2.27.2017 - Fourth Estate

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FOURTH ESTATE February 27, 2017 | Volume 4 Issue 16 George Mason University’s official student news outlet gmufourthestate.com | @IVEstate

3 Parking and petitions

4

Rise of student health care

7

Q&A: Slothrust

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Fourth Estate Crime Log Feb. 17

2017-002167 / Stalking Complainant (GMU) reported being repeatedly followed by an unknown subject (Non-GMU) following a road rage incident.

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MacKenzie Reagan Sosan Malik Co-Editors-In-Chief

Todd Gonda Copy Chief

Megan Zendek Art Director

Fareeha Rehman Online Editor

Fairfax Campus| Referred to Title IX |1:24 PM

Natalia Kolenko Campus Editor

Feb. 17

WE ARE HIRING! We are currently looking to fill the following editor positions:

- SPORTS - CULTURE - ONLINE/ SOCIAL MEDIA/ MULTIMEDIA ASSISTANT

- PHOTO We are always recruiting new members for our staff teams: - NEWS WRITERS - CULTURE WRITERS - SPORTS WRITERS - COPY EDITORS - DESIGNERS - PHOTOGRAPHERS

2017-002162 / Assault on Police OfďŹ cer Complainant (GMU) reported being repeatedly followed by an unknown subject (Non-GMU) following a road rage incident.

Police HQ Parking Lot| Cleared by Arrest |1:24 PM

Feb. 20

2017-002315 / Larceny Subject (GMU) was found in possession of stolen state property.

University Dr / North St| Pending |1:33 PM

Billy Ferguson Graphics Editor

Alina Moody Caitlin Herron Edna McClung Christina Comerford Copy Editors

Emmett Smith Distribution Manager

Kathryn Mangus Director

David Carroll Associate Director

Feb. 22

2017-002433 / Theft from Building / Credit Card Fraud Complainant (GMU) reported the theft of unattended credit cards from an unsecured location, and subsequent fraudulent use of the credit cards.

Leslie Steiger Fiscal and Operations Assistant Director

Alyssa Swaney Sales Team

Wesley Ward Enterprise Hall| Pending |2:30 PM - 3:00 PM

Sales Team

Jason Brightman Sales Team

Feb. 23

CSA Report #022317-2 / Stalking Mason Police was notified by a Mason Employee that a complainant (GMU) has received unwanted contact from a known subject (GMU) on multiple occasions. Due to confidentiality of reporting, limited information is available regarding this incident.

Fairfax Campus| Information Only |Multiple Times

For inquiries, please email a resume and two clips (or samples of work for visuals) to:

eic@gmufourthestate.com

ON THE COVER

AND apply online at:

Photo courtesy of Elisabeth Pierotti.

http://c2ms.info/osmapply

Mia Wise Assistant Campus Editor

Blues/grunge-rockers Slothrust play the Black Cat March 7.

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.

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

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Campus News

2.27.2017

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Parking and petitions Students create petition to halt parking prices, Parking Services explains high prices NATALIA KOLENKO | CAMPUS NEWS EDITOR

Two students recently released a petition to halt the rise of parking pass prices, one of at least four parking price petitions created in the last two years.

Graduate student John Russell and senior Megan Thomas decided to create this petition when they met at StandUnited, a free petition platform that mobilizes supporters, and discovered they shared the same frustration over parking prices.

“In the past three years, Parking Services at George Mason University has increased the cost of general parking passes,” the petition says. Yet, “Once a student pays the hefty fee he or she still may be unable to find parking.”

Russell said that because he’s been a commuter for all of his undergraduate degree and into his graduate degree, parking is a big concern for him. As for Thomas, she said when she transferred from Virginia Tech she was surprised and frustrated to find that parking was more expensive at Mason, considering it’s a large commuter school.

Russell acknowledged that there have been petitions against parking prices in the past but points out that, unlike those individuals who just use petition platforms, he and Thomas have the support of StandUnited because they work there. StandUnited allows Russell and Thomas to create a campaign and perfect their message as well as give them a platform for their petition, Russell added.

In addition to StandUnited’s support, Thomas said their petition has a different message than previous petitions, which have unsuccessfully tried to lower parking prices.

“We tried to take a little more realistic approach and say, ‘OK, don’t lower prices because we know you need a certain amount of revenue to be able to sustain construction projects, but do not raise them,’” Thomas said. “We thought that was a reasonable compromise.”

As for their next step, Russell said once they have enough signatures, they plan to go to the Board of Supervisors. They

currently have 526 signatures out of a goal of 1000. Russell added that while he thinks many of the other petitions have only been on social media, he and Thomas actually plan to hand-deliver the petition to the Supervisor’s office and demand an explanation on why they will or will not accept it.

In addition to Russell’s and Thomas’ frustration, parking is a big concern for many Mason students.

One such student is senior Hozaifa Anjum. “[Parking] is something that has a daily impact on my life in addition to the annual cost. With the amount of money that students contribute annually or semesterly, one would expect a more convenient experience,” Anjum said.

“Parking expenses have increased over the years with new debt service to pay off construction of parking, increased maintenance costs to repair parking facilities, increased operations to cover more parking, including regional campuses,” Cantor said, “and over the years has helped pay for the transportation costs not covered by student fees.”

“I have called Parking Services multiple times about general questions and was always answered by a confused, un-knowledgeable response. If they are charging so much, maybe they can train their employees better and have clearer rules and regulations,” – Ashlee Booth, Junior

He added that as shuttle operations increased to meet the growing demand for public transportation options, the parking subsidy to transportation increased as well. Cantor said increasing students’ use of public transit is part of the master plan to decrease parking

demands -- and therefore to not build more expensive parking, which would drive prices up even more.

All this information is available to students on Parking Services’ homepage.

Under a yellow box labeled “News Box” is the link “Know Why Parking Fees

Have Increased and What Your Low Cost Options Are” as well as a Parking and Transportation overview. Oftentimes students aren’t aware that this information exists and is available to them.

(Continues on page 4)

Others like Ryan Lohr believe parking prices are “ridiculous,” while Rachit Bhagat added that “it’s hard to afford parking.”

While it’s clear to students that prices keep going up each year, they often don’t realize that Parking and Transportation is a separate entity from Mason.

Parking Services is a part of Parking and Transportation, which is a department that is self-funded and has a contract with the university via SP+, a provider of professional parking, ground transportation, facility maintenance, security and event logistics services.

According to Joshua Cantor, the director of Parking and Transportation, SP+, whose contract with Mason runs out in 2020, carries out the operation of Parking Services while Mason sets the rates and policies.

Cantor said that prices are what they are because Parking Services does not get any tuition dollars or state funds and must generate enough revenue to cover its expenses.

(BILLY FERGUSON/ FOURTH ESTATE)

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not aware of this information about Parking Services, “So I think there is still room for improvement in Mason’s communication with the student body.”

Russell said he and Thomas were aware that Parking & Transportation is self-funded, and that’s why they aimed for the compromise of keeping parking rates the same for next year. However, they feel there’s a lack of clarity and transparency about this information.

“I have called Parking Services multiple times about general questions and was always answered by a confused, un-knowledgeable response.

If they are charging so much, maybe they can train their employees better and have clearer rules and regulations,” Booth said.

“We fully understand the concerns about pricing and really work hard to minimize increases, often facing deficits and using reserves [instead of] raising fees even more,” Cantor said.

“We strive to offer a lot of options and also, based on feedback, try and meet many competing demands.”

On the other hand, Anjum said that regardless of whether or not Parking and Transportation informs students and faculty on this matter, it does not have a good enough excuse for the constant price hikes.

Despite the hurdles that need to be jumped through, Thomas said students won’t give up on the cause.

While that link on the Parking Services website does exist, Russell said the department could also try to inform students using other options, like emailing students about where their money is going. Russell added that because the department is a separate entity from Mason, they don’t seem to have as much concern for students as the university, so more information would help ease students’ minds.

Junior Lucas Brennan said he was

“It makes it more understandable, but it doesn't mean there is no alternative. Isn't innovation supposed to be tradition around here? I'd like to see

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some innovative ideas come from the administration in addressing student concerns instead of just saying ‘there's nothing we can do, we are self-funded,’” Anjum said.

“We try and be very transparent as to how prices are set… and as we have always done, we make ourselves available for questioning from student media, with student government, at town halls, on social media, in emails or basically anywhere,” Cantor said.

Junior Ashlee Booth added that Parking Services could do better at teaching their employees this information.

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Cantor said he understands that students have their concerns.

“[Students] have not been disheartened by the failures in the past…

Every year you’re going to have a fresh body of students who are just as upset about the issue. It’s not going to go away,” Thomas said. “The petition will just get stronger.”

(MACKENZIE REAGAN/ FOURTH ESTATE)

The rise of student health care Student Health Advisory Board looks to help at Mason RYAN COONEY | STAFF WRITER

The Student Health Advisory Board met for the first time Jan. 24, following a two-year process that involved Mason students, faculty and administrators.

Dedicated to protecting and promoting services related to student health, the board is comprised of 31 undergraduate and graduate students. These students were selected through a competitive application process to represent the diversity of the Mason student body, according to a press release sent by the Student Health Advisory Board’s office.

events, feedback and planned programs.

The board will also help university health offices communicate with students and understand the needs of the student body. Just like Mason, the Student Health Advisory Board is very diverse with many undergraduate and graduate students who have different health needs. The advisory board will help the university health offices address individuals’ needs and will work to ensure that health services are available and accessible to all students, according to the press release.

“This is an exciting opportunity for Mason students to learn more about all of the services that are provided by the university while simultaneously helping the "We hope our hard work will allow Mason administration get students to take pride in how much a sense of the needs of Mason students,” newly their school values health," –Juliette elected Student Health Liegey, Communications Director Advisory Board President Joe Russell said.

(BILLY FERGUSON/ FOURTH ESTATE)

The release also said that these 31 individuals in turn have formed subgroups within the board that will focus on communicating with students at Mason about student health care through

The benefits of having this board could prove to be numerous according to Communications Director Juliette Liegey.

“We hope our hard work will allow students to take pride in how much

their school values health. We allow the students to have a voice and be heard by people who can make changes,” Liegey said. “The Student Health Advisory Board also can help Mason health care administrators by providing feedback from students that will ensure each health service is run to the satisfaction of students.”

As for the goals of the board, the board members hope not only to gather feedback on campus health care, but also to reach students through events and social media, according to the press release. The advisory board also hopes to continue a working relationship with all of the health services at Mason so as to establish permanent programs and better educate students about health care.

In addition, the Student Health Advisory Board will be working with members of Student Government, the Resident Student Organization, the Roosevelt Institute, the Multicultural Association of Pre-Medical Students and more as all strive to improve the quality of life among those who use Mason’s health services.

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Campus News

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Camp Kesem comes to Mason Program for children whose parents suffer from cancer to arrive in Summer 2018 KEIRSTEN ROBINSON | STAFF WRITER

After attending Camp Kesem, a summer camp for children whose parents have or had cancer, freshman Clare Yordy made it her mission to bring Camp Kesem to Mason.

Camp Kesem is a nationally-recognized organization that operates free summer camps across the country for youth who have been affected by the cancer of a parent. The organization has helped over 20,000 children since 2010, and with its expansion to nine new campuses, they expect their impact will continue to grow.

This organization’s camps are unique in that they are run entirely by college

students on campuses around the country. There are over 90 Camp Kesem chapters, including Duke University, Harvard University and the University of California Los Angeles.

These camps are free of charge to the students and are operated by volunteers.

Mason has just joined their ranks, and students have an opportunity to get involved in a weeklong overnight camp at the inaugural opening in the summer of 2018. Recruiting for counselors and a leadership team will begin in the fall of 2017, Yordy said.

Camp Kesem is very important to all who attend, including Yordy, who was insistent on giving back to the program.

“I went to the UVA Camp Kesem, and the campers and counselors there

are basically a second family to me.

Camp Kesem gave me a place where I wasn't alone and where I could just have fun,” Yordy said.

She hopes that the Camp Kesem hosted through Mason will be as successful and impactful to campers as her past experience was. Yordy also hopes that students at Mason will get involved, learn more about the organization and commit to helping the children for summers to come.

But getting Camp Kesem to Mason was no easy feat: there was a voting competition where Mason was up against multiple other schools fighting for a spot to host the camp, Yordy

said. Yordy got the word out about the competition by going into lecture halls and urging classrooms of hundreds of students to vote. She also started a Facebook campaign that was shared around the community. Ultimately, Mason secured a spot, along with eight other schools, which will increase Camp Kesem's outreach to a total of more than 5 million affected children.

When asked how the Mason community contributed to bringing Camp Kesem on campus, Yordy said, “The Mason community was incredibly helpful during the voting campaign.

I needed help getting votes, and both students and faculty helped spread the word and get enough votes for a camp.

The determination and all around helpfulness of the Mason community also made me realize that GMU is the perfect place for a Camp Kesem.”

Yordy said that fundraisers will be held at Mason and around the Northern Virginia community to raise enough money to operate the camp in the future. More updates will be released as plans for the camp in 2018 begin to fall into place.

(PHOTOS COURTESY OF CLAIRE YORDY)

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Culture

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Questions and Answers: How long is an MMMBop? A very serious investigation MACKENZIE REAGAN | C0EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

critics. It got 96 votes, which is just three shy of what Beyoncé’s “Formation” got in the 2016 poll.

In April 1997, before most GMU freshmen were born, boy band Hanson— made up of brothers Isaac, Taylor and Zac—released “MMMBop,” a song voted best single in The Village Voice’s end-of-the-year Pazz & Jop poll of music

Not everyone was a fan. Rock critic Robert Christgau, writing in the Voice in early 1998, called it “an ebullient piece of product without the, I'm sorry, ‘social vision’ of ‘Tubthumping’” (“Tubthumping,” which Google Drive somehow recognizes as a valid word,

being the perennial soundtrack of rowdy keg parties for the last 20 years).

“Tubthumping” was voted the no. 2 single of 1997, with 89 votes.

Both songs are infuriatingly catchy.

But while “Tubthumping” is about getting wasted and getting knocked down (but getting up again), “MMMBop” was a pensive look at the ephemerality of life.

The song begins: You have so many relationships in this life Only one or two will last You go through all the pain and strife Then you turn your back and they're gone so fast Oh yeah And they're gone so fast, yeah

Oh So hold on the ones who really care In the end they'll be the only ones there And when you get old and start losing your hair Tell me who will still care Can you tell me who will still care?

Oh care

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After a scat-singing interlude, out of the mouths of babes comes profundity:

before everyone fades away? That is, how long is an MMMBop?

In an MMMBop, they're gone

For our purposes, we’ll define an MMMBop as the length of time it takes for a relationship to end after it begins.

Everyone leaves eventually. Think back to high school—who were your best friends?

Do you still talk? When was the last time you heard from your second-grade classmates? Do you still hear from your ex, the one who was your everything? The answer is probably no. Maybe it was a complete shut out. Maybe it was a slow fade. But over time, relationships change and people fade away. People who meant the world to you at one time are strangers now. It’s sad, but, like Hanson says, it’s how things go.

But just how much time do we have

According to Marion K. Underwood and Lisa H. Rosen’s book “Social Development: Relationships in Infancy, Childhood and Adolescence,” “youths under the age of 14 years typically report relationships of a few weeks’ duration and rarely report durations of longer than [four] months.” As teens age, their relationships last longer. At 18 years old, for example, people have relationships that last closer to a year, according to Underwood and Rosen.

“These duration changes are likely due to an increasing capacity to maintain intimate relationships,” they said.

2.27.2017 sixth grade -- which is, depending on the school district, middle school.

What about friendships? How long is it before your friends abandon you?

The study “A Survival Analysis of Adolescent Friendships: The Downside of Dissimilarity,” by Amy C. Hartl, Brett Laursen and Antonius H. N. Cillessen, found that “roughly half of middle school friendships do not last an academic year.” Unsurprisingly, this is due to, in layman’s terms, middle schoolers being awful. A school year is approximately nine months, which falls squarely in the same timeframe for teen romantic relationships.

The youngest Hanson, Zac, was not quite 12 when “MMMBop” took the airwaves by storm. That’d put him in

While it’s impossible to fully quantify an MMMBop, given the fact it’s not a real word, based on this research, it

Middle brother Taylor was 14 at the time, so if he was in a relationship, that means it would’ve probably lasted somewhere in the one-to-12-month range. In the grand scheme of things, that’s incredibly short. Most teens’ relationships don’t last past high school.

(An outlier is, ironically, Taylor, who met his wife when he was 16.)

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takes somewhere between one and 12 months after the beginning of a teenage relationship—romantic or platonic— for it to fade into the ether. (That is, the time it takes for an MMMBop to pass.)

If the question of how long an MMMBop has been plaguing you for the past two decades, I hope that this article has given you respite. If you have a musical question you’d like answered, or if you’d like to tell me that this column was a waste of your time, please drop me a line at eic@ gmufourthestate.com. (Be sure to put “Questions and Answers” and your question in the subject line.)

Q&A: Slothrust

Bassist Kyle Bann on the new album, the state of rock and… burgers?

MACKENZIE REAGAN | C0EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

In October 2016, Bostonians-turnedBrooklynites Slothrust released their first album since moving across the country to Los Angeles. “Everyone Else,” a fusion

of neo-blues and 90’s grunge, received critical acclaim from the likes of Noisey, BrooklynVegan and the VIllage Voice.

The band plays D.C.’s Black Cat March 7. Bassist Kyle Bann chatted with Fourth Estate over the phone recently. Below is an edited transcript.

Fourth Estate: Thanks for taking the

time to chat, I'm sure you're pretty busy…

Kyle Bann: Yeah, it's a busy time for us, for sure. But I'm happy to take time and chat for a moment.

K: Yeah, we all met at Sarah Lawrence College, and we met socially, but we played in a bunch of school-type bands together.

F: Tell me a little bit about how you got started. I understand you all met in college.

F: You used to live in Brooklyn, but you recently lived in Los Angeles…

K: We all lived in Brooklyn for about five

years, and that's when we started being a band. We played live there all the time for several years and built ourselves into a scene. Recently, in the last six months, we've all relocated to L.A. We've all been there a lot, but it's a different experience when you live there.

(Continues on page 8)

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year is getting the word out overseas; we're hoping to make it to the UK. F: You all studied music. Did you have a specialization?

K: We were all jazz students, which is something that definitely influenced [us] a lot. We spent a lot of time learning how to play jazz standards and jazz chords. That was our primary musical education. [While we dabbled in world and improvisational music], jazz was definitely the foundation of our music.

F: What about in high school, what were you listening to?

K: I was a big metal head and classic rock person. I was definitely blasting a lot of Metallica and Guns 'N' Roses and stuff like that. But also more classic rock like the Beatles and Jimi Hendrix and some soul, like Aretha Franklin; jazz, showtunes.

(PHOTOS COURTESY OF ELISABETH PIEROTTI)

F: How does it compare in terms of music scene?

K: Although I'm familiar with the Brooklyn scene, I haven't really investigated what the local vibe is in L.A. is.

But it seems kind of similar in a lot of ways, but it doesn't have the same vibe that New York has in terms of being quite so packed together. There's still millions and millions of people, but it's a little more spread out. It'll be interesting to see how it is different.

rhythm section." Do you that's accurate?

K: [Laughs] Ah, somewhat. I definitely don't dislike that comparison. More recently, I think we're on more of a Nirvana-meets-Steely Dan kick. We are sort of somewhat learned musicians who spend a lot of time playing a grungy/punk rock type thing. So yeah, that's pretty accurate. What we're all about is meshing stuff together, which is really a combination of our lifelong musical interests.

F: There are so many bands in both Brooklyn and Los Angeles that are struggling to make it. What do you think sets you apart as a band?

K: You're definitely right about that.

There's so many bands in Brooklyn, especially as you hang out and play there, the more people you meet, and it sort of seems like, "Wow, everyone I know is in a band." It's pretty similar in L.A., even in the short time that I've been there, I've met a whole lot of musicians from different genres and walks of life.

With Slothrust, we're playing stuff the only way we know how. And I feel like that's what bands who find their own sound do. That's what I look for when I see a band I like, something that will draw me in, seeing people who play in the best way they know how.

F: Yeah, I was listening to your most recent album, “Everyone Else," and I definitely hear the blues but also the grunge. What artists were you listening to as you were working on this album?

K: That is definitely the vibe we're going for. What we listen to changes a lot. What we're listening to at the time doesn't necessarily influence the writing as it might the production. We were listening to a lot of Lana Del Rey, and that kind of sound influenced us in a big way. But we were also trying to something more live with it. I'm kind of always listening to a lot of Stevie Ray Vaughan, for sure.

F: The Village Voice last fall said that Slothrust sounds like "what would happen if Kurt Cobain learned guitar from BB King and hired Metallica's

F: There's this perennial argument that's resurfaced lately that rock, particularly indie, is dead. What do you think?

K: I don't think it's dead at all! I think maybe it's become more localized. I know a lot of people who play guitar still. Whether it's people who are doing that on a professional level or people

who are doing it for fun. Either way, a million people play guitar. Guitar is still in this country equated with rock music. What that shows us really is that even if rock isn't necessarily on top of the charts all the time, people are still doing it a lot. And there are still a lot of good rock music coming out. We toured with Highly Suspect—those guys [were] nominated for a Grammy [twice in 2016 and once in 2017]. I definitely don't think it's totally fair to say "rock is dead." The whole music scene on a national level has become so much broader. Maybe in terms of overall marketshare, rock probably has a smaller piece in the music realm pie.

But I don't think it's gone at all. You go to an underground show in Brooklyn pretty much every night of the week and see a kickass rock band.

F: What about the changing nature of rockstardom? Do people like Taylor Swift and Kanye West count as rockstars? Or is a rockstar strictly the frontman of a "rock" band?

K: I feel like Kanye's a rockstar, y'know? For better or worse. I like a lot of Kanye's music. l like a lot of Taylor Swift's music too, I'm not gonna lie. I saw her sing one time in person, and she is really, really good. She can really sing, no joke. I don't know. [Laughs] What does that even mean? Everyone's a rockstar, if you wanna be, I guess.

F: Do you consider yourself one?

K: Oh, I don't know… I just wanna play music and have fun. I wanna play music with my friends. I try not to think about things on those terms.

F: Do you ever have those moments where you're like, "OK, this is it, I've made it?"

K: Yes and no. Sometimes, there's things where you look around like, "What am I doing here?" "How did we get to this point?" One of our songs is the theme song on "You're the Worst."

That happened to us pretty early on.

And that was definitely a moment for sure, watching an actual TV channel with real commercials and everything and hearing my friend [lead singer] Leah [Wellbaum]'s voice come out of the TV. That was surreal for sure.

F: What's in store in the future for you?

K: The band's always working on stuff.

We're three individuals who like to stay working. That's one of the big driving forces of the band—we're three people who genuinely enjoy playing our instruments. We all practice at home all the time. We're gonna be on the road a lot this year. We're gonna be on the road for all of March, which includes the [March 7] show in D.C. We're really excited about that—playing the Black Cat, which is one of my favorite venues downtown. [In addition to working on music videos], hopefully, there'll be more music in the works at some point in the near future. One big thing that we're trying to accomplish in the next

F: At what point did you know you wanted to be a musician professionally?

K: That's a good question—I've been playing for a long time. I played piano as a kid. I was always in the school band. It was just something I've done forever. I don't know exactly when it was like, "Do you wanna do this for life?" kind of thing. But it's sort of like snowballed. I guess even back in high school, I started playing at bar mitzvahs and weddings with friends.

Since college, more and more, it's become a part of my life.

F: OK, these next three questions have nothing to do with music, but they're very important.

K: [Laughs] Um, OK. F: Ready? OK, this first one is kind of musical. What was the first album you bought?

K: I'm pretty sure it was "Californiacation" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I was pretty young.

F: Great. Next: Who gets to play you in your eventual biopic?

K: Ummmm…Brendan Fraser from, like, 15 years ago.

F: Lastly, who has better burgers, NYC's Shake Shack or L.A.'s In N Out? K: Oh, I'm definitely going with In N Out. F: Thanks for taking the time to chat, Kyle.

K: Great talking to you.

Slothrust plays the Black Cat March 7.

Doors at 7:30 $13 advance/$15 day of show

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Visiting filmmaker series: Hans Charles FAVS screens Oscar-nominated documentary “13th” BASMA HUMADI | STAFF WRITER

Not a seat in the Johnson Center Cinema was left open. In the back of the room, audience members were left standing just to get a glimpse of the screening session.

On Feb. 13, Mason’s Film and Media Studies Department hosted a screening for the Academy Award-nominated documentary “13th” and a Q&A with Mason professor and “13th” cinematographer Hans Charles.

The screening was also a part of Mason’s celebration of Black History Month.

the party shall have been duly convicted.”

This “except” clause essentially created a loophole where an entirely different institution of oppression was established: the prison system. It is the conditions of the 13th Amendment which, the documentary argues, set the foundation for the current system in the United States.

Starting with the War on Drugs and leading to the Black Lives Matter movement, “13th” covers important events in black history features interviews with key intellectuals and public figures, including Angela Davis, Newt Gingrich, Van Jones, Cory Booker and Henry Louis Gates Jr.

"How could people have gone to a lynching and participated in that? That’s so crazy, if I was living at that time I would never have tolerated anything like that.’ And the truth is we are living in this time, and we are tolerating it." – Hans Charles, Mason professor and "13th" cinematographer The documentary, which was directly released to Netflix, has generated a wide response from audiences everywhere in the United States. It explores how members of certain races in America have been exploited and manipulated since the abolition of slavery and Jim Crow laws, which enforced discrimination in the United States. Directed by Ava DuVernay, the documentary creates a critically engaging examination of mass incarceration in the United States and its relation to the 13th Amendment.

The 13th Amendment abolished slavery “except as a punishment for crime whereof

As the cinematographer, Charles was responsible for all visual aspects of the film, such as focus and lighting.

From the beginning, however, DuVernay made clear her intentions for what “13th” would not feature.

“[Ava] told me what she wasn’t going to do,” Charles said. “One of the big things I asked her — and she said she wasn’t going to do — was that we weren’t going to shoot in prisons. We won’t physically bring a camera to any prisons.”

Therefore, the challenge for Charles came with making each interview location look completely different. In some cases, three to five interviews would be shot a day in the same location.

“I knew that we would be shooting so many academics and policy makers and experts and activists,” Charles said. “I wanted there to be a sort of grittiness -- some kind of contrast. But

at the same time, I had to make sure the viewer wasn’t distracted from the lighting not or imagery not having a certain something to it.”

In preparation, Charles was assigned to create a “lookbook,” or a compilation of artwork that suggests what the film should strive for in terms of vision.

Using this, Charles and DuVernay would work together to select interview locations that would evoke similar kinds of emotions and tones conveyed in the lookbook. Charles drew inspiration from the works of Bruce Davidson, an American photographer most popular for his series about ‘80s New York, specifically Harlem.

“I used to visit New York City every weekend with my parents,” Charles said. “We’d go to see their relatives and friends. So I remember what New York City looked like in the ‘80s. I have vivid memories. When I was looking at Davidson’s work, it felt like it was perfect.”

Charles was not particularly shocked while investigating the prison system in the process of making the documentary.

While in college, Charles had his own personal experience with the prison system when he and his roommate rented a car that was not under either of their names. They had asked a dormmate to rent a car for them because they were under 21.

“We wanted to go to New Orleans, and he wanted to come with us and we were like ‘no’ because he was creepy so we didn't want [him] to go,” Charles said.

“As soon as we left, he called the police and said that we stole the car.”

Charles and his roommate then had to attend court, which did not go according to plan.

The dormmate attended the court case and fraudulently claimed he represented the university they were attending. It was a different judge who handled the case, and Charles and his roommate were thrown in jail that day. Eventually they were released, but Charles never forgot the experience.

“He ended up going to jail because,

you know, he lied to the court,” Charles said. “But we still had this three-year period where we had this on our records. I kinda never forgot what that environment was like — you know, like, 60 people in cells, all this stuff going on. There was a guy that was in there for axing somebody 70 times. Insane. I never forgot that. I never forgot that experience.”

Part of the reason Charles got the job as cinematographer was that he was at the right place at the right time.

“This is sort of a fluke. I just happened to be studying the prison industrial complex, it was interesting to me,” Charles said.

The documentary ends with a powerful quote by Bryan Stevenson, a lawyer and founder of the Equal Justice Initiative.

“People say all the time, ‘Well, I don’t understand how people could have tolerated slavery?’” he says. “‘How could they have made peace with that? How could people have gone to a lynching and participated in that? That’s so crazy, if I was living at that time I would never have tolerated anything like that.’ And the truth is we are living in this time, and we are tolerating it.”

CONCERT CALENDAR

Charles happened to be in Selma one day and met Van Jones at the airport there. Later, Charles went to a party Jones and DuVernay were attending. Just as DuVernay was about to introduce herself to Jones, Charles intercepted.

“Before [Ava] can even saying anything to Van to introduce me, I’m like, ‘Hey Van, wassup man!

I haven’t seen you,’” Charles said. “And she’s like, ‘You know Van Jones?’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, yeah, you know, we know,’ cause I’m a little bit Hollywood.”

The three then sat down and began talking about the prison system, with Charles doing his best to make an impression on the two of them.

“I kept chiming in like, ‘You know the Koch brothers, they’re doing this and that,’” Charles said.

“And they’re both like ‘Yeah, that’s right!’

So [Van] and I start talking about policy.

And [Ava’s] just kind of sitting like, ‘Wow, how do you know all this stuff about this subject?’

So, really, two weeks later she called me and asked me [to be a part of the film].”

Live music this week: Monday, Feb. 27 Airpark | Jammin’ Java Doors at 6 p.m. | $12 to $22 Tuesday, Feb. 28 Japandroids | 9:30 Club Doors at 7 p.m. | $25 Wednesday, March 1 Save Ferris | Black Cat Doors at 7:30 p.m. | $20 Thursday, March 2 Jesca Hoop “Memories Are Now” album release tour | Jammin’ Java Doors at 6 p.m. | $15 to $25 Friday, March 3 Cinema Hearts, Abby Rasheed, Lynds Mika | Epicure Café 8 p.m. | $5 suggested donation Saturday, March 4 Colony House | U Street Music Hall 7 p.m. | $15 Sunday, March 5 Rebecca Loebe | Iota Club and Café 8 p.m. | $12

10

Etc.

2.27.2017

GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE

Crossword Puzzle

Top 10 Cheapest countries to live in 1) India 2) Ukraine 3) Pakistan 4) Georgia 5) Azerbaijan

IV

WGMU Radio This Week Content Spotlight Spinnin' Deep Tues. 2/28 @ 5:00 PM Start the evening off with Sasha as she shows you new sounds, ranging from HipHop to Alternative, that will keep you Spinnin' Deep!

6) Syria 7) Nepal 8) Moldova 9) Tunisia 10) Mexico

By Morris M. on Toptenz.net, 2017.

Bizarre food combinations the world didn't need 1) Doritos flavored Mountain Dew 2) Fried Chicken flavored nail polish 3) Bubble-gum flavored string cheese 4) Chocolate covered squid 5) Pork Ramen hard candy 6) Wild cherry Slurpee donut 7) Cheeto flavored macarons 8) Candy corn Oreo's 9) Seafood ice cream

The Box Score Thurs. 3/2 @ 7:30 PM Cory Morgan, Jason Brightman, and Brittany Morgan give their thoughts on the most intriguing storylines in sports both nationally and locally with expertise and of course... humor. Plus, they will recap all that's going on in the world of Mason athletics!

Ticket Give-a-ways Shamrock Fest March 11, 2017 RFK Stadium, D.C. How to win: Follow @wgmuradio on twitter and re-tweet the ticket give-a-way you want to win. A winner will randomly be chosen from those who re-tweet every week.

10) Bacon toothpaste

By Kristine Alexander on Toptenz.com, 2016.

This week’s crossword answers can be found in the following week’s issue, or at gmufourthestate.com, posted every Friday of the week. Turn to page 12 for the 02/20/17 crossword answers.

Have a bizarre food that didn't make the list?

Tweet at us (@IVEstate) and share yours.

WGMU Radio is George Mason University’s student-run radio station that streams 24/7, where you can listen on iTunes Radio, Radioflag. com or at wgmuradio.com. With over 80 hours of live and original programming, they cover everthing from sports and news, to talk shows and the hottest music.

IV

Etc.

GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE

Sudoku

2.27.2017

Have a laugh

11

Tweet about it

by Linda Thistle | © 2017 King Feature Synd., Inc.

Avery Powell @WHSVAvery ·2/24/17 It has been a rough morning but my @MasonCommDept mug is filled up and looking good on the #WHSV set! #amnewsers #Mason #GMU

Anna Sanderson @annasanderson42 · 2/22/17

Thesis committee: Assembled. Let the real work begin! #GMU #Sociology

alexis lytle @lxe_lu ·2/21/17 Any good nap places at #gmu? #asktwitter

Tyler Campbell @outlaw0352 ·2/21/17 There's a showdown between a hawk and a squirrel on a tree outside Robinson B at #GMU it's quite interesting.

How to play Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each small 9-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine.

BILLY FERGUSON | FOURTH ESTATE

Tyler Campbell @outlaw0352 ·2/21/17 There's @GMUSquirrels will there now be an account for #hawks at #GMU?

Difficulty This Week: ◆◆

◆ Moderate | ◆◆ Challenging | ◆◆◆ Hard This week’s sudoku answers can be found in the following week’s issue, or at gmufourthestate.com, posted every Friday of the week.

Turn to page 12 for the 02/20/17 answers.

Life is too serious, so have a laugh every now and then. Is there a topic that you think needs some comedic relief ? If so, tweet at us with #GMUFourthEstate and #FourthEstateFunnies with ideas for next week's comic topic and see your idea come to life.

gabby evidente @gabidente ·2/21/17 Swear I spend more time preparing myself for studying than doing the actual studying

Happening this week Monday 2/27

Tuesday 2/28

Yoga for well-being 12:00 p.m.

Johnson Center G34 Dance Studio

Zotero 10:00 p.m.

Johnson Center 228 - Gateway Library Instruction Room

Rising Leader Development Program 7:30 a.m.

Merten Hall 1201

Advisor Learn over Lunch (LOL extra) 12:00 p.m.

Student Union I 3B - Meeting Room

Hygiene Kit Packing UMR 4:30 pm Johnson Center 327 - Meeting Room C

SHH Hot Chocolate Giveaway 12:00 p.m.

Johnson Center North Plaza Clock

Wednesday 3/1

Google Events 3:30 p.m.

Research Hall 163 - Lobby Ethics Training 3:00 p.m.

Johnson Center 325 - Meeting Room A Men's Basketball vs.

Duquesne 7:00 p.m.

Eagle Bank Arena

Thursday

Friday 3/3

3/4 & 3/5

LLI Workshop: Using DNA and Genealogy to Solve 10:30 a.m.

Hylton Performing Arts Center (HPAC) Gregory Family Theater

LLI Workshop: Understanding the US Constitution 10:30 a.m.

Hylton Performing Arts Center (HPAC)

Saturday, 3/4 Living Proof Live with Beth Moore 8:30 a.m.

EagleBank Arena

Collegiate DECA Networking Event 1:00 p.m.

Johnson Center 333 - Meeting Room D

Sunday, 3/5 Jeffrey Siegel: Music for the Young and the Young at Heart 2:00 p.m.

Hylton Performing Arts Center (HPAC) Merchant Hall, Science and Technology

3/2

Yoga for Well-Being 12:00 p.m.

Johnson Center G34 Dance Studio

Women's Softball vs. Army

5:00 p.m.

George Mason Softball Complex

Weekend

Etc.

12 2.27.2017 Recipe of the week Strawberry Parfait Energy Bites

GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE

Horoscopes ARIES (Mar. 21 to Apr. 19) Keep an open mind about a suggestion you see as unworkable. Give it a chance to prove itself one way or another. The results could surprise both supporters and detractors.

TAURUS (Apr. 20 to May 20) News about an upcoming venture causes you to make some last-minute adjustments in your plans. But the extra work will pay off, as you come to learn more about the potential benefits opening up.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) A more positive aspect grows out of your determination to reach your immediate goals. Continue to keep your focus sharp and on target by steering clear of petty quarrels and other pesky problems.

Ingredients 1 1/4 cup almonds 1/2 cup quick oats 2 ounces pitted dates 1 1/3 cup freeze-dried strawberries 2 tablespoons maple syrup 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 tablespoon water

Preparation 1) Blend almonds in food processor until they look like crumbs.

2) Set aside 1/4 cup of processed almonds, then add oats, dates, 1 cup strawberries, maple syrup, & vanilla extract to food processor and blend until mixture is well-blended, but not coming together in a clump.

3) Add the remaining strawberries and water, then pulse until mixture comes together. You should be able to squeeze it and form balls; if mixture seems dry add a little more water and blend.

4) Form into 1-inch balls and roll in the remaining almond crumbs.

5) Store in an air-tight container in the fridge

Recipe from Holly Sander on Foodista.com - The Cooking Encyclopedia Everyone Can Edit.

Last week's puzzle answers Crossword puzzle

Sudoku

IV

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) By acting as a voice of reason, you can avoid adding to an already turbulent situation. You might have to shout over the tumult, but your words ultimately will be heard and heeded.

LEO (July 23 to Aug. 22) The possibility of a new acquisition always makes those Leonine eyes light up. But be careful that what you see is what you want. Appearances often can be deceiving.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 to Sept. 22) No matter how much you might feel that you’re in the right, resist saying anything that could reignite a still-unresolved situation. Let the matter drop, and move on.

LIBRA (Sept. 23 to Oct. 22) Help with a personal problem comes from an unexpected source. You also find workplace pressures easing. Use this period of calm to restore your spent energies.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23 to Nov. 21) You might have to share the credit for that project you’re working on. But there’ll be enough credit to go around, and your efforts will be recognized and rewarded.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 to Dec. 21) Details need to be dealt with before you can move on to another area. Make sure you don’t leave any loose ends that could later cause everything to unravel.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 to Jan. 19) News about a change in the workplace carries with it a challenge you could find difficult to resist. Check it out. It could be what you’ve been waiting for.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 to Feb. 18) Allowing your artistic nature full expression will help restore your spirits and will put you in the mood to take on that new career challenge. A Libra creates excitement.

PISCES (Feb. 19 to Mar. 20) Expect to happily plunge right into a hectic social whirl starting at week’s end.

Your aspects favor new friendships as well as the strengthening of old relationships. © 2017 King Features Synd., Inc. (Salome's Stars)