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TUM TUM RETURNS The impact of Lourawls “Tum Tum” Nairn Jr.’s comeback beyond the basketball court STARTS ON PAGE 4
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OPINION
2019
EDUCATION
ABROAD
COLUMN: Combating sexual assault with bystander intervention BY LUCAS DAY LDAY@STATENEWS.COM
My little sister Molly was sexually harassed in front of hundreds of people and no one did a thing.
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Molly was at PRIME music festival in Lansing, so bystanders weren’t seeing anything out of the ordinary. She was wearing a top with buckle straps and two men kept unbuckling them. She would fix the buckles and try to walk away, but they persisted so she left the festival. My friend Gabby went to the concert as well, and was also harassed. I asked her if she knew what happened to Molly. She didn’t, but said at one point, a man reached up her skirt and when she turned around she couldn’t tell who did it. For all she knew, he was still standing right behind her. Molly went to bed pretty early that night. She was clearly stressed out about what happened and curled up on a chair in my living room with a friend’s dog that was staying for the weekend. When she woke up the next day, I asked her if anything else happened and she said no, but she did say a man tried to get her to take a piece of his gum and it “definitely wasn’t gum.” This is terrifying. I’m not a “what if” person, but the thought of what would have happened if she took whatever he was trying to give her is chilling. In 2018, the Thomson Reuters Foundation released the findings of their study about the most dangerous nations in the world for women. The United States ranked 10th, the only developed nation on the list. If you’re not a fan of analytics, the president of the United States told us he likes to grope women without consent and that wasn’t a disqualifying factor for half of the nation. There are a lot of big picture things that need to change. More than a quarter of Congress needs to be made up of women. The scary low conviction rate for sex crimes needs to be addressed. Groping strangers cannot remain socially acceptable. But these things take generations to change. I have two other sisters who are 14 and 16 years old, who could very well be on this campus subjected to the same behavior as Molly was within the next few years. We need to be better now. Altering our bystander behavior is the fastest thing we can all do. Research shows that individuals are less likely to act during critical situations if there are a lot of people around. Everyone assumes someone else will do something, and if no one else does something, then nothing wrong must be happening after all. This line of thinking has enabled men to abuse women in public for generations. Even with movements like #MeToo, things are barely improving. It isn’t hard to see when someone is being made uncomfortable in a crowd. If you see a woman pushing a man away, assume some2
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thing is wrong. Subtle abuse should be called out too. Gabby told me one of the worst things about being at a crowded party is how many guys put their hand on her hip when they walk by. This isn’t harmless, it’s common. The two are often confused. There isn’t another PRIME music festival until next year, but there will be hundreds of parties on campus this year providing a very similar environment. Here are a couple things you can do as a bystander: Approach the woman being harassed and pretend like you know her. Tell her a friend is looking for her or just point somewhere if it’s loud. If she’s in a dangerous situation, she might use that as an excuse to get out of it. Chances are, the abuser doesn’t follow her. The problem with this approach is it leaves him with the chance of doing the same thing to someone else. You can also approach the situation directly. If the perpetrator is physically intimidating, grab a friend or get the attention of someone near you. Explain what you saw and I’m sure they’d be willing to help. Almost everyone wants to aid someone in danger, but no one wants to assume the responsibility of being the first person to take action. Approach them and ask if she’s alright. Be careful not to come off as aggressive, you don’t want to escalate the situation to the point of
“We need to be better now. Altering our bystander behavior is the fastest thing we can all do” Lucas Day State News Reporter becoming violent. This is another reason why it’s good to be in a group. He isn’t likely to fight multiple people. Even if the guy is there with friends, defending their buddy because he was violating someone probably isn’t the hill they want to die on. Now is an appropriate time to mention that, as a male, I don’t know what I’m talking about. There’s a difference between understanding that something happens and personally knowing what it feels like. So please, leave the tips for what bystanders should know and look out for that I missed in the comments. Better yet, write a letter to our editor. When it comes to sexual misconduct in the Greater Lansing community, women have been let down by too many people to count. The courts aren’t going to stop giving sweetheart deals to privileged men. Abusers are going to continue to take advantage of environments that are accepting of their atrocious behavior. Help isn’t coming. This is on us to look out for one another, to condemn this behavior and stop it. TH U R S DAY, O C TO B E R 3 , 2 01 9
Vol. 110 | No. 7
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2019 ASK US QUESTIONS What questions do you have about your community? What do you want to know about MSU and the city of East Lansing? Submit what you’re curious about — we want to find answers for you. Submit your questions at editorinchief@statenews.com
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SPOTLIGHT
LOURAWLS “TUM TUM” NAIRN JR. Senior guard Lourawls "Tum Tum" Nairn Jr. laughs while talking to reporters at Media Day on Oct 11, 2017, at the Breslin Center. PHOTO BY MATT SCHMUCKER
‘Walking by faith’ brings former captain back to Spartan hoops The impact of Lourawls “Tum Tum” Nairn Jr.’s return beyond the basketball court BY DEVIN ANDERSON-TORREZ DANDERSONTORREZ@STATENEWS.COM
Since Michigan State point guard Lourawls “Tum Tum” Nairn Jr. graduated in 2018, he has worked for the Phoenix Suns as an assistant in player development, played for the Bahamas national team and even wrote a book, “Purpose Driven.” Nairn had other opportunities in the NBA and elsewhere after this past year, but felt something called him back to his Spartan team. The decision to return to Michigan State as a graduate manager wasn’t in his hands, he said. Nairn believes he was sent back with a purpose. “My relationship with God brought me back. God told me to come back to Michigan State,” Nairn said. “I had a couple of other opportunities to go back to the NBA and I prayed about it before I made the decision and God told me to come back.” The former Spartan floor general said this opportunity is not 4
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something he takes lightly. “I’m going to try to be the best I can be every single day,” he said. “I’m a human just like everyone else, I have imperfections. I try my best by the grace of God not to allow any situation or circumstance to get me down because I think that I am on an assignment here and I just want to do it to the best of my ability.” Nairn's return goes beyond basketball. Enduring a lot in his life, the wisdom and help Nairn provides is something the players couldn’t put a price on. “He’s got a lot of knowledge that he can just spread,” senior guard Cassius Winston said. “There’s probably not a lot that people go through that he hasn’t been through. ... He’s here with an open-heart and just there to help us out, get through whatever we need to.” Acknowledging that he isn’t the only graduate manager, Nairn said he plans to fill in however they need him to in order to help the team.
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“I’m not the first grad manager here, so I’m just going to do everything they did as far as watching film, breaking down film — helping out the guys as much as I can,” Nairn said. Although the Bahamas native may not know all the details of the role he is going to play yet, the coaching staff and players already know the impact he'll make on the team. “I say all the time that leaders aren’t leaders if people aren’t following, but people follow him and that’s the best compliment you can give somebody,” Head Coach Tom Izzo said. “People follow him in a positive way. He lives his life that way. He’s a special dude, let me tell you.” Izzo said Nairn is “one of the all-time great communicators,” and that is something that is agreed upon by coaching staff and players. Junior forward Xavier Tillman remembers how vocal the team was with Nairn on it during his freshman year, and
CONTINUES ON PAGE 17
FALL HOUSING GUIDE 2019
YOUR GUIDE TO ON AND OFF CAMPUS LIVING QUIZ: What kind of roommate are you?
Who you should room with based on astrology
COLUMN: Woes of a commuter student
Find out if you’re an annoying, cool or okay roommate with this five-question quiz
What does your zodiac sign have to do with roommate compatibility? Everything
‘I am an MSU senior and I have never stepped foot in a Michigan State dorm room. Yes, we exist’
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FALL HOUSING GUIDE
QUIZ: What kind of roommate are you? BY CHANDRA FLEMING CFLEMING@STATENEWS.COM
It’s 2 a.m. and you’re going home after a night of partying. What do you do? A. Sleep over at a friend’s dorm. B. Go to your dorm, but don’t tell your roommate where you’ve been (it’s none of their business). C. Text your roommate 10 minutes before you walk in and let them know why you’re coming home late. 2. It’s 45 degrees outside. You like a cold room so you keep the fan on. Your roommate asks you to turn it off. What do you do? A. Ask your roommate if you can at least have it on the lowest setting. B. Keep it on and ignore them ... they’re not your boss. C. Just open the window. 3. Your roommate wants to have their significant other over for a couple days but the significant other has an odor problem. What do you do?
A. Politely joke about them needing to make sure to take showers. B. Steer clear of your room for the whole time they’re over. C. Be brutally honest and tell them no because you can’t deal with the smell. 4. The toilet in your room clogged up and you accidentally flood the bathroom. The water leaks into your room onto your roommates shoes. What do you do? A. Throw your roommate’s shoes in the washer and hope for the best. B. Throw your roommate’s shoes down the trash chute and tell them somebody barged in and stole the shoes because they forgot to lock the door. C. Leave your roommate’s shoes alone and act like you don’t know what happen to them. 5. You just caught your roommate eating the last
piece of your favorite food. What do you do? A. Tell your RA — you need a room switch because you have had it up to here with this roommate! B. Confront your roommate and start going off about everything you dislike about them. C. Don’t confront them about eating your food but on the next day, eat their snacks. Results: Chose mostly A’s? You are the “okay” roommate. A little rude, a little petty yet still well-mannered and respectful. Chose mostly B’s? You are the “annoying” roommate. Not really compatible wen it comes to living with anyone, likes to argue and is normally the one who starts the arguments. Chose mostly C’s? You are the “cool” roommate. Wants to keep the drama down but also wants to be treated fairly.
Michigan State University has a website to find off-campus housing. Search for housing options based on location, price, number of rooms and lease type. Find subleasers and connect with roommates. Users must have a avalid MSU Net ID to register. Parents may create a guest account.
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FALL HOUSING GUIDE
WHO YOU SHOULD ROOM WITH BASED ON YOUR ASTROLOGICAL SIGN BY KAITLYN KELLEY KKELLEY@STATENEWS.COM
What does your zodiac sign have to do with roommate compatibility? Everything. Allow this to be a guide in your quest to find a roomie for the upcoming semester or school year!
ARIES Aries are eager, dynamic people. A potential challenge you might face in living with a roommate is listening to opinions that might not align with your beliefs. You might want a roommate who balances out your high amount of energy. Sign(s) you should room with: Gemini, Taurus, Virgo
TAURUS Typically trustworthy and intelligent, as a Taurus, you value honesty and tend to want to block out drama in relationships. Although you're determined and hardworking, you might not have the motivation to do things that others demand of you. Sign(s) you should room with: Aries, Cancer, Sagittarius
GEMINI As a Gemini, you're good about reading social cues and adjusting your attitudes accordingly. An issue that might appear in a roommate scenario is bottling up your feelings when disagreements arise
between you and your roommate. And — no offense — but Geminis can sometimes come across as twofaced. This might cause problems with roommates who aren’t as adept at dealing with conflict. Sign(s) you should room with: Aries, Scorpio
CANCER Cancers are filled with emotion and intuition — they can read those vibes. Because you can easily detect others' feelings and emotions, you might run into problems with assuming others can too. People can't read your mind. You might have to confront your fears and address your emotions. Sign(s) you should room with: Taurus
LEO Leos are a fire sign! They're bold, brave and blunt. As a Leo, you like to lead, so you might take on trying to coordinate activities with your roommate. Sign(s) you should room with: Pisces, Sagittarius
VIRGO Virgos are known to be kind, creative, smart and optimistic. You might come across as shy at first, but you're totally not shy at all! It just takes a while for you to warm up to people. You're probably the roommate who wants everything in your room to be perfect and DIY-inspired. Sign(s) you should room with: Aquarius, Aries, Capricorn, Libra
LIBRA Libras are air signs, and they're known for being incredibly loyal, responsible and maybe a little indecisive. As a Libra, you might benefit from having a roommate who balances out your creative ideas and indecisiveness and provides you with more concrete ideas and motivation. Sign(s) you should room with: Capricorn, Sagittarius, Scorpio, Virgo
SCORPIO Known for being independent, intimidating, intense and seductive,
Scorpios might need a roommate who is outgoing and able to handle these qualities. You might not be great at releasing and showing your emotions — you tend to hide them from people. But you’re good about telling it how it is. Sign(s) you should room with: Gemini, Libra
SAGITTARIUS Ah, the Archer. You're probably adventurous, creative, brave and resilient. You're independent and don't mind getting things done on your own. You might want a roommate who makes an effort to reach out because you might not. Sign(s) you should room with: Aquarius, Capricorn, Leo, Libra, Taurus
CAPRICORN C apricorns are hardworking, diligent, practical, organized and maybe stubborn — but usually for good reasons. In a roommate, you might want someone who can help you think
outside the box and challenge your perspectives. Sign(s) you should room with: Aquarius, Libra, Pisces, Sagittarius, Virgo
AQUARIUS Aquarius are quirky, unique people. They're definitely dreamers. Essentially, as long as someone isn't a meanie, you'll get through rooming with them one way or another. However, you might want to look for roommates in terms of what you would want in a friend. Sign(s) you should room with: Aquarius, Capricorn, Pisces, Sagittarius, Virgo
PISCES They're known as the sensitive, empathetic ones. Pisces want to be everyone's friend. As a Pisces, you might want a roommate who will be there to listen to you vent once you get home from class. And you'll want to be there to listen to your roommate's problems, too. Sign(s) you should room with: Aquarius, Capricorn, Leo
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COLUMN
What’s it really like to move in with your best friend? BY SAMYA OVERALL SOVERALL@STATENEWS.COM
College is hard. From the initial process of moving in to the adjustment of going to classes (wait, which bus do I get on?), college can feel like you are riding a bike. And the bike is on fire. A whole other aspect to the college adjustment is learning to live with a roommate. Rooming with your best friend can be the best thing for you to do — or the worst. I decided to room with my best friend, who I’ve known since my sophomore year of high school. After being on campus for a month, I’ve learned that it was simultaneously everything I expected and not at all what I expected.
HAVING LIMITED ALONE TIME
Hanging out with your best friend on weekends with the occasional sleepover is one thing. Living under the same roof is another. There’s a certain unspoken obligation to do everything together, from meals to hanging out to doing homework. On one hand, you think, ‘Why wouldn’t I want to spend all my time with my favorite person?’ You have inside jokes, shared looks and a mutual bond that comes from being best friends. I
thought I would love to hang out with the same person all the time. However, allowing yourself to have alone time ensures you don’t get sick of each other. My best friend and I usually only get one meal together and do our homework separately. We save “together time” for mornings and friend hangouts, like our weekly Thursday dinners with the rest of our friend group. I think balancing friend time with alone time makes living with your best friend 10 times easier. Separating for small periods of time often allows us to miss each other. After all, distance makes the heart grow fonder.
SOMEONE TO CONFIDE IN
I’d say one of the best things about rooming with your bestie is that you always have someone to talk to. Aced that difficult calculus test you’ve been studying for? She’s there to celebrate with you. Terrible day at work? She’s down with getting combos and watching Netflix. Knowing you always have a shoulder to cry on, someone to rant to or a person to laugh with makes the college process easier. Having a random roommate means not having access to that familiarity, which can be crucial when adjusting
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Journalism freshman SaMya Overall and human biology freshman Kailen Cooper pose for a portrait together in their dorm room at Hubbard Hall on Oct. 2. PHOTO BY SYLVIA JARRUS
to the madness that is college. The balance comes with making sure your best friend doesn’t become your in-house therapist. They have their own problems and no one, not even your very best of friends, wants to be overwhelmed with someone else’s problems.
SENSE OF HOME
Especially if you are from the same hometown, rooming with your best friend gives you a sense of home, even when you are feeling homesick. Both of you can reminisce about high school, cry at midnight about missing old friends and know exactly who they are talking about when they say, “They are back together ... again.” Having someone who reminds you of home helps with the feeling of homesickness that my-
self and other freshmen know too well. It feels great to know that not only am I not alone, but my best friend knows pretty much exactly what I’m going through. Rooming with your best friend will always raise red flags. What if we stop being friends? What if we are the type of people who just can’t live together? However, with careful planning and an honest look at yourself and your flaws (not just theirs), rooming with your best friend can be amazing. I’ll never regret rooming with my best friend. I’ve made many memories since move-in day that just wouldn’t be the same without her there. So if you are willing to make living together work, room with your bestie. It’s the best thing I’ve done at MSU.
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FALL HOUSING GUIDE
Top 10 WOES OF A COMMUTER ways to save money COLUMN
BY WELLS FOSTER WFOSTER@STATENEWS.COM
I am an MSU senior, and I have never stepped foot in a Michigan State dorm room. Yes, we exist. For many, the mental image of college is one of dorm life. Living on campus is seen as the quintessential college experience. Being on your own for the first time, living with a roommate and having all of your friends nearby sounds like a dream, and for a lot of college students, on-campus living is perfect. However, there does exist a large section of students who don’t live within the confines of an MSU dorm room — commuter students. Some commuter students are familiar with dorm life, living just slightly off campus in apartments within throwing distance of their
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classes. Others can take a CATA bus to class or hop on a bike and get to their 10 a.m. classes with few issues. A lot of us live pretty far away from campus, however, and getting up at the crack of dawn for a 10 a.m. class is a necessity. My first semester at MSU had me commuting close to an hour and a half each way, meaning three hours of my day were spent listening to podcasts. The 35-minute commute could often be 40 or 45 minutes if there was any kind of traffic backup. An accident on the highway was a surefire way to make me almost 20 minutes late to class. I grew up and lived with my parents in Laingsburg, a small town of about 1,000 people. I spent the first two and a half years of my college life a 35-minute drive away from East Lansing — 25 minutes on a good day with no traffic. That doesn’t sound that bad, until you factor in parking. My personal mortal enemy — parking. MSU offers very little accessible parking. I would park in Commuter Lot 89, and my first classes would be in Berkey Hall. After a 30-minute bus ride, my total commute became two hours and ten minutes. If I missed the bus, though, I was really screwed for a while. I found more accessible alternative
parking spaces later in the semester, but they weren’t always reliable, and many required payment. The parking ramp near the Communication Arts and Sciences Building and the Natural Resources Building is my current favorite spot. Parking there cuts out a decent chunk of my commuter time. No more bus, no more long waits. I can walk directly to my class. That’s all well and good, until I get a ticket for an expired meter. I tried paying with the Park on MSU app, but I could never get it to open on my phone, and it kept rejecting my credit card on my desktop. An alternative solution to taking the bus every day would be parking my car and biking or walking to class, but I’ve been highlighting accessible parking because I am disabled. I was born with Sever’s disease, a childhood birth defect that causes extreme heel pain. It’s supposed to go away during puberty, but not always. I’m currently undergoing surgery to rectify this, but in the meantime, walking to class from a commuter lot is just not feasible. And if I’m being honest, even able-bodied students shouldn’t have to walk that far to class. It can be dangerous during the colder months
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and thunderstorms or any kind of inclement weather. But there’s more to being a commuter student than foot pain and long commutes. Many professors expect students to live on campus and structure assignments and due dates around that assumption. The amount of times I’ve heard, “This assignment shouldn’t take long, it’s only x amount of minutes from campus,” is enough to fill an entire overpriced textbook. Most fail to understand that many of their students have three fewer hours for assignments than their oncampus counterparts. It becomes a real source of stress. Despite my constant complaining, I would still much rather live off campus. The dorm life is not for everyone. I like having a space to call my own. Being in control of your domicile is empowering — I just wish MSU would do more to accommodate us. More parking sounds nice, but doesn’t seem realistic. Perhaps more bus routes? Who’s to say. Now, I live near Frandor. It’s about a five to 10 minute drive to my classes now, but I still have to pay for parking or get a parking pass and take the bus. It’s still a hassle.
BY CHASE MICHAELSON CMICHAELSON@STATENEWS.COM
Moving off campus can be oddly overwhelming. As painful as the dorms were, you always knew where you were going to eat, do laundry and other housekeeping tasks. Now that you’re no longer living in the dorms, you’re going to want to make your money go a little further. Here are some tips to make that happen.
1. RAMEN
This is an obvious one, right? The biggest difference between living on campus and off campus in terms of out-of-pocket costs is food, and the temptation to go to Chipotle or McDonald's for every meal is tremendous. Every time you eat Ramen (or Lean Cuisine or whatever other cheap in-house food) instead of buying food from a restaurant, think of that as money earned.
FALL HOUSING GUIDE 2. GET THE LEGS PUMPING
Uber charges rack up quickly if you're not careful. Particularly during the months when it's bearable outside (September, October, March, April), walk as many places as you can. If you're headed to the bars or to a party, try to at least walk there or back and Uber the other way.
3. COUPONS
It's not just for your Aunt Ethel. When you're about to go grocery shopping, make a plan and see if there are any coupons you can use to buy what you were already going to. Grocery shopping costs a lot of money, and any time you can lessen that load, you just gotta do it.
4. BUY IN BULK
6. CATA
Taking the bus is a really cost-effective way to get places if you’re not in a hurry. It’s quicker than walking — obviously — and if you don’t have a car, it’s way cheaper than an Uber. Plus, CATA gets a bad rep. They’re on time a lot more often than they get credit for, and most of the drivers are really friendly. It’s not a bad option.
7. CUT THOSE CORDS
The dorms have free cable, which is a nice bonus, but let’s be honest — paying for cable isn’t worth it. Use your parents’ (or somebody else’s parents’) password to stream whatever show you’re binging, and if you want to watch sports, Reddit is your best friend.
Consider getting a Costco or Sam’s Club membership — it’s about $60 a year, and if you live off campus, you probably have the room to store more things. You could theoretically stock up on non-perishables and toiletries with one trip that'll last you the whole year (for a much smaller unit cost) and then not have to buy them again. That’s cost-effective.
8. FILTERED, NOT BOTTLED
5. TAKE IT EASY WHEN GOING OUT
Need to print stuff out for a class? If you live in an apartment complex, they might have free printing in the office, and if you don’t live in an apartment complex, ask one of your friends who does.
Have a plan when you’re going out on how much you’re willing to spend, and if you can’t afford it, do not buy rounds of drinks for your friends. You might feel like a baller in the short-term, but it’s gonna be brutal on the bank account the next day. Plus, headaches! Remember, at bars, water is free. Take advantage.
Plastic water bottles are bad for the environment and the cost adds up. Buy a Brita filter for your water, then buy one reusable water bottle so you’re drinking water for free. Very few things in this world are free — take advantage of what is.
9. PRINT AT AN APARTMENT COMPLEX
10. GO FURNITURE SHOPPING SOMEWHERE THAT ISN'T TARGET
You might think of thrift shops as a place where you can get overalls or cute wine glasses, but consider that you could buy furniture there also. You can get pretty cheap furniture that’s not damaged.
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SPOTLIGHT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 how different it felt in his absence. “His ability to be vocal is huge. I remember my freshman year how energized our practices were and then sophomore year how quiet it was because there was nobody yelling, nobody screaming, nobody encouraging as much as he was,” Tillman said. “Having him back ... having him be a leader and pinpoint what he sees is huge for us.” Nairn, a three-time captain during his tenure at MSU, always played with passion and spirit. On top of doing whatever he can for the team, he said he believes one of the best things he can do is to be himself. “I think that’s the best thing anyone can do — be themselves,” Nairn said. “So that’s what I’m going to try to do everyday.” Part of being himself is being a leader. It’s a trait Nairn said he carried with him since going into college. This part of his identity has not gone unnoticed — it is something Izzo said he loves about him and is excited to see return.
“He’s still the same Tum, but he’s got a lot more knowledge” Cassius Winston Senior point guard “Draymond Green said when (Nairn) was a freshman, ‘You ever had a freshman captain? You’re probably gonna have one,’” Izzo said. “And that’s how my career with Tum started.” Izzo said Nairn inspires him. “He never has a bad day. So if he isn’t good for the players, he’s really good for me,” Izzo said. “He’s just always upbeat, he’s very helpful and he’s very smart. He understands our game.” After coming up as a guard with Nairn present — and now seeing him return his senior year — Cassius Winston knows how significant it is that he’s coming back. “A guy that’s been through the war, won some big games for this program, knows what it means to put your all into the program — to have those type of guys around, that’s always going to help us,” Winston said. Nairn’s year away from MSU was filled with a variety of opportunities and experiences, but to all that knew him before he left, he is still the same person they remember. “He’s still the same Tum, but he’s got a lot more knowledge, knows a lot more about the NBA and how they are doing things there,” Winston said. “Like I said, he’s seen more, so he knows more and (can) help us out more.” Sports Illustrated credited Nairn with bringing “unbreakable spirit” to team during his year with the Phoenix Suns, but he said the light he shines with isn’t really him. “That spirit is called the Holy Spirit. I just try to let God use me in whatever way he wants
Lourawls ‘Tum Tum’ Nairn Jr. (11) hugs his mother Monalisa McKinney after the men’s basketball game against the University of Nebraska on Feb. 23, 2017 at Breslin Center. The Spartans defeated the Cornhuskers, 88-72. STATE NEWS FILE PHOTO
to use me for his glory,” Nairn said. “If I’m rebounding, I want to serve him. If I’m talking to somebody, I want to serve him … It’s not actually Tum, it’s the spirit of the living God that they see.” From the Bahamas all the way to the Breslin Center, Nairn has worked hard to get to where he is today. In becoming a published author, assisting on an NBA team and more, he said he strives to spread his message and share his be-
liefs in whatever way he can. He doesn’t give credit to his struggles for making him who he is today, Nairn said. He gives credit to how he was able to conquer them. “It’s not what you go through. It’s how you respond to it,” Nairn said. “We all are placed in certain different circumstances and situations. Everybody has a story. It (doesn’t) matter if you grew up rich or you grew up poor. You have a story.”
There’s no question Nairn’s return is special. Beyond basketball, Nairn will bring back an energy and light that has been missed. While he believes he has been blessed with the opportunity to return, Izzo believes it is the team that is lucky to have him back. “I’ve got two great graduate managers, but having him back is really special for me and for our program,” Izzo said. “I think it speaks volumes that guys like that want to come back.
(Right) Freshman forward/ guard Miles Bridges (22), right, and junior guard Lourawls ‘Tum Tum’ Nairn Jr. (11) speak to the media during a press conference on March 16, 2017 at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. STATE NEWS FILE PHOTO Lourawls “Tum Tum” Nairn Jr. (1), right, and then-sophomore guard Cassius Winston (10) share a laugh during the Fourteenth Annual Moneyball Pro-Am on July 18, 2017 at Aim High Sports at 7977 Centerline Drive in Dimondale, Michigan. STATE NEWS FILE PHOTO T H U RS DAY, OC TOB E R 3 , 2 01 9
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CITY
RELIGIOUS DIRECTORY Stay up to date at: www.statenews.com/religious
All Saints Episcopal Church 800 Abbot Rd. (517) 351-7160 Sun. Worship: 8am, 10am, & 5pm Sunday School: 10am www.allsaints-el.org Ascension Lutheran Church 2780 Haslett Road East Lansing (517) 337-9703 Sunday worship: 10:00am Sunday Bible study: 8:45am Thursday Bible study: 2:00pm www.ascensioneastlansing.org Crossway Multinational Church 4828 Hagadorn Rd. (Across from Fee Hall) (517) 917-0498 Sun: 10:00am crosswaymchurch.org Greater Lansing Church of Christ 310 N. Hagadorn Rd. (Meet @ University Christian Church) (517) 898-3600 Sun: 8:45am Worship, 10am Bible Class Wed: 1pm, Small group bible study www.greaterlansing coc.org Hillel Jewish Student Center 360 Charles St. (517) 332-1916 Shabbat – Services@ 6pm / dinner @ 7, September–April www.msuhillel.org instagram: @msuhillel
The Islamic Society of Greater Lansing 920 S. Harrison Rd. (517) 351-4309 Friday Services: 12:15-12:45pm & 1:45-2:15pm For prayer times visit www.lansingislam.com/ Martin Luther Chapel Lutheran Student Center 444 Abbot Rd. (517) 332-0778 Sun: 10:30am & 7pm Wed: 7pm Mini-bus pick-up on campus (Fall/Spring) www.martinluther chapel.org The People’s Church Multi-denominational 200 W Grand River Ave. (517)332-6074 Sun. Service: 10:30am with free lunch for students following worship ThePeoplesChurch.com Riverview Church- MSU Venue MSU Union Ballroom, 2nd Floor 49 Abbot Rd. (517) 694-3400 Sun. Worship: 11:30am-ish www.rivchurch.com St. Paul Lutheran Church (ELCA) Worship with us on Sundays at 10am 3383 E. Lake Lansing Rd 517-351-8541 www.stpaul-el.org officemanagerstpaul el@gmail.com
Political groups, expert explain impeachment
St. John Catholic Church and Student Center 327 M.A.C Ave. (517) 337-9778 Sun: 8am, 10am, Noon, 5pm, 7pm M,W: 5:30pm T & Th: 8:45pm F: 12:15pm www.stjohnmsu.org University Christian Church 310 N. Hagadorn Rd (517) 332-5193 Sun. Bible Study: 10am Sun. Worship: 11:15am www.universitychristianwired.com University Lutheran Church (ULC) “We’re open in every way” 1120 S. Harrison Rd (517) 351-7030 Sun. Worship: 8:30am & 10:45am Fridays@Five: Dinner, discussion & fun 5pm Mon. Bible Study: 6:30pm @Wells Hall Quad www.ulcel.org Facebook: ULC and Campus Ministry University United Methodist Church 1120 S. Harrison Rd (517) 351-7030 Main Service: Sun: 11am in the Sanctuary Additional Services: NEW contemporary service Sundays at 9am with band titled ‘REACH’ TGiT (Thank God its Thursday): Thur: 8pm in the Chapel of Apostles universitychurchhome.org office@eluumc.org WELS Lutheran Campus Ministry 704 Abbot Rd. (517) 580-3744 Sat: 6:30pm msu.edu/~welsluth
A protester holds an American flag during a “Trump is Not Above the Law” protest at Grand River and Abbott in East Lansing on Nov. 8, 2018. STATE NEWS FILE PHOTO BY WELLS FOSTER WFOSTER@STATENEWS.COM
On Sept. 27, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced an impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump over reports that the president solicited dirt on Hunter Biden, son of Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden. A whistleblower complaint accused Trump of asking Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to provide details on Hunter Biden in exchange for previously authorized military aid the president had cut. The whistleblower’s memo and a summarized transcript of the phone call between Trump and Zelensky have since been released. Now that an impeachment inquiry is underway, many Americans are exposed to the process for the first time. It’s a confusing and complicated political process, so just how does it all play out?
HOW IMPEACHMENT WORKS
The first thing to know is that an impeachment inquiry is not the same as impeachment itself. An impeachment inquiry is an evidence gathering process in which lawmakers look at the alleged misconduct, gather evidence and determine whether or not to move forward with the impeachment process. If the House of Representatives decides to move forward with impeachment, all they have to do is vote by a simple majority to impeach the president. Once that vote has been passed, the case then moves to the Senate. “The case heads to the Senate, and the Senate has a trial. If the person is convicted by a two-thirds majority in the Senate, then they are removed,” said Brian Kalt, a professor at the MSU College of Law and an expert on the impeachment process. “If they want, they can impose an additional punishment of disqualifying the person from serving in federal office again.”
COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS
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“There’s a very common misconception that it has to be a crime,” Kalt said. “But the impeachment process is, by design, completely separate from the criminal justice system. This is about safeguarding the office the person occupies, and going after official misconduct. It does not have to be a crime — In fact, Congress has said very clearly that it is a 18
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separate category.” Some other reasons to impeach the president would be abusing the pardon power, emolument clause violations and ignoring constitutional limits on presidential power, Kalt said. “Defenders of (the president) will often be the ones to say, ‘There wasn’t a crime here,’ but that never works,” Kalt said. “Congress has always rejected that reading of it. It was clear in the convention when they drafted the constitution, it’s been clear ever since. It’s been clear for centuries.” Kalt said vague constitutional language describing that an elected official can be impeached and removed for “high crimes and misdemeanors” is responsible for some of these misunderstandings.
WHO SUPPORTS IT?
Support for presidential impeachment is broken up along party lines. As of now, 223 Democratic representatives support impeachment. Rep. Justin Amash (MI-03) left the GOP, declaring himself an independent. He also supports impeachment, bringing the total number of Congress members supporting impeachment to 224. Conservatives generally do not support impeaching the president, with many calling it a publicity stunt by the Democrats. Nevertheless, an impeachment inquiry is a very serious issue and it has a strong impact on American politics. “(James Madison College Conservatives) recognizes the gravity of an impeachment inquiry—not just to one political party or another, but to our democracy as a whole,” a JMCC representative said via email. Any action to remove a sitting president from office must be treated with such reverence, and we hope that our elected officials on both sides of the aisle do not let their own allegiances subvert facts that are brought to light in this case. In the days and weeks to follow, we will follow the investigation closely.” Some Democrats are also wary of impeachment, as they see Vice President Mike Pence as a larger threat to Democratic ideals than Trump. “Trump being out of office leaves Pence in charge, and some of us definitely feel that Pence is going to be more competent and efficient at implementing harmful policies than Trump has been,” Michigan State College Democrats Press Secretary Maysa Sitar said. TH U R S DAY, O C TO B E R 3 , 2 01 9
CAMPUS
MSU Razor Scooter Club thrives amid return of motorized scooters BY ANNIE BARKER ABARKER@STATENEWS.COM
Lime scooters might have arrived in East Lansing, but Michigan State’s Razor Scooter Club was here first. MSU Razor Scooter Club Co-President Emily Rick began riding scooters again when her father cleaned out their garage and planned to get rid of them. “I took them and I’ve been riding them all last summer around East Lansing, and I was like, ‘Why is there not a club for this?’” Rick said. Rick and Co-Presidents Camille Weaver and Kristina Wylin created the club with the help of member Seth Rozin. The club was created to facilitate a scooter community on campus. Rick said she hopes to do some nonprofit work. “We noticed that Birds (and Limes) were increasingly popular on campus … We want to give students that alternative experience that’s eco-friendly and simple to use,” Wylin said. “(A) great way to get to class.” At each meeting, an online customer review of a Razor Scooter is read and a joke is told. The importance of scooter safety is also addressed, and at future meetings, the club will discuss ankle protection. “We don’t want any of you face planting into
the bricks,” Weaver said. This week’s featured review was left on Amazon by Jonathan K. Park on Dec. 17, 2015. “I’m a 5’9” adult male and I use a Razor scooter! There, I admit it,” Park wrote. “I occasionally work nights in a hospital and I get bored. How do I occupy my boredom, you ask? Well, I get on my Razor and start gliding through the halls. I’m sure I’ve been caught on security cameras roaming the hallways. But so far, no security guards have come to stop me. I bet they wish they had one for themselves.” Rick said she is not a fan of the Lime scooters on campus and thinks it would be better to invest in non-motorized scooters. However, Rick won’t deter people who use other types of scooters from joining the club. “Any scooter can come to our meeting,” Rick said. “You might get shamed if it is electric … but still come.” The club plans to continue having meetings even when winter hits. Rick is looking into indoor facilities and hopes to coordinate with these facilities’ personnel. “Wells (Hall) has (an) extremely nice surface to ride on,” Rick said. “The best stuff you’re going to get. ... We want to get people riding throughout the year.” The MSU Razor Scooter Club meets every other week at different locations on campus.
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Members of the MSU Razor Scooter Club pose for a photo at the Beaumont Tower on Sept. 23. PHOTO BY ANNIE BARKER
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200+ Houses & Apartments. Lic. 1-9. Variety of locations & prices. Leasing starts Oct. 4th. Hagan Realty. hrirentals.com. 517-3510765.
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Brand New Townhomes; 517-537 Albert. 7 bed, 3 bth, bsmt, w/d, d/w, covered porch, a/c, great parking, lic. 7-8. Leasing starts Oct. 4th. hrirentals.com. 517-3510765.
1st block of Durand; new/remodeled 2-4 beds. Great parking. W/D, D/W, hardwood. Some incl. utilities. Leasing starts Oct. 4th. hrirentals.com. 517-351-0765. Across from Hub; nearly half the price! 911 E. Grand River. 2 bed, 1 bth, balcony, w/d, d/w & parking. Leasing starts Oct. 4th. hrirentals.com. 517-351-0765. NEWLY RENOVATED apartments-Grand River+MAC. Free heat+water! Email mmarcinko@ landmarkcres.com to receive detailed information.
2020 Houses. Licensed for 3-8. Great locations & rates. Call 517.202.0920 or visit msuhouses. com. AUG 2020-2021 HOUSES. Lic. 3,4,5,6,7,8. Excellent Locations. Top Conditions. Extensive Updates. Call or Text: 517-4903082. AUG. 2020. Great 4 and 5 bedroom houses. Save money! 517712-9600 https://offcampushousing.msu.edu/property/view/ listingid/506835
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LIC FOR 4. Close to campus. Excellent rates. Call 517-4101198 or 517-203-5157 Make the best location on campus home for the 20/21 school year. Renovated 2, 3 & 4 bedroom apts across from Berkey. Visit 500Albert.com, or call 517.974.4419. MSU CLOSE FALL 2020 msurentalhouses.com or Call/Text Rick at 810-588-7204. Lic for 4, 4 bdrms, Parking for 4, Wash/Dryer/Dish, 3 blocks from MSU SWEET HOUSING DEAL AVAIL NOW-2 SPACIOUS 4 BDRM/2 Bath homes - $400-$450 pp. 6 BDRM House/2 Bath home AVAIL Jan 2020 $450 pp. ALL with d/w + w/d. sec. deposit + utilities 517599-5731
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SPORTS COLUMN
Men’s soccer shouldn’t be written off as contenders BY DEVIN ANDERSON-TORREZ DANDERSONTORREZ@STATENEWS.COM
Sophomore forward Gia Whalberg at DeMartin Soccer Stadium on Sept. 30. PHOTO BY MATT ZUBIK
Gia Wahlberg looks to continue dominant start BY BRENDAN GUMBEL BGUMBEL@STATENEWS.COM
T
he future for Michigan State women’s soccer is looking bright with sophomore forward Gia Wahlberg coming into her own in her second season on the team. After not being able to find the back of the net during her freshman campaign, Wahlberg has burst onto the scene through 11 games this season, leading the Big Ten in goals with nine. If you ask her about this feat, she’ll tell you that it’s not a big deal and that she’s only focused on winning games. She has been a crucial part of the Spartans’ eight victories so far this year, and most recently scored the
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clincher as the green and white put away Purdue at home Sept. 29 for their first Big Ten win of the season. Head coach Tom Saxton can see signs of Wahlberg’s leadership abilities coming into play and knows she is becoming a go-to player at the end of games. “I think that’s evolving,” Saxton said. “I think we have a core of 12 players that we kind of rely on as our core leadership group. But I can tell you this: as she gets more and more experience out there on the field, there is no doubt that she is somebody that we turn to in big moments. So in that way I think she is growing very well as an on the field leader.” Wahlberg comes from an ath-
THE STATE NEWS
letic family, as both of her parents played collegiate athletics and her two sisters are currently playing collegiate soccer. Celeste and Elli Wahlberg play at Indiana State University and University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, respectively. Celeste is a freshman midfielder who was tallied two goals in 10 games, while Elli is a junior forward with two goals through 14 games so far this season. Feeling more comfortable on the field now that she has one year under her belt, Wahlberg sees her connection with the team as a strength. “The strongest part of my game ... (is) the relationship I have with my teammates,” Wahlberg said in regards to contributions to her high level of play. “Definitely room for improvement, but I’ve been working on that since last year.” Another aspect of the team that is stronger this season is the on-field chemistry that is evident late in games and something senior midfielder and defender Michaela Kovacs knows Wahlberg has been a huge part of. The team is off to their second-best start in team history, being undefeated at home so far through six games. “I think we’re connecting a lot more than we have in past years and I think Gia attributes to that because of her movement off the ball,” Kovacs said. “When you move off the ball you don’t always get it, but Gia knows that and she knows the sacrifice run and she knows where to be if she wants to get the ball. She just has fantastic movement which creates a ton of opportunities, which she’s done a fantastic job capitalizing on.” Kovacs, a senior leader on the team, can also attribute to Wahlberg coming into her own
THURSDAY, OCTOB E R 3, 2 01 9
in her second season, stressing her knowledge of the game and work ethic as factors in her dominance. “Gia has just been phenomenal this year,” Kovacs said. “Since last year she has scored a lot more goals and I think it just comes from her confidence. She seems a lot more confident on the ball, especially in attacking, and she’s just getting herself in the right position. “She’s always been a hard worker. Having her as a teammate, she always brings a positive attitude and it’s fantastic to have her.” Wahlberg has already taken home Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors, and if she keeps the scoring up, more recognition will surely follow. She’s had a knack this year for scoring in crucial moments, with four of her nine goals ending up as the game-winning tally. Saxton likes the fact that her consistent play can energize her teammates and help to jumpstart the offense. “I’ve just been super pleased for her,” Saxton said. “Her attacking with an aggressive attitude and confidence and what a dangerous player she is. She’s been a great lift for us and when you get on a roll scoring and putting the ball in the back of the net the number of times she has, that can feed on itself and the other teammates feed off of it. “The difference between last year and this year has been our goal scoring Gia is leading the way there so we’re delighted for her.” The team is getting ready for an Oct. 3 matchup at Minnesota, and despite all her early season success, Wahlberg is just focused on these two words: “Keep winning.”
After failing to secure a win in their first seven games, Michigan State men’s soccer (1-6-2) drew scrutiny, as many now consider them out of the College Cup race. Well, that winless team just defeated a then-ranked and undefeated No. 22 Rutgers team — and by three goals. In the game where the Spartans took down Rutgers (6-1-2), they showed flashes of the 2018 team that made it to the Final Four of the College Cup. But, to be fair, this team has shown flashes of last year’s team all season. It just didn’t result in goals until last night. In each loss this year, Michigan State has fallen by no more than one goal, losing 0-1 to both current No. 21 Notre Dame (4-3-1) and No. 10 Washington (8-1-0), as each team’s goals came within minutes of the half or 90 minute mark. Michigan State was able to carry their fast-paced momentum from a strong performance against Notre Dame into conference play last week against Rutgers. After putting up three goals in their first seven games, the Spartans were able to tack on two goals in the first half against Rutgers and add a statement goal in the second half. The Spartans have not seen captains — senior midfielder Giuseppe Barone and redshirt junior defender Patrick Nielsen — consistently in the lineup or in the lineup at all. This has resulted in, for the most part, a more inexperienced and young starting lineup that endured constant position shifting. It appears like the young team just needed a little more time to get things figured out. Having the pieces to put together a winning team, and showing it time and time again in each close loss or draw, the Spartans might’ve just solved the puzzle against Rutgers. In the game against Rutgers, everything clicked. If the same Spartan team that showed up this past Friday shows up for the rest of the games this season, the Spartans could see similar results as last year. Strong play from sophomore forward Farai Mutatu and true freshman defender Nick Stone has contributed to the Spartans’ recent success, along with what could be an All-Big Ten season from redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Hunter Morse. Overall, several role players have assumed bigger roles and are now learning to fill them better and flow with each other. This team has taken their play to a Even with five losses, this team is far from being written off as contenders. Forty-eight teams make the College Cup, 24 of which are conference winners. Michigan State has a couple of ways to be one of those 48 teams. Now 1-1 in Big Ten play, after falling to Penn State (51-2) 0-3 on Tuesday night, the Spartans are still in good shape. Coming off of two good games prior to a hiccup against Penn State, the Spartans could put themselves in a good position for the Big Ten Tournament. After Rutgers’ loss, it’s likely that the only ranked Big Ten team for the time being will be Indiana, Michigan State’s last regular season match-up. If the Spartans can manage to pull out a winning record in a relatively even playing field in the Big Ten and end their regular season with a victory against Indiana, they may not even need the Big Ten Tournament to make their College Cup argument. But if they can come out of the Big Ten victorious, they could lock themselves in position for another Cup run. With the constant emergence and high-level play of Michigan State’s remaining roster, they could set themselves on the track to finish very strong. Good teams know that it isn’t how you start, it’s how you finish. This Spartan team is a good one, and with their intensity as of late, this is a team that needs to be taken very seriously. Despite their record, the green and white have the potential, and players to put together another winning season and make another deep run into the College Cup bracket.