3/5/21 Red & Black Issue by The Red&Black

Red & Black

The Free

s t u d e n t n e w s pa p e r o f w a s h i n g t o n a n d j e f f e r s o n c o l l e g e w j r e da n d b l ac k . c o m W a s h i n g t o n , P e n n s y lva n i a M a rc h 5 , 2 0 2 1

WHAT’S IN THIS WEEK’S PAPER... CURRENT EVENTS

On Feb. 22, Texas officials put into place a boil water notice, which means that to the residents that this notice affected, the only way they could use their tap water was if they boiled it before using. -P.7

Student Spotlight: Henry Beardwood PAGE 2

DIVERSITY

President Biden promised zero deportations during his first 100 days. In just his first 29 days, 26,248 migrants were deported. -P.11

OPINIONS To keep their faith, Biden must reverse his apathy quickly, and start acting on the problems people have been waiting for a Democratic president to address. -P.16

SPORTS

The [W&J baseball team] opens up their season with a double header against the Bethany Bison on March 13. -P.17

WJREDANDBLACK.COM

Courtesy Henry Beardwood

2 CAMPUS NEWS

5 March 2021

Red & Black

Student Spotlight: Henry Beardwood Reilly Oliverio Red & Black Editor

Henry “Hank” Beardwood is a spohmore from Wilmington Delaware where he attended well-known Salesianum School, an all male catholic school. Beardwood found out about Washington & Jefferson College from playing lacrosse. He was recruited to play lacrosse by head coach Kevin Kruston. When asked why he choose Washington & Jefferson, Beardwood replied, “I choose W&J because I really

liked the small class sizes and the sense of community that comes with the small sizes. I also really liked the feel of the campus and it gave me a chance to continue my lacrosse career.” Hank tries to stay active on campus. Along with studying for a double major in business and communicaations he is apart of many different organizations. He is a emeber of the Men’s Lacrosse Team, the Beta Theta Pi Fraternity, and is one of the lacrosse team’s represenatives on the Student Athlete Advisory Committee.. Beardwood has a multitude of hobbies to help occupy his time. “I love getting after it with the boys on the field, making sure that I’m hydrated, graphic design, and binge watching movies,” he said. However, Beardwood’s hobbies didnt help

him during his quarantine as he was occupied with other things. When asked how he spent his time during his quarantine, Beardwood said, “Over quarantine I spent my time taking the Jay-Term about NarcoNovelas, watcning movies, and attending good old lacrosse workouts!”Now out of quarantine you can find Beardwood tearing it up at GnTs where he is getting his favorite order. “I always get a chicken wrap with pepper jack cheese, lettuce, BBQ and Buffalo Sauce.” Beardwood has enjoyed his time at Washington & Jefferson College so far. Although he has a couple more years on campus, Beardwood has made some great memories. When asked about some of his favorite memories, he replied, “Spending time with my team on gamedays and getting to

know the brothers of Beta last semester before rusing in the spring and being initiated in the fall this past year.” When his time at Washington & Jefferson is done, Beardwood would like to work in the field of investments or even attend law school. But for now, Beardwood is focused on his time at Washington & Jefferson College, “Some of my goals here at W&J are to excel on and off the athletic feild and to be the best student that I can be.” Beardwood wanted to shout out some of his favorite people at Washington & Jefferson College, a group of mentors and leaders that have helped him during his time here. He said, “Some people I would like to shout out are the best “FOGO” I know Nick Grosch, Carter Watts and Caine Dusza.”

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@rednblackWJ

@wjrednblack Courtesy Henry Beardwood

Henry Beardwood ‘23 is a member of the men’s lacrosse team at W&J.

5 March 2021

Red & Black

CAMPUS NEWS 3

Poetry Corner The Trouble of Being an “Author” Alexandra Wagner

I gulp down the last of my rosé. I drink like Hemingway, Yet the stories I write are nothing in comparison to his. I fill my empty glass with Jack Daniels, As if that’s gonna spark any creativity. My fingers are coated in lead and My paper has more eraser shavings than actual words. I used to write on a laptop But writing on paper makes me feel more authentic. I take another sip, God that whiskey burns. My throat is coated, feeling warm and spiced. I wish my pencil could just do my work, If it could just fill the pages With the words I clearly can’t find on my own. I lift my glass again, letting the rim rest on my lips. What’s another word for cold? I put the glass back down on the damp coaster. “Frigid”, that’s the word but it sounds too forced next to “wind”. The corner of my paper is soggy from my drink, The water bleeds onto the first blue line of the looseleaf. I crumple the pages, tossing my failed words into the trash. I’m out of ideas and out of booze.

4 CAMPUS NEWS

5 March 2021

Red & Black

Upcoming Career Service Events

Event:

Fridays Food for Thought: Career

Event:

Fridays Food for Thought: Career

Pathways Lunch & Learn Series –

Job Fair Success: Preparing for the

Personal Branding: Market Yourself

WestPACS Collegiate Career Fair

Date:

Friday, March 12

Date:

Friday, March 5

Time:

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Time:

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Type:

Virtual – Go to the Handshake Events

Type:

Virtual – Go to the Handshake Events Calendar to access the Zoom link

Description:

Calendar to access the Zoom link

Description:

Career Pathways presents Friday’s Food for

Thought, a Lunch & Learn series designed

to strengthen your skills, benefit you as a

current college student and into the years

after graduation! Join Jami and Rachel each

week to hear about a variety of relevant and

useful topics!

useful topics! This week Rachel will be preparing you for Job Fair Success! So, grab your lunch and “Zoom” in!

This week Jami will be presenting strategies to best market yourself! So, grab your lunch and “Zoom” in!

To access the Zoom link, go to the Handshake Events calendar!

5 March 2021

Red & Black

Campus News 5

Follow @wandjcareerservices on Instagram The Career Services Office would like to know if you are following us on Instagram? If you are not, you definitely should be! Not only will you be kept well-informed about the events and programs we sponsor, but you will be entered into raffles all semester long. Names will be drawn from our followers for great prizes such as: a limited edition HydroFlask, Starbucks gift cards, W&J swag, and much more!

Coming Soon: New Red & Black Website! Over the fall semester, Raheem Clemons, our Website Design Manager, built a new website for the Red & Black. In the next month, we will transition away from Issuu (our current online platform) and launch the new website that will list our articles in a blogpost format. Until the new website’s launch, find the Red & Black in the major academic buildings on campus and digitially on Issuu (at https://issuu.com/rednblackwj/docs).

6 CAMPUS NEWS

5 March 2021

Red & Black

Speak Out! Commons or GnTs? Why? “I prefer to go to Commons over GnTs because I like to sit down and eat. I also like the wider range of food we can get at Commons and more veggies.” - Ben Fisher ‘21

“I don’t really have a preferance, but I like the new GnTs style. I like their wings a lot and, when I need something quick, it is my go to!”

Red & Black Established 1909

- Brendan Tribeck ‘21

“I typically prefer Commons over GnTs because there are many more options, and I like having a bit more control of portion sizes so I’m not stuck with a huge meal that I won’t finish.” -Lily Bonasso ‘22

Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Campus News Editor Current Events Editor Diversity Editor Opinions Editor Sports Editor Social Media Manager Website Design Manager Distribution Manager Interim Faculty Advisor

Marcy Saldivar Erin Herock Reilly Oliverio Lauren Phillips Amanda Fitzpatrick Paul Collier Nick Krugh Grace Depaul Raheem Clemons John Kiebler Kellin Cavanaugh

5 March 2021

Red & Black

Current Events 7

Current Events

Texas Water Deemed Unsafe for Citizens

Courtesy Dallas Morning News

Water in Texas is tainted and left undrinkable.

Sofia Jenkins Red & Black Staff

After the devastating winter storm events that happened in Texas in the last two weeks, Texas residents are now dealing with effects they might not have considered would happen. On Feb. 22, Texas officials put into place a boil water notice, which means that to the residents that this notice

affected, the only way they could use their tap water was if they boiled it before using. As of 8 a.m. on Feb. 22, 8.8 million Texans were under a boil water notice, which was actually lower than the 10 million Texans this affected the day before. Also, 120,000 residents had no water access at all because of the broken pipes caused by the winter weather events. Texas is bringing in more plumbers, who are on incredibly high demand, to fix the broken water access pipes and other water issues that Texans are facing. Other ways that Texas officials are trying to handle the situation is

by distributing 3.5 million bottles of water by helicopter, airplane and truck across the state. Lines were hundreds of people long, and could be seen outside of a soccer complex in the south of downtown Houston. At another distribution site, cars were seen lining up five hours before distribution started. Over 700 cases were already distributed by 11 a.m. at this site. Governor Greg Abbott said in a statement that those who do not have insurance may qualify for a reimbursement by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, so that is a good sign for those Texas

residents. Abbott also states that electricity bills in the state also soared after the past weeks winter weather events, and how residents in Texas are demanding to be ‘shielded’ from these enormous electricity fees. For some of those residents, bills have topped $10,000. Abbott responds to these demands by saying “Texans who have suffered through days of freezing cold without power should not be subjected to skyrocketing energy bills due to a spike in the energy market.” Luckily, this crazy cold weather is predicted to come to a halt for the Texas residents, which induces a sigh of relief for those residents.

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5 March 2021

Tiger Woods Involved in Car Crash

Courtesy CNN

Woods survives a grisly car accident.

John Kiebler Red & Black Staff

Last Tuesday, February 23rd, famous golfer Tiger Woods was seriously injured in a one-car rollover in Los Angeles. Tuesday morning at 7:12 a.m., neighbors called 911 to report the wreck of Woods’ 2021 Genesis. Woods

was going downhill on a winding road and went over the median, causing him to crash into a curb and flipping into some bushes on the side of the road. Although Woods sustained many injuries in the wreck, including a smashed right leg and many injuries to his right foot, none were ever considered life-threatening. Deputy Carlos Gonzales said that Woods was not able to stand on his own but remained calm as the ‘jaws of life’ removed Tiger from the vehicle.

It was no shock why this news was so alarming for people all over the world. After all, Tiger has been one of, if not the biggest, name in golf since he made his professional debut back in 1996 at the Greater Milwaukee Open. To show their support for the 15time major winner, the games’ best golfers, including Justin Rose, Bryson DeChambeau, Cameron Champ, and more, tweeted praying for his wellbeing. “Just seen the awful news. We know how tough you are, we’ve seen it

a hundred time.”, tweeted Justin Rose. In addition, golfers donned Tigers infamous red and black color scheme during the Puerto Rico Championship and the final round of the WGCWorkday Championship this past Sunday. Although Woods sustained several terrible injuries in the accident, golf fans remain hopeful to see one of the greatest ever make his way back to glory as he has done plenty of times in the past.

Diversity 9

5 March 2021 Red & Black

Diversity The Reality of American Food Deserts Dylan Bertovich Red & Black Staff

What is a food desert? It is a location that lacks access to healthy and affordable food. This is often due to a combination of limited income and lack of transportation. These food deserts usually present themselves as areas within urban enclaves or rural towns that have limited vegetables and fresh produce available within a reasonable commute. This issue has been exasperated by the growth of stores such as Dollar General and Family Dollar. Dollar General is known for moving into poorer, typically rural areas and then putting older locally owned businesses out of business. They are famous within the business community for having a plan to expand that counts on poverty and food stamps for locations. This decimates communities and is one of the factors that leads to health issues in these communities. SNL once did a bit on the growth of Dollar Generals, claiming that they had no idea how many stores there were. Within my small rural area, there are roughly ten Dollar Generals

in a 30-minute drive. On a rural road in eastern Ohio, Dollar General even built a store within a corn field. The store then managed to put a small convenience store in the local town out of business within six months. Dollar General and Family Dollar seem to offer great deals; however, the products are often much smaller and of poorer quality. It has been shown over and

over again that it is more expensive to shop at dollar stores than at typical grocery stores. This impact of food deserts has been exaggerated over the last year in the pandemic. Imagine riding a bus for over an hour to get to a grocery store or having your health impacted because there is no healthy food in your community. Recently, a Biden official

said that “5 miles might as well be 500 miles if you don’t have a car.” Oftentimes, grocery stores are the location of the pharmacy in the area. If there is no grocery store, then there is no pharmacy. This translates to the ongoing pandemic as people will be unable to get a Covid-19 vaccine. Food deserts could become vaccine deserts and then death traps.

Courtesy CDC

This map shows one factor that contributes to a food desert: lack of access to grocery stores.

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5 March 2021

Red & Black

The Many Problems with the BMI System Paul Collier Red & Black Staff

BMI is not an adequate system for measuring an individual’s health. It is a measure of body fat based on weight and height; BMI comes from an inaccurate communal measure of a small portion of the population and attempts to make simply inaccurate extrapolations for all people based on one group’s norms. It began to measure weight in different European populations,

specifically white male populations. However, in 1972 it was suddenly repurposed to measure the health of an individual instead of the weight of an individual using the ideal measurements of the white male. This means the measure of general health for the entire population is one idealized group, instead of accounting for the genetics and cultural norms of people descended from other regions that might be larger than the typical white male but still be completely healthy. That is not to claim that being overweight can’t be detrimental to health. But it is being over diagnosed and over emphasized, leading to selfesteem issues and an attempt to push

the body to being shaped in an ideal standard not everyone is built for, because the thin white male standard is not always ideal. Being overweight means something different for everyone. And it is something different for every individual. An easy solution could be to just apply BMI to different groups and descendant lines to determine what that groups ideal body type is, but that still isn’t good enough. The idea is to not measure yourself and your health against somebody else, because that somebody else, even within a certain group, is not you. Everyone has different stress levels, family medical histories, predispositions and exercise

habits, and these easily change from individual to individual, even if a member of a group is predisposed to something. The care for your health should be a conversation between you and your doctor, not your doctor and an ideal of what you should be. Know yourself and take care of yourself. A numeric measurement does not indicate how healthy someone is. They know that for themselves before a measure like BMI is ever recorded and adding the number to it isn’t going to help make someone healthier, it’s just going to make them hate their body more. They should talk to their doctor and work on their own health to become their own ideal for what they should look like.

Courtesy Medium

The Body Mass Index, commonly referred to as the BMI, has been widely recognized as a problematic measurement for several reasons.

5 March 2021

Red & Black

Diversity 11

Deportations Under Pres. Biden Amanda Fitzpatrick Red & Black Staff

Deportation for many immigrants oftentimes is indicative of a death sentence. Many of those deported are forced to return to dangerous environments and deportations have often resulted in kidnapping, torture, rape and murder. With the COVID-19 pandemic, deportations have only become more dangerous. The American Immigration Council has reported that at least eight people have died after contracting COVID-19 while detained and over 6,000 people have tested positive in ICE detention since the pandemic began. Due to these dangerous conditions, deportations must stop. President Biden promised zero deportations during his first 100 days. In just his first 29 days, 26,248 migrants were deported. While it is true that a Texas judge prohibited Biden from implementing his 100 day ban on deportations, there is more Biden can do. The court ruling did not require ICE to schedule these deportations or for deportations to resume at their previous pace. This means that Biden has the ability to prolong these schedules, but to date, he has not. Many Democrats have remained silent, believing they and Biden can only do so much. However, it is critical that we hold Democrats and Biden accountable for their campaign promises. Both the Senate and House of Representatives are currently controlled by Democrats. Despite this fact, eight Democrats recently voted to prohibit

undocumented immigrants from receiving stimulus checks. Biden holds so much control and power as president with control of the Senate and the House; he can do so much more. Several Black lawmakers wrote Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas saying they were “gravely concerned that ICE is disparately targeting Black asylum-seekers and immigrants for detention, torture, and deportation.” With the recent increase

in the deportation of Black immigrants, this situation is especially urgent with threats in Haiti and nations in Africa. Haiti has seen its democracy plunge into crisis with allegations of a coup attempt. Pregnant women and dozens of children have been expelled into this environment. We may have a new president, but the immigration policy of ICE has become normalized and its machinery continues to churn. The deportation

of hundreds of Haitians who fled a country in deep poverty has occurred this month. Attempting to seek asylum during the Trump Administration, many have been denied the opportunity for due process in the broken asylum system of the United States. While it is critical that the Biden Administration works to fix these large issues of our immigration system, the continued deportation of immigrants is putting lives at risk.

Courtesy NBC Newa

During Biden’s presidency, thousands of migrants have been deported despite his campaign pledge to stop removing most people in the U.S. illegally at the beginning of his term.

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5 March 2021

What Does Diversity Mean to You? Alexandra Wagner Red & Black Staff

Diversity can display itself in a multitude of ways, sometimes in ways you would not expect. Over the many years Washington & Jefferson College has been an institution, one of its main goals has been to highlight the many diverse and beautiful minds within the school. With a wonderful group of international students, other locals with a myriad of backgrounds and professors who themselves exemplify diversity in the classroom, it’s no surprise that W&J succeeds in this mixture of rich individuals. The Oxford Dictionary defines diversity as “the practice or quality of including or involving people from a range of different social and ethnic backgrounds and of different genders, sexual orientations.” W&J College shows how this impersonal slew of words don’t even begin to represent the diverse group that walks around campus. It is much more than a definition; it is a family, a community and a home. The welcoming feel that W&J College provides for its residents is unmatched compared to other schools. Our small, liberal arts institution provides a safe space for all people with all kinds of background to join together for one common goal: self-improvement and a higher education. Many are not lucky enough to have the resources that W&J College provides its students; to say we are privi-

leged is an understatement. Although Washington, Pa. does not seem like the most diverse area, you would be surprised to know the variety that is represented on such a small campus. Junior Remy Legrand is an international student who truly has a grasp on diversity. When speaking to him,

he felt diversity was much more than race, it is an identity. W&J College is a place where this diversity flourishes, according to Legrand, a place of inclusivity and family. “It means being exposed to multiple cultures, religions and people in a range of settings. Diversity relies on a

variety of backgrounds being brought together to share a common experience, such as school, work or any activity. It’s not only a question of race, but also of nationalities, socio-economic backgrounds, gender identities, sexualities and many more identity criteria” said Legrand.

Courtesy Urban Institute

Diversity refers to the condition of having or being composed of different elements. In a college, this can mean racial diversity, gender diversity, cultural diversity and more.

5 March 2021

opinions Red & Black

Opinions 13

Cuomo Takes Advantage of COVID Crisis Akansha Das Red & Black Staff

On Feb. 12, Governor Andrew Cuomo’s aide Melissa DeRosa admitted to lying about the reported number of nursing home deaths during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some estimates say that the Cuomo administration underreported these deaths by over 50 percent with the true estimates being around 15,000 people. Yet, it’s not the crime necessarily that is soliciting attention but the coverup. When political figures, especially progressive Democrats, began looking into the issue, they received backlash and bullying from Cuomo all while he was romanticized by the media (especially by CNN and with segments from his broker Chris

Cuomo) and Hollywood (An Emmy nomination for the quality of his press conferences) and profiting off a sixfigure book deal for his “brilliant and graceful” handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in N.Y. And there’s an additional financial and corruption aspect to the scandal. Early in the days of the pandemic, Cuomo slipped into the state budget a line that said healthcare workers and corporations (like the nursing home industry - which is a 65 percent forprofit industry according to The Hill) would not be held responsible/liable for deaths from COVID-19. Yet, some will argue that very little was known about the spread of COVID-19 during March and April when Governor Cuomo made the call to put infected residents back in nursing homes. So, the question arises. Should Cuomo be held responsible for the spread of COVID-19 in nursing

homes? I ardently believe he should. For starters, it’s hard to know what Cuomo’s intentions truly were and whether his motivations were based in profit and fame or the health and safety of nursing home residents. Over the years, the Greater New York Hospital Association has contributed around two million to 2.3 million according to former Bernie Sanders Campaign Contributor David Sirota during an interview with The Hill. This same association was one to write the clause in the N.Y. state budget that allowed the nursing home industry to face no liability or responsibility for their decisions. So even if Cuomo’s actual decision can be excused due to lack of knowledge about the spread of COVID-19, his coverup and dedication to corporate interests absolutely make him unfit for office and responsible for the deaths of the over 15,000 N.Y. nursing home

E ditorial P olicy The Red & Black is the official, registered student-produced newspaper of Washington & Jefferson College. It is published Fridays with the exception of exams and break periods. Editorials are based upon the opinion of the respective writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the newspaper, the

College or its students, faculty, or administration. The Red & Black welcomes all reader contributions, but reserves the right to reject letters of pure promotional nature, as well as letters which do not meet its standard of integrity, accuracy and decency. The Red & Black also reserves the right to edit submissions.

residents. But the entire timeline and handling of this issue brings up greater questions about the role the media and money plays in governance. While deaths were being underreported, Cuomo was getting CNN primetime limelight with his brother (talk about conflict of interest) and the entire media establishment was raising Cuomo on a pedestal even when politicians like Ron Kim very blatantly laid out evidence that deaths in nursing homes were a real issue that Cuomo could have fixed with a change in policy. Corporate infiltration in politics and media cover ups is nothing new. But it’s especially infuriating when such injustice leads to the loss of life. We saw it with the Flint Water Crisis. We saw it with the Opioid Crisis. It’s time we learn our lesson and start holding those in power responsible.

C ontac t Letters are due on the Monday before publication and may not exceed 600 words. All letters must include the author’s name, campus box and telephone number. Names may be withheld upon request under certain conditions on rare occasions. All letters may be submitted to redandblackstaff@jay. washjeff.edu.

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(724) 223-6049 (724) 503-1049 redandblackstaff@jay. washjeff.edu Red & Black 60 S. Lincoln St. Washington, PA 15301

14 Opinions

5 March 2021 Red & Black

Newsom Does His Best in COVID Response Paul Collier Red & Black Editor

California Governor Gavin Newsom has been criticized in about every way by the minority group of conservatives in California. From immigration policy to homelessness, they have been searching for a way to recall Newsom, and the original recall petition began before COVID had become a crisis in California. However, that petition now has 1.5 million signatures, and Newsom feels the pressure from criticism over his handling of COVID. In many ways, his handling of COVID has not been perfect. He has

faced a rapidly declining approval due to his dealings with Teacher Unions, as he both must acquiesce to the demands for more safety regulations and vaccinations for teachers and consider the growing mental health crisis that keeping schools closed and distancing measures in place will exacerbate in children. Meanwhile, he has publicly disagreed that school employees should have access to the vaccine before returning. The California Labor Union likewise tabled a motion to oppose the recall effort after he reprioritized vaccinations for those over 65, putting them in line ahead of many union members and keeping them from safely returning to work. Despite claims to the contrary, political pressure has obviously changed his policies. He had insisted he provided adequate guidance for eventually reopening schools

in the summer, but in December he announced a $2 billion-dollar incentive package to reopen schools sooner. This came a day after $500,000 was donated to the recall effort. In a pandemic, the policy can’t so obviously change because the politician fears losing power. He also came under fire for both advising Californians to avoid any gatherings and then attending a gathering himself with members of several households, providing a strong symbol of hypocrisy for his opponents. He has also recently began not holding conferences online, but visiting localities with local reporters and Democrat supporters, as if he’s campaigning. To put it simply, Newsom has made mistakes with COVID-19. But I don’t find this to be a good enough reason to recall him. He can’t do anything

correctly: either he gets vulnerable populations the vaccine or unions don’t support him; he puts teachers back to work or the child mental health crisis continues to implant itself; he ignores political pressure, or he doesn’t do his job well enough, which is the only negative part of his performance. Californians, like people worldwide, are understandably tired of what seems like hypocritical and nonsensical governance during COVID. But this is, hopefully, a once in a lifetime experience, and in that experience, you need a once in a lifetime leader. Maybe Newsom isn’t that leader, but he is trying, and the pressure is forcing him to adapt. As long as he continues to try to support the health and freedom of Californians simultaneously, and COVID-19 cases continue to fall, there is no real reason Newsom should be removed.

Courtesy Laguna Beach Independent

Laguna Beach residents protest Gavin Newsom’s COVID-19 executive orders.

5 March 2021

Opinions 15

Red & Black

‘Being Mortal’ Prepares for End-Of-Life Care Akansha Das Red & Black Staff

Every medical-based drama or TV show from Grey’s Anatomy to ER to House MD shows us the flashy, at-thelast-minute and adrenaline-pumping saves that glorify the medical field and physicians. Yet one of the most overlooked aspects of medicine is geriatric care - that is - caring for our elderly population and thinking and preparing for death. In the words of physician Atul Gawande, our current medical system is centered on the “long tail” [highly experimental treatments with little likelihood of succeeding] rather than actually preparing patients for the end. “Being Mortal” by general surgeon Gawande asks and examines these questions using the data available on hospice, palliative care and geriatric care with the emotional touch of Gawande’s family story with end-of-life care. “When the prevailing fantasy is that we can be ageless, the geriatrician’s uncomfortable demand is that we accept we are not. (Gawande 79)” This quote encapsulates everything Gawande aims to communicate within the book. That geriatric care is underfunded, and the hospice and palliative care services are turned a blind eye by most of America. And while this phenomenon is completely understandable, it’s failing America’s elderly population. Gawande begins with a brief history of nursing homes, detailing how they were first meant for society’s misfits and then became a specific ward of

a hospital before being known as a place for old people. This unconscious association between derangement and the elderly may play into the aversion for nursing homes that many have. Within the medical community, Gawande very importantly illustrates how much of this aversion is because the elderly often have multiple different comorbidities that must be handled and maintaining continuity of care among many different physicians can be tough, and this toughness isn’t in line with the quick fixes that medicine largely relies on today. In this way, “Being Mortal” touches on broad problems afflicting the medical field. Expanding on his central argument about human mortality, Gawande details how the point of services like hospice are to make the last years of a person’s life comfortable and as happy as possible rather than aiming to increase the actual number of years the person has left to live. Some studies show that opting for palliative care can extend life by 25 percent or longer for some cancers and significantly decreases the anguish a patient’s family experiences. Gawande discusses factors that affect quality of life even before endof-life care must be decided, and he cites an interesting study that says as individuals age, their Maslow stratification of needs shifts. Spending time with close family and friends becomes more important and meeting new people and having new experiences becomes less so. Gawande goes on to say that within assisted living and nursing homes, many of the complaints of residents are that they don’t feel a sense of community, family or a setting that feels like home. Mortality and the cessation of what it has meant to be human will always be

Courtesy New York Times

Atul Gawande discuss his book ‘Being Mortal.’

a tough topic to discuss. He approaches this subject with data and good logic that would benefit people of all ages,

from future medical professionals to individuals seeking informed answers to questions about mortality.

16 Opinions

Red & Black

5 march 2021

Biden Starts Slow, Leaving Americans Frustrated

Courtesy Business Insider

Child migrant facilities reopen to hold immigrant children under the Biden administration.

Paul Collier Red & Black Editor

From the beginning of Biden’s candidacy, some were critical that he might be too moderate and not actually cause the change the Democratic Party had been advocating for since Bernie Sanders’s 2016 campaign shed light on the necessity of more progressive changes. Many were also attacked for still wanting to vote for Sanders, or a different third-party candidate that better supported their desires, as this election became ‘too consequential’ to not vote for Biden. Early in his presidency, Biden’s detractors within the Democratic

Party have been vindicated. It began before he even took office, as Biden claimed he would end Trump’s Remain in Mexico program, requiring immigrants to remain across the USAMexico border while litigation is done to confirm their legal status. However, while still president-elect, Biden walked back this claim, as there were already too many cases to keep up with and he didn’t want a litigation crisis. This could be a fair point, but Texas immigration lawyer Charlene D’Cruz disagrees, claiming in a PRI article that allowing the 69,000 waiting immigrants into the country is entirely possible and will lessen the extortion, kidnap and assault they’re currently undergoing waiting for a faster approval system. U.S. border officials went as far as ending a protest of asylum seekers asking to stay in America. This also becomes more of an issue when

considering that Biden has also not ended the concept of “kids in cages” after reopening Child Migrant Facilities, a move criticized by activists and forgiven by media organizations, such as the Washington Post, due to this being a “long-standing reality.” Apparently, he’s creating the space for them. However, there are some issues that Biden and Congress will need time to implement. This does not lessen the frustration his voters feel when the Democratic majority seems incapable of creating, let alone passing, a minimum wage increase to $15 per hour, while also not passing the full $2000 stimulus checks, instead settling for $1400. The economy is struggling, and congress is right to be wary of these effects on businesses, but there were expectations of things to be implemented early by the Democratic

base, and it is concerning that they’ve already failed. Biden also claims to be supporting Americans in his foreign policy, and while he will need time to create a relationship with our rivals and allies in the middle east, the instinct to use military action is a far cry from the expectation that he will attempt diplomacy first. It is difficult for Americans to understand how militarization can reflect well upon them or support their safety. A president needs more than one month to cause change, but Biden has not exactly hit the ground running, either. Americans are still struggling from all the social economic issues of the past year, and they’re demanding rapid relief and change. To keep their faith, Biden must reverse his apathy quickly, and start acting on the problems people have been waiting for a Democratic president to address.

sports

5 march 2021

Red & Black

17 Sports

W&J Baseball Ramps Up for 2021 Season

Courtesy gopresidentscom

Peter Kalisnki ‘22 turns on a fastball in a 2020 nonconference game.

Nick Krugh Red & Black Editor

The Washington & Jefferson College’s baseball team is itching to get baseball this year. Their season was cut short last year due to the Covid-19 pandem-

ic. The Presidents played nine games in their 2020 schedule before the season was canceled while on their spring training trip in Florida. A heart breaking reality for a team poised for a third College World Series run in four years. Now coming into the 2021 season the goals are still the same. Behind Coach Jeff Mountain, who is knocking on the door of 500 career wins, the Presidents are poised for another deep run. The President baseball team

is bring back a major portion of their pitching staff. Henry Litman ‘22, Tyler Horvat ‘23 and Nick Drake ‘21 all return to anchor the starting rotation. The bullpen has both Robert Heberle ‘21 and closer Michael Zito ‘21 returning as well. Offensively the Presidents are returning a lot as well. After being considered a relativley young team last year the progress of certain player boads well for the postseason run. The

offense this year will be built around catcher Peter Kalinski ‘22, shortstop Nate Rush ‘22 and first baseman Adam Moore ‘21. A young stand out star from last year, outfielder Evan Sante ‘23, looks to improve even more this year as well as infielder Logan Schieder 23’ and outfielder Tony Tamilia ‘23. The Presidents open up their season with a double header against the Bethany Bison on March 13.

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Student Athlete Spotlight: Kaitlyn Brown Sofia Jenkins Red & Black Staff

Kaitlyn Brown, a.k.a. “KB,” is a freshman at Washington & Jefferson College. KB is an athlete on the W&J Women’s lacrosse team and is the only goalie on this year’s roster. KB hails from La Plata, Md. and attended school at La Plata High School. In high school, KB not only excelled

on the lacrosse field as the starting goalie and MVP for the La Plata High School’s women’s lacrosse team, but she also excelled in her high school academics. KB was an honor roll student for all four years at La Plata High School. La Plata High School’s women’s lacrosse team won its conference championship all four years during KB’s participation on the team. KB chose W&J because she loved the smaller campus feel and liked the opportunities to travel using a Magellan Project. KB has not decided on a major yet but has an interest in pursuing international studies. KB enjoys

Courtesy Sofia Jenkins

KB is the only goalie on the W&J womens’s lacrosse team.

hanging out with her friends on-campus (following social distance protocols), as well as passing around on the lacrosse field. As the only goalie of the women’s lacross team this year, KB feels she has extra responsibility. KB stated in our interview that “I realized that I need to protect my body physically as well as my mental health because I cannot get hurt because I need to be able to perform for this team.” The burden of being a freshman student athlete has been enormous, but KB believe this experience will overall improve her skills as a goalie. KB loves being on the lacrosse field

and enjoys the adrenaline rush she gets from the position and game. KB was drawn to the goalie position because of the leadership skills the position requires. KB states, “as a goalie, I have a different perspective of the field than the field players, so I like to use that perspective to help my teammates put themselves and the team in the best position defensively.” KB is an invaluable player on the women’s lacrosse team, and everyone is excited to see what she can do in the cage. W&J’s women’s lacrosse team begins its season with a home game on Saturday, Mar. 13 at 1p.m. versus Waynesburg.

Courtesy gopresidents.com

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MLB Pitchers & Catchers Report to Spring Training

Courtesy Rum Bunter

LECOM Park in Bradenton, Fla. is the spring training home for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Sofia Jenkins Red & Black Staff

The last two weeks have been very important weeks for Major League Baseball because it is when the Pitchers and catchers, and later all other players on the roster, arrive at Spring Training. Pitchers and catchers arrived at Spring Training for all teams between Feb. 16 and 18, and all other players for

each team arrived around Feb. 21. Pitchers and catchers arrive earlier to camp than other players because pitchers need to build up their strength by throwing more pitches, and catchers go to build up their strength by catching those pitches. The teams have the pitchers and catchers go early to camp, so they are ready to go by the time real workouts come along. This Spring Training camp will look a lot different than the ones in the past for a lot of reasons. The weather right now in Florida and Arizona is a lot different than it has been at this time in many years. Players are excited because the weather is looking to be in about the high

70s and low 80s for the majority of the camp. Sadly, along with this weather does come the downside of lots of forecasted rain in the future for camp. Yet, as assumed, weather is not the most different thing at Spring Training camp this year, the pandemic is. There will be a lot of differences because of the pandemic this season, but especially for training camp. We have already seen photos and videos of what it is like for the teams to practice with strict health and safety precautions. The differences include, lots of tents outside with small groups of players inside to reduce the amount of people in the stadium, and the fact that fans

will be limited in the stadium. Rick Netzel, director of sales and marketing at Best Western Palm Beach Lakes in West Palm Beach, says that their normal occupancy rate is 90 to 95 percent for Spring Training, but this year it will be around 50 percent. For some fields, like the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches and at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in Jupiter where the Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals train, they will only be allowing 1,500 people in the stands. This Spring Training is gearing up to be very different than ones in the past, so keep an eye out for even more COVID-19 related changes as the camp goes on.

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Last Week’s Scores Feb. 27 Men’s Water Polo vs. Mercyhurst: 12-17 L Men’s Water Polo vs. McKendree: 9-26 L Women’s Basketball at Waynesburg: 79-45 W Men’s Basketball vs. Waynesburg: 55-61 L

Feb. 28 Men’s Water Polo vs. Salem: 24-25 L

Mar. 2 Women’s Volleyball vs. Westminster: 0-3 L

Next Week’s Games

Courtesy GoPresidents.com

Mar. 3 Men’s Basketball at Grove City: 5:45 PM Women’s Softball at Westminster: Postponed

Mar. 6 Women’s Volleyball vs. St. Vincents: 7:45 PM

Mar. 11 Men’s Basketball vs. Thiel: 6:00 PM Women’s Volleyball at Bethany: 6:00 PM

Mar. 13 Women’s Soccer at Westminster: 1:00 PM Courtesy GoPresidents.com