F O U RT H E S TAT E February 18, 2019
GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY'S STUDENT NEWSPAPER
Volume 6 Issue 15
IT’S MILLER TIME 15 page
A
GREENER FUTURE News page 03
ARTIST’S ALLEY
Culture page 09
SHORTEN THE GAP Sports page 16
QUEER AND CHRISTIAN @ivestate | gmufourthestate.com
Opinions page 18
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02.18.2019
FOURTH ESTATE
GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE
ALEXANDER SHEDD Editor-in-Chief
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
BASMA HUMADI Managing Editor IZZ LAMAGDELEINE Copy Chief
Dear Patriots, This past Valentine’s Day marked the one-year anniversary of the deadly shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school in Parkland, Florida, that left 17 dead and 17 injured. The tragedy led to the rise of survivors from the Parkland shooting such as Emma Gonzales and David Hogg, whose shift toward activism sparked a larger conversation on the topic of gun reform in the U.S. At the high school this past Thursday, grief counselors were available on hand, along with a number of resources that provided support for students. School let out early, and many attended an interfaith service later that day which also highlighted the many service projects that launched in honor of the victims. It is a reminder that even as our national attention has diverted to the other newsworthy stories of the week, many still live with grief and are still coming to terms with an event that will mark them for years to come. This week in News, feel free to check out our stories on updates to what is happening in Virginia politics with Ralph Northam and Justin Fairfax, as well as our story highlighting Mason law school professor Neomi Klein’s nomination as Trump’s pick for the U.S. Court of Appeals in D.C. In our Opinions section, we have some honest pieces on “A Survivors Dilemma” and how “Your Mental Health Doesn’t Belong to Anyone’s Schedule.” I appreciate the Mason students who share their deeply personal experiences and choose to write about them in our paper, as well as all the Mason students who write for us, period. My heart goes out to you all. In Culture, read on to find out more about a new Gender and Social Justice Living Learning Community (LLC) that’s coming to Mason. In Sports, check out our cover story about Men’s Basketball player Jordan Miller. If you have any questions, comments of appreciation or criticism, or want to know more about getting involved with us, send us an email over at masonfourthestate@gmail.com
LIZ ELKIND ZARA FAROUK SARAH LURIA BEN STOVNER Copy Editors DANA NICKEL News Editor ABIGAIL ADCOX Assistant News Editor MONICA ECHOLS Culture Editor HAILEY BULLIS Assistant Culture Editor CHRIS KERNAN-SCHMIDT Opinions Editor NATALIE HEAVREN Sports Editor DOMENIC ALLEGRA Assistant Sports Editor LAUREN SULLIVAN Investigative Editor KRISTEN TALMAN GMU Korea Coordinator
Sincerely, Basma Humadi
ALLIE THOMPSON Photo Editor
Managing Editor
ALEXANDRIA MCALPINE Art Director BILLY FERGUSON Online Director LAURA SCUDDER Social Media Editor
We are always recruiting volunteers for: - WRITERS - VIDEOGRAPHERS - ILLUSTRATORS - COPY EDITORS - PHOTOGRAPHERS
For all inquiries, please email: masonfourthestate@gmail.com
DOMINIQUE BERNARDINO Multimedia Editor EMMETT SMITH Distribution Manager KATHRYN MANGUS Director DAVID CARROLL Associate Director JASON HARTSEL Assistant Director
Last Issue’s Corrections: Page 11 - Photo credits for “Mason Student and Graphic Designer Jie Zheng Is On The Come Up” story was misattributed to NAPIZUM magazine. The correct attribution is M Magazine.
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COVER PHOTO CREDITS Ibrahim Ahmad / Courtesty of Giantkiller.co
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A GREENER VISION
The Green New Deal resolution seeks to cut emissions, create jobs ALEXANDRIA MCALPINE ART DIRECTOR
Three hundred billion dollars is how much money the United States spent on 16 natural disasters in 2017. Six is the average number of natural disasters a year. The Green New Deal website describes the program as “moving America quickly out of crisis into a secure, sustainable future. Inspired by the New Deal programs that helped us out of the Great Depression of the 1930s, the Green New Deal will provide similar relief and create an economy that makes our communities sustainable, healthy and just.” The resolution aims not only to end America’s dependence on fossil fuels, but also to create millions of jobs and boost the country’s economy.
of jobs on projects changing the country’s dependence on fossil fuels to systems powered by renewable energy.
climate change and major economic shifts, which it referred to as “frontline and vulnerable communities.”
The third goal of the Green New Deal resolution plans “to invest in the infrastructure and industry of the United States to sustainably meet the challenges of the 21st century.”
NPR pointed out that this is a nonbinding resolution, meaning that while its passing would hold great significance symbolically, “it wouldn’t itself create any new programs.”
Repairing infrastructure includes roads and buildings destroyed by natural disasters and building renewable energy power systems, such as solar panels and wind turbines.
The resolution has found support with progressives such as 2020 presidential candidate Kamala Harris, as well as Mason students who are following its progression into Congress.
The fourth goal of the bill is “to secure for all people of the United States for generations to come clean air and water, climate and community resiliency, healthy food, access to nature and a sustainable environment.”
calls for.” Despite the support from prominent Democrats and Americans who are following the resolution closely, it could still be harder to sell in Congress. One of the reasons why the resolution may face an uphill battle for bipartisan support is the cost. Forbes described the Green New Deal as “nothing short of a wholesale re-imaging of our national economy.”
E l i j a h Nichols, a
“Overhauling transportation systems … to remove pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector as much as is technologically feasible.” FOURTH ESTATE ALEXANDRIA MCALPINE
The second is to “create millions of good, high-wage jobs and ensure prosperity and economic security for all people of the United States.” FDR’s New Deal during the Great Depression initiated the creation of jobs and programs to pull the country out of economic crisis. The Green New Deal plans to create millions
“Upgrading all existing buildings … and building new [ones] to achieve maximum energy efficiency, water efficiency, safety, affordability, comfort and durability.”
“Working collaboratively with farmers and ranchers … to remove pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from the agricultural sector as much as is technologically feasible.”
“Mitigating and managing the … adverse health, economic, and other effects of pollution and climate change, including by providing funding for community-defined projects and strategies.”
Ocasio-Cortez’s office also told NPR they plan to “upgrade all existing buildings” in accordance with higher standards for energy efficiency. Their goal is to support family farms and “promote universal access to healthy food.” They also want to guarantee a job and high-quality health care for every American.
“Restoring and protecting … fragile ecosystems [by enhancing] biodiversity.”
Within the next 10 years, the resolution aims to complete the following 14 programs to eliminate all greenhouse gas emissions:
“...Promoting the international exchange of technology, expertise, products, funding, and services, with the aim of making the United States the international leader on climate action and to help other countries achieve a Green New Deal.”
According to Ocasio-Cortez and Markey’s resolution, global emissions must be cut in half by 2030, leaving just 11 years to accomplish this. In addition to the bill making the U.S. 100 percent reliant on completely renewable resources, it also works through five main goals that will create nearly 10 million jobs in the next 10 years.
The first goal of the resolution is “to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions through a fair and just transition for all communities and workers.”
“Building, creating or upgrading to energy-efficient, distributed, and ‘smart’ power grids and ensuring affordable access to electricity.”
“Removing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from manufacturing and industry as much as is technologically feasible.”
New York Rep. Alexandria OcasioCortez, along with Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey, introduced the Green New Deal resolution seeking to align with the Paris Agreement. Its goal is to drastically cut U.S. carbon emissions, which will prevent the globe from warming more than 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit by 2100.
Environmental scientists have remarked that 2030 may be a bit of a lofty goal, but with a rigorous plan in place it would be possible to reach the resolution’s goals by 2050.
“Meeting 100 percent of the power demand in the United States through clean, renewable and zero-emission energy sources.”
Ocasio-Cortez’s office wants not only for the demand for energy in the U.S. to be met by clean, renewable resources, but also to move away from the use of nuclear energy.
freshman at Mason, gave a presentation on the resolution to fellow Mason students at a George Mason Democrats (GMU Dems) meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 12.
Finally, the bill aims “to promote justice and equity by stopping current, preventing future, and repairing historical oppression of indigenous peoples, communities of color, migrant communities, deindustrialized communities, depopulated rural communities, the poor, low-income workers, women, the elderly, the unhoused, people with disabilities and youth.”
Nichols told Fourth Estate that he wants to educate his peers on this topic because of his background.
The resolution seeks to protect groups of people who are more susceptible to
“As someone who comes from an area that is on the cusp of an urban scene and a more rural area, I was intrigued by the Green New Deal,” Nichols explained. He continued, “Tackling an issue like climate change does not have to negatively impact the market of jobs out there, especially when we have smart public investments like this resolution
“Building resilience against climate change related disasters.” “Repairing and infrastructure.”
upgrading
the
“Removing greenhouse gases … and … restoring natural ecosystems through proven low-tech solutions that increase soil carbon storage, such as land preservation and afforestation.”
“Cleaning up existing hazardous waste and abandoned sites.” “Identifying other emissions and pollution sources and creating solutions to remove them.”
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MASON LAW SCHOOL PROFESSOR NOMINATED FOR KAVANAUGH’S OLD SEAT
A closer look at Trump’s pick for the US Court of Appeals in D.C. DANA NICKEL NEWS EDITOR
She continued to make the argument that “if [a woman] drinks to the point where she can no longer choose, well, getting to that point was part of her choice.”
Trump’s decision to nominate Rao has been under scrutiny because of her past controversial views on issues like environmental regulation, sexual assault and race. Rao apologized for some of her published remarks on sexual assault when she was vetted by the Senate Judiciary Committee for the position Feb. 6. One controversial writing that the committee brought up was an opinion piece from 1994, when Rao was attending Yale University. The opinion piece, titled “Shades of Gray” that was penned for The Yale Herald, argued that female victims do have a role in their sexual assault. “Battles over date rape reinforce the antagonistic gender stereotypes which justified the old systems of oppression,” Rao argued in it. “I’ve been
multiculturalists seek to “separate and classify everyone according to race, gender and sexual orientation.” In addition to Rao’s complicated views on sexual assault and race, Feinstein expressed concern during the hearing proceeding about her position in the executive branch.
In a letter addressed to Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Rao explained how her views have drastically shifted since she penned her opinions piece.
Rao currently leads the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. This executive agency is in charge of overseeing data collections, and determines whether or not government agencies have addressed problems sufficiently before policies and regulations are drafted.
“While responding to events and debates on campus, I failed to recognize the hurt my words could cause a survivor of such crimes,” Rao wrote, according to an article released by The Hill.
With her role as the administrator of this agency, Rao essentially approves or denies proposals for governmental regulation, which can allow for rules to be imposed quickly or extensively delayed.
In regards to her other controversial views, Rao has also recently been under scrutiny for her published writings on race and multiculturalism. In a piece written for The Washington Times, Rao argued that
During the hearing, Feinstein urged Rao to plan to recuse herself from all cases involving regulations in the Trump administration. In response, Rao stated that she plans to review proceedings involving
PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
to a lot of fraternity parties on this campus. It has always seemed self-evident to me that even if I drank a lot, I would still be responsible for my actions.”
Since his confirmation to the Supreme Court, Brett Kavanaugh’s seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has been vacant. President Trump has nominated Neomi Rao, an associate professor at Mason’s Antonin Scalia Law School.
recusal standards and follow precedent from the D.C. court on the issue. In addition to her role as an associate professor at the law school, Rao also founded Mason’s Center for the Study of the Administrative State. After Mason’s law school was renamed to honor the late Justice Scalia, Rao was able to use funding from the
Charles Koch Foundation to found and establish the center. According to an article released in May 2018 by Slate, the center “opposes federal regulations.” Currently Rao is on leave from Mason’s Antonin Scalia Law School to serve in the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs position.
MASON DONOR TRANSPARENCY CASE COMES BEFORE WRIT PANEL Transparent GMU takes their case to the capital JACK HARVEY STAFF WRITER
The case centers around whether the GMU Foundation, a private entity that processes donations to Mason, is subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). If so, it would require them to release information related to currently private agreements between donors and Mason. Transparent’s main concern is with “undue donor influence,” or understanding how much say in Mason’s academics major donors can have. Transparent is appealing a decision made last summer by Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge John Tran, who
ruled in favor of the Foundation. In his decision, he stated that “as a matter of law, the foundation is not a public body under [the Virginia Freedom of Information Act] as it is presently situated,” and so could not be made subject to FOIA laws.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MATHEW VARGAS
Members of student group Transparent GMU went Tuesday, Feb. 12 to Richmond to have their case against the GMU Foundation and Mason considered by a writ panel of the Virginia Supreme Court.
For the current appeal case, Transparent GMU was represented by lawyer Evan Johns of Appalachian Mountain Advocates. Johns presented a 10-minute oral argument in front of a panel of three justices. According to Gus Thomson, an integrative studies major and member of Transparent GMU, the group will know whether the case will be heard by the court within the next month. “I think this case has a lot of merit,” said Thomson. “I thought [Johns] did a really good job. We think this case is likely to get heard because it seems like a hot-button issue, and a lot of people are paying attention.” Coinciding with the lawsuit, Transparent GMU hosted its 2019 Spring Convergence on Feb. 10, during which they were visited by
Samantha Parsons, a Mason alumnus and director of campaigns of UnKoch My Campus. UnKoch My Campus is a nonprofit that attempts to combat undue donor influence at higher learning institutions across the United States. The convergence took the form of several workshops and presentations led by Parsons that allowed the group to strategize for the semester ahead. Fourth Estate reached out to Parsons for a comment about the current lawsuit. “Recent revelations that George Mason University has accepted financial gifts that provide donors influence over faculty hiring demonstrates the urgency of transparency,” Parsons said. “I hope to see the Supreme Court of Virginia take on
Transparent GMU’s case, as it is vital to empowering the public with the necessary resources to hold our academic institutions accountable.” Parsons is referring to recent attempts by Mason’s administration to work on the school’s relationship with the GMU Foundation, with a new policy in the works following the findings of an internal review committee that looked at current gift agreements in mid-2018. The committee, including members of the administration, Board of Visitors, faculty and students, reviewed 314 agreements. While the committee found no “egregious practices,” 29 gift agreements were “marked for further review.” Of these 29, 18 were marked for academic freedom while 11 were marked for outside party influence.
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INTERNAL BATTLE CONTINUES IN VIRGINIA POLITICS
Northam to kick off “reconciliation tour” Feb. 21 ABIGAIL ADCOX ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
After a whirlwind of a month in Virginia state politics, Gov. Ralph Northam has once again stated he won’t be resigning, instead announcing a “reconciliation tour.”
apology tour was incorrect; it is part of his promise to start a conversation about racial injustice and the need for reconciliation where he intends to listen, learn, and continue to grow as a leader.”
The public was split on whether they believed if he should stay in office. 47 percent wanted him to resign and 47 percent believed he should stay in office in a recent Washington PostSchar School poll.
It is unclear at this time if Northam plans to attend other events in Virginia.
Northam went on to say that he will devote the rest of his term to racial equality in the state. Northam’s first stop on his reconciliation tour will be at Virginia Union University (VUU), a historically Black university. On Feb. 21 Northam will be attending a “Faith, Identity and Social Justice” event at the university, continuing discussions from a previous event led by the Rev. Al Sharpton titled “Reflections on Faith, Community and Racial Reconciliation.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF FLICKR
In an interview with Gayle King of “CBS This Morning,” Northam said, “I have learned. I admit to my mistakes, and I’m going to improve my life and do better and be in a position where I can help other people.”
In a statement to the press about the upcoming event, VUU wrote, “It is important to bring the community together to begin to develop a plan to reach healing and reconciliation.” Other attendees of the event include former mayor of Richmond Rev. Dwight Jones, a recent critic of Northam. Jones called for Northam’s resignation last week, saying, “I think he has lost the confidence of
the people and cannot govern at this point, and the only way for that to happen is for the office to be vacated.”
his advantage because he wants to gain that care back within the Black community.”
The news of Northam’s attendance was hit with criticism from some of the student body. Nicholas Dingle, a sophomore at VUU, said in an interview with 8News, “He’s trying to set the tone, coming to an HBCU [historically black colleges and universities] first. He’s going to use it to
VUU went on to reiterate and expand upon their press statement, stating in a new one that Northam would not be speaking at the event, only attending. The press statement read, “[An] earlier characterization of the governor’s attendance as the start of an
Justin Fairfax, Virginia’s lieutenant governor, has also been dealing with the fallout of allegations against him. Two women have recently come forward with detailed sexual assault allegations, the latest dating back to his time at Duke University. Fairfax has vehemently denied both allegations. According to an article released by The New York Times, half of Fairfax’s staff has resigned and Duke University has asked him to step down from a board position in light of the recent allegations. One Virginia delegate, Patrick Hope, stated that he planned to bring articles of impeachment against Fairfax, but backed down after “an enormous amount of sincere and thoughtful feedback.”
THIS WEEK IN POLITICS Monday, Feb. 4
Tuesday, Feb. 5
Sen. Amy Klobuchar enters 2020 presidential race.
Fourth Estate’s Assistant Sports Editor Domenic Allegra celebrates his twentieth birthday.
U.S. and South Korea sign deal on shared defense costs.
Interior Department’s acting leader David Bernhardt pushes to roll back endangered-species protections on a fish that would benefit a California organization he once represented in D.C. as a lobbyist.
The 2019 Grammys became the “Year for Women” with wins for Lady Gaga, Kacey Musgraves and Cardi B.
Freshman Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar apologizes for her tweets that money from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) is pushing Pro-Israel agendas. Republicans and Democrats condemned the tweets for its “anti-Semitic” tropes.
Wednesday, Feb. 6 Fourth Estate’s Investigative Editor Lauren Sullivan celebrates her twenty-second birthday. A mayor in France offers to house migrants as the French government offers objections. El Chapo is found guilty and now faces life in prison. President Trump states his displeasure over the border wall deal, but does not specify if he will sign it.
Thursday, Feb. 7
Friday, Feb. 8
Federal judge says Manafort lied after his plea deal.
Amazon pulls out of New York City headquarters deal.
Americans reflect on changes and struggles on gun control a year after the Parkland shooting.
Former FBI Director tells “60 Minutes” that the Justice Department discussed removing President Trump.
House votes to end aid for Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen.
William Barr is confirmed by the Senate as the Attorney General.
NASA’s 15-year Mars rover mission concludes.
The United Kingdom’s Prince Philip will not face charges over car crash.
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IMMIGRATION AND LGBTQ+ COLLIDE ON POLICY Associate Professor, Rachel Lewis, tackles immigration in her latest book IZZ LAMAGDELEINE COPY CHIEF
When Rachel Lewis began her dissertation studies, it was not in studies about lesbian cinema or transnational feminism and human rights —it was in musicology, the study of women in opera. “I started to come across issues of sort of queer representation intersecting with issues of immigration and human rights, and then I did a lot more research in those fields and realized that actually I was so passionate about LGBT, immigration and human rights issues that I really started to move in that direction,” she said.
However, some of the experiences that she has had teaching have not been as positive. Within the classes that she taught at the University of Connecticut, she would sometimes encounter students that were unwilling to confront the biases that they held. “Some of the students that I worked with, they often had a sense of entitlement and there was a lot of white privilege in the classroom so navigating that was something that I definitely—I had to be aware of in terms of my teaching,” Lewis said. She continued,“For example, they wouldn’t see white privilege as an issue, they would just make comments in class like ‘Well, I don’t see race, I think everyone’s equal.’”
current political asylum system and the claims of queer women for refugee status.
feminist/queer theory to think through some of those issues,” Lewis continued. Lewis hopes that one day her work might make lasting change on systems such as the asylum process.
“It makes for really interesting class conversations and also for students to kind of learn from each other and their own experiences, that’s really important I think in the classroom,” she said.
“What I’ve found in my research in lesbian asylum is that so, so many queer women, when they’re seeking asylum, their claims are often denied so they end up being kind of deported, so I’m interested in thinking about more about that connection between queer women and what some migration scholars call ‘deportablity’ or ‘vulnerability to deportation,’” Lewis said about the book.
Lewis’ current research projects discuss the complex intersection between immigration policy and LGBTQ+ identity. Her most current ones include looking at the migration crisis from a LGBTQ+ perspective as well as a book that considers the
“Even though people have started to write more about LGBT refugees and LGBT asylum claims, there’s been no books on the study of lesbian asylum claims or the challenges to lesbian claims for asylum so I thought I would use my background in lesbian/
Compared to her time at the University of Connecticut, Lewis explained that her experiences at Mason have been vastly different. She attributed this to the diverse nature of Mason and how that has led to more perspectives as well as healthier discussion in the classroom.
“I think that some of my work which points out kind of the ways in which these claims should be evaluated as opposed to these problematic, through the lense of these problematic stereotypes, could potentially help them to think about these claims in a way that might be more sensitive to people’s lived experiences,” Lewis said. In the future, Lewis wishes to work on issues concerning the environment, as she feels it is such an important issue. She especially wants to look at the way that her immigration policies intersects with environmental justice.
PHOTO COURTESY OF FLICKR
PHOTO COURTESY OF FLICKR
Now, Lewis is the associate professor and concentration head for the master of arts in interdisciplinary studies program within the Women and Gender Studies program, supervising around 15 students that are in the
graduate program.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MASON POLICE
MASON WEEKLY CRIME LOG
Wednesday, Feb. 13-Finley Hall, 6–9 a.m.
Thursday, Feb. 14-Lot K, 12:32 p.m.
Theft from Building: Complainant (GMU) reported the theft of a coffee-maker from an unsecured area
Hit and Run: Complainant (GMU) reported a hit and run of a vehicle.
Case 2019-001449-Pending
Case 2019-001489- Pending
Wednesday, Feb. 13-EagleBank Arena, 7:45–8:40 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 14-Lot A, 5–6:30 p.m.
Simple Assault/Sexual Battery: Three complainants (GMU) reported receiving unwanted touching by the same subject (GMU) during an event at the EagleBank Arena.
Hit and Run: Complainant (GMU) reported a hit and run of a vehicle. Case 2019-001493-Inactive
Case 2019-001466-Referred to Title IX
Wednesday, Feb. 13-Fairfax Campus, 10:13 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 14-Commonwealth Hall, 7:43 p.m.
Drug/Narcotic Violations: Officer discovered subject (GMU) possessing illegal drugs.
Drug/Narcotic Violations: Three subjects (GMU) were referred to Office of Student Conduct (OSC) for possessing illegal drugs.
Case 2019-001471-Pending
Case 2019-001502-Referred to OSC
CULTURE
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DISABILITY SERVICES HOSTS WORKSHOP FOR STUDENTS AND FACULTY AT MASON How Mason serves Patriots with disabilities
D’ANDREA BRADY STAFF WRITER
FOURTH ESTATE BILLY FERGUSON
The Office of Disability Services hosted the Disability Awareness and Inclusion Workshop on Wednesday, Feb 13. The workshop was aimed at addressing the issue of disabilities with etiquette training, awareness conversations and exercises revolving around those who live with the condition physically, emotionally and/or mentally.
According to Jason Northrup, associate director of Disability Services and a psychologist at Mason, about 2,000 students are currently registered with the Disability Office, which is about 5 percent of the Mason population. Enrollment of students fluctuates regularly every semester.
as they design their events,” Northrup continued.
Northrup discussed how the workshops assist and educate students and faculty.
As for future plans, the office is focusing more on meeting the needs of more students at Mason.
“Our goal with this was initially was designed to target faculty and staff, try to educate them about kind of three goals,” he said. “One is our office—how we work, how students with disabilities connect with us. Two, [to] talk about disability as identity. Three, trying to move the conversation towards this thing called universal design, which is just this idea if we are proactive about making things inclusive from the very beginning that it makes it easier for everybody, disability or not, to access moving forward.”
“We’re trying to meet that need for more students, accessing more services. Just recently we’ve posted an hourly position to increase the staff up in the testing center,” Northrup continued. “We’re trying to be a little bit more strategic about this space we do have right now and how we can better use it. ”
“We are trying to help professors, and now students as we try to serve target student groups as well, to be thinking about access as they design their classrooms, as they design their instruction,
The disability services on campus includes accommodation for students such as test room services for those who need additional time on quizzes, midterms and finals, lesser workload in class and access to assistive technology.
The Disability Office is currently in the works of advertising their services for students and faculty/staff in need. “Our goal is to have two more [workshops] for this semester,” Northrup said. “We’re always trying to figure out what’s the best way to market this.” Northrup emphasized that students can register with Disability Services throughout the year. “One of the really, I think, important takeaways
that we try to build into all those workshops [is] students can register with us at any time,” he said. “They can decide on their very first day of classes freshman year. They can decide a week before they’re ready to graduate and they still have a couple of finals to take.” “Any accommodation for a student, whether a student is asking for a certain kind of special housing accommodation or for a test or for a class or a foreign language exemption … comes to us,” he continued. “We should be the first stop for a student saying, ‘I have a disability or I think I have a disability, and I want to talk to somebody about this and see what’s possible.’” Information about Disability Services is online at ds.gmu.edu. Process and documentation guidelines are included as well as request forms for online intake, disability determination, special housing accommodation and emotional support animals. Contact the office if you are in need of special accommodation during the semester. Disability services are offered throughout the semester. The Office of Disability Services is located in the Student Union Building (SUB 1) in room 2500. Office hours are Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
NEW LLC TO COME TO MASON
Gender and Social Justice Living Learning Community will join other Mason LLCs in the Fall LAURA SCUDDER SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR
“‘Why does gender matter in the pursuit of social justice?’ is a conversation we’ll continually be having through courses and programs,” said David Corwin, the program coordinator for the Women and Gender Studies department and the new LLC Coordinator for the Gender and Social Justice LLC. “I really got on board with it the minute we started talking about it … and I’m excited for it piloting,” Corwin said. The Women and Gender Studies department piloted the idea of the LLC after it was brought forth by graduate student
and Potomac Heights Resident Director Christian Suero.
activism for gender-related social justice or studying a unit on gender in a class.
“As I work full-time with Housing and Residence Life, I always enjoy looking for ways to connect academic units, such as Women and Gender Studies, to our department,” said Suero. “When our applications for Living Learning Communities open, I shared with Women and Gender Studies that this seemed like a great initiative for the development of their office as well as an opportunity for collaboration.”
Corwin and his fellow colleagues plan to make the Gender and Social Justice LLC as active as possible throughout the year with trips to D.C.’s museums, film screenings and craft nights.
Students do not have to be women and gender studies majors or minors, or have even taken women and gender studies courses to apply for the LLC. “Many of our students may never take a class with us other than the LLC class and that’s actually fantastic,” said Corwin. All students who are not first-year, first-semester students and have some sort of experience on the topic of gender in relation to social justice are encouraged to apply to the LLC. Such experience could include
“We also hope this is an opportunity to work with other LLCs, like the LGBTQ+ one, Leadership and Community Engagement and the First Generation LLC,” he said. “So, we hope this just extends our footprint in Women and Gender Studies more broadly.” The Gender and Social Justice LLC is not the only new LLC coming to Mason in 2019. New freshman LLCs include Accounting, Pre-Nursing and OGUN Black Male Success. Upper-level additions include the Business & Entrepreneurship LLC. All students interested in the Gender and Social Justice LLC can email David Corwin at dcorwin@gmu.edu.
FOURTH ESTATE NICHOLAS MACOTTO
In Fall 2019, the Gender and Social Justice Living Learning Community (LLC) will come to Mason with a focus on the way gender plays a role in U.S. society. This new LLC is spearheaded by the Women and Gender Studies department, which is the only department on campus that is both part of University Life organization and an academics program. Now, it is a part of the Housing department as well.
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MACOTTO MOVIES
91ST ACADEMY AWARDS - “BEST PICTURE” NOMINEES
NIC MACOTTO STAFF WRITER
KEY: 4 = Great; 3 = Good; 2 = Fair; 1 = Poor; 0 = Ooh, let’s not go there Black Panther is without a doubt one of the most memorable superhero movies ever presented on screen. Its cultural impact should always be acknowledged, as should the fact that it is the first superhero movie ever nominated in this category. Even though it does incorporate the formula that Marvel Studios is known for and does not have the most impressive of visual effects, it stands out by taking on prescient concepts. The themes of racism and feminism are present as it accomplishes mirroring the current political climate in America. Kudos to the actors and the writers for this achievement. [Star Rating: 4/4]
The Favourite can be considered a dark comedy or a comedic drama. No matter how people look at it, this does have some entertainment value. All it needs is five minutes to get people invested. The sets are beautiful, the costumes are exquisite and the actors shine brightly with their dry delivery and sass. Fair warning
Roma needs patience from everyone who watches it but ends up being rewarding in its enthralling narrative. The only film nominated in this category that is from outside the U.S. serves as a passion project for its auteur, director Alfonso Cuarón. It may not offer any critique on American politics despite being set in Mexico and questioning the concept of freedom, but it pulls people in with its stunning imagery. This is a movie that could break hearts and move people to tears. Be prepared upon viewing. [Star Rating: 4/4]
FOURTH ESTATE BILLY FERGUSON
BlacKkKlansman could not have come out at a better time. Released one year after the Unite the Right rally back in 2017, Spike Lee presents a rather terrifying look at racism in America by telling this story that actually happened in history. Although it feels like a cynical history lesson at times, it is one we need to learn. Lee shows that prejudice is not going away anytime soon and neither will the Ku Klux Klan, unfortunately. It hurts to watch the film due to its political commentary and hearing lines that reflect the policies of our current president, but it needs to be seen. Now. [Star Rating: 4/4] Bohemian Rhapsody has to be the biggest surprise in this category. The main problem with the film is the number of historical inaccuracies it contains. Another issue is that it never takes the opportunity to dive into the psychology of Freddie Mercury. Biopics give audiences the chance to learn something new about the subjects it portrays. For Freddie, it is easy to imagine a darker truth behind his ambition for fame, but we will never know. Even though Rami Malek fully transforms himself in this role, the music scenes are fun to watch, and it has what might be the greatest finale in the music biopic genre of all-time. However, it would be better to just listen to a greatest hits album from Queen. Or better yet, the footage of their Live Aid performance. [Star Rating: 2.5/4]
Green Book is impossible not to love. Part road movie, part comedy, part drama, it will put a smile on the faces of everyone who sees it. Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali are an unlikely pair, but the friendship that grows between them in the film is a bond to enjoy. This well-acted film dives into the concepts of racism while challenging stereotypes that have unfortunately plagued daily lives. To those that want to see it, they are in for a good ride. [Star Rating: 3.5/4]
though: this is not for everyone due to its sexual content. However, the final product is a well-made film covering the concepts of love and loss. [Star Rating: 3.5/4]
A Star is Born acts as Bradley Cooper’s directing debut and offers a glimpse of his skills and future career. Not only does he direct the movie, he stars in it, co-wrote it, produced it, sings and plays guitar in it. The picture is a showcase for his talent while also pointing at where Lady Gaga’s career could go. She sings her heart out in a refreshing performance reflected by a raw quality, as we actually see her without any of her crazy outfits. Sure, this is the third remake, and it feels like a rip-off from movies like ‘La La Land,’ but at the core it is an intriguing look at the price of fame. I look forward to seeing what Cooper will helm next. [Star Rating: 3/4] Vice may be expected to receive such an honor due to it being a historical film, but it does not really know what it wants to accomplish. It is advertised as a political satire, but what it trying to say? How can Dick Cheney’s time as vice president point out some truths in the current system of government? Despite an interesting look at the effects of one’s ruthlessness on others and stellar performances, it might be best to just research Cheney’s legacy and let others form their own opinions based on that. [Star Rating: 2/4]
HIDDEN HANGOUTS: VIVI BUBBLE TEA Thank the skeleton on your way out!
LEIGH NORMAN STAFF WRITER
Open seven days a week, Vivi Bubble Tea is a great spot for relaxing. The shop has plenty of hot pink seating for both individual diners and larger groups. They are open until 10:30 p.m. every day, while on Fridays and Saturdays they are open until 11:15 p.m. Located on 6769 Wilson Blvd in Falls Church, Vivi Bubble Tea is a mere 25-minute drive from campus. Don’t arrive too late, or you will not have time to choose your drink. Vivi offers a large range of bubble teas and toppings, from floats to yakult to jade tea, lactose-free milk teas and more. From staples like creamy taro to specialty drinks like their sparkling blue galaxy, Vivi’s menu is enormous. Drinks are available hot or cold.
If you’re hungry, Vivi also has a range of snacks. The Taiwanese pork chop bento is a fun lunch. For the kiddie crowd, boxes with popcorn chicken and sweet potato fries are also available. Another special part of Vivi is their drink sizes. They offer medium and large options. Both are reasonably sized and not too heavy. A common complaint with bubble tea is the cups are often extremely large, difficult to finish and hard to carry around. Vivi’s medium size is perfect for a walk around for block. Vivi is on the far end of the Eden Center, a popular Asian strip mall. So, take your Vivi bubble tea, grab some friends and explore. After your walk around Good Fortune Supermarket, you will go back to Vivi Bubble Tea, guaranteed. You may sample the pork cutlet bento or order the Red Moo drink. When you leave, you will swear that the skeleton above the hot pink swing winked at you. And maybe it did.
FOURTH ESTATE LEIGH NORMAN
The cashier has called your order of taro bubble tea four times, but you can’t hear her. There’s so much to take in. The lobby has a wall swing. The wall swing is bubblegum pink. There’s a winking cartoon skeleton above the swing. All the way from Taiwan, it’s Vivi Bubble Tea.
CULTURE
GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE
02.18.2019
9
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON THE ART COMMUNITY
Mason artists will be selling their art in first ever Artist Alley
“Throughout my time at Mason, I have discovered a large amount of artistic talent in illustration from students across all majors,” she said. “As president of the Illustrators Association of Mason, I designed and executed this event to be our biggest of the year, with the intent of bringing all of those artists together to showcase and share their work with the public.” One artist who will be presenting his work at the Artist Alley is fifth year art and visual technology (AVT) major Dillon Joo. Joo mostly creates digital drawings and illustrations, which he says are different from graphic design. “Graphic designers usually use computer programs to make logos and such, whereas mine [are] more like illustrations,” he explained. Joo began drawing as a child before transitioning into digital drawings, which he felt were “the next step up from pencil drawings.” This will be Joo’s first time at an artist alley, but he said he is “very excited just to have this experience.” He mostly draws animals and prehistoric life, and he will be presenting two of his pieces at the Artist Alley.
PHOTO COURTESY OF DILLON JOO
In addition to his illustrations, Joo also enjoys 2D animation. He also creates a webtoon called “Tears of Thunder,” which he described as
“I mostly focus on illustrations,” Vasgestian Dos Santos said. “For example, right now I’m going to make one for a friend’s T-shirt group’s design … I also do plenty of illustrations for the group, Illustrators Association of Mason. You know illustrations for posters, advertisements, etc. And if not that … I’m trying to focus into more animation, be it 2D or 3D.” He will be selling prints of his art as well as pins for keychains at the Artist Alley.
Roseboro explained that the process of creating the comic “depends on the day.” “Sometimes, I can get three or four pages done,” she said. “Then other days I can push out one, maybe. But most of the time it’s okay, because my friend and my boyfriend help me write some of it.”
As membership chair of the Illustrators Association, Vasgestian Dos Santos also helped organize the event. “I just thought it’s a really good opportunity, not only for me but for everyone on campus that really wants to participate in this,” he said. “Because I think before the Illustrators Association, there wasn’t really that many things related to illustrations and comics and zines, etc.”
International studies major Christiana Yapnayon is another student who will be presenting some of her art at the Artist Alley.
“I think it’s a milestone that we’re doing this at Mason … A lot of people come here wanting to do this, what I’m doing, like illustrations, comics, etc,” he continued. “But there wasn’t so much of a platform to do that, so I think that Illustrators Association and this event especially are huge milestones for this. So I’m actually very happy to be a part of it.” In the future, Vasgestian Dos Santos hopes to follow in the footsteps of other artists like Ashley Wood and pursue being an art director as well as work for commissions. “If people want some art for whatever there is, like maybe they’re going to start a new office or whatever and they need a new logo or an illustration, I’m the kind of guy that you ask for it,” he said. Until then, you can find his work on his Instagram, @vasge_. Another artist who will be presenting at the Alley, senior art major Lazaria “Lala” Roseboro, creates all kinds of art but prefers to focus on digital art. Roseboro has been interested in art from a young age. “When I was younger, I didn’t have a lot of outlets because we were a really strict Christian household, so we were fasting all the time,” she said. “We had to fast from secular activities, so that was just about all I could do.” Roseboro has been a member of the Illustrators Association from its beginning, so when DeCarlo told her about the Artist Alley, she thought it sounded fun. One of the pieces Roseboro is working on is a comic called
Roseboro hopes to turn “Heathens” into an animation for her senior project. She also plans to post it on Webtoons. For now, she posts pictures of her art on her Instagram, @koa_lala.
“I’m mostly selling originals, and I really like whimsical, surrealistic art works,” she said. “And I also like selling fan art, so anything from Nintendo or any video games.” She also posts some of her work on her Instagram, @ wooapple.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRISTIANA YAPNAYON
DeCarlo, a junior graphic design major and illustration minor, was inspired by the School of Visual Arts NYC’s student comics fair and wanted to create a similar event for the students at Mason.
Like Joo, Hugo Vasgestian Dos Santos, a senior AVT major, also creates illustrations and animations.
“Heathens.” “It’s about a demon trying to spite her way into heaven by helping a little boy get back to Earth because she’s somehow got his soul,” she said.
Like the previous artists, Yapnayon has been drawing since she was a child. “Ever since I was young, I just picked up a pencil,” she said. “I started drawing on my mom’s work notebook, and then I got yelled at. So then I started drawing on walls and then I was like, ‘Woah this is fun.’” “I started drawing seriously and try to practice and gain skill in it within I think middle school,” she continued. “So I just carried on with that … I’m really bad at expressing myself verbally, so whenever I come across an issue or some confrontation, I just try to draw out how I feel and stuff.” In addition to selling her own work, Yapnayon also designed the posters and branding for the Artist Alley. She encourages interested students to join the Illustrators Association, which is open to people of all skill levels and majors. She also emphasized that the Artist Alley is “a really good event to spread awareness about the people and talent here at Mason.” DeCarlo expressed a similar sentiment. “I hope for Mason Artist Alley to become an annual event that is a highlight within the art community at Mason,” she said. “I want to see talent emerge from the Mason community, marking Mason as a hub for artists. Ultimately, through Mason Artist Alley, I want to build community, encourage networking and create new friendships among artists at Mason, no matter their intended career path.” For more information about the Artist Alley and the Illustrators Association, follow them on Instagram and Facebook at @masonillustrators or email masonillustrators@gmail.com.
PHOTO COURTESY OF LAZARIA ROSEBORO
Mary Jane DeCarlo, the president of the Illustrators Association and the Artist Alley’s founder, described an artist alley as “a large space, typically within a comic convention, where artists of various specialties display and sell their work in the form of prints, comics, zines, buttons, stickers and much more.”
being similar to Jurassic Park.
PHOTO COURTESY OF HUGO VASGESTIAN DOS SANTOS
The Illustrators Association of Mason will be hosting its first annual Artist Alley on Saturday, March 2 in the HUB Ballroom. Student artists will be selling and displaying some of their original artwork.
MONICA ECHOLS CULTURE EDITOR
10
CULTURE
02.18.2019
DEAR IVY,
GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE
OAT COVERED SHOWERS AND CLOGGED TOILETS
Ivy helps a student who is suspicious Students share stories of the worst experiences they have with the communal bathrooms of a new boyfriend TRAVIS MCMILLAN STAFF WRITER
My first semester of college I met this guy and we hit it off, but he had a girlfriend and I respected that. After a few months of him and his girlfriend being on and off and several huge fights, he told me they had officially broken up. After another month, we started dating. Now six weeks into our relationship I
The first and most important question you must ask yourself is if this boy is worth your time and effort. College relationships are unnecessarily complex and hugely driven by emotions. However unfortunate it may be, it is also common that the “on and off ” situation is widely used despite its unusual circumstances. This does not apply to all people or relationships, but it allows for the fluidity of people to explore all kinds of relations and relationships in a college setting. However, being “on and off ” is no excuse for this guy to be shady with you, when in actuality you are only expressing your concern of where you stand with him. Simply put, it is a red flag. As unoriginal as it may sound, the key to any relationship is honesty while other aspects naturally branch off of it. Given we do not know his motivations for avoiding your questions and he waited until two weeks into
Thanks, Double Dated
your relationship to break it off with this other girl, he is clearly tip-toeing around the subject rather than just answering you and getting it over with. Let’s try to stay positive and give him the benefit of the doubt that maybe he just does not want to talk about this other girl with his new girl—
highly suggest you never do because I am sure you are stronger than you realize, consider the following: 1. Does he add anything positive to your life? 2. To what degree does the overall situation bother you? More or less, can you forgive and forget? 3. Is the relationship you have with him now an equal partnership? For instance, are you both putting in the work or does it seem like you are bearing the brunt? Using this criteria, you are allowing yourself to consider your own values and put them into practice. Get empowered to make a decision. Guaranteed if he is worth your time, he will step up his game. If you decide he is not, then you are in luck. There are plenty more guys out there that will treat you like the queen you are.
FOURTH ESTATE BILLY FERGUSON
Dear Double Dated,
found out he had not actually broken up with the first girl until two weeks into our relationship, but he avoids the topic any time I try and bring it up. What should I do?
you. Regardless, it seems to be that he’s not in a talkative mood. Period. Communication is a two way street and it looks like his is closed for road work until further notice. Instead of waiting on a boy, which I
FOURTH ESTATE BILLY FERGUSON
Dear Ivy,
Best of luck, -Ivy
Send in letters to mechols@gmu.edu
Part of anyone’s first lecture from their parents about college is the talk about the grotesque communal bathrooms and the need for shower flip flops—one of the few arguments for suite style rooms rather than dorm buildings. The traditional dorm bathrooms are shared by 28-40 residents per floor, equipped with four stalls for toilets and four stalls for showering. Whether it is an all-male, all-female or co-ed floor, horrifying memories will still be implanted into anyone who even enters a communal bathroom. Even with the amazing work done by the housekeeping, chaos still slips through the cracks. The stories that follow may shock you. These are not for the faint of heart, so proceed with caution. Brandon Hamm, a management major and a resident of Madison Hall’s first floor, has had multiple experiences with this frankenstein of uncleanliness through his first year at Mason. He claimed to have on multiple occasions seen “two clogged toilets from two separate students being severely sick.” When he opened the stall doors for the last two toilets, they were both covered in some kind of filth and were unusable. On top of all this, on a separate occasion he had seen a shower stall floor almost entirely covered in some kind of crumbs from a power bar or a bar of oats, making it impossible to shower without risking getting soggy oat crumbs all over his feet.
Another resident of Madison’s first floor and biology major Warner Gates provided his own horror story of a communal bathroom. “Walking the lake of bile, as provided by none other than my own roommate, only to realize after a full two trips what I stepped through would be the worst experience I’ve been through in all 18 years of my life,” he said. Nathan Graham, a resident assistant in Presidents Park and music major, lamented about his freshman year living with a communal bathroom. For two straight months, the same toilet got clogged at the same time every Thursday. Students on the floor he is in charge of talked about others who never wear flip-flops in the shower, a place where who-knowswhat kind of bacteria can come together in a 3x3 square stall, as well as stories about other dorms who have found some less-than-savory things left over the floor over the weekend. It seems that once people make the dorms their home, they treat the bathroom as they did when they lived at home with their parents. They forget that others share that limited amount of space with them, and that something that they think is funny or not a big deal might be a big deal to others. This affects all 28+ people that inhabit this dorm with them. Once people start to realize this, hopefully people can start treating communal bathrooms with more respect.
CULTURE
GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE
02.18.2019
11
AM I GOOD ENOUGH?
Self-confidence: why are we suffering from low self-esteem, and what are useful tips to change it? ANASTASIA SHKRETOVA STAFF WRITER
Of course, you are. You are more than good. You are the best at whatever you’re doing. How does our psychological state form? Why do we sometimes punish ourselves instead of simply accepting our nature? Let’s define it a little bit. According to the APA Dictionary of Psychology, self-confidence is a belief that one is capable of successfully meeting the demands of a task. Merriam-Webster defines self-esteem as a feeling of having respect for yourself and your abilities. Often, people lose the skill to accept themselves and love themselves just the way they are—which are signs of poor self-esteem.
want to find out what your inner child is afraid of and how you can help it, try some practical psychological tasks.
4.
First, try a small meditation. Close your eyes, slowly inhale with your nose and slowly exhale with your mouth. Repeat twice.
You are 5 years old. Look, how beautiful and pure you are. Hug your inner child. Tell your inner child how much you love him or her. Ask your inner child about your fears and needs. Promise your inner child to do everything he or she is feeling lack of.
Now, imagine you`re standing on a field with a big fairy forest behind it. The weather is just the
Now take three deep breaths and come back. Your unconscious mind process has been set.
Shut down your inner critic. We all have one. It is someone inside of us who tells us that we made an awful presentation, or that we could get a better answer in that conversation and we don’t look good enough. Tell your inner critic that you did everything you could and that you love yourself no matter what.
An article by the University of Texas at Austin’s Counseling and Mental Health Center explained that healthy self-esteem is our ability to be aware of ourselves and still accept who we are. This means being able to acknowledge our advantages and weaknesses and still feel love for the person that we see in the mirror. There is also a thing called an inner voice. According to one psychological theory, we all have an inner child, parent and adult. As the character Antoine de Saint-Exupéry says in “The Little Prince,” “All grown-ups were once children … but only a few of them remember it.” Every fear you have is your inner child’s fear. If you
Read the two last answers aloud. Put the answers somewhere where you can see them constantly. What else can you do to improve your self-confidence and self-esteem?
FOURTH ESTATE ALEXANDRIA MCALPINE
Your daily experiences also matter. A person’s thoughts and feelings about themselves could also be based on their daily routine life. Ups and downs in your relationships with people whether it is romantic, friendly, a grade on an exam, even your conversations with strangers—all of that temporarily impacts how you can feel about yourself.
way you like it. Everything is the way you like it. Now, you see a light, which goes somewhere into the forest. You follow that light, because you know that it is safe and you will find an answer there. You see that the light stops somewhere and makes an open space. You stand, and in a few seconds see little you.
Next, take a piece of paper and write down the answers to the next few questions: 1.
What do you feel?
2.
What is little you afraid of ?
3. What are the ways for your inner child to be saved and loved?
How can you accomplish it?
Improve your self-compassion. Accept your emotions. We all have moments of being sad, distracted or angry. It’s okay to have those feelings. Let them be. Forgive yourself. You had reasons for making mistakes and you had reasons to act that way. Do not hesitate to ask for help. If you feel like you are not in control of something in your life or that you cannot hold to something anymore, find help. It can be teachers, friends, family, psychological services, workshops, etc. Do not let yourself drown in your problems when there are people willing to save you. If you don’t like something, speak. Not everyone can understand if you are feeling uncomfortable. Do not be afraid to tell others that you do not want to do something. Do not be afraid to speak about your emotions. JUST LET YOURSELF BE THE WAY YOU ARE. You are unique. You are amazing. You are beautiful, and you matter. Do not pay attention to those who want to change your inner you. Love yourself. Accept yourself. Being your true you is the best way to live the happy life.
Psychologist and body-oriented therapist Irina Baturo shared these tips to help improve your self-confidence: “Fake it till you make it.” Imitate confidence, competence and an optimistic mindset. It echoes the underlying principles of cognitive behavioral therapy as a means to enable a change in one’s behavior. Write down some statements. What makes you hesitate or doubt yourself from the outside—others views, words? Analyze it in a week. Write down your achievements. When the inner voice doubts it, convince it otherwise. Take care of yourself: - Exercise at least 30 minutes a day - Sleep for 7-8 hours - Provide yourself with a balanced nutrition. - Observe personal boundaries but also be able to say “No.” - Keep a balance between work and rest. Confidence is the state gained through experience. Meet with your fears more often, make mistakes and try on. Confidence is your ability to rebuild your world, even if it means turning in the wrong direction or losing everything. Stop comparing yourself to others. In any comparison, someone is better. Communicate with positive, strong people. Negative and pessimistic people will always suppress your desires. Do not inflate the problem—it is just an emotional coloring. Never waste your energy or your precious time thinking about past actions. This will prevent you from going forward. Know how to forgive yourself. Never speak negatively about yourself.
CULTURE CULTURE FACES OF MASON delves into the lives of Mason students, faculty or alumni, and organizations every week. This week we take a close look at student Saba Giorgis, faculty Eric McGlinchey, and organizations Circle K International and Asian Pacific American Coalition (APAC) INTERVIEWS BY YIJIE ZHU, RUTH MEKONNEN, AND HAILEY BULLIS
S T U D E N T, S A B A G I O R G I S What are you studying at Mason?
What are you most memorable moments at Mason?
I'm majoring in communication with a concentration in public relations (PR). It’s an exciting time to get into this field seeing as the ways and methods corporations, organizations and people are interacting is changing so rapidly thanks to social media. I was drawn to that aspect of PR, and my goal is to hopefully work with NGOs [non-governmental organizations] in D.C.
I remember I knew next to no one my first year, and before I knew it I had so many friends and professors who made the long days fun and exciting. Every coffee-fueled study session where literally no work was done and lunches in the JC [Johnson Center] have been memorable including the late nights, but my mom will read this so I'm staying quiet.
What is your special connection to/with Mason?
PHOTO COURTESY OF NUHAMI ALEMU
You spend enough time in a campus and it really grows on you, and I love Mason. I had all my best experiences here, first job opportunities, and it's the place that has helped me figure out my goals. My sister has decided to apply to Mason as well. Who are your biggest influencers? My biggest influence and role model is my aunt Nardos Giorgis. She was responsible for campaigning for morphine production in my native country, Ethiopia, where there wasn't enough being produced. Pain relief is a human right, and so through her tireless advocacy and work there is now enough morphine production in the country and a little less pain being felt. I admire her greatly.
How do you respond–emotionally, practically, etc.– when you’re challenged? Conflict has always been a tough one to navigate for me. I’m very hesitant to lay out my arguments when facing a challenge because I value peace above comfort. But that’s changing, and I’ve learned to be more assertive and handle it calmly—unless it’s about Netflix show choices, then all bets are off. What is an important career goal for you to reach? I would really like to learn all I can and work with NGOs here, especially in global health or in women's health issues, like raising awareness about NCDs [noncommunicable diseases] and NTDs [neglected tropical diseases]. I also want to go back to Ethiopia and use my experience towards the improvement of my country in these areas. That would be fantastic. I'd also like to be obscenely rich.
FA C U LT Y, E R I C M C G L I N C H E Y What do you teach? Right now, I am teaching Introduction to Comparative Politics. I have also taught Central Asian politics at the undergraduate level. What made you concentrate in Central Asia?
PHOTO COURTESY OF ERIC MCGLINCHEY
I did my junior year in college in Russia in a town called Yaroslavl, and … I’ve been studying Russian since I was in 6th grade. I also spent my junior year of college in Russia, and then I had a fellowship where I spent the year after college in Russia. That year after college I became very interested in rock climbing and mountaineering and Russia is really flat for the most part … but I took out a map of the former Soviet Union, and I looked at where the biggest mountains were, and they were in Central Asia. So I got on a train having never been to Central Asia before with just my backpack, and three days, maybe four days later, I was in Kyrgyzstan looking at the massive mountains. Why do you think students should take your class? What I hope is that after taking my class and putting in the considerable effort it demands, students can then take the knowledge from that class and ... apply it to any other class here in the Schar School. But then you can also equally apply it to economics… just about any social sciences, but also it is the basic model of scientific inquiry that you can use for any class. So you and your colleagues I hope will
leave the class with the tools to study science broadly. You can use the scientific method to answer any question, and that’s powerful. It will save people an infinite amount of time when it comes to reading, because you don’t have to actually sit down and read an entire article. You will know that every article that uses the scientific method [has] a particular structure and you can decode that structure, which will be much more efficient in your reading … Those papers that you are asked to write, often we are asking you to use the scientific method. If you know those approaches, you won’t be chasing … you’ll know exactly what to do and the steps to proceed around to write a paper that is cohesive and logically sound. What are some of your hobbies? Definitely rock climbing. I love rock climbing. Unfortunately, I don’t get outside rock climbing as much. I have two kids and it’s a big time commitment, but I’ll get out maybe five times a year so that’s probably my first love. The thing that I do the most though is trail running. On Saturday, I ran [a] 31-mile trail on Massanutten Mountain from Front Royal down to Lauray essentially… and that’s something that works better for the time constraints. Climbing trips tend to be long, but running is something that you can do on the weekends … so running is the thing that I do more frequently. I am preparing for a 100-mile run for May called the Massanutten Mountain Train 100 Mile Run.
CULTURE CULTURE
PHOTO COURTESY OF CIRCLE K INTERNATIONAL
O R G A N I Z AT I O N , C I R C L E K I N T E R N AT I O N A L What does Circle K do?
scarves and donate them to the local homeless shelter.
Circle K is the largest student-led community service organization in the world. So we’re not just located in the U.S., we’re located internationally, so Circle K International is built on three pillars. It is service, leadership and fellowship. So that means that we work to make our members well-rounded individuals by giving them leadership skills to run meetings, run for elections, things like that.
What do you want Mason students to know about your organization?
We also highlight fellowship, which is just like a bond with members [to] build strong ties between our members and give them that community feeling in our organization. And most importantly, service. Since we are a community service organization, we focus on working on bettering George Mason’s community, Fairfax’s community and the greater D.C. area through our service projects. So we work on-campus with the greenhouse and the food forest and everything like that. In Fairfax, we work with animal shelters, we donate to homeless shelters, and then in the greater D.C. area we normally volunteer for events … We’ve worked on marathons, we’ve worked in food festivals, things like that. What is the best service project you guys work on? Last year, we started our first annual jean drive, where it’s usually over spring break and we collect people’s old jeans … We kind of encourage if you’re doing spring cleaning, don’t just throw out your clothes. Donate it to us, and we donate them to a company that actually turns them into insulation for houses … and we’ve also done winter blessing bags, which is kind of like a whole kit of supplies you need to kind of survive the winter—so deodorant, toothpaste, hairbrushes, toothbrushes. We put them in bags, and we also normally make some blankets and some
That if you have a drive to better your community, that you have time you don’t want to waste and you want to dedicate it to something that’s such a good opportunity to really expand your horizons, build connections … It’s an amazing way to get accustomed to leadership positions, and we really want to work with our members to give them the events that they want to do so that they’re not just joining a club because it looks good. They’re joining a club because they enjoy the activities and the events we’ve planned. What is the difference between a local organization and a international organization? We’re not just a club located only at George Mason University. We’re located all across the U.S., and we’re actually in a district called the Capital District so our executive board works really closely with schools in the area … and there’s like a district board as well, so our executive board is connected to the district board. And the international aspect, there’s a higher board—there’s actually a lot of tiers so it’s a really cool organization to join early on because there’s so many opportunities, not just at George Mason, like even growing outside George Mason. So you can be the leader of a region of the United States and you get to travel into all these other schools and see what projects they’re doing and what’s going on with their clubs … You can be a—they call an international trustee. So they connect with the schools across the world. that have a Circle K International.
O R G A N I Z AT I O N , A S I A N PA C I F I C A M E R I C A N C O A L I T I O N ( A PA C ) Can you tell me a little about what APAC does? We were founded in 2004, and so there’s a lot of RSO’s on-campus. So we’re also an RSO, but we’re an umbrella organization over the other Asian organizations at George Mason, so like the Filipino Cultural Association, Korean American Student Association, etc. and we kind of unite all of them, hold large scale events especially during Asian Pacific American Heritage month, which is traditionally in May but George Mason celebrates in April. So we do a lot of stuff there, we hold leadership summits and retreats, stuff like that. What makes APAC unique? As far as I know, a lot of the other umbrella organizations on-campus are not considered an RSO by Mason. So that’s pretty unique about us, and we work really closely with the Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Multicultural Education (ODIME) and it’s just like working with all the different Asian cultures, not only Southeast Asia but also like South Asia. It’s really nice. It’s a really big melting pot of different ideas and experiences. PHOTO COURTESY OF APAC
What do you want people to know about APAC? It’s not Asian exclusive. It’s just Asian interest, so people of all walks are allowed to come enjoy our events [and learn] about the diversity here in NoVa and across the world. What is the best event that APAC has held? Okay so, I’m only president for this year and I wasn’t on the board last year, but last year we held a night market as like a
kickoff … It’s pretty much like—when in Asia, we have these a lot—it’s like a whole bunch of vendors and street performers and stuff. We had it in North Plaza. They come out, they serve food, there’s performances, giveaways. It was just a really fun way to show what APAC and ODIME do. What do you think is the best thing APAC offers its members? I guess in terms of the community, because we are a huge community in APAC, just the experience. We’re focused on more leadership, so I’ve become so much better as a leader by being president of APAC. I’ve learned how to manage my time and work as a team better. What are some of your organization's values? Unity I would say is a big one. Cultural awareness, and being open-minded. Being inclusive with all the organizations, you know, before we weren’t nearly as close as we are now. So with the president’s meetings, we have all the presidents of all the various organizations, members orgs of APAC, coming in and going, supporting each others events, sharing your events on social media. It’s had general turnout to be a lot better. And being open-minded about the other cultures. I don’t know if you know what Lunar New Year is, but it’s like a Chinese and Japanese holiday. It actually just recently happened, but yeah, without the APAC community I really wouldn’t know what it is. But just learning about that stuff … learning about different foods, those are always fun events, different activities they do and just ways of life. It just clears your perspective.
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AGAINST THE UNIVERSAL DESIGNATED HITTER DOMINIC PINO STAFF WRITER
It’s 2-0 in the top of the second, Mets leading the Padres on May 7, 2016. The Mets are at bat with a man on second and two outs when every National League fan’s worst nightmare occurs: it’s the pitcher’s spot in the batting order. Oh well, pitchers can’t hit, he’ll get out, and we will wait till next inning, whatever. Mets pitcher Bartolo Colón ambles to the plate. Sarcastically nicknamed “Big Sexy,” Colón is listed at 5 feet 11 inches and 285 pounds. He’s way past his prime at age 42 and has been in the league since 1997. The Padres’ pitcher gets a ball and a strike on him and then throws a 90-mph fastball, center-cut, and Colón puts all 285 pounds into his swing and pulls the ball over the leftfield fence. It was a no-doubter, and it was Colón’s first (and so far only) career home run.
number of people who want to see the NL conform to the AL and institute the DH.
hitters (as if we could not tell already) and how the NL has more strikeouts than the AL because of that.
“Well, their win probability is pretty much zero, so, objectively, you should give up.”
Fortunately, Commissioner of Baseball Rob Manfred stood up to the fun police for the time being, but he still left the door open to the universal DH in 2022. He would be wise to slam that door forever.
The central argument of these pieces can be summarized by this quote from the article: “But if we’re going to shift this discussion over to what’s best for baseball, a fundamental problem with the anti-DH position arises. Once you get past ‘Because I like it,’ there aren’t many objective arguments in favor of pitchers hitting for themselves.”
Growing up in Wisconsin, I enjoyed watching Brewers ace Yovani Gallardo. Aside from being a star pitcher, the guy could hit for power. Pitchers virtually never hit home runs, but Gallardo hit two in 2009, four in 2010, one in 2011, one in 2012 and two in 2013. In fact, the Brewers would use him as a pinch-hitter sometimes if the bench was empty, and he hit an extra-innings walk-off double in 2014. Those are the exciting moments that fans remember, but pitchers shouldn’t hit because it’s bad for the National League’s strikeout totals. It’s statistics. It’s objective.
The hyperrationalistic reasoning of the DH proponents is among the greatest abuses of statistics known to man. Typical of the genre is an article from Zachary Rymer at Bleacher Report. It has graphs and statistics showing how pitchers are generally bad
As he trots, no, lumbers around the bases, the TV announcer shouts, “The impossible has happened.” There’s not a person in the stadium who isn’t having fun. Moments like that are the reason we watch sports. Watch it on YouTube. You can’t help but smile.
Well, once you get past ‘Because I like it,’ there aren’t many objective arguments in favor of watching sports. Objectively, sports is where a bunch of grown-ups are paid millions of dollars to play games. The organizing principle of sports is rooting for a team, aka being partial and not objective. Mr. Rymer must be lots of fun to watch a game with. Your team is down and the
Now, being in the Washington Nationals’ media market, I get to
game is ending, but you’re still holding out hope when Mr. Rymer announces,
Then, wipe that smile off your face because there are some killjoys out there who want to make sure a moment like that never happens again.
FOURTH ESTATE ALEXANDRIA MCALPINE
In fact, if the Mets and Padres were in the American League, Colón would have never picked up a bat. Since 1973, the American League (AL) has had a designated hitter (DH), a player who only bats and takes the pitcher’s spot in the batting order. Since 1876, the National League (NL) has maintained the radical notion from the original version of baseball that the entire lineup must play the entire game, but there are a growing
Feb. 22
UPCOMING SPORTS Feb. 23 Feb. 23-24
Men’s Volleyball vs. Penn State University
Atlantic 10 Indoor Championships
Men’s Basketball vs. Duquesne University
RAC: 7 p.m.
Field House: All Day
EBA: 4 p.m.
Feb. 24
Women’s Basketball vs. Virginia Commonwealth University EBA: 2 p.m.
watch Max Scherzer. A three-time Cy Young Award winner, Scherzer is one of the best pitchers in baseball and dominates hitters like few others. However, he also batted .243 last year—mediocre for a position player and astounding for a pitcher. When Scherzer was at the plate, the fans did not roll their eyes, and batting allowed him to show his full range of talent, but pitchers should not hit because the graphs say they’re bad at it. It is statistics. It is objective. Masahiro Tanaka, a pitcher for the AL New York Yankees, only gets to hit when the Yankees play an NL team on the road and only has one hit in his entire career. He was injured running the bases last year, so one would think he would be in favor of never hitting again. But he said he is against the universal DH. “I grew up where baseball was played by nine guys, meaning the pitcher would hit also,” he said. “I really enjoyed that baseball.” Enjoyment is what sports is supposed to be about, but pitchers shouldn’t hit because they have a chance of getting hurt. It is statistics. It is objective. Note the rhetorical sleight of hand the DH absolutists always employ. They implicitly equate “what’s best for baseball” with what’s best for statistics without ever supplying a reason why. The burden of proof should be on them to explain why we should not have been allowed to see Bartolo Colón hit a dinger in favor of a reduction in the aggregate strikeouts for the NL. As I have written previously, the thrill of sports comes from beating the averages and proving the best data analytics wrong. Pitchers get the opportunity to do that every time they swing the bat, and MLB would be foolish to take that opportunity away.
Feb. 24 Men’s Volleyball vs. Saint Francis University RAC: 3 p.m.
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IT’S MILLER TIME
Men’s Basketball’s Jordan Miller makes a name for himself at the start of Atlantic 10 play DOMENIC ALLEGRA ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
He sat 12th on the depth chart with little to no hope of playing this season.
“There was a George Mason alum who tipped us off to him early in his career, like, ‘Hey, this kid is from the area and grew up a big Mason fan,’ so we kind of jumped in there early on him, and the first time I met him,” Paulsen said. “[I was] just really impressed with him as a young man.”
However, after a couple of injuries to the team, he finally saw playing time for the green and gold. As a result, Men’s Basketball’s Jordan Miller has had quite the run since his days playing at Loudoun Valley High School. The DMV product started his basketball journey at age 11, the reason why he wears the number 11 on the court. His passion for the game has been influenced by many people, including his family. “Definitely my older brothers — I have three older brothers,” Miller said. “I looked up to them. They played basketball, so being a little kid you want to do what your older brothers do.” During his junior year alone, he recorded 711 points, earning him Virginia High School League’s 4A Player of the Year Honors. Leaving high school as the all-time leading scorer, Miller soon had to transition his play to the college level. He realized he would be able to play at the next level during his sophomore or junior year. “That’s when I really got my confidence, and my coaches were telling me if I work I could make it,” Miller said.
PHOTO COURTESY OF IBRAHIM AHMAD / GIANTKILLER.CO
Head coach Dave Paulsen knew he
While Paulsen and his coaching staff were looking at other recruits in the area, he noticed that there was something about Miller that made him different. “[First] is his versatility, and that has been on display,” he said. “[The] one thing that really stood out was that he has an uncanny ability to score around the basket. You know some guys you see make the nice move and go in there and miss it, [but] he had an uncanny ability to put the ball in the basket … and that’s a real knack.” “Then his size,” Paulsen continued. “For a wing, he’s got good size and athleticism. And then more than anything is his character. He’s just an awesome kid from a grounded family, and has the right values as a person and a good work ethic.” After Mason finished nonconference play 6-7, Miller was on the brink of redshirting his freshman year. However, after injuries to senior Jaire Grayer in November and sophomore Goanar Mar in January, things started to change over the winter break.
Paulsen started pushing Miller when he lost one of his starters, saying, “[We] were like, ‘Okay, we’re fine,’ and then when Jaire went down, I had [Miller] on the green team, and was like, ‘How is he going to respond?’ And [ended] like, ‘No, let’s not do that.’” PHOTO COURTESY OF IBRAHIM AHMAD / GIANTKILLER.CO
had a special player but found out about Miller in an interesting way.
“You’ll have to [play], but you’ll have to play 15 minutes a game, I promise,” Paulsen said to Miller after Mar went down. Paulsen continued, “And I thought he’d be good, but I didn’t think he do as well as early, and [he] shows a lot of poise.” “[When] we were talking about redshirting, he just wanted to get better,” Paulsen said. “So within a week of him thinking he was going to redshirt, all of a sudden I was like, ‘Woah, uhhhhh, I don’t know, like this kid is kicking some serious rear end.’” Then the day came. It was Jan. 13 against the University of Rhode Island. Miller got the go-ahead. “My teammates did a really good job of getting me acclimated to practice and the games,” Miller said. “So I was ready, but there was just a lot of excitement, and I didn’t want to disappoint anyone.” In his first minute of play, he recorded a steal, a block, a dunk and a layup. “I [want] to impact this team in any way that I can positively,” Miller said. “Just [to] keep learning, keep growing and find the way to help the team the most.” “[Miller’s] been killing it in practice for a long time,” teammate Javon Greene said after the game. “It wasn’t a surprise from him. He just came up to play when his name was called, and he had a terrific game. We were all hype for him. In the locker room, we were just jumping on him telling him he played a great game. Hopefully, he brings this energy for the rest of the season, cause we’re going to need it.” Even after his first game, Miller says that his favorite moments in his Mason career have come from the locker room. “Every time we go into the locker room, it’s just great,” he said. “It’s just a lot of excitement, a bunch of us just dancing and jumping around.” After playing in nine games, starting
in eight straight, he has recorded 48 rebounds and 85 points. He is currently averaging 9.4 points per game, 5.3 rebounds, and is shooting 67 percent from the field.
better defensively, especially this year. He’s getting better with his individual assignment, but has to be better seeing rotations in the whole picture defensively.”
“We’re just focused on this year, but when you get 36 minutes, 10 points, 5 offensive rebounds, 4-6 [shooting], it’s a pretty good effort,” Paulsen said, looking forward to the rest of Miller’s season. “I think he can get
As the season progresses, Miller continues to grow in his game. However, he said he has one goal in mind. “I just want to win basketball games. That’s all I want.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF IBRAHIM AHMAD / GIANTKILLER.CO
It was his first year at Mason, and he had yet to play in a game.
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SHORTEN THE GAP
Redshirt senior Tejon Anthony recounts his wrestling career and future goals BILLY FERGUSON ONLINE DIRECTOR
working. I think there has been a lot of growth since coming into college.”
The 5-foot-7, 149 weight class redshirt senior described his transition from high school to college as a big jump.
He was not recruited by Mason, despite being a one-time state champion. When asked about the politics of the wrestling world, Anthony said, “Sometimes you can be a state champion, and it has literally no effect, because you don’t go to the bigger tournaments. The only time being a state champion really means something is probably coming out of one of the powerhouse states like PA, Cali, Ohio, maybe Illinois.”
“I feel like a lot of high schoolers feel like they are really good,” he said. “But once you get to this level, everyone is the man in their state respectively.”
To this day, Anthony recalls the seniors on Mason’s wrestling team from his college freshman year. They inspired him every day.
“Everybody’s tough.” Anthony continued. “Everybody can wrestle. I mean, I remember my first time coming into the room and got (sic) beat up. Beat up. None of my best stuff was
“When you come into the program— into the team, you go from being the top guy to literally one of the worst on the team, essentially,” he said. “It’s kind of like you challenge yourself every
PHOTO COURTESY OF MASON ATHLETICS
This deferral kept Anthony interested in wrestling throughout much of his academic career. He chose Mason on the advice of his coaches, noting the university’s great academics and its close proximity to his home of Baltimore.
day to get better and shorten the gap, so for me obviously I wasn’t going to be the starter that year, ‘cause I wasn’t good enough. That just was the reality of it. What could I do to shorten the gap? It was alright, he scored 10 points on me yesterday. He’s not scoring 10 points on me today. He’s getting eight.” Anthony has had a prolific wrestling career, including 22 wins last season as well as qualifying for the 2018 Division I NCAA Championships. He said his greatest accomplishment “would probably be getting my first tournament win. I have never won a tournament until this year. I’ve taken countless numbers of seconds, [a] couple thirds, but this year I took my first tournament.” A match that Anthony remembers in particular was against “Maryland’s starter at 149, my weight class. … One of the most recruited kids coming out of high school. Really good. I wrestled him in high school. He beat the crap out of me. … I wrestled him again my freshman year. My true freshman year of college, I wrestled him [in the] first match at the NC state open. I want to say he beat me 11-2 or 11-3, something like that.” However, this was not the only meeting between these two foes. “[The] very next year we [were] both starting,” Anthony said. “We both redshirted at the same time. Then [when] we came back, we both were in the lineup [in] the same week. I
Baseball
PHOTO COURTESY OF MASON ATHLETICS
In the seventh grade, Tejon Anthony did not make his school’s basketball team. As a result, he continued with youth wrestling.
wrestled him again at Maryland, and I beat him 3-2. … I think the really big win for me gave me a lot of confidence going into the rest of my season and just wrestling in general.”
supporters have all done for me. I just want to go out there and put on a good show for them, just ’cause they’ve supported me throughout my whole journey here.”
When asked what was going through his head on Senior Day, Anthony laughed, “Don’t lose.”
Anthony plans to enter the technology field after graduation.
In a more serious tone, he continued, “Your time as an athlete goes by like the wind. I know everybody says that, but it’s really true. I can remember my first day in the room. I remember my first practice. My first week. This was four years ago.” Anthony finished by saying, “I can appreciate all that wrestling has done for me and all that George Mason and my teammates, the coaches, the
SPORTS IN BRIEF Softball
“Hopefully, I’ll be working as a software engineer at Tysons Corner with a government contractor,” he said. “If all goes well, hopefully that pans out. And I want to stay in the area. I’m originally from Baltimore, so I want to stay out here to do the independent, ‘adulting’ thing and give that a try.” Mason hosts the Eastern Wrestling League Championships on March 9 in EagleBank Arena.
Men’s Volleyball
Baseball won in their opening day game for the first time since 2014, taking on the University of Iowa.
Softball fell 9-7 to South Dakota on their opening day, but won 5-3 their first game of the season against Central Arkansas.
Men’s Volleyball has finished their last seven games with six wins, four of which were 3-0 sweeps.
The Patriots scored three runs in the bottom of the third with help from junior Logan Driscoll, who finished with a two-run home run. Iowa scored a run in the top of the fifth, when junior Austin Martin hit a solo home run to cut the lead to 3-1.
The Patriots were losing by five runs before Mason tallied a couple runs in the third and fifth. The first home run of the season was hit by Adriana Erickson, while sophomore Marissa Butts hit her first career home run.
After defeating No. 15 Purdue Fort Wayne by a score of 3-0, the Patriots were then defeated by No. 11 Ball State University in a five-set match by a score of a 3-2.
Mason finished with four runs over the next five innings, three of which they scored in the bottom of the seventh. The game ended with the Patriots winning by a score of 7-2.
In its second game of the day, Mason won their first game of the season, led by Marina Vitalich and Bekah Ansbro who struck out seven batters.
Mason still ranks No.13 in the country, and will take on Penn State on Feb. 22.
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A SURVIVOR’S DILEMMA
ANONYMOUS
PHOTO COURTESY OF DENISE M. NEVINS
me but allowed me not to interact with the person again. A young boy’s hesitation to be left alone or reluctance to be touched near their privates can be easily explained, I suppose. I don’t blame my parents in any way, shape or form—I was a dramatic child, and I suppose why ruin a person’s life over a small fib or exaggeration. When I was younger, I even questioned whether it really happened or whether it was simply an exaggeration like my parents had assumed. I am a survivor of sexual assault. I have only ever told three people my story. I believe it is important to talk about my mindset as a survivor, especially in today’s climate where reports and allegations are dubbed as “good timing” or “politically motivated”, and survivors are often asked in these cases why they did not report their story years ago. I hope to shed some light on these misguided assumptions. My story and views do not necessarily reflect the views of survivors in general. Each person has
their own unique story, and this is mine. When I was a young boy, about five or six years old, I was molested and taken advantage of by a person who I naïvely believed to be a companion and friend. “No” means very little to someone who has virtually absolute power over you in the moment. It happened only once, but once was enough. When I was informed I would have to see the person for another night, I told my parents what had happened in the best way any young boy could. My parents did not believe
If I am being totally honest, I would have to say the experience has not affected me much as I grew older. I still remember exactly what happened, and I vividly remember watching Courage the Cowardly Dog on the television as it progressed. I think the only lasting harm besides memories is my disgust towards that show. Survivors should be believed regardless of timing or coincidence. In all cases of sexual assault allegations, a proper and thorough investigation should proceed to determine the validity of a claim. A survivor should
never be written off as a political tool. My assaulter is currently working a full-time job in a foreign country, and I have no desire to report my story to the authorities. In my mind, there is nothing that can be done but hear my assaulter vehemently deny the accusations of an event that happened over a decade ago. However, I honestly believe that should my assaulter enter the political sphere, I would come forward regardless of political affiliation. It is so, so important in my mind that an elected official represent the people and be someone of high moral character. No person who sexually assaults another can ever represent any community and claim to be of high moral standard. As a survivor, I would feel it would be my duty to my community to ensure that people understood the reprehensible actions of that individual. Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax cannot hold public office if these allegations are proven to be true. Similarly, survivors cannot and should not be dismissed as a political pawn, or have their stories
simply labeled as coincidence. It is not a coincidence that survivors do not want to see their assaulter representing a community, it’s common sense. The timing of these allegations is often scrutinized. It takes bravery and guts to come forward, especially publicly with a sexual assault story. Just look at the public humiliation, attacks and discreditation that Dr. Christine Blasey Ford experienced during Judge Kavanaugh’s confirmation. It can take days, week or even years for someone to decide to come forward. Just because their accuser did not come forward during an election cycle or earlier in their career does not give anyone the right to dismiss their story. I know personally that although I say I would speak up against my assaulter should they run for office, it does not mean that if the time came I would be fully ready. Dismissing survivors as pawns during a political crisis is insulting, and frankly only succeeds in minifying and delegitimizing other survivors’ experiences. RAINN 24/7 Hotline: 1-800-656-4673
QUEER AND CHRISTIAN: THE TRUTH ELIJAH NICHOLS STAFF WRITER
For too long, I have seen myself and many close friends struggle with a balancing act of either suppressing their queer identity or turning their backs on the Church—understandably too. I’ve watched as self-hatred, and even sometimes suicide attempts, have torn my community in two. The road of identity crisis after identity crisis within the current state of American Christianity and society seems too lonely and yet all too familiar for plenty of queer-identifying Christians. But with nearly 48 percent of those within the LGB+ community identifying as a gay, lesbian or bisexual Christian, according to Pew Research
Center, we must begin to have an open and honest dialogue about queer people within Christian environments. Do we want self-loathing to overwhelm queer folks when they walk into a place of worship or while they are living their daily lives? Do we want an even more divided country than we already have? If we do want these things, not only will there be a greater distance between Christianity and the LGBTQ+ community, but there will be a distance between Christianity and our ever-growing society as a whole. What I see most often are Christians who condemn homosexuality referring to the Old Testament, which by the nature of those who believe in Christ, is nearly nullified after He was crucified and rose again, referenced in 1 Peter 3:18-22. To me, the Old Testament serves as a baseline to understand a historical context prior to the birth and death of Christ as well as to show a new form of God, a kind-hearted and forgiving one rather than that of a vengeful one.
Of the few references of anything relating to homosexuality in the New Testament, it reads of lustful actions between same-sex partners, most of which were either between slaves and masters or young boys with older men. To which I say, ‘Yes, we should be condemning the lust that comes from a power hungry, older and abusive man.’ No child, nor any person, should be trapped in unhealthy relationships like the ones stated previously. These critiques of the anti-LGBTQ+ Christian mindset only touches the surface of the faults within their argument. I could go into the cheesy ‘love thy neighbor’ verse, the timeline in which the Bible was written or even the translational issues, but that is a whole other discussion to be had. So in hope—in full belief—I live my life to the best of my abilities and show that one can be both queer and Christian. But as I sit here, writing this, I cannot help but think of my friends who have pleaded for help, begging that God would change the way they are. I think
PHOTO COURTESY OF ANNAPANNAANNA
It is not often that I write of my queer identity in such a formal setting, and it is not at all that I write of the intersections of my identity of being both queer and Christian. However, after sitting in the Church pews at one of the only LGBTQ+ affirming places of worship in my hometown and feeling that Christ-like love, I could not help but write of this.
of the ever-present yet weak voice in my head that sometimes makes me feel a sense of self-loathing for something as pure-hearted as feeling that a boy is emotionally attractive. I think of those who have been too ashamed of their identities and who have taken their own life because of it.
You see, growing up in the Church, where queerness is either damned or censored, you learn to hate yourself. And it has to stop. Not only for the future of Christianity but for the betterment of our great society and the safety of my people.
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YOUR NEXT CAR WILL BE ELECTRIC. THAT’S NOT A BAD THING
In many ways, 2018 was the year of the electric vehicle (EV). For example, despite numerous production delays, leadership scandals and other various roadblocks, Tesla ended the year with the best-selling luxury vehicle in the United States, the Model 3. In case you thought this trend was limited to Tesla alone, it is important to note that in 2018, each of the world’s 10 largest automakers also announced bullish strategies for approaching the electric vehicle market. The growth of electric vehicles doesn’t just seem to be a short-lived fad. Many automotive companies’ activities seem to indicate that EVs are here to stay. Notably, Volkswagen recently placed an order for over $48 billion in batteries, per a Fortune magazine report. This order was large enough to require three of the world’s biggest battery companies to work together to fulfill it. Additionally, Ford announced that they will discontinue all of their sedans in pursuit of electric replacements. Besides, it’s not just those two––almost every major car company has started terminating gasoline and diesel models and replacing them with electric
hybrid or electric vehicles. This means that the model you currently drive will almost certainly be discontinued or electrified in the next few years.
for the rest of us? Although change is painful, electric vehicles are showing trends that are promising, not just for automakers but also for us, the drivers.
What does this mean for you and me? Whether we like it or not, the next car that you or I purchase will likely be an electric vehicle.
Notably, EVs are intended to have less of a negative environmental impact than gasoline or diesel cars, which is a plus because it will remove the guilt factor associated with driving your car to school or work every day.
As a passionate car enthusiast, my knee jerk reaction is to be disappointed by this news. If electric vehicles take over, I will certainly miss the low rumble of my pickup truck turning over or the sweet purr of my turbodiesel hatchback as I rev the engine. Even though the engineer in me is excited to see the progression of technology, I sometimes catch the automotive enthusiast voice in my head muttering about electrification being a bastardization of the automotive industry. However, the more I learn about EVs, the more I can’t deny that electrification of the automotive industry is a good thing. If you are an Elon Musk groupie, a climate change warrior, or the owner of a large battery company, this news should excite you––but what’s in it
PHOTO COURTESY OF ALBERT BRIDGE
DANIEL SCOTT MITCHELL STAFF WRITER
Not to mention, electric vehicles are fun to drive. Due to the nature of electric motor-driven movement, the torque and acceleration of EVs leave traditional cars in the literal and figurative dust. Furthermore, while current EV range is modest at best, in the near future ranges are expected to increase fivefold. Charging times will be cut to less than an hour, with shorter supercharging options to give your car a quick boost to get home. That means that soon, the inconvenience of having an empty tank (or battery) will be a thing of the past. Most importantly, let’s talk about the money. While electric vehicles have lower maintenance costs than traditional cars, one of the
biggest vehicles
drawbacks to electric is their purchase cost.
cheaper option by 2025––just in time for today’s drivers to buy a new car.
As they stand today, EVs are more expensive to buy than the run-of-themill internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle. However, this won’t be the case for long. In fact, a recent study notes that in parts of Europe, it is already cheaper to own and run an EV than an ICE vehicle. Likewise, Bloomberg recently estimated that in the United States, electric vehicles will be the
All in all, as much as I have learned to love my gas-guzzling clunkers, I can’t complain if my next car is greener, faster, more convenient and cheaper than before. So even though our cars will soon be electric, that’s not such a bad thing after all.
LT. GOV. FAIRFAX ASKS FOR DUE PROCESS, BUT WHAT PROCESS IS DUE?
PHOTO COURTESY OF EDWARD KIMMEL
ARJIT ROSHAN STAFF WRITER
Due process, eschewed by Americans in the early part of this century as we both waged our war on terror and indefinitely detained “enemy combatants” in military prisons without trial, is now being invoked as our most sacred of standards when those in power are accused of sexual misconduct. Justice Kavanaugh deserved due process when he was
accused of assaulting Dr. Ford in his high school days. Now our lieutenant governor asks for it as he anticipates confronting his own allegations in likely future impeachment hearings. Some would like us to believe that due process is an absolute protection from the consequences of unproven allegations. But due process, at its best, is not an inflexible standard but a spectrum of protection founded on a weighing of interests. As articulated in the Constitution, due process shields citizens from the infringement of their liberties from federal and state governments. It is a recognition of the awesome powers of the state to take away someone’s freedom, and must be constrained. It is not a formal element of confirmation processes or impeachments hearings. But what process is due in an impeachment proceeding—when we consider not incarceration or the stripping of liberties, but rather access to great powers and responsibilities?
Do we dismiss damning allegations if they cannot be proved beyond a reasonable doubt? Should the standards of a criminal trial apply? According to RAINN, who base their statistics on the DOJ’s National Crime Victimization Survey, with the process standards in place, only 0.5 percent of estimated instances of rape or 2 percent of those estimated instances which are reported will result in felony convictions. In general, if public officials are granted that standard of process in confirmation or impeachment hearings, it would be difficult to bar or remove them over sexual assault allegations even as academic research and the FBI’s own reporting illustrates that false accusations are far and few between. But we do not apply these standards throughout our life. When a young couple hires a babysitter, a bad vibe alone suffices to bar someone from watching their child. Applicants certainly are not entitled to any higher
standard of process. And if you fire a babysitter over a nagging suspicion, no one would blame you. It is hard to argue that someone seeking a higher office or responsibility is entitled to a more forgiving process. For many, it seems obvious that the greater the responsibilities of an office, the lower are the grounds for your removal. We do not want to live in a country where innocent officials are removed and disgraced over allegations alone. But more than that, I think most of us cannot accept a country where credible allegations against those in power are held to standards that have failed survivors over and over again. A weighing of interests is necessary here. We can understand due process in a sophisticated way. Where our government considers taking away someone’s liberty, we require them to operate on the presumption of innocence. This is an important protection for the falsely accused in sexual assault cases, which
often boils to “he said, she said.” But that does not inform our action here. Impeachment hearings are not trials. The risk of removing an innocent man from power is simply outweighed by the overwhelming interests of making sure someone guilty of these allegations is not allowed to serve with impunity. Our state representatives can and should impeach over credible allegations— those made by individuals with no incentive to lie, whose narratives comport with existing knowledge of the facts and that aren’t unequivocally disproven by the accused’s presentation of evidence alone. In an impeachment setting, favor should lay with the plaintiffs, where it would lay with the accused in a criminal setting. Because power is not a right. And because due process, in its essence, was meant to protect people from those in power, not to protect those in power from the people.
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OPINIONS
02.18.2019
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Opinions do not reflect the views of Fourth Estate. Submit opinions to ckernans@gmu.edu
SERVICE DOG ETIQUETTE
SUMMER BROWN STAFF WRITER
I’m going to be flat out and honest. Service dogs are not for your personal pleasure. Yes, they may look really cute, cuddly and behave rather well, but it still does not mean they exist for you. They are medical devices that keep their owners functioning on a daily basis, much like that of an insulin pump.
It’s not unusual on college campuses across the nation to see service dogs around. In fact, it has become quite normal on a daily basis. Mason is no stranger to them either. Among the 25 on-campus animals, there are two service dogs living right here at Mason, and one of them happens to be mine. Often times in my experience, I find college students more lenient that members of older generations, but it still is not much better when it comes to service dog etiquette.
FOURTH ESTATE ALLIE THOMPSON
Their purpose is to perform trained tasks that disrupt, soothe or predict behaviors that can be destructive to the individual’s well-being due to a disability. However, when these tasks are interrupted by an individual who thinks it is acceptable to pet any dog in service or not, it often has the potential to be fatal if that trained medical device misses an indicator that they were trained for years to detect and prevent.
they have according to the American Disabilities Act, an act passed by the federal government, since there seems to be a lot of confusion as to what
separates them from a pet. Like I said before, a service dog is a trained animal that has undergone years of training to sense the handler’s lifethreatening and life-altering disability and assist in preventing it when it may strike. For example, someone who gets frequent seizures may be alerted of an oncoming seizure by their service dog, as it senses the chemical imbalances in their brains and performs a task to alert their handler of the oncoming seizure, which could possibly be deadly. In addition, it is also considered a felony
First, I want to create an understanding of what a service dog is and what rights
to distract or harass a service dog. Service dogs are allowed in establishments of all sorts with their handler, but must clearly be well behaved. There is no such thing as certification paperwork that is required. Yes, that’s right—the idea of a certification process, service dog IDs and paperwork are scams. It is clearly stated in the service animal section of the ADA that there are none. In fact, the ADA goes as far to say that service dogs are not required to wear vests either, but I like mine to wear a vest so he is not mistaken for a pet and distracted due to an unsuspecting passerby. Second, I want to say that Mason students should truly be more aware of service dogs and what to do around them. I’ve had quite a lot of experiences while having my service dog both in and out of college. Some are good ones and some are rather poor, but I never take them personally regardless of the incident. The most frequent issue I have is people asking to pet him. It is admirable that someone would ask instead of going ahead and petting, but of course, the answer will always be no. Petting
a service dog will distract it from its duties, and that is not a good thing. However, it is the major yet less frequent incidents that really bother me. Often times in dining halls, I cannot take my service dog because I have both employees and students come and harass me about him, which makes my disability become far worse than necessary over just food. In these cases, I will have to leave immediately so he can do his tasks to help me deal with my disability. No, it is not that they will ask to pet him—they will persistently state their opinions about him, me, why we should not be in there. Frankly, I have what I call regulars, those who always track me down in dining halls when I have my service dog with me and who will chase me out of the dining halls if I take him with me. More frequently are incidents that occur with other dogs on campus. Whether they are emotional support animals or not, we sometimes end up having issues. My service dog does not really care about other dogs and their presence, unless they decide to make aggressive moves in our direction, to which he will become defensive and move us out of the way. Probably about nine-tenths of the time, I have had other dogs come and distract my service dog from his
work, and sometimes even make us late to class because I take actions and precautions so that a dangerous incident does not occur and he can get back into his working mindset. Probably the most infrequent issue I have come across is other students joking, explaining and almost actually smuggling a fake service dog on campus. To me, this is probably one of the most hurtful and worst things a fellow student could do. Those who truly have disabilities are constantly battling the issue of people trying to fake their pet as a service animal. This causes legitimate owners of service animals issues, because people mistake real service animals for fake ones and cause lots of problems that could have been easily avoided otherwise. In the worst scenarios I’ve seen, legit service dog owners have not been allowed in establishments across America because of this ever-growing issue. Although the Mason student body seems to be very acknowledging and somewhat understanding towards the concept of service dogs, I seriously think there is room for improvement. Perhaps there will be a service dog awareness day in the future, but until then all I ever ask people is one question: would you treat someone’s insulin pump like how you treat a service dog?
WHY SHOULD ANY OF OUR OPINIONS MATTER? WREN PUCKETT CONTRIBUTOR
You wanna show up to school wearing pajamas, a thought my grandfather is horrified by? Go for it. Want to express yourself by shaving “F--- You” into your head? Fine by us, mate. Have an obsession with animated characters? So do we all. We are what we want to be—and that is fantastic. No, really. Kudos to us as a species for reaching the point where most of us do not pretend everybody is supposed to be normal. The key words being most of us. Most of us, most of the time. We still have those pesky little opinions in the back of our heads. There is the
opposition, the backlash against such reform. Some of us act as if we’re okay with each and every movement, and then cherry pick one or two issues PHOTO COURTESY OF REYNOLDS DEFESE FIRM
So it seems that we are living in the golden age for expressing oneself. No longer are social norms keeping us buttoned up and living out our lives in secret out of fear of society’s scorn.
to stand up against. I have a friend who literally said the words, ‘Let’s just all accept everybody for who they are,’ mere moments before pointing out somebody whose backpack was
ladened with LGBTQ+ pins and saying, “That’s so unnecessary.” Really? You just made that argument; perhaps you should eat your words. Why is it that we (I am throwing us all under the bus here) feel that our opinions are valid? There is the argument that everybody brings their unique and insightful perspective to the table, so we ought to listen to everybody. But you know what we also all bring? Bias, bigotry, prejudice. Why should I, a straight, white, liberal female, have any reason to comment on the life of a trans, black male? I do not. I
do not know what that person has lived through. I do not know what reasons they have for making their choices. Why should my opinion matter? Why are some old, white men partially responsible for deciding whether a woman has the right to abortion? Why would my grandpa feel he needed to darn a suit and tie to show up to school? Why did my friend feel he should comment on a person’s expression via backpack? Allow me to stir the pot even more. Why should race, sexuality, gender, etc., even play a role in the whole idea of judging at all? Why should a straight, brown male be able to judge another straight, brown male? Just because some of their characteristics are similar on the surface doesn’t mean that either has the right to make criticisms to the other. Those are two vastly different
people, not to be lumped together because of demographic consistencies. Humans seem to like to put things into boxes, boxes with labels. We make judgments based on these labels. We compare ourselves based on these labels. We share our opinions because of these labels. It may make understanding our world easier, but these labeled boxes give us an incomplete outlook. That’s great that we’ve lessened the stigma about being yourself, but we still unintentionally label those people. It is a messy world, and hopefully in time we can come to not just accept people on a surface level, as we do now, but deeply and truly accept them. Perhaps we can even come to a place where checking a box to claim the color of your skin, your sexuality or gender becomes a ridiculous memory.
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OPINIONS
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02.18.2019
Opinions do not reflect the views of Fourth Estate. Submit opinions to ckernans@gmu.edu
YOUR MENTAL HEALTH DOESN’T BELONG TO ANYONE’S SCHEDULE SUSAN KATHRINE CORKRAN STAFF WRITER
I’ve been forced to think about this a lot recently. The weird thing no one tells you about brushing up against death is that the experiences linger with you. Even after your body heals, there is something permanently altered within you. You can remember the smell of the hospital, the touch of the doctors, the pain, the nightmares—the everything. But most of all, you also remember the aftermath. Turmoil can remain, manifesting itself in issues of mental health that have to be addressed just as critically as the physical health problems which preceded them. Anxiety, depression, trauma … it’s a fun little smorgasbord. And then people wonder why you aren’t getting better faster. That is my least favorite part. Being sick and facing your own mortality
is hard enough, but learning how to live again afterwards is a process. There are moments of progress and many more moments of falling back into old fears and memories. I will keep believing that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and all of that. It’s just that when you are still stuck in the dark part, you want to scream that instead pontificating to you, maybe, just maybe, someone could actually take your hand and just walk. It is not an act of love to shove a shattered person ahead of their healing pace. It is not supportive to force someone into distress. It is selfish to think that your personal schedule needs to be the priority of someone walking through hell because their progress is not about you. The other side of that coin is this: when you consider your reasons to keep living, fighting and struggling forward, the ultimate motivation has to be your own wellbeing. It cannot be someone else. I think about that ‘Do it for her (or him)’ vision board image, and I realize that I have only ever framed my life that
way. Anorexia was something for me to overcome for the sake of the people I loved, and since I have never loved myself, I was not part of the equation. And I am not the only one who has seen themselves that way. When we force a smile on our face and pretend not to have been crying in the bathroom before class, who is that smile for? It isn’t for my own sake that the lie I have told most often in my life is ‘I’m fine.’ People enter and leave our lives, often accompanied by heartbreak. If our reasons for loving and living hang upon other people, then we may well wake up to find our reasons suddenly gone. No one’s journey through life or recovery from mental health issues is a course which will run smoothly, or even in anything resembling a straight line. However, I think that the only way for it to keep moving forward at all is for its catalyst to live only in you.
PHOTO COURTESY OF SUSAN KATHRINE CORKRAN
While we slowly chip away at the stigma and silence surrounding issues of mental and emotional health, we have managed to barely scratch the surface of the problematic views we still hold as a society. I want to talk about one especially—prioritizing other people as a reason for your recovery.
NATIONAL EMERGENCIES SHOULD BE EMERGENCIES JACE WHITE STAFF WRITER
We would like to hope that government spending of any kind is designed to improve people’s lives in response to some sort of problem, which could include problems of safety. Threats to safety are the impetus behind all sorts of government actions that are still required to go through the normal legislative process. If problems that threaten the safety of Americans are automatically classified as emergencies, many of the hotly debated issues of our time could be unilaterally acted
upon by the President. Healthcare, gun safety, poverty, abortion, crime and more are all issues that in one way or another affect people’s safety. If a threat to safety was the only threshold for a national emergency, a President could simply institute their party’s solutions to these controversial issues without going through Congress.
of the president’s role as commander in chief. One exception was in 2009, when Barack Obama declared a national emergency in response to the outbreak of swine flu. With a case like this, the cost of a delayed response was high, as the spread of disease would continue to kill more and more people.
Outside of emergency situations like natural disasters, where immediate action is needed, the problem is that the existence of a threat to safety usually does not imply an obvious solution. President Trump’s answer to border security is a physical barrier, while many Democrats would prefer to hire more border security agents and others believe we should have open borders. This is a truly subjective political question, which is why there is a legislative process in place to make decisions about how to respond.
Swine flu was a problem that appeared suddenly and required immediate attention. The problem of illegal immigration, on the other hand, has been around for decades, and the problem is not threatening to get worse. The number of illegal immigrants coming into the United States has been declining for years. While illegal immigration might be a problem, and it
In recent years, the presidential power to declare emergencies has almost always been used to put sanctions on people or countries for security reasons. This is a natural extension
might be a threat to safety, i t can hardly b e
considered an emergency. If an age-old problem that is slowly getting better on its own can be considered an emergency, there would be almost no limit to what the President could do without asking anyone’s permission.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ALBERT BRIDGE
President Trump has said that if Congress does not provide enough funding for a border wall, he will declare a national emergency. He claims that illegal immigration and drug trafficking pose an immediate threat to Americans’ safety. While technically legal, the move would not be an appropriate use of the President’s powers. Even if we accept the argument that an insecure border threatens the safety of Americans, safety alone shouldn’t be a good enough reason to allow the President to spend money without congressional approval.
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S4M3: Twins
FOURTH ESTATE SONYA NATASHA FLECHA MONGE
3030: Maybe I’ll Bring A Bag Next Time...
Fistful of Zebras- Do You Love Me?
MS Funny
FOURTH ESTATE BILLY FERGUSON
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FOURTH ESTATE MONIQUE LE
FOURTH ESTATE JAY TOPSHE
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The No. 1 Show in the world.”
—Kenn Wells, former lead dancer of English National Ballet
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I’ve reviewed about 4,000 shows, none can compare to what I saw tonight.” —Richard Connema, renowned Broadway critic
“Absolutely the greatest of the great!
It must be experienced.” —Christine Walevska, “Goddess of the Cello”, watched Shen Yun 5 times
“The highest and the best of what humans can produce.” —Olevia Brown-Klahn, singer and musician
— —Broadway World
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