January 13th, 2022 | Volume 125 Issue 15
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Sneak Peak
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Sneak Peak
What are identity politics? Abigail Faulkner
the pandemic and talking about it, by all the stupidity and conspiracy theories surrounding those conversations. I turned my focus away from those hot button issues. Instead, I started learning about an equally controversial issue: identity politics. I stumbled onto this issue thanks to one of my favorite YouTube channels: Jubilee. They have a series titled
“Middle Ground”. The series is all about taking people of opposing viewpoints and forcing them to have a conversation. Think rich vs. poor, conservative vs. liberal, man vs. woman. Right up my alley. I love the idea of people who think differently, who live differently, coming together to try and see things differently. They are so educational because
if you think critically, you as an audience member are being forced to see things from the perspective of the people in these videos, which brings me to today’s topic. Before this video came up on my feed, I had never heard of identity politics. Identity politics is defined as, “A tendency for people of a particular religion, race, social background, etc., to
Bison Trample Bobcats for 9th FCS Title
goal attempt. MSU ran a fake which the Bison were ready for, and Bobcat kicker Blake Glessner was forced to quickly punt. When the punt ended up in the end zone, ‘Code Green’ had stopped the Bobcats and the Bison had dodged an early bullet. North Dakota State’s offense would take the momentum from that defensive stop and score the next 35 points on their way to a 38 – 10 victory over Montana State
in the championship game of the Football Championship Subdivision at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, TX. The championship concluded a season in which the Bison reclaimed their place on top of and class of the division, finished another one-loss season at 14 – 1, won their ninth national championship in the last 11 years...
Staff Writer Over the holidays, I was unable to escape the politics of the holidays. Get the booster, or don’t get the booster? Vaccinate your kids or do not vaccinate? Is Biden a good or bad president? Essentially, a whole lot of political conversations I am sick and tired of hearing about. I could not be more exhausted by
Luepke Scores Three First-Half TDs and MOP Honors
Craig Schwinden Sports Editor
Frisco, TX - No matter how confident I am as a Bison football fan, I’m always just a bit nervous before the kick-off of another championship game. So, when Bison kicker Jake Reinholz slipped on the opening kickoff causing the ball to go out of bounds and give Montana State’s potent offense the ball at the 35-yard line, the thought had occurred to me that this was not the best of starts. The Bobcat’s first play from scrimmage moved them into Bison territory courtesy of quarterback Tommy Mellott’s 18-
yard strike to receiver Wes McCutcheon. Three Mellott rushes later, the Bobcats had another first down and were almost in field goal range. However, the North Dakota State defense, ranked third in FCS in total defense, stiffened and forced the Bobcats into the field
RuPaul’s Drag Race has officially returned, and I now have a reason to live once again. Season 14 of the show officially premiered Friday, Jan. 11 on the VH1 network. Before the season officially started, RuPaul herself said to buckle up and get ready because this
form exclusive political alliances, moving away from traditional broadbased party politics.” Instead of subscribing to traditional political beliefs, people are now being informed and defined by the identity of the person who is voting. For example, a black voter may be more likely to vote for a black politician because they feel that politician
may be more likely to understand the black American experience. This statement is not pure conjecture. In an article published by Sanford news, they said, “For the wouldbe voters who weren’t very familiar with the candidates or in perfect lockstep with their positions or political parties, the facial similarity was enough to clinch their votes.” Continued on Page 7
Gina Coe | Creative Commons
‘Netflix’ Twitter | Photo Courtesy
Award-winning reality TV competition enters its 14th season Variety Editor
Sneak Peak
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RuPaul’s Drag Race has returned Brayden Zenker
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will be a season like no other. This season also has a spotlight on representation. This season there is not just one, but two trans women to bless this season of the show. I’m so happy to see more trans representation on the show because these women are where drag culture in America really began. I hope that this starts to
become commonplace within the franchise. I will be our guide to everything RuPaul’s Drag Race, recapping each week’s episode as well as providing my own drag commentary. I will be the first one to say this, I am not a drag expert, I am just a mildly obsessed fan. I also want to say that all drag is valid, and all of these drag
queens have put in so much work and defied countless odds to keep doing what they love in the middle of a global pandemic. They don’t deserve to have nasty comments about them all over social media. So, if you are that toxic Drag Race fan, please stop what you are doing and reflect. Thank you! Continued on Page 4
VH1 | Photo Courtesy
The passing of Bob Saget and Betty White
Betty White suffered a stoke six days prior to her death Alissa Knudson
Co-News Editor Betty White died in her home on Dec. 31, 2021, due to a stroke that occurred six days prior to her death. Theaters across the country will be celebrating her life and career on Dec. 17, which would have been her 100th birthday. Around 900 theaters across the country will play a film honoring Betty White. The film shows her “day-to-day life, highlighting her work and fervent advocacy for animals,” according to CNN. White made her career as an actor and comedian, she starred in the show “Golden Girls.” She also appeared in “The Lorax” and “The Proposal,” among many other films and shows. “President Joe Biden, Mel Brooks, and many
other celebrities and prominent leaders paid tribute to her after her death,” according to CBS. “Social media was flooded with positive messages about the actress, many remembering White for her two passions: acting and animals,” according to CBS. White dedicated her time and money to her activism with animals. “She served on the zoo’s board for more than 50 years, paving the way for state-ofthe-art chimpanzee, orangutan and gorilla exhibits,” according to the New York Post. White was a board member and volunteer with the American Human, which helps ensure the safety and well-being of animals. Continued on Page 2