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Volume 55, Issue 53 | Friday, march 26, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
Week ends with debate Right to Life club hosts events, debate on abortion By CLAIRE REID News Writer
Notre Dame’s Right to Life Club held their annual You Are Loved Week from March 21-26, which featured a variety of events including a faculty panel, a fundraiser for the Women’s Care Center and a debate on abortion issues. Senior Mary Benz, Right to Life president, explained that the club selected the theme for this year’s week, “Life is Worth Living,” in response to the struggles people are facing see PRO-LIFE PAGE 4
Observer Staff Report
CLAIRE REID | The Observer
James Murphy (left) and Sean Tehan debate stances on abortion in Thursday evening’s conversation at Hesburgh Library.
Senate discusses Zahm, mini-breaks, Moreau By MAGGIE EASTLAND Associate News Editor
The Notre Dame student senate convened Wednesday evening in Jordan Hall, discussing resolutions concerning minibreak classwork, adaptations to the Moreau course, integration of Notre Dame ID cards into smartphone wallet applications and additional support for Zahm House residents during the hall transition process. Before launching into conversations about the meeting’s resolutions, student body vice president senior Sarah
Galbenski gave an update on the Student Advisory Group. Galbenski said the group focused on four main topics: vaccination, commencement, the Zahm community and the housing policy. Before vaccinating students, Notre Dame is still waiting for state approval and proper supply of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, Galbenski said. She also said that the Student Advisory Group is hopeful for an in-person commencement with plans to announce the finalized policy by the end of the month.
News Writer
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the world Synod of Bishops’ social teaching document, the “Justice in the World” conference will be held virtually this weekend. The conference will focus on justice issues addressed by modern Catholic Social Teaching.
NEWS PAGE 3
The event is an opportunity for members of the Notre Dame community “to hear from some intriguing and brilliant people that can help us think about solutions to the problems that exist in our world,” conference organizer and director of Catholic Social Tradition (CST) at the Center for Social Concerns Bill Purcell said. In 2011, the conference began
VIEWPOINT PAGE 7
According to an email sent to the Notre Dame community Thursday evening from University President Fr. John Jenkins, the University will be opening a vaccination center on campus mid-April to serve students, faculty and staff. This announcement comes in light of recent news that all Indiana residents 16 and older will be eligible for the vaccine beginning March
31, including out-of-state college students. The Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) informed the University yesterday about the possibility of opening a campus vaccine distribution center. Per IDOH, Notre Dame will be given Pfizer vaccines for every undergraduate, professional and graduate student. Students will be able to receive two doses before see VACCINES PAGE 5
Students bond over jobs at CRU
On the topic of Zahm, Galbenski said the Division of Student Affairs is personally responding to every student-voiced concern. Zahm first-years have also been given personalized attention and extra time to select a residence hall preference, she said. Finally, Galbenski said the housing policy, previously adjusted to allow more students to move off-campus, will be reinstated as normal next semester provided COVID-19 cases decline. see SENATE PAGE 5
CST conference to be held virtually this weekend By CAITLIN GORMLEY
University, College to open vaccination sites
as a way to expand the discussion of CST nationally and internationally. Since then, it has been hosted biannually, and this year’s event marks the sixth CST conference. Each conference is given a theme that highlights a principle of Catholic Social Teaching. For this year’s conference, the see CONFERENCE PAGE 4
SCENE PAGE 9
Courtesy of Matt Cashore/University of Notre Dame
Student employees serve a vital role in ensuring thousands of students, faculty and staff can receive COVID-19 saliva tests every week. By RYAN PETERS Associate News Editor
During the first week the University implemented saliva testing in September, about 200 saliva tests were collected per day in a tent outside of McCourtney Hall. From March 17 to March 23, over 15,000 saliva tests were administered inside the Joyce Center. With the saliva surveillance testing program growing from its early stages inside of a tent into a full-blown operation inside the Joyce Center, Director of Finance
ND Baseball PAGE 16
and Administration for Notre Dame Research Joanna McNulty credited one group for being indispensable to the dramatic increase in saliva testing: student employees. “I don’t see how we would be able to staff [the testing center] without quite an expense to the University because we’d be having to hire full-time employees with benefits,” McNulty said. The increase in testing capacity has led to an increase in student hires. Senior and see CRU PAGE 3
nd w lax PAGE 16
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TODAY
The observer | Friday, march 26, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
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The Basilica of the Sacred Heart sits in the middle of Notre Dame’s campus on God Quad. Nestled between the Main Building and Sorin College, the Basilica offers daily masses with COVID-19 protocols and serves as a place for the community to come together.
The next Five days:
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Friday
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Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Vaccination Clinic Compton Family Ice Arena 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. For eligible Northern Indiana residents.
Justice in the World: 2021 Catholic Social Tradition Conference campus-wide 9 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. All are welcome.
Basilica Mass Basilica of the Sacred Heart 10 a.m. and noon All are welcome to attend.
Nuclear Physics Seminar virtual 4:20 p.m. - 5:20 p.m. Featuring Adam Clark & Drew Blankstein.
Lecture: “Lynching and Local Justice” virtual 12:30 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. A talk featuring Dara Kay Cohen.
Lecture: “Misuse of Civil Rights History” virtual 12:45 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. With guest speaker Jeanne Theoharis.
Food Trucks campus-wide 9 p.m. - 11 p.m. Food and fun at North Quad, Fieldhouse Mall and South Quad.
La Misa en Espanol Basilica of the Sacred Heart 4 p.m. Mass rooted in Hispanic tradition.
“HEAR IT FROM HER” virtual 6 p.m. - 7 p.m. Hear from current female students in MBA programs.
Social Justice in Contemporary Asian Theatre virtual 7:30 p.m. - 9 p.m. An evening on zoom.
News
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ND professor develops accessible science kits By ANNEMARIE FOY News Writer
Editor’s Note: A version of this story was published online March 25.
When Notre Dame Professor Cara Ocobock set out in August 2020 to create a fun science kit for her young niece’s birthday, she had no idea she was sparking a movement. Searching for science kits online, Ocobock grew frustrated with the limited existing options, many of which seemed “too kiddish even for kids.” They didn’t allow children to set up the process of science — ask a question, conduct the experiment, analyze the results — and even presented science as magic, which made Ocobock uncomfortable as a scientist. So Ocobock decided to make one herself. She created a manual, inspired by experiments she found online, and compiled the ingredients to give to her niece. She posted several pictures on Twitter as she developed the kit and was shocked to find her tweet going viral, with people looking to replicate science kits for their own children. “I think I responded to over 1200 Twitter direct messages,” Ocobock said. She realized there was an extremely high demand as children were stuck at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
CRU Continued from page 1
COVID-19 surveillance student manager Kiara Gallagher said three student employees typically worked at a time in the McCourtney tent when
Since August, Ocobock has developed 28 experiments inspired by resources she found online. There are even holiday-themed expansion packs for Halloween and Christmas. “I had a very intentional layout and design for this lab manual that was consistent from experiment to experiment so kids knew what to expect and why,” Ocobock said. This design includes instructions for conducting the experiment as well as an explanation of the results to help students learn the “core scientific concept.” Each experiment in the manual also includes a description of a type of scientist who would use these concepts in their job and a profile of a woman who works as that type of scientist. A book publisher reached out to Ocobock about the project, but she turned down the offer because she said “that meant there was now a price tag on it, and that would limit access to who could actually get [the lab manuals].” She instead decided to put PDFs on Google Drive and share the link on her website. In order to achieve equity, Ocobock’s work couldn’t stop at just the lab manual. “They can access the lab manual, but can they access the magnets or the borax or the benzoic acid?” Ocobock said. “If they can’t get the materials, what good does it do?” Overwhelmed by the demand, Ocobock reached out to the
Science Policy Initiative at Notre Dame, a graduate student organization that examines the intersection of science and engineering and public policy. Community director Morgan Munsen immediately jumped at the chance to expand the project. Munsen first acquired funding from Notre Dame’s Center for Social Concerns and the National Science Policy Network. This enabled Ocobock, Munsen and their team to make 150 science kits for students at St. Adalbert Catholic School in South Bend, which was chosen as the recipient on the basis of its diverse and low-income student population. Munsen said one of their first steps was to pay to have the entire manual translated to Spanish to meet the needs of the many St. Adalbert students whose primary language is Spanish. The translation was also posted to Ocobock’s website to reach a wider audience. “That was a really great moment because we could focus on accessibility on a large scale,” Munsen said. Munsen and Ocobock used their funding to buy materials that would not be accessible to many families and to partner with the Hammes Bookstore to package the kits. “We tried to ... consider accessibility and sustainability and making every single aspect of this work,” Munsen said. For example, the kits were packaged in Notre Dame backpacks
that the students could reuse for the school year. The science kit project continues to grow. Munsen recently secured additional funding from the National Science Policy Network to make more advanced science kits for older students at St. Adalbert. In addition, staff at St. Joseph County Library asked Ocobock for 500 science kits that could be given out during their Science Alive month in February. With assistance from the Eck Institute for Global Health and the Hammes Bookstore, Ocobock granted their request. Ocobock said she hasn’t had much time to consider the future of the science kits project, as it was never something she intended to go beyond her
family. As a human biologist, she researches how humans physiologically and culturally cope with extreme physical circumstances. Science kits and educational equity are not her usual work. However, she said she is open to new experimentations and is currently in the process of developing materials for a summer science camp at Notre Dame and for underresourced schools across the country. “I am always more than welcome for people to contact me and find ways that we can collaborate and move it forward,” Ocobock said.
saliva testing started. Now, up to 12 student workers are on the floor at the Joyce Center at once. Gallagher estimated that 55 students were employed at the beginning of the spring semester. That number has almost doubled with over 100 students currently working in
the saliva testing operation. The student workers rotate through three main jobs when working: checking students in as they enter, labeling tubes and receiving the samples and delivering them to the basement of McCourtney Hall to be processed. Gallagher said students have the freedom to choose when they work. There is no set time commitment, and they can pick their shift by the hour. “We are totally flexible, and that was kind of our goal with the scheduling because students are obviously students first,” she said. Even with saliva testing available from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. during the week and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the weekends, Gallagher said the student workers hold themselves accountable to ensure the center is always staffed. McNulty credited the student workers with playing a large role in streamlining the testing procedures. When the testing center moved to the Joyce Center in early October, students only had a weekend to move the entire operation indoors. The workers not only set up the new testing center, but they also designed last semester’s floor layout. “They knew what was
working and what wasn’t working,” McNulty said. “They were so proactive in thinking about how we could make this work. I was so grateful to have them.” One of Gallagher’s responsibilities as a supervisor is to communicate student feedback to the staff. Gallagher said the feedback from the student employees is valuable because they often understand the flow of traffic as well as or better than the staff does due to their experiences working and getting tested. While a majority of the student workers are in the College of Science, majors of the workers span across colleges. There are no pre-requisites for the job, and students of all grades are able to apply. Sophomore Ellie Temeles said working in the testing center has provided her with a unique opportunity to meet a diverse group of students. “I’ve really enjoyed getting to meet students from all different backgrounds,” Temeles said. “I’ve been able to become friends with seniors and juniors and freshmen, just people that I would have never met outside of the job.” The testing team emphasizes building camaraderie among the employees. For Gallagher, creating a light-hearted and
communal atmosphere is crucial to providing the best possible work environment. The staff recently held an employee appreciation week for the student employees. Each day they gave the student workers gifts and offered fun gestures to celebrate their time working in the testing center. Gallagher said the testing team made it a priority to have students run the operation. Their goal was to have the student workers set an example for the campus community to support the campus COVID-19 policies in order to keep people safe. “We wanted students to be the face of this operation,” Gallagher said. Gallagher and Temeles didn’t enter college expecting to be part of the University’s response to a global pandemic, but they both cherish the unique opportunity it has provided them to be a part of a public health effort. “Obviously I think this was a great opportunity, and I couldn’t have predicted being in this position,” Gallagher said. “But I think the most important thing is that we’re contributing to the safety of the campus community.”
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Courtesy of Cara Ocobock
Professor Cara Ocobock’s assistant works to put together science kits for young students at St. Adalbert Catholic School in South Bend.
Contact Annemarie Foy at afoy@nd.edu
Contact Ryan Peters at rpeters5@nd.edu
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NEWS
The observer | Friday, march 26, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
Conference Continued from page 1
Justice in the World theme celebrates the prophetic statement created by the 1971 Synod of Bishops on justice and liberation for the poor and oppressed. Attendees of the conference can expect to gain a “deeper familiarity with and appreciation for the relevance of the Church’s social teachings to contemporary social challenges,” director of communications and advancement at the Center for Social Concerns JP Shortall said.
Pro-life Continued from page 1
amidst the pandemic. “People have been going through so much recently — mentally, emotionally, spiritually, physically,” Benz said. “COVID has drawn so many people apart. It has made life especially challenging … we want to stand together as a human family and remind everyone that their life is really worth living.” The week’s events began Sunday afternoon with a rosary at the Grotto. Monday morning, Right to Life club members set up a tabling event on the quad outside LaFortune Student Center, where they handed out pamphlets on the club’s events as well as free Gigi’s Cupcakes. Monday’s events continued that evening with a 5:15 p.m. Mass at the Basilica, which Benz said had a great turnout. Tuesday night featured the “Pro-Life Vision of the World” panel, a discussion by Notre Dame faculty members that took place in Hesburgh Library’s Carey Auditorium. Mary Biese, one of Right to Life’s co-directors of education, organized the panel and explained that the panel takes place once a semester. The panel, which focused on the current status of the prolife movement, featured Brett Robinson, Carter Snead and Joseph Torma. Robinson, the director of communications and Catholic media at Notre Dame’s McGrath Institute for Church Life, emphasized the importance of being physically present in today’s increasingly digital world. He explained that people’s desires for everything to be as convenient and efficient as possible have “made everybody a nobody,” because so many of our interactions — even pre-COVID — take place digitally. “This disincarnation should be a deep concern for the prolife movement, a movement founded on respecting and repairing the body of mother and child,” Robinson said. “We need our bodies, because they give form and materiality to our deepest longings.” Following Robinson, Snead, a professor of law and political
The conference focuses on bringing together students and scholars to examine justice issues proclaimed by the Gospel. “This mixture of students and experts builds a community of diverse voices,” Purcell said. “The only way we are going to solve these problems is through community.” Shortall agreed with Purcell on the importance of community in confronting social justice issues. “It gives us the opportunity for focused discussion of questions posed by Catholic social
tradition — questions about things like racial and environmental justice that are pressing today,” Shortall said. The conference is being held virtually this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, but in some ways, a virtual conference might be seen as a benefit. “The advantage about [a virtual conference] is that we can bring in people from all over the world,” Purcell said. “We have really intriguing people speaking from places like Israel, Rome and Mexico.” Furthermore, Purcell and
Shortall highlighted the Justice in the World events held beyond the conference. The Justice in the World Virtual Art Exhibit features art submitted by undergraduate students from Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s and Holy Cross in response to the conference theme. There is also a Holy Saturday virtual retreat on “The Cry of the Earth [and] the Cry of the Poor” that will be held the week after the conference. On the importance of a conference like this, Purcell emphasized the value of hope during
such uncertain times. “Now, more than ever, we need to see goodness and we need to have hope,” said Purcell. “This conference helps us find that hopeful vision so that we can work to achieve Justice in the World.” This year’s conference will be held on Zoom and is free to the public. For more information and to access links to attend the conference visit socialconcerns. nd.edu/justiceintheworld.
science at Notre Dame, spoke about the history of Roe v. Wade, relating it to similar court cases like the 1992 Planned Parenthood v. Casey case. He explained that if Roe v. Wade were to be overturned, decisions regarding abortion access would be made by each individual state. Torma, the program events manager for Mendoza’s MBA program, was the panel’s final speaker. He discussed his experiences as a sidewalk counselor praying outside a clinic that provides abortions in South Bend and offering alternative recourses to women entering that clinic. Torma explained that most of the clinic patients he interacts with ignore him and some even cuss him out. “But the times that you are able to have a conversation and hand out the resources … you just never forget,” Torma said. The week’s events continued Wednesday afternoon in Duncan Student Center with a carnation fundraiser which Biese lovingly referred to as “Carnation and Donation.” Students could purchase carnations from 4-6 p.m. The proceeds went to the Women’s Care Center in South Bend, which provides free counseling, resources and ultrasounds to pregnant women. Biese said she hopes events like this one bring joy to campus. In giving out things like flowers and cupcakes, she wants people to be reminded that, no matter what, they are always loved. Thursday night, Right to Life returned to the Carey Auditorium for an abortion debate between Sean Tehan, a junior political science major, and James Murphy, a senior studying philosophy and gender studies. Francie Shaft, Right to Life’s other co-director of education, helped plan the debate, which could also be viewed over Zoom. Shaft, along with a team of both pro-life and pro-choice students, selected Tehan, who represented the pro-life perspective, and Murphy, who represented the pro-choice perspective, through an application process. “We wanted to hold this debate to inspire meaningful conversations on a very
important topic that impacts women, men and children,” Shaft said, addressing the audience at the beginning of the debate. “We hope that you’re here with an open mind, and will leave inspired to talk about your beliefs with others.” The debate began with both men giving eight minutes of opening remarks. First, Tehan built his argument around three premises. “First, it is immoral to intentionally take innocent human life,” Tehan said. “Second, a child in the womb is innocent human life. Third, abortion is the intentional killing of an innocent child.” He followed this with a point he repeated throughout the debate, that every member of the human species has personhood. “You are a person because of what you are,” Tehan argued. “Not because of what you can do.” Then it was Murphy’s turn to speak. He argued that abortion is morally permissible for two reasons. Murphy explained that in his view, humanity and personhood are not the same thing. Even though humanity includes every member of the homo sapien species, there is no plausible criteria for personhood that includes embryos, Murphy argued. He did not propose a concrete definition of personhood, but later in the debate, he said a possible definition of personhood could include awareness of one’s own existence, something that Murphy said could also apply to some species of animals and theoretical alien species, therefore making them persons as well. In his second argument, Murphy argued that no person has the right to use someone else’s organs without their consent. He illustrated this point with an analogy. Murphy asked the audience to suppose they were walking past a dying man in the hospital who needed a nine-monthlong continuous bone marrow transplant to survive. He said that if you happened to slip and fall and somehow became connected to the transplant machine, it would be okay for you to unplug yourself from it.
“Even though … he will die as a result of your actions, it’s still okay to unplug and go home,” Murphy said, “He’s not entitled to use your bone marrow for nine months … just because he needs it to survive.” In the rebuttal that followed, Tehan argued that Murphy’s hospital analogy was disanalogous to the issue of abortion. “The cause of death in the bone marrow donor analogy is not me, it’s the failed organ,” Tehan said. “The cause of death in an abortion is the abortion.” Tehan also argued against Murphy’s analogy because it failed to take into account the mother-child relationship, as you and the man in need of the bone marrow transplant would be strangers. Murphy responded to Tehan’s criticism by proposing a scenario in which a surrogate mother is pregnant with a stranger’s baby. Murphy’s argument also looked at the intention behind abortion, explaining that women do not get abortions with the intention of killing a fetus, but rather with the intention of ending an unwanted pregnancy. Other topics discussed in the 90-minute debate included sex-selection abortions, viability and audience questions.
You Are Loved Week’s events will continue Friday afternoon with a rose garden memorial on South Quad. Benz said that Right to Life will be displaying roses, signs and prayers on the quad as a witness to the lives of the unborn that have been lost to abortion. “We are trying to conclude the week in a prayerful way, reminding people of the beauty of every unborn child,” Benz said. “Like Mother Teresa said … saying there are too many children is like saying there are too many flowers.” The week will conclude later Friday evening with a showing of the 2020 film “Roe v. Wade” in LaFortune Student Center’s Montgomery Auditorium starting at 7:30 p.m. Benz said she hopes that this week’s events will help change the perceptions of people on campus who she thinks misunderstand and misinterpret the motivations of pro-life activists. “We want to … spread that message … that the pro-life movement is a really joyful and hopeful one,” Benz said. “It’s not one of judgment or condemnation, but really a message of hope and love.”
Contact Caitlin Gormley at cgormley@nd.edu
Contact Claire Reid at creid6@nd.edu
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Vaccines Continued from page 1
the semester is over. The vaccination center will also serve faculty and staff, though they are encouraged to keep any vaccination appointments elsewhere in the local community if these are already scheduled. More details about the vaccination site will be provided soon, the email said. “While the news of vaccine
Senate Continued from page 1
The first resolution, presented by sophomore Flaherty Hall senator Margaret Allen and sophomore Dunne Hall senator Michael Murakami, requested a formal statement to be sent to all University teaching staff regarding mini-break classwork. Allen said she decided to pursue this resolution after hearing several women in her
ndsmcobserver.com | Friday, march 26, 2021 | The Observer
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availability is extremely encouraging, it’s critically important that we as a University community continue to follow all of our campus health and safety protocols until we announce otherwise,” Jenkins said. “Having come this far, none of us wants to see a significant spike in cases, especially with campus-wide vaccination in site.” In addition to the Notre Dame vaccination site, Saint Mary’s will
be hosting vaccination clinics for students, faculty and staff, co-coordinators of the COVID Response Team Mona Bowe and Shari Rodriguez announced in an email to students Thursday afternoon. The clinics were made possible through a partnership with Meijer Pharmacy. The first clinic will be Friday, April 16, and the second will be Friday, May 7. Both clinics will use the Pfizer vaccines, the email said.
According to the email, the College will request students to complete a survey in order gain insight into their interest in getting vaccinated and then sign up through the College, not through the state’s system. Saint Mary’s will continue to use safety protocols through the end of the semester in order to protect the student body, despite the state’s mask mandate being downgraded to an advisory
on April 6. “Our safety protocols — Check Up, Mask Up, Back Up, Wash Up — will be in effect through the remainder of the semester,” the email said. “Health officials stress that those in congregate living settings should continue to be cautious in light of the increasing prevalence of COVID-19 variants, vaccine hesitancy and vaccine availability.”
residence hall discussing the homework assignments, exams, quizzes and other assignments that prevented them from taking a break from schoolwork. The resolution also asked for the student body to be made aware of the formal statement to better understand the expectations of the mini-breaks. After the resolution passed, Galbenski said, “I think this will be very productive, and will hopefully make April 21 a more relaxing and rejuvenating day for all.”
Next, senior Kaya Lawrence, director of diversity and inclusion, presented her resolution encouraging the adaptation of the Moreau First-Year Experience to better tell the story of Notre Dame’s history by including Native voices. Junior Jules Downing, a member of the Moreau Student Advisory Council, spoke in support of the resolution. “This is the only graded course that reaches every student,” Downing said. “We’re trying to harness the power of that course
to tell a very honest history of our campus.” The resolution was passed, and the senate moved forward with the next resolution from sophomore director of campus technology and innovation Mike Prieto requesting the integration of Notre Dame ID cards into smartphone wallet applications. The resolution would encourage the University to allow students the option of contactless student ID cards, made possible by smartphone apps such as Apple Wallet
and Google Play, while continuing to provide physical IDs to students who prefer that method. According to the formal resolution, “The option for digital student IDs has been called a ‘game changer’ at universities where it is in place and would help the quality of life for students of Notre Dame.” The resolution passed, allowing sophomore Zahm House senator Henry Bates to present his resolution concerning the disbandment of Zahm House. The resolution called on the senate to condemn the violation of public due process and lack of dialogue in the Zahm community and urge the Office of Residential Life to take steps to ease the transition for Zahm residents. These policies include increasing the number of students who can move as a group, providing mental health resources for Zahm residents and facilitating financial support for some juniors who face challenges pursuing resident assistant positions in new residence halls. Bates said that the resolution is not intended to reverse the University’s decision, but rather to offer more support for displaced Zahm residents and call for more transparent dialogue with the Zahm community. “This resolution is not aimed at reversing the University’s decision to disband. I don’t think that is within our grasp,” Bates said. “What it does do is goes against the idea that the University can simply strike down a community, act swiftly on a residence hall with no dialogue with that community and no transparency in the process.” Sophomore Keough Hall senator Benjamin Erhardt, one of Bates’ resolution partners, also voiced his support for the resolution. “Whatever your perception is of the Zahm as a whole community, there are individuals in that hall who are really hurting right now, with no say in this decision, and who are going to be hurting for the rest of the semester and admittedly the rest of their Notre Dame experience,” Erhardt said. In addition to passing this final resolution on Zahm House, the senate approved two orders — one to reappoint senators to serve the remainder of the 20202021 academic term and another to suspend class council and hall elections in residence halls with only one candidate up for election.
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Contact Maggie Eastland at meastlan@nd.edu
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The observer | Friday, March 26, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
Confessions of a gay Catholic
Inside Column
For the girls Alysa Guffey Notre Dame News Editor
Vince Mallet Independent Idealist
March 2021 — the start of spring, the anniversary of a year of lockdowns, the midmark to a stressful semester with no midterm break. Yet, along with a month that many people have associated with difficulty, uncertainty and loss came the annual celebration of Women’s History Month and recognition of women across the globe who have overcome odds and struggles to reach their dreams. Not that we shouldn’t celebrate women at all times of the year, but sometimes that little reminder on our calendar can force us to take a step back from our busy lives and reflect on what is important to us. For me, relationships are what I have always valued and spent time reflecting on. It is the little things that mean the most in life. Therefore, my love and appreciation for the women in my life does not come from huge gestures but from the small memories that stand out in my mind. I am fortunate enough to be part of the fourth generation of women on my mom’s side of the family with many amazing experiences between my great-grandma, grandma and mom that have shaped me into the person I am today. Black Friday shopping is where it normally goes down for us — when we all wake up before the sun rises, head to McDonald’s for breakfast and try to make sure we don’t forget anyone on our Christmas list. Even though stores opening earlier and earlier on Thanksgiving day are trying to ruin this (someone please explain to me how this makes sense), we won’t let the tradition die. The amount of knowledge and life lessons I have learned from these three is immeasurable, and I look forward to continuing the family traditions when I grow up. Every Christmas, my grandma on my dad’s side makes the best graham cracker pie. Last year, I tried to learn how to make it, but I will never be able to match how good hers tastes, so I am not sure why I bothered. She is the queen of organization and home crafting — I know I can call her whenever I need anything at all. And as her only granddaughter, I feel pretty special with our relationship, not going to lie. To the first and last person I talk to every day, my roommate Ellie: I am immensely proud of us for sharing approximately 180 square feet of space together, especially when we live with no air conditioning and sometimes we have 15 alarms go off every morning between the two of us. Good roommates are hard to come by, but finding a roommate that will accept your flaws and not get upset if you leave a pile of clothes on the couch too long is truly a blessing. This is starting to sound a bit like a romance, so I’m going to end it here. In the past two years, a lot has changed from graduating high school, moving away to college and then, on top of that, dealing with a pandemic where it was difficult to see friends. Through all the ups and downs in life, the girl I have called my best friend since sixth grade, Mary, has never failed to amaze me with her wisdom and thoughtfulness. It’s scary when I feel like you know me better than I know myself, but it’s too late now. Even though we are rarely in the same city these days, I know our bond travels across the state and won’t change. Sometimes you just know when a one-of-a-kind person walks into your life. I don’t know about you, but lately, life has seemed to be chaotic, and sometimes finding people who accept the chaotic thoughts you have and reciprocate them can be a game changer. To the two girls who have accepted my occasional chaos and have matched it right back — Piper and Quin — you both are gems. Here’s to being halfway through the semester. And to the guys in my life, I appreciate you, too — that just wasn’t the point of this column. You can contact Alysa at aguffey@nd.edu The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
I don’t have a problem with calling myself Catholic. I go to Mass often (weekly before the pandemic hit). When I’m there, I say the Nicene Creed and mean every word of it: “I believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth and …” I believe in humanity’s fall, and subsequent redemption through Christ; I believe in the intercession of the saints and I believe in the Immaculate Conception and bodily Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. I believe that the Roman Catholic Church is a holy institution, and that the teaching and traditions of the Church are not to be rejected without serious reflection. Many Catholics would claim that I am not one of them based on my inclusion of three words there at the end: “without serious reflection.” I cannot accept the Church’s teaching wholesale — because I’m gay. I would love to say that my rejection of a couple tenets of Catholic teaching is a result of purely intellectual efforts on my part. It isn’t. It’s because I’m gay. My religious life has been tied up with my sexuality ever since my awareness of the latter first came about. Growing up, I can remember praying in pretty much two ways: the standard Catholic Our Fathers and Hail Marys, and prayers for the intentions of others, especially family and those in need. To the best of my knowledge, the first time that I prayed for something for myself was when I asked God to make me straight. I didn’t put it in those words, because I didn’t think of myself as being gay and other people as being straight; I thought I had a problem, a disease, some sinful condition that God could heal just like he healed the sick. As I came to accept that I could not change my sexuality, and slowly started to recognize that it was not a moral flaw, I drifted away from the Church. In high school, I started to think of religion as something that didn’t put any actual obligations on someone. Religious narratives were comforting myths which were true only to the extent that they were able to relieve people’s problems, not to the extent that the stories they told about miracles and resurrection were truly accurate. I came to Notre Dame for a lot of reasons, one of which was the feeling that this belief wasn’t the whole story. After almost four whole years here, I’ve come to realize that Catholicism means what it says, and that the foundational ideas the Church professes are true. Of course, that has meant questioning my acceptance of my own sexuality and my belief that romantic love need not be limited based on sex or gender. In fact, that pretty much sums up the entirety of my spiritual life. (This point was made really well by Maddie Foley’s Letter to the Editor in The Observer a couple years ago, which I highly recommend overall.) How could I ever worry about any other aspect of spirituality? On the one hand, the holy institution I swear allegiance to definitively teaches that men must not be in romantic relationships with other men. To most gay kids, that is, the ones that aren’t enveloped by Catholic theology at Notre Dame, the message is pretty clear: Gay people burn in hell. On the other hand, I cannot conceive of a future for myself in which I am both able to thrive and not married to another man. I’ve been trying to do so … for years. I can’t. To call this a “challenge” or a “paradox” or a “conundrum” is laughable to me. It’s the
entirety of my lived experience. You can’t find ten consecutive minutes of my life within which I do not wonder whether I will burn in eternal torment for my willingness to affirm my love for other men. A few weeks ago, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), a group of cardinals and bishops which promotes Catholic doctrine, released a statement clarifying that Roman Catholic clergymen cannot bless same-sex unions. The same-sex couples in these scenarios were not asking for the Church to marry them or to change its position on sexual relations outside of heterosexual marriage. They simply wanted a priest to bless their relationship, to ask for God’s help in pursuing goodness in their lives. The CDF said this was not allowed, because samesex relationships are sinful. My heart sank when I read the news. I know that the Catholic Church is not going to change its position on same-sex marriage, at least within my lifetime. Personally, I don’t think it will ever change its teaching on the issue. Pope Francis, though quite happy to use language that recognizes that LGBTQ people are, you know, people, has stuck to the Church’s teaching in every official action he has taken. But every step backwards, every formal repetition of the Church’s rejection hurts a little bit more, because it reinforces the idea that I will never have a religious home. Maybe you’re reading this and you’re thinking, “Why not just stop being Catholic?” If so, please go back and reread how I started. I cannot change what I believe simply because I don’t believe in some other thing. That would make me quite happy, in a lot of ways, but I can’t. Maybe you’re reading this and you’re thinking, “All he needs to do is follow God and the Church and he will find peace.” If so, please realize that I’ve tried. I would be shocked if there is a single LGBTQ person out there who has never tried their very, very best to deny themselves. At some point, one has to consider whether the peace of Christ actually lies down that road, if it is those who try to walk it find peace so rarely, if at all. I know that carrying out God’s plan in one’s life isn’t easy. But it is possible, and it doesn’t drive hordes of believers to despair. Please, treat the LGBTQ people in your life with compassion. Help them carry their crosses, make their burdens lighter. Love one another, as God has loved us.
KERRY SCHNEEMAN | The Observer
Vince Mallett is a senior majoring in philosophy with a minor in constitutional studies. He currently lives off campus, though he calls both New Jersey and Carroll Hall home. He can be reached at vmallett@nd.edu or @vince_mallett on Twitter. The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.
The observer | Friday, March 26, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
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Stop Asian hate Megumi Tamura Subject to Change
Exactly one month ago, I wrote a column on the rise in anti-Asian attacks in the U.S. amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and its ties to the larger issue of discrimination against Asian Americans, which has existed long before this virus began to spread. One month later, it’s disheartening to write about the horrific shootings at three Atlanta-area spas which occurred on March 16 and which killed eight people — six of the victims being Asian women. While official investigative reports have not yet declared an exact motive behind this atrocity, we shouldn’t ignore or dismiss the fact that the majority of the people killed were Asian women. And the fact that this comes amidst a nearly 150% increase in hate crimes against Asian Americans. And the fact that the 21-year-old man behind these shootings “lashed out at what he saw as sources of temptation” — namely, massage parlors in which Asian women worked. This tragedy points to a convergence of multiple issues in our society which are prominent and must be addressed. First, we shouldn’t try to get around the fact that this shooting happened at a time when hate, discrimination and violence against Asian Americans has been on the rise over the past year. As I wrote in another column, there were more than 2,800 reported attacks between March 19, 2020 and Dec. 31, 2020. A more recent and updated national report by Stop AAPI Hate includes 3,795 incidents from March 19, 2020 to Feb. 28, 2021 — meaning just in the first two months of 2021, there have been around 1,000 reported incidents of hate and violence against Asians. According to this data, Asian American people, particularly the elderly, have been shoved, punched, robbed, verbally assaulted, told to “go back to China” and to “stop bringing that Chinese virus over here,” spat on, coughed on and so much more. This comes after a year of the coronavirus being nicknamed and constantly referred
to as the “China virus” by some political leaders and news networks. Again, the tragedy at the Atlanta spas has not yet been officially tied to racial motives, but, in context, it’s not hard to see why it has stirred so much fear and anger among the AAPI community. I also found it disturbing that the gunman denied his attacks were racially motivated but rather that he has a “sex addiction” and saw locations such as the massage parlors which he attacked as “temptation[s] … that he wanted to eliminate.” In a way, this reminded me of when people use the excuse, “she was wearing a short skirt,” to justify assaulting women. It seems to shift someone’s personal issues and blame onto the people who are the victims and who actually end up being harmed or, in this case, killed. Saying he has an “addiction” makes it sound like he warrants sympathy or understanding for what he did. The fact that the shooter saw these women — who were simply doing their jobs as spa workers — as “temptations” rather than actual people worthy of respect and dignity and who had families, friends and loved ones is dehumanizing and disturbing. Not to mention, Asian women have reported hate incidents almost three times more than Asian men. This, combined with the long history of the hypersexualization and stereotypes of Asian women makes me think it’s difficult to separate race from whatever the shooter’s conscious motives were behind his disgusting act. There is a deeper issue here which conjoins race and gender. Maybe we should pay more attention to and listen to what Asian women and Asian people have to say. Asian Americans are too often overlooked, ignored and seen as foreign in a country which many sacrificed so much to come to in pursuit for a better life for themselves and their families. I decided to write a second column on this spike in anti-Asian American hate and the horrifying tragedy which occurred in Atlanta because it’s been affecting me on a personal level. The Asian American experience — from the more subtle things like feeling “too Asian” to be seen as fully American while also feeling “too American” to feel “Asian enough” when I visit my
parent’s home country, to repressing my Asian heritage by refusing to speak Japanese when I was younger in an effort to “fit in,” to the sinking feeling of watching this rise in hate crimes against Asians — has not really been talked about much in the political or social sphere until recently. As I watched the news from Atlanta and texted my family and loved ones back home, I felt worried, angry and heartbroken for the families and all those impacted. I encourage anyone who is reading this column to remember the names of and take the time to learn about the eight victims: Soon Chung Park, Hyun Jung Grant, Suncha Kim, Yong Ae Yue, Delaina Ashley Yaun, Paul Andre Michels, Xiaojie Tan and Daoyou Feng. I hope America works to become a nation which protects and honors all of the people who make up its diversity rather than allow us to be torn apart.
KERRY SCHNEEMAN | The Observer
Megumi Tamura is a freshman in the Gateway Program. She is originally from Ridgewood, New Jersey and enjoys going to museums, watching political debates and eating Jersey bagels. She can be reached at mtamura@nd.edu or @megtamura on Twitter. The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Zahm’s collective punishment I’m writing to express my deep concern and bewilderment at the University’s decision to disband the Zahm House community. Information available to me suggests that this decision has been made not to address any specific, recent incident or transgression but to punish the Zahm community for a long pattern of misbehavior by some hall residents. I’m hard pressed to understand why the entire community of today’s Zahm House should be held accountable for the behaviors of their predecessors or even a small minority of the hall’s current residents. To scatter today’s “Zahmbies” across the campus, and on unconscionably short notice, is a great injustice to the overwhelming majority of hall residents who have done nothing to deserve being uprooted from a community and location that they love. Notre Dame’s well established policy of “in loco parentis” demands discipline and accountability. When the university’s rules or policies have been violated individual transgressors have been disciplined by administrators. But, to my knowledge, the Zahm situation represents the first time that Notre Dame has exacted collective punishment. Collective punishments are plainly unjust, are prohibited under international humanitarian law in all circumstances and, in war time, are clear violations of the Geneva Convention. If there are serious current behavioral issues that require addressing why not punish individual offenders and, more broadly, seek a more constructive way to address cultural issues that reportedly exist at Zahm, like forming a council of Zahm House resident thought leaders, the rector and a representative of the Division
of Student Affairs to address issues? After all, “in loco parentis” entails not only meting out punishment when it is due, but also providing guidance, support and yes, protection. If a solution like this cannot be found and Zahm is actually disbanded then I would consider this to be a failure of leadership and creativity, particularly in the Office of Student Affairs. A more constructive approach like this would also be more in line with our Lord’s directive to: “...forgive not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” If the University needs transitional housing for residents of other halls that are being renovated then the administration should find another solution that avoids destroying Zahm’s proud, vibrant, colorful and occasionally irreverent spirit that first took root in 1937. My son (ND ’09) was a resident of Zahm House for three years and so I have direct, personal knowledge of the hall, its traditions and spirit. The men of Zahm who were my son’s classmates were and are, like most ND students and graduates, exceptionally bright, spirited, hardworking and committed. Today, to a man, they have advanced degrees, have achieved great professional success and contribute to their communities as physicians, attorneys and corporate executives. Without exception they are deeply proud of their membership in the Zahm brotherhood. During their student days the strength and warmth of this brotherhood was on full display during Sunday Mass at the hall’s St. Albert the Great chapel. And I can tell you that they and their predecessors and successors at Zahm House are extremely upset by this proposed action.
The Division of Student Affairs website proclaims: “Ask any Notre Dame undergraduate about his or her experience on campus and the story will usually start in the residence halls. It’s where they made lifelong friends, got plugged into the campus community, contributed to decades-old traditions and made a few new ones, and found out just how special it is to live under the dome. This is no accident. From the University’s founding, residential life has been a central tenet of the Notre Dame experience, and is perhaps the most distinctive feature of the undergraduate experience at Notre Dame.” This statement precisely describes the reality that I know of Zahm House and its disbandment would make a mockery of it. Much has been made of the so-called “cancel culture” phenomenon that has taken root on both sides of the political divide in this country. Now I fear that it has gained currency at our beloved alma mater. First, the cancellation of Luigi Gregori’s Columbus murals in the Administration Building and now the proposed cancellation of Zahm House and the sensibilities of its many alumni. Father Jenkins, you have the power to reverse this unwise and unjust decision. I strongly urge you to do so, especially during this penitential season of forgiveness. Respectfully yours in Notre Dame, Thomas F. Carroll class of 1974 March 24
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The observer | Friday, March 26, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
Ay-bee-dubba-yoo Mikki Vaughan Show Some Skin
I’ve done things differently. Tried to be other ways. Spoken more softly. Straightened my hair. Smiled some more. SLOUCHED. All to make those around me more comfortable in a world that was designed to profit off of my agony, and intentionally misunderstand me and then question WHY I’m angry. I’m angry because my screams for help are laughed at and listened to like our STOLEN jazz, hip-hop and blues. Because I’m me, I’m not you. But when I tell you my screams are in fact screams you look at me sideways like “How can that be true?” or “I don’t believe you” or “What did YOU do?” Nothing — except not look like you. I’m angry because I have to be on my deathbed for you to believe that I’m not okay, and by then it’s too late. You’ll only believe when it happens to you, but you won’t even process that it’s the same thing I went through — but 100 times worse than you. I’m angry because the INCORRECT ASSUMPTION of me dating a teammate was somehow worse than two of my teammates actually dating. Guess what their skin
color is. I’m angry because you’d rather be liked than be angry. You have the choice and you’re making the wrong one. My choice was made for me when I was born with kinky hair and a surplus of melanin instead of blue eyes and fair skin. AND WHEN I TELL PEOPLE WHY I’M ANGRY, THEY PRETEND NOT TO SEE OR BLATANTLY IGNORE ME. And if I’m not outraged at their anger, I’M the paradigm of “The Big Three,” but I’ve realized why you really hate me. Because it’s easy. Because my skin absorbs the sun and my hair defies gravity. Because I’ve always shouted the things you don’t want to hear. You’d rather feign peaceful ignorance and spit at me because I’m not awarded that luxury. My black skin discredits me. WOULD YOU CARE ABOUT MY PAIN AND LISTEN TO ME IF HAD BLONDE HAIR AND WHITE SKIN? WAS 5-FOOT-6 AND PAPER THIN? IF I REPLACED MY SCOWL WITH A STUPID GRIN? Of course not. But be at ease! No more futile efforts, as small minds cannot be appeased. Or pleased. I SEE THEM when we champion mediocre white voices, and silence EXCEPTIONAL BLACK VOICES.
I used to think the incessant heckling would cease, but I’ve stopped thinking that. Because your boos don’t phase me when I’ve seen what makes you clap. You reserve your applause for the mundane. The vanilla. The whitewashed, diluted, hand-me-downs that could NEVER come close to seeing the black crown. And if you’ve been listening, you should know that I know that shouting the truth as loud as I’m able won’t make my pain and anger stop. The real truth behind it all is this: You hate me because I’m angry. I hate you because you’re not. Mikki Vaughn is a part of this year’s Show Some Skin. Show Some Skin is a student-run initiative committed to giving voice to unspoken narratives about identity and difference. Using the art of storytelling as a catalyst for positive social change across campus, we seek to make Notre Dame a more open and welcoming place for all. If you are interested in breaking the silence and getting involved with Show Some Skin, email s.someskin@gmail.com The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Get vaccinated, stay educated On March 1, 2020, as the coronavirus began its spread across Italy, Saint Mary’s College students studying abroad in Rome spent their last day in the city before evacuating. On March 11, Holy Cross College paused all on-campus activity for the following month. On March 18, the University of Notre Dame suspended all in-person classes for the remainder of the spring 2020 semester. March 2021 has been a month of reminiscing for many. We’ve all probably experienced the earth-shattering “one year ago today” revelation at least once in the last few weeks. As the somber anniversaries of fateful cancellations come and go — and as the pandemic enters its second year in the United States — it’s difficult not to look back at what once was. But the tri-campus community seems to have something to look forward to. On Tuesday, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb announced the state’s plan to expand COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to all Indiana residents 16 years and older — including out-of-state college students — beginning March 31. And yesterday, Saint Mary’s and Notre Dame announced the opening of vaccination centers for students, faculty and staff on their respective campuses in the coming months. As we prepare for mass vaccination, here are some things to keep in mind.
If you’re eligible for the vaccine, get the vaccine The past year seems to have made us all highly cognizant of scarcity. Cleaning product aisles were left barren as the first wave of cases hit the country. Hospitals around the world struggled to accommodate patients due to limited numbers of beds and ventilators. In the first few days, the Center for Disease Control initially even advised Americans not to buy face masks in light of hospitals’ dwindling supplies. But the vaccine distribution plan in the United States is far from a state of scarcity. In fact, the country might have to deal with excess, with some models projecting a surplus of 600 million doses in the second half of 2021.
So, if you’re eligible for the vaccine — or soon will be — don’t use self-sacrificial sentiment as an excuse to not get vaccinated. If you fit the eligibility criteria, there is a dose with your name on it. Get the vaccine for the sake of the communities and the people you care about.
If you’re unsure about the vaccine, read up on research and ethics Much of the skepticism surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine stems from its condensed development timeline: The full course of production — usually spanning years — was achieved in only about a year’s time. In fact, according to scientific journal Nature, “For years, researchers had been paying attention to related coronaviruses, which cause SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) and MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome), and some had been working on new kinds of vaccine — an effort that has now paid off spectacularly.” Furthermore, despite its seemingly quick manufacturing process, countless experts have come to a consensus on the COVID-19 vaccine: It’s safe and effective. While some minor side effects are common in the short term — fevers, muscle aches, fatigue and headaches — they are ultimately a sign of success, signaling that your immune system is responding to the shot and preparing to fight the virus upon future exposure. However, some people might oppose receiving a vaccine on ethical or religious grounds. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine manufacturing process required the use of abortion-derived cell cultures, which prompted backlash from some Catholic bishops. The University expects to administer this vaccine to nearly 6,000 Indiana residents at its March 26-27 vaccination site. Pfizer and Moderna used abortion-derived cells as well, but only to test their vaccines. If this raises moral concerns, we urge you to look to the words of Catholic Church: While they have expressed a preference for the latter vaccines, the Vatican and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops have also both released statements affirming the role of vaccinations — including the Johnson & Johnson one — in ensuring the common good.
If you’re not yet eligible for the vaccine, wait until you are
Despite the vaccine’s rapid rollout and ever-expanding eligibility requirements, impatience abounds — some Hoosiers have lied about their age or occupation in order to receive a vaccine dose before their designated slot. More than a year into the pandemic, the temptation to cut the line might be strong. With less than a week for all students to be eligible for the vaccine March 31, our tricampus community is closer than ever to mass vaccination. Hopefully, that fact can give us the patience we need as we continue down the home stretch.
Even after you’re vaccinated, continue to be conscientious Unfortunately, receiving a dose of the vaccine doesn’t immediately grant us immunity. The CDC notes that someone isn’t considered “fully vaccinated” until two weeks after their final dose. But even after that exciting date comes and goes for each of us, we must continue to be vigilant in protecting our entire community from the virus. In the face of insufficient evidence on whether or not vaccinated people can transmit the virus, we must assume they can — and that means continuing to wear masks, maintain social distance and abide by the guidelines medical experts and school administrators provide for us. Besides sharing news of the expansion of vaccine eligibility in Indiana, Gov. Holcomb also announced an end to the state-wide mask mandate on April 6, leaving the final decision about mask requirements up to local governments. No matter your vaccination status, we urge you to continue to wear a mask in public to protect the larger community. We know that won’t be easy. The thought of a post-COVID world is undeniably appealing, but our current reality is much more nuanced. As Dr. Anthony Fauci told CNN back in November, the vaccine is “not going to be a light switch” back to pre-pandemic times. We’ve kept up with ever-changing restrictions and guidelines for more than a year now, and we can’t allow ourselves to falter in the last few months, when normalcy is within reach. And, as always, keep up with The Observer to receive updated coverage on the tri-campus’ plan to provide students and the South Bend community with vaccines.
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The observer | Friday, march 26, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
By SOPHIA MICHETTI Scene Writer
Warning: Spoilers for “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” episode one ahead! The time has finally come for Marvel fans’ favorite two side characters to step into the spotlight with their own sixepisode series on Disney+. On Mar. 19, the pilot episode of “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” was released after much anticipation, following the finale of the wildly popular “WandaVision.” Directed by Kari Skogland, “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” follows Captain America’s friends Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) and Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) as they find their places in a world that lost some of its greatest heroes in “Avengers: Endgame.” Giving us little action and no rapport between the two main characters, the pilot episode is definitely a slow burn, but it is also the starting point for some epic character development. Sam Wilson’s story can’t start without a bang, and the beginning of the pilot surely reflects this. Working with the U.S. Air Force, Sam’s opening mission to take down French mercenaries in a North African canyon takes the audience on a wild ride. And subtlety isn’t exactly Sam’s strong suit. “I wanted us to feel that we were immersed in the action,” Skogland said in an interview with Digital Spy. “I wanted it to have that kind of GoPro feel.” This creates an interesting viewing experience, because
By RYAN ISRAEL Senior Scene Writer
“First Cow” moves at a cow’s pace. Yes, it is true that cows, when they really get going, can run at an average of 17 mph, which is about how fast the average human can run but slower than the average, say, car. But “First Cow” isn’t one of those running cows, sprinting across the farm; it’s a grazing cow, aimlessly munching grass one blade at a time. All this is to say, “First Cow” is a slow movie. But that’s to be expected from director Kelly Reichardt. The auteur filmmaker has carved out a space for herself in the art cinema scene, specializing in slowmoving, meditative films, and “First Cow” certainly fits her M.O. The film employs long scenes — often with minimal action and dialogue full of diegetic sounds — to lull the viewer into the world Reichardt creates. The story, adapted from Jonathan Raymond’s novel “The Half-Life,” progresses in a leisurely manner as well, but this pace gives time for the nuance and intricacies of the story to settle in. “First Cow” centers on two unlikely partners, lonesome fur trapper Cookie (John Magaro) and on-the-run immigrant King (Orion Lee), in the 1820s Northwest. The pair become allies and later business partners as they, like so many of the first immigrants to Amerca’s Western seaboard, attempt to find a way to make money. Their delicate plan, which combines Cookie’s latent skills as a baker and King’s enterprising mindset, hinges
the viewer feels like they’re flying with Sam instead of just watching him. Sam’s story also introduces us to new characters like the young, spirited Torres — who thinks Steve Rogers is watching over everyone on the moon — and Sam’s sister, Sarah, who isn’t afraid to go toe-to-toe with her brother’s sass. Sam Wilson’s a bold character, who loves to go big or go home, so fans can expect nothing less than for Wilson to make risky choices in future episodes. Bucky’s story takes a different approach. Having nightmares about his past life as the brainwashed Winter Soldier, Bucky isn’t looking to get into a fight during this pilot episode. In fact, our first scenes with him are in therapy. Trying to make amends for his past, Bucky is attempting to balance his efforts to make up for what he has done as the Winter Soldier and integrate into civilian life at the same time. What “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” excels at is that the heavy themes presented coincide with light-hearted humor. When the woman Bucky is on a date with asks him his age after he complains about how confusing online dating is — and she laughs when he says he’s 106 years old — the audience can’t help but laugh too. There’s a certain beauty in finding places to laugh in such heavy times, and the pilot episode walks this fine line well. We all fell in love with the elderly Yori getting in a fight over a trash can and asking the cute bartender to play pinochle with Bucky, so finding out Bucky killed his son will make anyone reach for the tissue box. “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” seems to be different from other Marvel content because of how realistic the
characters’ problems are. Sam Wilson and his family are facing money troubles while trying to keep their business afloat. Who would have thought that superheroes don’t get paid? Even the bank denies Sam a loan, despite the fact that he helped save the planet multiple times in past movies. Meanwhile, Bucky faces trauma and isolation as he tries to come to terms with his past, and the first episode seems to be setting him up for a journey to find trust in his friends (again). The show even shows signs of a commentary on general society; we all gasped when we saw the ending scene of a new Captain America holding Steve Rogers’s shield — the same one Sam donated to the Smithsonian. The government seems to be trying to maintain a public image of safety by creating another Captain America, but it certainly doesn’t seem respectful to replace someone who did so much for his country. Fans should be excited for what is to come with the rest of “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.” When Sam and Bucky finally reunite in the coming episodes, viewers can expect a hilarious rapport between the loud, funny Wilson and the reserved, angsty Barnes. The show is sure to take the audience on a wild ride throughout the world as our heroes battle vigilantes who want a free, anarchic world to do whatever they please, and Marvel lovers will certainly be entertained watching the best dynamic duo the franchise has ever presented.
on the secret use of a local businessman’s dairy cow — the titular first cow, played by Eve the Cow. Underlying the relatively straightforward story is a commentary on early capitalism in America, so favorably represented in common tales of the bold frontiersman’s quest to find land — and money — yet presented more delicately in “First Cow.” Cookie and King’s scheme finds them making use of their skills and the resources they can find in an effort to just get by, but without ownership of the cow, they’re on the ropes. While this interpretation of the film certainly has weight, it’s secondary to the focus on the friendship between Cookie and King. The relationship between the two main characters lies at the heart of “First Cow.” Cookie and King are codependent in a literal sense — each could not execute their plan without the other’s help — but they also rely on each other for companionship. Not fitting in with the tough trappers, Cookie finds acceptance at King’s side, and King relies on Cookie’s kindness for basic survival. In the central relationship are echoes of Reichardt’s “Old Joy,” her breakout feature starring Daniel London and Will Oldham as two old friends who reunite for a camping trip. In a locale similar to the woodlands of “First Cow,” the men reflect on their past and their differing paths from it, while their relationship anchors the film. Similarly, the historical setting of “First Cow” harkens back to “Meek’s Cutoff,” Reichardt’s story of six settlers traveling West with a seemingly unreliable guide. She tells these stories of American lore through a lens of sharp realism, exposing the ideas, both good and
bad, which the country was built on and which survive today. The payoff for Reichardt’s slow-moving films often comes with their end. While not offering complete narrative resolution, her best finales, especially the one for “Meek’s Cutoff,” drive home a film’s main point and leave the viewer thinking about them for days to come. The ending to “First Cow” is as straightforward as the entire film which precedes it; it leaves questions unanswered but simultaneously quiets the need for any more questions. It says, “This is the story and this is where it ends,” a conclusion highlighting the essence of “First Cow.” “First Cow” is playing at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center at 7:30 p.m. this Friday and Saturday. For more information on reserving tickets, visit the DPAC website.
Contact Sophia Michetti at smichett@nd.edu
Contact Ryan Israel at risrael1@nd.edu
“First Cow” Starring: Jon Mogaro, Orion Lee Director: Kelly Reichardt Genre: Drama If you liked: “Ugetsu,” “Minari,” “Nomadland”
MAGGIE KLAERS | The Observer
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The observer | Friday, march 26, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
By JP SPOONMORE Scene Writer
With the Academy Awards announcing their nominations, it is officially time to binge watch all the films you hear about but never had time to watch. Delayed by theaters closing, coronavirus regulations and a continuing decline in the ceremony’s ratings each year, the awards season seems to be trapped in a perfect storm. But for writer-director Darius Marder and his film “Sound of Metal,” this year seems to be soaring without turbulence. What elevates this film to its spectacular quality is the editing and sound design, both of which are nominated for an Oscar. Sound is the hinge that this film revolves around, and I have never heard a film so beautiful in my life. The mix of noise and silence crashes against the imagery like a tidal wave, and the fresh interpretation of how Ruben — the main character — hears the world is a whole new level of audio sensation. The editing is also fantastic, cutting around the way deaf people talk while building up the juxtaposition between the world of sound and a world without it. The first half of the film leads the audience into an unknown world — a world without sound and without a voice to name its existence — of addicts and children that have been taken away from the familiar, and therefore take themselves away from the world itself. We, as the audience, have to adapt with Ruben in this
By SARAH KIKEL Scene Writer
If there were a college poet laureate, I would nominate Maude Latour. A songwriter who studies philosophy at Columbia University, Maude has been deeply inspired by her life on campus, and her music weaves together imagery that is both biographical and derived from her exploration of classic literature. Her lyrics are a lot like Sappho’s poetry. Her voice is powerfully feminine. Many of her lines are fragments of ideas. She centers her thoughts around themes of love and yearning, youth and aging, innocence and experience — all masterfully entwined into one through the college experience. When she sings about episodes of her life, she doesn’t just relate her emotions — she adds details of the campus landscape and grounds her stories in specific months and locations. In “Block Your Number,” she examines a tempestuous college breakup, realizing, “And if it were perfect, I wouldn’t be cryin’ / On the floor of my dorm room / You wait in the lobby.” In emphasizing the (physical and emotional) distance between her and her ex, she uses the dorm room and lobby — exclusively collegiate locations — to paint a clear picture of the
alien world, feeling the snaps and clicks at the dinner table with no way of understanding. The cinematography expresses sign language in a beautiful blend of hide and seek, sometimes highlighting its idiosyncrasies or masking it within the editing’s tight cuts back and forth between Ruben’s perspective and the world of sound. The camera acts as two separate roles: one acting inside Ruben’s mind and senses and the other one watching from a distance. There are parts of the film where we observe Ruben simply observing his surroundings, but the way it is shot with the emotions that take over Ruben make these scenes the best in the whole film. Riz Ahmed — who plays Ruben — gives a heartbreaking performance as a death metal drummer and recovering addict. Losing his hearing is not what is wrong with him, but it unveils all of his past anger with no way to control it. Every character has a phantom hiding under their skin, and how these phantoms reveal themselves once Ruben loses his hearing is a terrifying reality. Blaring trucks and road construction are wiped completely out of existence with a simple cut, yet the sun poking through the trees remains. The chaos of noise constantly rams itself against the calming silence, enough to send Ruben over the edge. All he can do is scream, but even then, he still can’t hear it. The story itself is rather straightforward, but it is the miles of depth hidden underneath that kept me watching. It’s more than a biography of a man turned deaf, or a musician losing his dream. Not everything is said
out loud. Most of Ruben’s pain stays behind the stage. Darius Marder doesn’t want every truth to be drowned out in the noise of blaring horns and banging drums. He wants the audience to find it on their own — with their own ears and eyes. He wants us to understand that it can’t be found in the chaotic static of the modern world, and it can’t be found in the music. It can only be found in the stillness. Thankfully, the best way to experience this film is sitting down with your laptop and plugging in the best headphones you have. It was made to be watched on Amazon Prime, utilizing headphones perfectly as the stereo mix of rock music and leaves blowing in the wind hook you right into the emotions. The story is told through sound, sometimes through Ruben’s ears, sometimes from a distance, but it is that juxtaposition that constantly reminds you of how different life can be with just the slightest change.
experience. In “One More Weekend,” Maude sings, “Maybe I’ve been lying to myself since last October / ‘Cause I saw you ‘cross the campus and I wished it wasn’t over / And I know you’re late to class, but can I take back every single thing I said? / If we just had one more weekend, could we try it all again?” Throughout the song, her lyrics jump all over the place chronologically, capturing the events and emotions that surround her breakup with her college ex for the summer. She laments love and loss, dwells in nostalgia and ultimately recognizes the transience of relationships. One of Maude’s most prominent concerns is the process of aging and changing, which she discovers in herself and others as she enters adulthood. In “Starsick,” she writes about her best friend turning 19, singing, “I’m growing up, I swear I didn’t mean to.” In “Ride My Bike,” she sings, “And all the gods gave me one message / That you live fast and you die quicker.” In “Block Your Number,” Maude particularly emphasizes the changes people experience as they proceed through college: “You look so much older than / Than when I met you,” she notes bittersweetly. But instead of mourning impermanence, Maude’s lyrics come to embrace life’s fleeting realities. “Isn’t it amazing? / That people connect for a minute or two?”
she penned in “Lovesick.” So many college relationships — romantic and platonic — will be changed when we no longer share the same ground. But Maude elevates the beauty of the transient encounter, and glorifies the presence of the moment. “Here’s a toast to getting older / Now we’re young and soon we’ll die,” Maude sings in “One More Weekend.” As a college student, it seems like every milestone we experience is an assertion of our temporary time on campus. But Maude turns her sadness into a dance, learning to root herself in the present and enjoy the moment as it plays out. Throughout the heartbreak, euphoria and redemption, Maude’s lyrics are a celebration of the adolescent spirit. She commemorates the college experience: of life spent wearing blue Nike high tops, annotating Greek tragedies and leaning against a brick wall with a backpack on. “Nothing lasts forever,” Maude sings at the beginning of her chorus in “One More Weekend,” as she expands a particular broken relationship to the universal reality. These words also apply to our time on our own campus. Though college may be but a moment in our lives, Maude Latour captures the moment splendidly.
Contact JP Spoonmore at jspoonmo@nd.edu
“Sound of Metal” Starring: Riz Ahmed, Olivia Cooke, Paul Raci Director: Darius Marder If you liked: “Whiplash,” “The Place Beyond the Pines”
Contact Sarah Kikel at skikel@nd.edu ELAINE PARK | The Observer
Classifieds
ndsmcobserver.com | Friday, march 26, 2021 | The Observer
Crossword | Will Shortz
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Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Personal growth will stir up emotions and leave you begging for something new and exciting this year. Take a closer look at what you have, and plan to update and rejuvenate rather than spend valuable time and money for the sake of change. Choose a minimalist approach to life, and you will have more time to do something worthwhile. Your numbers are 5, 13, 23, 35, 39, 44, 48. ARIES (March 21-April 19): Indulgence will tempt you. Before you overspend, consume or overdo, think about the consequence that will follow. You can have fun without going overboard or being obsessive. Focus on self-improvement, love and doing what’s best for you. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Attend a virtual networking event. The connections you make will offer plenty of suggestions that will help you rethink the best way to use your skills. It’s up to you to make the first move if you want to get ahead. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Rearrange your furniture to suit your needs. Consider making a move if you’ve outgrown your space or it’s time to downsize. A change will give you the boost you need to revitalize your life. Romance is on the rise. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Don’t lose sight of your dreams because someone doesn’t want to share them with you. Satisfy your needs and follow the path that feels right. Expect emotional manipulation to be used if you get into a joint venture or share expenses with someone. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Do something because it interests you, not because someone is twisting your arm. Personal growth will bring excellent satisfaction and attract the attention of people who appreciate your individualism. Update your look, and compliments will follow. Romance is encouraged. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Refuse to let a change of plans frustrate or anger you. Carry on about your business, and you’ll be happy with what you accomplish. Nurture a meaningful relationship, but don’t let anyone shadow you. Maintain equality using reason; arguing won’t solve anything. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Hard work will pay off. Reach out to someone who can provide you with pertinent suggestions. Don’t be lazy when it comes to fitness and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Commit to taking better care of yourself and meaningful relationships. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Indecisiveness will set in if you let emotional matters take over. Don’t rule out what you have to do to find peace of mind. Putting up with something that brings you down or disrupts your life won’t help. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Look for opportunities that allow you to use what you already have. Sidestep someone jealous or eager to make you look bad. Don’t let anyone interfere in your domestic or love life. Romance is on the rise. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Don’t take a health risk or jeopardize your relationship with loved ones. The changes you want to make at home will go over budget if you don’t do your homework before you begin. Plot out a course you know you can afford. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Concentrate on getting what you want. Keep anyone at a distance who is trying to tempt or mislead you. It’s important to be true to yourself and your beliefs. Put your energy where it counts, try your best. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Do your own thing, and avoid getting into a spat with a friend or relative. Tidy up loose ends, and put changes in place that will give you greater freedom to follow your dreams, hopes and wishes. Birthday Baby: You are charismatic, proactive and outgoing. You are generous and possessive.
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sports
The observer | Friday, march 26, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
Sports Authority
Sports Authority
Moments never Ranking the sweet sixteen fade, digital does teams with tourney hopes Olivia Schatz Sports Writer
It all started with a box of cigarettes. In 1886 you could walk to the closest general store to pick up a box of Goodwin Tobacco, and inside was the drawing of a baseball player, their name and team printed across the top. Trading cards have become a tradition that have boomed since their creation. Over a century later, these baseball cards are synonymous with Major League Baseball and are being sold for millions of dollars each — a piece of cardboard assigned a value based purely on the rarity and importance in baseball history. In the age of COV ID-19, the art of trading has been passed from the MLB to the NBA. Non-fungible tokens (NFT) — a unique form of cryptocurrency — have been around for a few years now. Originally, NFTs were used to sell artwork and other forms of online property. There are many NFTs that look identical but are in fact unique due to the nature of Blockchain. Using NFTs, NBA Top Shot released their “moments,” the modern form of the baseball card. These moments are clips from the best NBA plays in each season. On February 22, one of these moments, a short video of LeBron James dunking on Nemanja Bjelica, sold for more than $200,000. A block from Zion Williamson went for just a little less. All of this is despite the fact that anyone with Internet access can find these same exact clips on Youtube. However, just as it was with baseball cards, the value comes from the rarity, not the moment itself. The main appeal with these moments is the fact that every NFT cannot be replicated. Although there are thousands of certain clips, each moment is unique by virtue of Blockchain. The individual known online as “jesse,” who purchased the LeBron moment, is the only one who owns it. This is the novelty of NFTs. This concept of ownership in America is very relevant and adds value to almost everything. Although there are thousands of online versions of a Michael Jordan game, an original VHS of that same game is worth substantially more. However, moments are not simply a new form of trading cards. Baseball cards were released annually — a photo
on the front with the updated stats on the back. All physical things deteriorate over time, and this includes baseball cards. With moments, however, there is no need to fear any tears or fading; they will always remain in mint condition. W hile baseball cards are static, moments are alive. If you are like me, you might wonder why there is any real value to these moments at all. Yes, you get ownership of the clip, but does that really mean anything? Especially regarding the fact that by NBA copyright laws you are unable to manipulate or manufacture the moment in any way. But who is to say there is any value to baseball cards either? Or diamonds, for that matter? Just like any marketable object, supply and demand are what determines the worth. For these Top Shot moments, the NBA has determined how many they are releasing at any given moment, and the consumer has decided their worth. Now, for this to not turn into another rendition of the Beanie Babies scandal, the NBA must play their cards right. Investor in Top Shot and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has hope, and believes that these moments will play a huge role in the future revenue of the company. The NBA is not the only sports league that is hoping to profit from this new technolog y. The MLB and other sports leagues have promised that in the near future they will be releasing their version of these moments. W hile right now, NFTs are predominantly traded by adults, it is not inconceivable that in the near future, elementary school kids will be trading these moments just as others before them traded Pokemon and baseball cards. W hen schools go back to in-person classes, little boys and girls will no longer pull out a sleeve of shiny little baseball cards. Instead, they will run to the blacktop, pull out their phones, and log into their digital wallet, peeking over each other’s screens. As technolog y advances, society follows — and NBA Top Shot moments are just an example of this. Contact Olivia Schatz at oschatz@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Nate Moller Sports Writer
As expected, there were lots of upsets and surprises in the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament. With that being said, it is time to move onto the Sweet 16 and rank the teams that survived and advanced past the first weekend.
1. Gonzaga: The Bulldogs have been perfect this year, as they now hold a 28-0 record. In the first and second round of the tourney, the Bulldogs looked like the best team in the tournament, as they took care of business against Norfolk State and Oklahoma very easily. In both games, the Bulldogs put up over 85 points, and if their offense continues to click like it has all season, it is hard to envision anyone beating the Bulldogs down the stretch. It feels like it is time for Mark Few’s squad to finally break through after being so close in so many past tournaments. Behind the firepower of Drew Timme, Corey Kispert and Jalen Suggs, it will be a challenge for any team to keep this Bulldogs team under 80 points in a game.
2. Baylor: Likewise to Gonzaga, the Golden Bears also had a very comfortable first weekend in the NCAA Tournament. They took care of business against sixteenth-seeded Hartford and then took care of Wisconsin handily by 13 points. Baylor’s performance against the Badgers showed the strength of their offense, as Wisconsin has had a stellar defense all year. Baylor might have the best chance at giving Gonzaga a game should the teams meet in the championship game.
5. USC: The Trojans’ beatdown on Kansas was arguably one of the most shocking games in the tournament so far. In its 85-51 win, the Trojans showed that they are a serious contender going forward in the tournament. While the Jayhawks did shoot an abysmal 29.0% from the floor in that game, I’ll give the Trojans’ defense at least partial credit for that. With the firepower of the Mobley brothers at the forward positions, the ceiling is high for the Trojans going forward.
After suffering a stunning loss to Georgetown in the Big East Tournament, the Wildcats were able to rattle off wins against twelfth-seeded Liberty and thirteenth-seeded North Texas. The real test lies ahead for Nova, as they have a matchup with one-seed Baylor in the Sweet 16.
12. Syracuse:
The Ramblers upset a red-hot Illinois team and showed Loyola has to be one of the favorites going into the Sweet 16. The Ramblers were hitting on all cylinders in that victory. They will likely be full of energy heading into their Sweet 16 matchup against Oregon State. This team looks even better than the Ramblers’ Final Four team from a couple of years ago, and I firmly believe if things go right, Loyola could find themselves in contention for a national championship. While big man Cameron Krutwig has an unorthodox style, he’s one of the best players in the tournament this year. The Ramblers also still have Sister Jean in their back corner saying her prayers too; I would be afraid to play this Ramblers team going forward.
The Orange are once again embracing their lower seed and performing well in the NCAA Tournament. After beating San Diego State and West Virginia, Buddy Boeheim and the Orange look confident. They could be a tough matchup for Houston in the Sweet 16.
7. Oregon: The Ducks put an absolute beatdown on Iowa in the Round of 32 after advancing without playing in the first round. The Hawkeyes did not play good defense, but Oregon has to receive some credit for putting up 95 points. With their speed and athleticism, Oregon has a chance to pull some more upsets going forward.
8. Houston:
Despite having a shaky start against Iona in the Round of 64, the Crimson Tide regrouped in time to win that game handily and then proceeded to beat tenth-seeded Maryland by a score of 96-77. Alabama might have the best guard play in the country behind Jaden Shackelford, Jahvon Quinerly and John Petty Jr. with all three of these guys averaging double digits a game. A potential matchup against Michigan in the Elite Eight is intriguing.
It definitely was not a pretty victory for the second-seeded Cougars against Rutgers this past weekend, but they survived and advanced. The Cougars have solid guard play, making them a dangerous team going forward, but they will have to play better. It doesn’t help that star guard Dejon Jarreau will have to battle through a bruised hip for the remainder of the tournament.
The Wolverines simply took care of business in their Round of 32 win against LSU. Yes, it was shaky at times, but the Wolverines showed that they could get the job done. Without Isaiah Livers, many thought the Wolverines would fall early in the tournament, but their win against LSU showed that they have the depth to still perform well going forward.
11. Villanova:
6. Loyola Chicago:
3. Alabama:
4. Michigan:
Dame and Georgia Tech. They played much better in the tournament, however, and they will look to keep up their solid play in the Sweet 16 and possibly beyond.
9. Arkansas: The Razorbacks looked great at times this weekend, but they also struggled mightily at times as well. In their first game, it looked like Colgate was going to give them trouble for a while, and then they had to squeeze out a narrow victory against Texas Tech. They will have to play better going forward.
10. Florida State: The Seminoles are a confusing team. They did not look great in their last three ACC games, losing two to Notre
13. Oregon State: After winning the PAC-12 Tournament to make it to the Big Dance, Oregon State has stayed hot in the tournament by upsetting Tennessee and Oklahoma State in impressive fashion. The Beavers are one of the hotter teams in the nation right now. They will look to continue their Cinderella run against Loyola in the Sweet 16.
14. UCLA: The Bruins are another one of the surprising PAC-12 teams. Most expected UCLA to fall to Michigan State in the First Four. But, after winning that game in overtime, the Bruins have pulled off victories over BYU and Abilene Christian. They will have a tougher test against Alabama in the Sweet 16.
15. Creighton: The Bluejays were very lucky to escape their game against UC Santa Barbara. After winning that game, they looked a lot better against thirteenthseeded Ohio. They will need to play their best game this weekend if they are to beat top-seed Gonzaga.
16. Oral Roberts: As just the second fifteenseed to ever make the Sweet 16 in NCAA Tournament history, Oral Roberts will look to continue to make history by advancing to the Elite Eight this weekend against Arkansas. While Oral Roberts has had a magical run so far, it seems unlikely they will go much further. In a year full of uncertainties, though, Oral Roberts might have a chance to go further. Contact Nate Moller at nmoller2@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
sports
ndsmcobserver.com | Friday, march 26, 2021 | The Observer
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FOOTBAll | WAY Too Early
Way Too Early: Linebacker preview Observer Staff Report
Position Group Linebacker is one of Notre Dame’s strongest position groups. Headlined by consensus A ll-American Jeremiah Ow usu-Koramoah, their stout defensive efforts, both on the passrush and in coverage, was critical to the Irish’s success in the 2020 season. But w ith the departure of both Ow usu-Koramoah and defensive coordinator Clark Lea, the linebacker position w ill look slightly different in 2021. The newly-minted Marcus Freeman, formerly the defensive coordinator at Cincinnati, w ill bring exactly what Notre Dame needs: experience. Hav ing played linebacker himself at Ohio State and in the NFL, Freeman w ill look to advance the already-elite position group even further. Like Lea, Freeman w ill likely favor a three-linebacker base set comprised of a Mike (middle linebacker), Buck (boundar y linebacker) and Rover (safet y/linebacker hybrid). Freeman, however, favors a more aggressive approach from the position, so it’s possible he’ll play a four-dow n set as well. With a ton of talent in his arsenal, Freeman has plent y of options.
Baseball Continued from page 16
nationally. Notre Dame has not dropped a series yet this season, and come into this series against Louisville having won eight out of their last nine games. “The measuring stick of where your program is at is really ref lected in how important these games become. They’re all important,” head coach Link Jarrett said. “I know we haven’t played great against Louisville in the last 10 years, I get that. We just have to go play the best game of baseball we can within the confines of what we do.” Notre Dame continued to play its best baseball with a 6-3 victory over Valparaiso in their most recent contest on March 23. Niko Kavadas led the way for the Irish with two hits, two runs scored, and two RBIs. Five pitchers took the mound for the Irish against the Crusaders, combining for 16 strikeouts while giving up only 6 walks. None of the pitchers threw more than 44 pitches on Tuesday, something that will be key this weekend against Louisville
2021 depth chart: Graduate students Drew W hite and Isaiah Pr yor; Seniors Bo Bauer and Shay ne Simon; Juniors Marist Liufau, Jack Kiser, JD Bertrand, Osita Ek wonu and Paul Moala; Freshmen Kahanu Kia and Prince Kollie
Key Departures: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah The absence of Ow usuKoramoah w ill undoubtedly be felt in 2021. A consensus A ll-American and w inner of the 2020 Butkus Award for best linebacker in the countr y, he was a starter and critical part of the Notre Dame defense last year. Quick and rang y, Ow usu-Koramoah had 62 tack les (42 unassisted and 11 for loss) during his senior season. He also recorded nine tack les and returned a fumble for a touchdow n against then-No. 2 Clemson. Ow usu-Koramoah showed up in big games, made plays when they needed to be made and is predicted to go in the first round of the NFL draft. The Irish w ill miss him dearly in 2021.
Key Returners: Mike — Drew White A long w ith Ow usuKoramoah, W hite emerged as one of Notre Dame’s biggest defensive assets in 2020.
when all pitchers should be available for the series. “[We] should be in good shape,” Jarrett said when asked about the availability of his pitching staff. “Some of these guys are going through stuff for the first time. How we’re using Will Mercer is different than how it was last year…the outings, and the results, and the role has been tough to pin down for him so we’re probably going to let Sheridan roll out there first tomorrow just to give him an opportunity.” Louisville comes into the series ranked No. 6 in the country and, like the Irish, have won eight of their last nine games. The Cardinals are known for their prolific base-running, highlighted by Levi Usher, who has stolen 18 bases on 19 attempts through just 20 games. Coach Jarrett acknowledged this strength but noted his team will not go out of their way to change their own game plan to account for it. “Usher’s hitting .226. It’s hard to have 14 base hits and 18 stolen bases. You can tell how aggressive some of these guys are, and we’ll talk about it with our guys,”
Starting in all 12 Irish contests, he had 57 total tack les (fourth on the team behind Ow usu-Koramoah, safet y Kyle Hamilton and safet y Shaun Craw ford), 27 unassisted and nine for loss. W hite also had a sack and a half, a quarterback hurr y and four pass breakups. Returning as a graduate student, W hite w ill continue to make noise as a leader in his senior campaign. He is projected to start at Mike.
Buck — Shayne Simon/ Marist Liufau/Jack Kiser Simon is projected to start at Buck, but the spot w ill likely be in contention throughout the duration of the season. In 2020, the outside linebacker position was a rotating one, w ith all three players starting at least once. Simon, the eldest member of the group, started eight games and played in 11, recording 14 tack les. Liufau, a rising junior, saw three starts and 10 appearances, across which he had 22 total tack les, 10 of them solo. Kiser started just once but played in 11 games, recording 20 tack les, an interception and a quarterback hurr y, notably w inning the game ball against South Florida for his defensive efforts. The return of this trio offers Freeman lots of options on the boundar y, particularly if he chooses to run
he conceded. “If we have to change what we’re doing because of who shows up to play, we’ve probably come up short in our training for the last year.” Sticking to the game plan and playing their own game is a huge emphasis for Coach Jarrett, and this has been one of the biggest reasons for the program turnaround under his oversight. Jarrett is proud of how far his team has come and the consistent quality of play they have shown, but they are far from where they should and can be as they
a base four set.
Rover — Isaiah Pryor A transfer from Ohio State, Pr yor spent the majorit y of the 2020 season developing as he transitioned from safet y to linebacker. In 2021, he is projected to start at Rover. Given that Freeman favors aggressive linebackers who keep the ball in front, Pr yor w ill likely play tight, dropping back only for shallower coverage. After appearing in 12 games in 2020, recording a sack, a tack le for loss and a forced fumble, Pr yor should emerge on the scene as one of the Notre Dame leaders this season. However, he’ll have big shoes to fill w ith the departure of Ow usu-Koramoah.
Key Additions: Prince Kollie Kollie is one of just t wo additions to the 2021 Irish linebacker room, the other being three-star Kahanu Kia. According to 247 Sports, Kollie comes in as a fourstar recruit and the ninthranked outside linebacker nationally. Though his commitment was in question w ith the departure of Clark Lea, Kollie signed w ith the Irish in December, and is likely to play a significant role at Rover in his debut season as Notre Dame tries to replace the void left by
continue to pursue championships both in the ACC and on the national level. “You’re proud of the moment and where you’ve gotten to, and you recognize it’s going to be difficult this weekend and it’s going to be difficult next weekend. So you really never come up for air, especially when you’re in a situation where you’re contending to be in the national discussion,” Jarrett said. “You can’t come up for air, it’s a constant pitch-forpitch grind and that’s how they need to feel. That kind of
Ow usu-Koramoah. Kollie is not likely to be a starter, but he could see significant play ing time, especially if Freeman moves to a fourdow n base set.
Grade: Ellen Geyer — Senior Sports Writer: Replacing a consensus All-American and likely first-round draft pick will be a tough task. Replacing a defensive coordinator who led his team to the College Football Playoff twice in three seasons will be too. But if any position group is up to the task, it’s the linebackers. Notre Dame returns guys who have significant experience and minutes in big-game situations. The leadership that Drew W hite and Isaiah Pryor will bring is huge, not to mention what guys like Bo Bauer and Jack Kiser can do. Marcus Freeman’s coaching ability and field sense will be a massive asset to this defense, and I anticipate that the linebackers will be Notre Dame’s best defensive position room again in 2021. Though the Irish brought in just two recruits, they already have plenty of depth at this position, and they should be able to recruit well in future classes on the heel’s of Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah’s Butkus Award-Winning Season. Grade: A
keeps you in check. It doesn’t mean you’re going to win every game, but you hope you dang show up to compete every time.” The series against Louisville opens on Friday, March 26 at 4 p.m. at Notre Dame’s Frank Eck Stadium. The second and third games of the series will be on Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m., respectively. Games can be attended in person by students or seen on ACC Network Extra. Contact Jamison Cook at jcook22@nd.edu
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ndsmcobserver.com | Friday, march 26, 2021 | The Observer
ND MEn’s Tennis
Continued from page 16
infielder Quinn Biggio. This momentum continued into the second inning. Senior pitcher Alexis Holloway’s sacrifice bunt brought graduate student infielder Chelsea Purcell to third. Then, a single from Sweet brought Purcell home to make it 3-0 in favor of Notre Dame. In the third inning, with Gaskins and Biggio on base, Purcell cranked a home run, doubling the Irish lead to 6-0. Neither team scored in the fourth, but Purcell found home plate once more for the Irish in the fifth. In the sixth, Marino stole second after earning a walk and made it home off a double from Hanks. The final score read 8-0. While the batting lineup put the Irish ahead, it was Holloway that proved the star of the show. She started the game off strong with a strikeout, and with the help of senior pitcher Morgan Ryan and junior pitcher Payton Tidd, led the team to a no-hitter. Holloway delivered three consecutive swinging strikeouts in the second inning. Then, Ryan took the mound in the fourth, keeping Valparaiso off the board. In the final inning, Tidd pitched a strikeout and helped to secure an Irish victory. The team looks ahead to a four-game series at home against NC State March 26-28. Gumpf spoke on the mentality of the team heading into their first home series, as well as the season in general. “I don’t think the pandemic changed anything about our philosophy,” she said. “We’ve stuck with what we think matters the most and what we think is important. But, I just think that the pandemic…what it did is it just changed your perspective a little bit on the time that we have together. I think the girls realize that you know it’s so easily taken from us. I think that they really appreciate being able to be together and being able to play the game that we love.” Gumpf noted that it is especially meaningful to be able to play this season. “Ending the way we ended last season was horrible because when we ended, we didn’t really know that we were ending,” Gumpf said. “We thought we might have an opportunity to still come back and play when all the girls were sent home. So it was really probably the worst ending it could be. But that didn’t change, really, our approach to how we prepared for this season.” As for Gumpf’s hopes for the season, she commented on the strength of the team’s gameplay. “I think our hopes are just playing good, consistent softball, and being able to put ourselves in a position to win a lot of ball games,” she said.
Men’s tennis looks to improve By JOHN STOLMEIER Sports Writer
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish men’s tennis team (9-7, 3-3 ACC) bounced back last week taking down Marquette in a 6-1 win. Now, they are looking forward to improving their standing in the ACC this weekend against the Florida State Seminoles (5-11, 0-6 ACC) and the University of Miami (4-7, 2-4 ACC) in Tallahassee, Florida. Florida State is tr ying to keep its head above water in a year marked by difficulty stemming from the COV ID-19 pandemic. This weekend, they will be tr ying to squeak out their first ACC w in this season and turn the tides that have led them to six straight losses. Miami is looking to pick up steam after snapping their five-match losing streak w ith a 4-3 victor y over South Florida. Notre Dame men’s tennis is currently ranked dead center in the ACC at #7. With seven of their eight remaining matchups being in conference, they currently control their own destiny. Freshman starter and blue-chip recruit JeanMarc Malkowski believes “the ACC is arguably the strongest conference in college tennis with lots of players ranked professionally and competing at ver y high levels.” With positive results this weekend, they
will be in a great position to conclude their season near the top of the conference. The Irish boarded their f light on Wednesday with high hopes for the remainder of their season. Malkowski asserted that the team “has been improving more and more over the course of the season … Right now, we have our full team and are ready to finish in style.” Notre Dame’s men’s tennis team was, like many others in the ACC, impacted by the COV ID-19 pandemic earlier this season. With all their players healthy, they are prepared to make a strong push to end the season. Malkowski and the Irish tennis team are already looking for ward to taking on the ACC’s top-ranked Virginia (13-2, 7-0 ACC) on April 16. “[Virginia] is a high-level team ranked 4th in the nation,” he said. “Nevertheless, we will treat each matchup the same and prepare accordingly.” This penultimate competition will present the greatest remaining challenge for Notre Dame men’s tennis. The first matchup against Florida State will kick off at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. The Fighting Irish have outperformed the Seminoles on all fronts this season and should prove it this weekend. Sunday at 11:00 a.m.,
Courtesy of Notre Dame Athletics
Irish graduate student Brandon Ancona makes a serve during Notre Dame’s 7-0 loss to Kentuck on Jan 31 in Lexington, KY.
Miami will host Notre Dame to end off the week. These two matchups will set the pace for their last
W Lax Continued from page 16
Courtesy of Notre Dame Athletics
Contact Emily DeFazio at edefazio@nd.edu
15
Irish sophomore attack Kasey Choma looks after a ball during Notre Dame’s 19-5 win over Vanderbilt on Feb. 13 at Loftus Sports Center.
Syracuse. However, the ACC is filled with top teams; and including Notre Dame, six of the top ten teams in the IWLCA coaches poll are from the ACC. The Irish’s next five games, including the matchup against Duke, will all come against teams inside the top ten. This weekend’s matchup is a critical opportunity to pick up a win before the schedule gets even tougher. A key factor in this game will likely be turnovers. Duke turns the ball over at the highest rate in the conference, and Notre Dame causes the second-most turnovers, behind Duke. The Blue Devils also lead the conference by a substantial margin with 151 draw controls per game. Notre Dame will look for continued production from graduate student attacker Samantha Lynch, among others. Lynch was named ACC offensive player of the week for the second time
month of 2021 competition. Contact John Stolmeier at jstolmei@nd.edu
this season on Tuesday, after scoring nine goals and collecting an assist in the Irish’s two wins last weekend. She leads the team with 20 goals, good for more than 3 goals per game, which ranks third in the ACC. She also leads the Irish with 24 points on the season. Sophomore attacker Madison Ahern has also been key for the Irish this season, scoring ten goals and distributing a team-leading eight assists so far. Senior attacker Maddie Howe has also had a strong start to the season, scoring 13 goals along with six assists. The Irish will likely need all of these players and more to contribute in order to secure the victory. The opening draw is set for 1 pm on Sunday afternoon from Koskinen Stadium. The game will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra.
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Baseball
ND SOFTBALL
Softball team nohits Valparaiso By EMILY DeFAZIO Sports Writer
The Notre Dame softball team (13-8, 6-6 ACC) shut out Valparaiso Wednesday with a six-inning no-hitter in their first home game of the season. The game was also Notre Dame’s first home competition in almost 700 days, as the last game Notre Dame hosted was on May 5, 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic cut Notre Dame’s 2020 season short before the team could play any home games. Head Coach Deanna Gumpf spoke on the energy surrounding the first home game. “I think there’s a lot of anticipation for [Wednesday’s] game,” Gumpf said. “Being able to walk out of our dugout and play and to be the home team… I think there’s a little nervous energy. I think there’s a lot of excitement, and I just think it’s all positive. It’s just an incredible opportunity right now.” Gumpf most looked forward
Notre Dame looking for upset over Cardinals
to the team making the most of the opportunity. “I am excited to see them take the moment and run with it and be the team they want to be at home,” she said. Coming into the matchup, the Irish held three of the top five batting averages in the ACC; with a .529 average, senior outfielder Abby Sweet holds the top spot, followed by freshman infielder Karina Gaskins in second with a .463 average, while junior outfielder Emma Clark is in fifth with a .422 average. Hitting remained strong for the Irish against Valparaiso (5-12), with nine batters gaining 14 hits in six innings. Sweet and Gaskins recorded two hits each, while sophomore outfielder Leea Hanks also charted two hits. The Irish led 2-0 after the first inning, as Sweet and Clark both made it home with the help of graduate student infielder Katie Marino and junior see SOFTBALL PAGE 15
By JAMISON COOK Sports Writer
RYAN VIGILANTE | The Observer
Irish senior outfielder Ryan Cole stares down a pitch during Notre Dame’s 2-0 loss to Duke on Mar. 21 at Frank Eck Stadium.
see BASEBALL PAGE 13
Hockey
ND Women’s LACROSSe
Irish ready for big top ten matchup against Duke
ND to miss NCAA Championship
Observer Staff Report
Observer Staff Report
After last weekend’s pair of v ictories, one at home over Libert y, and the other on the road against No. 19 Louisv ille, the fifth-ranked Notre Dame women’s lacrosse team (4-2, 1-2 ACC) w ill travel to Durham, North Carolina, to take on ninthranked Duke (6-3, 2-3 ACC) on Sunday. The Blue Dev ils have faced a plethora of top teams already this season, most recently splitting a pair of games w ith then-No. 9 Virginia. They feature a balanced scoring attack, w ith seven players hav ing scored 10 or more goals so far this season. They are led by Katie Cronin and Gabby Rosenzweig, who have collected 27 and 31 points, respectively. In the Irish’s only competition against a top-10 opponent so far, they dropped a pair of games against No. 2
After positive COV ID-19 test results within the team during tier 1 testing and a consultative decision made with the Albany County Public Health Department and NCA A Medical Advisory Group, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish men’s hockey team will not be participating in the 2021 NCA A Division I Championship. The Irish were selected as the fourth seed in the Albany Regional and had been slated to play the No.1 seed Boston College on Saturday, March 27th. The game will be ruled a no-contest and Boston College will advance to the second round. On March 14, the Irish fell out of the Big Ten Championship to Penn State, losing 6-2. After this, Notre Dame continued to participate in Big Ten testing protocols as well as additional PCR testing on campus in preparation for Saturday’s contest, resulting
see W LAX PAGE 15
Since 2009, the Notre Dame baseball team has played Louisv ille 38 times. The Cardinals have dominated the series, w inning 32 out of the 38 matchups. In fact, Notre Dame (10-3, 9-3 ACC) has not beaten Louisv ille (15-5, 7-2 ACC) since 2011, and Louisv ille has won the last 19 matchups bet ween the t wo teams. Coming into the season – follow ing an ACC preseason coaches poll that picked the Cardinals to w in the conference and the Irish to finish 13th out of 14 teams – many would have expected Louisv ille’s dominance of Notre Dame to continue. However, the Irish have exceeded all expectations this season, starting off w ith a red-hot 10-3 record and rising to a No.12 ranking
Courtesy of Notre Dame Athletics
Irish sophomore attack Jackie Wolak carries the ball up field during Notre Dame’s 19-5 win over Vanderbilt on Feb. 13 at home.
in seven rounds of testing in the seven days prior to their departure for Albany last Wednesday. In a statement to und.com, Head Coach Jeff Jackson said, “It’s an unfortunate situation and I feel for our guys, especially our seniors. The team was excited about returning to the NCA A tournament and ready to continue competing after earning the opportunity. But with the multiple positives and subsequent contact tracing, it became clear that for the safety of our team and the others in the tournament we could not proceed.” Notre Dame was selected for their fifth consecutive appearance in the NCA A Championship, which is the second-longest active streak in the nation. Notre Dame closes their season 14-13-2 as one of four Big Ten teams to make the NCA A Tournament. The other three were No. 2 seed Michigan and No. 1 seeds Minnesota and Wisconsin.