Feb 22 2019

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 F e b ru a ry 2 2 , 2 0 1 9

WHAT’S IN THIS WEEK’S PAPER...

LIFE “With a main ingredient of Ramen noodles, this simple recipe is great for any college student and will make them feel right at home.” -P.7

Students Expand German Club PAGE 3

CULTURE

“This piece is still deeply moving, and even though this event happened long ago, Géricault’s masterpiece can still teach us something about the resilience that can be found in the human condition.” -P.9

OPINIONS “Because of this immense power imbued within the pages and words of stories, it remains vital to ensure that posterity understands its impact and learns from its mistakes.” -P.13

SPORTS

“The Presidents had a strong start in the first quarter, outscoring Grove City 2010.” -P.19

WJREDANDBLACK.COM

Courtesy Amanda Fitzpatrick

2 CAMPUS NEWS

Red & Black

22 february 2019

Senior Student Spotlight: Emily Green Nicole Walters Red & Black Staff

Emily Green ‘19 is a Spanish major with a minor in Latin American studies.

She has spent a great part of her time at Washington & Jefferson College traveling the world.

Green has studied abroad in Costa Rica, attended an Intersession trip to Spain and completed a Magellan project to Easter Island and Chile.

Green’s first trip with the school was with Professor Alpanes to Spain.

Green had many favorite part of the trip. “The food and sights were some

“The food and sights were some of the most beautiful things and everyone should have the chance to witness it one day.”

-Emily Green ‘19 of the most beautiful things and everyone should have the chance to witness it one day,” said Green. When she returned from her trip, she wanted to

travel more. The next time she went abroad, she visited Costa Rica.

While in the country, Green said she “learned how to be truly independent.”

Although she was in a foreign country and was living with a host family that did not speak English, Green said that she was happy she was placed into this situation because “it allowed for [her] Spanish language to be refined.”

Green also took place in a field study in Nicaragua where she learned about the complexity of internal government relations.

After spending five months in Costa Rica, she decided that she wanted to do more.

She packed her bags and set off to Easter Island and Chile, where she hiked trails and visited historical sights.

When Green is not traveling, she plays for the women’s tennis team.

She was a captain for two out of the four years she has played at W&J. After graduation, Green will be pursuing a master’s degree in Latin American studies and international relations.

She has hopes of working in the United States, but she is willing to travel abroad as often as is needed.

Green understands that in this line of work there is always a chance of her getting called away last minute, and she is okay with it.

She says that what is important is not staying in the United States, but rather protecting and being an advocate for those who need it most.

With her degree, she hopes to be able to help foreign countries solve disputes, be a liaison between countries and help people and their governments.

Courtesy Nicole Walters

Emily Green has taken full advantage of the travel opportunities that W&J has to offer by travelling to three different countries.

22 february 2019

Red & Black

3 CAMPUS NEWS

Political Science Professor Spotlight: Dr. Fifer Nicole Walters Red & Black Staff

In an interview, Dr. Fifer talked about what she does in her spare time, why she chose to teach and one of her alltime favorite teaching moments. “Not many people know this, but the symphony is one of my favorite places to attend,” said Dr. Fifer about her extracurricular activities. On top of enjoying the ballet, operas and concerts at

the orchestra, Dr. Fifer loves to go to the art museum. Her favorite museum is the Cleveland Art Museum because it has revolving exhibits and so much to see and enjoy.

A fun fact that most students do not know is that during her undergraduate studies, Dr. Fifer worked as a 3D artist, sculpting and designing figures for theme parks and much more. “While it was a lot of work and time-consuming, it taught me life skills, like how to use power tools,” said Dr. Fifer about her artistic past. Aside from her love of the arts, Dr. Fifer has a vinyl collection

that she is very proud of. She said that she has over 100 records spanning all genres.

Dr. Fifer’s reason for becoming a teacher is unexpected. She said that it happened by accident and she never intended to teach.

Her teaching career started while she was in school for her Ph.D. when her mentor asked her to adjunct for her public policy class while she was on maternity leave.

Dr. Fifer decided to give it a try because she loved the topic. Walking into her first class ever, she could not

have asked for a better scenario; it was a small class, and the students all had a passion for policy. After her first day, she ended up loving it and she never stopped. During her teaching career, one of her favorite teaching moments was when she was teaching her class different theories of policy and her students were making her laugh.

The best part about this story, she said, is that this happened right after she had an appendectomy. She said that she had tears running down her face from not only the pain, but also from the humor of the situation.

Club Spotlight: German Club Grows on Campus Amanda Fitzpatrick Red & Black Contributor

With the recent election of a new executive board, the German Club has plans to expand as a club on campus.

German Club is a great place not only for German speakers or those in German classes, but for those who have an interest in the German culture.

In the past semester, German club has hosted events such as a Halloween party with food and a costume contest.

They also participated in the Day of Giving with a paper “lebkuchen,” or cookie-decorating craft, for the children.

Brendan Troesch ‘21, German Club President, looks forward to increasing the club’s activity on campus. “The German Club’s mission is to educate

and promote to our members the multifaceted cultures of German-speaking countries,” said Troesch. “Of course, we also like to do fun things like Kaffeekränzchen, our weekly conversation hours, as well as going on excursions.”

This semester, all of the officers hope to do more, with ideas for possible excursions to German restaurants and a German tour of Pittsburgh.

On campus, the German Club plans to introduce German movie nights once a month. If you are taking German classes or have in the past, German Club is also a great way to advance your speaking skills.

Every week at 5 p.m. in the Burnett Alcove, German club hosts “Kaffeekränzchen,” meaning a chat over coffee or tea.

These are conversation hours where students can engage in conversations in German over various snacks and drinks. The main goal is to practice speaking German with friends in a non-judgmental environment. All levels are welcome to participate.

Dylan Bertovich ‘21, German Club Secretary, enjoys these. “The German Club is a great way to meet fellow German speakers,” said Bertovich. “Being in German 106, I even find it helpful to simply listen to others talk and see how much I can pick up.”

Ultimately, there is something in German Club for everyone from the

advanced speaker to those who have any interest in the culture. Students interested in German Club can stop by weekly meetings at 5 p.m. on Thursdays in the Burnett alcove.

Follow German Club on the Instagram page @dubjaydeutsch to see German words of the day as well as meeting and event times.

Courtesy Amanda Fitzpatrick

The German Club hosts events on campus that are free for students.

4 CAMPUS NEWS

Red & Black

16 September 2019

CPS’s Weekly Security Logs DATE: 02/14/19 INCIDENT #: 2532 LOCATION: E. Chestnut St. near Penn Ave. CLASSIFICATION: Underage drinking Officers report that a student was found in possession of a Colt 45 bottle of beer and drinking it at the above location. CPS says they found the student to be under the age of 21. The student will allegedly be referred to the College Disciplinary Officer for sanctions and/or will be charged.

DATE: 02/15/19 INCIDENT #: 2534 LOCATION: Lincoln Lot 2 CLASSIFICATION: Theft from MV / Resisting Arrest / Act 64 / warrant service Campus police reportedly observed a female looking in cars at the above location. When police approached the female, officers say she fled on foot through the campus. The actor is said to have been apprehended near Lincoln Terrace. It was found that she was wanted on a parole violation. CPS also reports that she was in possession of a crack pipe, syringes and empty heroin stamp baggies. She was lodged in the Washington County Jail.

DATE: 02/15/19 INCIDENT #: 2535 LOCATION: 127 E. Chestnut St. CLASSIFICATION: Underage Drinking CPS observed that a student was found in possession of an alcoholic beverage being under the age of 21. The student will be referred to the College Disciplinary Officer for sanctions and/or will be charged.

DATE: 02/15/19 INCIDENT #: 2536 LOCATION: 135 E. Chestnut St. CLASSIFICATION: Undergo drinking / False ID Campus police contact was reportedly made with a student at the above location.

The student identified themselves as a 21-year-old, but officers say this information was proved to be false. They were identified and apparently found to be 20 years of age. The student was in possession of an alcoholic beverage. CPS reports that they will be referred to the College Discipinary Officer for sanctions and/or will be charged.

DATE: 02/15/19 INCIDENT #: 2537 LOCATION: 127 E. Chestnut St. CLASSIFICATION: Underage drinking Campus police say that student was found to be in possession of an alcoholic beverage, and the student was under the age of 21. The student will reportedly be referred to the College Disciplinary Officer for sanctions and/or will be charged.

DATE: 02/16/19 INCIDENT #: 2539 LOCATION: 127 E. Chestnut St. CLASSIFICATION: Underage Drinking A student was reportedly found by CPS to be in possession of several cans of beer. They were found to be under the age of 21. CPS says the student will be referred to the College Disciplinary Officer for sanctions and/or will be charged.

DATE: 02/16/19 INCIDENT #: 2540 LOCATION: 135 E. Chestnut St. CLASSIFICATION: Act 64 / Underage Drinking While walking through the above location, campus police say that a strong odor of marijuana was detected coming from one of the rooms. Upon making contact with the students, it was allegedly found by officers that the students were in possession of marijuana, related paraphernalia, scales and alcohol. Some of the students were reportedly under the age of 21. Investigation continuing.

DATE: 02/17/19 INCIDENT #: 2548 LOCATION: Bica Ross 3rd floor CLASSIFICATION: Noise complaint / Disorderly Conduct CPS says officers were dispatched to the above location for a noise complaint.

Upon making contact with the room occupant, the student allegedly became very antagonistic. Officers say that when they explained why police/security were there, he became more confrontational. The student was escorted back to his room. Charges pending.

DATE: 02/17/19 INCIDENT #: 2550 LOCATION: 325 E. Chestnut St. CLASSIFICATION: Underage Drinking Campus security says that a student was found with an open container of alcohol and that he was found to be under the age of 21. They will reportedly be referred to the College Disciplinary Officer for sanctions and/or will be charged.

22 February 2019

CAMPUS NEWS 5

Red & Black

Senior Spotlight: Clay Martin Julie Halula Red & Black Contributor

Clay Martin ’19 was born in Canonsburg to parents Kent and Christy Martin. Martin, who enjoys working out, playing baseball and reading in his spare time, graduated from Canon-McMillan high school in 2015 with honors. He decided to attend Washington & Jefferson College because he was recruited by Coach Mountain to play baseball.

Also, he was raised in Washington County, where the College has a wellknown reputation as a prestigious institution.

As someone who holds family values in high regard, it was important for Martin to attend a college that was close to home. He began his studies on the pre-health track at W&J, wanting to work within the medical field, and then decided in his sophomore year to pursue a degree in neuroscience.

He found himself very interested in medicine and how ailments affect both the human body and the brain, so he narrowed his interest to pharmaceutical science.

After graduating from the College in May, he hopes to attend pharmacy school and fulfill his goal of working as a retail pharmacist. One of Martin’s main passions in life is baseball, and he is currently one of the W&J men’s team’s three senior captains for this upcoming season.

He is a pitcher, and his biggest inspiration throughout his career has been Pedro Alvarez. He is excited to begin the season in March and get to know their new assistant coach, Nic Rush. According to Martin, the hardest part is “balancing school, baseball

and time with friends.” He strives hard to allocate time to each of those important facets of his life. Martin’s most memorable moment from W&J was being part of the team that won the Mideast Region Championship during his sophomore year.

Traveling with a special group of guys who had a strong camaraderie all the way to the College World Series was something he will always remember and attribute as one of the main highlights of his baseball career.

While on the trip, the team made a stop at Green Bay, touring Lambeau field, which was special to Martin because he is a Packers fan.

Martin has enjoyed many of his course experiences.“I really enjoyed my animal physiology course taught

by Dr. Weixel,” Martin said when reflecting on his favorite class. “I took it during my fall semester junior year, and I loved experimenting with real life situations in the lab.”

Martin is thankful for all of the memories and experiences he has had at W&J and will take all of skills he has attained with him in whatever he does in life. He credits the College for many of his academic successes and abilities.

Courtesy Julie Halula

Martin is pursuing a neuroscience at W&J.

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life

6 Life

Red & Black

22 February 2019

Beauty Products for a Budget Leah Segal Red & Black Staff

When it comes to the beauty industry, the high prices of many well-known brands such as Anastasia Beverly Hills and Kat Von D leave people on a budget looking for ways to get the same looks without emptying their bank accounts.

With beauty bloggers and Instagram models touting the benefits of these high-cost makeup products, the less-privileged are left to wonder, “What are the best budget-friendly makeup companies?” and better yet, “Do they stand up to the big brands?”

Luckily, with a little bit of research, it is easy to find some affordable hidden gems that hold their ground in the makeup arena.

At the top of the list, NYX Cosmetics provides a cheap but quality alternative to the big name beauty brands with large price tags.

Named after the Greek goddess of the night, NYX has been gracing the makeup bags of its loyal fans since 1999. They offer a variety of makeup

Courtesy InStyle

NYX creates low-budget and cruelty-free makeup and beauty products.

products in a wide array of shades, making sure to be inclusive to all of their consumers.

Many of their products are even known to serve as dupes to big brands, such as Kylie Cosmetics and Urban Decay. NYX’s low-budget makeup is made even better with their cruelty-free accreditation and PETA certification, therefore appealing to vegans.

Another top-notch beauty brand, ColourPop, is a fantastic alternative to high-cost makeup companies.

The brand is fairly new to the makeup game, founded only in 2014 by sib-

lings by Laura and John Nelson, but they are making a huge impact in the beauty community.

They pride themselves on being “wallet-friendly and bunny-approved,” something that every beauty guru can appreciate.

ColourPop proves itself to be one the best budget brands, specifically for students, as they provide a 10 percent student discount to anyone with verified ID. Finally, E.L.F. is a classic beauty brand that has been dominating the affordable marketplace for quite some

time. The brand's sleek packaging, inclusive marketing and low price tags make it a beauty brand for the masses.

With products starting as low as one dollar and being certified as vegan and cruelty free, E.L.F. is a makeup lover’s dream come true.

Overall, there is no need for people to fall to the pressure of those big-name beauty brands that will only serve to deplete bank accounts.

With plenty of brands such as NYX, ColourPop and E.L.F, many people can wear makeup without worrying about exorbitant costs.

22 February 2019

Red & Black

7 Life

Enhancing Ramen Noodles Hailey Nudelman Red & Black Contributor

It is that time of the year. Coughing, sneezing, runny nose; these are all mid-February joys.

Lying in a warm bed and then struggling to get up to walk across campus to a dreaded class makes it difficult to get through the winter months.

Some students reminisce about the memories of mothers bringing in a steaming bowl of chicken noodle soup.

Millena Dorman ‘22 tells of how her mother made chicken noodle soup when she was sick—she claimed that this is one of the things she has missed since coming to college.

A way to satisfy this longing for soup is through a recipe that is quick, cheap and uses products that are available on campus.

With a main ingredient of Ramen noodles, this simple recipe is great for any college student and will make them feel right at home.

Starting with eight cups of water, bring the water to a boil and throw in four packages of Ramen noodles.

Once cooked, toss in one shredded carrot, shredded cabbage and a few pieces of boneless chicken breast cut into bite-sized pieces. Conveniently, each of these ingredients can be found at the salad bar in the Commons.

Once each of these ingredients has been cooked, one may add two cloves of garlic, minced or crushed, and one teaspoon of grated ginger. Students can also add half of the flavoring pack-

Courtesy The University Star

Ramen noodles are famous for being the perfect snack for financially struggling college students, but there is also an easy way to make these noodles into a filling, more nutritious meal.

ets from the Ramen noodles—chicken or oriental flavor—and a small amount of soy sauce for some extra taste.

Once all of the ingredients have been cooked in the pot, the soup is ready.

This very simple and cheap homemade soup recipe will make enough for about six servings and will take no longer than 20 minutes to make.

Although these two ingredients are

optional, they will give Ramen soup an extra boost that could be the difference between another day in bed or being ready to run across campus the next day.

The next time students are craving homemade chicken noodle soup, they can make it for under ten dollars using this simple recipe. Additionally, students do not necessarily have to eat the soup immediately after putting it

together. “Chicken noodle soup can be frozen and saved for a later date,” said Jakerra Lance ’22, a self-proclaimed soup-eating expert.

Even if students are not ill at the moment, at some point in the future this soup may be a saving grace.

When coughing and sniffling starts, students can easily heat this soup in the microwave for instant comfort and relief.

8 Culture

culture Red & Black

22 February 2019

Netflix’s ‘You’ Highlights Dangers of Social Media Lauren Phillips Red & Black Staff

It appears every month brings about new romantic comedies. Netflix is very aware of this and adds a twist to the concept in the recent hit show “You.” Initially premiering last year on Lifetime and later released on Netflix in December, “You” centers on bookstore manager Joe Goldberg, played by Penn Badgley, and his extreme obsession with the aspiring author Guinevere Beck, played by Elizabeth Lail.

The show was created by Greg Berlanti and Sera Gamble and currently stands at a strong critic rating of 92 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.

When Joe spots Guinevere in his book store, he begins to insert himself into her life. He manipulates the events, relationships and people around Guinevere to grow closer to her.

The audience uncovers secrets from Joe’s past as the show progresses, with his measures growing to insane extremes. Joe serves as the narrator as well, justifying his actions while detailing his psychotic inner monologue.

The first season of “You” is based on

the novel by Caroline Kepnes. The show has been so successful that a second season is already filming, and fans of the show can only hope for more characters and secrets to arise from Joe’s past.

The first season makes the audience question the differences between obsession and love.

With characters that have such a large amount of depth, fans can only speculate how much further the creators of the show can push the limits.

“I thought it was a really good show,” said Jadyn Lawrence ’22. “It was interesting how the writers humanized Joe so that even though he was the bad guy, it was still difficult for some viewers to completely dislike him.”

Many fans can agree with Lawrence. Badgley delivers an excellent portrayal of Joe, managing to entertain and scare viewers.

Opposite to Badgley, Lail depicts the character of Guinevere, and she slowly begins chipping away at Joe’s façade.

Along with this, the characters and writers explore the dangers of social media in society.

The combination of obsession, toxic love and social media stands at the center of “You.” Balancing the elements of a psychological thriller with the plot of a romantic comedy is no easy task; how-

ever, “You” manages to consistently intrigue the audience and hook viewers.

With ten episodes in the first season, “You” is an excellent show to binge, thanks to the incredible performance by the diverse cast. The crew behind the show successfully adapts

the novel to the screen, developing the characters and their motives in a way that makes it nearly impossible to look away.

The show is available to stream on Netflix, and its second season is currently in production.

Courtesy IMDb

Netflix has announced that a second season of “You” will be coming soon.

22 February 2019

Red & Black

9 Culture

HOLLY’S HOT TAKE:

artist of the week

Géricault’s Intensely Powerful ‘Raft of the Medusa’ Holly Sauer Red & Black Editor

Romanticism gave artists the freedom to create drama and intense storytelling in their works.

Many artists attempted to portray raw and powerful emotional experiences.

Théodore Géricault is one of the most well-known of the Romantic painters.

His large painting, “Raft of the Medusa,” tells the story of the true, and horrific, story of the shipwrecked passengers and crew of the Medusa.

This monumental image took the 27-year-old painter only 18 months to create.

The story of the shipwreck would have been very well-known to viewers in Géricault’s time.

He turned this heartbreaking story into an epically large painting.

Before this work, these large paintings were typically reserved for history paintings, and their subjects could only be religious, allegorical or mythological.

This piece seems to surround viewers, and they are forced to take in the tragedy, and the hope, that can be found in this piece. By taking an event that was current and elevating

it to the status of a historical painting, Géricault makes this event and its survivors even more important.

This large image shows the victims adrift on a raft with the violent sea around them.

However, the image is extraordinary because the focus is not on the dead people at the bottom, who the survivors were forced to cannibalize.

The intensely dark sky and sea makes the deathly pallor in their skin glow.

It forces the viewer to look at them, but the eyes do not stay there because there is so much more to this image than just the death and tragedy.

Due to the triangular composition and the very large canvas, viewers have to look up at the survivors waving for help to a far off rescue ship.

The survivors are heroic because they are hoping for rescue in the midst of deep despair.

Viewers can see the triumph of survival in the midst of this horrific tragedy.

When painting this image, Géricault used real corpses from the morgue to paint the ghastly images of the dead people in the foreground because he wanted to get the right deathly skin pallor.

This painting shows the brutality, realism and raw emotion found in this tragedy, and viewers can still feel the intensity nearly two centuries later. “The Raft of the Medusa” has hung in France’s The Louvre Museum since

1824, which is the same year as Géricault’s early and untimely death.

This painting is so extraordinary because of the moment that Géricault chose to portray.

Instead of portraying all of the horrific and despairing moments, he painted the instant where the survivors were hoping for rescue.

Viewers can see the men straining with hope and desperation in the muscles on their backs and outstretched

arms. The men can barely see the ship in the distance, and this adds to the tension of the piece.

Viewers feel emotion because no one will know if they will ever be rescued.

This piece is still deeply moving, and even though this event happened long ago, Géricault’s masterpiece can still teach us something about the resilience that can be found in the human condition.

Courtesy Wikimedia

“The Raft of the Medusa” depicts a true horrific shipwreck.

10 Culture

Red & Black

Poetry Corner “Scorned Lover”

Maggie Smith Red & Black Contributor

Like Petrarch in his pining and Dante for his Beatrice, I feel my years declining As I wait for lovers’ bliss.

Yet your lips spit fire, And your eyes cut like glass But still I stand in ire Because you’ve knocked me on my Behind.

A scorned lover am I While your eye passes over me, But to me you’re cherry pie Until a better lover I see.

22 February 2019

22 February 2019

Red & Black

Culture 11

Courtesy BBC

Although this newly discovered Narcissus fresco is not currently open for visitors of Pompeii to view, experts hope it will be available soon.

Narcissus Fresco Discovered in Pompeii House Holly Sauer Red & Black Editor

The art of the past never really leaves us. Archeologists have made an extraordinary discovery in Pompeii.

On Feb. 14, officials released the discovery of a fresco of the mythological hunter Narcissus on the wall of a house’s atrium.

In the fresco, Narcissus reclines by a pool, with his head turned down toward the water, where his reflection stares back up at him.

This follows the traditional Greek mythology of the man wasting away after gazing at his reflection in water.

His face is damaged, but by no means unrecognizable. Presumably Eros, the Greek god of love, stands near Narcissus, along with a dog that is tugging in vain at Narcissus’s clothing, unable to pull him away from his own reflection.

Experts date the fresco to the last years of Pompeii before Mount Vesuvius erupted. They believe this to be true because of the vibrancy and intensity of the colors.

Massino Osanna, one of the site’s directors, said that the image’s colors are extraordinarily preserved.

Osanna continued to say that the decorations in the room were “pervaded by the theme of the joy of living, of beauty and of vanity.”

In the adorned atrium where the fresco stands, archeologists also found traces of stairs leading to an upper floor, a bronze funnel, eight ancient

vessels for wine or olive oil and the remains of glass containers. Along with the fresco, these items show that the owners of this house were incredibly wealthy.

According to one archeologist, after Ovid published his poems, it was popular and fashionable to depict the myths in frescos among the very wealthy residents on Pompeii.

However, this fresco is found in an area of the ancient city that is vulnerable to collapse, and it threatens the artifacts below.

In Nov. 2018, archeologists found another fresco in the same house that portrays an erotic scene from the Greek myth of Leda and the Swan.

Archeologists hope that they can continue to uncover more treasures so that one day the house may at least be partially be open to the approximately

four million visitors who visit Pompeii every year. This find is not just important for those who may be able to see it in person.

Although Pompeii was destroyed in 79 A.D., this fresco shows that this site, and the art found on its walls, can still teach us about the people who lived and worked in the city.

Ovid and his poems were so important to the residents of Pompeii that they drew representations of his stories on their walls.

This find reminds modern viewers that art still matters because art has always mattered.

Time may separate modern viewers from the people who created or commissioned this fresco, but the story and the fresco itself still matters because we are now connected even more to the people of the past.

12 Opinions

22 February 2019

Red & Black

opinions Constitutionally, the Death Penalty Cannot Continue Amanda Fitzpatrick Red & Black Contributor

Is it okay to murder a murderer? This is the ultimate question that arises when debating the death penalty.

Lethal injection is the most common method of execution in the United States, with 1,315 executions occurring by this method since 1976.

While death by electrocution or firing squad is considered inhumane, is lethal injection better?

With the rate of botched executions of lethal injections at 7.1 percent, the highest failure rate among all methods, and researchers finding that prisoners may have been capable of feeling pain in almost 90 percent of cases, it seems it is neither better nor pain-free. Race also statistically plays a part, and to

ignore the racial disparities would be ignoring a significant contributor in many cases.

In Washington state, jurors were three times more likely to recommend a death sentence for a black defendant over a white defendant in similar cases.

Meanwhile, in Louisiana, the odds of a death sentence were 97 percent higher for those whose victims were white over black.

Similarly, a study in California found that those convicted of killing white people were three times more likely to receive a death sentence as those convicted of killing black people, and four times more likely than those convicted of killing Latinx people.

Another study of the death penalty in North Carolina found that the odds of receiving a death sentence rose 3.5 times when the defendants were white.

This all happens even though black and white individuals are murder victims in nearly an equal number of crimes. But ultimately, what should be most concerning is the fact that sometimes innocent people are put to death.

Since 1973, 164 people have been exonerated from death row, with the most recent being Clemente Javier Aguirre on Nov. 5, 2018.

Unfortunately, there is no way to tell how many more of the 1,492 people executed were innocent.

Yet, it is hard to sway Americans to care about pain felt by prisoners when they think about the pain they could have inflicted on others or to consider racial disparities when they only think about the individual crime committed.

People may also not think about potential innocence when there may be much more evidence showing guilt.

What many Americans see is their

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.

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.

tax dollars going to murderers. Dylan Bertovich ‘21, echoed this belief, and said, “Taxpayers paying for someone to spend their life in prison is a waste when these criminals of the highest offense don’t deserve a bed and three meals a day.” So if money is on your mind, there is no need to worry.

While the actual execution costs are low, the Death Penalty Information Center found that death penalties cost one million dollars more than when prosecutors seek life without parole, and this number is on the conservative end. “I don’t believe humans are inherently evil,” said Maggie McQuaid ‘20.

“They’re all capable of redemption. It’s not necessarily forgiveness, but it’s not condemnation.”

In short, for a country with a constitution prohibiting cruel and unusual punishment, the death penalty cannot continue.

C ontac t 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

22 February 2019

Red & Black

Opinions 13

Book Bans: The Dangers of Censoring Literature in Schools

Courtesy Springfield News-Ledger

Banning books does not makes the issues discussed in the banned text any less real. By censoring certain literary texts, society cannot address these issues and they continue to plague us for generations.

Leah Segal Red & Black Staff

Since the dawn of the written word, literature has held the power to destroy empires, give birth to fairy tales and educate the masses.

Because of this immense power imbued within the pages and words of stories, it remains vital to ensure that posterity understands its impact and learns from its mistakes.

However, when it comes to our educational systems, schools and parents are encouraging censorship by banning certain books from curriculums, such as “To Kill a Mockingbird.”

This movement is highly disturbing and unsettling, as removing books

erases the history they represent. I oppose the banning of books and believe the way the material of a book is taught must serve to educate students and help them learn from the grimmest times in human history.

According to the American Library Association, the top ten banned books of 2017 include Jay Asher’s “13 Reasons Why,” Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird,” Angie Thomas’ “The Hate You Give” and Khaled Hosseini’s “The Kite Runner.”

The reasons for banning these books in schools around the country vary widely, although the most common threads that run through these four plots are “offensive language” and “negative influential impacts.”

For example, the widely acclaimed novel, “The Kite Runner,” tells the tale of two Afghan boys and the personal trials and tribulations of their lives.

The book is one of pain, forgiveness

and hope. Nevertheless, some schools felt that it “promoted terrorism.” Such an outright insane and Islamophobic claim robs the students of learning about different cultures and this decision promotes racism itself.

The notion that a school has the right to remove the power of literature only serves to blind its students about stories that are different from their own. Book-banning in schools also promotes the forced amnesia of history.

For example, Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” most often comes under the censorship knife for its use of the “n-word” as well as the promotion of what “Insider” labels as “racial hatred, racial division [and] racial separation.”

This argument is highly illogical.

The book itself describes the southern town of Maycomb and Scout Finch’s firsthand experience of racism, specifically the case of a black man who is

wrongly accused of rape; this man is later killed. The book serves to educate people about the evil nature of racism and the cruelty of the world that only goodness can overcome.

The only way this book would promote the alleged notions of “racial hatred” is if the wrong message is being spread by the educators themselves.

Additionally, the use of the “n-word” is indicative of the time that the book represents and, most importantly, reminds the reader of the ugliness of racism and prejudice.

At the end of the day, banning books in schools only serves to promote ignorance and perpetuate the ideologies that otherwise would be eradicated.

If we refuse to educate our students about the stories that have impacted our history, they will miss out on the greatest lessons that humanity has to offer.

14 Opinions

Red & Black

22 February 2019

Curfews Only Work for Respectful Teenagers

Courtesy jw.org

A frequent trope in movies and television is the teenager coming home past their curfew, and their parents angrily meeting them at the door. However, many people never had this experience because their parents trusted their judgement.

Hailey Nudelman Red & Black Contributor

Curfew is one of the most dreaded words for so many teenagers just hoping to have a fun night with friends.

Whether that curfew be at nine at night or two in the morning, it always puts a damper on the fun.

So what is the point? Why do so many parents set a time for their child to be home, knowing that the child is stewing inside and absolutely furious they had to leave early while everyone else is out having a blast? For most parents it all comes down to safety and

trust. Most people assume that with a set curfew, their child will be able to stay out of trouble and therefore will certainly arrive home every night unscathed. However does this really

that they could trust me to not do anything that would get me in trouble and therefore they gave me more freedom.

However, there are some children who would never do anything to get

These people who are causing the trouble might still have a strict curfew, yet they still find a way to find trouble before they are due home. work? Can trouble be caused during the day? Why would that one hour less of socializing make a difference?

Personally I had a curfew of 11, however my parents were not very strict and if they knew where I was and who I was with, if I stayed out a little later they did not mind. They knew

themselves in trouble, yet they have an extremely strict curfew. There are also the people who are constantly causing havoc, no matter the time of day.

These people might still have a strict curfew, yet they still find a way to find trouble before they are due home.

Curfew is not going to completely stop

these teens from causing trouble because that is just how they have decided to express themselves as a growing adolescent.

If that is who they are, then it is doubtful that a time set by their parents will have an effect on them. Alex Vlahos ‘22 believes that having a curfew did not really deter him from making bad decisions. He would rather have fun with his friends in other ways, but his curfew was not the deciding factor on whether he went and vandalized the neighbor’s house or stayed in playing video games.

I do not believe that a curfew will stop a teen from committing troublesome acts. Although it may be a slight obstacle, if trouble is what a stubborn teen wants, than trouble is what they are going to find.

22 February 2019

Red & Black

15 Opinions

Drug Testing Should Not Determine Scholarships

Courtesy West Central Tribune

NCAA Athletes are required to pass a drug test to play their sport, but if this same policy was applied to academics, many students might lose financial aid.

Amanda Fitzpatrick Red & Black Contributor

Drug tests in college are nothing new, with the NCAA employing a drug-testing program to ensure student-athletes are playing clean.

While this may be necessary for athletes, should schools expand this drug testing from athletes to all students? Even further, should this be a marker for students to keep scholarships?

Some students would answer this in the affirmative. “I think that a scholarship should be a defining quality of a good student and that an upstanding

student should not be a drug user,” said Dylan Bertovich ’21. Laurel Sipe ’20 echoes this sentiment. “A scholarship is given to a student that needs to demonstrate their ability to perform and drug testing eliminates a variable that hinders their ability to perform.”

To debate the necessity of drug testing, it must first be considered if it even works. Frankly, it does not.

It is ineffective in that those who smoke marijuana will continuously test positive no matter how often or how much marijuana the user smoked, whereas what many think of as “harder” drugs will be out of the system and undetectable by any test in less than a week.

Besides the differing amounts of time that drugs remain in the system, the next question is how often students should be tested. If drug tests are random, yet only occur so often--say,

once a month at any given time--students who are tested early are free of concern for the rest of the month to use as they choose.

And of course, if students know exactly what day and time they will be tested, they have complete free reign to avoid a positive test while still using drugs.

Despite this, the very idea of drug testing students becomes questionable at best and unconstitutional at worst.

There is a fine line between preparing students for their future and invading their privacy. “Students shouldn’t be drug tested to be in college because they are not employed by the college, and if the school thought a student had a serious drug problem, they should talk to them and recommend them to counseling rather than perform such an invasive test,” said Gabrielle Feldman ‘21. This brings about another

necessary consideration: if students have a drug problem, how should it be handled? Drug use and addiction are public health problems, and they should be treated as such.

Especially at a small school like Washington & Jefferson College, where professors know their students by name, professors may be able to see if their student has a serious drug problem without any drug testing.

Consistent drug users display obvious signs so long as the professor knows the signs. If they see a problem, they can reach out to the student and encourage them to seek help.

Given this, the idea of drug testing students seems obsolete.

What is most important is that students and educators alike are educated on the effects of drug use and on the plentiful resources available if help is needed.

16 Sports

sports Red & Black

22 February 2019

Swimming & Diving Competes at PAC Championships Jordan Melko Red & Black Staff

The Washington & Jefferson College swimming and diving team attended the three-day Presidents Athletic Conference (PAC) Championships at Grove City College from Feb. 14-16.

On the first day, the men’s team finished in fourth place with 96 points and the women in fifth place with 79 points. Kaitlyn Pawcio ’19 had a big performance, placing third in the 3-meter dives.

Pawcio also finished with a score of 395.20, ranking her number three out of nine divers. The women’s relay team, consisting of Jazmin Uhler ‘22, Kaitlyn Ewing ‘21, Kimber Randolph ‘22 and Kiera MacWhinnie ‘21, placed fifth in the 200 free relay with a time of 1:50.86. The same relay team also placed second in the 400 medley relay with a time of 4:46.94.

Randolph competed in the B final of the 200 Individual Medley (IM) and placed sixth with a time of 2:30.53.

MacWhinnie placed seventh with a time of 27.65 in the B final of the 50 freestyle. Ewing took seventh place in the B final of the 500 free at 6:20.92.

For the boys’ team, Dean Kralic ‘22 placed seventh in 500 free, with a time

Courtesy gopresidents.com

On the first day of competition, Randolph gave all her effort to help the 400 medley relay team claim a second place finish.

of 5:03.66. The 400 medley relay team consisted of Kralic, Zach Lauer ‘19, Andrew Ivory ‘22 and Colin Higinbotham ‘22. They placed fourth with a time of 3:41.21. Kralic, Lauer, Higinbotham and Nick Belofsky ‘22 also took fourth in the 200 free relay at 1:30.34. Higinbotham finished first in the B final of the 50 freestyle, clocking in at 22.01.

On Friday, with a time of 53.72, Lauer took fifth in the 100 backstroke, and Kralic took sixth in the 100 fly, finishing at 52.66. Higinbotham finished eighth with a time of 54.00 in the 100 fly. Jeremy Glasner ‘19 and Ivory finished eighth and tenth, respectively, in

the 100 breastroke. In the B final, Ivory finished second with an impressive time of 1:03.19.

Lauer, Ivory, Kralic and Higinbotham took fourth in the 200 medley relay.

Ewing ended up in fourth place in the B final of 200 freestyle and MacWhinnie finished fourth in the B final of the 100 backstroke.

Ewing, Randolph, MacWhinnie and Pawcio placed fifth in the 200 medley relay with a time of 2:10.47.

At the end of the day, the men’s team was in fourth place with 216 points and the women’s team remained in fifth place with 131 points. Saturday was the final day of the PAC Champi-

onships, and Pawcio took second place in the one-meter dives.

Incredibly, she earned a regional-qualifying score of 408.90.

MacWhinnie finished second in the B final of 200 backstroke. Lauer placed sixth in the 200 backstroke, while Glasner placed ninth overall in the 200 backstroke.

Kralic took sixth in the 200 fly, and Ivory took ninth, and then first in the B final of the 200 breaststroke. At the end of the day, the men finished in fourth place with 294 points and the women were fifth, with 187 points.

Pawcio and Belofsky were also named to the PAC sportsmanship team.

22 February 2019

Sports 17

Red & Black

Men’s Basketball Beats Bethany Track & Field Attends Tune-Up Jordan Melko Red & Black Staff

The Washington & Jefferson College men’s basketball team traveled to Bethany College and secured a win on Feb. 13. The Presidents outscored the Bison in the first half of the game, 40-31. In that half, half of their shots came from the field, scoring 12 for 24.

55.6 percent of their shots came from the three-point line, scoring five out of nine attempts.

The Presidents only allowed the Bison to score 13 of their 31 attempts, resulting in a percentage of 41.9 from the field and two out of eight attempts, for a 25 percentage from the three-point line. The Bison outscored W&J by one in the second half, the Bison scoring 29 and the Presidents scoring 28, but it was not enough for Bethany to claim a victory.

W&J shot 27 free throws and made 20, while Bethany only took 19 attempts. The Presidents also made eight three-point line shots, while the Bison only made three. Primo Zini ’22 was

the Presidents’ scoring leader. In his 25 minutes of play he recorded 17 points, with 10 points from the field and seven from the free throw line.

Jonathan DeVito ’20 scored 13 points in 27 minutes, specifically three three-pointers, four field goals and two foul shots.

Cameron Seemann ’21 recorded ten points in 26 minutes, with one three-point shot, three field goals and three sunken free throws.

Nicholas Campalong ’21 was the next scoring leader, playing 24 minutes and scoring ten points: one threepoint shot, four field goals and one free throw. The Presidents finished the game with a field goal percentage of .392 and a three-point percentage of .421, while Bethany only shot .393 from the field and .188 from the 3 point line. W&J’s free throw percentage for the game was .741 and Bethany’s was .684.

The Presidents pulled down 40 rebounds and got five steals, and Bethany was outrebounded by two, totaling 38 and seven recorded steals.

The W&J Presidents put on an incredible performance, earning their victory over the Bethany Bison with a winning score of 68-60.

Courtesy gopresidents.com

Jones ‘21 looks upcourt to pass to a teammate.

Wolf pushes himself during the 1600 meter relay.

Jordan Melko Red & Black Staff

The Presidents track and field team traveled to Mount Union on Feb. 16 to participate in the Raider Tune-Up. For the women’s team, Hannah Lacey ’20 ran the 800-meter run with a time of 2:29.34 to put her in 7th place.

Faith Remich ’22 also ran the 800 meter run with a time of 2:32.23, moving her into the top five on the PAC performance list for that event. Payton McAninch ‘20 placed 11th in the mile run for a time of 5:45.99. With a throw of 11.56, Krista Sudar ’21 leads W&J in the weight throw and placed 16th out of 35. Kinsley Bitzer ‘22 improved her time in the 60 meter hurdles to 10.08, and Lacey earned a time of 11.38 in the 60 meter.

For the men’s team, standout thrower, Jarrod Web ‘19 placed 3rd of 33 in the shot put with a score of 14.99. In the weight throw, he tossed for 14.71, beating his own personal best and breaking the school record. He placed

Courtesy gopresidents.com

6th overall in the weight throw. With a time of 4:29.28, Damon Gall ‘22 finished second in the mile run out of 14 runners. Gall now ranks fourth best on the indoor PAC performance list for this season.

Parker Laughlin ‘21 placed 2nd in the 800 meter run with a time of 2:00.51. In the 60 meter dash, two sophomore runners also placed.

Andrew Wolf ’21 won second with a time of 7.11 and Jack Ryan ‘21 won 6th at 7.19. Jordan Halford ’22 was awarded 8th of 20 jumpers in the triple jump by jumping 12.50 meters. Jonathan Youse ‘22 claimed 5th place with a time of 23.53 in the 300 meter dash.

Two W&J team members also participated in the high jump. Nick Freiwald ‘22 placed 9th and Zac Quattrone ’19 placed 11th. The W&J men’s 1600 meter relay team acquired 3rd place with a time of 3:37.32. The members of the team consisted of Youse, Laughlin, Crise, Wolf, Collin Christensen ‘21, and Wilkinson.

The track & field team will compete at the PAC championships on Thursday, Feb. 21 at Youngstown State University.

18 Sports

22 February 2019

Red & Black

Men’s Lacrosse Falls to Kenyon Jordan Melko Red & Black Staff

Courtesy gopresidents.com

This one time...

“Our bus broke down on the way to Susquehanna and we were stuck for almost two hours on the side of the road. So, to pass the time, we did an American Idol sort of thing where we put on headphones, blasted a song, and sang and danced out loud to the entire team.”

- Grant Allison ‘21

The Washington & Jefferson College men’s lacrosse team traveled to Gambier, Ohio on Feb. 16 to face Kenyon College in their season opener.

Unfortunately, this game was not in their favor, and the Presidents fell to Kenyon with a score of 21-5. Starting the game, Mark Mandak ‘20 scored only 1:02 into the game. The Presidents did not score for the rest of the quarter, but Kenyon scored six goals in the quarter.

In the second quarter, the Presidents tallied an additional two goals, while Kenyon added an additional four, making the overall score 10-3.

The Presidents added another goal in both the third and fourth quarters, facing tough opposition as Kenyon added seven in the third and four goals fourth quarter.

Pat Brunner ‘21 and Alex Strain ‘22 led the team in goals, with two each.

Pat Heidecker ’20 also gave the Presidents a goal. To help score these goals,

Brendan Tribeck ’21 and Pat Moeller ’21 each recorded an assist. Joseph Tritschler ‘19 recorded a team-high of three turnovers. Tritschler also recorded a team-high of four ground balls. Defenseman Jake Duda ’21 also caused two turnovers.

Goaltender Noah Cohen ‘20 played the first 52:06 of the game and managed to record 20 saves, recording a .513 save percentage.

Brody Alloway ‘21 played the last 7:54 as goaltender and made two saves recording a .500 save percentage.

As a team, the Presidents took 16 shots, while Kenyon took 64. W&J also had 28 turnovers in comparison to Kenyon’s 23. The Presidents caused seven turnovers and won five face-offs.

W&J also had eight extra-man opps and 21 ground balls.

Kenyon caused 11 turnovers, won 23 face-offs and had nine extra-man opps. Kenyon also recorded 52 ground balls.

On the Presidents’ 26 man roster, the team acquired six new freshmen this year. This game was also the final opening-season game for senior captains Tritschler and Rocco Ruscitto.

W&J will play again on Feb. 20 at La Roche College at 4 p.m.

Courtesy gopresidents.com

Brunner carries the ball down field while looking for an opportunity to shoot.

22 February 2019

Red & Black

19 sports

Women’s Basketball Team Honors Seniors Jordan Melko Red & Black Staff

Two seniors were honored at the Washington & Jefferson College women’s basketball Senior Night on Feb. 16.

The first was Jordan Melko ‘19. She is completing her math major and chemistry minor and will be pursuing a Master’s degree in biomedical sciences next year.

The second was team captain Danielle Parker ‘19. She is majoring in psy-

chology and chemistry. In the coming year, Parker will be attending nursing school to become a nurse anesthetist.

That evening, Melko, Parker and the rest of the women’s team hosted the Grove City Wolverines and finished the night with a victory of 65-53.

The Presidents had a strong start in the first quarter, outscoring Grove City 20-10. Then, Grove City answered and outscored W&J 15-10, making the score 30-25 at half time.

The Presidents were outscored again in the third quarter, 19-17, making it a close game.

However, W&J picked it up in the fourth quarter, scoring 18 points while Grove City only scored nine. This re-

sulted in a W&J victory over the Wolverines by 12 points. W&J’s scoring leader was Alie Seto ’21, recording 20 points in 32 minutes, making one three pointer, seven field goals and five free throws.

Next was Parker, scoring 16 points in 27 minutes, sinking six field goals and four free throws. Aleena McDaniel ’22 scored 12 points in 36 minutes, all of which were scored from the field.

Hannah Johnston ’21 added six points to W&J’s score in her 26 minutes of play, with one field goal and four free throws.

Over the four-quarter period, the Presidents shot .500 percent from the field and .167 from the three-point

line, whereas Grove City shot .295 and .316 from the field and from the threepoint line, respectively.

Grove City bested W&J in terms of free throw percentage, calculating .917 in comparison to W&J’s .833. However, the Presidents out-rebounded the Wolverines by three, with 34 rebounds on both ends of the floor.

Both teams managed to record 11 steals. This was the last regular season game for the women, and it increased their overall record to 18-7 and their Presidents Athletic Conference (PAC) record to 13-3. The Presidents are ranked second in the PAC and will participate in the Championships with their first game on Feb. 22.

Courtesy gopresidents.com

Melko and Parker are accompanied by their parents to celebrate their careers as W&J Presidents.

20 sports

Red & Black

22 February 2019

Last Week’s Scores Feb. 13

Women’s Swimming & Diving PAC Championships-5th of 6 Men’s Swimming & Diving PAC Championships-4th of 5 Women’s Basketball at Bethany-66-56 Win Men’s Basketball at Bethany-68-60 Win

Feb. 15

Men’s Tennis at Baldwin Wallace -9-0 Loss

Feb. 16

Women’s Basketball vs Grove City-65-53 Win Men’s Basketball vs Grove City-67-58 Loss Men’s Lacrosse at Kenyon-21-5 Loss

Courtesy gopresidents.com

Next Week’s Games Feb. 19

Men’s Basketball PAC Quarterfinals (A)-7pm

Feb. 20

Men’s Lacrosse at La Roche (A)-4pm

Feb. 21

Men’s Track & Field PAC Indoor Championships (A)-2pm Women’s Track & Field PAC Indoor Championships (A)-2pm

Feb. 22

Courtesy gopresidents.com

Wrestling NCAA Southeast Regional Tournament (A)-10am Women’s Basketball PAC Semifinals (A)-5:30pm

Feb. 23

Wrestling NCAA Southeast Regional Tournament (A)-10am Women’s Water Polo vs Gannon (H)-10am Men’s Lacrosse vs Ohio Northern (H)-1pm Women’s Water Polo vs McKendree (H)-8pm

Feb. 24

Women’s Water Polo vs Wittenberg (H)-9:15am Women’s Water Polo vs Salem (H)-4:45pm

Courtesy gopresidents.com