don’t get me wrong, I know majors falling in the “creative” realm look like loads of fun and goofing off, but maybe, just maybe, there’s a reason for that.
Yes, everyone is creative in their own way, but not everyone is artistically creative. Those who create beauty with images, film, writing and other artistic avenues are naturally gifted to do so. No one can learn to have a good hand for painting; no one can learn to write powerful literature—it won’t happen. Even if the techniques and structures are learned, no one can learn to have a natural gift. I firmly believe that if I applied myself, I could be a nurse, engineer or businesswoman. It is a matter of studying the material and understanding the field. Yet, I do not believe that someone who is not naturally gifted in art can make themselves an artist. Only those with a natural eye, hand and mind can create material that influences others. Some creative major classes might appear to be all fun and games, but I’d like to see a business major try to make an appealing and informative layout design based on nothing but their imagination—it probably won’t compare to someone who naturally thinks in terms of design. This is nothing personal against business majors; let me be clear, they do a great job. There is also a difference in passions; just because someone enjoys art does not mean they are determined—or even good—enough to create a career from their passion. Thus, it becomes a personal passion rather than a lifestyle of expression, plus they never professionally develop or learn about the specific area. Some people act as though just because they are somewhat decent in an artistic avenue that they have the same ability and skill level as a creative major who has intentionally targeted that gift. The mere enjoyment of a past-time hobby will typically not match the skill of one who commits a lifetime to bettering that same hobby, which to them is a means of both keeping sane and living.
Creative careers require discipline, development and time. The world of art is always changing while simultaneously including principles and inspiration from the past. This means artistic creatives cannot learn one individual area of art, but rather must learn multiple talents and methods to gain a broad knowledge of their skill. It’s a constant process of improving and learning various skillsets. Creative majors also require space and time to activate the right side of the brain, the “creative” side. When my projects or papers are dependent on creativity, as opposed to research, tests, etc., I absolutely cannot do it to the best of my ability if I’m stuck in my left brain. I’ll have to get away from people, chug some coffee, play uppity music and type out all of the thoughts from my left brain until my right brain kicks in. If that doesn’t work, I have to do something completely unrelated to school. There is no “cramming” when it comes to creativity. Basing one’s life on the ability to operate creatively adds an immense amount of pressure on that natural gift—creatives are regularly inspired but also intimidated by other creatives. Our future is not determined by test scores, school rankings or promotions; our future is determined by how well we steward our natural gifts of externally presenting what we internally see. Everyone, I assume, seeks to do something they’re passionate about, even if that’s finance, education or science. Creative majors, however, get the benefit of transforming their imagination into tangible beauty with that passion. Rather than scoffing at your creative major friends for having a semester-long project of an art display or a full screenplay while you have test after test after test, show some love for their confidence and ability to build an entire life on their passion to create.
“Creative careers require discipline, development and time.”
18 • Oracle • November 1, 2019
Answer from Oct. 4 edition
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November 1, 2019 • Oracle • 19