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TUESDAY JANUARY 29, 2019
134th YEAR ISSUE 28
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884
MSU enters campaign to host Camp Kesem chapter ELLIE BURSON
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
An opportunity for Mississippi State University to host a Camp Kesem chapter is in the works. Kesem is a growing organization serving more than five million children nationwide impacted by a parent’s cancer. MSU is on the ballot, along with 13 other colleges including Auburn University, the University of South Carolina and the University of Daytona. Voting began on Jan. 28, and will continue through Feb. 1. Camp Kesem is a nationwide community led by students from various colleges around the country. The camps are run during each summer all across the nation. The first camp began in 2000 at Stanford University. The goal of this program is to provide support to children with a parent diagnosed with cancer. According to Camp Kesem’s website, its “innovative and fun filled programs provide children with peers who understand their unique needs, and create longlasting impacts.” This is a volunteering opportunity for students, giving them the chance to greatly impact a child in need. Kesem invests in training, support and leadership development opportunities for students wishing to volunteer. Justin Crenshaw, an interdisciplinary studies major, filled out the application to be a part of the voting campaign as MSU competes with many schools in order to receive the next chapter of Camp Kesem. “The state of Mississippi does not have a chapter of Camp Kesem and children of this state need one,” Crenshaw said. “Mississippi State University and the community of Starkville will support this chapter and bring these children into the family.” As a part of Camp Kesem’s expansion campaign, staff, students, faculty and the community will be able to vote once daily until Feb. 1. Up to six new chapters will be chosen from a list of the 13 finalists. To vote, visit vote. campkesem.org. Winners will be announced Feb. 6.
Voting ends Feb. 1. To vote, visit vote.campkesem.org TUESDAY HI: 38 LO: 21 SKY: Snow POP: 0
Digital Media Center renovates facilities NICOLE RIGSBY
Benjamin Phillips, a junior broadcasting major, said he is excited and thinks this studio will be more convenient. “I think it will help because if you live on campus, instead of going over to the University Television Center, you could just walk on campus, and it will be available inside the library,” Phillips said. “I think it will save time.” This studio is both for leisure entertainment and for classroom application. The students and faculty in the Communication Department get first dibs on the production studios and equipment, but it will be available to all students when it is not in use. There will be a certification process for noncommunication students to ensure knowledge of how to use the studio. One of the rooms will not need training. The One Button Studio is just as it sounds— one push of a button and the equipment turns on to record anything, from an interview to a classroom project.
STAFF WRITER
The Digital Media Center is installing a TV production studio for broadcasting students and faculty to utilize. This construction will last until April, and the equipment installation will finish in July. The production studio will be available and fully functioning by Fall 2019. The Digital Media Center will be renamed after MaxxSouth Broadband due to their large contribution to build and renovate the center. The area will have five rooms: a classroom, TV studio, control booth, equipment closet and a One Button Studio. The TV studio will have the capabilities of filming, recording, editing and producing in a high definition digital quality. This new production studio is focused on the broadcasting department’s needs, allowing professors to hold a class in one room and
Lany Wallace | The Reflector
A portion of Mitchell Memorial Library’s Digital Media Center will house new video studios. It will be under construction until April.
move over to the production studio to show how the lecture is applicable in the professional world. Currently, broadcasting students partner with the University Television Center to become familiar with
the technology used in the professional world and for classroom assignments. John Forde, professor and head of the Communication Department, said he is thrilled of the upcoming facility. “This is a great
partnership, and we are appreciative of the library,” Forde said. “We desperately needed this.” Students who are majoring in broadcasting can look forward to the new addition to their curriculum.
STUDIOS, 2
New ride-share service to expand to Starkville COURTNEY CARVER
full semester.” Initially, Staude and his partners planned to keep EZ-RYDR exclusive to college students; however, one of their promotions changed their game plan. “We had a little New Year’s Eve promo in Oxford, and we actually had some locals sign up,” Staude said. “Now, we are shifting more towards still the rural college cities, but we are opening up to the whole city. The students are still our primary target.” EZ-RYDR is subscription based, meaning students and residents of Starkville can have unlimited rides within the city limits for a set price. EZ-RYDR works through an app like other common ride-share companies. EZ-RYDR, 2
STAFF WRITER
Brianna Laverty | The Reflector
This P.O.D. market is a mobile dining option that provides students with on-the-go snacks and even features a warming oven.
P.O.D. Mobile Cart comes in clutch HUNTER CLOUD SPORTS EDITOR
Convenience is one of the goals of Provisions On Demand, or P.O.D., and its addition of a mobile cart at Mississippi State University aims to offer more convenient options to their customers. P.O.D. is owned by Aramark, who serves as MSU’s dining and food services contractor. The P.O.D. website states it believes the company can act responsibly by serving the customer and environment to its best ability. Aramark Marketing Manager Andrea Pichardo said the P.O.D. mobile cart strives to meet these goals. “We were looking for a way to reach students who might not have time in between classes to have a sitdown lunch,” Pichardo said. “With the P.O.D. Mobile
WEDNESDAY HI: 43 LO: 22 SKY: Partly Cloudy POP: 0
Cart, we’re able to reach students in between classes and they can get a grab-andgo lunch, then head to their next class.”
To find the cart, check: Twitter — @MSUDining Facebook — MSU Dining Instagram — @MSUDiningDawgs While P.O.D serves over 200 locations, Aramark serves many more people throughout the globe—it is active in 19 countries. Pichardo said the P.O.D mobile cart is pretty unique, and the student response has been accepting. “To my knowledge, there have only been a couple at other locations,” Pichardo said. “It’s a fairly new concept, and we are excited
THURSDAY HI: 49 LO: 38 SKY: Partly Cloudy POP: 0
to bring it to the Mississippi State campus.” The P.O.D mobile cart has the ability to go offroad and park on sidewalks, making it more accessible to students. Pichardo said they have planned where they will put the cart on certain days based on the foot traffic in the area. Students can check the location on MSU Dining’s social media accounts. “We post where it will be on our Twitter @ MSUDining. You can also find out more information on Facebook at MSU Dining, or on Instagram @ M S U D i n i n g D aw g s,” Pichardo said. Mark Monahan, who operates the P.O.D. Mobile, said there are a few locations garnering more business than others, and he also said there are several ways MSU students can pay for food and drinks at the P.O.D. Mobile Cart. POD, 2
FORECAST: Snow is in the forecast this week, so make sure to bundle up and stay safe when driving, as temperatures will be fairly low on Tuesday and Wednesday. The university is closed on Tuesday due to inclement weather. Happy snow day, Bulldogs!
Courtesy of Accuweather
EZ-RYDR, a new subscription-based rideshare company, has announced it will expand to Starkville this semester. EZ-RYDR was developed by CEO Kyle Staude and a couple of his friends who had graduated from the University of Mississippi. EZ-RYDR made its first appearance in Oxford last year. “We started in Oxford, and two of the other partners and I actually graduated from Ole Miss, so it made sense for us to start there,” Staude said. “We actually started in the middle of the semester, so the spring will be our first true test since we will have a
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THE REFLECTOR TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2019
@REFLECTORONLINE
POD
BAD DAWGS Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2018 Student arrested in Starkville for careless driving, failure to yield, improper equipment, lack of insurance, following too closely, disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace and felony charges for fleeing law enforcement. Employee arrested on a warrant in Starkville for disregarding a traffic device.
Student passed out, but refused transport to OCH when EMS arrived. Employee reported two prepaid debit cards stolen from his office in Dorman Hall. Student reported receiving a message via Facebook from an unknown female requesting money. Notable Traffic Citations:
Thursday, Jan. 24, 2018
Three MSU citations were issued for speeding, the worst of which was 61/30 on Lee Boulevard.
Student arrested on Highway 12 in Starkville for possession of marijuana and paraphernalia.
Two MSU citations were issued for disregarding traffic devices on Stone Boulevard.
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“We’ve found that the location beside Walker Hall and beside Dorman Hall have been the best. We usually rotate between these two,” Monahan said. “(The P.O.D. Mobile) is open from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Students can pay with credit or debit card, or by using Flex Dollars on their student ID.” As far as student feedback about the P.O.D. Mobile Cart, Monahan said it has received a pretty positive reception
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from students, and Monahan tries to make the experience the best for the students by playing fun music from the cart. “All the students seem excited about the P.O.D. Mobile Cart. A lot of them ask questions about it or want to take a picture,” Monahan said. “We have a Bluetooth speaker set up on the P.O.D. Mobile Cart, and we try to pick music that students like.” With it being new,
EZ-RYDR “You request a ride, but instead of paying per ride, you pay a subscription,” Staude said. “You’ll be able to sign up for weekly or monthly. You pick one, you pay for it and you have unlimited rides in that period. The only per ride transaction you’ll ever have is if you tip.” EZ-RYDR is still in the BETA testing process, though, meaning riders cannot sign up just yet. “We took a little different approach than we did in Oxford,” Staude said. “We went and got drivers on board first, then went to the students. In Starkville, we said we’re not even going to worry about drivers right now, I just want to get in front of students, get questions and inform the people what it is all about. Then, we can gauge the interest level and go recruit drivers.” With EZ-RYDR expanding to the Starkville community, EZ-RYDR has become a member of the Greater Starkville Development Partnership, according to GSDP Director of Tourism Jennifer Prather. With EZ-RYDR, their number one core value is safety, so they have taken
the time to hire the most qualified safety and security specialists for their team. “Our safety and security adviser actually used to be the head of security for the CIA,” Staude said. “He still does contract work with the government specifically for terrorist training overseas, and he does a lot of active
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background checks along with a behavioral profile. “We go above and beyond what the state requires,” Staude said. “We are in the process of transitioning with the company we work with to do our background checks... The company, Safety Penn Technologies, they do
“We’re excited that he’s in Starkville and that his services are going to be offered to our community.” - Hunter Herrington, GSDP Director of Membership Development shooter scenario trainings in schools and how to react. His vision when it comes to safety is to have a preventative approach. For example, maybe related to us, let’s say you’re at the library late at night, instead of walking to your dorm and exposing yourself at the risk of getting robbed or whatever the case may be, just take a ride.” Along with a preventative approach for safety, EZ-RYDR perspective drivers must undergo standard
the standard background checks and a behavioral profile. You can pass all of the background checks, but still not pass the behavioral profile.” Along with all of the thorough background checks and behavioral profiling, Staude meets with all of the drivers faceto-face before they are able to drive for the company. While using the preventative action technique to lower the risk of danger between riders and drivers, there are two
STUDIOS Associate Dean of University Libraries, Stephan Cunetto, lightheartedly described this feature as a “dummied down” version of the production studio. Even though this facility is for the communication department, the studio is being built in the library to allow all students a chance to utilize the facility. “If it was in just in the Department of Communication, then only the students and faculty in Communication would have access to it,” Cunetto said. “By partnering with the library, we are able to make it available to all students. We are hoping that the meteorology program will be able to utilize it as well.” Forde explained by partnering with the library, students will have more access later in the day and on weekends. “In the long term, it is better in the library because of the library’s hours,” Forde said. Forde said it would be difficult to find staff to keep the studio open as long as the library can. Of course, there is the concern of noise from the construction interfering with students’ focus on studying. Sometimes, there are loud noises, but the library anticipated this. There is another group study area opened not too far away from the closed renovation space. This area is usually quiet, but there
the equipment in the rain.” As for now, it looks like there will only be one P.O.D. Mobile Cart at MSU, in the midst of other dining changes such as the State Fountain Bakery location change and the addition of OLILO. “There are no talks of adding another P.O.D. Mobile at this time, but we are always looking to improve and listen to student feedback, so it could be a possibility in the future,” Pichardo said.
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features that can be used through the app to ensure safety. “There is an emergency button,” Staude said. “The driver and the rider both have access to that button. Once the rider is picked up, you will be able to see a little alarm button in the app. You can pre-populate up to five emergency contacts.” Along with the emergency button, there is an option for female riders to choose whether they prefer a female driver or a driver of either sex. While female riders can make this preference, the guarantee of having a female driver relies solely on if there are any female drivers available, according to Staude. With EZ-RYDR focusing primarily on safety, the team behind the new ride-share program is bringing a sense of community to wherever they are operating, according to Staude. GSDP Director of Membership Development Hunter Herrington said the partnership is glad Staude can offer a new method of transportation to Starkville. “We’re excited that he’s in Starkville and that his services are going to be offered to our community,” Herrington said.
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Lany Wallace | The Reflector
The Digital Media Center will soon host a classroom, TV studio, control booth, equipment closet and a One Button Studio.
are not any restrictions on the noise level. Since this newly opened space is for groups and group projects, it is up to the students to decide the type of noise range for the study space. Even though there is noise from the construction, the sound is not unbearable. Cunetto described the noise level in the Digital Media Center is not as bad as the construction noises from the fourthfloor renovations. The carpenters who are working on the area try to limit the noises to respect students’ study time. Usually, it is the loudest early in the morning when there are not as many students in the library. The construction will pause during finals to ensure
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however, there are some adjustments Monahan has had to make, as well as the fact the P.O.D. mobile cannot work in the rain due to potential damage to equipment. “Since this is a new concept, we learned new things as we were starting,” Monahan said. “We had to set up a wifi extender to make sure that our equipment would work properly. We (also) don’t take the cart out if it is raining. I can’t operate
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there are no distractions. Another vision of Cunetto’s is to renovate the Digital Media Center. There are plans to paint the walls, redo the floors and switch out the older furniture with updated desks and tables. MSU’s library is trying to update with the fastchanging, technological world to optimize student education and comfort.
THE REFLECTOR TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2019 @REFLECTORONLINE
LIFE & ENTERTAINMENT
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MSU’s skunks leave a lasting impression on campus HANNAH BLANKENSHIP STAFF WRITER
Despite Mississippi State University’s commitment to hospitality, the campus’ newest residents are not welcome. Stories of skunk spottings and smellings have been circulating for weeks. Two weeks ago, MSU senior Elise Moore and her fellow classmates had an unfortunate encounter with a family of MSU’s skunks. Unbeknownst to the students and faculty, skunks had sprayed the walkway between classrooms at Ballew Hall, leaving residual skunk spray behind. Moore noticed something smelled very off, both during and after class, but decided to continue with her plans and go to the gym, leaving her previous outfit and backpack in her room. Upon returning to her room at the Chi Omega house, Moore’s entire room was filled with the smell of skunk spray, and the clothes and backpack she wore to class reeked of the smell. Moore had to intensively clean all of her belongings and air out her room over night. “I have never experienced anything like this. It is something you hear about,
Wrap it in Maroon and Stripes! Show us your Skunk photos #hailskunk Rosalind Hutton
but you never actually know someone who has had it happen,” Moore said. “Thankfully, it could have been a lot worse.” Afterward, Moore’s professor emailed students about the family of skunks that had sprayed and said they would be working on resolving the issue. Kaleigh Williamson, a freshman from Hattiesburg, spotted a little black and white striped creature scurrying across the road near Old Main one night a little over a week ago.
@reflectoronline “I just saw this creature run across the road and I was like, ‘What is that?’ So I pulled out my phone and videoed it,” Williamson said. Williamson said she had heard reports of the skunks and even saw a few videos, but never expected to see one herself. “I had seen multiple videos last week of these weird looking skunks, and I never thought that I would see one but I did,” Williamson said. Several students reported a distinct skunk smell outside
Moseley Hall which has been present since September and continues to persist. “I haven’t seen any skunks on campus, but I have smelled their sprays outside of Moseley in particular,” said freshman Eli Denson, a resident of Moseley H all. “It smelled like a skunk had sprayed right by the door and the odor has been there since about September.” Campus police said although they had not received any official complaints about the malodorous creatures, one of their canines, Miguel,
had been recently sprayed. Unfortunately for the poor dog, he was discovered to be allergic to skunk spray and had to be shaved and treated with cortisone, reported Chief Rice of the MSU police department. “Canine Miguel got sprayed a little over a week ago, and we found out he’s actually allergic to skunk spray and he’s now having to be treated with cortisone,” Rice said. “He looks terrible because we had to shave him in those areas.” Rice also said the skunk
problem around campus is unfortunately not new, and resurfaces every five years or so. “MSU seems to have this problem every few years, it gets worse and better and worse and better,” Rice said. The skunk issue is not one easily solved. “It’s not socially acceptable to terminate the skunks, and it gets very expensive to trap and relocate the skunks, so it’s not something you can just continually do all the time,” Rice said. Additionally, when the police start attempting to eradicate the skunk problem, they have to address the feral cat problem as well, Rice pointed out. Rice added how many of his officers say the current skunk problem is nowhere near as bad as it was five or six years ago. Skunk spottings or smellings have been reported all over campus, including by the Sanderson, McCool and Critz Hall. Hopefully, the unwelcome critters will soon recede to wherever they came from and not bother MSU for another five years or so, until it is time for them to mark their territory with a whole fresh batch of unsuspecting students.
Blood donation shortage impacts Mississippi health care industry NICOLE RIGSBY STAFF WRITER
Where to donate: MS Blood Services in Oxford, Flowood or Greenville, or contact OCH about their blood donation procedures at 662-323-4320
According to MS Blood Services, a blood donation collection organization in Mississippi, there is a severe shortage of blood donations across Mississippi. When someone is in a car accident, on average, it takes 50 units of blood to replace what was lost. To put this into perspective, one person’s donation is one unit of blood. This means 50 people would have to donate once to help save one person’s life. Considering the number of car accidents that occur, it is not surprising there is a blood shortage. According to MS Blood Services’ website, they only have A+ blood in a good supply. All other types are in critical or severe need. This shortage is due to a lack of donors and an increase of need. During the holiday season, people do not tend to donate as much blood as much as the rest of the year. Unfortunately, winter months are a crucial time for blood usage. Bad weather during the holidays increases the amount of accidents, which subsequently increases the need for blood. In a public statement, Vitalant, another blood donation collection organization in Mississippi, said, “Blood donations collected in late December and early January were down 47 percent compared to the first two weeks of December.” Besides accidents, there are many uses donated blood including surgeries, cancer patients, disease and
blood disorders. MS Blood Services states on their website there are hundreds of pints of blood needed every day. The donation process is simple. Donors must allot about an hour of time depending on the number of donors already in the center or bus. A donor must also eat a balanced meal and bring their ID. There are many donation centers across the state. MS Blood Services even travels in a bus to meet donors for convenience, which comes to the MSU campus about twice a semester. There is an option to donate to a specific patient. When donating blood, if the donor gives a certain code, their donation will go directly to that patient. The reason to donate directly is to lower medical costs. Not only does giving blood save a lives, but it also helps those in financial need. To receive one pint of blood in a hospital, it can cost anywhere between $130 and $150. By donating with a code, the patient will receive the blood for free. While the Mississippi blood crisis it is not devastating the area of Starkville, there are still residual effects. Tom
Sheward, the director of laboratory services at OCH Regional Medical Center, said the state-wide blood crisis has yet to have a major effect on their services, but does occasionally cause problems. “It is rare, but sometimes we have to use typecompatible blood instead of type specific, like O-,” Sheward said. Not only does donating help others, but it also helps the donor. St. Mary’s Medical Center explains how people who consistently donate blood have a lowered risk of heart attacks, cancer and strokes. There are many reasons to donate: to save another’s life and preserve your own. If citizens do not go to donate, the problem may start greatly impacting the MSU and Starkville communities. To host a local blood drive, those interested can contact MS Blood Services or Vitalant. They are friendly to speak to and eager to help make things easier to donate blood. If someone wants to donate right away, MS Blood Services has locations in Oxford, Flowood and Greenville, or contact a local hospital and ask about their blood donation procedures.
CLASSIFIEDS FOR RENT: One bedroom with private bath sublet available in Aspen Heights nowAugust 2019. Part of a 4 bedroom/5 bath townhouse. Call 256655-6432 for more information. The deadline for Tuesday’s paper is 3 p.m. Thursday. The deadline for Friday’s paper is 3 p.m. Tuesday. Classifieds are listed at $5 per issue. Student and staff ads are listed at $3 per issue,
pre-paid. Lost and found items: Found items can be listed for free; lost items are listed at standard ad cost. CLUB INFO Air & Waste Management Association Interest meeting on Jan. 30 at 6 p.m. in Swalm 210. Free food available and a great resume builder! The deadline for Tuesday’s paper is 3 p.m. Thursday. The deadline for Friday’s paper is 3 p.m. Tuesday. MSU student organizations may
in Club Info. Information may be submitted by email to managing@ reflector.msstate.edu with the subject heading “CLUB INFO,” or a form may be completed at The Reflector office in the Student Media Center. A contact name, phone number and requested run dates must be included for club info to appear in The Reflector. All submissions are subject to exemption according to space availability.
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THE REFLECTOR TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2019 @REFLECTORONLINE
OPINION
New York’s abortion law provides a future for women experiencing high-risk pregnancies
KRISTINA DOMITROVICH
is a senior majoring in communication. Contact her at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu
I went to a catholic high school where we were required to take religion classes each year, and three of those years were based on Catholic beliefs. I was taught abortions are bad, no matter what. I remember raising my hand and asking my freshman religion teacher, “But what if the mother is about to die, and the choice comes down to either losing the baby or losing them both?” I was shocked when I was told it was immoral to take just the baby’s life, and it is moral to let both lives die instead. With a bad taste in my
mouth and not knowing any better, I believed what I was told was right and moved on. That is, until I came to college. Here, I realized I honestly am unsure of the exact moment a life begins. I realized I have never been in the position of not knowing where to go or what to do—feeling like I only had this one choice. I never had to choose between a challenging life of motherhood or a promising future with a lifetime of free choices to make. But the new abortion law passed in New York gives women the chance to have a third option— simply a future. According to Caitlin O’Kane for CBS News, the state passed a law allowing late-term abortions if a woman’s health is endangered or if there is absence of fetal viability—as opposed to its previous law allowing these abortions only if the
law states an abortion is an option at this point only if the mother’s health is at risk. This bill also protects medical professionals and doctors from criminal prosecution, no longer criminalizing abortions. As Tony Marco reported for CNN, “The old law had criminal penalties. It was written that the doctor or professional could be held criminally liable,” said Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a catholic, I might add. Bottom line, to everyone who is freaking out that a whole state is letting babies be killed willy-nilly at the hands of a hormonal woman—cool it. These abortions will not occur on a whim, and these will only be offered based on specific circumstances. I do not think abortion should ever be used as a form of birth control, and I think outside measures should be taken against pregnancies that are currently unwanted. But again, with this bill,
Rosalind Hutton
mother’s life was at risk. Michelle Ye Hee Lee reported for The Washington Post at 24 weeks, doctors can determine fetus viability. Essentially, doctors are seeing if a baby can make it full term, or even survive as a premature baby. Now, most abortions occur in the first trimester, and only 1.2 percent of abortions take place after the 21-week mark according to Planned Parenthood. At 24 weeks, a baby is roughly the size of a
cantaloupe and the mother is definitely showing, having already gained about 16 pounds according to Deborah Cicurel for Mother and Baby. At this point, women have decided to reach full term and have their babies—an abortion this late in the pregnancy is not a mere choice. Women determine whether to abort before they begin to show, and they would be showing by 24 weeks. Need I remind you, the
Trivia Time!
these late-term abortions are not being used as, “Oh no, what do I do now?” measures. These are offered for women whose health is in danger or whose baby likely will not survive. Ask yourself what you would do if you were in this position. I know for a fact, I have no idea what I would do if a doctor told me I had to choose whether I would die or live at the hands of my unborn child. These are massive questions women must decide, and that is the beauty of this new law— the women get to choose. This takes a woman’s destiny, and places it back in her hands where it belongs. If you think late-term abortions are immoral no matter what, are you really willing to say two lives should be lost when one could have been saved? If so, I am dying to see the pillow your grandma cross-stitched from which you learned this moral gem.
REFLECTIONS
1. Tom yum is a type of hot and sour soup that originated in which
Malala Yousafzai
country? 2. A Cuba Libre cocktail is made from what two main ingredients?
“There are many problems, but I think there is a solution to all these problems; it’s just one, and it’s education.”
3. What luxury car company introduced the Boxter roadster in 1996? 4. China’s Terracotta Army depicts the soldiers of what emperor? Source: trivia.fyi
Answer: 1. Thailand 2. Rum & Coke 3. Porsche 4. Qin Shi Huang
Exceptional artistry does not always guarantee a moral artist
DYLAN BUFKIN
is a sophomore majoring in English. Contact him at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu.
If you had not heard, Chris Brown still has a career. I know. It was quite shocking to me, too. The man who brutally beat Rihanna still has a solid following behind him, for according to Billboard’s Trevor Anderson, his last album, “Heartbreak on a Full Moon,” debuted at number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart in 2017. Past the Rihanna beating, Brown has continued to embroil himself in controversy, with many more allegations and convictions cascading from his private life. With his abhorrent activities, Brown and artists like him embody a central question in the public mind. Can one’s art be separated from the artist? To make things quick, the answer is no. You cannot separate the creation from the creator any more than you can separate gravity from the universe, which is to say not at all. Creation always contains a mark of the creator, and this goes with any sort of art. A musician’s styling is unique to them, even if they
are heavily influenced by others. An author’s personal voice is present in all of their works, even if they can properly create the illusion of multiple characters. Art contains the signature of who created it, and though you may not even know the artist, you could know the artist’s style. With that out of the way, a more important question arises: what happens if the artist is a horrific monster, and even more puzzling, what if the horrific monster’s art is insightful, groundbreaking or truly exceptional? I have been pondering this question for quite a while now, seeing as I have some investment in some terrible people’s art, and some of my favorite creatives were, or are, garbage human beings. For instance, I was absolutely devastated when I heard about Kevin Spacey’s sexual assault allegations and recent felony charges, reported by Aja Romano with Vox, for I love Spacey’s work in films like “Baby Driver” and TV shows like the excellent “House of Cards.” Note I said “love,” not “loved.” The knowledge of Spacey’s behavior has not lessened my appreciation of his artistry, for Spacey is undeniably an amazing actor, whose performances are ever enthralling. However, I could not finish “House of Cards,” for I could only think of the reality of Spacey, not the fiction he was attempting to portray.
I love this song. Itʼs too bad this guy used to brutally beat women. Speaking of beat, this song has a great one.
Rosalind Hutton
On a similar note, those who know me personally are probably aware of my annoying level of admiration for The Beatles. I listen to them nearly every day, and every time I do, I am more enamored with their creativity. Unfortunately, John Lennon, in private, was not the man of peace that he appeared in public. According to Sydney Rodosevich of The Daily Californian, in an interview with Playboy, Lennon discussed the reality behind the song “Getting Better,” admitting he hit women in past relationships. When I discovered this, I
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The discovery of immorality in the artist does not fundamentally alter the art, though it may alter your perception of it. Say one has discovered something unsettling about their favorite artists. The question now becomes whether they can still enjoy the artist’s art. In my humble opinion, you can certainly still enjoy their art, for you have already enjoyed their art. Their art has shown itself to be enjoyable, and their previous work is not objectively changed by one’s change in perception. If one can continue to enjoy an artist’s creation
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was heartbroken. It was nigh impossible to rectify my love for Lennon and his music with my hatred of contemporary maltreaters, like the previously mentioned Spacey or Roman Polanski. This conundrum led me to a final verdict on art and artists, which I now have the pleasure of sharing. If one is unaware of the moral standings of the artist, the morality of the artist does not factor into one’s enjoyment of their art, and therefore, the art is judged purely on its own qualities based on your personally developed sense of artistic taste.
with the knowledge of their wrongdoing, go right ahead. When discussing financial support of a problematic artist, it becomes far more complex. I would like to simply say, “No, you should not financially support people who are garbage human beings,” and in fact, I did just simply say that. However, it is difficult to determine where the line is. If you were to pirate movies, TV shows or music to avoid financially supporting a specific wrongdoer, you inadvertently do not support the many, and hopefully not terrible, people who helped create that art. Art is not created in a vacuum, as it is. Additionally, it is up to the individual to decide whether it is ethical to illegally consume art in order to avoid financially supporting an individual. In the end, it is always the consumer’s choice of action in how to proceed, but always keep in mind where your money is going and what you are implicitly saying with your financial support. To return to Brown, I shall definitively say one should not support a person who is an abuser, no matter the abuser’s talent. If you cannot live without Brown’s music, you have the right to listen to it, and I will not judge you for your taste if you will not judge mine. However, I will ask that you keep in mind the artist’s actions, for great art does not guarantee a moral artist.
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Letters to the editor should be sent to the Meyer Student Media Center or mailed to The Reflector, PO Box 5407, Mississippi State, MS. Letters may also be emailed to editor@reflector. msstate.edu. Letters must include name and telephone number for verification purposes. The editor reserves the right to edit or refuse to publish a letter.
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Men’s tennis has successful opening weekend, headed to National Indoors HANNAH BLANKENSHIP STAFF WRITER
Mississippi State University men’s tennis kicked off the season with a strong 4-0 win against Wichita State on Saturday during the ITA kickoff weekend tournament hosted in Starkville. The match opened with an honorary first serve by MSU softball head coach Vann Stuedeman in remembrance of Alex Wilcox, a former MSU softball player who died of ovarian cancer in 2018. The Bulldogs also sported teal jerseys with “Wilcox” inscribed across the back to honor the athlete’s legacy. Head coach Matt Roberts emphasized the significance of playing the match in Wilcox-inspired jerseys and how it helped the team bond together in support of her. “Getting to play in those jerseys and play that match for Alex was really cool for us,” Roberts said. “We all compete as a team, all eight, and her number’s eight, so there’s a lot of symbolism in that.” MSU started strong with victories in doubles by Nuno Borges and partner Strahinja Rakic as well as Trevor Foshey and partner
Gregor Ramskogler, earning the Bulldogs one overall point going into singles. “The doubles players did great with their serve returns, first balls and not allowing themselves to get in any holes,” Roberts said. The battle in singles proved to be a little tougher, as Wichita State came out strong and the Bulldogs were either down or even on almost every court for the first 20 or 30 minutes of singles play, Roberts said. However, the players stuck with what they knew to do and edged their way to the top. “Our guys did a great job just trusting themselves and just sticking to their game plan and problem-solving, and just trusting it,” Roberts said. “Next thing you know, the floodgates open a little bit and we created that momentum and from there it was, ‘Okay, let’s finish.’” And finish they did. Borges was the first to earn a singles play point for the Bulldogs, followed by Braun, and finished out by Florian Broska who clinched the match to put the Wichita State Shockers in their grave with 0 overall points to the Bulldogs’ 4. Broska, a sophomore
Hunter Cloud | The Reflector
Nuno Borges focuses on a ball as he plays in a singles match against Wichita State University. MSU is headed to the National indoor championship after this weekend.
from Eitelborn, Germany, said he felt confident going into the match and that the team stayed true to themselves and their energy, resulting in a victory on the courts. Broska also emphasized the support the players gave each other while on the courts and how it helped him stay confident
and energized. “We were just us. As always, we had a lot of energy,” Broska said. “It’s the first time I’ve played with Niclas over there, and it was pretty cool. We talked here and there, and we gave each other a bit of energy. I could hear Trevor on court five screaming to me and it
was cool, we had a lot of support.” Roberts said the players prepared well for the weekend and came into the match confident and ready to go, and it showed in their play. “I thought the guys did a great job preparing for this match. They were
loose, they were confident,” Roberts said. “We really stressed controlling what we can control. They came out today really focused and ready to play sharp, and I thought they did a great job with everything today.” The Bulldogs continued their success on Sunday against the University of Arizona, as they won 4-1, punching their ticket to the national indoor championship in Chicago. It is the first time since 2017 and the 12th time in program history the team reached the National Indoor Championships. In a press release sent out by the MSU athletic department Sunday afternoon, Roberts said after the match the veterans of the team had really put them in a position to be successful at indoors. “Our seniors have done everything possible to put us in a good position to go to National Indoors,” Roberts said. “I’m really proud of how they’ve led this program and competed, and it’s very fitting to see Trevor be the guy to make that push today. I’m just really proud of all the guys, and we’ll turn right back around and get ready for another tough weekend at home next weekend.”
Women’s tennis eager to continue winning ways in 2019
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HANNAH BLANKENSHIP STAFF WRITER
Mississippi State University women’s tennis team is eager to continue victory on the court in the upcoming 2019 SEC season. The team has enjoyed great success the past several years, but refuses to take anything for granted. Their goal is to not only continue their four-year streak of making it to the NCAA playoffs, but make it even further than they have before. Anastasia Rentouli, a senior from Athens, Greece, said the players have their sights set on the Sweet 16. “The bar is set high because the last three years were super successful for us. We made NCAA all three years I’ve been here and the year before I came here,” Rentouli said. “Even though I don’t want to have measurable goals, I definitely want to take it to the next level and make it to the Sweet 16.” The team won their first two matches against Samford University and University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, providing a great start and a positive outlook for the upcoming SEC season. Rentouli said the preseason helps them gain momentum and confidence going into the SEC season. “The goal of these preseason matches is for
us to get some confidence and some wins under our belts, get prepared and work on our game plan in order to succeed in the bigger challenges,” Rentouli said. Janina Braun, a senior from Berlin, Germany, said the biggest test for the team will be continued endurance throughout the season. “The coaches always remind us, ‘Hey, it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon,’” Braun said. “SEC championships is three months from now. Right now, we are in the second week of the season when everybody is of course pumped and still on schedule with classes, but when exams hit and when long road trips hit... at the end of the season, it gets rougher and rougher.” Rentouli agreed and said success would come from perseverance, even when the tennis team does not feel their best. “In the beginning, it always seems easier because everyone is pumped, everyone is taking care of the little stuff, everyone is healthy; but as the season goes on and the matches get tougher, people are not going to be feeling 100 percent, and it’s challenging for us to prepare ourselves to, ‘Hey, I’m not going to be feeling great today, but I’m going to give everything I have,’” Rentouli said. Associate head coach
Sachin Kirtane said the coaches were very excited for the season because of the great attitude and work ethic they have seen so far out of the players. “I think we’ve just got to continue getting better,” Kirtane said. “It’s a long season and this is just the start, but both Daryl (head coach Greenan) and me are very encouraged by what we’ve seen so far as the team chemistry and work ethic of the girls. Everybody is on board, and I think we’re going to enjoy this season.” Kirtane also pointed out how the players are remarkably invested in getting better and working hard, more so than many of the teams he and Greenan have coached before. “We’ve both been doing this a long time and we’ve had teams before that are not as invested as this team is,” Kirtane said. “They do the things you ask them to do, they understand why we’re making them do certain things. As coaches, we’re very proud of that. It’s a group we would go to battle with against anyone.” Kirtane said this year’s players show lots of potential. Braun and Rentouli are excellent examples to the younger girls of team spirit and giving your all, something the two seniors want to leave as their legacy. The team wants to win
as many matches as they can. Braun and Rentouli said they have their sights set on taking down the top five SEC teams, specifically Vanderbilt, who they upset last year and want to defend their win against this year. “We’ll definitely try to beat teams that we haven’t in the past, and keep beating
those who we’ve beat before,” Rentouli said. Kirtane emphasized his goal for the players is for them to take nothing for granted and always give their all. “The main thing is the team needs to focus on not taking anything for granted and just going out there and
no matter what, playing their hearts out and representing Mississippi State with pride,” Kirtane said. MSU suffered losses to both North Carolina State University and UC Santa Barbra this opening weekend, and will be at home this Saturday hosting Alcorn State University.
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