09.14.18 by Reflector Editor

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Socialism is

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NEVER the answer

New South Weekends Softball retires

Alex Wilcox’s

combine

community and football

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jersey

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FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 14, 2018

134th YEAR ISSUE 5

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884

Habitat for Humanity establishes new chapter on campus

MSU bodybuilders qualify for nationals

COURTNEY CARVER

SPORTS EDITOR

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

As college students, finding affordable housing off-campus is often a struggle, however, Habitat for Humanity’s new campus chapter is here to help. According to Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Joel Downey, Starkville is ranked around the 73rd percentile of the nation for the cost of housing, while ranking in the 92nd percentile for the state. “Pretty much only the coast is more expensive than Starkville,” Downey said. While students have trouble finding affordable living off campus, there are also Starkville residents who cannot afford their housing, Downey said. Starkville’s Habitat for Humanity chapter has helped these residents for many years. “The affiliate itself is 32 years old,” Downey said. “It is pretty rare for a non-profit to survive 30-something years.” While the city’s affiliate has been around for three decades, junior elementary education major Abbey Ragan became passionate about starting up a campus chapter of Habitat for Humanity.

Ragan became involved with Habitat for Humanity this year and said she built relationships with everyone at the Starkville affiliate. Although she volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, Ragan said she wanted to serve the community even more. “I asked if I could help out more and be a part of it beyond what they had,” Ragan said. “The current vista at that time was trying to see if there were any students who wanted to start a campus chapter, so I got connected with him. We started talking about what it would look like. I just took it and ran with it. I knew a lot of people who were wanting to get involved in some form or fashion.” Ragan serves as the president of the campus chapter, alongside a board of four other students. Each board member serves as a leader for one of the five different teams in which students can volunteer. The home-builders team will focus on building the Habitat for Humanity Restore. This store will consist of furniture, clothing and other items. All of the proceeds raised through the restore will go toward the campus chapter and Starkville affiliate’s project expenses.

HUNTER CLOUD

Some bodybuilders work out until they cannot walk, yet they go to class and work. These are some of the challenges one faces to qualify for bodybuilding nationals as a student, a feat three MSU students recently accomplished. These challenges summarize the process Clay

Horton, a senior majoring in kinesiology, goes through when competing in bodybuilding, and more specifically in the classic physique category. Horton competes and trains alongside Malik Barakat and Katherine Young. They have been friends for several years and have enjoyed working out together.

NATIONALS, 2

Joseph Horton | Courtesy Photo

Bodybuilders Katherine Young, Clay Horton and Malik Barakat will go to nationals next week.

Psychology club presents Pet Night PhD student

receives NASA fellowship

EMMA KING

STAFF WRITER

HABITAT, 2

Kayleigh Phillips | The Reflector

Courtney Carver | The Reflector

This Habitat for Humanity home, which MSU students are currently building, stands as the ninth home that students have constructed together through the organization.

Truli Strickland, a Mississippi State University junior psychology major, enjoys time with her cat at “Pet Night,” an event hosted by the Psychology Club. The event aimed to educate students about the improved mental health benefits which can come from owning a pet.

Starkville opens first public disc golf course EMMA WARR

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Emma Warr | The Reflector

Aaron Tucker installs a net for a new disc golf course, which is now open to the public.

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Disc golf is a fun, casual and inexpensive sport for anyone. Thanks to the City of Starkville’s Parks and Recreation Department and several members of the Mississippi State University Disc Golf Club, the sport is making a mark in Starkville. As of Sept. 9, there is a brand-new disc golf course with seven nets and a variety of terrain at J.L. King Park in northern Starkville. The course is now open and available for community use. Steven Hillerman, president of MSU’s disc golf club and senior computer science major, helped the city design the course to best

benefit the players and the park. “A typical course would have nine or 18 nets, like a golf course,” Hillerman said. “We chose to put out seven here instead because we wanted to provide the chance to make a variety of shots.” This game is an “every man’s sport” in the sense that anyone can get out and play it, Hillerman said. It does not require expensive equipment or a fee to enter the course. Aaron Tucker, who is an MSU graduate student pursuing a degree in plant pathology, plays for the disc golf team. For him, the appeal of this sport is partly because of its casual nature. Last April, the university’s team came away from

FORECAST: Friday morning will be off to a clear start,

but as we heat up throughout the morning, will thicken and bring spotted showers. Thankfully, it’ll clear up before any Bulldog fans are in action for the weekend’s events. We’ll stay sunny Saturday and Sunday, which will bring about above average temperatures.

Chelsea Brown, Campus Connect Meteorologist/Forecaster

nationals with a winning title, shooting 59 under par and coming out ahead of Texas A&M’s team, who finished with a 26 under par. It was this success which inspired the City of Starkville to fund the installation of this new park, according to Gerry Logan, executive director of the Starkville Parks and Recreation Department. The seven-hole course is designed to provide players a chance for a multitude of different putt techniques, and to have a clean flow throughout a previously underutilized area of the park, Logan said. Logan said he enjoyed playing disc golf in the past, and he encourages others to get out and give it a try.

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Shandrea Stallworth, a doctoral student from Mississippi State University’s Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, recently received the prestigious NASA/Mississippi Space Grant Consortium Graduate Research Fellowship. This award, worth a total of $20,000, was created by NASA to fund future engineers and scientists like Stallworth. The fellowship will not only support Stallworth’s academic research, but also provide for a K-12 outreach project. Steve Martin, the interim head of the Plants and Soil Sciences department, said Stallworth is an outstanding doctoral student. “The PSS Department is extremely proud of Ms. Stallworth,” Martin said. “The NASA award is a very prestigious award, and will allow her to advance her research studies. Unique to this award is the opportunity to relay the results of her findings to the public, and especially to students in K-12.” The doctoral student hails from Biloxi, and she attended Fort Valley State University in Georgia for her bachelor’s degree in plant science and biotechnology. She pursued a master’s in plant breeding and genetics from Auburn University, and Stallworth now plans to earn her doctoral degree at MSU. NASA, 2

Logan Kirkland | MSU

Shandrea Stallworth is working toward her doctoral degree in plant and soil sciences. Policy: Any person may pick up a single copy of The 4 Reflector for free. Additional 4 copies may be obtained 5 from the Henry Meyer Student Media Center for 25 cents per copy.

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HABITAT Along with the homebuilders team, the fundbuilders team will focus primarily on raising awareness for Habitat for Humanity and creating many different fundraising opportunities. While the fund-builders team needs to be creative for fundraising purposes, the media team will primarily focus on making blog posts, videos, flyers, bumper stickers and any other form of advertisement. There will also be a behind-the-scenes team for those who would like to gain accounting, clerical or administrative experience.

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“All five teams are very unique and have these different purposes and ways for students to get involved,” Ragan said. Meggan Franks, who is assistant director of the Office of Student Leadership and Community Engagement and oversees the Maroon Volunteer Center, helps students find their passion to make a difference for the community. Students who would like to volunteer for Habitat for Humanity or any other organization can get all of the information they need through the Maroon

Volunteer Center. “You (can) go to the Maroon Volunteer Center website at mvc.msstate.edu and click on ‘events’ to browse current volunteer listings, or click ‘login’ to access the MSU OrgSync calendar to register and view more information on volunteer events, including agency information,” Franks said. “Volunteers can view information on over 80 different local non-profits and volunteer groups. They can also log hours to earn volunteer awards.” Those who volunteer will gain knowledge and help build

the Maroon Edition house. According to Downey, the Maroon Edition house first started 10 years ago when the campus first participated in the common read program. The student body was encouraged to read “The Painted House” by author John Grisham. The Maroon Edition house is a tradition sponsored by both MSU and Habitat for Humanity. “Since that time, we have had almost 3,000 students volunteer to build nine homes through Starkville Habitat, completing over 27,000 volunteer hours through the

Maroon Edition Habitat for Humanity project alone,” Franks said. Habitat for Humanity takes part in two different builds each year. In the spring, the Apostle house is built, and the Maroon Edition house is built in the fall. “The fall house is the house reserved for Mississippi State students, staff and faculty volunteers,” Downey said. “A lot of classes will want their students involved. The university is a great resource. We’ve had engineering students who have drawn grading plans for us and just

NASA

a whole bunch of different projects students do.” According to Ragan, carpentry or social skills are not requirements to participate. “You can be whoever you are and still get involved, be passionate and still have a place in Habitat for Humanity’s chapter,” Ragan said. While the campus chapter is still getting started, the Starkville affiliate and MSU are currently working on the next Maroon Edition house for a local family. CONTINUED FROM 1

Stallworth said she first heard of the NASA fellowship through an interdepartmental announcement inviting students to apply. Though she originally believed her research did not apply for the award because it was unrelated to space exploration, Stallworth learned otherwise through NASA’s Space Technology Roadmap (STR). This STR included 14 fields focusing on space technology, ranging from physics and propulsion technologies to human health, life support and habitation systems. Through this, Stallworth found a place for her research. The fellowship program’s interest in introducing more minority participants is what encouraged Stallworth to apply. She is a minority student in multiple areas, and said she always believed in

going after any opportunities presented to her. This was a major one, Stallworth realized—an opportunity to fulfill her dreams of doing more with research. Stallworth said she was also drawn to the chance of working closely with K-12 students in the classroom. Her high school experience included many hands-on science programs, and she wanted to offer the same opportunity to younger students. “The STEM field is so crucial to the future, but unfortunately, there are just not enough minority students pursuing degrees in STEM,” Stallworth stated. “I want to change that.” Learning she received the NASA Fellowship was an emotional moment for Stallworth, she said. She remembers simply standing

in the administrator’s office, mouth open and awestruck. The first person Stallworth called to tell the news to was her mother, and her father shortly followed. Both said they were proud of her, which was one of Stallworth’s main goals throughout her education. The fellowship was simply icing on the cake, she said. Through the NASA Fellowship, Stallworth said she aims to produce a rice cultivar that may find its way into space. Tomatoes are already there, and she hopes to make her rice the runnerup. For this year, however, Stallworth’s focus is on exposing her K-12 students, and faculty as well, to the impacts of food insecurity. She looks forward to entering the classroom and presenting real-world situations in the

area of agriculture. Stallworth said she also hopes to recruit high school students to apply for the Mississippi Youth Institute to possibly be chosen as a Bourlog Scholar. Stallworth offered advice to other students searching for grants. “To students looking to apply for grants, apply for them all,” Stallworth said. “Even if you feel you may be unqualified, apply. The only thing that can be said is ‘no.’” The NASA fellowship recipient also suggests applying for smaller grants is excellent practice for larger grants and fellowships, such as the National Science Foundation (NSF) and Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) grants. Stallworth recommended utilizing information sessions offered

across campus, along with online classes surrounding fellowship and grant writing. One of her passions outside of research is a group she has been active in for five years, Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANNRS). Stallworth currently serves as a graduate student mentor for MSU’s MANNRS chapters. Many other organizations have recognized Stallworth, and she has gained various other recognitions, such as being an American Seed Research Foundation Scholar, an Early Career Representative and Plant Science Research Network Scholar of the American Society for Plant Biologists and a Bayer Sponsored Scholar by the National Association for the State Departments of Agriculture.

NATIONALS “During preparation for a bodybuilding show, I trained once a day with weights,” Horton said. “A typical lifting session will usually last anywhere from an hour and a half to two and a half hours.” All of this physical work can take a toll on the body, and Horton said it does take rest and food to recover from working out so often. “After training, it is extremely important to recover. Most days it feels like I was in a car accident,” Horton said. “You have to make sure to get an adequate amount of food and sleep in order for your body to heal from such trauma.” Horton said his personal

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process includes running, leg days, arm days and many other specific workouts to train for the competition. Horton also trains with Malik Barakat, a senior kinesiology major, who described his typical training schedule. “On average, I usually train six days a week and spend about one and a half hours to two hours a day lifting,” Barakat said. “When it gets to about eight to 12 weeks out from a show, my training time will increase.” Once Barakat and Horton finish training, they compete at a show where, as Horton described it, they do many similar things as competitors in a pageant would do with

poses, and they also have to match a certain type of body specific to their category. According to the National bodybuilding championships website, competitors also provide their own music on a CD for when they do their posing routine at nationals. “The judges have different criteria for each division or category for us,” Horton said. “The main things they look for is small waist, wide back, aesthetic, overall flow, proportion, symmetry, size of muscle, bellies and conditioning.” One of the ways they get a very lean look is by limiting water intake. In fact, Horton said the only time

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Stallworth was also recently featured alongside her advisor, Te-Ming Paul Tseng, on MSU Influence for the July 2018 segment. Tseng credited Stallworth’s creativity and passion for earning the prestigious fellowship. “Shandrea (Stallworth) is a good team player and leader,” Tseng stated. “(She is) very creative, which is most important for a researcher, and has immense enthusiasm for her research. She is completely worthy of the NASA Fellowship, and I have no doubt that she will continue to excel in whatever research path she pursues after her PhD.” When Stallworth is not researching to send rice outside Earth’s orbit, the NASA fellowship recipient enjoys kickboxing and spending time with her two pets.

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they drink water is little sips if they start cramping, and even then, many competitors would rather eat salt. They also have to get spray tans to avoid being too pale on stage, Horton said. “It can be very stressful backstage with all of the competitors pumping up and making last minute adjustments and preparing mentally to be compared to the next person,” Horton said. “Every single one of us comes there to win, so as you can imagine, you could cut the tension in the air with a knife. Not to mention all of these competitors have been dieting and are depleted to the point of exhaustion.” Barakat said his motivation for bodybuilding came from a love of exercising and lifting weights in high school. In fact, Horton convinced him to try it out and he loved it. Now his motivation is to be better, as he said he is competitive by nature. “When my friends and

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I work out together, we are always trying to push each other and ourselves to get better,” Barakat said. “I have also made new friends from people coming up to me at the gym, asking me for advice and telling me I’ve inspired them to work harder. This makes me feel like I am doing something right and takes my motivation to get better to the next level.” For Horton, bodybuilding motivation came when from Arnold Schwarzenegger when he was 19 years old. “The first time I watched ‘Pumping Iron’ with Arnold Schwarzenegger was when I was 19. This was an Arnold I had never seen before,” Horton said. “This Arnold was extremely confident. He outworked everybody and looked incomparable to anyone of that era, and he knew it. This was something that I wanted. I wanted to have confidence and a grin that doesn’t have to have words behind it. I don’t mind

the attention, but I’m not after it either.” Young and Barakat saw Horton compete the year before they began bodybuilding, and they oftentimes saw him as their coach. Horton said they have done all their work themselves, and have supported each other in their quest to make nationals. They have supported each other and have now all qualified for nationals, which will take place Sept. 16 and 17. Barakat said making it to nationals was a dream of his when he first started competing. The award for winning nationals is a pro card given to the top two competitors in each weight class. “When I first decided to compete, I made it my goal to win a national show and get my pro card,” Barakat said. “However, I did not expect to qualify for nationals this soon, but now I am one step closer to reaching my goal.”

BAD DAWGS Thursday, Sept. 6, 2018 Student reported receiving a fake check in the mail after applying for a job through the internet. Student reported funds stolen from his debit card. Student issued an arrest citation and referral for possession of Schedule 1 on Stone Boulevard. Saturday, Sept. 8, 2018 Unknown person vandalized the MSU Bully statue located on Creelman Street. Sunday, Sept. 9, 2018 Student reported losing her wallet near Fresh Foods’ bike rack. Wallet was later found and

returned to student. Student arrested on Hwy 12 Starkville on warrant for speeding. Monday, Sept. 10, 2018 Student reported receiving harassing emails from an exboyfriend. Student reported his cell phone stolen from Allen Hall, later found it in a dumpster off campus. Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2018 Student was having difficulty breathing in Moore Hall. Subject was transported to OCH by an ambulance. Student reported being stalked by an ex-friend. Resident of City/County reported her vehicle was hit on Sept. 10 in the

Commuter Lot D. Student reported his skateboard stolen, last seen outside McKee Hall. Student had a seizure at Cobb Curation Lab. Student was transported to OCH by ambulance. Student had a seizure at Critz Hall. Subject was transported to OCH by ambulance. Student reported another student had marijuana in a residence hall. The officer found nothing. Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2018 Two students were issued post-arrest citations and referrals for possession of marijuana in C-1 parking lot. For traffic citations, visit reflector-online. com

THE REFLECTOR FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2018 @REFLECTORONLINE

LIFE & ENTERTAINMENT

New South Weekends combine community and football GRACE GILMAN STAFF WRITER

Game day weekends are an important part of southern culture in the fall. Every football season, citizens and students of Starkville show their pride for Mississippi State University with vigor and enthusiasm. New South Weekends are a new way the City of Starkville makes game day weekends even more special. Each weekend will include an event Friday, the home game Saturday, and Bulldog Brunch and Browse on Sundays. MSU students are excited about this new opportunity to make Starkville a destination spot for home game weekends, giving students a chance to become closer to the residents of Starkville. Emily West, an MSU senior landscape architecture major, said she believes New South Weekends will bring students and citizens

together in a fun and friendly atmosphere. “I think New South Weekend events is a great way to promote a stronger sense of community and make for an overall amazing weekend,” West said. The schedule includes the following events for Fridays, respectively: Downtown Art Walk, Bulldog Bash, unWine Downtown, Pumpkinpalooza, and Citywide Tailgate. On Sunday, there will be Bulldog Brunch and Browse. Some of these events have been hosted in Starkville before, like Pumpkinpalooza, and some are new to the town, like Bulldog Brunch and Browse. Each event will have food and shopping deals with a majority of Starkville’s local businesses. One local business, The Pop Porium, will be at most of the New South Weekend events. Rosa Dalomba started

The Pop Porium a year Rosalind and a Hutton half ago. This will be her second fall season. Dalomba said she loves these community events hosted by the City because the events provide opportunities for her to spread her business with a myriad of people and continue to spread her unique brand across the South.

“Weekends like New South Weekends make my business—I love them. Because of my location downtown, Fridays during football season are the busiest, and I accredit this to these events,” Dalomba said. “Even Sunday is busy, and that is thanks to the events downtown, and that is what

makes being a small business in Starkville so great.” New South Weekends will not only help small businesses grow, they will also help the community become stronger and closer. Local coffee shop, 929 Coffee Bar, will also participate in a majority of the New South Weekend events.

Jonette Shurden, the general manager at 929 Coffee Bar, said she loves participating in town events because it allows business owners to meet new people in town and connect over her favorite treats: food and coffee. Shurden believes these events are a significant part of what builds and defines a community. “We love serving Starkville and being in the middle of all the downtown events, as well as seeing the new faces brought in for home game weekends,” Shurden said. “It’s exciting for us to get to share who we are and why specialty coffee and good food are so important to us.” The next New South Weekend begins today through Sept. 16 with the Downtown Art Walk, Mississippi State versus Louisiana-Lafayette game and Bulldog Brunch and Browse.

‘Nun’ too pleased with ‘The Conjuring’ franchise ALYSSA AVILA

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

“The Nun” is the fifth movie in “The Conjuring” franchise—and the worst. This installment traces the origins of the demonic nun from “The Conjuring 2” back to the abbey she came from, where a young nun recently committed suicide. Within the haunted abbey, a priest and a postulate investigate the death. From this point in the movie, the plot is less clear. It is obvious from the beginning a malevolent force is in the abbey. This force later takes the form of a dark, demonic nun who the priest and novitiate exorcise. The nun herself is a horrifying figure with a gravelly voice and a face hidden by dark dress, but the lore behind the abbey and the

nun was lacking. There was little backstory given to the origin of the abbey, but it was clear the nearby community was aware of its evils. This left me longing for a clearer history about the abbey and the nearby community, which was an opportunity missed by the filmmakers to raise the level of suspense. A saving grace for this movie was the incredible soundtrack that did more to set the tone and create suspense than the story itself. Several times, the only suspense in the scene came from the haunting, classical music. Thankfully, the dark, gothic-style abbey, with a surrounding forest and graveyard were chilling enough to make up for the lack of information about the location. The environment could not, however, make up for the

lack of character development. The brief introductions to the main characters left me feeling ambivalent toward them. Because of the lack of investment in the characters, I was not scared for their lives, or hardly at all for that matter. Because of the blatant disregard for a solid story line and characters, the film relied heavily on gore, creepy costumes and cheap jump scares. The priest and novitiate nun seemed extremely naïve and ignorant as they pieced together the Abbey’s history and were dragged down a dark hall of horror clichés. Around each corner was another distant shadow, hand reaching through the darkness or a loud bang, all of which become monotonous after the first half of the film. I left the theatre feeling underwhelmed and like I must have missed an important

part of the movie, though I watched it through the credits. The film, especially as a part of “The Conjuring” franchise, was an overall disappointing experience. Sloppy spinoffs like “The Nun” are degrading to “The Conjuring” franchise, which seems to be lazily cashing in on their previous successes. While the premise of the movie was promising, it was poorly executed. The atmosphere, actors, jump scares, suspenseful soundtrack and horrifying nun were all there. Unfortunately, the plot and character development were nearly “nun”-existent. If you simply enjoy horror movies, do not mind clichés and like jump scares, it is worth watching once. However, if you are looking for a horror movie with depth, I do not recommend “The Nun.”

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Rosalind Hutton

Passenger’s album ‘Runaway’ leaves fans wanting more EMMA DRAY BRASWELL STAFF WRITER

United Kingdom-based band Passenger released their new album “Runaway” at the end of August and has received mixed reviews since its release. Passenger starts off the album strongly with the track “Hell or High Water,” and it is definitely worth a listen due to its combination of the relatively upbeat pace combined with catchy, yet meaningful, lyric. I tend to be on the pessimistic side, but the lyrics certainly cut deep because of the emotion and passion behind the words, and something I can relate to. I am not a huge fan of the track “Why Can’t I Change,” since it is not a song with lyrics I can personally relate.

However, I am still able to appreciate the lyrics because they seem like they could easily be meaningful for the artist or other fans. Although the lyrics are at least somewhat decent, the song is pretty short, and the words do not go as far when there are only a few verses. On top of this, the music for both “Why Can’t I Change” and “Heart To Love” resemble country songs too much for what I have come to expect from Passenger. While these songs would not technically be classified as country, they are just a bit too close to the genre for me to give it a second listen. The forth track, “Let’s Go,” immediately caught my attention. The instrumentals are definitely interesting and appreciated, and the lyrics are some of the better lyrics

Passenger has produced. While this song does not surpass several of my favorites from his previous albums, it is absolutely worth listening to a couple of times. In comparison, “He Leaves You Cold” is trash. It is not that the lyrics and music aren’t decent. Perhaps, I would listen again if I could not find anything else to play or if it was on the radio. I simply cannot fathom how either Michael David Rosenberg, 34-year-old singer-songwriter with the stage-name of Passenger, could connect to these lyrics, and this disbelief immediately makes it feel disingenuous. While it may involve a memory of his or some vaguely-related event in his life, I am unsure as to why he is writing about it. Unfortunately, I cannot help but notice another flawed

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pattern: all of the album’s songs have to do with some form of love, and, by the fifth song in a row, I am a bit sick of it. “Ghost Town” is probably the best song, and it is not a love song so it adds some much needed variety to the album. The lyrics are absolutely brilliant and, despite being too slow for some people’s tastes, it is definitely a beautiful and touching song. Between the calming string instrumentals and the artfully tragic lyrics, “Ghost Town” is an elegant piece. “Runaway” shines alongside “Ghost Town” on the album, not because it is not just another love song, but also due to how it incorporates relatable themes of loneliness and exhaustion. “Runaway” is definitely worth

listening to, and I can see why the album is named after it. “Eagle Bear Buffalo” is another stunning song and paints an amazing picture of nature for listeners. It is definitely worth listening to on repeat, particularly for Passenger fans since it provides a look into the singer’s life and experience in Yellowstone National Park. I definitely appreciate the song “To Be Free,” which features a piano and induces a soothing mood. The lyrics seem to be very personal to the artist, which is always refreshing, and they are interesting to say the least. Passenger’s vocal skills are highlighted in the last song, “Survivors.” This song is definitely a good end to the album, though it is not the best on the album. The lyrics are undoubtedly great, but the

underlying beat could have been altered to be better. While I certainly pay attention to the lyrics, I pay more attention to the music which I believe holds more weight in a song. Because I tend to focus on the music itself, I appreciate certain songs more than others; “Ghost Town” for example. The album as a whole is a bit too much of one sound for me to take in one sitting, but overall, most of the individual songs are good and worth the listen. The first half of the album seems like the same song over and over again, but the second half is something pretty special. Unfortunately for Passenger, the second half of the album is by no mean a redemption, resulting in “Runaway” not holding up to its predecessors.

THE REFLECTOR FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2018 @REFLECTORONLINE

OPINION

Socialism will never be an answer to America’s problems MICHAEL BOURGEOIS CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Bernie Sanders, progressive icon and likely candidate of the 2020 Democratic nomination, was quoted by Patrick Healy of the New York Times saying, “To me, democratic socialism means democracy. It means creating a government which represents all of us, not just the wealthiest people in the country.” Does it really, Sanders? The American economy has always valued hard work and determination to make something of every citizen, and the much reviled 1 percent is always open to new members. This is the beauty of the American system: affluence is dependent on effort, rather than birth. Yet some are skeptical of the American economic system. Columnist Elizabeth Bruenig of the Chicago Tribune believes, “It’s time to give socialism a try.” Are columnists like Bruenig correct? I suggest not. To think otherwise reveals an ignorance of history and a fundamental misunderstanding of economics, as well as human nature.What leads to the inevitable collapse of all socialist-planned economies is reality itself. I will show you why. We have all heard Sanders claim the wealthiest people and the largest corporations must pay their fair share of taxes, without citing any evidence proving what he says is true. The actual statistics are far more surprising, according to

Steve Hargreaves of CNN. “The top 10 percent of taxpayers paid over 70 percent of the total amount collected in federal income taxes in 2010… The remaining 90 percent bore just under 30 percent of the tax burden. And 47 percent of all Americans pay hardly anything at all,” said Hargreaves. As Hargreaves explains, the rich already pay far more than their fair share, and Sanders wants to tax them even more? Taxation stifles innovation, so the incentive to succeed in America is removed with the addition of more and more taxes. Why strive to get promoted at my job when Uncle Sam will take my pay raise anyways? Why choose to work hard when I can live a similar lifestyle without it? In our political discussions, my dad always used a wagon analogy to describe the American economy. When the people pulling the wagon are outnumbered by the people riding in it, the wagon will stop. This is a perfect metaphor for socialism’s inevitable demise, and the breaking point of the tensions between the makers and the takers in society. Socialism breeds a culture of laziness and collectivism at the expense of productive American men and women who want to succeed for their own benefit, and realize the American dream for themselves. Socialism has proven to be a disaster for economic policy in all cases where it has been tested, and it will prove to be America’s downfall if it

“I donʼt want you.”

Rosalind Hutton is implemented here in the U.S. I will start with the common example, Venezuela. In 1998, Hugo Chávez was democratically elected as the socialist president of the country. As a result, Kenneth Rapoza of Forbes reports, only 20 years later, despite being rich in oil, “the reactionary socialist policies enacted under decades of PSUV (Socialists United) rule have been completely ruinous.” Everything about the Venezuelan economy is disastrous. “Inflation is off the charts, up thousands of percentage points over

the last few years, and up hundreds of percent this year alone. The currency is useless. Some towns have taken to bartering,” Rapoza explains. Needless to say, Venezuela was ravaged by the socialist-planned economy of Chávez and Nicolas Maduro who followed him, but this is only the tip of iceberg when addressing the dangers of socialism on a nation’s economy. Even the gold standard esteemed by the left, European Socialism, has glaring flaws which cannot be ignored. Take Denmark,

a prime example of Scandinavian Socialism. According to Peter Levring of Bloomberg, the middle class cannot afford a car due to the 180 percent new car tax. If this does not dissuade you, how about a quote on how Danish Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen publicly denounces his policies? “I know that some people in the U.S. associate the Nordic model with some sort of socialism. Therefore I would like to make one thing clear. Denmark is far from a socialist-planned economy. Denmark is a market

economy,” Rasmussen said, as reported by The Local dk. Clearly, socialism does not work on paper or in practice. As a result, why would we implement a failing system in the most prosperous nation in the world? The U.S. was founded as a capitalist nation grounded in free markets, low taxes and rewards for risk takers who grew the economy. As a result, we are the envy of the free world for economic might and the power of the dollar. Why attempt to fix what is not broken?

In-class distractions

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SPORTS

Defensive Dog Collars, Slam Dunks, are all part of a culture change HUNTER CLOUD SPORTS EDITOR

After Mississippi State University football’s dominate performances over Kansas State University and Stephen F. Austin University, there was still one thing defensive coordinator Bob Shoop wanted to see improved. “An area of growth would be turnovers. We haven’t really forced any turnovers,” Shoop said. “I think it is hard sometimes when you get the pass rush that we do. The quarterback is throwing the ball into the dirt or out of bounds, but I would like for us break the ice this week and get some turnovers.” The defensive line is filled with talent, and their pass rush often times means position groups like the linebackers can be lost in the shadow cast by the big men at the line of scrimmage. Willie Gay Jr., a

sophomore from Starkville, said the Kansas State game gave the linebackers a chance to get back on level terms in of the tackle stat column. “Some games, they will dominate it, and we will only have like one or two tackles,” Gay said. “Last game, I felt like we were both evened out, and Erroll (Thompson) made a lot of good plays. I feel like we both evened out, and did a lot of good things.” One of those good plays by Erroll Thompson, a sophomore from Florence, Alabama, was made as the Kansas State quarterback threw a low ball, and Thompson dove and caught it before it hit the ground. “It was a great feeling you know,” Thompson said. “That was the one thing I felt like I had to improve on was my pass coverage, getting back in my land marking and just seeing the quarterback and seeing the

eye level.” Thompson forced MSU’s second turnover of the season with his interception. As a result, the players brought out a dog collar, like the one used for the beloved mascot Bully, to celebrate. “It is cool. Erroll (Thompson) got it Saturday, and we slammed it around his neck when celebrating,” Gay said. “It is fun in the beginning because we all compete to get it. It motivates us, we all compete trying to get turnovers, try to play hard and do what we have to do.” It is not the first item to be used as a way to celebrate a turnover, but the dog collar relates to the university and the mascot. Thompson said he believes he knows who the mastermind behind the dog collar was. “I believe it was coach Shoop,” Thompson said. “Shoop Dawg, I feel like

it was his idea to come up with the dog collar, we wanted to spice it up. Miami has the turnover chain, and we wanted to get the dog collar swagger.” The dog collar, although not an original idea, is part of the Moorhead transformation for MSU’s program. In fact, Gay said everything has changed in the way the team prepares, to even how they play. “Everyone is buying in, like everything has changed: from coaching to the way we handle things on and off the field,” Gay said. “Every school in the country has their own turnover prop, and we thought of the dog collar, and it is something that has stuck with us since fall camp.” The dog collar is one of the many ways Moorhead is changing and shaping the culture into one where fun is a welcomed motivation to win. Thompson explains

“Guys, do we really have to eat a pepper every time we force a turnover?”

Rosalind Hutton

how Moorhead has brought change with his philosophy. “Coach Moorhead is all about new ideas and making things fun,” Thompson said. “If you see coach Moorhead, he is on the sideline making alleyoops to Kylin (Hill), so he is all about making it a great environment.” One can have the

opportunity to see dunks scored on the sideline, or maybe even the turnover collar make an appearance, at 6:30 p.m. Saturday as MSU plays at home against the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. ESPN will televise the game on ESPN 2 due to cancelation of other games because of Hurricane Florence.

Softball retires Alex Wilcox’s jersey number BRIANNA WALKER STAFF WRITER

“Keep fighting and keep pushing every single day, don’t ever let anything slow you down.” Alex Wilcox lived by this quote while courageously battling ovarian cancer. Although diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2015, it did not stop Wilcox from competing. She continued to play softball throughout her treatments and helped lead Brantley High School in her hometown of Brantley, Alabama, to multiple state championships, which led her to sign with the Mississippi State University Bulldogs in 2016. She was and will forever be an inspiration to not only her teammates, but to the MSU, Starkville and softball community. In a press release sent out by the MSU athletic department,

it was announced Wilcox’s number will be retired during halftime at the MSU vs University of Louisiana at Lafayette football game on Saturday. “Alex (Wilcox) left a positive and profound impact on the world around her,” said softball head coach Vann Stuedeman. “It is hard to imagine how she must have been feeling physically because there was never a day that she didn’t share her beautiful smile with us. She was full of life. She was brave and her determination was astonishing. She showed us daily how to face an evil giant with grace and dignity. I have been forever changed by her inner beauty, strength, courage and love of life. Alex was a gift to all who knew her. I am thankful she chose Mississippi State, and blessed to have had the opportunity to know her.” Despite receiving

chemotherapy treatments, Wilcox contended in eights game with three starts her freshman year while balancing a full academic course load. Wilcox was named to the SEC Honor Roll in the spring. “Alex epitomized what it meant to be a Mississippi State student-athlete,” Director of Athletics John Cohen said. “Her courage, smile and positive commitment to life in the face of adversity touched the lives of so many. Alex’s legacy will live on forever at Mississippi State as we retire her jersey and dedicate an award in her honor. Generations to come will know her inspirational story, what she stood for and that indeed ‘no one fights alone.’” The MSU softball program banded together to support Wilcox throughout the 2018 season with its “No One Fights Alone”

campaign. The team wore teal uniforms during midweek contests to spread awareness for ovarian cancer and Wilcox’s fight. The campaign made a huge impact as teams across the Southeastern Conference and the country rallied around Wilcox by wearing teal and sending messages of love and support. For their selfless efforts and support, all 13 SEC softball programs were awarded the league’s Sportsmanship Award in June. Wilcox passed away in her hometown of Brantley, Alabama, on June 25. She was 18 years old. On Sept.

16, MSU will honor Wilcox’s legacy with an on-campus memorial service officiated by M-Club director Tyson Lee. “(I’m) grateful that I get to play a part in celebrating a life well lived by Alex Wilcox,” Lee said. “Hearing the stories of the lives she impacted reminds me of the power in a life filled wiht hope.” The service is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. inside the Chapel of Memories, and will feature video tributes as well as members from MSU softball’s team speaking on Wilcox’s impact both on and off the field. The event is

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