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Volume 52, Issue 109 | tuesday, april 10, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com
Students hold week celebrating love, life ND Right to Life emphasizes value of human life
Belles for Life hosts week of events dedicated to life
By EVAN DaCOSTA
By ERIN GRIMES
News Writer
News Writer
Notre Dame’s Right to Life club kicked off its third annual “You are Loved Week” Monday. The week, which will run from April 8th through the 14th, will consist of daily events on-campus, and began with the opening of an apparel tent on South Quad Monday morning. The events continued on Monday evening, with a mass in the Basilica. Notre Dame Right to Life’s vice president of programming, sophomore Talia Caridi, said that multiple different student organizations will be co-sponsoring the events, including PrismND, Engineers Without Borders,
This week, Saint Mary’s club Belles for Life is presenting their annual “Respect Life Week.” The club’s social media commissioner, sophomore Morgan Chichester explained that “Respect Life Week” is designed to honor life. “Respect Life Week” is put on by Belles for Life and is just a week to celebrate all stages of life, starting from natural conception, on campus and present opportunities and information to cultivate a culture of life,” she said. There are a variety of events
see LOVE PAGE 5
SARAH OLSON | The Observer
Senior Sarah Drumm, right, president of ND Right to Life, meets with Suzy Younger of the Saint Joseph FertilityCare Center, which specializes in Natural Family Planning education and gynecological care.
Institute honors alumna’s cultural preservation By TOM NAATZ Associate News Editor
The Kroc Institute awarded its 2018 Distinguished Alumni Award to 2003 M.A. graduate Mai Ni Ni Aung for her work regarding cultural preservation and peacebuilding in Myanmar. Aung is the founder of the Sone-Tu Cultural Preservation Project and director of the related organization Sone-Tu Backstrap Weavings. The two groups seek to preserve the cultural practices of the Sone-Tu Chin community in Myanmar’s Rakhine State — in particular, traditional weaving. At the start of her remarks, Ni Aung ref lected on her time at Notre Dame and how it relates to her work in Myanmar. “I have many fond memories of my time at Notre Dame, and specifically as a student at The Kroc Institute,” Ni Aung said. “The
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opportunity to learn from Kroc’s distinguished professors … is something that I always cherish. Likewise, my classmates were a constant inspiration for me.” Before describing her work in detail, Ni Aung explained the historical background of some issues facing Myanmar. She said that the country, which is home to myriad minority ethnic groups, has always suffered from the tensions between different communities. These uneasy situations sometimes resulted in armed insurrection. In recent years, as Myanmar has transitioned towards democracy and away from military dictatorship, there has been additional tension between the democratic and military elements of the central government. Rakhine State, where Ni Aung’s work is focused, is on the forefront of the latest violent crisis. “The current situation in Rakhine State is the
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most recent crisis facing Myanmar,” she said. Ni Aung is from the ethnic Sone-Tu Chin community, which lives in Rakhine State. She referenced a recent report issued by a group spearhead by former United Nations secretary general Kofi Annan, though she noted that the situation has not improved significantly. “Since that report was issued, the situation in Rakhine has not improved,” she said. “Given this, you might ask ‘why would anyone want to have a business there? ’ For me, the answer was easy: I didn’t have choice.” Although Myanmar has historical struggles with violence, Ni Aung said the country has a rich cultural heritage, albeit one that is endangered. “Rakhine and Myanmar are not all about human see KROC PAGE 4
SCENE PAGE 9
see RESPECT PAGE 5
Seniors seek commencement attire rule shift By JORDAN COCKRUM Saint Mary’s Editor
This week, Saint Mary’s students will present letters to College President Jan Cervelli and her cabinet, arguing for a policy shift regarding commencement attire. Currently, the College allows for graduates to wear stoles, honors cords and medals at the Baccalaureate Mass and Honors Convocation, but only honors cords and medals at the commencement ceremony. As outlined in the Saint Mary’s Governance Manual, the only exceptions to this rule are on a case-by-case basis and must be recommended by an academic department with approval from the President. These exceptions are in place so as ”not to distract from the
WOMEN’S LACROSSE PAGE 16
general uniformity of the academic regalia,” according to the Manual. “Based upon this, it’s how ‘discrete’ whatever else we’re talking about is, and how distracting ‘from the general uniformity of the academic regalia,’” College Marshal Joseph Incandela said in an email. “The judgment has been made that things like honor cords and medals for presidential scholars fall into that category [of discrete attire] while things like stoles do not.” Seniors MaKayla Roberts and Taylor Thomas are among the students that disagree with this policy. “Yes, when we graduate we will all be class of 2018, and yes, we’ll all have the identity of being Belles, but see PETITION PAGE 4
MEN’S LACROSSE PAGE 16
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The next Five days: Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
“Evaluating Neutrality in the Classroom” 202 LaFortune Student Center 10:30 a.m. - 11:45 p.m.
Been and Seen Series Geddes Hall 12 p.m. - 1 p.m. Students discuss experience working at migrant farm.
Book Discussion: “Has Liberalism Failed?” Forum at Jenkins and Nanovic Halls 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Alumni Design Conference 226-228 West Lake Hall 9 a.m. - 4 p.m Advice from alumni.
“Seoul’d Out” LaFortune Ballroom 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. The Korean Student Association’s annual cultural show.
Concert: Sons of Bill Remick Commons 7 p.m. - 8:45 p.m. Free and open to the public. Online RSVP encouraged. Tuesday.
11th Annual Chinese Speech Contest Hesburgh Center Audiotorium 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. Open to the public.
Russian Folk Music Workshop 203 DeBartolo Hall 5 p.m. - 6 p.m. Try authentic Russian folk instruments.
Senior piano recital: Joseph Tang LaBar Recital Hall 7 p.m. - 8 p.m. Featuring original compositions.
The Humor Artists’ Battle RoyHAle Washington Hall 7 p.m. Original play with improv comedy.
Campus groups host Ally Week By MEGAN VALLEY Senior News Writer
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The fifth-annual Ally Week began Monday with a new focus on intersectionality, in addition to encouraging engagement from students who want to be allies. Director of the Gender Relations Center (GRC) Christine Caron Gebhardt said the focus on allies was intended to change University culture. “We realized that for our students who are LGBTQ to have a sense of belonging, their peers have to be involved and understand the path they’re walking and participate in a way where we’re all doing this together. We’re a community together,” she said. “It’s an opportunity for allies to understand the complexity of issues, be able to participate with students and to stand in solidarity with them. “Some students aren’t sure as to what it means to be an ally, and this helps to answer some questions as to how you can support students who are LGBTQ.” Sara Agostinelli, the GRC’s assistant director for LGBTQ student initiatives, said Ally Week sought to accomplish several goals. “We’re looking for education, for opportunities to engage — to be social,” she said. “We’re looking for opportunities to pray and reflect together. We’re always striving to live
up to that spirit of inclusion.” A T-shirt giveaway took place Monday, followed by “More Color, More Pride,” a talk by Amber Hikes, executive director of LGBT affairs for the city of Philadelphia. The Philadelphia pride flag includes black and brown stripes, in addition to the rainbow stripes, to encourage racial intersectionality. “[Hikes is] going to talk about how marginalized people and communities be allies for one another and how we can do that work to be really intentionally welcoming and inclusive and being allies across that spectrum of social identities, of racial identities, of faith identities,” Agostinelli said. Right to Life, one of Ally Week’s cosponsors, is hosting a Transgender Day of Remembrance on Tuesday at the Grotto from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m.; the event is also part of Right to Life’s You Are Loved Week. Agostinelli said the event was a prayer service for “those who have been murdered because of their identity.” On Wednesday night at 7 p.m., an interfaith LGBTQ and ally Mass will be held in Sorin College, followed by a reception. Gebhardt said they tried to make the week more proactive and create opportunities for service, like Thursday’s event: assembling “Blessing Bags” to be donated to the Center for the Homeless in South Bend. Agostinelli said that because the rate of homelessness
in the LGBT community is higher than average, the GRC wanted to assemble bags with various basic-needs items from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in 106 Duncan Student Center. To close out the week, two events are planned for Friday: an ally social at noon at Fieldhouse Mall and Greendot bystander training at 5 p.m. in the Notre Dame Room in LaFortune Student Center. The idea to deliver Greendot training with an LGBT perspective came from the GRC’s Firestarters. “The examples and the training … will help our ally students realize that these situations exist in all communities but will help them see what they look like,” she said. Gebhardt said the GRC chose to do an Ally Week instead of a Pride Week because of the role allies play in shaping the community. “One of the reasons why we do the Ally Week is we do have a sense of standing up for the LGBT community as part of Stand Against Hate Week. … We really are wanting an Ally Week because without allies, you can’t change the culture,” she said. “There’s an intentionally as to why it’s an Ally Week. There are different events during the year where we feel like we are bringing visibility to the LGBTQ community.” Contact Megan Valley at mvalley@nd.edu
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Practice squad serves major role for Irish By CLAIRE KRAMER News Writer
It’s been a little over a week since junior Arike Ogunbowale sunk not one, but two game-winning buzzer beaters to lead Notre Dame’s women’s basketball team to a national championship. But, to those who play against her every day, this shot is nothing new. The Notre Dame women’s basketball team’s practice squad, comprised of 17 male students, serves as the scout team for the Irish, senior captain Reed Hunnicutt said. The practice players attend practice each day and fill the roles of specific players on opposing teams. They also see the ins and outs of the team. “When Arike hit that last shot, I’d probably seen her make that like 50 times in practice,” Hunnicutt said. Senior assistant captain Conor Triplett said that Ogunbowale practiced her winning shot often. “She’s not lying when she says that’s what she practiced,” he said. “She wanted the ball in her hands, and we all wanted the ball in her hands.” Practice squad members have a unique perspective into each women’s basketball player. Hunnicutt explained that prior to each practice, the coaches will
show film of the team’s next opponent to the practice squad, assigning each member an opposing player to imitate and teaching the plays the team runs. From there, it’s just basketball. “The biggest thing is trying to be smart basketball players, because at the end of the day they want us to run certain things and do certain things, so guys need to be able to listen and run plays,” Triplett said. “We try to be the brains behind it because we have a lot of guys that aren’t used to that: learn a play and then 15 minutes later, run it live.” Triplett and Hunnicutt were both recruited for the team after playing games of pickup basketball. Hunnicutt, the recruiting coordinator for the past three years, said that the team looks for a mix of post and guard players. Players must also measure physicality based on what the team needs. Notre Dame assistant coach Niele Ivey said that the ability to adapt style of play to fit the role is something she looks for in potential practice players, but that players must still be competitive. “The practice squad provides more strength and athleticism. It gives our young women the opportunity to play against bigger, stronger players which helps us when
we play against the likes of UConn, Louisville and Texas A&M,” Ivey said in an email. “As coaches, we like our practices to be harder than the games and with our fantastic squad, it usually is.” Playing against the practice squad gives the team an edge in real games, Hunnicutt explained. “I think it just gives them a more competitive look, because if they can beat us, they can probably compete with the teams they’re playing, and we have a little more size and athleticism than the teams they play, so I think it helps them to have us there,” Hunnicutt said. Off the court, the practice squad supports the team at games and online, especially through their Twitter account, @NDPracticeSquad. Last week, Hunnicutt and Triplett, along with other members of the practice squad, traveled to Columbus for the Final Four and watched the team claw its way back to a national championship. After the game, they joined fans and families back in the team hotel to welcome back the Irish, and head coach Muffet McGraw stopped the receiving line to seek them out. “[She] saw us and walked over and gave each of us a hug and said, ‘We wouldn’t be here without you Paid Advertisement
guys,’ and from somebody like her to take time out of what was probably one of the greatest half hours of her life was really cool, and it really meant a lot to me and to the other guys that she went out of her way to thank us.” Triplett said. The women’s basketball players also sought out the practice team after the game. “We can joke about how much we actually help or what our real purpose is, but when all of them stopped by and said, ‘We hate you guys when we’re there, but we really do appreciate what you guys do,’ that was very rewarding,” Hunnicutt said. Hunnicutt and Triplett noted that having a front row seat allowed them to see the growth of individual players and the team as a whole, especially in a year where the team dealt with a plethora of injuries. “Day in, day out, we see how hard they work and how good they actually are, and when I hear people on campus talk about, ‘Oh, we could beat them, they’re not that good,’ it’s like, you guys have no idea, no concept of the skill level these girls have.” Triplett said. “There might not be ten people on campus that can guard Arike one on one,” Hunnicutt said. Triplett, for his part, thinks
there are three people on-campus who can guard Ogunbowale oneon-one: himself, Hunnicutt and Rex Pflueger, Notre Dame Men’s Basketball Defensive Player of the Year in 2017. For Hunnicutt, playing on the practice team is an important way to help the team improve. “The whole reason I signed up is that I wanted to help them get better every day and really put all the effort and time I had into getting them better and to the point where they could win a national championship,” he said. “I think people need to appreciate not even us but how good the girls are, because they embarrass us some days, and we’ve got a pretty solid group of guys.” Triplett encouraged the student body to turn out for more women’s basketball games. “Anybody who‘s been to a girl’s game knows those gyms get loud and those games are fast, because we play as fast as anybody else in the country, and it’s so fun to watch and it’s such good basketball,” he said. “You’re doing yourself such a disservice as a basketball fan if you’re not going to these games when you’re here.” Contact Claire Kramer at ckramer@nd.edu
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The observer | tuesday, april 10, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com
Petition Continued from page 1
that stole recognizes that not everyone’s experience on Saint Mary’s campus was the same,” Thomas said. “... There are things that need to be improved, and we need to recognize the differences that each Belle brings to Saint Mary’s. And while we’ve improved over the years, we still have lots of improvements to make. And that’s what the stoles represent when we wear them at graduation.” Roberts said in an email that wearing a stole would recognize her achievements beyond her schoolwork, including founding the Black Student Association. “It shows all the hard work and accomplishments that we have done out of the classroom,” Roberts said. “The stoles mean something different for everyone, but for
Kroc Continued from page 1
rights v iolations … civ il war, povert y and natural disasters,” she said. “Throughout the countr y, there are creations and ancient w isdom that we need to celebrate.” Ni Aung explained that her culture, the Sone-Tu Chin, is in particular danger of losing its cultural traditions because its people use an oral language, meaning nothing is w ritten dow n. Traditionally, elders, or shamen, were responsible for passing dow n w isdom. “As the years passed, the shamen grew older and the language, stories and the histor y of my people was in danger of being lost forever,” she said. “I felt I had to do something. That was the beginning of the SoneTu Culture Preser vation Project.” However, while the project is dedicated to preser v ing the culture of the Sone-Tu Chin, Ni Aung acknowledged there are certain negative cultural practices that should be documented but allowed to die out. She cited as an example the traditional Chin practice of tattooing women’s faces. “Cruel and dangerous practices, as well as those that endanger the env ironment, have no place in today’s world,” Ni Aung said. “They shall come to an end. But they should not be erased from the histor y.” In addition to the Sone-Tu Chin language, other practices that have been preser ved include games and rituals. However, Ni Aung has put a particular emphasis on preser v ing the traditional and unique weav ing practices of the SoneTu Chin. In recent years,
me, it shows all the hard work I have done to build a new club — The Black Student Association — and to bring awareness to campus.” Thomas and Roberts argue that there is no difference in recognizing honors cords versus extracurricular engagement. Roberts said that stoles would allow students to celebrate their entire college experience at Commencement. “Students should be able to showcase individual accomplishments at Commencement because college is so much more than just grades and what students do in the classroom,” Roberts said. “Everyone who is graduating from Saint Mary’s has a different story and the different stole that we wear show that. Not everyone who is graduating has honors cords, but this day is something so much more than just displaying academic honors.” Allowing students to wear
stoles at Commencement, Roberts said, would demonstrate the role Saint Mary’s has in developing the whole woman. “Saint Mary’s brings people together and helps them find their identity,” Roberts said. “These stoles show where everyone found their place. When we came here we received a shirt that said, ‘We promise you discovery: the discovery of yourselves, the discovery of the universe, and your place in it.’ These stoles show where we found our place in the universe and at Saint Mary’s, so them telling us we can’t wear them is like them taking away a part of our identity.” The current policy places the emphasis on the class of graduates as a group, Incandela said. “The point is that at Commencement — which is the most formal academic ceremony the College
traditional weav ing seemed on the brink of extinction because it was not economically profitable. “Until 2002, only the older generation of women in my communit y were proficient in weav ing complex traditional designs,” she said. “As these women died, the information they carried w ith them was lost. Since the weav ing project began, we have trained over 450 weavers and currently employ over 270 weavers across three different tow nships in Rak hine State.” In addition to preser ving a cultural tradition, the weav ing project has had additional benefits. Proceeds from sales of the textiles has allowed many children in the area to attend school. As the weavers are all female, the weav ing project has also
empowered women w ithin the Sone-Tu Chin communit y, Ni Aung said. Though her groups have achieved some success in combating the loss of cultural heritage, Ni Aung noted that many minorities in Myanmar are facing cultural extinction. “The traditions of many minorit y groups w ith Myanmar are nearly extinct,” she said. “Urgent action is needed to ensure the preser vation of traditional cultural heritage and traditional activ ities. With each day, more histor y is lost. For many minorities, the say ing, ‘an old man passing away is like losing a chapter of histor y’ ref lects a sad, but accurate, truth.”
holds — the focus is on students as members of a class,” Incandela said. “There are other opportunities, such as the Honors Convocation, where individual achievement is the main focus. Commencement, however, primarily celebrates a new class of graduates.” While Thomas sees the value in the idea of sisterhood, she said she finds the emphasis on group identity during Commencement to detract from the individual experiences of the graduates. “I also think the use of sisterhood kind of masks the struggles that a lot of students who are from lowincome backgrounds, or students of color, or girls who have a different sexuality on this campus —the struggles they go through on this campus,” Thomas said. “It masks
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all of that when we just keep claiming sisterhood.” Thomas said that while some of her friends do not understand the importance of donning a stole at Commencement, she feels it represents her experience in an authentic way. For her, it shows that she can make a difference. “I guess it’s not that big of a deal when you’ve had a perfect experience on Saint Mary’s campus,” Thomas said. “But for someone who hasn’t, like me, and who wants to see change on campus it’s important to be able to proudly show that though it was not perfect, I made it, and I’m here and I want to improve it for the next girl who comes.” Contact Jordan Cockrum at jcockrum01@saintmarys.edu
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Respect Continued from page 1
planned for the week, including talks and movies, senior Katherine Dunn, president of Belles for Life, said. “Yesterday Suzy Younger came and gave a talk about and NaPro technology and how to track women’s cycles,” Dunn said. “Today, we are showing a documentary called ‘I Lived on Parker Avenue’ about adoption at 8 p.m. in Spes Unica 145. On Wednesday, we will be having a talk from a representative from Students for Life of America called Apologetics 201 in Vander Vennet at 7 p.m.” Other events will include tables where students can learn about various resources pertaining to the club’s mission. ”Today, there will be tabling event with information for pregnant and parenting resources for Saint Mary’s students,“ Dunn said. ”On
ndsmcobserver.com | tuesday, april 10, 2018 | The Observer
Wednesday we will have a tabling event in the student atrium and it’s going to ask people when human rights begin. We’ll have a timeline from conception to birth and we’ll just have conversations with people. On Thursday we will have another tabling event on library green or in Spes Unica if it’s cold outside, where we will have a chalkboard and people write why they are pro-life. We are also encouraging all club members to wear their apparel on Thursday. On Friday, just to celebrate life there will be free balloons.” The planning process for this year’s “Respect Life Week” was a team effort. ”The Belles for Life commissioners came together and everyone took an event and we bounced ideas off each other,“ Dunn said. ”Some events we’ve done in the past and others are newer.“ When planning, the club
also tried to make sure the events focused on a variety of issues concerning the pro-life cause. ”We don’t want to solely focus on abortion all the time, so we tried to have a variety of events,“ Dunn said. Dunn said that students should attend the events to form new perspectives on what it means to be pro-life. ”If you don’t identify as pro-life, I think you should attend to see what the pro-life cause is because I think most of these events people could get on board with,“ she said. ”If you’re pro-life, I think you need to be pro-life in more facets of your life than just going to the March for Life or saying that you are pro-life.” Chichester said students should attend the events to expand their perspective. ”Students should attend these events to show support for being pro-life on campus, to gain different prospectives,
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to learn from different people, and overall just empowering women and celebrating life,” she said. Dunn said she believes the week is great way to ponder what it means to be pro-life. ”I think this week is a great way to reflect on what being pro-life actually means and what it means to pro life in every day life,“ she said. Chichester said that the week is important because it provides support for community members. ”It is an empowering week learning from different people but also standing up for what you believe in and cultivating life on campus,“ she said. ”It is also important to let pregnant and parenting students on campus know that they’re not alone, that we stand by them and that there are resources to help them.” Contact Erin Grimes at egrimes01@saintmarys.edu
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Totus Tuus, the Logan Recreation Club and the Student Coalition for Immigration Advocacy, among others. “We’re intentional in the groups we reach out to for partnerships, but normally we reach out to however many we decide on, and we don’t get a response from all those people,” she said. “Some of that’s just a practical thing though, that’s not always a pointed response. So we have two big program weeks for the year, and the first one’s our fall semester [program] which is ‘Respect Life Week,’ and the second one is this week which is ‘You Are Loved Week.’ We want to create a healthy culture not only within our club, but also between other clubs and for the campus community as a whole.” Junior Matthew Connell, Right to Life’s vice president of communications, said in an email that collaboration with other campus organizations is a key aim of the week. “The purpose of the week is to collaborate with other clubs on campus to promote the good work being done by many different groups in upholding human dignity,” he said. Connell said events were planned around the week’s theme, which is “Created for Love.” “This year’s theme is ‘Created for Love.’ We selected this theme as a reminder to each and every person that they were created to be loved and to love others. Our events were planned to relate to this theme,” Connell said. “A few exciting events...include foster care backpack-making, senior prom at Holy Cross Village, a lecture by renowned sexual ethics speaker Dr. Janet Smith entitled ‘Contraception: Why Not?’, and a Natural Family Planning workshop with local FertilityCare Practitioner Suzy Younger. All are welcome to all of our events.” For Connell, the week is meant to demonstrate that all humans are loved and appreciated. “‘You Are Loved Week’ provides an extremely important reminder to everyone on our campus that they are loved regardless of their circumstances, abilities, successes or failures,” he said. “We are all created for love, both to give it and to receive it, and this week serves as a reminder of this fundamental truth.” Caridi said ‘You are Loved Week’ is meant to be a celebration of life. “You Are Loved Week is an invitation, first and foremost, it’s an invitation to the mission of Right to Life, the mission of our club specifically, but it’s also an invitation to all that the Catholic Church teaches and proclaims, and it’s an invitation to a life of encounter, encounter with one another, encounter with God and encounter with the community that we live in. It’s about living an abundant life and not just going through the motions every day,” she said. Contact Evan DaCosta at edacosta@nd.edu
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The observer | tuesday, april 10, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com
One hundred years of menbroza
Inside Column
Running the Half
Erin Shang Brave New World
Ciara Hopkinson News Writer
I’ve been a runner since the fall of seventh grade. I ran cross country for six years and track for five, and my running career was similar to that of a lot of girls. I was pretty good in middle school, ended up running varsity freshman year, stagnated sophomore year and suddenly declined during my junior and senior seasons. The combination of puberty and an increasing workload often creates a situation in which the body simply cannot adjust in those years of high school. It was a hard pill to swallow; I could not understand why my body would not obey me anymore. It seemed like I just couldn’t make my legs run as they had in the past. By the time my senior season of cross country ended, I had accepted that I would never be fast again. Last year, I signed up for the Holy Half and began a rigorous training regimen with two friends who were both better runners than I. Intimidated by the distance of the half, I adopted a discipline in my training I hadn’t been able to develop since I stopped running with a team. I ran by myself five days a week without fail, and I never let myself find excuses to skip our Sunday long runs. The first few Sundays were rough; I huffed along a few steps behind, listening to my friends talk and contemplating slowing down and letting them break away from me. But the thought of running 10 miles alone was more than I could bear, so I stuck with them and finished every run no more than a few meters behind. Without my realizing it, running became something I did for myself, seeing how much faster I could make this mile, how much farther I could get in a set amount of time. And when I finished the half with an average mile time of 7:40, I don’t think I’ve ever been happier. When someone asked me what my proudest achievement was a few weeks later, I realized it was the Holy Half. It may seem silly, but that race was the redemption for my last two years of high school. Running had been a big part of my identity and when my times started to falter, I lost that part of myself. In training for the half, I regained that identity. Though I’m obviously not the fastest runner and I never will be, I know I control my own success. Running has regained its status as my favorite escape, something I can do with friends but often prefer to do alone, relishing the silence and the rare feeling of solitude that allows me to focus on myself for an hour each day. Contact Ciara Hopkinson at chopkin1@nd.edu The views expressed in the Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
“When we are old and grey and full of sleep And nodding by the fire... What do you still remember about Mendoza?” Many years later as he faces the old Mendoza building, dwarfed by another Jenkins Hall right next door, he still vaguely recalls that distant afternoon when he was trapped in a conference room on the second floor with the most ancient fear of taking that Business Ethics exam. He pondered for a while. For the thousands of classmates of his, how many of them grew to be dedicated and honest business leaders? He’d like to think that all of them got an A in the class because of something other than their phenomenal test taking skills. At that time, Mendoza was a four story building, camouflaged with tree branches in the corner of campus and silently employing a solemn main entrance leading into a glittering hall of fame. The side door was always swarmed with cheerful and prideful students who, according to the outside world, were about to sign deeds with demons and sell their souls. It was a much simpler time when he was a sophomore and the most dreadful things he had to confront were the Mendoza curve and the college requirements. “Ha, what a good time to be alive.” He says to himself. There gathers a group of newbies just finishing their mandatory orientation meeting for Mendoza. They would soon dispatch like a pack of alert wolves looking for their games. At night they gather again to plot out their big plans for beating the horrendous curve. He still remembers how his gang of dudes congregated in their dorms to talk about each one professor in specifics — who gave out the easiest assignments, who usually didn’t care about the curve — he absolutely enjoyed each and every step towards finishing those college requirements. Just like most other Mendoza kids, he had a predetermined major in mind as he entered into his sophomore year. Yet just like anyone else he was forced to take many, many designated courses before being able to officially declare the major he was certain about for a while. They said that was what made Mendoza special, since most other undergraduate business schools didn’t do such thing and Mendoza allowed you to be flexible through exploring. Yet why wasn’t there an opt-out option if he did not feel like exploring? As he looks back on his path, he strangely remembers nothing about what was taught in those sophomore classes, as they turned out to be not so commemorative after all. He learned most things
in his junior year classes or outside of classes, and all he remembered was the planning, plotting and, of course, meetings with advisors. He walks closer and sees a tall, stern looking woman with an aquiline nose and metal frame glasses, hair drawn to a tight bun. That woman gives him a sharp look in the eye and still sends down a chill down his spine. Unfortunately, during his short yet glorious undergraduate days at Notre Dame, he never felt connected to his advisor. While some friends bluff about how they could easily make themselves seem vulnerable and adorable in front of the advisors, and they could laugh at the silly jokes that he wouldn’t make in a hundred years — well, that never worked for him. He could never pull out a joke in front of those austere and unrelenting women. He sat down in front of them, and their harsh critique on his proposed plan of study destroyed his sincere zeal for academia. Because of the curriculum requirements in Mendoza, most of his classmates didn’t get to take a language class. He was lucky that he was able to shift things around and start a new language, but when he told his advisor he would like to study abroad to further his language skills, they told him no. They scolded him for not telling them earlier, because if he had told them his plan for his junior year the first semester of his freshman year, he could go. But no, he was not so good at planning things out and eventually he started sobbing like a big baby. So he went to London, like everyone else did. A student walks past him, gaits like that of confident charging bull. Suddenly he feels a sense of nostalgia when the past scenes start flashing back and the late nights he spent in this building arise. He explored every inch of the building, even the corner desk right next to the staircase on the fourth floor, and he even recited the honor code out loud before signing his Business Law paper. But what did Mendoza teach him? He asks himself. A sense of brotherhood, and an attitude of pessimistic optimism in life that ensures him things will work out after they fall apart. Disclaimer: all the characters in the article are purely fictional, and only intended for sarcastic purposes. Erin Shang seeks to find the black and white from this world of messed up palette, the polygons from monotonous lines, and passion from the shattered dreams in this brave new world we’re all living in. She is a sophomore studying finance and ACMS at Notre Dame, living in Cavanaugh Hall. Erin welcomes comments of any kind, and can be reached at yshang1@nd.edu. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
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The observer | tuesday, april 10, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com
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LETTER TO THE EDITOR
‘You Are Loved’ week This week, Notre Dame Right to Life will celebrate our third ever “You Are Loved” week: Created for Love. The aim of the “You Are Loved” campaign, which takes place annually in the spring, is to unite student clubs and organizations on campus in our common mission of love for every human being. We are united in our understanding that every person is loved and wanted, and that every life is worth living. We chose this year’s theme, Created for Love, because we know that love is not boring! We were created out of love by God and this reality encourages us to love others in return. A major way
that we love others is by using our unique gifts creatively to serve others, and when we take action in this way, we discover the most exciting life imaginable. This week, we invite you to join us in this creative force of love by participating in some of our You Are Loved Week events. Some highlights of the week include a social media campaign, Natural Family Planning workshop, a backpack-making event for foster care kids, a prayer service for the Transgender Day of Remembrance, service events within South Bend, a lecture on contraceptives and authentic love and more. For more details,
please see our full schedule of events, and we look forward to working together to build a culture of life and of love here on our campus and beyond. Notre Dame Right to Life Talia Caridi vice president of events Sarah Drumm president April 9
The border military parade Ray Ramirez The Crooked Path
In response to a largely illusor y threat of an unprecedented wave of immigrants assaulting the U.S. border with Mexico, President Trump has called for a surge in federal militar y forces to assist Homeland Security. More than a thousand Central Americans recently trudged through southern Mexico as part of an annual Holy Week event, bolstered by efforts to bring the world’s attention to the dangers the refugees seek to escape. A great percentage of the caravan is made of Hondurans f leeing poverty, violence and political unrest which escalated since last year’s election of President Orlando Hernández. The caravan apparently never intended to reach the U.S. border “en masse,” but rather was destined for a migrant’s right symposium in central Mexico. Mexican immigration officers took people’s names to sign them up for 30-day transit visas, which allow them to stay in Mexico for a month while they apply for asylum there or seek individual passage to another countr y. W hile persons might then travel to the U.S. border, possibly to seek asylum here, in no way did this excursion represent the existential threat to the U.S. invoked by Trump as a rationale for militar y action. Sending federal troops to the border carries its own risks, which have repeatedly surfaced anytime an armed force interacts with civilian populations. Nogales, Arizona, a small town south of Tucson, was the site of a 1918 border confrontation that came close to triggering a militar y conf lict with Mexico. Along with its paired town of Nogales, Sonora, in Mexico, the communities were known as Ambos (“Both”) Nogales, and International Street, which represented the U.S.-Mexico border, and ran right down the center of the towns. The railroad depot, stores and saloons straddled the border. W hen trains arrived, first class passengers rode across the border in the cars, while those in coach got off the train, walked and then re-boarded after passing through customs.
One day a carpenter was walking back into Mexico. As he crossed the border with his tools, a U.S. customs inspector ordered him to halt. Only a few feet away, Mexican customs officers told him to continue into Mexico. The carpenter hesitated as the two groups of agents shouted instructions to him. In the subsequent commotion a shot was fired, and the carpenter dropped to the ground. Thinking that the man had been shot, a Mexican customs official opened fire, wounding a U.S. soldier. A U.S. customs officer drew his pistol and returned fire, killing two Mexican customs officials. Unhurt, the carpenter jumped up and ran down a nearby street. Citizens on the Mexican side of the border grabbed their rif les to join the Mexican troops. World War I was still raging in Europe and Germany had made infamous overtures to Mexico seeking them to abandon their neutrality. In this atmosphere the situation rapidly escalated. The U.S. 10th Cavalry — some of the fabled Buffalo Soldiers — rode into town and crossed the border into Mexico. The troops mounted an assault on the heights immediately to the east of the towns, while militia on the Arizona side started firing their weapons from the windows and rooftops of their houses. Members of the 35th Infantry placed a machine gun on top of a stone building and fired into Mexican positions. Hoping to quell the furor, the mayor of Nogales, Sonora, tied a white handkerchief to his cane, and pleaded with the angry crowd to put down their weapons; he was killed by a shot from the Arizona side. By sundown the skirmish was over, and peace was restored. Some contemporary reporting hinted at German ‘agents’ that were fomenting trouble, but an investigation by Army officials could not substantiate such accusations, rather tracing the origins of the violence to the abuse of Mexican border crossers in the year prior to the Battle of Ambos Nogales. Following this incident, U.S. and Mexico authorities divided the communities with a chain-link fence, the first border wall put in place between the two countries. More recent interactions with military forces assisting U.S. border control efforts have been similarly senseless and tragic. On an
overcast afternoon in 1997, 18 year old Esequiel Hernandez, set out after school on his regular walk to the Rio Grande near Presidio, Texas, with his herd of goats and an old .22 rif le, useful for fending off snakes and coyotes. Unknown to him, he was trailed through the brush by four armed and heavily camouf laged Marines from Camp Pendleton in California, sent in days earlier to watch for drug smugglers along the river. Hernandez was shot and killed after he allegedly pointed his rif le at the Marines. The Marines involved in the shooting were exonerated and their version of the incident became the official government response, though the Texas Rangers investigating the matter came to a different conclusion. Hernandez was right-handed, so if he shouldered and aimed his rif le at the soldiers he would have presented his left side to his target — instead he was shot through his right ribcage. His family was paid more than a million dollars in a subsequent civil suit. The killing of U.S. citizens on U.S. soil by American soldiers is thankfully a rare event. W hen National Guardsmen fired on protesting Kent State students in 1970, killing four and wounding nine others, the nation was revolted. Officials realized that using armed militar y personnel to meet public protests was dangerous and re-examined how armed soldiers should be deployed. Our armed forces should be used carefully in all situations, but especially sparingly to deal with domestic, political concerns. The specious and capricious invoking of a crisis along the border — when immigration is at a 21-year low — to justif y putting troops and civilians in harm’s way should be viewed with suspicion. People living along the border should not be made to pay for the illconsidered and perilous promises of pandering politicians. Ray Ramirez is an attorney practicing, yet never perfecting, law in Texas while waiting patiently for a MacArthur Genius Grant. You may contact him at patrayram@sbcglobal.net The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
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The observer | tuesday, april 10, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com
By DANNY LIGGIO Scene Writer
Famous Dex seems restless. Between his high-energy, repetitious music and reportedly non-stop work ethic when it comes to music, it’s odd that his first album has been delayed for 10 months. First touted as dropping in the summer of 2017, “Dex Meets Dexter” has finally been released among the buzz of its first single “Pick it Up.” And “Pick it Up” defines the appeal of Famous Dex. With a constantly shifting beat and strong feature from A$AP Rocky, “Pick it Up” showcases Famous Dex’s trademark energy along with Rocky’s inimitable flow. As a single, “Pick it Up,” rules Famous Dex’s catalog, but on the album, it plays a much smaller role. Again, sticking with his M.O. of change, Dex tinkers throughout the album with different flows and even experiments with singing. “JAPAN,” the second single from the album, benefits the most from these differing approaches. It contains endless appeal in its irresistably catchy chorus and bouncing beat. The album’s opener, “DMD,” is another high point. Famous Dex is on his game — coherent in terms of him speaking English, incoherent in terms of meaning. The beat, produced by Pi’erre Bourne, is bound to make people break floors. “Champion,” featuring Diplo, also has an eccentric, highly-polished beat.
By HANNA KENNEDY Scene Writer
After the release of his first studio album in 2014, George Ezra jetted off to Barcelona to craft his follow-up. Forgoing glamorous hotels and glitzy lodgings, Ezra found his inspiration renting an Airbnb from the Tamara of the album’s title. The album, “Staying at Tamara’s,” embraces the warm, relaxed feeling of summer travel lending every track a jaunty, carefree charm. Ezra focuses on the good things in life and in the end creates 11 likable tracks about escaping and dreaming. The album’s opener, “Pretty Shining People,” sets a tone of near-relentless positivity that Ezra maintains for the entirety of “Staying at Tamara’s.” He begins telling the story of “Me and Sam in the car, talking ‘bout America / Heading to the wishing well” setting himself up for the song’s unfathomably cheerful chorus. The song continues on in a way that makes the similarly titled REM track, “Shiny Happy People,” sound like a downer. During the chorus Ezra repeats “Hey pretty smiling people / We’re alright together, we’re alright together,” his baritone voice contrasting nicely with fast-paced guitar strumming against a strong, joyful background drum beat. The Observer | CRISTINA INTERIANO
While the beats are generally very strong, the album is not quite perfect when it comes to the noises which are not rapping. Famous Dex’s ad-libs become tiresome. Given that the album is meant to be listened to in a state of mind open to anything, the sort of fifthgrade level of annoyance that his ad-libs bring should easily be ignored. These ad-libs, which often border on intrusive, are noticeably absent in the sing-songs of the album. Sort of paradoxically, the parts lacking the greatest annoyance are the weakest bits of the album. Famous Dex has a fine voice, but the songs which he sings have little of the excitement of the rest of his music. These songs are sleepy, without any lyrical significance. Although “PROVE IT” and “LIGHT” are poor examples of Famous Dex’s singing ability, “CELINE” strikes just the right balance between rapping and melody. The track lends itself equally well to sing-alongs and parties. Dex is carefree in his raps. He often makes jokes of what would be missteps. In “JAPAN,” Famous Dex raps “Took her to my place, baby ate me like some cake… what?” like even he’s surprised about what he just said. Other examples include when he reuses the same lyrics across songs; these repetitions function as connecting threads even though they could be considered lazy songwriting. Overall, Famous Dex is best when his beats are light and his approach is far from serious. On “Dex Meets Dexter,” he often shows this side of his work; but he
also puts on display a lot misguided music. It’s the perennial issue of rappers who come up quickly in this new generation of music. Long-time hip-hop fans often lament their general technical inability, and newer fans take pride in their nonsense. Famous Dex is an artist for the new school. He’s not strong enough to carry a song while singing or storytelling. Dex’s strength lies in his ability to be free from any constraints, including the constraints of real talent. His music will be forgotten fifteen years from now, but I will gladly shoot to “Dex Meets Dexter” today. Like Famous Dex does, enjoy the here and now; “Dex Meets Dexter” necessitates a listener free from judgement. If that condition can be met, the album will be enjoyed.
“Shotgun” is another preposterously cheerful song that has the potential to be this summer’s anthem. It opens softly, conjuring images of driving along aimlessly and the itch to explore. The travel-inspired contentment characteristic of the album as a whole is present from the first lines of the song. Ezra opens with the lyrics, “Homegrown alligator, see you later / Gotta hit the road, gotta hit the road” and carries the tone of eager exploration through the rest of the song. Ezra continues to embrace the genre of peppy folk pop on “Paradise,” the second of two singles released early from the album. As the album’s midpoint, “Paradise” is where the lively, crowd-pleasing choruses reach their apex. The song possesses an irresistible momentum sure to make it huge. The real world briefly intrudes on the track “Only a Human.” Ezra, over the course of the album and in interviews leading up to its release, addresses his own personal struggle with anxiety that led to the creation of “Staying at Tamara’s.” That struggle is evident on “Only a Human.” The track is a slower-paced attempt at vulnerability where Ezra’s deep, bass voice has the opportunity to shine and to reassure. He stresses that “No, you can’t blame yourself / You’re just human” and invites his listeners to take a step back from the world around them. The change of pace is a welcome contrast to the overly cheerful album standouts sure to be played on repeat this summer.
“Staying at Tamara’s” offers a message of upbeat and hearty resilience in the form of easy-to-swallow, playful pop songs. Released just in time for summer road trips, barbecues and music festivals, “Staying at Tamara’s” is a welcome slice of sunny folk pop. Ezra may play it safe, keeping his lyrics for the most part lighthearted, but he still manages to find maturity on his second studio album. He stresses the power of taking oneself away and finding peace and positivity in, as he says on “Pretty Shining People,” “a terrible time to be alive / If you’re prone to overthinking.”
Contact Danny Liggio at dliggio@nd.edu
“Dex Meets Dexter” Famous Dex Label: 300 Entertainment and Rich Forever Music Tracks: “JAPAN” If you like: Playboi Carti, Smokepurpp, MadeinTYO
Contact Hanna Kennedy at hkenned2@nd.edu
“Staying at Tamara’s” George Ezra Label: Columbia Records Tracks: “Shotgun,” “Paradise,” “Pretty Shining People” If you like: Ed Sheeran, James Bay, Vance Joy
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The observer | tuesday, april 10, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com
By ADAM RAMOS Senior Scene Writer
Legendary Spanish filmmaker Víctor Erice’s 1973 full length debut “El espíritu de la colmena” (“The Spirit of the Beehive”) is a masterwork. Set in the wake of the Spanish Civil War, the film explores the chaotic, and at times surreal, Spanish societal landscape through the eyes of two young sisters. The younger, Isabel, is quiet and guileless, often the butt of her older sister Ana’s mischievous jokes. The film’s power lies in this dynamic, constantly offering a dualist, albeit naive, perspective on the pertinent questions of the day. Hinds, the fuzzy Spanish indie rock quartet, seem to emulate Erice’s formula. Instead of pondering the politics of their postwar homeland though, the members of Hinds have something else on the agenda: love — whatever that means for a group of rowdy and riotously fun 20-somethings. The band’s recently released sophomore record, “I Don’t Run” finds front-women Ana García Perrote and Carlotta Cosials getting messy with the idea of love, relationships and sex in an outing that, while nothing new, proves a worthy exercise. Hinds has a sound — and people have always really liked it. Even before the band’s inception, Perrote and Cosials garnered buzz with their indie-rock-fused, breezy Bob Dylan covers. From there, the two began recording a handful of original tracks before adding two more members to complete their lineup.
By OWEN LANE Scene Writer
Over the past several years, Death Grips has been slowly seeping into mainstream culture. Their song “No Love” provided a fitting soundtrack for the titular character’s drug binge in a 2014 episode of “BoJack Horseman.” In the “Atlanta” Season 2 premiere, the character Darius blares the 2016 Death Grips track “Hot Head” on his car stereo. The Scene department has even made a habit of attempting to sneak some Death Grips onto the music queue at various Observer functions. As you could maybe infer, Death Grips are something of a meme around certain music-loving circles. But who are they and what are they doing? Death Grips was formed in 2010 in Sacramento, CA by math rock group Hella’s drummer, Zach Hill, and his neighbor, an art student named Stefan Burnett. Burnett would later adopt the name MC Ride. Soon after, he and Hill would later join up with producer Andy Morin (often referred to as “Flatlander”) to form a trio called Death Grips. MC Ride had some background rapping in a more conventional hip-hop group with his brother, but after teaming up with Hill, the two would make music that confidently
The group’s early material, complied on the 2015 compilation “Very Best of Hinds So Far,” already finds the band locked into their sunny blend of post-punk and west coast indie rock. It’s easy then to understand Hinds’ early popularity when listening to playfully endearing tracks like “Bamboo” and “Trippy Gum”. It wasn’t long before the band’s sound earned comparisons to that of other beloved indie slacker acts like Mac Demarco and Best Coast. On their 2016 full length debut “Leave Me Alone,” the Madrid band continued to crystalize their sound and ultimately garnered wide spread appeal. On “I Don’t on Run,” the trend continues. Sunny, reverb-drenched guitars, washed out vocals and a tangible exuberance saturate almost every track on the record. And while the band continues to wear their early influences on their sleeve, they also seem to be incorporating a bit more of the vicious side of California rock, at times recalling contemporary acts like Wavves or FIDLAR. But even this new edge does little to differentiate the tracks on “I Don’t Run” from other songs in the band’s growing discography. That said, the album’s theme of love adds a conceptual depth to the band’s approach — with Perrote and Cosials constantly vying for the album’s most insightful or compelling line. Generally, Perrote tends to land on lines with immediate punch, like when she frankly asks, “Why did you have to kiss me after sex?” on the track “Tester.” Cosials on the other hand prefers the poetic, delivering each line with a hefty dose of youthful ambivalence. The
combination of each perspective creates a fresh outlook on the commonly banal subject matter. Yet, when the two come together in harmony the band really starts to hit its stride. Album opener, “The Club,” a standout on the record, accomplishes much through this concordance, positioning Cosials and Perrote as separate but equal parts of a unified psyche. “Last night was wrong, I know/ You don’t need a lover/ But I don’t want/ I don’t wanna go” the two sing in chorus, painting an oblique portrait of modern love in charming fashion. For everything that’s right with “I Don’t Run,” one can’t help but want something more. It seems to listen to Hinds is to be at a really great party — but just like every other party, once the smoke clears and the night comes to an end, life moves on without a passing thought.
combined sounds from rap, metal and rock into a unique, monstrous sound that found footing among a niche community of internet music heads. Since their debut 2011 mixtape “Exmilitary,” the trio have put out five LPs that have all provided a different musical environment for MC Ride’s unhinged lyrics about paranoia, rage and disillusionment. Death Grips fans adore the group’s relentless musical experimentation and their consistent aesthetic. For example, it is basically impossible to find a picture of MC Ride and Zach Hill performing with their shirts on. Between furious, fiery performances and a rampaging crowd, Death Grips live shows don’t lack any of the energy that is present in the group’s music. Death Grips sits on the border of many different genres of music, but is always just foreign-sounding enough to discourage fans of hip-hop, punk and electronic music. However, if you are big fan of any of these genres, then Death Grips’ 2012 masterpiece LP “The Money Store” is worth a listen. “Hacker” is a world-class electronic dance tune, with ridiculous lyrics to boot. “I’ve Seen Footage” may capture the essence of the group better than any other track in their prolific discography. MC Ride screams about modern technology and staying “noided” (DG speak for paranoid) over a hypnotically droning, industrial
beat. Ride is nearly impossible to understand, so this track also doubles as an ideal pump up/workout track. Like many Death Grips fans, I pretty much hated what I heard my first time listening to the group. But sure enough, these three clowns snuck up on me like music ninjas. I still occasionally listen to a Death Grips song that I cannot bring myself to enjoy. At other times, though, their music seems genius and so catchy that it is only a step removed from some sort of twisted pop music. In late March, Death Grips announced that their new album, entitled “Year of the Snitch,” would be coming soon. Last week, they released the upcoming album art, which is, of course, a healthy mixture of grotesque and creepy. All signs are indicate that the new album could drop any day now. Their notoriously rabid fan base may deify Death Grips, but there is no denying that these three weirdos are saying something important. Their music has never and will never be for everyone, but if you’re in the mood for something new and experimental, then you should check these guys out. Nobody knows what the new album will bring.
Contact Adam Ramos at aramos6@nd.edu
“I Don’t Run” Hinds Label: Lucky Number Tracks: “The Club,” “Soberland” If you like: Best Coast, FIDLAR, Mac Demarco
Contact Owen Lane at olane@nd.edu CRISTINA INTERIANO | The Observer
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Daily
The observer | Tuesday, april 10, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com
Crossword | Will Shortz
Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Using force won’t help you get your way this year. Lean on your expertise and knowledge to create what you want to see unfold. How you handle others will be the key factor in how much you accomplish. Don’t leave any detail incomplete or take impulsive action when dealing with superiors or your peers. Focus on what is feasible, not the impossible. Your numbers are 4, 12, 20, 28, 36, 41, 44. ARIES (March 21-April 19): You’ll be taken advantage of if you are too accommodating or willing to give or do more than the people you consider to be equals. Don’t take on responsibilities that don’t belong to you. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Lend a helping hand only because you want to or feel you have something worthwhile to contribute. Don’t let anyone browbeat you into taking on responsibilities you don’t want. Make physical activity, health and personal growth your priorities. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): A change at work or with the way you approach a project will make a positive difference to your direction or the outcome of what you are trying to accomplish. Don’t be afraid to ask for favors or to make suggestions. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Protect against ill health. Don’t take chances; avoid places where you are more likely to come in contact with germs. Make important relationships a priority, and you will achieve greater understanding as well as personal stability. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Change may tempt you, but preparation will be necessary if you want things to unfold smoothly. Don’t let impulse cause you to take on too much or to overlook something important. Use your intelligence and be open to suggestions. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Interact with people who have something to offer. Networking will give you a unique perspective on what’s available to you and how you should consider moving forward. Updating your image as well as your attitude will lead to favorable responses. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Emotional baggage coupled with excessive behavior is a recipe for disaster. Think matters through before making promises or taking action that will upset someone close to you. Problems with an older relative or domestic issues should be handled with compassion. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Situations will get blown out of proportion and indulgent tendencies will take over if you aren’t disciplined and willing to meet demands being made somewhere in the middle. Give and take will be the ticket to success and warding off discord. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Network and you will build alliances with your peers that will encourage greater progress. Mixing excellence with strength and courage is a good approach to getting what you want, but don’t take on too much. Set realistic expectations. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Emotional problems will develop if you don’t take care of matters that can influence how or where you live. Keeping up with what’s going on around you and the latest economic trends will help you make better choices. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Question your current look and what you have done to keep up with the times. A thoughtful approach to updating your wardrobe or attitude will encourage good results. Use your intelligence along with your will to change. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): An emotional incident will arise if you let someone from your past come back into your life. Don’t forget what’s happened. You may be able to forgive, but forgetting will make it difficult to begin again. Embrace the future, not the past. Birthday Baby: You are creative, protective and aggressive. You are investigative and strong-willed.
WINGin’ it | BAILEE EGAN & Olivia wang
Sudoku | The Mepham Group
Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek
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ndsmcobserver.com | Tuesday, april 10, 2018 | The Observer
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Sports Authority
Reed hurts golf’s overall image Connor Mulvena Associate Sports Editor
Patrick Reed’s Masters victor y Sunday was bad for the sport of the golf. Perhaps I should rephrase that. This narrative that “Patrick Reed is an emblem of American golf and, although you may not like him, his Masters win is good for the game so deal with it,” is misguided. This is not to say that Reed is this universally beloved figure of the sport by fans. Not by a longshot. Reed — behind Bubba Watson, who I defended previously in this column — is likely the second most hated player in golf. Some fans have become attached to him after his boisterous green celebrations in his Ryder Cup match with Ror y McIlroy, but that’s a different issue for a different day. Since Reed won The Masters on Sunday, the media has attempted to spin the victor y as somehow a triumphant outcome for the good of the sport. Golf Digest recently published an article entitled, “Masters 2018: Patrick Reed’s real problem might be that people just don’t know him.” W hen I saw that article Monday morning, my day was immediately ruined. The article claims Reed isn’t understood on Tour because members don’t approach him often. It says that, in reality, Reed is an “honest,” “no BS” type of guy, and if you just knew him, you’d change your mind about him. The angle of that article, and other similar narratives like it, is laugh-outloud ridiculous. If golf fans got to know Reed behind the scenes, it is likely they would be horrified. Let’s start with Reed’s collegiate career. Reed spent one year at Georgia, a golf powerhouse boasting alumni like Bubba Watson, Brian Harman and Kevin Kisner. But Reed was dismissed after his freshman year due to “alcohol-related offenses.” Fine, we all make mistakes, understandable. Reed would go on to spend his next two years at Augusta State, leading the team to two national
championships before turning pro. But later on in his career, more of Reed “behind the scenes” began to emerge from former coaches and teammates. Former coaches have ridiculed Reed’s character traits, and one UGA coach is cited saying, “There is no doubting the ability of Patrick as a golfer, it was Patrick as a person that we chose not to associate with.” Plus, several teammates have accused him of stealing bundles of cash, putters and watches in the lockeroom. Even more suspicious, Reed hasn’t spoken with his family in years. W hen they bought tickets to follow him at the 2014 U.S Open, Reed’s fiance had them removed by security from the premises. In 2016, Reed’s younger sister posted a long, heartfelt facebook post, ensuring the public that her family was not maniacal or evil like Reed and his in-laws have claimed and that she has not spoken to her brother in years without explanation. By all angles, Reed simply appears to be a mean person. Sure, 100 percent of all of these allegations may not be true, but surely it’s not a coincidence that all of these morally questionable accusations exist. W hy are we tr ying to convince ourselves that his win is somehow good for the game of golf ? Are we tr ying to cling to some American symbol of golf ? Perhaps, then, we should look to the 2nd-place finisher in this year’s Masters, Rickie Fowler — a young American with a unique style and acceptable moral background. Or even Jordan Spieth, a young American with a number of charity ventures and a far better golf game than Reed. A ll in all, Reed is a jerk, and it’s okay to hate the Masters winner. We don’t have to like ever y golfer, or ever y winner or ever y major champion. Reed is a great golfer. But is he great for golf ? Not by a long shot.
CHRIS COLLINS | The Observer
Irish freshman midfielder Maddie Howe defends against an attacking Golden Eagles player during Notre Dame’s 15-10 win against Marquette on Feb. 28 at Arlotta Stadium.
W Lax Continued from page 16
other means with 12 caused turnovers and a season-high 28 ground balls, but the difference on the draw was too much to overcome. The Wildcats stormed out to a 4-0 lead thanks to four goals in just over four minutes and led 7-1 just beyond the halfway mark in the first period. The Irish worked their way back into the game late into the first half and early in the second, cutting the Wildcats lead to 9-6 just two minutes into the second half. And this was despite Fredericks’ domination on the draw, as during the 5-2 Irish run to cut the lead, the Wildcats had still won six of
the seven draws. However, Irish head coach Christine Halfpenny’s team could not keep overcoming that disadvantage. The Wildcats began to pull away again, continuing to dominate on the draw by winning 19 of the game’s first 21 draws and building a double-digit lead on their way to the eventual 20-10 victory. Irish freshman midfielder Maddie Howe was a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing game for Notre Dame, scoring four goals — including three of her team’s first four — to keep her team alive during the first half before adding her 30th goal of the season in the final five minutes of the game. Irish sophomore attack Jessi Masinko
also pitched in offensively with a goal and two assists. Defensively, sophomore Kathleen Roe and junior Hannah Proctor fought the barrage of Wildcats possessions by causing turnovers and picking up ground balls; Proctor ended the game with five ground balls and three caused turnovers while Roe picked up four of each. For the Wildcats, junior attack Selena Lasota and senior midfielder Sheila Nesselbush did most of the damage outside of the draw, scoring five goals each, while Lasota also added two assists. Still needing one more win to secure a .500 regularseason record, the Irish will host No. 19 Duke on Sunday at Arlotta Stadium. Opening draw is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Contact Connor Mulvena at cmulvena@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer. CHRIS COLLINS | The Observer
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Irish junior defender Hannah Proctor contests a shot attempt by Golden Eagles senior midfielder Allison Lane during Notre Dame’s 15-10 win over Marquette on Feb. 28 at Arlotta Stadium. The Observer accepts classifieds every business day from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Notre Dame office, 024 South Dining Hall. Deadline for next-day classifieds is 3 p.m. All classifieds must be prepaid. The charge is 5 cents per character per day, including all spaces. The Observer reserves the right to edit all classifieds for content without issuing refunds.
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CHRIS COLLINS | The Observer
Irish sophomore midfielder Thomas McNamara takes the ball above goal-line extended looking to pass in Notre Dame’s 8-2 loss to Duke on Saturday at Arlotta Stadium. McNamara had two turnovers in the game.
CHRIS COLLINS | The Observer
Irish senior attack Mikey Wynne fakes a pass from behind goal during Notre Dame’s 8-2 loss to Duke on Saturday at Arlotta Stadium.
M Lax Continued from page 16
first half. After going scoreless for more than 26 minutes, the Irish eventually got on the scoreboard again, as senior midfielder Pierre By rne scored his fifth goal of the season to cut the Duke lead to t wo w ith 2:48 left in the half. Notre Dame got one more opportunit y to score before the half ended when Blue Dev ils junior midfielder John Prendergast received a penalt y w ith 1:55 remaining. The Irish failed to score on the man-up chance, however, and the score went to half at 4-2. In the first half, Notre Dame freshman goaltender Matt Schmidt had five saves on nine shots against, while Duke graduate student goalie Danny Fowler finished w ith two saves on just four shots faced. The second half, however, was dominated by Duke. It took Duke less than five minutes to get back on the board in the second half, as Sean Low rie scored his 10th goal of the season. The junior midfielder then added another goal to his tally four minutes later to give Duke a 6-2 advantage w ith 6: 03 left in the third. Notre Dame finished the third quarter w ithout recording a shot on goal and just three shots total. In the fourth quarter, Guterding added another
goal to make it 7-2 in favor of Duke. Then, w ith 2:35 left in regulation, Blue Dev ils sophomore attack Joey Manow n put his team up 8-2 w ith his eighth goal of the season, and that would be the final score of the game. Schmidt finished w ith six saves on 14 shots on goal, while Fowler stopped four of the just six shots on goal he faced. Notre Dame w ill be back in action Wednesday when the team travels to Milwaukee for a road contest w ith Marquette.
CHRIS COLLINS | The Observer
Irish sophomore midfielder Auden Menke craddles the ball during Notre Dame’s 8-2 loss to Duke on Saturday at Arlotta Stadium. With sophomore Bryan Costabile out, Menke played in his first career game. Paid Advertisement
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Irish freshman catcher David LaManna sets to throw during Notre Dame’s 4-1 loss to Kent State on March 27 at Frank Eck Stadium.
Baseball Continued from page 16
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One player set to be featured for the Irish is senior right-hander Charlie Vorsheck, who last appeared April 1 in relief dut y during a 16-4 loss to Duke. Last season, Vorsheck emerged as one of Notre Dame’s best midweek starters, posting a 5-0 record w ith a 2.88 ERA and holding opponents to just a .206 batting average over the course of the season. W hile Vorsheck has started the season rather slow — only appearing in t wo games so far — Aoki said this coming week w ill be a great opportunit y for him to start to replicate last year’s great form. “He’s been ok, so I think we’ll probably start him one
of these t wo games in the midweek,” Aoki said. “He just needs to extend out. He just needs to knock the rust off, and I don’t know that a higher leverage situation in the seventh inning is the way to knock the rust off.” On the hitting side, the Irish w ill be hoping senior outfielder Jake Johnson can continue his recent tear at the plate. Johnson has hit .563 in his last four games, including a 5-for-8 performance over Sunday’s doubleheader to bump up his season average to .326. Tuesday’s matchup bet ween the Irish and the Spartans is set to begin at 3 p.m. at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field in East Lansing, Michigan. Contact Tobias Hoonhout at thoonhou@nd.edu
ANN CURTIS | The Observer
Irish senior outfielder Jake Johnson watches an incoming pitch during Notre Dame’s 7-6 win over Wake Forest on March 24.
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ND Women’s tennis | north carolina 6, nd 1; north carolina state 4, nd 3
Irish drop pair of matches over weekend, extend skid Observer Sports Staff
Notre Dame was unable to come up with a win this weekend against No. 1 North Carolina and North Carolina State. The Tar Heels (20-2, 9-1 ACC) cruised to a 6-1 win over the Irish (10-10, 2-8) on Friday before Notre Dame fought hard but fell short in a 4-3 loss to N.C. State (12-11, 5-5) on Sunday, extending its losing streak to seven matches. The weekend started off Friday afternoon for the Irish, as they hosted the conference’s and nation’s top team in the Tar Heels. Notre Dame started off the afternoon strong with a win in the doubles match on court No. 3, as junior Rachel Chong and sophomore Bess Waldram cruised to a 6-1 win. Irish senior duo Brooke Broda and Allison Miller did not finish their match on court No. 2 because before they could, Irish freshman Cameron Corse and sophomore Zoe Spence clinched the doubles point with a 6-3 win on court No. 1, topping the then-No. 1 doubles team in the nation in Tar Heels junior Jessie Aney and sophomore Alexa Graham.
Despite winning the doubles point, the Irish would struggle in the singles matches. Miller lost 6-1, 6-4 to Tar Heels sophomore and 14th-ranked singles player Makenna Jones on court No. 1. Chong finished with a 6-3, 6-4 loss to her opponent, Tar Heels junior Chloe OuelletPizer. Corse was able to win the second set of her match and would proceed to play a tiebreaker before falling 1210 in the third set to Aney. Spence and Irish freshman Ally Bojczuk would also force third sets in their matches but ultimately fell in their matches, while Broda fell in straight sets on court No. 2 to round out the singles sweep for the Tar Heels in the 6-1 Irish loss. On Sunday against N.C. State, the duo of Corse and Spence continued their strong weekend with a 6-4 triumph in doubles play, this time over the Wolfpack’s 19th-ranked duo of sophomore Anna Rogers and junior Claudia Wiktorin on doubles court No. 1. On court Nos. 2 and 3, both Irish squads would fall in tiebreakers, awarding the doubles point to the Wolfpack. The Irish would attempt to rally back in the singles
matches, however. N.C. State got off to a quick lead after Broda lost in straight sets — 6-1, 6-0 — on court No. 2. Spence would respond for the Irish with a tough 7-5, 6-4 victory on court No. 3 to put the Irish back within one point. Chong was unable to tie things up for the Irish in a 6-3, 6-2 loss on court No. 5, but once again the Irish came back to within one point when Bojczuk won with a 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 victory on court No. 6. And with Miller looking set to take the point on court No. 1 in the third set, that put the microscope on court No. 4. Corse was in a tight one against Wiktorin, as the second set went to a tiebreaker. Corse jumped to a 5-2 lead in that tiebreaker, but Wiktorin would rally to claim a 10-8 win in the set and thus win the match in straight sets, clinching the 4-3 match win for the Wolfpack after Miller finished off her win on court No. 1. Having now lost seven straight matches, the Irish will look to get back on track at Boston College and Syracuse over the weekend, with those matches coming Friday and Sunday, respectively.
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men’s tennis | nd 5, duke 2
ND upsets Duke in ACC match By MICHAEL IVEY Sports Writer
No. 25 Notre Dame defeated conference-rival No. 21 Duke by a score of 5-2 this past Friday in a home match at Courtney Tennis Center. In the singles competition, sophomore Guillermo Cabrera lost the first set of his match before winning the final two sets on court No. 3. On court No. 6, junior Grayson Broadus won his first set before dropping the second set, but he managed to win the decisive third set. Junior Alex Lebedev and freshman Richard Ciamarra won their matches on court Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, in straight sets to give the Irish (13-11, 4-4 ACC) four of the six singles points. In the doubles competition, the pair made up of senior Brendon Kempin and freshman Tristan McCormick defeated their opponent on court No. 1, while the team of Broadus and Ciamarra won a close match on court No. 3 to clinch the doubles point. Irish head coach Ryan Sachire said he liked what he saw from his team against Duke (13-10, 4-4). “I thought we played well and competed hard,” Sachire said. “We’ve played a number of matches this season where it has been close like it was on Friday night, and I thought our guys did a really good job of handling the competitive environment. Credit to Grayson and Guillermo for finding a way to win at the end when we needed them to win. I’m definitely proud of our guys and happy with their performance and the way we competed.” Sachire said he especially liked how his team handled adverse situations during its matches. “I think we’re doing a lot of good things from a competitive standpoint,” Sachire said. “One thing that was really important in the match was anytime
we faced some adversity, we fought back; and anytime we got our serves broken, we broke serve right back, for the most part. That is a good sign. There is a response to adversity and a response to things not being easy; and when you have that toughness and grit and determination to come back and always respond, that is a really good starting spot for our crew; and we are looking to build on that this coming week.” When asked if he thought anything needed improvement, Sachire reiterated a message he has harped on most of the year. “I want to continue to work on our doubles,” Sachire said. “I think we played pretty well. We won the doubles point, but that has to continue to be a strength for us moving forward. From a singles perspective, the serve and the return of serve. Just paying some extra attention to those things this week in practice that we did last week. I thought we saw some good results from that, and we need to continue working on that moving forward.” Notre Dame will be back in action this weekend when it hosts Miami (FL) in an ACC match Friday afternoon at Courtney Tennis Center. Sachire said he was pleased that the schedule allowed his team to rest and to have a full week of practice. “We’re lucky we had only the match on Friday and the weekend off, so our guys were able to rest and recover. So we’re going to have a really good full week of practice, four days, and then Miami,” Sachire said. “Hopefully, we’re a better team at the end of the week than we are at the beginning of the week, and that is going to be our mindset of being focused and specific in practice and kind of crescendo that into the weekend.” Contact Michael Ivey at mivey@hcc-nd.edu
ANN CURTIS | The Observer
Irish junior Alex Lebedev follows through on a forehand during Notre Dame’s 6-1 loss to North Carolina on March 23 at Eck Tennis Pavilion.
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The observer | tuesday, april 10, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com
ND Women’s Lacrosse | Northwestern 20, ND 10
men’s Lacrosse | Duke 8, ND 2
Notre Dame struggles to control possession in loss
ND falls to Duke after quick start
Observer Sports Staff
Observer Sports Staff
No. 7 Northwestern dominated Notre Dame on the draw Sunday, as a recent strong run of form came to an end for the Irish in a 2010 defeat. The Wildcats (11-3, 3-0 Big Ten) were led by senior attack Shelby Fredericks, who entered the game w ith 74 draw controls in just nine games played after missing time early in the season. On the other side, the Irish (7-7, 2-4 ACC) appeared capable of making the draw a battle w ith freshman midfielder Andie A ldave, who had 75 draw controls in her first 13 games. But Fredericks gave the Wildcats a decisive advantage in the contest, as she added 12 more draw controls to her season total while A ldave added just four. Overall, Northwestern won 26 possessions on the restart to just six for Notre Dame. The Irish did all they could to w in back possessions by
No. 15 Notre Dame fell 8-2 to No. 5 Duke in a nationally telev ised ACC home game at Arlotta Stadium on Saturday. It was the first time these t wo teams have met since the ACC tournament last season, when Notre Dame (5-4, 1-2 ACC) defeated Duke (10-2, 2-1 ACC) 7-6 in the semifinals. Notre Dame was w ithout t wo of its top offensive players, sophomore midfielder Br yan Costabile and junior attack Brendan Gleason, who both missed the game due to undisclosed injuries. The Irish got off to a fast start in the contest, as sophomore attack Brian Willetts scored his ninth goal of the season just 1: 01 into the game to give Notre Dame the early 1-0 lead. Less than t wo minutes later, however, Duke answered w ith a goal by freshman attack Joe Robertson to tie the score 1-1. The next 10 minutes were filled w ith back and forth
see W LAX PAGE 11
CHRIS COLLINS | The Observer
Irish sophomore attack Jessi Masinko follows through after firing a pass during Notre Dame’s 15-10 win over Marquette on Feb. 28.
action, but none of the scoring opportunities resulted in goals. Duke took t wo penalties during that stretch, but Notre Dame was unable to capitalize on the man-up opportunities. The momentum sw ung in Duke’s favor late in the first quarter, however. With 2:57 left in the opening frame, Blue Dev ils graduate student attack Peter Conley put the Blue Dev ils ahead 2-1 w ith his 21st goal of the season. The Irish were unable to get out of the quarter w ithout allow ing further damage either, as Blue Dev ils sophomore midfielder Kev in Quigley buried a shot w ith one second left on the clock to give Duke a 3-1 lead heading into the second. Duke’s momentum from the end of the first period continued into the second quarter, as senior attack Justin Guterding scored on a man-up opportunit y to give the Blue Dev ils a 4-1 advantage w ith 11:16 left in the see M LAX PAGE 12
Baseball
Irish set to face Spartans, looking for a spark By TOBIAS HOONHOUT Managing Editor
After starting strong against ACC rival and 11thranked Clemson this past weekend w ith a w in to open the series, the Irish dropped a doubleheader to lose the series Sunday. Notre Dame w ill now look to spark up some momentum this coming week w ith t wo onegame matchups w ith Big Ten teams, starting w ith a trip to Michigan State on Tuesday. The Irish (13-18, 5-10 ACC) and the Spartans (9-19, 3-5 Big Ten) have met 135 times prev iously over the histor y of both programs, w ith Michigan State currently leading the overall series 7956. But the Irish have won three of the last four meetings, including a 2-1 v ictor y last year at Frank Eck Stadium. Junior outfielder Matt Vierling was the star of the show, going 2-for-3 w ith a solo home run to tie the game in the second inning and scoring the eventual game-w inning run in the sixth on a double steal.
The w in also marked Notre Dame’s fourth in a row and seventh out of its prev ious nine at the time. This time around, however, the Irish have lost five of their last seven and are hoping to get back on track as the season nears the halfway point. Notre Dame head coach Mik Aoki said Sunday that while his team has been on the short end of the stick recently, the Irish haven’t been play ing bad baseball and are a few plays away from starting to be successful. “Usually in ever y game, it’s been two or three plays that we need to create to be more positive for us,” he said. “I don’t know that there’s some secret sauce that we need to get a ton better at. I think we’ve been defending it prett y well; I think we’ve been sw inging the bat fairly well; pitching has been a little up and dow n; but I think that if we can just put it all together, I feel prett y good about our chances in Big Ten week.” see BASEBALL PAGE 13
CHRIS COLLINS | The Observer
Irish senior right-hander Charlie Vorsheck delivers a pitch during Notre Dame’s 4-1 loss to Kent State at Frank Eck Stadium on March 27. Last year, Vorsheck posted a 5-0 record with a 2.88 earned-run average.