3.29.19 by Reflector Editor

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134th YEAR ISSUE 42

FRIDAY MARCH 29, 2019

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884

Runners to sprint Communication lecturer and newspaper for Super Gabe editor receives backlash after Twitter post in annual 5K KATIE POE

NEWS EDITOR

DREW GARDNER STAFF WRITER

The third annual Sprint for Super Gabe will take place at 6 p.m. April 7. The event is being put on by the Army ROTC to raise funds for epidermolysis bullosa research in honor of Gabe Valentine. Gabe passed away in 2017, and his final wish was to find a cure for this disease. The 5K will start and finish in the Junction. Currently, there are about 100 participants in the race with an estimated 50 volunteers helping on race day. The race is organized by Meghin Smith, Zehavi Suggs and Tony Blackmon. “We are able to host

this event through the Montgomery Leadership Program as our capstone project,” said Smith. The Montgomery Leadership Program is an organization on campus which specializes in making a difference, whether it be nationwide or helping out locally. Two ROTC students and previous Montgomery Leadership Program members, Beler Watts and Brendan Jones, were close with Gabe Valentine and spent time with him at football games and other ROTC events. Utilizing their roles in the Montgomery Leadership Program, they decided to dedicate their capstone to Gabe by creating this event. RACE, 2

Mississippi State University communication lecturer and Starkville Daily News Editor Ryan Phillips tweeted about a conservative student organization being set up on the Drill Field last week comparing the group to the KKK. Since the tweet, university ofﬁcials have released statements

in response to Phillips’ message. The Young Americans for Freedom (YAF) chapter at MSU had set up a table and sign Wednesday stating, “Build the Wall.” A student tweeted a video of the table which Phillips retweeted with a comment on Twitter reading, “Hey the White Male Student Caucus holding a gathering. Hoods and burning crosses optional.” Local YAF chapter

president Jesse Watkins said to the comparison between the group and the KKK was unreasonable. “We were extremely disappointed that he conﬂated us with the KKK,” Watkins said. “I think that it showed a lack of journalistic integrity, and any reasonable American wouldn’t want to be attached to the KKK’s despicable history and their platform of hatred.”

Ryan Phillips

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Spring is

Rosalind Hutton

Strange Brew named ﬁnalist in business contest HUNTER CLOUD SPORTS EDITOR

Strange Brew Coffeehouse is one of the 10 ﬁnalists in the MWG Employer Services Business Game Changer Contest put on by Mississippi State University Athletics and its multimedia rights holder Bulldog Sports Properties. A local coffee shop ﬁrst opened in 2005, but its

roots go deeper than that with the father of current owner Shane Reed having built the gas station Strange Brew now calls home. Shane’s wife Katelyn Reed described the station. “It used to have an old maroon and white tile ﬂoor back in the day,” Katelyn said. “Shane was born and raised a Bulldog back in the day. Their family has always kind of had roots around the Starkville area.” CONTEST, 2

Kierra Magee | The Reﬂector

Manolo Diaz, a computer science major, and Roberto Valadez, a kinesiology major, both enjoy the sunny weather by throwing a frisbee on the Drill Field.

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TEDx to hold conference at MSU TORI BOATNER

Strange Brew, a local Starkville coffee shop, opened its doors more than 10 years ago.

Justin Truss | The Reﬂector

Looking to bring strong ideas and influential speakers to Mississippi State University, student organizers of TEDx at MSU have coordinated the university’s first TEDx conference. It will be from 4 to 9 p.m. April 5 in the Union Dawg House. TED, a nonprofit, developed as a conference in 1984 where topics such as technology, entertainment and design united. Today, the

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conference covers an array of topics from social issues to science. TEDx is an independent branch of TED that encourages communities and universities to share experiences and knowledge at a localized level. Michael Poole, president of TEDx at MSU, said one of the organization’s goals is to provide attendees with a wide range of speakers and topics. The organization is hosting seven speakers, ranging from students to an Olympic silver medalist. The theme of the conference is

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“Moving Forward.” Poole said speakers will share about their journey and experiences. “A lot of our talks will be about ways people have experienced tragedy and have moved passed that, or even ways that our society as a whole can move forward,” Poole said. Poole said he hopes speakers are relatable to attendees. “Diversity is one of our goals,” Poole said. Poole said he is looking to not only engage the university, but the community as well. “I think it is important

to provide an example to the community of how it doesn’t matter where you come from or what your background is, you can end up successful in this life,” Poole said. Poole said he is looking forward to sharing the value that TED conferences bring to students and the community. “It’s a fairly renown program, and I feel like if we can put on a really good conference this year, then people will know how important TED is,” Poole said. “That’s what I’m really excited for.” TEDX, 2

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RACE The capstone course is currently being taught by Meaghan Gordon, instructor of public relations in organizations. Gordon helped a group of seniors organize another event in Gabe’s honor, called Super Gabe’s Super Friends, that benefits disabled children in the Starkville area. The Sprint for Super Gabe 5K benefits the Epidermolysis Bullosa Research Partnership. More commonly known as EB, the disease occurs when individuals lack major proteins that bind two layers of skin together. Without these proteins, EB tears and

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blisters the skin, leading to intense pain. EB currently does not have a cure. Gabe’s father, Michael Valentine, is a psychology instructor at MSU and an activist for EB research. “Gabe was a huge fan of Mississippi State and all that had to do with athletics, especially,” Valentine said. “He was a very bright child and was in the gifted program in elementary school.” Even after missing half of the second grade and most of the third grade for medical treatments, Gabe still scored above average at school. Along with having a

knack for academics, Gabe was extremely involved with the Starkville community at a young age. He served as an honorary police officer for the Starkville Police Department and member of the Bulldog Battalion, where he enjoyed firing the cannon with the battery. The Bulldog Battalion even named their lounge center in Middleton Hall after Gabe. All of the money raised for the Sprint for Super Gabe 5K goes directly to the EB Research Partnership. Registration for the race has ended, but donations for Super Gabe 2019 are welcomed.

Glenn Walker | Courtesy Photo

Chicken Salad Chick is now open in Starkville, and is located beside Starbucks on Hwy 12. The new restaurant held its grand opening March 26, where the first 100 customers who ordered “The Chick” recieved free chicken salad for a year.

TEDX

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Avery Ferguson, vice president of TEDx at MSU, said she is excited about the platforms the speakers have to share their stories. “People get an opportunity to share things that they think people should know about, learn about and they’re passionate about,” Ferguson said. “It’s a really big audience they get to reach.” Ferguson said speakers

will have the opportunity to share their stories with audiences beyond the TEDx conference as talks will be uploaded to the TEDx YouTube channel, which has millions of followers. Ferguson also said the TEDx conference is an opportunity for students to network and collaborate with other students. “It’s a way to meet people and learn new things

CONTEST

in a way not the same as taking a class,” Ferguson said. “It’s a little more personable because you’re hearing from someone who’s experienced something and has committed their time to their ideas.” Ferguson said the organization is interested in the growth of the TEDx conferences, and hopes students will join their interest meeting in the fall. CONTINUED FROM 1

Brew first opened it offered something Starkville never really had. “When Strange Brew opened, Starkville did not really have anything like a modern coffee house,” Katelyn said. “It has also been a place over the years for students to study late, when no one else is open late. Or be able to get a drink that you might only be able to get in bigger cities. Kind of cutting edge technologies.” Katelyn said another way Strange Brew is part of the Starkville community is how it tries to employ students. Another thing setting Strange Brew apart is its use of social media and its sign to poke fun at MSU’s athletic opponents, as well as supporting MSU. “It has been a way for us to connect with people as they have started at our store and then moved after they graduated,” Katelyn said. “We still use our social media as a way to talk to alumni that live all over the country. It is also really fun to show what all is going (on) in Starkville at any given time. Kind of entice them to come back and see us.” The top winners of the award will be announced during Super Bulldog Weekend, April 12 to 14, and

Katelyn said they still have interactions with customers who remember coming in to buy things like chicken nuggets when it was a gas station 30 years ago. She used the word “family” to describe the environment and atmosphere Strange Brew created. “Now their kids are in school and they are getting coffee from Strange Brew, and it’s just a really big family environment,” Katelyn said. “My favorite times are when we see people who have come there when they stop by Strange Brew when they tour Mississippi State. Then they come by on graduation and we meet their parents. We get to see the progression as students go through Mississippi State over the years.” Katelyn said part of the application process for the contest, which started in the fall, was an essay explaining part of the culture Strange Brew has in the StarkvilleMSU community. According to the Strange Brew’s website, it roasts its coffee beans locally in Mississippi, and it has not only had an impact on the local economy, but also the community of Starkville. Katelyn said when Strange

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has an estimated value of $60,000 in business services and marketing value. Joel Jasper, manager of MWG Employer Services said this award is the first of its kind, and MWG loves they are involved in this contest as they can provide local businesses recognition. “It’s a terrific opportunity to recognize Mississippi entrepreneurs,” Jasper said. “Pay tribute to their hard work, and help them take their business to the next level. We’re looking forward to revealing the winner during the 34th annual Super Bulldog Weekend in April.” The entries were also read by John Cohen, director of athletics at MSU, who said the athletic department wanted to show its appreciation for the local businesses that support them by helping them out. “It’s rewarding to read in the entries how winning this contest would be a gamechanger for these owners and operators,” Cohen said. Katelyn said she thought about how big of a game changer this would be for a small business like Strange Brew, and she said it would mean everything. “It is kind of hard to think about,” Katelyn said. “Because having an opportunity to partner with Mississippi State Athletics is not something that a very small business gets to think about. It would be so exciting to see our name on the jumbotron, it would just be the highlight of our year.”

PHILLIPS Watkins, who is a junior aerospace engineering student, also said Phillips did not approach or talk to any of the members set up on the Drill Field that day. Kaleigh Williamson, a freshman business major and member of YAF, replied to Phillips’ tweet to explain how YAF was not made up of solely male members. She wrote, “Thank you for assuming that I’m a white male! You’re welcome to come to the table next time and not base your opinion off of one video on twitter.” MSU President Mark Keenum issued a statement on Phillips’ comments. Keenum explained how student organizations are allowed to exercise the First Amendment on campus. “They (YAF) followed proper protocol and procedures in securing a space on the Drill Field to offer their viewpoint and discuss the immigration issue with other students. They were exercising their First Amendment and freedom of assembly rights, just as many student groups do nearly every day here on the MSU campus,” Keenum said. “I share your concerns about the inappropriate rhetoric Mr. Phillips used in engaging these students. He should have known better.” Phillips responded to the situation as a whole and Keenum’s claim in an open letter published in the Starkville Daily News. “As many people have already said, I should have known better ... and they’re right. The only thing I will not apologize for is having an opinion and voicing it,” Phillips wrote. In the letter, Phillips said his comments did not have any connection to the university or the newspaper for which he works, explaining how his opinion was posted on his personal Twitter account. “The comments made from my personal Twitter

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account concerning the ... event on the Drill Field last week were in no way a reflection of any of the institutions I am involved with and while I understand that my comments offended certain sensibilities, it was presented from my personal Twitter account, which explicitly states that any opinions offered ‘are my own’ and are in no way associated with anyone else I may be affiliated with,” Phillips wrote.

be cautious of what they say,” Watkins said. “Even if it is his personal Twitter, students and locals alike read his opinions, and we think that we are justified in defending our club from those kinds of statements.” Watkins said he recently reached out to Department of Communication Head John Forde to speak about the situation. Forde did not respond to The Reflector’s inquiries about this conversation by the Friday

“I simply made a tasteless joke that fell flat for the people it was aimed at and others who felt they were targeted.” - Ryan Phillips, communication lecturer and Starkville Daily News editor Phillips also said he attempted to meet with members of YAF in person, but they “backed out at the last minute.” Watkins said YAF encourages a dialogue between the organization and members of the university’s community. “We want to encourage open dialogue with students and teachers around campus, and we feel that conflating us with KKK members harms our ability to have civil discussions,” Watkins said. “We fear that comparing us to horribly evil groups allows people to justify violence against our group.” In his letter, Phillips said he will not delete his tweets to serve as a reminder that what is posted on social media can have lasting consequences. “I simply made a tasteless joke that fell flat for the people it was aimed at and others who felt they were targeted. But to apologize for having an opinion — regardless of how it may have come off — would signal the death of free speech in this country and I refuse to grease that slippery slope,” Phillips wrote. Watkins said YAF does not want to ask Phillips to be silent, but rather to choose his words carefully. “We don’t want to silence Mr. Phillips, but we think that teachers of journalistic ethics should

edition deadline. In a statement, MSU Chief Communications Officer Sid Salter said Phillips’ comments were unsuitable. “As a newspaper editor and as a part-time instructor in MSU’s Department of Communication, Mr. Phillips should be particularly sensitive to free speech and assembly rights – his own and those of others,” Salter stated. “His social media comments aimed at these students were highly inappropriate, inflammatory, and patently unfair and intolerant. On any given day, students and faculty with widely divergent social and political views intersect on our campus and it is incumbent on all parties to maintain decorum and mutual respect in the conduct of those activities. Mississippi State University stands behind our free speech and assembly policies.” Watkins said he was happy to see the university stand behind students’ rights to free speech on campus. “I was proud and happy to see that our school stood for free speech,” Watkins said. “Mississippi State stood for our right to stand on the Drill Field and express our opinions, and we are all extremely proud that we go to a school that will work with us. Some schools wouldn’t stand by their students.”

THE REFLECTOR FRIDAY, MARCH 29, 2019 @REFLECTORONLINE

BULLETIN BOARD

An In-Class Distraction

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY...

… in 1973, the U.S. withdraws from the Vietnam conflict. Two months after signing the Vietnam peace agreement, the last U.S. combat troops left South Vietnam as the remaining American prisoners of war were freed from North Vietnam. The day would put an end to America’s eight years of intervention in Vietnam. However, 7,000 U.S. Department of Defense civilian employees would remain in Saigon in order to aid South Vietnam’s fight against the communist North Vietnam. … in 1929, former President Herbert Hoover had a phone installed at his desk in the White House’s Oval Office. Throughout installment, Hoover was rather cranky at how long it took. At one point, he complained to aides that his son was unable to call the line from a different line. Before this telephone was installed, Hoover had to use a phone in the foyer outside of the Oval Office. The White House had previously used telephones and switchboards since 1878 when former President Rutherford B. Hayes had the devices installed.

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two-three years in Head Lifeguard/Pool Mgt. with current certifications; some working knowledge of pump room equipment; experienced with keeping pool at proper chemical level, following Health Department requirements; must be able to manage and schedule a staff of 12-15 individuals; professional, courteous, work well with others; keen eye for detail/ good organizational skills. Resumes can be sent by email to bob@ memphiscc.org CLUB INFO 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 place free announcements 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 The Reflector at 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.

March 26 puzzle solutions

… in 1790, former President John Tyler was born in Charles City County, Virginia. Tyler was the last president to originate from the colonial Virginia planter class, like former presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and James Monroe. After being elected as former President William Harrison’s vice president in 1841, when Harrison died one month into office, Tyler was thrust into the role. Tyler would go on to attempt a Peace Convention between the North and South on the eve of the Civil War, but he and former president Abraham Lincoln failed to agree on key issues. Tyler was denounced as a traitor by the North, and fell in line with Southern secessionists. In 1861, Tyler was elected to the Confederate House of Representatives. Tyler died on Jan. 16, 1862 in Richmond, Virginia, just days before the first meeting for the Confederate Congress. history.com

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OPINION

Political intolerance of any kind should not be condoned $%*# *#@$

&*%$# MICHAEL BOURGEOIS

is a freshman majoring in English. Contact him at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu.

Last Wednesday, Mississippi State University students welcomed the Young Americans for Freedom’s chapter here at MSU with a juvenile chorus of “F-yous” and middle fingers from the more politically radicalized students among us. Apparently, anyone right of Karl Marx who peacefully stands next to a banner with the words “Build the Wall” across it is a cause for labeling that person a white supremacist, or at least this is indicative of how today’s Left sees our world. I find it very ironic the political ideology promoting the values of tolerance and inclusivity are so hostile to opposing viewpoints, especially when prompted by the very people who disagree with them to engage in a discussion. The crux of the issue is, of course, politics. Leftist extremists find it difficult to separate the political viewpoints of a person and the person themselves. So, rather than attack the arguments, they attack the people espousing them. From this point, it becomes simple to use ad hominem name-calling like fascist, white supremacist,

&*^%# Yo u’re a

^%*$# YOU

Rosalind Hutton

misogynist, etc., or worse, take physical actions against the people with whom they disagree. This is liberal intolerance. This is the reason we heard mindless chanting to drown out productive debate; the reason we saw stickers on YAF’s banner to cover the obscene image drawn by an overzealous Leftist; the reason we had to have a police officer out on the Drill Field as a preemptive deterrent to physical acts of violence. This is symptomatic of a larger problem with our nation as a whole—the intolerant Left must be open to discussing ideas and

use words instead of fists, so we may work together to find the best possible solution and restore civility to American politics. Emboldened by the radical Left’s misguided crusade, the champions of social justice attempt to drown out all dissenting viewpoints through uproar instead of discussion. Partisan tribalism, the usversus-them mentality has turned the arena of ideas into a war zone, and all is fair in war. According to Jeffery Selingo of The Washington Post, “37 percent of college students said that shouting down speakers was acceptable.”

In addition, “10 percent said it was acceptable, sometimes, to use violence to prevent someone from speaking.” These statistics are an embarrassing reflection of how weak our understanding of the first amendment is, freedom from speech, as opposed to freedom of speech. In no instance should shouting down opposing views ever be condoned; allowing our ideas to speak for themselves is what separates us from animals. Leftists are afraid of this. They are afraid of their worldview being challenged, so they would much rather attack the person instead of

the argument. When Brad Polumbo of National Review “dared to be both openly gay and vocally conservative,” at his liberal Massachusetts university, he was “harassed and bullied online by Leftwing students to the point where (he) had to delete every dating app from (his) phone.” Such is the case for most students who deviate from the destiny the Left has laid out for them—stay in line, or we beat you into submission if you think differently. The Left’s hateful and uncivil manner toward those they disagree with makes a compelling case for conservatism, and drives students further right. But a question remains: Why do liberals despise conservative ideas to the degree of hostility? The answer is simple; arrogance and the 100 percent conviction the liberal perspective is correct even in instances of irrefutable evidence. Nicholas Kristof of The New York Times said the reason conservative views are not taken seriously stems from “the implication that conservatives don’t have anything significant to add to the discussion.” Rather than waste time on idiotic opinions that could never work, in the Left’s eyes, simply shout down the speaker, so the people with real solutions, who conveniently always lean Left, can discuss what to do. It is a dehumanizing effort on the part of the Left, and it is also the same reason they use

charged words against conservatives. Who cares about the opinion of a fascist, a white supremacist or a homophobe, it is always going to be heavily slanted due to these extremist views? The dehumanizing effort excuses uncivil behavior against conservatives by equating these extremist views with mainstream conservatism. Ironically though, it is not just conservatives who are adversely affected by suppression efforts of Leftist extremists, but the Left themselves. The quality of education of the institution as a whole suffers when all ideas are not represented fairly. Kristof writes, “When perspectives are unrepresented in discussions, when some kinds of thinkers aren’t at the table, classrooms become echo chambers rather than sounding boards—and we all lose.” This is certainly not the type of institution I want to be a part of, and most frightening of all is the fact we are doing this to ourselves. Constant fear of being shouted down, harassed, bullied or assaulted is always in the conservative mind simply because of the idea that they do not share what the Left assumes to be the majority opinion. Fear breeds silence, and silence solves no problems. In the arena of ideas, for a position on the Left to be valid, it must be contrasted with a position on the Right. How can this occur if the conservative view is never heard?

Trump’s tariffs are terrible for the US Economy

SAMUEL TAYLOR RAYBURN

is a senior majoring in communication and economics. Contact him at opinion@ reflector.msstate.edu.

According to Jacob Pramuk of CNBC, last week, President Donald Trump announced plans to keep his $250 billion of tariffs on Chinese imports. While sticking to his guns is admirable, Trump’s decision here hurts the overall economy. To understand why tariffs are undesirable, you first must understand what they are. Tariffs are a tax, but instead of it being on individual people, it is a tax on things entering the country. Overall, taxes on individual items are bad for the economy; they create what is called a deadweight loss. Due to the laws of supply and demand, every good produced has a certain equilibrium price and quantity at which it will be bought and produced. When a tax on a certain good is implemented, the price is moved up above the equilibrium level, creating inefficiencies in the market and producing deadweight

on the economy. In other words, lower quantities are produced, and these quantities also cost more than what people perceive they should be paying for them, so consumers buy less. The economy as a whole is losing on this extra production, and more importantly, many consumers lose out on buying things they once could. When you apply this to international trade, the same thing happens. Consumers have fewer options at a higher price because of the deadweight put on the world economy by a tariff. So, if tariffs make goods cost more and lower the amount of a goods made and bought, why do governments put them in place? It is primarily to protect individual groups of people—in Trump’s case, steelworkers. Trump is trying to corner his own market, the market of votes. According to Rex Nutting of MarketWatch, the region with the most workers in steel production are located “battleground states” in the Midwest. This is not the first time a president has tried this. In 1930, former President Herbert Hoover and Congress passed the Smoot-Hawley Tariff, raising already high U.S. tariffs to even higher levels in order to protect farmers.

Rosalind Hutton

The result was European retaliation, and overall trade in the world went down 66 percent, as reported by Will Kenton of Investopedia. This put even more strain on the world economy as it tried to fight through the Depression. Retaliation is what is happening now due to these tariffs. China, the second biggest economy in the world, has put $110 billion in tariffs on the U.S. This leads to less overall trade throughout the world, which is bad for everyone. The reason behind the trade war, the U.S. trade deficit, is nothing more than a scare tactic used by politicians. It has little, if any, negative impact on the

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to spend abroad. If the economy was worse off and people had less to spend, the trade deficit would shrink. Another reason the trade deficit is irrelevant is everyone, at least on a personal level, operates on one. I know I do. When I go to Chick-Fil-A and buy a chicken sandwich, I am operating at a trade deficit with Chick-Fil-A. This is why trade is good. Even when you are at a deficit, you are getting goods at a lower cost than you would be making them on your own. If ChickFil-A is more efficient and produces better chicken sandwiches than I can make at home, it makes the

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Life Editor/Emma Moffett

Managing Editor/Kristina Domitrovich News Editor/Katie Poe

economy. For one, it is heavily misunderstood. The trade deficit is offset by a capital investment surplus, while the U.S. spends money importing goods from other countries, other countries use that money to invest in U.S. companies instead of buying goods. The two offset each other. An example of this is when a Japanese car company spends money to open a plant in the U.S., creating jobs with their capital investment. Even if steelworkers lose jobs, new jobs pop-up due to capital investment. Plus, all a trade deficit shows is how consumers in the country have money

most sense for me to buy from them. The same principle applies to the world scale if China makes steel more efficiently than the U.S. and can sell it at a cheaper price than the U.S. can, the U.S. benefits more from buying Chinese steel than making their own. The tariffs on steel hurt everyone as they drive steel prices up and reduce the amount of steel bought. What happens is, companies making things out of steel, like Ford and Chevrolet, spend more to make cars, which means it costs more to buy cars. This in turn means the greater public spends more than they normally would on cars and have less disposable income to spend on other things. This lowers their overall options on how to spend their money. This also applies to those steelworkers who benefit from the tariffs. You could argue they really do not net gain because of the increase in production across the board in steel. Overall, tariffs are inherently bad for the U.S. and world economies. The reason protectionist policies like this are put in place is for a president or party to gain votes. The trade deficit does not matter, and we should worry more about finding the best price for something, regardless of where it is, than making sure it is U.S. made.

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Longboarding culture swerves onto MSU’s campus MARY MADELINE LAMASTUS STAFF WRITER

Onlookers stare as a student zooms down the hill, gracefully weaving his way through the morning crowd on his board. Once the student reaches his destination, he stops with ease, picks up the wooden board and heads into the building for class. He is a regular student with faster transportation means. He is a longboarder. Though longboarding may have only gained popularity in recent years, the hobby has been around for a long time—almost 70 years. Originally beginning in Hawaii in the 1950s as an attempt to mimic ocean waves on solid ground, this “sidewalk surfing” has grown in American culture. Among these riders include at least 30 to 50 Mississippi State University students who have been longboarding on campus. The unofficial group began casually in 2016 communicating via Snapchat. However, this group has grown their organization and named it the “Cement Eaters.” Brennan Bell, senior mechanical engineering major, is an active member

of the group. He has longboarded for four years now, and spends most of his free time with the longboarding group. “We all have our different majors and professions, but we all like skating,” Bell said. “It is what brings us together.” Bell attests that, to his knowledge, longboarders have never received pushback or discouragement from the university. Police only ask longboarders carry rather than ride their boards across crosswalks for safety’s sake. Though longboarding is a different culture than other types of boarding, the general population is unaware of the distinctions. Bell explained how different boarding types are very different subcultures, though they are often grouped together. “There’s skateboarding, longboarding and pennyboarding. We don’t associate with people with pennyboards,” Bell said, laughing. “We are a separate entity.” Yasin Simpson, a sophomore computer engineering major, and Heather Mehaffy, a freshman biology major, are also part of the Cement Eaters. They

Brennan Bell |Courtesy Photo

Members of the Cement Eaters longboarding group at MSU line their different different patterned and sized longboards next to one another while out on a group longboarding excursion.

both expressed excitement for the community the hobby has provided them. “This group is pretty much where all of my friends are,” Mehaffy said. “I have met so many people through it, and they are the people I am with on the weekends.” Simpson said there is a sense of community with fellow boarders on campus, even people he does not know personally. “There’s a mutual understanding,” Simpson said. “I always give another boarder a nod when both of us are riding, even if I don’t know them.” Beyond community,

longboarding has also provided a major outlet of expression for Simpson and Mehaffy. “There are so many ways to express yourself through longboarding. Every board has a story,” Simpson said. “The way someone decks their board can tell you a lot about their personality.” The longboards mean a lot to their owners, and Simpson said he believes a broken board is not too far from a broken heart. “Having a board break hurts. It’s like losing a family member,” Simpson said. “You never throw away your board after it breaks. I cannot

think of a single person who has thrown a board away for any reason.” Specific boards are also used for different riding styles. Styles range from a strictly transportation style, to freeriding, to longboard dancing. In addition to specific boards, but each boarder has their own personal style of riding. The Cement Eaters said they can identify their friends by the unique styles. Though the students enjoy their time boarding, they ride primarily for transportation purposes rather than recreation. Brennan Bell estimated 90

percent of his time boarding is for transportation, estimating about 3 miles of longboarding per day. Mehaffy estimated longboarding to a destination reduces the travel time by three-fourths, explaining that a 20-minute walk is usually equivalent to a fiveminute ride. Simpson said on days when boarding is not an option because of the weather, he is sad for a day without his hobby. “You live through your board if you have it long enough. Not having it hurts,” Simpson said. “When I have to walk everywhere, it’s slower, and I’m just more bored.” As for those who choose to walk to classes, Bell encourages pedestrians to not be afraid when longboarders are beside them on the sidewalk. “We route plan, and as long as people keep walking, it’s fine,” Bell said. “Don’t freak out and jump when we ride by, because that is how the accidents happen.” The Cement Eaters hope to make their group an official student organization in the future, but until then, interested boarders can contact Brennan Bell at bsb330@msstate.edu.

‘Us’ is this year’s horror movie to beat TALLY DUKE STAFF WRITER

“Us” hit the movie theaters March 22 and has left everyone who watches it asking questions. Produced and directed by Jordan Peele, “Us” has everyone talking. If you are looking for a movie to challenge your

with a wall of bunnies in cages, which ends up foreshadowing a part later in the movie. Adelaide Wilson, the main character, goes through a scarring event during her childhood in Santa Monica that later comes back to haunt her. The film then fasts forward to Adelaide,

Rosalind Hutton

mind and keep you guessing throughout the entire two hours, then this movie is for you. From plot twists to identical characters, “Us” is this year’s horror movie to be beat. The movie begins

her husband and two kids visiting their summer house on a lake. The family meets up with friends at Santa Monica and sees something disturbing, which we later realize is relevant information. The family

leaves Santa Monica and comes back to their vacation home, but what they did not know is their night was far from over. A family is spotted in the driveway of their home, motionless. The mysterious people wear red suits and look strangely like Adelaide and her family. This is when the movie gets exciting. We are introduced to this strange family, who looks identical to the Wilsons, but something is off. This strange family is the evil counterparts of each member of Adelaide’s family. Peele was bringing a very strong message to the big screen—we are our own worst enemy. Each scene has a deep meaning, and you will be unable to fully understand the movie by only watching it once. This is the type of movie you can watch over and over, and every time, you will notice something new or see something in a different light. Adelaide Wilson fights for her family’s safety throughout the entirety of the film, which makes her the heroin everyone is rooting for—or so we thought. We follow Adelaide throughout the movie, and even to the sewers, which is later revealed to be an empty underworld with rabbits being the only living thing left besides Adelaide and her counterpart. An interesting cinematic

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choice was including shears as the only weapon in the show. The “tethered” were all equipped with shears to fight their person. Guns were not included in any fight scenes, which, I believe is another hidden meaning. Adelaide finally beats her attacker, and the crowd

cheers for her until the very last scene of the movie... but you will have to go see it to find out why. One of the final scenes in the film is all of the tethered beings shown holding hands for miles and miles, reaching into the abyss. The Rotten Tomatoes

score is 95 percent, which in my opinion is fitting. Peele went above and beyond with symbolism and hidden meaning throughout the movie. I highly recommend seeing this movie if you are interested in being challenged and on the edge of your seat for the entire film.

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Rakic, Borges share a bond, success in doubles HANNAH BLANKENSHIP STAFF WRITER

Started from the bottom, Strahinja Rakic, a senior member of the Mississippi State University men’s tennis team from Belgrade, Serbia, will now go down in the history books as being on the winningest doubles team in MSU’s history. Rakic started playing tennis at age 7 after shagging balls for his older brother’s tennis practices. From there, he started playing tournaments and eventually advanced to the national level and onto professional tournaments around Europe. “I got some good results and coach Roberts texted me and started recruiting me. I never actually thought of college before until he texted me and I decided to consider it,” Rakic said. “My parents and I decided to give it a shot and get an education and tennis all together, because that was my goal—to finish university and to also keep

playing tennis.” Joining MSU’s tennis team was one of the best decisions Rakic has made, he said. “Tennis is an individual sport, so it’s kind of weird playing tennis and being on a team, and I think our biggest thing is that we’re like family,” Rakic said. “Everybody here, not just tennis, not just our team, it’s all sports—we’re all close to each other and I enjoy the time here, and I think it’s one of the best decisions of my life to come here.” Rakic’s success has continued at the college level, and he said the team winning last year’s SEC Championship was his proudest moment playing tennis. “Winning the SEC Championship last year with the guys,” Rakic said, “it was unbelievable and I don’t think I’ve ever been happier about my tennis than that time.” Rakic and doubles partner Nuno Borges were

instrumental in the victory, winning their match against Texas A&M’s nationally fourth-ranked Aguilar and Arconada, helping the Bulldogs clinch the allimportant doubles point. As MSU’s winningest doubles pair in program history, Rakic said his and Borges’ success comes from having a good relationship on and off the court, which is why they have found so much success in doubles. “We’re friends off the court, we live together. Since we started here, we’ve been very close; we like each other, we enjoy spending time with each other,” Rakic said. “I think that’s something you also need to be successful as a team, you need to be able to understand each other and play similar tennis as well.” Rakic said Borges is an incredible teammate with a lot of potential. “I can’t say enough words about Nuno,” Rakic said. “He’s unbelievable for us, even in singles, and I think he’s going to be an

unbelievable professional tennis player after college.” Borges feels the same about Rakic, which is just more evidence of the great relationship that has led to such unprecedented success on the court. “I think he’s a great player, a great guy, a great friend,” Borges said. Borges said he and Rakic lift each other up and have been playing together for so long that sometimes they do not even need to call the plays, they just intuitively know what is going on. “Sometimes when I don’t feel the greatest, he’s there to give me a few balls and stay us in the game sometimes; and that’s what we do for each other,” Borges said. “I do the same for him, and we try to push each other. We’ve known each other for a while, we’ve been playing together for a while too, so that’s great chemistry.” Rakic said he is still considering his plans for after college, but hopes to at least play doubles professionally.

Strahjnia Rakic hits a volley in a match for MSU. Rakic and Nuno Borges are ranked No. 1 in men’s doubles nationally, according to the Intercollegiant Tennis Association website.

HUNTER CLOUD

One of those players who will have the ability to achieve that life long goal is Abrams as his playmaking ability on film really helped his case for an NFL team to draft him. Moorhead said what makes him so unique is he goes 100 percent a 100 percent of the time. “I think his ability, I think its his approach, I don’t know if I know a single guy who loves to practice as much as he does,” Moorhead said. “Someone who is always on the ground just because he is that aggressive. He is a guy that competes his tail off, has great football IQ and is

a good teammate. I think he did everything he could to elevate his draft stock this year.” That hard work ethic is one that the whole MSU defense shared last season, and one that Abrams said coaches in the NFL really noticed and mentioned when he met with them for interviews. “One thing that they have emphasized is balls to the wall,” Abrams said. “With our defense this year one coach said every play we are defending every blade of grass that is behind us which is true. We take pride in that.

NFL Pro Day showcases MSU talent

SPORTS EDITOR

Noah Siano| The Reflector

Johnathan Abrams runs onto the field during the Texas A&M game in the fall of 2018. Abrams is expected to be drafted into the National Football League this April 25-27.

Hunter Cloud| The Reflector

Scouts from all 32 NFL teams along with some scouts from the CFL crowded around the Mississippi State University football players at the Palmeror Center for what is to some the biggest job interview of their lives. NFL Pro Day was the occasion as players dressed in skin tight work attire in order to showcase their athleticism for the next level of football also got to meet coaches and players they may not have a chance to meet otherwise. Johnathan Abrams, a defensive back who graduated from MSU, said it was a pretty big day. “It is a lot you have to accomplish in just a short amount of time,” Abrams said .”I’m just trying to keep myself prepared and not overwhelmed by everything. Getting to meet all of these players and all of these coaches. You get to see them on T.V. but you never get to meet them in person.” While MSU head coach Joe Moorhead has only known the players who were in the NFL Pro Day for about a year, he said it was kind of bittersweet as the day is all about the players making it to the next level of the sport. “It is a day about the players, for some it is their time to shine,” Moorhead said. “To achieve a lifetime goal, so it is great to see them perform and inch closer to making it a reality. I think from a program stand point it shows that a young man can choose to come to Mississippi State and achieve all of his goals and if he wants to play in the NFL it can happen here.”

Animals in Wonderland Open House Saturday, April 6 • 9 am - 2 pm

Hands-on activities and learning experiences for visitors of all ages including a petting zoo, large animal exhibits, animal hospital tours, and demonstrations and displays from veterinary students and faculty!

For more info, call 662.325.1100 or visit cvm.msstate.edu.

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The coaches in the NFL see a lot of success with Mississippi State players because they are healthy coming out of college, and are hard workers and really good men.” Abrams said that all of the attention is being brought to MSU bcause of the multiple first round prospects. “Bringing in all of these scouts give everybody else in this program a better chance,” Abrams said. “To show that there are more people here. Just talking to a few GM’s, they actually think we will have eight or nine guys drafted. It just says a lot about Mississippi State.”

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