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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 October 30, 2020
WHAT’S IN THIS WEEK’S PAPER... CURRENT EVENTS A Quinnipiac poll touted by Rutgers Center for American Women and Politics shows Trump trailing Biden by 23 percentage points among suburban Pennsylvania women. -P.6
Spring Semester Plans and Regulations PAGE 2
DIVERSITY
One of the most obvious accelerators of the school-to-prison pipeline are [Student Resource Officers]. -P.9
OPINIONS Following policies of the Trump administration, which have alienated longstanding allies of the United States, Vice President Biden has a foreign policy vision centered on restoring dignified leadership at home and respected leadership on the world stage. -P.12
SPORTS
The Steelers’ offense continues to prove that it has one of the most well-balanced offenses in the league.” -P.15
WJREDANDBLACK.COM
Courtesy Marcy Saldivar
2 CAMPUS NEWS
Red & Black
30 October 2020
Spring Semester Plans and Regulations Katie Hahn Red & Black Contributor
Recently, the Office of Residence Life at Washington & Jefferson College just announced its plans for the spring 2021 semester. Despite its success this fall semester, the campus will be following the same protocol guidelines that were in place during the fall for the spring semester. This includes “de-densifying” the campus by requiring all students to live in single rooms, a universal meal plan, a quarantine upon arrival to campus as well as all the other restrictions outlined by the pledge to promote safety and the Covid-19 student safety policy and guide. “I wasn’t surprised at all [by] the decision to keep the same situation next semester,” said Jared Heller, a senior who had initially returned to campus but did not stay for the entire fall semester. “I think it is the best option to provide students with the ability to be on campus if they wish, and for others to stay off campus where they feel more content.” However, the guidelines also increase the quarantine limit from 10 days to 14 days and eliminates spring break. The continuation of these strict guidelines has left many students unsure of their desire and ability to return to campus in the spring. “With these restrictions and such, I know our case numbers will be very low,” admits Ava Smith, a sophomore on-campus student. “But it does worry me, because this is the same thing. People viewed this first semester as just trying to get over the hump—
‘just gotta get through this semester and things will be okay,’ or ‘things will loosen up a bit’—but in reality things are going to be even stricter.” While students recognize the need for these restrictions to protect the students and faculty while still allowing for an on-campus experience, many have struggled with the mental health impacts of the situation. Emily Ruzitka, a sophomore neuroscience major and resident assistant (RA) on campus, has found herself struggling with the pressures of this accelerated schedule. “These courses are hard enough as it is,” Ruzitka explains. “With this accelerated schedule and with the hybrid learning, where you’re switching on and off between online and in person, and there are all these different teaching styles that are having to be adapted to this hybrid learning, it feels like I’m never really on top of everything I need to be on top of.” Like many other students, Ruzitka feels as though the college has not prioritized the mental health of the students. “It was really frustrating to see that all of the work that we’ve done as a campus to stay healthy and safe went totally unnoticed,” Ruzitka explains. Upon the release of the spring plans, the college highlighted the fact that the housing decisions from the fall semester cannot be honored. This means that students currently housed on campus are not guaranteed a room on campus again in the spring. With all fall sports being pushed to the spring semester as well, many student athletes intend to return to campus. But the “de-densification” of the campus and strict guidelines once again pose the question of whether to return to campus or to miss out on competing with their team. Like
many other senior athletes, basketball and soccer player Hannah Johnston hopes to return to campus in the spring in order to compete during her last season. With the new housing plans, these spring reopening plans questions which students will be prioritized during the housing selection process, and if athletes like Johnston will be given a place on campus. “W&J must either prioritize athletes when regulating housing or allow them to commute,” Johnston explains. “I believe W&J would lose a lot of support and athletes if a student wants to be on campus in order to compete, and is unable to.” Other athletes are questioning if returning to campus for their sports is worth the risk. “As of right now, we’re supposed to be having volleyball games and track meets,” explains Jadyn Hartner, another dual-sport athlete who returned to campus for the fall. “But who knows once we move in— hopefully it won’t get canceled— but that’s why I’m hesitant to move back in.” “I kinda wish I had commuted or stayed home this semester,” she says. “It’s just hard right now being a freshman, especially with single dorms. It’s just lonely on campus.” Athletics and campus involvement are what drive a
small liberal arts college like W&J, so many students are fearful of what long term impacts maintaining such heavy restrictions will mean for the future of the college. Jack Cusick, a W&J student who opted to stay remote this semester fears that these restrictions could be detrimental to the survival of the college. As a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity here on campus, Cusick notes that less students are becoming involved in Greek life and other organizations on campus. “You really have to care about your students first before you care about business,” explains Cusick. “Business will come if your students are happy, but it seems like the college is making a lot of their students unhappy, and in result it’s going to decline business overall.” As a result, some students have reflected the desire for more flexible precautions and responses. Ben Fisher, an academic senior who opted to live on campus this semester expressed that he supports a progressive reopening plan, with stages of opening. “The goal of the college should be to mitigate transmission, not completely stop it at the expense of the mental health of the students,” Fisher explained.
Courtesy Marcy Saldivar
30 October 2020
Red & Black
CAMPUS NEWS 3
Poetry Corner Suzan from Bar at the Folies-Bergère by Manet Alex Wagner ‘22 I lean forward, just enough to display some of my chest. If I lean too far, they lose interest. It’s quite strange, it’s like they want to feel accomplished, like they won me over. Yet they know what I am. So I let them flirt and fill their bellies with beer. These men convince themselves that they have charmed me, even though I let every player win. I think it makes them feel more dignified. I don’t mind, in fact I like playing the game. I never lose and neither do they. I am a medlar, rotten before I am even ripe. So instead I offer these oranges, a more respected fruit for these respectable men.
4 Campus News
30 October 2020
Red & Black
Career Services Announcements Follow @wandjcareerservices on Instagram!
Event:
Vector Marketing Virtual Information Sessions
Date:
Tuesday, November 3
Time:
12:30pm, 1:30pm and 2:30pm
Type:
Virtual Event
Description:
Scottie Brown, Division Manager for Vector Marketing/Cutco Cutlery, will be
The Career Services Office would like to know
hosting 3 Information Sessions via Zoom
if you are following us on Instagram? If you are
to provide students with employment
not, you definitely should be! Not only will you
opportunities.
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!
Email careerservices@washjeff.edu for the Zoom link and we will email it to you, along with an online form to register
30 October 2020
Red & Black
CAMPUS NEWS 5
Meet the Editorial Board
Copy Editor: Kelsey Julien Kelsey is a senior and an English major at
Red & Black Established 1909
W&J. She is also involved with Sister 2 Sister, Black Student Union, and Pi Beta Phi. Kelsey has big goals for the R&B, “I hope that the Red and Black can serve as an outlet for reliable news for students on things happening around campus and in the world, as well as an outlet for showcasing students for their talents and achievements!�
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 Molly Kilbourne Amanda Fitzpatrick Paul Collier Nick Krugh Grace Depaul Raheem Clemons Alex Wagner Kellin Cavanaugh
6 Current Events
Red & Black
30 October 2020
Current Events
President’s Verdict May Be Determined by Suburban Women PA Voters
Courtesy Charles Mostoller
A voter leaves the booth after casting her ballot in the Pennsylvania primary at a polling place in Philadelphia on April 26.
Akansha Das Red & Black Staff While it’s a demographic that President Trump did surprisingly well with in 2016, like many voting groups in America, Trump is polling significantly behind Vice-President Biden with suburban white voters who are becoming increasingly horrified with his “dismissal of science and lack of leadership during the pandemic” as one Pennsylvanian women (a Republican turned Democrat in 2016) remarked. While the most clear indication of this discrepancy is Trump’s “Please like me” plea to suburban white women at a recent
rally in Johnston, the numbers tell a similar story. A Quinnipiac poll touted by Rutgers Center for American Women and Politics shows Trump trailing Biden by 23 percentage points among suburban Pennsylvania women. Overall, Biden is ahead of Trump by 7.2 percentage points in the swing state of Pennsylvania according to FiveThirtyEight. Trump’s main strategy to close this gap has been appealing to the racist idea that Biden and the Democrats will “eradicate the suburbs” with his policies to expand housing for low-income Americans and supposed lack of upholding for law and order. While some anecdotal evidence suggests that suburban Pennsylvania voters have bought into
the idea that Trump is maintaining “law and order,” few other sources give credence to this claim. Pennsylvania had been an overall democractic state for Presidential elections up until 2016 when President Trump surprisingly won the state by less than one percentage point. But in 2018, Pennsylvania sent four suburban women to Congress, three of whom flipped previously Rebublican seats. As is becoming the trend across the country, many women in Pennsylvania who once voted as Republicans have now switched over to the Democratic side in recognition that the country is in shambles. Sandy Arnell, a previously registered Republican says that the “Republican party has no room for
any other opinion besides kowtowing to a sycophant” in justification for her political party switch. The calculations of FiveThirtyEight reports that if Pennsylvania votes blue, it would give Biden a 96 percent chance of winning while giving Trump an 84 percent chance of winning if the state goes red. Additionally, Non-Hispanic white voters without undergraduate degrees make up 55 percent of the Pennsylvania demographic aged 25 and up. These are incredibly high stakes and incredibly high probabilities meaning that if the 2020 presidential election ends up being as closely contested as the 2016 one, Pennsylvanian women suburban voters will have a big say in whether Trump stays in office.
30 October 2020
Red & Black
Current Events 7
Chilean Citizens Celebrate Post-Election
Courtesy European Press Roundup
Chilean citizens celebrate post-vote.
Lily Bonasso Red & Black Staff
From 1974 through 1990, the country of Chile was tormented by the militarized, authoritarian dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. During this era, thousands of people were arrested and tortured for opposing his leadership. His actions as a political leader included changing the Chilean constitution in order to benefit his reign and dismantling human rights
of minority groups and the lower class. After Pinochet was finally removed from power in 1990 after 26 years of abusive power, the country has been continuously developing past its brutal history. In Oct. of 2019, however, protests erupted throughout Chile over inequalities that were still present in their constitution, which still retains the remnants of Pinochet’s regime. The main issue at hand was the privatization of health, housing and education that were argued to place value of the profit of a few over the well-being of the whole. Protesters filled the streets almost daily over the course of a month, seeking eradication of the document that has continued to foster inequalities in their country. The current president,
Sebastián Piñera, reaching a historic low approval rating of six percent in Jan., agreed to hold a referendum to rewrite the constitution. In the referendum, the Chilean people were asked two questions: Do they want a new constitution? What type of body would they want to draw up such a document? The results on Oct. 25 were decisive: 78 percent voted in favor of a new constitution, and 79 percent voted in favor of the constitution being drawn up by a body that would be elected by the people. Though Chile has experienced economic growth in the years since Pinochet’s regime, this change represents a breaking away from their suffering under his dictatorship. In
Santiago, the word “REBIRTH” was projected onto a building as people filled the streets rejoicing. With the new constitution, Chile will be challenging the distribution of wealth in their country, which remains one of the most unequal nations in the world. The people hope to secure basic human rights and better represent the lower class. On April 11 of 2021, the people will once again vote on the 155 members they wish to constitute the convention that will create the new constitution. By the year 2022, the Chilean people will be voting in another referendum to approve or reject a constitution that will, hopefully, finally set them past their painful history and allow better opportunities for future generations.
8 Current Events
Red & Black
30 October 2020
Missing Mother Found in Zion Natl. Park
Courtesy ABC Action News Channel 7
Holly Courtierr went missing in Zion National Park.
Alexandra Wagner Red & Black Staff
To her family’s relief, 38-year-old mother Holly Suzanne Courtier was found on Oct. 18. Courtier had been missing for about two weeks, somewhere within Zion National Park in Utah. Her whereabouts
were questioned when Courtier never arrived at a scheduled shuttle departure on Oct. 6. She had been dropped off earlier that day for a hike. Two days later, on Oct. 8, Courtier was officially deemed missing. A “credible tip” from a random park visitor was what had led to the success of search parties, leading them to Courtier that Sunday. The park visitor mentioned they had physically seen Courtier within the park. So far officials have not given any information about her condition or the exact location within the park where Courtier was found. Her family thanked everyone involved in the search teams as well as the rangers
who joined in on the search saying, “We are overjoyed that she was found safely today.” On top of the stress of a two-week long search, the massive area made the task even more daunting, as Zion National Park totals at 148,000-acres. However, the grounds of the park were supposedly familiar for Courtier, according to her daughter Kailey Chambers. Courtier is an experienced hiker, even embarking on solo hikes in the past. Her daughter attested to her hiking ability, mentioning that Courtier had been hiking in multiple national parks across the country to pass the time since the loss of her nanny job due to the pandemic.
Chambers was pivotal in executing the search for her mother; she created a website to gain help from others called helpfindholly.com. In addition to the family’s personal efforts, multiple officials from a myriad of different agencies aided in the search for the missing mother. This consisted of people from the Washington County Sheriff ’s Office, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and the Zion National Park service. Beyond this support, numerous volunteers also joined in to help Courtier’s family. Courtier’s family thanked those who helped bring their mother home saying, “This wouldn’t have been possible without the network of people
30 October 2020
Red & Black
Diversity
Diversity 9
What is the School-to-Prison Pipeline? Akansha Das Red & Black Staff
Between 1995 and 2010, the juvenile incarceration rate dropped by 41 percent according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Yet simultaneously, the Black student incarceration rate has doubled since the 1970s according to the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights with Black students three times more likely to be suspended or expelled than white students. As with many issues, this comes from a compounding of intertwined reasons including the increase in Student Resource Officers (SROs), the perceptions and implicit biases surrounding Black students, and a rise in broken-window policing in schools. One of the most obvious accelerators of the school-to-prison pipeline are SROs. After the tragedy of the Columbine school shooting, schools across the country police placed officers in their schools and the Justice Policy Institute reported a 33 percent rise in SROs between 1997 and 2007. However, the data shows that instead of being used for this intended purpose, SROs are more often used to carry out minor arrests. In New York City’s public school system, nearly three-fourths of all ar-
rests made by SROs were for civil violations and even when accounting for poverty of a school district, schools with SROs had five times more arrests. A chief judge in Clayton, Georgia (whose city later instituted policies to narrow the grounds for a school suspension after a backlog of court cases in their city) characterized the problem as the “the prosecutor’s attention was taken from the more difficult evidentiary and ‘scary’ cases—burglary, robberies, car thefts and aggravated assaults with weapons — to prosecuting kids that are not ‘scary,’ but made an adult mad.” This statement ultimately targets the root of the problem, which is the implicit biases of teachers and administrators that allow increased arrests and suspensions to happen. What many don’t realize is that only three percent of suspensions are done because the law or a specific rule mandates it. The overwhelming majority are what are called “discretionary” suspensions administered based on the opinions of an administrator. Black students were found to receive 31 percent more discretionary suspensions when accounting for 83 other variables by the Council of State Governments Justice Center and Texas A&M University’s Public Policy Research Institute. Oftentimes, these are administered because of “willful defiance” and “insubordination” or for simply “being disrespectful.” These subjective justifications for suspending
and arresting Black students are more likely to be applied to Black students whereas White students are much more commonly suspended for objective offenses such as vandalism and smoking. Perhaps the most insidious part of the school-to-prison pipeline is the criminalization of suspensions. With the advent of a “broken windows” policing mindset in schools that calls for a zero-tolerance policy that cracks down on the most minor offenses such as the subjective ones listed above or talking back to a teacher and skipping class, Hispanic students, Black students and students with disabilities are more likely to be targeted more harshly. The rise in SROs has made referrals to law enforcement or juvenile court
much more common and make it easier for a second offense to end up on a student’s permanent record. Additionally, the increasing use of out-ofschool suspensions as a disciplinary tool since the 1970s has made it statistically more likely that the student will drop out and end up behind bars according to David Losen, director of the Center for Civil Rights Remedies of the Civil Rights Project at UCLA. Rooted in inaccurate and media-based perceptions of Black people and gaining strength from the increased criminalization of suspensions and rise in SROs, the school-to-prison pipeline has been used to limit access to education for Black students and ultimately needs to be rectified before it subjects more marginalised individuals to a life of incarceration.
Courtesy Everything-Voluntary
The school-to-prison pipeline is a system in which students are pushed out of schools and into prisons.
10 Diversity
Red & Black
30 October 2020
Women in STEM Spotlight: Kayla Stanczak
Courtesy Inside Higher Ed
Akansha Das Red & Black Staff
It is no secret that women today still face incredibly, albeit covert at times, barriers into STEM. But it’s not just female physicians who face challenges in medicine, it can be a subset of the people they are serving: female patients. Women have long been mistreated by the medical establishment. Whether it’s increased stigmatization of sexual health care and the redacting or reproductive rights like abortion care or anecdotal evidence of male physicians not taking the pain and complaints of women as seriously as men, female patients face significant barriers to nonjudgmental and proper healthcare. Washington & Jefferson College first-year student Kayla Stanczak recognizes this and wishes to become an OBGYN to “help women in a somewhat stigmatized field to make them feel more comfortable.” Stanczak’s desire to go into medicine stems from her deep love of science as a field that
will continually challenge her and is constantly expanding along with the ability to impact lives. But Stanczak has found her interest in healthcare to be amplified in somewhat unconventional places outside of medicine as well. “My old swim coach, who coached me for 8 years of my life, always encouraged me and constantly pushed me to be my best.” She cites his encouragement along with her parents’ support in allowing her to develop a drive and dedication in academics. Even as a lifeguard, Stanczack appreciated the basic emergency medicine introduction and this experience cultivated a desire to further help people in the future during this time as a first responder. Within medicine, Stanczack has taken significant steps to cement her interest in medicine, including volunteering at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh during the summer of 2019. She appreciated the experience greatly as she “was able to see how the entire hospital worked as a system and how important the work everyone did was.” At W&J, Stanczak hopes to pursue a summer research internship to expand her lab experience along with conducting a Magellan Project to study healthcare in a different country. In terms of her plans at W&J, she is currently planning on pursuing a neuroscience major in the Pre-Health Professions program while “considering two possible minors in psychology and forensic science.” Stanczak is not naive to the challenges that her path in medicine poses. She says that most recently the adjustment to college and her undergraduate course load has been tough. However, she says “my medical career goals keep me motivated to continue to work hard and put in my best effort.”
Courtesy Akansha Das
Kayla Stanczak wants to pursue a neuroscience major in the Pre-Health Professions Program.
30 October 2020
Red & Black
Diversity 11
Police in Schools: Helpful or Harmful? Bavi Makkar Red & Black Staff
Schools are seeing an increasing trend of security guards and other armed officers being placed inside their buildings. Some parents look at this and are proud saying that their kids are safe whereas some see this as a danger and will avoid sending their kids here. Hundreds of school districts around the United States are employing these intense discipline policies in which armed police guards can stop, detain,
question and search schoolchildren and thereby pushing students out of the classroom and straight into the criminal justice system—the phenomenon known as the school-to-prison pipeline. In these kinds of systems, a type of zero tolerance policy is used and students are allowed to be pulled out of the classroom, taking away at their right to have an education. Typically, there are students from two groups being pushed to the pipeline, racial minorities and children with disabilities. Brendan Troesch ’21 added that “it reinforces generational poverty and is another indicator of the dead ‘American Dream’ that is still fed to us.” This system does little to encou-
rage students to do better and instead, with the endless suspensions and expulsions, encourages drop out rates. Furthermore it makes students feel the part of a criminal rather than giving them hope as to how to better themselves. However, recently many school board elections are being influenced by this idea as people are seeing the severe consequences they are facing. Amanda Fitzpatrick ’21 noted that “across the country, too many schools are filled with police and security while lacking nurses, school psychologists and therapists, and the basic tools necessary for education. It has been shown time and time again that schools with police tend to have higher arrest and suspension rates. Instead of
combatting the issues present in schools, police in schools are escalating them. If the money used to fill schools with police and security were allocated elsewhere to prevent the consistent defunding of education, increase both inside the classroom and in the community as a whole to promote learning and address the root causes of issues, students would be better served.” Schools need to rush away from the idea that armed guards are the way to keep a school safe. Students inside are easily impressionable and should be surrounded by a more encouraging environment in which they can get the help and the resources they need rather than being gathered like cattle and then disciplined.
Courtesy San Diego ACLU
The prevalence of police in schools has been correlated with fueling the school-to-prison pipeline.
Opinions 12
opinions Red & Black
30 October 2020
Biden Plans to Restore US Foreign Relations Amanda Fitzpatrick Red & Black Editor
Following policies of the Trump administration, which have alienated longstanding allies of the United States, Vice President Biden has a foreign policy vision centered on restoring dignified leadership at home and respected leadership on the world stage. Dylan Bertovich ’21 recognizes this as a necessity. “I really hope Joe Biden brings us back to our standing in the world, brings us closer to our longstanding allies, moves as away from dictators and authoritarian leaders and repairs our relationships for a better, safer, more prosperous global community,” stated Bertovich.
Recognizing that policies at home and abroad are connected, the Biden administration intends for America to lead by example to meet our global challenges including climate change, nuclear proliferation, power aggression, transnational terrorism, cyberwarfare and mass migration. Biden outlined his blueprint to repair what he calls “the damage wrought by President Trump and chart a fundamentally different course for American foreign policy for the world.” This blueprint begins with reinforcing our democracy so that the United States can “lead not just with the example of power, but the power of our example.” This requires addressing the problems present in our own democracy including the following: remaking our education system so a child’s opportunity isn’t determined by their zip code or race, reforming our criminal justice system
to eliminate disparities, restoring the Voting Rights Act, seeking greater transparency in our campaign finance system, dedicating greater resources to defend our election systems, ending the practice of anonymous shell companies, instituting strict conflictof-interest and anti-corruption policies for every member of the Biden administration and immediately returning daily press briefings at the White House, U.S. Department of State, and U.S. Department of Defense. To lead by example as Biden plans, the United States has a long way to go as far as addressing moral leadership. Biden acknowledges some of the actions the United States will have to take to restore our moral leadership. This includes ending the practice of separating families at the border and holding immigrant children in forprofit prisons, protecting past and present undocumented members of
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.
the armed services and their spouses from deportation, ordering a review of Temporary Protected Status to vulnerable populations including Venezuelans and Haitians, terminating the travel ban against people from Muslim-majority countries, reversing Trump’s asylum policies and raising our target for refugee admissions, ending the Global Gag Rule preventing money from going to international NGOs that even talk about abortion, returning to a government-wide focus of uplifting the rights of women in the U.S. and around the world, reaffirming the ban on torture and restoring greater transparency in our military operations, restoring a commitment to science and truth in government, returning the phrase “nation of immigrants” to the mission statement of our Citizenship and Immigration Services and revitalizing our national (continued on page 13)
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30 October 2020
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Opinions 13
Courtesy United Nations
A banner commemorates the creation of the Paris Climate Accords, a commitment that Joe Biden pledges to re-enter to fight the global climate crisis.
commitment to advancing human rights and democracy. Following these steps to reinforce the democracy of our country, Biden intends to organize and host a global Summit for Democracy to renew the spirit and shared purpose of the nations of the Free World. The Summit will prioritize results by creating new country commitments in three areas: fighting corruption, defending against authoritarianism (including election security) and advancing human rights in their own nations and abroad. This Summit will include civil society organizations from around the world and will also include a Call to Action for the private sector to make their own commitments and responsibilities in preserving democratic societies. An example of this policy in action would be technology companies making concrete pledges for how they can ensure algorithms and platforms are not empowering the surveillance state. In addition to creating a Summit, Biden plans to equip people to succeed in a global economy with a foreign policy designed for the middle class. This begins with rebuilding the middle class in the United States by ensuring every student has the skills to obtain a good job, ensuring every single American has access to healthcare that is both quality and affordable, investing in infrastructure, raising the minimum wage to $15 and leading the clean-economy revolution to create 10 million new jobs in the United States.
Further, Biden plans to invest in our innovative age, meaning to invest in research and development such as clean energy, quantum computing, artificial intelligence, 5G and highspeed rail while also ensuring technologies of the future like AI are bound by laws and ethics. Biden also plans to ensure the rules of road benefit workers and communities. What this means is to use the substantial leverage of our fellow democracies, which collectively represent about one-half of global GDP, to shape the future rules of everything including the environment, labor, trade, transparency, non-proliferation, cyber theft, data privacy and artificial intelligence. Biden plans to renew American leadership to mobilize global action on global threats. Neither party is immune from the historically interventionist policies of the United States, and Biden’s policy reflects this. Reflective of policies of the past, Biden states that “the world does not organize itself ” and believes American leadership is necessary in addressing the defining global challenges of the times. This plan begins with defending our vital interests with force when necessary. Biden plans to ensure the military stays strong, even though the U.S.’ defense budget spending is between five percent and six percent of GDP spending more than the next eight countries’ budgets combined.However, Biden does state that force should be
our last resort and when it is used, the informed consent of the American people should be obtained. Biden also intends to end forever wars in Afghanistan and the Middle East, bringing most troops home, focusing the mission on Al-Qaeda and ISIS, and ending our support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen. Additionally, Biden plans to elevate diplomacy by rebuilding a modern U.S. Department of State and restoring and reimagining partnerships. This specifically includes launching a topto-bottom review of funding to Central America and obtaining commitments from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras to take on the issues that drive migration. This also includes restoring historic partnerships with NATO and strengthening partnerships in Asia, Latin America and Africa. This plan of restoring and reimagining partnerships ends with “sustaining an ironclad commitment to Israel’s security;” this is a worrisome plan, as the continued progression of settlements recognized as illegal by international law, conditions of food insecurity and unemployment in Palestinian territories and violence by the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) noted by United Nations organizations is supported by our funding to Israel. Lastly, Biden intends to renew our commitment to arms control for a new era and rally the world to address the existential climate crisis. The former begins with re-entering
the historic Iran nuclear deal if Tehran returns to compliance with the deal, empowering negotiators and starting a coordinated campaign with allies and others (including China) to advance the objective of a denuclearized North Korea, pursue an extension of the New START Treaty between the United States and Russia and take steps to demonstrate our commitment to reducing the role of nuclear weapons. The latter plan begins with rejoining the Paris Climate Accord, convening a climate world summit and locking in enforceable commitments to reduce emissions in global shipping and aviation. Ultimately, when held in direct comparison to President Trump, Vice President Biden’s foreign policy plan has attractive wording and concrete details that are better than the alternative. Sydney Fischer ’21 notes this as well, stating that “It shows a lot of promise. I just hope it’s implemented well.” However, it is clear that interventionist policies are prevailing in the United States and combatting this will require voting in all elections in addition to organizing. The foreign policy of the United States cannot just revolve around American interests any longer; we must recognize the role the West has played in destabilizing regions in the name of spreading democracy and address the issue of human rights in all countries, including our own.
14 Opinions
Red & Black
30 October 2020
Trump Harms the Globe Through Isolationism Paul Collier Red & Black Editor
One of the worst aspects of Donald Trump’s presidency has been his missteps in foreign policy. He has acted rashly in an attempt to portray himself as a dominant world leader, and in the process, he has weakened international relations and hurt Americans. The most major missteps Trump has taken are on dealing with China. To begin, Trump withdrew the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Trump criticized the TPP as a deal that would result in relocating manufacturing jobs to different countries and increasing the trade deficit as well as wealth inequality. While these concerns were valid concerns carried by even Hillary Clinton, the Secretary of State that assisted in the TPP’s creation, Trump’s withdrawal also removed America’s ability to take part in leading global trade with Asia as Southeastern-Asian countries, mostly China, continue to advance to the level of global superpowers surpassing the United States. The TPP would have allowed free trade to occur within forty percent of the world’s GDP, and it would have cemented American trade allyships with the countries that already account for forty percent of all US trade, while adding the world’s third largest economy, Japan, to American trade allies. Obama’s administration had also forced provisions that place emphasis on intellectual property and environmental and work
regulations. This would allow America to hold trade partners responsible for improving their market’s safety, limiting dangerous manufacturing practices that lead to climate change and expanding labor rights for workers in all twelve countries. In fact, US lead trade deals incentivize the adoption of these standards, while the now more popular China trade deals do not. But Trump’s withdrawal from the TPP removed American leverage from Beijing, allowing China to continue to build their trade network without pressure to further regulate their economy or environmental impact, already seen when the eleven remaining countries signed into the CPTPP, which lessened the regulations on workers’ rights, environmental impact and intellectual property. Meanwhile, Trump has passed tariffs on Japan that further limit our ability to achieve quality trade deals with the country, and America has lost access to the global economy, as Taiwan, Thailand, Colombia and the United Kingdom have considered joining the CPTPP, while China continues to grow its economy and global influence. Furthermore, Trump began a trade war with China as opposed to improving US relations with the growing superpower. The heightened tariffs resulted in the loss of 300,000 jobs and reduced wages, while China’s tariffs passed in retaliation led to a thirteen percent increase in farm bankruptcies. America and China were able to sign a deal ending this war in Jan., but it gave China leverage over the United States to purchase more American goods. Meanwhile, America attempted to block Tik Tok over fears the
Chinese government is observing citizens and Trump worked to hold China accountable for COVID-19 by circulating still unfounded conspiracies that it was made by a laboratory in Wuhan. China is simply running laps around Trump in increasing their global presence and making foreign nations dependent on their economy, while Trump is stuck in petty arguments that allow China to become the premier global power. Trump also failed to increase stability on the Korean peninsula as de-escalation efforts went nowhere with North Korea. While testing of missiles was suspended, nuclear bomb building continued, and just this month a military parade during the night in Pyongyang featured North Korea’s largest intercontinental ballistic missile yet. The Middle East has also struggled as a result of Trump’s influence. The peace deals he helped negotiate between countries like Israel, Bahrain, Sudan and the United Arab Emirates have been instrumental in providing improved relations for Jewish people and Israel, but Palestine has been ignored and the Palestinian people alienated from speaking with the US administration. Meanwhile, he attempted to create peace between Afghanistan and the Taliban but quickly withdrew from these talks, leaving the nations unstable as he randomly announced the complete withdrawal of American soldiers by Christmas without a guarantee that the region will become more peaceful. While he allowed Iran to continue to expand their nuclear program by ending the Iran Nuclear Deal, he also allowed tariffs that destroyed the
Iranian economy and nearly launched the third World War behind his assassination of Iran military leader Qassem Soleimani. He has called for the UN to impose more sanctions on Iran as it has been confirmed they are prepared to build a nuclear weapon, but key American allies, such as France and Germany, now wary of US policies towards Iran, have refused to aid American efforts. And despite his claims that ISIS has been defeated and his success in assassinating their leader, Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, over 10,000 militants are still combatting Kurdish allies that America abandoned when Trump withdrew the small force of US troops remaining. In every way, Trump has championed peace while not focusing on the overall dangers the Middle East still faces after twenty years of war. Finally, Trump withdrew the US from the Paris Climate Accord, keeping the country from further leading the global initiative to limit the damage done to the environment. In conjunction with his withdrawal from the TPP and his denial of supporting domestic environmental improvements, Trump has effectively made America globally useless in fighting the climate crisis that threatens global health and safety. Trump is an isolationist in an era where isolation is dangerous for American interests. The US, in a time of empire-like mercantilism, with a COVID economy and a leader that works against foreign influence, cannot support Trump’s withdrawal of key agreements that would increase prosperity. As long as Trump remains in office, America will struggle to hold its position as a superpower on the global stage.
sports 30 October 2020
Red & Black
Sports 15
Steelers Remain Perfect On the Season
Courtesy Steelers Wire - USA Today
T.J. Watt and the defensive line swarm Titans’ Quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
Nick Krugh Red & Black Editor
The battle between undefeated teams saw the Pittsburgh Steelers knock off the Tenn. Titans to move onto become the only undefeated team in the league. The showdown on Oct. 25 saw the Steelers jump out to an early 24-7 lead. The passing attack saw the return on second year standout, Diontae Johnson, who caught nine passes for
80 yards and two additional touchdowns. The Steelers’ offense continues to prove that it has one of the most well-balanced offenses in the league, with a solid rushing performance from James Conner rushing for 80 yards and snagging a few passes. Although the rushing touchdown went to Benny Snell, Conner continues to show Steelers fans that he can produce week in and week out. In the first half of the game, the defense almost completely contained one of the most feared running backs in all
the league, Derrick Henry. He finished the game with only 75 rushing yards and a touchdown but considering the insane numbers he puts up seemingly every week, this is not much in terms of production for Henry. His only touchdown came on a redbone series that saw him stuffed on the goal line for four downs, but a pass interference allowed for two more chances for him to punch it in. Linebacker Robert Spillane showed to Steelers fans that he can fill the void left by the injured Devin Bush, with Spillane filling the hole on the goal
line and saving a touchdown for the time being. Although the final score of the game ended up 27-24, the defense proved itself against a high-powered offense. Year in and year out, Ravens week is one that draws the best out of the two franchises, and this week should be no different. The Ravens are no team to brush off, and the divisional rival is currently sitting with only 1 loss on the year. A win in Baltimore won’t be easy to come by, however with the way Pittsburgh’s team is playing nothing seems impossible.
16 Sports
Red & Black
30 October 2020
Fantasy Football: Start Them or Sit Them Start Them Darren Waller Las Vegas Raiders TE
The Raiders are coming off of their bye week and facing off against the Cleveland Borwns in week eight. The Raiders have faced a very tough schedule so far this season, and they are sitting at 3-3. Look for the Raiders to beat this overrated Browns team easily. Darren Waller has been Derek Carr’s favorite target all year. I don’t like this match-up for the Cleveland defense. Cam Newton
New England Patriots QB
Obviously the Patriots haven’t been the dominate force we have come to know over the past 20 years. However, with the departure of Tom Brady, growing pains were to be expected. Last week, Cam Newton was coming back from missing a week after testing positive for COVID-19. The Patriots faced off against an injured but still talented 49ers team. It showed that Newton hadn’t practiced in almost two weeks. Newton will get it rolling early on the ground against a Buffalo Bills defense that has been nowhere to be found since week 1.
Sit Them
Courtesy Pro Football Rumors
Tua Tagovailoa Miami Dolphins QB
Well it is officially Tua Time in Miami. This week we finally get to see the debut of the number 5 overall pick in last years draft. This will be Tagovailoa’s first start since his career threatening injury last year when he was still at Alabama. I am a big fan of Tagovailoa, and I think he is going to be a very good NFL quarterback. BUT... It isn’t going to be instant success, especially in career start 1. Tua is facing off against the Los Angeles Rams, one of the most daunting defense’s in the league. Lets just hope Tagovailoa comes out of this game healthy. Keenan Allen
Los Angeles Chargers WR
The Chargers head into Denver to battle the Broncos this week. Both teams are sitting at 2-4 and this is a huge game to keep their seasons alive. Allen and rookie quarterback Justin Herbert have had solid chemistry since day one. However, the issue in Denver is not the defense. The stats might be skewed because the offense can’t hang on to the ball, but I like the Broncos’ D to stop Allen. Courtesy Sportsnaut