4/30/21 Red & Black Issue

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 April 30, 2021

WHAT’S IN THIS WEEK’S PAPER...

CURRENT EVENTS President Biden began his daily briefing on this day by informing the military leaders in attendance of his plan to bring back all American troops stationed in Afghanistan by Sept. 11, 2021, the 20-year anniversary of the terrorist attack 9/11.

-P.8

DIVERSITY

While the creation and preservation of national parks is widely regarded as a “win” for environmentalists, it’s important to recognize the simultaneous racist history of these actions. -P.11

OPINIONS Physicians such as Dr. Risa Hashino quickly took to platforms like Instagram to spread facts and truths about the realities of why the [Johnson & Johnson] vaccine was paused in order to prevent vaccine hesitancy from heightening and anti-vaxxer “I told you so” mentalities from stoking fear. -P.14

SPORTS

[Garrett Barilar ‘21] can now call himself a PAC champion, as he won the entire tournament, helping his team secure the second-place spot. -P.17

Men’s Soccer Upsets Grove City in PAC Semi PAGE 19

WJREDANDBLACK.COM

Courtesy GoPresidents.com

2 CAMPUS NEWS

Red & Black

30 April 2021

Student Spotlight: Zachary Mindel ‘22 Alexandra Wagner Red & Black Staff

There are a multitude of talented, smart and creative individuals here on Washington & Jefferson College’s campus. This is why the Red & Black tries to highlight as many students as possible in the newspaper: to share the stories of each successful individual.

Zachary Alexander Mindel ’22, will be highlighted in this edition.

Zachary, or “Zach,” Mindel, has quite the presence on the school’s campus as he is involved in a multitude of different groups and organizations.

Mindel is a junior this year, majoring in accounting. He lives in Brookfield, Wisconsin. After graduation he plans on pursuing either his master’s in accounting or going to work in public accounting. Another option for him is to work within financial services as some point after his education.

“W&J has definitely prepared me for the real world. I feel confident in my education and personal social skills after only three years at this institution. I am lucky enough to have my own connections back home, but W&J has opened that door even wider for job opportunities,” said Mindel.

Mindel, as mentioned above is involved in a multitude of different groups on campus. He is a member of the men’s golf team, the fraternity Phi Kappa Psi, the Washington Fellows and even the Investment Club. Like

many of his teammates, Mindel has been golfing a majority of his life, and was excited to join a collegiate team.

“I have always looked up to many professional golfers. Tiger Woods once said, ‘Achievements on the golf course are not what matters, decency and honesty are what matter.’ This quote is important to me because I try to model my whole life around it and not just my athletic career,” said Mindel when talking about his inspiration.

Beyond golfing, Mindel has many different hobbies such as watching sports, spending time with family and friends and traveling. He was one of the few students to go on the 2020 Dubai trip for a Jay Term. He said it was one of the most fun experiences in his time at college.

“I got to meet a ton of new people and visit some of the coolest cities in the world. It was truly unforgettable,” said Mindel.

Mindel also shared why he chose W&J for his undergraduate degree.

Beyond the many organizations he was able to join, Mindel loved the small community feel.

“I chose W&J because of the sense of community that I felt when I visited campus. Additionally, I chose W&J because of the smaller class sizes which best suits my learning style and allows students to get to know their professors,” shared Mindel.

As a member of Phi Kappa Psi, Mindel made lifelong friends and funny memories with his new brotherhood. He said he moved into the house his sophomore year, making his second year an unforgettable one.

We are excited to see what Mindel achieves in his last year at our school on the golf course, in the classroom, and professionally.

Courtesy gopresidents.com

Zach Mindel (pictured far left) is an avid golfer and member of the W&J men’s golf team.

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30 April 2021

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CAMPUS NEWS 3

Seniors Get Ready for Life Post-Graduation Reilly Oliverio Red & Black Editor

Washington and Jefferson College prides itself on providing students with opportunities and preparing them for life outside of undergrad.

This year has been a challenging one with students and professors adjusting to online classes, reduced social environment and the strict rules that came with COVID-19 virus.

Despite this many of the seniors here at Washington and Jefferson have worked hard at overcoming these challenges and set themselves up for success when they graduate from Washington and Jefferson College.

Many seniors are finding that their days of school are not yet finished with many students choosing to attend college graduate school programs all across the United States. One student Liam Sullivan ’21 will be in New York City attending Fordham’s graduate school in Manhattan. Sullivan will be getting his Master’s in Real Estate during his time at grad school. Sullivan commented on this opportunity saying, “Being able to attend Fordham is a huge honor for me. Being able to attend a good school in one of the most exciting cities in the United States is going to be an awesome opportunity. I am sad I am graduating

Courtesy Masterstudiesltd.com

Liam Sullivan plans on attending Fordham University (pictured above) for a master of real estate degree.

from Washington and Jefferson but I am really excited for this next chapter in my life.”

Another student is also planning on attending graduate school for his post-graduation plans as Brendan Tribeck ’21 will be attending Penn State University to get his Master’s in Health Administration. Along with attending Penn State’s graduation school he will be working with the football department starting this summer.

“Penn State has always been a dream school of mine. I have been always been a fan of Penn State athletics and I will also be able to be a part two

things I am very excited for after graduation.”

Business major Jacob Duda ’21 is also entering the workforce directly after graduating in May. Duda has been working as an intern in the sales department of a local construction firm, Mohawk Construction and Supply Inc., in Venetia, Pennsylvania. After working there for the past two years he will be starting there full time. When asked about this opportunity Duda said, “Mohawk has been really good with working me in around my class schedule and other activities.

I have been able to learn so much in

my time there both about the business and the other employees working there. I am really excited to be able to jump into a job I am familiar with and to not have the stress of finding a job after graduation.”

Graduates of Washington and Jefferson have the privilege of being prepared for the world outside of college.

Whether it be continued education at a graduate school or entering the work force students are leaving Washington and Jefferson prepared and excited.

The hard work students put in during their years at W&J pay off with an abundance of opportunity.

4 Campus News

30 April 2021 Red & Black

Career Service Announcements Event:

Attention Seniors! Embark presents: Group Career Coaching

Date:

May 5

Time:

7:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Type:

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

Description:

Group Career Coaching! Join certified coach, Jami Klingensmith from the Center for Professional and Career Pathways for a high impact career coaching group. In this deep dive you will explore all things career – job searching, career management, and more!

Attention class of 2021. We want to hear your plans!

We have followed your journey to this point, and would love to know what the next chapter holds for you. Secured a fulltime opportunity? Going to grad school? Taking a gap year? Email careerservices@washjeff.edu with your post-grad plans to be entered in a raffle for a $50 Amazon gift card. We will accept emails until 5pm on June 18.

30 April 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

30 April 2021

Red & Black

Speak Out! What are your plans for the Summer?

“I plan on traveling as much as I can with the COVID-19 restrictions. I am going to Mexico to visit some family and enjoy the southern weather.”

-Maurico Garibay ‘21

“I do not plan on doing much. I will probably be working a little and chilling a little and just enjoying my time away from school.”

-Ben Fisher ‘21

“I am going to be working on a golf course again.

It’s nice because I can work in the mornings, relax in the evenings, and I even get to golf for free.”

- Anthony Romasco ‘23

Red & Black Established 1909 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 Moll Kilbourne Amanda Fitzpatrick Paul Collier Nick Krugh Grace Depaul Raheem Clemons John Kiebler Kellin Cavanaugh

30 April 2021

Red & Black

Current Events 7

Current Events

Zoom Fatigue Is Worse for Women

Courtesy Daily Mail

Online videocalls have led to self-esteem issues in women.

Sofia Jenkins Red & Black Staff

A new study led by researcher Géraldine Fauville at the University of Gothenburg has shown that the new medical condition termed “Zoom Fatigue” affects women more than men.

Over the past year of the COVID-19 pandemic, almost all businesses, schools and organizations have been using Zoom (or similar virtual platforms) as a necessity to make sure work can still be performed and their employees can stay connected while being trapped in their houses. While

some would think working from your house or your bed all the time would be their dream come true, there have been many side effects of continuous video conferencing.

Some of those side effects include stiff limbs, self-esteem issues and communication problems. With constantly having to speak to people on a screen, there is the possibility of losing the ability to read people’s nonverbal body cues, resulting in more stress when people are not able to “read” others on the screen.

This study has shown that these side effects are affecting women more than men. Out of the 10,500 participants in this study, the researchers found 14 percent of women reported feeling

extremely fatigued, while only six percent of men reported feeling extremely fatigued. The researchers say this might be because women work differently than men online.

The researchers also found here that the Zoom meetings women attend are normally longer than men’s and women also have less time for breaks in between each meeting. This could be because of all of the other responsibilities women have, including childcare.

Another effect women feel more than men is the pressure to maintain a certain appearance to everyone else.

It is also a known fact that women struggle with body image more than men, so this side effect is worsened by

this fact. After analyzing the survey responses, the researchers found that staring at one’s own image for long stretches had a particularly negative effect on women.

Employers need to keep this study in mind when they are forcing their employees to sit on Zoom call after to Zoom call all day long. Some solutions that could help reduce Zoom fatigue are ideas like doing audio-only calls so employees can stand up and walk around and do not have to look at themselves the whole time. Overall, employers and researchers everywhere need to keep an eye on this new condition “Zoom Fatigue” because it has the possibility to have long-lasting effects.

8 Current Events

Red & Black

30 April 2021

President Biden Rejects Pentagon Views

Courtesy New York Times

President Biden visits Arlington National Cemetery.

Sofia Jenkins Red & Black Staff

April 6 was a historical day for the Biden administration. President Biden began his daily briefing on this day by informing the military leaders in attendance of his plan to bring back all American troops stationed in Afghanistan by Sept. 11, 2021, the 20year anniversary of the terrorist attack 9/11.

At over two decades of war in Afghanistan, 2,500 of our US soldiers are still stationed in Afghanistan today.

This number was twice as big until

President Trump brought half of the troops home during his presidency.

Yet, U.S. military leaders still wanted to keep a military presence in Afghanistan to try and keep the peace and keep their eye on the Taliban.

The Taliban, before there was a U.S. military presence in Afghanistan, had crushed foreign occupiers for over 2,000 years.

The U.S. military desired to maintain a small presence of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, but Biden refused to be persuaded. Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III made the president aware of past times where we have tried to bring military efforts out of foreign countries like in Vietnam in 1975, or in Syria in 2014; Austin states, “We’ve seen this movie before.”

This hesitation to bring all military forces out of Afghanistan is a common idea throughout the US military. Yet throughout all this push back from the U.S. military about Biden’s plan to pull all troops out of Afghanistan by Sept.

11 of this year, Biden refuses to budge.

Throughout his career as a senator, vice president, a presidential candidate and as a president, Biden has sat through countless national security briefings about the state of Afghanistan.

For Biden, it came down to a simple choice: “Acknowledge that the Afghan government and its fragile security forces would need an American troop presence to prop them up indefinitely or leave.” Biden wanted to emphasize that since we have had a military presence protecting the

Afghanistan government for so long, they are starting to become reliant on our military troops to protect them, instead of using their own forces to protect themselves and their country.

This controversy lies on the idea of what will happen when we pull all of our troops out of Afghanistan within a short timeline.

Some believe that we should pull our troops out depending on what the Taliban chooses to do over the next few months or years; on the other hand, some believe that we need to pull our troops out now because there will never be a “perfect time” to bring them home. Biden’s plan is a tentative one that is still in the works, but his plan seems to be very concrete in his mind.

Diversity 9

30 April 2021 Red & Black

Diversity Black Maternal Health Crisis Must End Akansha Das Red & Black Staff

In her victory speech on Nov. 7, Vice-President elect Kamala Harris remarked that often the most overlooked women in women’s fight for equality and part of “backbone of our democracy,” are Black women.

Sadly, this theme is not isolated to politics. The week Apr. 11 to Apr. 17 was Black Maternal Health Week dedicated to bringing to light the medical racism and chronic stressors that contribute to the three to four times higher death rates during childbirth for Black mothers.

The roots of the anti-Blackness within the medical community date back to the era of slavery according to University of Nebraska professor Deirdre Cooper Owens (and author of the Medical Bondage, a book about the history and sociology of gynecology).

Dr. John Sims is well-known in medicine for pioneering the vesico-vaginal fistulae in the 1840s, earned him the title— “father of gynecology.”

Yet the history books don’t acknowledge Black enslaved women as both patients and nurses/surgical assistants and unfortunately don’t grant them with the well-deserved titles— “mothers of gynecology.” Undergoing

the excruciating pain of gynecological procedures, the ten or so Black women crucial to the perfection of the vesico-vaginal fistulae often had to support and help operate on women undergoing the same procedures (without consent) that they went through. This was all in addition to their daily slave duties.

Along with the injustice of the situation, this practice perpetuated the idea that the bodies of Black women were invincible and “immune to pain.”

Studies have shown that as recently as 2016, 40 percent of medical trainees believed that “black people’s skin is thicker than white people’s” and that Black women are 22 percent less likely to receive pain medications than white patients because of the wholly inaccurate belief that the nerve endings of Black women are less sensitive than those of White women.

In Pittsburgh, Black women are five times more likely to die from childbirth than their white counterparts.

This stark difference can’t be entirely explained by education level (in fact white uneducated women have lower maternal mortality rates than Black, educated women), prenatal care, weight, genetic correlations or even environmental factors like diet, smoking or alcohol use; thus far, the only statistically significant contributor to the Black maternal death rate is the cortisol effect, which states that the day-to-day stresses that Black women face (from small microaggressions to

Courtesy Rewire News Group

Black Maternal Health Week is from Apr. 11 to Apr. 17 and is dedicated to bringing attention to medical racism and chronic stressors.

explicit acts of discrimination to the stress of picking which battles they want to fight to even their statistical likelihood of being primary breadwinners) all heighten their levels of the stress hormone cortisol in their bodies.

The heightened levels of cortisol is normal for all women around pregnancy but its heightened nature in Black women throughout their lifetime can lead to inflammation that can restrict blood flow to the placenta and stunt infant growth. Higher cortisol levels can also trigger preterm labor which can disadvantage Black babies with a lower birth weight from the very beginning of their lives and contributes to the two-fold increase in low

birth weight among Black infants. We recognize the tragic juxtaposition in Black women being the backbone of the medical system and yet the ones least benefited by it. As we strive to create a future where this health disparity no longer exists, we must remember that in the end it is racism, not race, that is the root of the problem.

It’s time we actively fight against racism in every facet of society. Afterall, we have the data and certainly the means to do so. There is no good reason not to change and improve our systems.

This Article was adapted from an article published in Women’s Lifestyle Magazine and The Women’s Health Collective Blog by Akansha Das.

10 Diversity

Red & Black

30 April 2021

Police Fatally Shoot Adam Toledo Theresa Kinley Red & Black Contributor

Adam Toledo was a thirteen-yearold Latino boy. He was pursued by police on March 29 in Little Village, Chicago, Ill. He was fatally shot in the chest by a Chicago policeman, Eric Stillman.

Toledo was spotted with another man, Ruben Roman, who was 21.

Though it is unknown, it is said that Roman and Toledo both had guns.

Police stated that Roman had fired a shot at a passing car before Toledo was shot. However, Stillman did not go after Roman, instead going after Toledo. It is alleged by the police that Toledo had a gun in his hand, and that his hand also tested positive for gunpower. Stillman screamed at Toledo to stop, and to “Put your f**king hands up!” When Toledo turned around and put his hands up, he was shot in the chest. No other details are truly known, but videos have been released from Stillman’s chest camera of what went down. This video is truly devastating to watch.

But what are the greater issues one should look at? Of course, a major topic that has been heavy in the news lately that relates to this topic is police brutality. To add on to police brutality, racism is another factor.

There may have been some sort of racist driving force in this killing. In the news recently, there have been many police brutality cases that include racist undertones. Toledo, as previously stated, was Latino - non-

white. Stillman is a white man. This definitely could be viewed as a race driven crime. Roman was also nonwhite, but we do not know his race or ethnicity. With Toledo’s death, we do not know if he truly had a gun or not. His attorney said that he was not holding a gun at the time Toledo was shot. Police tweeted a photo of a gun by a fence that they claim to have been in Toledo’s hand. It has not been proven whether the gun was truly Toledo’s or if it was just a random gun. It is unknown as to why police

started following Toledo, as he cannot himself explain it.

Another underlying issue is his age.

This is not the first time a younger kid has been shot or harassed by cops. Since 2017, 73 children, defined as people under eighteen, were killed by police.

In 2021 alone, there have been three children killed by police. We are only four months into 2021. Police brutality is a serious issue. This year, there have been 213 deaths by cops so far. That is approximately 53.3 deaths per month of 2021 so far. Toledo should and

will continue to be talked about. His case should never be forgotten.

Rest in Peace Adam Toledo. A W&J student was asked what they thought was important about this case and their response was “Resisting arrest is not a death sentence. Running is not a death sentence. Committing a crime is not a death sentence. We are supposed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Not innocent until we make a cop uncomfortable.” The quote is encompassing of what many think about police brutality.

Courtesy People

Adam Toledo was a thirteen-year-old Latino boy who was fatally shot in the chest by Chicago policeman, Eric Stillman, on March 29.

30 April 2021

Red & Black

Diversity 11

The Racist History of U.S. National Parks Akansha Das Red & Black Staff

National Parks were first established with the Yellowstone Act of 1872 and were later popularized with the National Park Service in 1916.

While the creation and preservation of national parks is widely regarded as a “win” for environmentalists, it’s important to recognize the simultaneous racist history of these actions that at times actively worked against the very populations, Native Americans, most committed to ideals of environmentalism.

The very ideology of the National Park Service was to expand on Manifest Destiny and conquer Western lands. This colonialism mindset fosters a conquering of Native Americans and an elitist mindset that disrespects not only the land and nature but the very people who live there. While the fact that these lands are repositories for rare and vulnerable wildlife populations and sites of conservation is certainly important, this was not the intent which they were created. These lands were created as a way to expand American influence and later to make money off tourism. And it was only a matter of time before this corporate-backed, America-first mindset became detrimental to Native Americans and other minorities.

Native Americans had and still have spiritual connections to the land that they inhabit. Using farming techniques that conserve their land and depending on techniques that use all parts of the animals they hunt, Na-

Courtesy National Park Reservations

Twenty-six Native tribes were forced out of Yellowstone National Park through treaties with the U.S. government in the 1870s.

tive Americans are the epitome of the low-waste, sustainable living that is promoted by environmentalists today.

This makes their forced removal even more tragic. In the 1870s, twenty-six Native tribes were forced out of Yellowstone through treaties with the U.S. government.

Such treaties were often not consensual and “imposed by the barrel of a gun” (in the words of Dina Gilio-Whitaker, a Native-American activist) not to mention that the U.S. government often backtracked on their promises leading to bloodshed

such as the 1877 Nez Perce war. Perpetuating ideas that Native Americans were “dangerous” and “wild,” European Americans were able to engage in a “97 percent” genocide that were the foundations of our National parks.

While this brutality and pain cannot easily be prepared, there are some simple actions that can be taken to pay homage to the Native Americans that once inhabited the lands many of us enjoy. Including land acknowledgements on plaques and websites of land/buildings/structures on previously-inhabited lands can be import-

ant first steps.

These acknowledgements can include the tribes that previously inhabited the land and convey messages of respect for their culture and pain in order to make others aware of this history. The uprooting of the way of life, the religion/spirituality, and the entire livelihood of past Native American tribes by the U.S. government in part to create parks is not an easy history to reconcile with and yet one that must be acknowledged into order to foster a diverse and inclusive way forward in the environmentalism movement.

12 Diversity

30 April 2021

Red & Black

Black-Owned Business: The Tiny Bookstore

Courtesy Tiny Books PGH

The Tiny Bookstore is Pittsburgh’s smallest independent bookstore featuring new and bargain books, gifts, toys and collectibles. Shop online with the option to either ship to home or obtain free curbside pickup at tinybooksonline.com. Learn more and connect with the Tiny Bookstore Community at tinybookspgh.com/community/.

30 April 2021

opinions Red & Black

Opinions 13

American Idol Season 19 Captivates Fans Sofia Jenkins Red & Black Staff

Throughout 19 seasons and a pandemic, “American Idol” continues to bring showstopping talent to their stage that keeps viewers guessing and interested.

This season is nothing short of one of the most interesting seasons the show has ever had. From all of the incredible guest judges from the original seasons of “American Idol” like Paula Abdul and famous “it’s gonna be a no from me dog” star Randy Jackson, to odd events with contestants like Wyatt Pike dropping out unexpectedly and contestant Funke Lagoke passing out on stage, this season is definitely one to

watch. Judges say constantly that this season is the best talent they have ever seen, so viewers know that there is no clear-cut winner, which makes the show even more interesting to watch each Sunday and Monday night.

The judges of this season’s “American Idol” include Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie. This season is also unlike any others because instead of picking ten contestants for the final round this season, they only picked nine. This is because they brought back all ten finalists from season 18 (which was cut short because of COVID-19) and those ten finalists competed for the last spot in the season 19 finals. This is a great opportunity for the contestants who worked very hard last year to get a spot in the finals and make one of the greatest comebacks ever.

The fan-favorite contestants this year are contestants like Casey Bishop, Caleb Kennedy and Willie Spence.

Bishop is a fan favorite this year because of her incredible vocal range for being only 15 years old. In her appearances this season, she has gone from singing songs like “Over the Rainbow” to “House of the Rising Sun” to “Black Hole Sun,” which showcases talent “American Idol” has never before seen in someone so young.

While Kennedy has a different talent that shocked the judges, he continues the theme of youth that is present in the finalists, being only 16 years old himself. He secured his spot into the finals by singing an original song he wrote himself.

Finally, Spence shocked the judges from the beginning of his run on “American Idol” by bringing Katy Perry to tears after hearing his rendition of “Stay” by Rihanna. Overall, this season of “American Idol” is not one to be missed by anyone, whether a music fan or not.

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.

Willie Spence sings as a contestant on season 19 of American Idol.

C ontac t

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

Courtesy Heightzone

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.

Telephone: FAX: E-mail: Mailing Address:

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

14 Opinions

30 April 2021 Red & Black

America First Caucus Endorses White Supremacy Amanda Fitzpatrick Red & Black Editor

The language used in the would-be Republican congressional America First Caucus’s platform is ultimately revealing of its racist and hateful nature. Calling for respect of the country’s “uniquely Anglo-Saxon traditions,” saying the nation’s infrastructure should express the “progeny of European architecture” and decrying the influence of domestic and international “globalist” forces tells the American public all it needs to know – America First Caucus aims to further the extremism growing in the right wing and continue the normalization of hate in this country.

Its white nationalist message is clearly outlined with the platform defining the United States as a country with “uniquely Anglo-Saxon political traditions.” This statement lacks in truth and carries a lot of harm, as we know historically that contributions of people from a variety of different backgrounds have built the United States. Further, to say that you want to promote Anglo-Saxon values is in itself indicative of a certain type of ideology.

To put it simply, this phrasing is a dog whistle to white supremacy and white nationalism.

Dylan Bertovich ’21 also recognizes the racism in this language: “American culture is not uniquely British, it is a mosaic of various cultures including Asian, Hispanic, African and a solely American mixture. I think that this action is truly racist in thinking that only the European culture matters.”

Though House Republicans’ America

First Caucus was ended by Georgia GOP Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene just one day after its policy proposal was first shared online, its historical significance cannot be so easily ignored. Democratic Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi of Ill. noted its similarities to the Ku Klux Klan, stating “it sounds like the Ku Klux Caucus to me” in an interview to MSNBC. It appears there is a level of agreement on both sides of the aisle, with Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger of Ill. calling on party leaders to expel members of the caucus, referring to it as the “White Supremacy Caucus.”

Ultimately, the language used in the planning of this caucus by Reps.

Marjorie Taylor Greene of Ga. and Paul Gosar of Ariz. is similar to the way neo-Nazis, the Ku Klux Klan and other members of explicitly white supremacist organizations beginning in the 1970s and 1980s began rebranding themselves as “white nationalists” with the goal of appearing more “respectable” and “mainstream.”

The naming of this caucus is equally concerning and steeped in racist history.

As the United States entered World War I, nativists became increasingly concerned with the “hyphenates” or those who considered themselves Italian-American, Irish-American, and so on. Thus, in 1915 Woodrow Wilson stated it was time for every immigrant “to declare himself where he stands. Is it America first or is it not?”

No less than a decade later, the United States began to embrace drastic restrictions on immigration in the National Origins Act of 1924. Not surprisingly, the Ku Klux Klan began to employ “America First” in the exact same way to demand nothing less than

Courtesy New York Magazine

Marjorie Taylor Greene announces the America First Caucus outside the capitol.

“100% Americanism” in which they meant 100 percent white Americanism.

In 1921, a circular listed the “ABCs” of the KKK: “America first, benevolence, clannishness.” Thus, the similarities in language are astoundingly clear.

Writer James Waterman Wise warned against fascist organizations utilizing this language stating that fascism “may come wrapped in a flag or a Hearst newspaper with ‘America First’ on the masthead.” It is evident that his warning still rings true today.

Despite the “America First” messaging, this caucus could be more accurately named the “White Power Caucus” or as other congressional leaders suggested the “Ku Klux Caucus” and the “White Supremacy Caucus.” The language utilized in the platform is no coincidence; it is steeped in the history of white supremacy and racism of this country. Even without the formation of the caucus, its ideas are all the more concerning and dangerous in the United States.

30 April 2021

Red & Black

Opinions 15

Johnson & Johnson Pause Proves Efficacy Akansha Das Red & Black Staff

On Tuesday, Apr. 13, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued a joint statement recommending that the administration of the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine should be paused in order to investigate possible risk of blood clotting disorders after six women contracted (and one woman died) of a rare blood clot called the central venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. The pause is intended to give researchers at the FDA and CDC time to examine the reports to see if these blood clots were related to the J&J vaccine and to alert clinicians if this is the case (as treatment for patients with blood clots differs in part based on whether they’ve received the vaccine or not).

Medical providers, feminist groups, political pundits and the American public had much to say about the pause. Physicians such as Dr. Risa Hashino quickly took to platforms like Instagram to spread facts and truths about the realities of why the vaccine was paused in order to prevent vaccine hesitancy from heightening and antivaxxer “I told you so” mentalities from stoking fear. Physicians like Dr. Leana Wen wrote in an Opinion piece for the Washington Post “... federal health officials made exactly the right decision. Any concerning safety signals should be investigated immediately...”

However, many were not so quick to agree. Political talk show hosts on The

Hill’s “rising” Krystal Ball and Saager Enjeti expressed disapproval of the J&J vaccine pause saying that ultimately the lives that will be lost to increased vaccine hesitancy and canceled appointments will be far greater than deaths due to the extremely rare condition being investigated as a possible result of the vaccine.

And their sentiments mirrored others across the country. While their line of logic is understandable, it’s ultimately flawed. For one, catering policy based on how “anti-vaxxers” may or may not respond is not a wise choice. Not pausing the vaccine due to concerns of blood clots could be extremely dangerous and make the American public very weary of future

vaccines if a stronger and more dangerous link was found between the J&J vaccine and blood clots.

Secondly, this ideology undermines the severity of this rare condition. Yes, every drug has its benefits and its side effects— everything from taking a Tylenol to driving on a highway has a risk of death and medications are no different. Yet, with vaccines being so new, these one in a million side effects that we see with the J&J vaccine don’t appear till careful monitoring is done of mass distributions of the vaccine.

The bottom line is though the side effect is not rare, it is still very much important to investigate so that like other medications, physicians and patients are very aware of the risks and

can advise vulnerable groups (in this case women under the age of 50 according to emergency physician Dr. Leana Wen) on how to best protect themselves. While deaths due to missed appointments or inability to reschedule because of limited timeoff and resources may certainly occur, officials at the CDC and FDA have attempted to minimize this number as much as possible with their prompt review of the data and succinct and clear statement about the reason for the vaccine’s pause. The J&J vaccine pause was lifted on Friday, Apr. 23 with a warning about possible blood clots and an assessment that the benefits of the vaccine were found to outweigh the risks.

Courtesy The Verge

Vials of Johnson & Johnson wait to be used after distribution is restarted.

16 Opinions

Red & Black

30 April 2021

Glennon Doyle Empowers Women in Untamed Akansha Das Red & Black Staff

Author of Love Warrior and Carry On, Warrior, Glennon Doyle published a new bestselling book in 2020 named Untamed. Untamed is a memoir detailing Doyle’s past trauma, how and why she ended a marriage with her husband of 14 years, discovered her sexuality and learned about the sexist social conditioning of marginalized genders in the process.

Considering that Doyle herself was a traditional Christian blogger, her perspective as a woman falling in love with another woman in her conservative circle makes for an incredibly interesting read along with the numerous points about subtle yet devastating sexism tied in her consistent use of metaphor.The title is based on the book’s premise

that women are constantly put into metaphorical cages in their lives.

Doyle asserts women are constantly socialized to be “less than” and to tame their desires, their imperfections and mute themselves and their voices in service of their partners, their children and the society they are serving. One poignant example she discusses is that people pleasing tendencies of many women, who said, “We forgot to know when we learned how to please. This is why we live hungry.”

Compounding her assertion that the “wild” in every woman that becomes tamed by qualities such as people pleasing also mutes their ability to know what they really want and thus makes them constantly hungry – for real purpose and recognition.

One of my favorites and ultimately the most relatable passage of the book to me is when Doyle discusses the constant standard of selflessness that women are expected to adhere to. She says “Women who are best at

the disappearing act earn the highest praise: She is so selfless. Can you imagine? The epitome of womanhood is to lose one’s self completely. That is the end goal of every patriarchal culture. Because a very effective way to control women is to convince women to control themselves.” This constant need to be selfless and in service of other undermines so many facets of women’s lives from their diminished concerns about their pain and health to their frustration when trying to enter leadership roles or tough, timeconsuming careers and more.

Doyle is not a therapist or counselor herself, but she speaks about the emotional coping strategies that allowed her to heal from the scars of her past eating disorders and alcoholism along with her husband’s infidelity. For most of the book, this depth were such calming and beautiful words to read and learn from. Just as inspiring was the way Doyle truly allowed herself to be vulnerable and

talk about her altered connection with her faith, her strategies of “being still and knowing,” “feeling everything,” and imagining the most beautiful and truest version of life. Yet towards the end of the book, there were some portions that could have been cut out to make the book read a little faster.

Doyle delves into every little emotion she feels about certain parenting decisions that frankly don’t compare in meaning or applicability to the advice and anecdotes she shares in the earlier parts of the book.

Overall, Untamed was an absolutely stunning book with thoughts about feminism, entering conversations about race, emotional coping strategies and conflicts within in the Christian community. Written in the form of short vignettes with a heavy reliance on metaphor, Doyle has created a book that strives to resonate with everyone who reads it with broad range of topics and generalizable and emotionally deep advice.

Courtesy Penguin Books Australia

Glennon Doyle poses with her third memoir, Untamed.

sports

30 April 2021

Red & Black

17 Sports

Athlete Spotlight: Garrett Barilar ‘21

Courtesy gopresidents.com

Barilar ‘21 looks on at his approach shot

Alex Wagner Red & Black Staff

Washington & Jefferson College has been extremely successful in many sports, but the men’s golf team has been a highlight of our school’s athletic achievement. With many Presidents Athletic Conference championships under their belt, it is no surprise that our golfers have also made a mark in the individual part of the game. Gar-

rett Barilar ‘21 gained a massive win this past weekend at Speidel Golf Course in Wheeling, West Virginia.

Barilar can now call himself a PAC champion, as he won the entire tournament, helping his team secure the second-place spot. Barilar shot four over par, beating the entire field this last Saturday.

“I started my round with a double bogey, and was three-over through the first three holes, but I knew I was not out of it. Fortunately, I was able to birdie the two par-fives on the front nine and unexpectedly holed out for eagle on my ninth hole to climb back

into the lead. On the back nine, I was able to overcome poor ball-striking with the help of Coach Kluck instilling a mental toughness in me to save some strokes around the greens,” said Barilar.

Barilar has played golf almost his entire life, with his Grandfather teaching him the basics of the game at a young age. From then on, Barilar focused on his stroke and fell in love with the game.

“This victory was made possible by not just my own efforts, but with the help of an unrelenting coach who constantly seeks out the best in all his

players, and a team who pushed me to become better every day,” emphasized Barilar.

It was a great way to end an amazing golf career for Barilar. He was proud to follow his teammate, Colin Robinson, who also won the PAC championship the previous year. The team has recruited a multitude of talented male golfers, and we can’t wait to see what the next few years has in store for Washington and Jefferson golf.

“Winning PACs was an incredibly rewarding experience. All of the time and work I have put into golf feels like it finally paid off,” said Barilar.

18 Sports

Red & Black

30 April 2021

Student Athlete Highlight: Nick Drake ‘21

Courtesy gopresidents.com

Drake ‘21 delivers on a pitch against Waynesburg.

Nick Krugh Red & Black Editor

Nicholas “Tahfi” Drake ‘21 has been a member of the Washington & Jefferson baseball team for four years. Drake is from Canonsburg, Pa. and he attended Canon McMillan High School.

He started playing baseball 15 years ago and had always wanted to play baseball in college. Because he grew up in a local area, he had often heard about W&J’s prestige. He knew W&J had a great academic reputation and

an even better baseball team. It just so happened that he was good enough to be able to play for the tough program.

In high school, he played first base and third base. However, he has transitioned to a starting pitcher at W&J. Drake believes that the most challenging part of his position is throwing pitches to make the batter strike and limiting barrels, which are hard hits.

Even still, Drake rises up to the challenge. “Every play starts with you.

There’s a certain level of confidence you need to have with each pitch and trust in your mechanics to execute,” Drake described the importance of his position. W&J baseball is coached by

head coach Jeff Mountain, Nic Rush and Josh Crummer. Coach Mountain has led the team to great accomplishments during his time at W&J and it is a privilege to play under him.

Drake accredited the coaching staff ’s success to their experience, “Coach Mountain and Rush have years of experience under their belts. Josh Crummer played under Mountain, so he understands the coaching technique and the players’ point of views.”

Drake’s favorite memory from W&J baseball is participating in the DIII World Series.

He enjoys being on the team and the friendships he has formed with

his teammates on and off the field.

Although this year’s spring season has been unique due to Covid-19, the countless hours of work the team has put in is paying off.

Drake has high expectations for his teammates and where they can go as the regular season comes to a close, “I think that this year’s team has a lot of talent, and if we keep playing like we have been I think we could make a deep postseason run again.” Drake and his fellow President teammates will continue approach every game like they have something to prove. Hopefully the Drake and the Presidents can stay hot.

30 April 2021

Red & Black

19 Sports

Men’s Soccer Upsets Grove City in PAC Semis

Courtesy GoPresidents.com

Captain Michael Komaniak ‘22 looks for a teammate as he dribbles down field.

John Kiebler Red & Black Staff

This past Tuesday, W&J men’s soccer punched their ticket to their second straight PAC Championship game with a 2-1 upset victory over 2nd seeded Grove City.

After a scoreless first half, midfielder Jake Fetterman’21 opened

the scoring with a beautiful header just 7 minutes into the half. In the 74th minute, forward Jayden Da ‘24 gave the Presidents a two-goal lead after he beat the defense and buried his sixth goal of the season. Da leads the team in goals.

The goal also put Da at a total of 17 points for the season, which leads the PAC. Sam Miller ‘22 made two saves during the game to hold Grove City to just one goal.

“The boys didn’t quit. We didn’t want this to be our last game,” captain

Nicholas Maknoon ‘21 said. “We know what we are capable of, and we are excited to be back in the championship game.”

The victory improved W&J to an impressive 7-2-1 on the season and sent them to the PAC Championship, where they’ll host 4th seeded Westminster on April 30 7 p.m.

On April 27, in the other semifinal game, Westminster saw Geneva in a match that stretched into double overtime. Westminster edged top seeded Geneva in penalty kicks to

advance to the PAC Championship game.

It will be the second meeting in the 2021 season between W&J and Westminster in the Championship game; Westminster edged W&J in 2008 with a 2-1 overtime victory. Last time the two schools met was this season’s opening game on March 13, where W&J handled business in a 4-2 win. The Presidents will look to have similar success this Friday as they shoot for their second straight PAC Championship win.

20 Sports

Red & Black

30 April 2021

Last Week’s Scores Apr 22

Women’s Soccer vs. Geneva: 4-0 W

Apr. 23 W&J Football at Westminster: 20-27 L Men’s Soccer at Grove City: 1-2 L

Apr. 24 W&J Baseball vs. Franciscan: 15-3 W; 12-0 W Women’s Lacrosse vs. Waynesburg: Cancelled Women’s Soccer at Grove City: 1-3 L

Apr. 25 W&J Baseball at Franciscan: 20-6 W; 14-2 W

Apr. 27

Courtesy GoPresidents.com

Men’s Tennis at Franciscan: 3-6 L Women’s Lacrosse vs. Franciscan: 17-12 W Men’s Soccer at Grove City: 2-1 W

Next Week’s Games Apr. 30 Men’s Soccer vs. Westminster: 7:00 PM PAC Championship

May. 1 Women’s Lacrosses vs. Thiel: 1:00 PM PAC Championship W&J Baseball vs. Thiel: 1:00 PM; 3:30 PM W&J Softball at Geneva: 1:00 PM; 3:00 PM

May. 2 W&J Baseball at Thiel: 1:00 PM; 3:30 PM

Courtesy GoPresidents.com