2.19.18- Fourth Estate

FOURTH ESTATE Feb. 19, 2018 Volume 5 Issue 15

GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY'S STUDENT NEWSPAPER

@ivestate | gmufourthestate.com

HOW MASON GROWS ITS FOOD

page

4

The Office of Sustainability works with students to provide fresh produce for the school

NEWS

LIFESTYLE Fourth Estate sits down with Women’s Basketball Starter Taylor Dodson to talk sports and service

The race for District 10: Rep. Barbara Comstock faces a slew of ambitious Democrats in the 2018 midterms

page 6

LIFESTYLE

EDITORIAL Fourth Estate Editorial: IVE editors express support for the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High students page 5

In Livin Color: A night to celebrate Black cultures and excellence

page 11

page 10

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FOURTH ESTATE

2.19.2018

We are always recruiting volunteers for: - NEWS WRITERS - LIFESTYLE WRITERS - SPORTS WRITERS - COPY EDITORS - PHOTOGRAPHERS

For all inquiries, please email a resume and two clips (or visual samples) to: masonfourthestate@gmail.com AND apply online at http://c2ms.info/osmapply

GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE

Fareeha Rehman Sosan Malik Co-Editors-in-Chief

Katya Beisel Copy Chief

Michael Eberhart News Editor

Alex Shedd News Assistant Editor

Dinanda Pramesti Lifestyle Editor

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Basma Humadi Lifestyle Assistant Editor

Jamie Beliveau Opinions Editor

Co-Editor-in-Chief Sosan Malik

Co-Editor-in-Chief Fareeha Rehman

On Friday, the student media office had Active Threat Response Training.

Corporal S. Hensley went over the precautions that should be taken in harmful situations. While there are many numbers to call in case of an emergency, it is an integral part of everyone’s life to learn how to manage or cope with harmful scenarios.

One major learning point I took away from the training was NEVER to pull the fire alarm if an active shooter is on the loose. By doing so, people who are unaware of the situation will most likely gather in the hallways, where the shooter can easily come into contact with more targets.

News Editor Michael Eberhart

News Asst. Editor Alex Shedd

Lifestyle Editor Dinanda Pramesti

In the moment I learned about the Parkland shooting, I was thankful for being alive and regretted the fact that the morning before hearing about this terrible incident I did not appreciate the day ahead of me. This occurrence at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School frightened me. I hope all the students at Mason and people everywhere take a moment to appreciate their life no matter how bad their day is going. While my heart immediately felt for those who died that day, I also wish Nikolas Cruz had sought the help he needed before he let his violent thoughts control his actions.

Catherine McKay Online Editor

Billy Ferguson Art Director

Allie Thompson Photo Editor

Emmett Smith Distribution Manager

Kathryn Mangus Director

David Carroll Associate Director

Jason Hartsel Assistant Director

Jessica Smith Business Office Manager

I do want to mention to all the students and faculty members that Mason does offer such services to those in need of mental and behavioral health.

Below is the link to Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPs): https://caps.gmu.edu/psychological-services/ Lifestyle Asst. Editor Basma Humadi

Opinions Editor Jamie Beliveau

Copy Chief Katya Beisel

The Fourth Estate team’s heart goes out to all the family members who have lost their loved ones in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting. To read our official message on the topic, see page 11. ____________________________________________________________ CORRECTIONS from Issue 2-12-18: ART IMITATES LIFE, page 6 Rhyan Elliott’s name was misspelled.

COVER PHOTO CREDITS Photos courtesy of Jimmy O’Hara Lifestyle Tayler Dodson Fourth Estate/Ibrahim Ahmad News Rep. Comstock courtesy of Congress.gov

Art Director Billy Ferguson

Photo Editor Allie Thompson

George Mason University Mail stop 2C5 4400 University Drive Fairfax, Va. 22030 Phone 703-993-2950

Online Editor Catherine McKay Fourth Estate is printed each Monday for George Mason University and its surrounding Fairfax community.

The editors of Fourth Estate have exclusive authority over the content that is published.

There are no outside parties that play a role in the newspaper’s content, and should there be a question or complaint regarding this policy, the Editor-in-Chief should be notified at the email provided.

Fourth Estate is a free publication, limit one copy per person. Additional copies are 25 cents payable to the Office of Student Media.

Editorial Fourth Estate Logo Lifestyle Taekwondo courtesy of Dr. Chun Park/Mason Recreation

NEWS

GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE

2.19.2018

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FOURTH ESTATE/ GRANT SMITH

HOUSE OF DELEGATES STALLS ON BILL TO CAP TUITION RATES

But other legislation moves forward to protect student loan borrowers MICHAEL EBERHART NEWS EDITOR

MASON’S OBSERVATORY LOOKS TO THE STARS

The Astronomy Department hosts visiting scientists searching for other planets ISABELLA LAMAGDELEINE STAFF WRITER

The astronomy department hosts prestigious guest speakers to talk about ground-breaking research in an event called “Evening Under the Stars.”

Natasha Batalha, a researcher at the Space Telescope Science Institute at Johns Hopkins University, is the latest speaker within the series.

Her research focuses on finding new planets that may have life -- a field of research that is helping scientists understand the world around us better than ever before.

“We’re finding out through Kepler [a NASA spacecraft] that we are not really the general case, “ said Batalha. “If we want to detect life in an Earth-Sun system, then the challenges become much greater.”

Batalha explained the five steps astronomers use to find new stars and planets. The first is determining where they could be located in the visible universe, then finding planets that are close to the size and energy levels of Earth. The third step for researchers is finding if any of these Earth-like planets are nearby, looking at the composition of the atmosphere, and then looking for signs of life on those planets themselves.

“We’re not just going to look at planets that are terrestrial, super Jupiters, mini-Earths,” she added, discussing her team’s research. “We are going to look at a whole bunch of planets.”

Geller, an associate professor in the Astronomy Department and head of the observatory program at Mason since 2006.

During his time in charge, Geller has seen Research Hall be renovated to include an observatory as part of its design, the first built since the early ‘80s. The old observatory was housed in a pig shed, and was torn down due to vandalism and disrepair.

Geller oversees Mason’s new battery of telescopes, including the Ritchey-Chretien Telescope. At 32 inches, it is the largest telescope that Mason has, allowing researchers to see objects in space that are farther away and less prone to errors than smaller optics.

“The Ritchey-Chretien telescope allows us to do some real research with heavy duty equipment on the end,” explained Geller. “The smaller telescopes serve a purpose too, and always have.”

The observatory houses several different smaller telescopes including a 16” Dobsonian, three different types of 12” models which use mirrors to reflect light to form images for study, a 6” solar telescope and two more from the older observatory building.

House Bill 351 was introduced in January by Delegate David Reid (D-Ashburn) to limit tuition costs at public universities like Mason to the same rate as the 2017-2018 academic year.

Some colleges already offer similar programs for their students. For example, the William & Mary Board of Visitors sets four-year tuition costs for every year, so that incoming students are guaranteed to pay the same rate as seniors that they paid as freshmen. The new bill would work the same way for all public universities in Virginia.

HB 351 would also limit increases to the cost of room and board according to 90 percent or less of the annual consumer price index. These caps would not apply to out-of-state students, but the bill would limit their percentage of total university enrollments to the 2017-2018 rate.

If passed, the legislation would be in place at Virginia schools until July, 2022.

The bill was approved in the House education committee by a 17-4 vote on Feb. 7, but has since been tabled by the higher education subcommittee for appropriations.

This puts the likelihood of a future vote on the legislation in doubt.

However, both houses of the General Assembly did pass related bills this week to deal with rising student loan debt.

SB 394 and HB 1138 would create an Office of the Qualified Education Loan Ombudsman to educate students on their rights as borrowers, collect data on common complaints and address other problems and concerns with college debt.

According to the Project on Student Debt by the nonprofit Institute for College Access and Success, Virginia students averaged $29,296 in debt after graduation in 2016, ranking twenty-second in the country.

The Senate bill, introduced by Sen. Janet Howell (D-Reston), passed unanimously after a third reading on Monday, Feb. 12. The House bill was introduced by Del. Marcia Price (D-Newport News) one day after SB 394, and passed by a 94-5 vote on Feb. 13. Both bills will now go to the opposite chamber for consideration by their respective education committees.

If they become law, the new office would be created within the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia to resolve student debt issues in the Commonwealth. SB 1053, a related bill that would have created a “Borrower’s Bill of Rights” to protect student loan borrowers failed to pass in 2017 on a party-line vote in the House Commerce and Labor Committee. It was also introduced by Sen. Howell.

The observatory on campus is not just for Mason research, but for the community as well.

As long as the weather is clear, the guest speaking events are immediately followed by an observatory tour that allows the public to view the telescopes and see what they can find themselves.

Anyone can come and the event is free. The talks are accessible for all, but are still scientifically-minded and deal with difficult astronomy concepts, so children under five are not recommended to attend.

Batalha was introduced by Professor Harold The next date for Evening Under the Stars is set for Feb. 19. If there is rain or any other bad weather, it will be moved to the following Monday, Feb. 26 at 6 p.m. The speaker will be Steve Conrad, also from Johns Hopkins University’s Space Telescope Science Institute. Conrad also works at the International Occultation Timing Association, which observe and track astronomical occulations -- when a part of the solar system passes in front of a more distant object, partially or totally hiding the more distant object and blocking its light.

Photo courtesy of EVAN CANTWELL/MASON CREATIVE SERVICES

Space is the limit for researchers at the Mason observatory in Research Hall. Students and faculty from the astronomy department investigate topics like astrobiology -- the study of the origin and future of life in the universe. This includes searching for new, Earth-like planets that humans could live on one day in the future.

A new bill introduced to the Virginia House of Delegates that would cap college tuition rates for four years has stalled in the appropriations committee.

Photo courtesy of JIMMY O’HARA

2.19.2018

NEWS

A LOOK AT HOW MASON GROWS ITS OWN FOOD The Presidents Park hydroponic greenhouse grows fresh produce for Mason dining CLAIRE UNDERWOOD STAFF WRITER

Since 2013, Mason has grown lettuce, basil, cilantro and other microgreens in its campus greenhouse using a hydroponic growing system. Ike’s dining hall uses much of the greens grown on campus to feed students.

The hydroponic greenhouse is located in President’s Park, an area dedicated to freshmen dorms. In 2013, the College of Science stopped using the building and it was soon taken over by the Office of Sustainability to use for food production. In 2014, they hired Doni Nolan, a Mason alum who graduated earlier that same year with a degree in biology. As the supervisor of the greenhouse, Nolan has since completely redeveloped the way that the greenhouse functions.

animals and vandalism, plus the hydroponic methods allow us to grow food without soil. These factors prevent the spread of foodborne illness.”

Since Nolan took charge, the impact of the greenhouse has been increasing on campus. Nolan explained that there are over 100 students who volunteer in the greenhouse each semester.

“Doni has so much knowledge,” said Christina Famodu, an Environmental and Sustainability Studies major.

“There is a lot of trial and error with the development of infrastructure in the greenhouse and what I admire most about her is her willingness to try new ideas.”

Hydroponics is an agricultural technique that uses water to deliver a solution of nutrients and minerals to a plant’s roots directly, without the use of soil.

Students volunteering for class or internship credit do much of the work done in the greenhouse. Because of this, they need access to a place to work during all seasons of the year.

Working inside of the greenhouse allows students to work year-round, and having a building to grow food inside of offers protection from both animals and the elements to ensure that food is produced at all times.

“Using indoor greenhouses and hydroponics for growing food make it more safe and sanitary than outdoors,” she explained. “The food is protected from

Once the produce is harvested from the greenhouse, it is collected and sold to Sodexo for use at the salad bar in Ike’s dining hall. According

“The outdoor soil environment created a concern for food safety,” Nolan said, inspiring the development of a new hydroponic growing system.

Photo courtesy of JIMMY O’HARA

GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE

to Mason’s Office of Sustainability, the Presidents Park greenhouse “now produces approximately 2,000 lbs. of fresh produce annually, which raises $20,000 each year that is used to pay for supplies, staff and utilities.”

While being economical for Mason, the greenhouse is an opportunity for students to learn about sustainable business practices and the sources of their food. And it’s not just an opportunity for students majoring in environment and sustainability-related subjects.

“Working in the greenhouse helped me gain a green thumb, and it is also beneficial to help students become more aware of the environment around them,” said Ashlynn Hubert, an integrative studies major with a concentration in legal studies. Hubert first volunteered in the greenhouse for a class assignment.

The Mason greenhouse continues to grow and improve with every semester.

They are expanding to grow even more produce, including tomatoes, thyme and mint. Volunteers are welcome to work on a walk-in basis from 4 to 7 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, or Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Photo courtesy of JIMMY O’HARA

04

NEWS

REP. BARBARA COMSTOCK

SHAK HILL

STATE SEN. JENNIFER WEXTON

DANIEL HELMER

05

Photo courtesy of TWITTER

Photo courtesy of ALISONFORVIRGINIA.COM

2.19.2018

Photo courtesy of LINKEDIN

Photo courtesy of CONGRESS.GOV

Photo courtesy of BLOG TALK RADIO

Photo courtesy of JENNIFERWEXTON.COM

GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE

ALISON FRIEDMAN

LINDSEY DAVIS STOVER

DEMOCRATS SCRAMBLE FOR HOUSE SEAT IN DISTRICT 10 Incumbent Rep. Barbara Comstock faces a competitive midterm election ALEXANDER SHEDD NEWS ASSISTANT EDITOR

Although midterm elections in the U.S. normally see a significantly lower turnout than presidential elections, they can still be highly contentious. In Congressional District 10, an influential seat in the House of Representatives that covers much of northern Virginia, Republican incumbent Barbara Comstock faces eleven Democrats and one fellow Republican. But first, they will have to get through the primary elections.

Comstock was first elected to her seat in 2014. She is a member of high-profile congressional committees such as Transportation and Infrastructure, House Administration, and the Joint Economic Committee. In her official website biography, she touts legislative victories that include bipartisan tax relief, opioid legislation in response to the opioid crisis, and bipartisan protections against human trafficking.

Comstock faces a single Republican opponent in the June 12 primary election: Shak Hill. Hill is a retired

Photo courtesy of GEORGE MASON POLICE

MASON WEEKLY CRIME LOG

Air Force combat pilot and financial planner. On his official website, Hill cites the need for Comstock to lose her seat in part due to her low rating from the Heritage Foundation, a major conservative think tank in Washington, D.C. Hill is running on “draining the swamp,” an anti-establishment slogan popularized by President Donald Trump during his 2016 campaign.

Hill’s personal definition of the phrase is unclear from his website, which states that he is “committed to finishing what President Trump started.” Hill also supports pro-Second Amendment and pro-life policies, as well as the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. There are eleven Democratic candidates running in this year’s primary election. Although the final outcome is unclear at this point in the race, there are several early leaders in this pack.

Jennifer Wexton, a state senator from Virginia State District 33, is the only

candidate to receive official endorsements from active congressmen so far. She has been endorsed by Rep. Gerry Connolly -- who represents neighboring Congressional District 11, which includes Fairfax -- as well as Rep. Donald McEachin from Virginia’s fourth district. Wexton has received the third most campaign donations, showing $457,313 in receipts according to the Federal Elections Commission (FEC).

Daniel Helmer is the only candidate in the race who has already released campaign ads. Helmer is a U.S. Army veteran and business planner from Fairfax. He is running on a socially liberal platform of healthcare reform, immigration reform and renewable energy. He has released two campaign ads, in which he criticizes Barbara Comstock. According to the FEC, he has also raised the second most campaign donations at $534,150.

Other early leading candidates include Alison Friedman, who has raised

the most in campaign donations at $703,709, and Lindsey Davis Stover, who has raised $443,792 according to FEC campaign records.

Friedman, a lifelong human rights activist and former Obama administration State Department official, is running on an explicitly anti-Trump platform. On her campaign’s website, she states, “I believe Donald Trump is wrong, his rhetoric is hateful, and his actions are reliably reckless.” Her primary issues include supporting a “living” minimum wage, reforming infrastructure in the region and supporting public education.

Stover is also a former Obama administration official in the Department of Veterans’ Affairs and a small business owner in McLean, Virginia. Her platform includes protecting voter rights, fighting for paid family leave and workforce education and supporting universally accessible healthcare.

Her website touts endorsements from several influential politicians

and Obama administration officials, including former Sen. Wendy Davis of Texas, former Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico, and Chris Lu, former cabinet secretary to Barack Obama.

Other Democrats in this highly competitive race include Deep Sran, founder of Loudoun School for the Gifted; Shadi Ayyas, a general practitioner from Winchester; Julia Biggins, an infectious disease scientist; Dave Hanson, a retired Navy Captain and intelligence officer; Julien Modica, an Advisory Board Member at the Medical College of Virginia; Paul Pelletier, a former federal prosecutor from the Justice Department; and Michael Pomerleano, a former executive at World Bank.

The filing deadline for all the candidates to make it onto the primary ballot is Mar. 29. The primary elections will be held on June 12 to determine candidates for the general election on Nov. 6.

Monday, Feb. 12, 2018 - Outside of Fenwick Library, 1:37 a.m.

Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018 - EagleBank Arena, 9:07 p.m.

Disorderly Conduct/Obstruction of Justice/Dating Violence: Subject (GMU) was arrested and transported to Fairfax County Adult Detention Center for acting disorderly in public.

Liquor Law Violations/Drunkenness: Subject (Non-GMU) was arrested and transported to Fairfax County Adult Detention Center for being highly intoxicated in public while under age 21.

Case 2018-001290 - Cleared by Arrest/Referred to Title IX.

Case 2018-001459 - Cleared by Arrest.

Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2018 - Fairfax Campus, 1:29 PM

Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018 - The HUB, 11:01 p.m.

Stalking: Complainant (GMU) reported receiving unwanted contact from a known subject (GMU) on multiple occasions.

Drunkenness/Medical Assist: Subject (Non-GMU) was transported to Inova Access by emergency medical services for being highly intoxicated.

Case 2018-001354 - Referred to Title IX.

Case 2018-001469 - Closed.

Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018 - Lot K, 3:43 p.m.

Drug/Narcotic Violations: Subject (GMU) was arrested and transported to Fairfax County Adult Detention Center for possessing illegal drugs. A second Subject (GMU) was referred to Office of Student Conduct (OSC) for the same offense.

Case 2018-001440 - Cleared by Arrest/Cleared by Summons.

06

LIFESTYLE

2.19.2018

TAYLER DODSON LEADS THE TEAM ON AND OFF THE COURT

An interview with Mason’s starting senior NATALIE HEAVREN STAFF WRITER

For senior Women’s Basketball starter Tayler Dodson, community service isn’t just a team requirement -- it has become a passion.

“She’s just really spearheaded and taken charge of community service,” said Coach Nyla Milleson. “Not only does she enjoy it, but it’s a passion and she feels that it’s an important piece of Mason Women’s Basketball.”

Dodson, who has quietly climbed to fifteenth in assists and twenty-second in rebounds in the Mason record books, has been starting consistently since her freshman year. Though she has never been one to fill up the stat sheet, her importance to her coach and teammates is clear, both on and off the court.

Fourth Estate (IVE): When were you first exposed to basketball?

Tayler Dodson: My dad’s been a coach, he was a coach while I was being born, so I was just kind of in the gym. They have baby pictures of me rolling around on the gym with a ball so I’ve been around it since I could pretty much start crawling.

IVE: Who in basketball did you look up to growing up? Why? TD: Magic Johnson and Larry Bird were my two favorite players. So I have Magic Johnson’s number, which I just loved him growing up. I love assists, like passing, and he was so good at that, so I ended up just taking his number. And I’ve kept that, thankfully, all the way through, I’ve never had to change my number. And then Larry Bird was just another one that a lot of people said I played like, so then I ended up loving his game because he just played really hard. So I tried to take those qualities out of people.

commitment to the Mason team to stay, to push through, that like things are going to get better, we’re going to turn it around, and then to see results now obviously has been great.

IVE: How did it feel to be the Recipient of the Team’s Community Service Award?

TD: I love community service, that’s one of my favorite things that I do. I’ve gotten the award the past two years, and I’ve had the opportunity to do so many cool things through the community service, which to me has been so rewarding. We did the Friends of Jaclyn, and adopted a little girl Mia Grace, and then I got to do an Operation Gratitude Drive across campus and send a bunch of things to troops overseas. I think we ended up collecting 700 items. The one I did this year was Pennies for Patients, so we did that again, three sports teams, and we ended up collecting $700 dollars to send to Pennies for Patients, which for a startup was so good.

IVE: What is most important thing you’ve learned from the coaches here at Mason?

TD: I think the most important thing I’ve learned is probably just how to be a leader, and how to control emotions.

You come in as a freshman and your head can go everywhere. I worked and worked with the coaching staff and did leadership meetings, and just different

talks with Coach T [Assistant Coach Tajama Abraham Ngongba], a lot of one-on-one meetings with her. And then they just taught how to pick the little things from the big things, and how to lead a team through whatever is going on off the court, and things like that, which is something that I think I can take on to any job.

IVE: What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced and how have you overcome it?

GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE

had a lot of meetings with the coaches again, instead of transferring and trying to go somewhere else I worked through it and stayed. And I think that’s been the biggest challenge, just getting to the point we’re at now.

IVE: Do you think it was worth it, staying?

TD: Yeah, it was definitely worth it, I tell people that all the time, ‘If you’re ever thinking about transferring or things seem bad, I’ve made it four years and things are great now, this is exactly what was supposed to happen.’

IVE: What are your hopes for the team the rest of the season?

TD: Twenty wins is our first goal, which

should happen hopefully this week.

That’s the first step, because a 20-win season hasn’t happened at Mason in a long time. The next hope is obviously a conference championship, we really want [it], and then a postseason bid.

Which is what we’re playing for right now basically is a postseason bid, so even if we don’t get the conference championship like we want to be in a postseason tournament.

Dodson will play in her last regular season game in a Mason uniform on Saturday, Feb. 24 at 2 p.m. when the Patriots take on La Salle.

The rest of the interview with Dodson and Coach Milleson can be found online at gmufourthestate.com.

TD: I think the biggest challenge for me was being here my freshman year, just because I was finally with a coach that wasn’t my dad, and my high school team we lost two games from my junior year to my senior year, so we lost one each year. And then we had two back-to-back State Championships. I was coming from a very established, winning high school program, and then I came here and I think we won like six games. And that was so hard for me, because I knew coming in that it was going to be difficult, we were going to have turn things around. Coach M [Milleson] was like, ‘We’re working on it, we’re going to get the program where it needs to be, but it’s going to take some time.’ But then after actually playing in it for a year and being in that situation, it was tough because it’s a different environment, and I think just sticking through it and staying. I

TD: Well I’ve been here for a long time, so and it’s kind of been transition years so I think that I’ve just contributed a will to work, a will to stay committed to our team. It’s so easy when you’re in a transition program and we finally have a winning so we’re finally where we want to be, but we weren’t there obviously when I first got there. So I think I just gave that FOURTH ESTATE/IBRAHIM AHMAD

FOURTH ESTATE/iBRAHIM AHMAD

FOURTH ESTATE/IBRAHIM AHMAD

IVE: How do you feel you’ve contributed to the Mason basketball program so far?

2.19.2018

07

FOURTH ESTATE/ANGELIQUE ARINTOK

LIFESTYLE

NOW HIRING for 2018-2019 Open Position:

COMMUNICATION TEAM MEMBER The role of the Communication Team is to enhance the overall cohesiveness and efficiency of Student Media. The Communication Team works together to provide excellent customer service to students, visitors, and advertisers and assist with social media, email marketing, and community outreach events.

Specific Duties Include: • Perform receptionist duties (answering calls/ emails, greeting visitors, data entry, etc) • Assist administrative staff as-needed • Attend weekly team meetings and required Student Media trainings/meetings • Assist with promotion of Student Media on social media and act as an office ambassador

Required Skills: • Exceptional customer service • Strong written/verbal communication skills • Must be able to multi-task, prioritize, and accurately complete assignments on time • Proficient with the Microsoft Office suite

Pay Rate: $10/hr (must be approved for Federal Work Study through Financial Aid) Avg. Hours/Week: 10 (during regular business hours of 9am–5pm) Questions? Email stumedia@gmu.edu Application Deadline: March 4, 2018

APPLY ONLINE: hiremason.gmu.edu

MY BEST FRIEND, A CONCEPT CRAFTED BY A MOTHER & HER YOUNG DAUGHTER Mason staff member and daughter created a simple, yet powerful tale of friendship ANGELIQUE ARINTOK STAFF WRITER

Pamela Ononiwu is a hardworking single parent of three and staff member at George Mason University. Ononiwu currently serves as an education support specialist with the Volgenau School of Engineering at Manassas. Upon assuming this administrative role, Ononiwu has also kept herself busy with a specially-crafted project alongside her young daughter Joy Okonta.

Okonta, Ononiwu’s eight year old daughter, is a minority at her elementary school. Two years ago, Okonta was approached by a fellow classmate with a racially insensitive remark. Upon hearing about the exchange with Okonta’s classmate, Ononiwu was not surprised. However, she felt the extreme urgency in wanting to protect her child.

The contentious political climate in 2016 emboldened Ononiwu to address issues of diversity, inclusion, and positivity to her three young children. Ononiwu hopes that authoring a children’s book with her daughter spreads these critical messages to libraries and classroom. Beyond this, she and her daughter hope that “My Best Friend’s” topics and themes are integrated into discussions among those of all ages and backgrounds.

When asked about the purpose and intent of the book, Ononiwu said, “[My Best Friend] is about friendship, and about two girls who are equally smart and equally brilliant.”

Despite how different the main characters, Jojo and Penny, physically appear through the book’s illustrations, they are actually more alike than they are similar.

Ononiwu wanted to supplement the message of the children’s book with illustrations that captured both of the main characters’ distinct physical features. After many weeks of searching for an illustrator to capture “My Best Friend”, Ononiwu unexpectedly stumbled across a friend from college, Bernise Springer, on Facebook.

“The most difficult part about creating this book was finding an illustrator—finding someone reliable, and who could draw pictures of ethnic hair,” Ononiwu shared.

Finding Springer on Fa c e b o o k appeared to be an act of fate. As an illustrator, Springer has demonstrated both reliability and talent in her detailed work.

Ononiwu, who comes from a Nigerian family, aims to use this platform as a way

to highlight the immigrant and AfricanAmerican voice. Interestingly enough, “My Best Friend” is narrated from a Caucasian perspective. Both Ononiwu and Okonta felt using Penny’s perspective was significant in demonstrate the girls’ friendship as one that realizes racial differences, yet similar personalities.

Almost two years in the making, this book has worked in hopes of sharing messages of positivity and inclusion. Physical copies of the children’s book will soon be available. To view Ononiwu and Okonta’s work online now, “My Best Friend” is available as a Kindle edition e-book on Amazon.

FOURTH ESTATE/ANGELIQUE ARINTOK

GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE

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 Mason student Kevin Gibbs, Mason staff Amaka Okechukwu, and Delta Sigma Theta. If you know of a Mason student, faculty member, alumnus or alumna, or organization that would like to be featured on FACES OF MASON please submit your request via: https://goo.gl/HZ4SMd INTERVIEWS BY BASMA HUMADI

S TA F F : A M A K A O K E C H U K W U

Amber Igodan- Delta Sigma Theta What is the purpose of Delta Sigma Theta?

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated is an organization of college-educated women committed to the constructive development of its members and to public service with a primary focus on the Black community.

It’s an organization committed to scholarship, sisterhood and service.

What is your most memorable moment with Delta Sigma Theta?

Why is this organization important to you?

My most memorable moment was becoming apart of the best chapter, Omicron Rho. Gaining sisters has changed my life for the better. These are women who are leaders, hard workers, and ones who care to see their communities achieve.

Delta Sigma Theta, Sorority, Incorporated is important to me because the founders and past presidents have paved the way for women around the world to help their communities and make a change.

STUDENT: KEVIN GIBBS

Photo courtesy of AMAKA OKECHUKWU

FOURTH ESTATE/BASMA HUMADI

O R G A N I Z AT I O N : D E LTA S I G M A T H E TA

Who is your biggest inspiration and why?

FOURTH ESTATE/IBRAHIM AHMAD

I am most inspired by people who do a lot with a little. Folks who may not have much, but use their drive to be innovative and creative. I always look to the people resisting and creating.

What does Black History Month mean to you?

What’s your dream job?

My dream job is to become a Foreign Service Officer with Lieutenant Permit.

So, traveling the world, usually on the economic [career track] and just help people What are you doing to celebrate Black History Month?

Going to see Black Panther. I’m so excited for that movie.

You’ve interned at the House of Representatives before - what was that experience like?

It was amazing. It was amazing to see

how legislation actually gets made and how the congressmen and representatives actually conduct business, figure out how they’re gonna write legislation, who’s actually writing it and how much time the representatives can serve their staff.

What was your favorite thing about your internship?

Getting to sit in on the committees.

Usually, in the committee they’re talking to very smart people about a certain issue and I learned a lot of stuff about how we regulate gas emissions from oil companies to opioid crises. It

was a lot of varied stuff. I went to an IT meeting where they talked about encryption and what the future of that was and it was really interesting.

What made you want to get into politics?

I just love reading about politics. I became a political junkie when I moved to this area three years ago and I had the time. It captivates me because I think in politics it’s important since it affects all of our lives. If you’re not paying attention to it you get blindsighted and you never know what’s going to happen from there.

Black History Month is a reminder to Americans that Black people have made significant contributions to this world. I know this, as do my family, friends and community members. This country could not be here without the labor of Black people. However, it is important to formally acknowledge this through holidays, celebrations, panels, lectures, books and other kinds of media. So I appreciate this time and I hope every racial group can take the time out to learn something new about Black people in the United States and throughout the African diaspora. #blackhistoryyear Would you say your identity has helped shaped who you are? If so, how?

Confused by the question. Your identity is who you are. If you are

referring to racial or ethnic identity— my black heritage has always been a central part of who I am. I am blessed to be descended from enslaved people (on my mother’s side) and Nigeria (on my father’s side), so I have the best of both worlds! I’ve always understood blackness as diverse, and I truly draw strength from my Black heritage. My worldview has been shaped from my experience as a Black woman in America, and I truly feel that I live intersectionality daily.

What topics are you most excited to teach/discuss with your students and why?

I am working on a new book project that draws from the subfield of urban sociology, so I am very excited about issues relating to cities, urban development, and race and resistance in the urban context. I also enjoy introducing students to qualitative methods, particularly interviewing and participant observation—-so many of us already have an inclination to listen to and observe the social world around us! It’s great informing students that in fact, those are legitimate methods to use in research.

LIFESTYLE

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2.19.2018

09

HIDDEN GEMS INSIDE THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE MUHAMMAD ARHAM CONTRIBUTOR

On Feb. 14th, I visited the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington D.C. as recommended by my professor. I entered the museum with a giveaway ticket that is available during the weekdays. I met with staff members who welcomed me and explained what the museum offers.

FOURTH ESTATE/MUHAMMAD ARHAM

The museum is dedicated to the black community’s contribution to American development. Visitors can come for leisure or to gain new knowledge and experience about African American history. Each floor is structured chronologically based upon different eras in African American history. Starting from the second floor, depictions of African American history through sport, military and art are showcased.

On the lower floor, visitors have the chance to explore slavery in detail and the African American effort toward equality during segregation.

Mason Professor Spencer Crew helped curate “Defending Freedom, Defining

Freedom: Era of Segregation 18761968,” one of the exhibitions at the museum.

The museum starts with The Journey of Freedom exhibit, which covers the time period from 1400 to 1877. It shows the large array of African American artifacts. The exhibit narrates the life of early unnamed Africans and other artifacts used to hunt and trade. It also depicts slavery during the colonial and revolution era. One of the most touching parts is a cabin that stood on a pine plantation in South Carolina from 1853 to 2013. The cabin was mostly used as a shelter for women and children. It reflected how much African Americans suffered to gain liberty from slavery.

The front desk staff suggested I start from the Contemplative Court situated on the first floor. When I walked down, I heard a waterfall-like sound echoing over the giant hall. In one room was a well designed waterfall and it was a unique way to bring visitors to

contemplate African American history.

The visitors can enjoy the 6-ft-tall waterfall falling down into a small pond. Each wall highlights quotes by heroic African American figures such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela.

During Black History Month, The National Museum of African American History and Culture hosts a number of special events, such as staged reading and discussion about African American figures. It is also scheduled to show a film about the Black Panther organization, which was a revolutionary social organization during the Civil Rights era.

The National Museum of African American History and Culture has taken a very important role in historical preservation of American history and shaping of national democratic ideals.

“I hope people would become educated about African American history and what our role to build this country,” said a museum volunteer​.

GET PHYSICAL WITH MASON RECREATION Earn class credit while getting fit AHMED FARID STAFF WRITER

However, one problem with all these classes is that they are all very traditional. What if you wanted to study finance but also dreamed of learning how to climb a mountain? And who said that you don’t want to study Yoga while pursuing a degree in Biology?

Well, Mason faculty thought of that question before you did, and decided to do something about it, which is why we have recreation courses. From rock climbing to golf, Mason recreation offers every activity you might think of.

If you’ve ever walked home alone at night and felt unsafe, then Mason’s got you covered. Dr. Chun Park will teach you how to defend yourself in his self defense classes so that you never feel that way again.

Teaching both theoretical as well as practical self-defense, Dr. Park will make sure you know how to protect yourself. Not only that, if you wanted to learn how to defend yourself as well as learn an Olympic sport, you can do that too if you take his taekwondo class.

However, if you are more of a nature person and want to explore the ocean, you are better off taking Dr. Thomas Wood’s scuba diving class. Dr. Wood has been a professor at Mason for almost 20 years and continues to teach conservation biology. He tries to pass on his passion through his scuba diving class.

Kim Magalona, a senior, says that she took the course to advance in the marine biology field, and although she was scared of practicing her SCUBA diving skills in the pool, Dr. Wood helped her face her fears.

Yet, not all students who take his class are interested in marine biology. Kyle Tarro, senior, has wanted to try scuba

Photo courtesy of DR. CHUN PARK/MASON RECREATION

It is a well-known fact that Mason offers a diverse array of majors. From Anthropology to Computer Science, there is a major for everyone to be able to study what he or she is passionate about.

diving ever since he was young, and enjoys the feeling that he is flying while practicing in the pool. So if you ever feel like getting your scuba diving certificate, you can do it at Mason. All you need is basic swimming ability and a small fee with which you will buy your gear. You might even go get your diving certificate in the Caribbean with Dr. Wood’s class.

Unfortunately, not all students know about these great programs. Dr. Fred Schack laments the fact that not all schools let their students know about the great programs offered here at Mason.

“It’s a real shame and they should all know,” he says. Students join Dr. Schack’s body conditioning class to help get their bodies in better shape,

and they are surprised by all the advice Dr. Schack has to help them.

So if you ever feel like you have a lot of classes and you need some activity to help you blow off some steam, or if you have some childhood dream that went unfulfilled, take a look at Mason’s recreation courses and see what they can offer you.

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2.19.2018

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FOURTH ESTATE/HUONG CAO

10

IN LIVIN’ COLOR FOURTH ESTATE/HUONG CAO

A night to celebrate Black cultures and excellence HUONG CAO STAFF WRITER

such as “The Proud Family” and “Girlfriends”.

Elizabeth Bostic, a Mason senior and the president of the sorority, said “these scenes were taken from shows that people watched when they were growing up. They are not on the air anymore, but a lot of people know about them.”

Attendees participated in trivia from the moderator, used the hashtag #TheColorIsBlack to tweet answers, and received prizes.

The event used pop culture as a common ground to bring the audience together. As junior Morgan Fitzpatrick said, “I think [this event] is a means to bring people in the black community together. It highlights black sitcoms and black TV shows, [which] was just the whole point: to use something to bring us together.”

To bring back childhood memories, the performances that students acted out in the event were scenes taken from popular shows in the black community

To connect attendees to one another, the moderator asked students to go around, take pictures of who they thought as the most well-dressed person

In addition to music and performances, the event was an opportunity to help students appreciate their culture and learn more about their history.

in the room, and post it on Snapchat.

For ten minutes, the HUB ballroom became like a photography studio where students posed and expressed their styles. It was followed up by a fashion show where attendees picked their top three finalists by giving them the loudest cheers.

“Planning a [large-scale] event is not easy,” Bostic said. But the team effort seemed to pay off when all attendees engaged by standing up and dancing along with songs, gave applause for each performance, and packed the room.

FOURTH ESTATE/HUONG CAO

February is Black History Month, which was established to honor the expansive and growing history of the black community. To celebrate this special occasion, the Omicron Rho Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta sorority, hosted In Livin’ Color, an event that promoted black empowerment and black excellence on Feb. 15 in the Hub ballroom.

“I think the event was very lovely and represented the title In Livin’ Color,” said Alexis Morris, a Mason junior.

“They did a great job executing the black history, excitement, beauty, and culture.

NIC’S FLICKS

FOURTH ESTATE/MARY JANE DECARLO

NIC MACOTTO STAFF WRITER

Black Panther stands out in the superhero genre because it never shies away from themes that remain in conflict today. Racism, oppression, feminism, politics-- it’s all here. It focuses on all three and uses them to bolster its narrative strength. With its complex villain also fueling a liberal-versus-conservative aspect to the film, it reminds audiences of where the American people are in terms of its culture. Passionately written, exceptionally acted and politically aware, this makes up an amazing story while also containing the beautiful visuals, good humor and likeable entertainment fans have come to expect.

[Star Rating: 4/4]

KEY 4 = Great; 3 = Good; 2 = Fair; 1 = Poor; 0 = Ooh, let’s not go there

EDITORIAL

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2.19.2018

11

ON GUN VIOLENCE AND AMERICAN APATHY JAMIE BELIVEAU OPINIONS EDITOR

This week marks the eighth school shooting event in the first seven weeks of 2018. Gunshots pepper the first two months of the year, with an average of more than one shooting a week, and wailing politicians lament their thoughts and prayers through Twitter and dodge reporters demanding answers about gun control. Meanwhile, Florida parents will walk in a shocked haze through kitchens emptied of children, and Walmart will sell another couple dozen guns. It is hard to put into words the exact flurry of emotions I feel regarding this recent event, but anger and sadness are appropriate umbrella terms. The traditional

statement most people retweet is “My heart goes out to the families of the victims,” and of course my heart does, as any good heart would, but when will the brain and the morals become involved in that statement, too? Eight shootings--specifically school shootings at that--in seven weeks is an unthinkably excessive amount. We forget that we, as the people, have power. We can think, and we can pray, and we can send our hearts out to every Parkland, every Sandy Hook, and every Virginia Tech, but we can also protest, rise up, demand answers from our politicians on both sides, and question the status quo.

Too often, we allow these incidents to

streak our social media feeds and we mourn for the brief moment it takes to skim the headlines or watch the news clips. Posts are made, political grievances are aired, and in a week our attention turns elsewhere. We are a culture desensitized, eager to point fingers on Twitter and slow to storm the streets, anger turned apathy in a matter of days. We as Americans must urge each other to do better and be better, encourage change, and refuse to forget.

My heart will go out to the victims and their families, but after all the thoughts, prayers, and retweets, my fingers will dial the number of my state senator. I strongly encourage yours do too.

FOURTH ESTATE STANDS WITH MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS HIGH STUDENTS FOURTH ESTATE EDITORIAL BOARD ALYSSA ALHADEFF

LUKE HOYER

ALAINA PETTY

ALEXANDER SCHACHTE

CHRISTOPHER HIXON

MARTIN DUQUE ANGUIANO

CARA LOUGHRAN

MEADOW POLLACK

CARMEN SCHENTRUP

AARON FEIS

NICHOLAS DWORET

GINA MONTALTO

HELENA RAMSAY

PETER WANG

SCOTT BEIGEL

JAIME GUTTENBERG

JOAQUIN OLIVER

Fourteen students and three faculty members attended school on Valentine’s Day and never made it back home. CNN reported it was the eighth school shooting in 2018. We are only halfway through February.

The students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School have spent the following days not just grieving, but vocalizing that this would not have happened without the 19-year-old’s legal access to an AR-15. During a rally on Saturday in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., MSDHS senior Emma Gonzalez exclaimed, “Politicians who sit in their gilded house and senate seats funded by the NRA telling us nothing could have been done to prevent this, we call BS!”

Fox cites Australia as an example of how gun law reform helped eliminate mass shootings. After 35 people died and 18 were seriously wounded in a 1996 mass shooting with a “military-style semi-automatic rifle,” CNN’s Laura Smith-Spark reported in 2015 that zero mass shootings have occured after the Australian government banned rapid-fire rifles and shotguns, improved gun owner licensing and “collected and destroyed more than a million firearms.” Australia also reduced the risk of gunshot fatalities by 50 percent.

authorities, again and again!”

know that none of these conditions alone would push a person to committing mass-murder. The real problem is that violent people are accessing firearms with mass-shooting capabilities too easily.

creates. So while we must address the gun problem, we should also examine the pervasiveness of domestic violence that many mass shooters committed beforehand.

Fourth Estate stands with the students and their assertions that America has a gun problem that the government must address with action.

CNN’s Kara Fox compiled “How US gun culture compares with the world in five charts,” while we recommend this article be read in its entirety, some red flags marking our gun problem include that “the U.S. makes up less than 5 percent of the world’s population, but holds 31 percent of global mass shooters,” and that “Americans own the most guns per person in the world.” The U.S. holds the number one position in the world for mass shootings.

While addressing politicians in general, Gonzalez specifically called out President Trump for receiving $30 million from the National Rifle Association in campaign donations.

The Center for Responsive Politics proves this to be true - “The NRA’s largest 2016 outlay was the $30.3 million it spent in support of Trump,” with a total of $50.3 million that was donated to Trump and six Senate candidates.

In a tweet prior to Gonzalez’ speech, Trump directed attention to the shooter’s mental health, “So many signs that the Florida shooter was mentally disturbed, even expelled from school for bad and erratic behavior. Neighbors and classmates knew he was a big problem.

Must always report such instances to

And he placed blame on the Democratic party, tweeting: “Just like they don’t want to solve the DACA problem, why didn’t the Democrats pass gun control legislation when they had both the House & Senate during the Obama Administration. Because they didn’t want to, and now they just talk!”

However, the Obama administration created a regulation to make it more difficult for some people with mental illnesses to obtain guns. Specifically, according to ABC News, people who received mental health benefits would have their names entered into the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. It did not go into effect until Dec. 2017. On Feb. 28, 2017, President Trump signed H.J. Res 40 into law, a bill that repealed the regulation.

One commonality we do see in mass shooters is that they are typically perpetrators of domestic violence. According to the New York Times, the MSDHS shooter had a history of violence against a woman -- more specifically his ex-girlfriend. What does this teach us about the connection between toxic masculinity and mass murders? Toxic masculinity describes certain traditional male roles that society creates to harm people. That society creates this idea that men with guns are ‘desirable’ or more ‘masculine,’ according to Harper’s Bazaar.

And yes, Gonzalez mentions this contradiction in her speech.

The Sutherland Springs church shooter, who killed 26 people during a service, is an example of this. The shooter had a history of domestic violence against his ex-wife and stepson.

Directing the conversation solely to mental illness further stigmatizes mental illness, including people who live every day without a violent thought. Many of us either are or know friends, family members and peers who have depression, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, or autism - three conditions the MSDHS shooter had, according to the New York Times. We

Another example was in 2014, the Santa Barbara shooter wrote a 137 page manifesto condemning women who rejected him before he completed his rampage. This culture can give these men the impression that they have ownership of women’s lives and their bodies. These are examples of deeply rooted toxicity that bolsters the misogynistic culture this society

Gun enthusiasts must ask themselves: is our right to bear arms worth stepping on the rights of children to safely attend school (17 killed, MSDHS; 26 killed, Sandy Hook; 32 killed, Virginia Tech), the rights of LGBTQ people to safely enjoy a night out (49 killed, Pulse Nightclub), or the rights of music lovers to safely attend a festival (58 killed, Harvest Music Festival)?

While this is the eighth school shooting this year, the MSDHS students are making sure this will be the last, and that it will not be forgotten. They are doing something remarkable - directly addressing politicians on camera, on twitter and on the news. Gonzalez made a strong, resonating speech but she is not alone. We are witnesses to the traumatizing footage they shared online, the devastating screenshots of what could have been their last words with their loved ones. They’re reigning in the full power of social media by staying on top of timelines and even organizing a protest - March For Our Lives, taking place on March 24 in Washington, DC. MSDHS students, consider us marching along with you.

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OPINIONS

2.19.2018

Opinions do not reflect the views of Fourth Estate. Submit opinions to jbelive2@gmu.edu

GIRL SCOUT COOKIE SEASON ALEXANDER KENNY COLUMNIST

Feb. 16 to Mar. 18 is Girl Scout Cookie (GSC) season, followed by Tagalong withdrawal, self-disgust and cookie gut. It’s that magical time of forgivable binges and furious arguments over

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which cookie is best. Roommates will meet in the MMA Octagon after a box of Thin Mints goes missing. Chips Ahoy and Oreo executives will hurl themselves from windows as tiny green

and brown businesswomen corner the sugar market for a month. With $800 million annual U.S. sales, GSCs are an American icon.

The allure of GSCs is partially due to its brief availability. This is a thrilling annual event, like an eclipse or the McRib. Sure, you can order cookies on GirlScouts.net, but that would feel like ordering a snowman by mail.

GirlScouts.net even displays recipes so you can bake your own at home, but results will be disappointing knockoffs.

Ever bit into a Hydrox? Or popped open a Dr. Thunder? Only the genuine article satisfies and after Mar. 18, it’s gone.

Photo courtesy of JULIE FRAPPIER

Girl Scouts employ something called a Cookie Finder app, soon to be adopted by smack dealers and NASA. “Cookie Finder” is my new favorite thing to say, but the Scouts don’t need it. This town will be blanketed by a sales force squeaking a hard-target pitch from every grocery store, library, gas station, warehouse, farmhouse, henhouse and outhouse. We pretend to be fugitives from cookie forces, but we secretly want to be coerced into a sale. Grocery stores

order an extra delivery of twenty-dollar bills from Wells Fargo this month to accommodate cash back from debit card purchases. Twenty-dollar bills go directly to the Girl Scouts lurking outside.

pounds hot dogs on the Fourth of July.

I dunk Thin Mints in mint chocolate chip ice cream and use a cheese grater to crumble more cookie on top of that.

I have found Thin Mint crumbles in my belly-button and in my ear. In April.

They’re never pushy-- they only shout the product’s name: “Girl Scout Cookie-eees!” Scouts are polite, professional, and the $4 price tag is reasonable because it’s for a good cause.

Wholesome stuff, but I just want the goods. I’d buy GSCs from meth-filled carnies if they set up a folding table outside my coffee joint.

The Boy Scouts are probably flummoxed their fundraisers don’t compare in sales, popularity or sheer adorable-ness. The microwave popcorn they sell in November is terrific and fluffy, there’s a whole stick of butter crammed in the microwave pouch, and somehow, there are zero kernels in the bag after popping. It’s a great product, but there’s no brand recognition, no simultaneous glee we share during GSC season.

According to Huffington Post, Thin Mints are the most popular GSC (25 percent of sales), followed by Samoas (19 percent), and Tagalongs (13 percent). In Northern Virginia, Thin Mints account for nearly half of sales, possibly due to the diet cookie angle and misinterpretation of the word “Thin.”

The box claims a 160 calorie serving of four cookies; half the calories of other GSCs. But if that sleeve of Thin Mints makes it through an entire episode of The Flash, you’re doing it wrong. I pound Thin Mints like Joey Chestnut

Diets restart Mar. 19 this year, after the house and this town are purged of GSCs. There will be strict regimens of greens, walnuts, tuna and all the yogurt protein smoothies you can drink. I’m excited for the March diet. Yoplait just unveiled Girl Scout Cookie flavored yogurts.

THE DEBATE ON GUN CONTROL CHRIS KERNAN-SCHMIDT COLUMNIST

The problem with this recurring debate is that people on both sides of the aisle treat it as a black and white issue. Either guns are the problem or the people are.

Like most issues that are controversial among society, though, it is a multifaceted debate. Every sane person can agree that these mass shootings should be stopped, yet why have they not?

According to the Washington Post, Congress has passed only one major law strengthening gun control since the deadly school shooting at Columbine High School in 1999. However, that law did not come into effect until after the mass shooting at Virginia Tech in 2007 that killed 32 people. Less than a

year after the VT shooting, President Bush signed a law that would require individuals who were mentally unfit or unqualified to own guns to be easily identified through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). Despite that law, a mentally ill man was able to purchase a firearm and kill 20 children and 6 adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School. While the Obama administration attempted to push for tighter gun control, some states took a few steps back.

According to the National Conference for State Legislators, in 14 states those who are able to purchase a firearm are permitted to carry the firearm in public without a permit. In ten states, you are allowed to carry a concealed firearm onto a public university or college.

At Mason, non-student and non-staff members can carry a firearm in public spaces on campus (students and staff, however, are not permitted to carry firearms).

It is as if nothing that our legislators have done so far is truly fixing the problem. We still have mass shootings, students are still dying, and the public is becoming increasingly numb to these tragedies. Our legislators cannot rely on thoughts and prayers to fix the

issue, they cannot put the blame solely on one part of the argument, and we must look at all sides of the argument and realize that it is going to take real change to truly stop these horrific events. Whether you are a diehard supporter of the Second Amendment or believe that all guns should be banned, it is critical to realize that for anything to be accomplished it will take compromise and action from both sides of the argument.

While most people who own and purchase guns legally (my family included) are not going to commit heinous crimes, it is scary that it is possible to walk around with an AR-15 on a school campus without legal repercussions. If I saw a student carrying a firearm on campus, no matter who it was, I would not feel safe. I would be concerned for my safety. I do not want guns on school campuses, I do not want any more senseless deaths--I want change that supports both sides of the argument. I want our legislators to work together for the benefit of our nation’s children to fix this awful plague.

FOURTH ESTATE/BILLY FERGUSON

The debate on gun control has been revived once again after Wednesday’s horrific school shooting in Parkland, Fla. It seems after every mass shooting our legislators, political commentators, news anchors, and practically everyone I know is quick to blame “the other side” for these terrible tragedies. Some blame violent video games (such as Kentucky’s Gov. Matt Bevin). Others blame the lack of restrictions on guns, some argue that mental health support needs to be reevaluated, and a few Florida legislators are relying on thoughts and prayers.

OPINIONS

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2.19.2018

Opinions do not reflect the views of Fourth Estate. Submit opinions to jbelive2@gmu.edu

13

WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH COMPROMISE? DOMINIC PINO COLUMNIST

FOURTH ESTATE/BILLY FERGUSON

When pollsters ask Americans what they want Congress to do, they say they want to see compromise. A Gallup poll from October 2017 shows that 54 percent of Americans believe that compromise is more important than sticking to beliefs for political leaders in Washington. Only 18 percent believe that sticking to beliefs is more important.

FUTURE TEACHER’S LETTER ON GUN VIOLENCE IN SCHOOLS SUSAN KATHERINE CORKRAN COLUMNIST

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” has always been an easy question for me to answer, and I am grateful for the surety my dream job provided me. I always knew that my path was going to be that of a teacher’s, and I look forward to every blessing, challenge and responsibility that goes along with it. Except for one. There is a duty looming over my head that fills me with dread as I think of my future students, and that is the possibility of a school shooting.

There is a national routine we follow in the wake of a mass shooting, and by now we are all familiar with the script.

I am not going to add fuel to the fire of the country’s debate on guns. I am one student in a sea of people, and the likelihood of my voice echoing above any others’ is infinitesimal. I don’t have the solution to stopping this bloodbath. All I have is a heart filled with the desire to teach, and the fear of what I am going to have to teach my children when it comes to the very real possibility that they will be made unsafe in their own school.

I am hoping to teach at an elementary school level, which means that I may very well be one of the first adults in their life who discusses safety drills involving gun violence. I will have the responsibility of making sure they know what to do, where to hide, and how best they may survive if an

attacker with a gun opens fire upon them. The mere fact that this education is necessary is heartbreaking, yet it is the reality I face. I also know that, if the worst should happen, my own response to the danger will mean the difference between life and death to the children in my protection.

As I learn how to walk my students through the basic steps of solving an addition problem or writing their alphabet, I will be doing so much more than overseeing a collection of worksheets and scribbled-upon class projects. The first teachers children ever have are the ones who build up their confidence in their ability to learn. They are tasked with making each student understand the importance of education and the power within everyone to make something of themselves through what they learn.

Teachers shape us in ways that we cannot even begin to imagine, and this in turn shapes the world we all live in. The first lessons we gain from our elementary school teachers should be based in love, kindness, respect and bravery—bravery especially to always try new things, push ourselves to reach high goals and never settle for the easy ways out of a challenge.

It is a tragedy that those first lessons must also include our generation’s “duck and cover.”

Knowing that, you might think that Americans would be exuberant over the budget deal that was struck in the Senate on Feb. 7. You might think that Americans would be overjoyed to see “bipartisan compromise” in every headline the next morning. You might think that Congress’ approval rating would shoot up to 25 percent (that’s right, “up” to 25 percent). You might think any one of those things because Americans say they love compromise, and now they have it.

But you would be wrong.

The

compromise is--I’ll try to phrase this nicely--a steaming pile of horse manure, and no one likes the smell of horse manure. Look at the reactions in the House: Democrats are put off by the $160 billion increase to the Pentagon’s budget, and Republicans are perturbed by the accrual of national debt.

Democratic voters didn’t send their representatives to Washington to jack up defense spending, and Republican voters didn’t send theirs to proliferate debt. And nobody is happy about obscene deficit spending when the economy is thriving at full employment.

The polls show Americans on both sides want compromise, but neither side is happy with it. What’s the deal with compromise? It seems Americans answered Gallup’s question wrong.

Perhaps, though, they didn’t. Perhaps they were asked the wrong question.

Let’s consider an analogy. When assembling something, which do you prefer: wrenches or screwdrivers? This question is silly on its face.

“It depends on what I am trying to do,” you might answer.

If assembly requires bolts, the wrench is the way to go. If it requires screws, the screwdriver is best. That is because wrenches and screwdrivers are tools they are a means to an end, not an end in themselves.

The same can be said for compromise and sticking to beliefs. Those are both means to an end. Think of conflicts between children (actual children, not members of Congress). Some situations are best resolved with compromise. God only knows how many millions of kids in the world are rightfully told, “Take turns!” by a parent each and every day. On the other hand, some situations are best resolved by sticking to beliefs, i.e. kids should stand up to bullying because bullying is wrong.

The two need not be mutually exclusive, though. Many assemblies require both bolts and screws and therefore require both wrenches and screwdrivers. Compromise and sticking to beliefs can be used simultaneously to achieve satisfactory resolutions.

Alas, the question is not whether Americans want their political leaders to compromise or stick to beliefs. The question is what Americans want to see done about immigration, healthcare, infrastructure or the budget. And I, for one, don’t care if senators compromised, stuck to beliefs, or played bestof-three rock-paper-scissors to make this irresponsible budget deal. Let’s stop talking about compromise and start talking about what Congress should do. Let them figure out which tools to use to make it happen.

FOURTH ESTATE/MARY JANE DECARLO

Compromise, compromise, compromise. Every discussion about Congress is obsessed with compromise.

Republicans should compromise with Democrats, Democrats should compromise with Republicans, the House should compromise with the Senate, Congress should compromise with the White House, they should all compromise on immigration, healthcare, infrastructure, spending . . .

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ETC.

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Recipe of the Week Obtained from Kirbiecravings.com

LAST ISSUE’S CROSSWORD

Easiest Nutella Brownies Ingredients: • 1 1/4 cup Nutella • 2 large eggs • 1/2 cup all purpose flour 1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9 inch x 9 inch metal baking pan. Add all ingredients into a large bowl and mix until batter is smooth. Pour into baking pan and smooth top with spatula.

2. Bake for about 15 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Be careful not to bake too long otherwise brownies will dry out. Let brownies cool and set before cutting and serving.

LAST ISSUE’S GO FIGURE!

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ETC.

LAST ISSUE’S MAGIC MAZE

LAST ISSUE’S SUDOKU

2.19.2018

COMICS FOURTH ESTATE/BILLY FERGUSON

FOURTH ESTATE/JAY TOPSHE

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Be your best at Mason’s biggest career fair by attending our Resume Clinic and Prepare for the Fair workshop!

Resume Clinic - TWO SESSIONS! February 20 at 11 am to 5 pm February 21 at 1 to 7 pm SUB I, 3400

Prepare for the Fair February 19 at 5:30 to 6:30 pm SUB I, 3A & 3B