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
Continued on Page 8
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
News
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January 13th, 2022
No changes to NDSU’s COVID-19 mitigation strategies as omicron variant surges The number of covid hospitalizations hit a record for the U.S. on Monday, but concern for the omicron variant still remains low. COVID-19 cases it is 1,656 deaths in the U.S. pediatric patients community to prevent status sometime Anne Kesler Head News Editor
Before North Dakota State University’s start of the semester, President Dean Brusciani announced that the university will not be making any significant changes to their current COVID-19 restrictions amid a noticeable surge in positive cases. “There has been a significant national increase in COVID cases from the start of semester break till now,” Brusciani said. “This spike is attributable to the omicron variant and its increased transmissibility.” In North Dakota, there are currently 4,546 active positives across the state and a positivity rate of 14.92% as of Jan. 11, according to the North Dakota Department of Health. Cass county is leading in the amount of active positive cases with 1,575 recorded cases. “We have been monitoring the situation and participating in systemwide discussion,” said Bresuciani. “The local conditions, while concerning, do not indicate that we will need to make significant modifications to our current COVID mitigation strategies. However, we need to remain vigilant and each do our part to reduce the spread.” As of Dec. 20, omicron has been detected in most states and territories and is rapidly increasing the proportion of
causing, according to the CDC. The New York Times’ latest map and COVID-19 case count for the U.S. recorded 1,433,977 cases on Jan. 10, and a new daily average of 738,031 coronavirus cases. The CDC also indicates that 98.3% of this week’s positive cases detected the omicron variant. “It appears that a spike is beginning to occur in North Dakota, but the magnitude of the increase remains unclear. However, the good news is that omicron, while more contagious, appears to result in milder illness,” Brusciani said. Luckily, the new omicron variant is showing less severity among people who contract it. However, that doesn’t mean hospitals are not overwhelmed with patients. Because of the high number of cases, hospitals across the U.S. are postponing cases driven by the highly transmissible omicron variant of the coronavirus, according to a Reuters report. On Monday, the U.S. set a new record for COVID-19 hospitalizations with 132,646 people hospitalized. Reuters writes, “Data from the U.S. The Department of Health and Human Services shows that over 82% of ICU beds nationwide are currently in use as of Thursday with over 27% in use for COVID-19 cases.” The CDC recorded a new daily average of
on Jan. 10, up from a daily average of 1,240 deaths recorded on Jan. 1. Vaccinations are strongly recommended by the CDC and NDSU even if it’s someone’s first shot or their booster. Although breakthrough cases are happening, it does it’s job of creating milder symptoms to keep people out of the hospital. Certain treatments for COVID-19 have also been passed by the FDA to keep people out of the hospitals. The FDA has approved the antiviral drug Veklury for adults and certain
with COVID-19 who are sick enough to need hospitalization, according to the FDA’s website. They also issued Emergency Use Authorizations for several monoclonal antibody treatments for COVID-19.
spreading as much as possible. To help ensure this, they will continue with their mask requirements in classrooms. They also encourage students to stay home if ill or feeling symptoms, to get tested regularly for free at NDSU’s Monoclonal antibodies Student Health Service are laboratory-made and to receive the molecules that act as vaccine if eligible. substitute antibodies. They can help a person’s Brusciani reported that immune system 7,052 students received recognize and respond the $100 vaccine more effectively to the incentive — that’s 60% virus, making it more of NDSU’s in-person difficult for the virus student population. to reproduce and cause According to CNBC, harm. experts say that COVID-19 will likely NDSU encourages its lose its “pandemic”
in 2022 and become “endemic,” eventually fading in severity and folding into the backdrop of regular, everyday life. “With COVID still a significant threat and our recent cold temperatures and snow, I understand it is easy to not feel enthusiastic about the start of school, ‘’ said Brusciani. “ However, this COVID spike will pass, and the snow will melt. Soon enough, spring will arrive, and with it, the hope of finally moving past this pandemic forever. Until then, let’s work together to make this a great semester.”
NDSU keeps mask requirement in classrooms as covid cases begin to surge nationwide. James Sarmiento (old account) | Flickr
The passing of Bob Saget and Betty White Continued from Front Cover 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-today 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 die, but if Betty says love of your life, then I on this.” than 50 years, paving you get to be with the happily defer to Betty 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. After the passing of Betty White, Saget shared a tweet honoring and remembering White. He shared “Razor sharp wit, smart, kind, hilarious, sincere and so full of love,” in an Instagram post, “I don’t know Gina Coe | Creative Commons what happens when we
the Spectrum | January 13, 2022
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Three local, two national and one international stories in a nutshell Anne Kesler News Editor
North Dakota native Josh Duhamel proposes to Fargo’s pageant winner and model Audra Mari
On Jan. 8, Actor Josh Duhamel posted to instagram announcing his new engagement to Audra Mari of Fargo, according to Inforum. The photo showed the newly engaged couple standing on Miami Beach with Duhamel holding a weathered piece of paper that says: Audra Diane Mari, will you marry me? After reading the message in the bottle, Mari said yes. Mari graduated from Fargo Davies High School and pursued a modeling career in Los Angeles for several years and attended North Dakota State University online as of July 2021. In 2014 she finished first runner-up at the Miss USA pageant and won the 2016 Miss World America contest. Duhamel grew up in Minot, N.D. and graduated from Minot State University. He later went on to win the title of Male Model of the Year and continued with a career in acting. The two met through a mutual friend in Los Angeles.
Mask mandate proposal is rejected by Fargo City Commission
On Monday, Jan. 10, City Commissioner John Strand’s proposal to reinstate a mask mandate for city employees and public buildings was rejected by a 4-1 vote, according to Inforum. As omicron cases
appear to be popping up across the state and city, Strand figured a mask mandate could help. Public Health Director Desi Fleming doubted the mandate would have much effect if it wasn’t an “all-in” effort for the city of Fargo to mask up. Instead, she encouraged people to get vaccinated and/or schedule their booster. There are about 1,100 confirmed cases in Cass County, with a majority of them most likely being the omicron variant Fleming reported.
Statewide, there are 122 hospitalizations. Fleming stated that people with vaccinations, especially booster shots, can be almost 90% sure of staying out of the hospitals. She also stated that the omicron variant is expected to peak in late January, according to Inforum.
criminal complaint, after she had threatened to “sodomize” the family’s dog and burn the house down. She also pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment in September after disrupting her exboyfriend’s burial May 1 at Riverside Cemetery in South Fargo, according to court documents. Whitten drove over gravesites and attempted to “run people over.” Video showed a woman, supposedly Whitten, in a black hooded sweater walking up to a statue of Jesus in front of St. Mary’s Cathedral at 604 Broadway N., then running away,
according to Inforum and court documents.
Man with terminal heart disease gets a transplant of a genetically modified pig heart
57-year-old David Bennet of Maryland was diagnosed with a terminal heart disease and received a genetically modified pig heart in a firstof-its-kind transplant surgery, University of Maryland Medicine said in a news release Monday, according to CNN. “It was either die or do this transplant. I want to live. I know it’s a shot in the dark, but it’s my last choice,” Bennett said
Woman pleads guilty to spraypainting Jesus statue, disrupting ex’s funeral and terrorizing couple
After four cases, Rebecca Whitten, 29, will be under supervised probation until 2024 after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor count of terrorizing as of Jan. 3, according to the Forum. On July 13, Whitten mistakenly visited the wrong address of a friend who was killed. The family that lived in the apartment asked Whitten to leave, according to a
according before to Inforum. Cassy Tweed | The Spectrum Whitten the surgery, according pleaded guilty to to the release. a list of charges that The US Food and involved an incident Drug Administration that happened July granted emergency 1. A bouncer at Fort authorization for the Noks Bar of Gold said surgery on Dec. 3. Art a woman tried to break Caplan, a professor into the business and of bioethics at New said she was “going York University, said to murder staff,” the United States has
a “terrible” shortage of organs for transplants and believes engineering animal parts is a solution Caplan said it is too early to call the heart transplant a success, according to CNN. That label will come if Bennett has a good quality of life for months, he said. But it’s still possible that he could die.
U.S. sets new record for COVID hospitalizations amid rising omicron cases
On Monday, there were 132,646 people hospitalized with COVID-19, surpassing the record of 132,051 set in January last year, according to Reuters. Although the omicron variant is potentially less severe, health officials warned that the number of infections caused by the new variant is a major concern for hospital systems, some that are also
experiencing s t a f f shortages. According to a Reuters tally, the U.S, has averaged over a half a million cases for the last six consecutive days. Seven states have avoided setting new record COVID-19 cases in 2022: Arizona, Idaho, Maine, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio and Wyoming — all rural states. On the other end, Washington, D.C., is leading the country in new infections in
the past week based on population with an infection rate of 1,700 infections per day.
Pope warns against attempts to cancel culture
On Monday, Pope Francis spoke of the crisis of trust in multilateral diplomacy, which he said led to “agendas increasingly dictated by a mindset that rejects the natural foundations of humanity and the cultural roots that constitute the identity of many peoples,” according to Reuters. Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin expressed concern over a draft European Union communications manual that suggested not using the term Christmas. The Vatican saw this as an attempt to cancel Europe’s Christian roots and was later withdrawn for revision. Francis warned of a “form of ideological colonization, one that leaves no room for freedom of expression and is now the form of the ‘cancel culture’ invading many circles and public institutions.” Adding that a kind of “one-track thinking” is taking shape, one constrained to deny history or, worse yet, to rewrite it in terms of present-day categories, Francis said, according to Reuters. The pope did not mention any specific cancel culture examples, but he said “any historical situation must be interpreted in the context of its times and not by today’s standards.”
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Variety January 13th, 2022
RuPaul’s Drag Race has returned Continued from Front Cover
Season 14 of the Emmy Award-winning reality TV competition has begun. The Premiere really like about the werkroom she exuded Like the past two outfit was the bow and personality. It had only seasons of Drag Race, arrow she accessorized been two seconds and the queens have been with. While they did I was already in love split in half to be help with the “hunter” with her. Aside from debuted in not just one storyline, any time a her personality, her spectacular premier, queen uses a bow and outfit was also great. but two spectacular arrow as a prop it just The outfit silhouette premiers. However, looks awkward. was a great choice for unlike the past two The second queen her and fit her amazing. seasons, RuPaul lets the to enter the werkroom As a plus-sized queen, queens know someone is Bosco. Everything I love that she shows will be going home in about Bosco’s entrance off her beautiful curves the first episode. Both look worked for me. and swerves. The black seasons 12 and 13 From head to toe, leather was a great split the girls into two every part of the outfit choice and looked premiers but no one worked together. I was great with the gold was eliminated until in love with the retro accents. My favorite all the queens were silhouette of her dress, part of the entire outfit put together. It’s only the silhouette mixed was the hair. The the first 15 minutes with the polka dot print gold accents gave me and already RuPaul is was gorgeous. She Medusa-esque vibes, rocking the boat. So, continued the polka and I love the added without further ado, dot pattern continued mini braids of both let’s meet the first seven through the horned sides. For me, this was queens of RuPaul’s headpiece she wore. my favorite entrance Drag Race Season 14. Her makeup was also look, but Kornbread’s Meet the Queens a perfect contrast personality could sell a The first queen to with a bright red lip trash bag. (Which has enter the season 14 that drew you to her been done numerous werkroom is Alyssa face and smile. What times on RuPaul’s Hunter. I really liked really excited me was Drag Race.) And let’s Alyssa’s entrance look. the hair detail, just not forget to mention I like the mix of patterns, a simple black bang that Kornbread is also a while normally the mix coming from under the beautiful trans woman. might clash, everything headpiece. While it is The fourth queen to worked really well just something simple enter the werkroom was together. There were it tells me that she is a Willow Pill. My first a lot of details to the very detail-conscious impression of Willow’s look from the type of queen. entrance look was jewelry chosen, where/ The next queen to very underwhelming. what embellishments enter the werkroom Overall, the outfit was were made to the outfit was Kornbread “The really simple. The and the choice of hair Snack” Jete. From outfit was basically fit the outfit well. The the moment that just a white sweatshirt only thing that I didn’t Kornbread entered the over a white tank-top
paired with a white skirt. However, if you study the outfit you can begin to see other detail. She brought some comedy to the outfit with the tanktop saying “Angle” instead of “Angel”, which fully sold dumb blonde valley girl. Her choice of accessories also helped with that storyline. She wore huge belly button jewelry, almost everything had at least one rhinestone on it, she even wore the tacky belts that were the rage in the early 2000s. While I am still underwhelmed with the outfit, especially on season 14 of Drag Race, I can appreciate the details she used to make that character really come alive. The fifth queen to enter the werkroom was Kerri Colby. I thought Kerri’s entrance look was gorgeous. While it was understated with a pretty simple construction it looked great on her. The outfit was basically just a white corset with a lace dress over top, with pink and blue chiffon coming from both shoulders. What really drew me to the outfit was the color details of
the hair and makeup. Her pink and blue eye shadow looked gorgeous, and the blue roots of her platinum blonde wig also tied it together with the outfit. From head to toe, every part of the outfit worked together and looked great on her. While her outfit was gorgeous it also told a story, Kerri is the second trans woman to be featured on this season of Drag Race. The sixth queen to enter the werkroom was June Jambalaya. My first impression of June’s look was also a little underwhelming. The jumpsuit looks like it may be a tish too small for her, but also could just be the cut of the jumpsuit. While the colors of the jumpsuit and top worked together, for me the outfit just didn’t work. When she entered the werkroom June said the jumpsuit was Emilio Pucci. I had no idea what designer that was, so I looked it up. The cheapest garment I found was $735 for a simple pair of flared trousers. So, even though the jumpsuit was probably extremely expensive, the fit and overall
VH1 | Photo Courtesy look just made the outfit seems lackluster compared to other girls in the room. The final queen to enter the werkroom for part one of the season premiere was Orion Story. I’m not quite sure how I feel about Orion’s entrance look. When she first walked in, I really liked it and really liked it when I started looking at the finer details. But the longer I looked at it the less I liked it. The entire outfit was very detailed and well crafted. Fabric details carried throughout from the base corset into the headband and there was very detailed stoning work. I concluded that I like all of the pieces to the outfit, but when they came together for some reason felt like it didn’t work. All of the colors and patterns in theory should have worked together great but they felt somewhat disjointed to me. You can see the queen’s entrance looks on VH1.com or on the RuPaul’s Drag Race YouTube page.
WOMEN! & MEN! Please only have sex with the person you are Married to and plan to live the rest of your life with... ( commit and help stop abortions, divorces and std's )
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the Spectrum | January 13, 2022
Recipe of the Week
Homemade chicken tortilla soup Brayden Zenker
This is one of my favorite recipes to make when it starts to get cold outside. This is a recipe that my family has been making for years and has become a staple in my college apartment. The soup is inexpensive to make but has loads of flavor.
bell pepper, use only one.) Cook the onions and bell pepper until they are softened, or about 8-10 minutes. After the vegetables have softened, sprinkle in the cornstarch, chili powder, salt, white sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, ground cumin, and cayenne pepper. Mix contents well.
In a large pot melt the butter over medium heat. After the butter is melted add the onions and bell peppers. (I choose to use two bell peppers because I like them. If you prefer less
Next, add the chicken broth, corn, diced tomatoes, and softened cream cheese. (It is important to use softened cream cheese as it will melt and mix in better.) Continue to
Variety Editor
cook over medium-high cayenne pepper and heat until the cream some Cajun seasoning.) cheese has completed Finally, serve while melted. warm and top with sour cream, tortilla chips, Next, stir in the and cilantro if desired. cooked chicken. (You This soup keeps well can cook the chicken as is almost as good however you like as warmed up as it is fresh it will take on flavor from the pot. from the soup. You can also you a rotisserie To make this recipe chicken if you are in vegan, leave out the a time crunch.) Stir in chicken and substitute the shredded cheddar chicken broth for cheese. vegetable broth. Also substitute butter, Now is the time to cheese, and cream taste the soup and add cheese for vegan any other seasonings options. I recommend for personal taste. (I coconut cream in place prefer the soup to be of cream cheese. spicier, so I add more
Here is what you are going to need for the recipe. - 2 tablespoons butter - 1 medium onion, thinly sliced - 1-2 peppers, sliced - 5 cups chicken broth - 1 can of black beans - 1 can of corn - 1 can diced tomatoes - 8 ounces of cream cheese, softened - ½ cup of shredded cheddar cheese - 2 cups cooked chicken - 1 tablespoon cornstarch - 2 teaspoons chili powder - 1 teaspoon salt - 1 teaspoon white sugar - ½ teaspoon onion powder - ½ teaspoon garlic powder - ½ teaspoon ground cumin - ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
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Opinion
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January 13th, 2022
What does it mean to be a Biblical man or woman A brief look at gender in the bible Abigail Faulkner Staff Writer
A brief look at gender in the bible A note from the editor: To kick off my debut as opinion editor, I am very excited to announce the project to share with you readers: my column. The articles I have written in the past that have left me the most fulfilled have been my Christian articles, whether it be about politics, the church or biblical truths. My column is going to be about just that. I want to use my platform as a writer to talk about Christians and interact with the larger world. I know some of you out there want to explore religion but don’t feel welcome at church. I know some people out there have had negative experiences with Christians who have been made to feel less. I understand that some of you were told that you have to be perfect to be a Christian. I am here to tell you that no matter your past, your present or how you feel about Christians, you are welcome here. That being said, this will be a recurring staple of my tenure as an opinion editor. Bi-weekly, I will be publishing this column. If you have any issues, questions or anything else under that umbrella that you would like me to address, you can email me at opinion@ ndsuspectrum.com. Please enjoy. Men and women in the Bible Gender expression is an issue that everyone has something to say about. My goal was to pick a controversial topic, and I don’t know that there is a more controversial modern topic than gender and gender roles. And I know that the “Christian” take on traditional gender issues has not been the
most popular. Let’s get the obvious out of the way: no, the Bible doesn’t hate women. The Bible is full of prominent female figures, including the prophetess and judge Deborah from Judges. Ruth and Esther are both important old testament figures. In the New Testament, Mary, mother of Jesus, Martha and Mary, who were close friends of Jesus; Mary Magdalene, who was one of Jesus’s closest friends and the first to find out Jesus was resurrected. Pricilla was a woman who hosted one of the original churches in her home. And finally, Junia who was an early female apostle. Paul even calls her “notable among the apostles.” Some women are portrayed negatively in the Bible. Jezebel, Eve and Delilah; and I hope in the future that we can talk about these women and why their stories are important as well. There are plenty of men in the Bible who, while featured prominently, their successes are talked about just as much as their failures. A great example of this is King David who was called “a man after God’s own heart” who made terrible choices. He cheated on his other wives by seeking out women who were already married, got one of these women pregnant and then sent her husband to the front lines to die in an attempt to cover it up. If you are not familiar with David’s story, I bet you were wondering, “This is the man after God’s own heart?” Yes, because this brings us to one of the first points I want to touch on. Humility Micah 6:8 says, “For what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness and walk humbly with your God?” The
keyword that we are going to be focusing on is “humble.” A real man doesn’t need to boast about his achievements and prove himself to others. A real man can admit to wrongdoings and apologize for them. When David is confronted about his actions, he is repentant and takes ownership of his sins. David has something that many of his predecessors and successors lack: the ability to admit to the wrongs they have done. David is the king. He makes the rules. He could have quickly gotten rid of those who knew of his transgressions; he could have killed the man who confronted him, the prophet Nathan. Instead, his ability to admit he had done wrong sets him apart from those who surround him. The thing about humility is that it’s not necessarily a trait boxed in by gender. Humility is a trait that all people should strive for. I think everyone should strive after many of the biblical characteristics I discuss or touch on in this article. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and selfcontrol are fruits of the spirit. And all people should seek out to embody these traits. Even the verse I opened with doesn’t restrict
itself to any one person. This has been one of the major difficulties I have found in writing this particular article, to the point where I very nearly scrapped the entire thing. I will not alter the Bible to fit the narrative I would like to tell. I set out to define what biblical men and a woman are; and to some degree, I succeed. The Bible has a lot to say about biblical husbands and wives, but specifically for men and women, there is a lot less. As I have said before, that’s because what God commands remains largely the same for both genders. A biblical woman I have spent most of my life figuring out how to be a biblical woman. I have read Proverbs 31, the ultimate girl chapter, many times. If there were one verse I could point out to you and have you take away from reading this, it would be this verse: “A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.” Proverbs 31:10. As has been the common theme throughout my research for this, a woman’s value is not determined by outward appearance or even what she can do for others, but is determined by the strength of her character. The woman described
in the passage is a hard worker both in her home and in running a business. She cares about those in need and practices compassion for them. She is wise and faithful. These are traits of biblical women and a biblical wife. I hope that when people come into my future therapy office, they can say that the words I gave them were helpful and wise. I want to be faithful to those who have helped me get where I am today. But if these are traits of biblical women, then what is a trait of a biblical man? Protector The Bible said, “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” The kind of love husbands are called to have their wives is sacrificial. Jesus died so that the church could exist. It is a kind of love that knows no bounds. When my mom had just had me, she and my father were walking in the mall when a stranger walked into the stroller I was in and into my mom. The stranger then proceeded to act confrontationally and told my mom to “watch where you’re going.” To which my dad immediately pipped up, saying, “Don’t talk to my wife like that.” That’s the protector kind of love that I think
the Bible is talking about. It’s a husband that has your back. It’s a partner that is quick to jump to your defense. What does the Bible not say? Men are not called to be tyrants or dictators of the home. Your wife is not your property. Denying women’s education or civil rights is wrong and unbiblical. Abuse of any kind is unacceptable. Nor does the bible call men to enforce biblical womanhood on their wives. What can we glean from this? First, it’s very difficult to define what it means to be a biblical man or woman, but God shows us lots of values we can and should instill in others. We should be compassionate, kind and respectful, among many other positive traits. Second, the Bible outlines differences between men and women, but this is a topic I need to continue to research and read up on before I write 1000 words on it. Needless to say, this will be a topic I am sure I will be coming back to. I don’t think gender and gender expression is going to be leaving the public space anytime soon. Hopefully, we can learn together.
iadMedia | Creative Commons
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the Spectrum | January 13, 2022
What are identity politics? Continued from Front Cover From my experience in the last election, when presented with candidates who I am unsure of their policy or beliefs, I am more likely to vote for a female candidate over a male candidate. While I will be the first to admit that this is unwise, I was 18, and I didn’t know you voted for state officials at the same time you voted for which presidential candidate you preferred. That shows that the choices I made as a voter were motivated by the assumption that female candidates would likely align with my values more than a male candidate.
Both data and my personal experience show that our identity and values will influence our beliefs and, in turn, affect our votes. Issues associated with identity politics differ from traditional political party alignments. Instead of asking questions about the economy or foreign affairs, identity politics ask what social changes are being made. Younger voters, like myself, are more likely to look at specific issues that matter to them and try to sus out if the problems that we care about truly matter to that politician. For the most part,
young people want politicians to take a stand on Black Lives Matter, on race and gender and on privilege. I want to see a politician come forward with a nuanced view of these issues. While issues of the economy still matter, many people are opening their eyes to social issues that affect Americans, like the aforementioned Black Lives Matter and the #MeToo movements. Many systemic issues are becoming impossible to ignore and require more willful ignorance not to realize and understand how these social issues affect real people.
While this political system allows us to look at issues that would have otherwise been perceived as less important, the individual nature of identity politics can be its downfall due to its exclusive nature. It can contribute to a very ‘me vs. them’ attitude. A very extreme example of this would be white supremacists; a group whose “values” are deeply entrenched in their actions. They genuinely believe that others getting rights means that they don’t have them anymore, and this separation doesn’t allow them to see
others as human or equally important. Now, I am not saying that everyone who subscribed to the idea of identity politics is a white supremacist. It can fall into the trap of hyper-fixation on concepts or issues that don’t affect us all. I am not part of the LGBTQAI+ community, so if I were subscribing to this idea, I would only care about issues that affect white straight women. I do share something in common with every other person, and that is we are all human. Even though I am not a part of that community, violence
against LGBTQAI+ people still matter and is an issue that all people should care about. Our identities are important and affect us all one way or another. I don’t need to tell you that your beliefs matter. We should celebrate our differences because they make us human, but let’s not let our differences come between us. As long as someone’s beliefs are not hurtful or hateful, there is no reason for us to remain divided. It’s not a zero-sum game. Minorities can have rights that don’t come at the expense of the majority.
This Month’s Book Offer! If you are interested in a copy of this book, please text Darrel Lindensmith at 701-391-9131
I will have a copy for you at the Book Table next time we are there by Caribou in the Student Memorial Building.
Porn Study Busts, Past & Present In his 2020 book The Freedom Fight, sexual addiction counselor Ted Shimer reports on a 1980s study showing correlations between the amount of porn subjects viewed and their attitudes related to the value of women. Differences between the “No Exposure” and “Massive Exposure” groups were stark, including responses related to support for women’s rights
(71 percent versus 25 percent) and recommended prison sentences for rape (twelve years versus six years). Why would Shimer include 1980s data in a 2020 publication? He notes that a more recent study in 2013 had to be cancelled because the research professor could not find one man in his twenties who had never looked at porn.
Sports
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January 13th, 2022
Bison Trample Bobcats for 9th FCS Title Continued from Front Cover and had Bison fans and followers alike wondering about the possibility of another string of championships. The Bison scored touchdowns on their first three drives of the game and 4 of 5 first-half drives, not including the kneel down to end the first half. A touchdown drive to open the second half for the Bison effectively ended the game at 35 – 0. Junior running back Hunter Luepke, from Spencer, WI., was named the most outstanding player after scoring three of the four first-half touchdowns. Luepke and the rest of the backfield corps were led by an offensive line that pushed the Bobcat defense around for 380 yards on the ground. Luepke had touchdown runs of 8, 11, and 6 yards. NDSU’s 3rd touchdown, a 76-yard scamper around left end by Kobe Johnson, put the Bison up 21 – 0 early in the second quarter. Johnson, the junior back from Lawrenceville, GA., finished the day leading all rushers with 106 yards. Luepke’s 6-yard touchdown run, which ended a masterful 14play, 85-yard drive that chewed up 4:54 of clock time, was a combination of both great play-calling and execution, players knowing to get out of bounds, and judicious use of and availability of time-outs. The Bison were able to get that fourth touchdown yet leave the Bobcats with only 32 seconds to respond. Trying to muster something before the half ended, the Bobcats were forced by ‘Code Green’ into a quick three and out and a punt. The Bison took a knee to run off the final 06 seconds of the half and under the roar of approval by their faithful fans, the Bison made their way into the locker room. Meanwhile, the stunned Bobcats headed to their locker room to figure out how to stop a Bison rushing attack that gained 268 yards in only one half of play. After receiving the gift of an out-ofbounds kick-off from Montana State kicker Blake Glessner, the Bison began the second half at their 35-yard line and took only 2:26 to march the remaining 65 yards to the end zone and crushed a Bobcat defense that was hoping for a much better second-half performance. The fiveplay drive ended when
Bison quarterback Cam Miller joined the scoring fun and hit tight end, Josh Babicz, on a 35-yard strike. Jake Reinholz added his fifth extra point of the day to make the score 35 – 0. Montana State’s offense, though, was not done. Tucker Rovig, who replaced the injured Tommy Mellott early in the game, captained a 12 play 67-yard drive that resulted in a 26-yard Glessner field goal to put the Bobcats on the scoreboard. After trading punts, the Bison put their final scoring drive together near the end of the 3rd quarter when Reinholz kicked a 37-yarder to finish the Bison scoring and make it 38 - 3. After the Bobcats turned the ball over on downs and a three and out by the Bison, Rovig, the 6’ 5” junior from Idaho, drove the Bobcats down the field with a 12 play 80-yard drive culminating with a 28-yard touchdown throw into the arms of Bobcat receiver Lance McCutcheon. A Glessner extra point made it 38 - 10 to finish the scoring. North Dakota State was never seriously threatened in this game. “It was going to be hard to beat the Bison today, especially when you have guys like Cordell Volson, Jackson Hankey, Hunter Luepke; Cam Miller continues to get better. I thought our kids came out with great energy. We challenged them to start fast, cut it loose, and I think you saw that early in the game when we were able to have some success early” said NDSU Head Coach Matt Entz in the post-game press conference. Montana State Head Coach Brent Vigen agreed. “Well, first off, I want to congratulate North Dakota State. They were the better team for sure today. We were able to play their brand of football, they grabbed the momentum really quick, and we were never able to get it back.” When asked about the rushing attack, Vigen admitted “well, it proved to be really challenging today. By no means did we make them onedimensional, and by no means did we put a lot of pressure on their quarterback to make plays. But yeah, the ball got rolling, and it was really hard for us to stop it today.”
Christian Watson had been discussed. While most assumed he would play in Frisco, the Bison coaching staff understandably remained mum on the subject. While the 6’5” senior receiver from Tampa, FL, did play, one would have to consider his numbers rather ordinary (4 – 4 – 61 – 0). More importantly, he had two critical catches that saved NDSU drives. In addition, three of Watson’s four catches resulted in first downs. Here are two important catches: - Catch #1 – Watson was on the receiving end of a 20-yard pass from Miller on the first drive of the game for NDSU. It was 3rd and 14 for the Herd at their own 16-yard line. Eight plays later the Bison were up 7 – 0. Big catch… the drive stays alive after the first two offensive plays of the game result in an incompleted pass and a run that results in negative yardage. It was also the first of many plays that damaged the Bobcat defense’s confidence. - Catch #2 - In the 4th quarter, Miller and Watson connected on a 15-yard pass to the NDSU 38. While the game was well in hand at this point and the drive ended in a punt, the resulting first down on this 3rd and 9 play allowed the Herd to run the ball four more times thus keeping the clock running to burn a total of 4:16 off the clock on the drive. It kept the Bobcats deeper in their end as well. Again, the
game was well in hand, but the constant converting of 3rd and longs demoralized one of the best defenses in FCS. Quincy Patterson It must be noted that Quincy Patterson contributed immeasurably to the Bison’s success on offense. Once he had lost the starting quarterback job, it would have been easy to get frustrated, enter the transfer portal (ask the Montana State staff about players leaving during the season), or worse, become a “cancer” in the locker room. Instead, the Virginia Tech transfer from Chicago put the team first and made some critically important plays for the Bison in Frisco. Patterson, with 98 yards on 11 carries, was a ‘silent’ MOP. - Like Watson, Patterson also contributed to the opening drive with a 34-yard scamper on a 3rd and 5 for the Bison. The run went to the Bobcat 8-yard line giving the Bison 1st and goal. Luepke would score on the next play putting the Bison up 7 – 0. On the final drive of the first half, Patterson had four rushes for 49 yards. While his 9-yard rush was nullified by a facemask penalty (on Patterson), his tough 7-yard run two plays later moved the chains and continued the drive for the Herd. - Later, in that same drive, Patterson’s back-to-back runs of 10 and 20 yards carried the Bison into Bobcat territory and
had MSU’s defense Unfortunately, Mellott on their heels. left the game after the Bobcat’s seventh Montana State play from scrimmage University Football with an ankle injury Some kudos to the and never returned. Bobcats. While they However, Mellott was lost the game 38 – 10, two of three passing Montana State did put for 23 yards and ran up 358 yards of total the ball 3 times for 11 offense. Only 80 of yards...not bad for the those yards came on six plays Mellott was their lone touchdown directly involved in. drive in the fourth The bad news for the quarter. The Bobcats Bobcats was Mellott did have the Bison does not play defense. defense on their heels at a few points during North Dakota State the game. They did not University’s “Rams” quit, especially after Let’s face it. The losing their starting Bobcat defense quarterback on their was mauled by the first offensive drive. As Bison offensive line. Vigen said in his post- Montana State had its game presser, “You share of stops, but the just keep fighting. You Bison offense (more make it about one play. specifically their You make it about one running attack) had series. Our guys kept their way on Saturday. going after it. We just The ‘Rams’ were didn’t have enough largely responsible for today.” Unfortunately the 380 yards gained for the Bobcats, they on the ground and Cam were also a poor 5 Miller’s protection. of 15 on third-down They have been a conversions (the Bison prolific unit all year were 8 of 13). They also and while transition missed a field goal. Yet is a part of college the real demoralizer athletics, this unit of was NDSU’s Dawson Cordell Volson, Jalen Weber’s interception Sundell, Cody Mauch, on MSU’s first play Jake Kubas, and Nash following an NDSU Jensen (and others drive capped off with throughout the season) the 76-yard touchdown will be missed. Coach run by Johnson. Entz said in a postWhile MSU’s defense game presser, “I think eventually forced we’re probably one of a Bison punt, there the few teams in the were some frustrated country that celebrates offensive players on O-linemen. O-linemen the Bobcat sideline. are cult heroes in Fargo, North Dakota. Cordell, Tommy Mellott everyone knows who True freshman 67 is. We celebrate “Touchdown” Tommy those guys. We lean Mellott came into the on those guys. I’ve championship game said it a hundred times as a cult figure for the and I’ll keep saying it: Montana State faithful. This program is built The battle between on our O-line and good Mellott and ‘Code defense, and if we can Green’ was one of do those two things, we the more anticipated have an opportunity to match-ups in this game. win every game.”
GAME NOTES: Christian Watson Throughout the playoffs, the status of
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