Thursday, November 12, 2020 - The Daily Cardinal

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Thursday, November 12, 2020

Wisconsin Men’s Hockey seeks to bounce back

wearing a mask political?

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Free COVID-19 testing for Madison community

By Gina Musso COLLEGE NEWS EDITOR

UW-Madison will offer free COVID-19 tests to members of the local community, not just UW students and staff, starting on Thursday, Nov. 12, at the Nielsen Tennis Stadium.

The tests, given to all13 UW-System universities, were provided by the United States Department of Health and Human Services to help combat a recent rise in COVID-19 cases throughout the state, with 5,984 cases on average confirmed over the last 7 days as of Wednesday, Nov. 11.

This new surge of tests includes rapid antigen testing from Abbott BinaxNOW, which provides accurate results as quickly as 15 minutes after collection.

Starting on Nov. 12, 50 community tests will be available each day, but health officials plan to expand efforts to 500 daily tests. To receive a test, members of the public do not have to report COVID-19 symptoms or contact with a positive individual, and tests are not limited

to Dane County residents.

UW-Madison received 80,000 of the 250,000 tests allocated to the UW-System by the USDHHS, which will be available by appointment through at least Dec. 23.

“We have the opportunity to offer expanded testing to the general Madison community in our facilities,” Chancellor Rebecca Blank said in a release. “Testing is only one part of the solution to slow the spread of this virus; we also need to follow all the health protocols of masking and social distancing. But expanded testing is an important way to identify those who are ill and limit spread.”

Statewide outbreaks are not limited to areas outside of the UW-Madison campus, as numbers from the university’s COVID-19 dashboard show a 2.9 percent positive rate on campus over the past 7 days as of Wednesday Nov. 11. The data also reports that 51 students and faculty members tested positive on Wednesday, while 86 students are in on-campus isolation and 53 in UW Housing quarantine.

In an email sent to students

on Nov. 11, Jake Baggott, the Executive Director of University Health Services and Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, urged students to take measures including mask-wearing, frequent hand-washing and avoiding gatherings amidst a sudden increase in positive cases on campus.

“As we prepare for the end of the semester, we’re seeing a very concerning increase in cases – not just across the state and in the city of Madison, but on campus,” Baggott said. “In two weeks, our 7-day average positivity rate has more than doubled. More than 100 students are in on-campus quarantine and isolation.”

Within the past week, students living in Witte, Sellery and Ogg residence halls were also mandated to get tested outside of their weekly testing requirements to identify clusters as campus cases are on a slow but steady rise.

Two weeks out from the Thanksgiving recess, students were cautioned to take extra action to limit interactions and gatherings as

many prepare to travel home for the holiday.

“We need you to step up now, just as you’ve done before,” Baggott said to stu-

dents in his email. “We know many of you plan to return home soon. You don’t want COVID to spoil those plans or infect your family members.”

COURTESY OF JEFF MILLER

UW-Madison will offer free COVID-19 tests to the local community.

Students weigh choice to travel home as Thanksgiving nears

By Ellie Nowakowski STAFF WRITER

Many UW-Madison students are accustomed to traveling home for the Thanksgiving holiday, but this year students have more obstacles to consider before they pack their bags.

As they near the end of a semester fraught with sacrifices and tough decisions — deciding whether or not to return to campus in the fall, practicing social distancing with friends or even contracting COVID-19 and quarantining — many students now face the difficult choice between spending Thanksgiving alone or potentially endangering their families, as they travel across the state or country from a campus where the rate of positive coronavirus tests is on the rise.

Beginning with the Thanksgiving recess, the UW will shift to all-virtual instruction for the remainder of the semester, part of the university’s effort to limit spread on and off campus.

Students who travel over the break have been encouraged not to return to campus. The virus’ activity has already been rising on campus for several weeks, with a seven-day average surpassing 50 new cases each day.

“We’ve been expressing concern for several weeks now, along with local and state leaders, about the continuing spike in COVID-19 cases in Dane County and throughout Wisconsin,” Director of News and Media Relations Meredith McGlone said of the ongoing

spike in campus cases. “It is unfortunately not surprising that we are also seeing an increase in positivity rates on campus, although our rates continue to be below the surrounding community.”

A Nov. 11 email to the student body from Jake Baggott, the Executive Director of University Health Services, urged students to take COVID-19 prevention methods seriously citing that 7-day averages of positive COVID-19 test results on campus have “more than doubled” over the past two weeks.

“We need you to step up now, just as you’ve done before,” Baggott said in

the email. “We know many of you plan to return home soon. You don’t want COVID to spoil those plans or infect your family members.”

For her part, UW-Madison junior Ellie Tumarkin has been getting tested for COVID-19 frequently and staying home as much as possible, but she is concerned with rising cases among university students and employees.

“I think that definitely people aren’t following the guidelines and staying home, because I know some people who are less worried about COVID,” Tumarkin said. “But, it’s

COURTESY OF JEFF MILLER

The transition to virtual formats for all UW-Madison classes approaches.

just kind of tough because everyone has different situations that they’re in. One person might not have to worry about it, but then they spread it to someone that does.”

Tumarkin lives just 15 minutes from campus in Waunakee, Wis., which has enabled her to travel home frequently this semester to visit her family. Her younger sister is considered an ‘at risk’ individual, so Tumarkin is used to getting regularly tested for COVID-19 before returning home.

“We try to get tested pretty regularly, and we are pretty good about quarantining and not going out unless we really have to,” Tumarkin said.

In preparation for Thanksgiving recess, she will continue to get tested for COVID-19 and practice social distancing — consistent with her actions throughout this semester.

Ben Krongard, a UW-Madison junior from San Diego, Calif., has decided to return for Thanksgiving and stay home through the end of the academic semester. Krongard wants to limit his travels this winter and decided that staying home to spend time with his family was the best option.

Krongard is concerned about the risk of spreading COVID to his family members as a result of travel, but his concerns about the potential spread are lessened by getting tested weekly and limiting his contact to a specific group of people.

“It’s definitely a little concerning to

see numbers rising, but for me, I’ve been with the same circle of people the whole semester, and I don’t plan on changing that in the next few weeks,” Krongard said. “I’m hoping that by doing that and just avoiding unnecessary meetings with anyone else that I could stay safe.”

Navigating the college experience amid a global pandemic has affected not only widespread negative effects on travelling plans, but also the mental health of students and their families. Not only do students have to worry about the amount of emails from different classes about due dates and assignments, but Tumarkin also says that these stresses come at the cost of not getting rewarded with inperson interactions.

“Just having to spend your whole day looking at a monitor can get really draining, and it gets really difficult to keep your motivation up and to keep following along with everything,” Tumarkin said. “It feels like you’re doing a lot more work with less reward.”

For now, the university continues to express the urgency of safe practices in accordance with public health mandates and recommendations. On Nov. 9, UW-Madison addressed increasing positivity rates on campus by mandating COVID testing for all students living in Witte and Sellery residence halls.

“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”

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Thursday, November 12, 2020

Local businesses struggle heading into winter

An independent student newspaper, serving the University of Wisconsin-Madison community since 1892

By Benjamin Farrell STAFF WRITER

Volume 130, Issue 12

As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, local Madison businesses and their employees continue to struggle financially and are bracing for what could be a harsher winter.

Before Gov. Tony Evers issued his first “Safer at Home” order in March, members of Madison’s business community prioritized growth and development in the downtown area. Now, with new restrictions and adherence to social distancing protocols, both small and large businesses face constant pressure to stay open.

“Before the lockdown, things were moving along fast downtown.

We were really focused on continuing to expand the Madison Night Market and working on our directory

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tion just helping businesses survive by moving their platforms online,” Kenney said.

Businesses suffer from COVID-19 These efforts have not been able to stop a rising number of vacancies in the downtown area. Before the pandemic began, the BID reported 32 vacant storefronts within its boundaries, reaching from the foot of State Street and around the Wisconsin state Capitol.

Now vacancies amount to 51 vacant storefronts within the district — a 59 percent increase. Notable businesses that have shut their doors for good include HopCat, Pizza Di Roma and the Under Armour store on State Street.

Kenny said a certain level of turnover occurs in any large commercial area, resulting in natural closures. The BID’s individual “healthy” vacancy rate,

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Coronavirus pandemic continues to disrupt the local Madison economy. of businesses,” said Tiffany Kenney, Executive Director of the Business Improvement District, a membershipbased organization consisting of 390 stores and restaurants in downtown Madison. “Our whole goal [was] to sell Downtown as a destination.”

In response to the guidelines and mandate that affected business operations, Kenney and the BID have shifted their attention away from new projects to focus on maintaining a baseline level of operations among member businesses that includes suggestions like closing their doors for days at a time, not following through with promotions they signed up for and keeping their windows boarded.

Kenney also cited a dire need to shore up lost revenue from decreased visitors to the downtown area by assisting businesses in developing and expanding their digital presence.

“We’ve focused a lot of our atten-

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District 4, for his efforts to secure funding for pandemic relief.

“The grants only go so far,” Bowhan said. “Not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but that’s not going to be the difference in shutting your doors …

This sh** isn’t going anywhere.”

UW students caught in turmoil The financial turmoil plaguing the local economy also caused a significant trickle down effect: UW-Madison students working in the Madison business community also experienced hardships in finding and keeping jobs.

Morgan Dooley, a junior at the UW-Madison, was laid off from her position at Colectivo Coffee’s capitol square location due to seasonal closures prompted by restrictions due to the pandemic. Employees were given roughly two weeks notice prior to the termination of their positions.

“They offered to give us positions at other shops around town and in Milwaukee, but there weren’t really that many available,” Dooley said.

Colectivo, unlike other small businesses in Madison, is part of a regional chain which has in recent years undergone considerable expansion.

According to a letter sent to laidoff employees by the coffee chain, it remains unclear when and if the capitol square location will reopen, as the company “found it necessary to implement a long-term reduction in workforce.”

At the same time, Olivia Keidl, a senior at UW, has been laid off twice since March, first from Bradbury’s Cafe, a BID member business which has not opened its doors since March.

She also found herself unemployed after Porter Coffee, one of Altschul’s businesses, recently closed down for the season. Keidl worked as a chef and barista at both establishments.

“At Bradbury’s, we only had a couple days’ notice before [it] close[d], and we did a bunch of sales in coffee and food to try and get rid of it,” Keidl said.

Keidl said that despite the abruptness of being laid off, Bradbury Cafe owner Trevor Gruhen showed compassion by extending her pay for a week after the cafe’s closure even though nobody could work.

After filing for unemployment, Keidl found work at Porter Coffee in mid-August. However, due to capacity limits which made indoor seating untenable at this one of Altschul’s businesses, he shut Porter’s doors for the season on Oct. 31.

Still, Keidl’s financial standing remains uncertain as she looks for somewhere else to work. “[Gruhen] said that it could be anywhere from three weeks to six months,” Keidl said. “It’s still not open. I’ve texted him every once and a while asking for updates but I don’t really know.”

Debunking 2020 election misinformation

By Hope Karnopp

Media Corporation

which measures the turnover, stood at six percent at the beginning of the pandemic, but now stands at 15 percent.

In addition to the permanent vacancies, another 14 member businesses within the BID closed their doors temporarily, with the intention of reopening. Eleven of those businesses are food vendors, restaurants or theaters.

While difficult times have fallen on the district as a whole, Kenney voiced particular concerns about a specific group of businesses — specialty shops, such as arts stores and boutiques. As browsing becomes more difficult for those who wish to shop in-person, Kenny also noted the hardships speciality shops face in transitioning their businesses to an online format due to capacity limits and customers’ wariness toward shopping in-person.

“We really feel like our gift shops

which have unique items, or one-ofa-kind items, are the ones who have most trouble downtown,” Kenny said.

B-Side Records, a music shop on State Street, saw its sales numbers significantly decrease following the onset of the pandemic, despite mandates like capacity limits having no effect on its business operations.

“I’d say sales have been down roughly 20 to 30 percent,” said owner Steve Manley. “I don’t have numbers, but that’s my guess.”

However, Rob Bowhan, owner of August, an apparel shop that sells an “amalgamation” of streetwear and sneakers among other items, pointed to his store’s success in online sales as other businesses continue to struggle.

“We had to figure out very quickly how we were going to utilize our e-commerce platform as a means to make up for lost sales,” Bowhan said.

“I had started revamping our website in January, so when March hit, we had done all that heavy lifting. That was perfect timing.”

At the same time, closures and financial hardships have also struck businesses not associated with the BID. Gil Altschul, local restaurateur and bar owner, reported five of his seven businesses had been forced to close their doors and lay off workers since the beginning of the pandemic while losing significant revenue in the process.

“I’m conditioned for how hard these things are. I’ve been dealing with putting out fires in restaurants for years,” Altschul said. “So this was just another hard thing to deal with.

Now though, at this point, we’re down anywhere from 80 to 90 percent profit.

Nobody expected things would last this long.”

Altschul elected to keep Lazy Jane’s Cafe and Grampa’s Pizzeria open and cited non-financial reasons, including maintaining a presence as his motivations for doing so.

“It’s clear that things are getting worse, and we’re gonna keep them open as long as we can cover our costs.

We can stay relevant, and keep our key people employed,” Altschul said.

“There’s intangible value to that, making sure people know we exist.”

While a combination of federal, state and city-level grants have been available to all businesses within Madison, the financial assistance serves merely as a stopgap for longterm financial consequences.

“We applied for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) money, but we’re responsible for seven family businesses,” Altschul said. “We used those for salary, but the grants only go so far if you’re barely breaking even.”

Bowhan voiced his appreciation toward Madison Ald. Mike Verveer,

The Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) corrected misinformation surrounding the election on Tuesday and said that no systemic or widespread election issues occurred.

Republican lawmakers are planning an investigation into the election.

WEC Administrator Meagan Wolfe said that the commission looks into all issues that voters report to the office. Wolfe said that many concerns have stemmed from “unsubstantiated misinformation” and provided facts on processes to “combat rumors” on the following issues.

Absentee envelope witness addresses The WEC did not illegally tell clerks to fill in missing witness addresses, which must be written for the vote to count, according to the WEC. Guidance permitting clerks to complete that information has been in effect since 2016, after Republicans brought forward the issue in 2016 and the commission approved it unanimously.

Guidance issued to clerks in October emphasized the protocol. Voter and witness signatures are not added by poll workers.

Madison Deputy Clerk Jim Verbick said in September that the office tries to complete missing witness addresses if the witness’ signa-

ture is legible. The office can return incomplete ballots to voters with instructions or instruct them to go to their polling place on Election Day to fix their ballots.

Voter rolls The WEC further followed the law by not removing about 232,000 voters from the registration list because they might have moved. In February, an appeals court unanimously said these voters should stay on the lists, but the Wisconsin Supreme Court has not ruled on the issue yet. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, commission members from both parties did not take voters off the

rolls because some of the data is incorrect and some voters might not have moved.

Ballot safety The WEC said “one of the stranger claims” was that “legitimate ballots had been specially encoded by one of the political parties so any illegitimate ballots could be rejected.” Wolfe said county clerks are responsible for printing ballots, and do not put watermarks or codes on them that would identify a political party. The state does not collect information on the gender, race or party affiliation of registered voters.

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Thursday, November 12, 2020

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from Election page 2 Pens and markers Wolfe said some voters were concerned about social media posts about the use of felt-tip pens on ballots. Wolfe said that while the commission recommends using pens provided at polling places or following instructions in absentee ballots, using felt-tip pens does not invalidate a ballot. Wolfe said voting equipment is tested at the local, state and federal levels and is randomly selected to get audited after the presidential election.

What happens next Wolfe reassured voters that unofficial results will be “triple checked” by municipal and county clerks and elections commission staff as part of the certification process.

Counties are currently canvassing results and they must finish by Nov. 17. According to the AP, more than two-thirds of Wisconsin counties have completed certifying their results. Some of the largest counties — including Milwaukee, Dane, Waukesha and Brown — are still working on canvassing, and Brown County does not anticipate finishing before the deadline.

Last week, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, directed a committee to review how the election was administered. Republicans called into question some election procedures, including witness addresses and “Democracy in the Park” events in Madison.

Lawmakers plan to issue subpoenas as part of the investigation, a power they have not used in at least fifty years. Rep. Ron Tusler, R-Harrison, said he would call Wolfe to testify and subpoena municipal clerks or others, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

“I think it is unlikely we would find enough cases of fraud to overturn the election. I think it’s unlikely, but I don’t know that. That’s why you have an investigation,” Vos said.

A WPR analysis found that Wisconsin municipal clerks flagged 238 possible cases of voter fraud in the past four and a half years. A WEC 2020 report to the state legislature — which included the 2020 presidential primary, 2020 partisan primary, 2019 spring election and 2018 general election — identified only 19 possible cases of fraud out of about 6.46 million ballots.

A New York Times analysis, which contacted election officials in

every state, found that no widespread voter fraud or voting issues occurred on a national level, which discredited

Trump’s claims on Twitter. Some of the president’s tweets have been flagged by the social media plat-

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form, including warnings such as “this claim about election fraud is disputed.”

COURTESY OF JEFF MILLER

The Wisconsin Elections Committee worked to debunk allegations of voter fraud in the recent election.

Black students hope to see diversity change on campus

By Jonah Rubnitz STAFF WRITER

The lack of safe spaces at UW-Madison is directly impacting and harming the mental health of the Black student body, according to Jasmyne Short, a junior studying welfare here on campus.

“I feel like there should be more places on campus that students of color should feel comfortable in,” Short said.

“Even spaces that were supposed to be created for us are still not really safe spaces. They’re not really doing what they were supposed to do.”

At UW-Madison, lack of diversity has always been an issue that students of color have had to face on a daily basis. Every year, UW-Madison releases a preliminary enrollment report that outlines the predicted age, gender and race and overall demographics of its student body. In the Fall 2020 report, the school predicts that out of its 45,537 student body, only 1,001

or just over 2% are Black.

In a July 2020 memo titled “Addressing Racial Inequities On Campus,” UW Chancellor Rebecca Blank expressed her concerns and hopes for changing the racial divide that the campus faces on a daily basis.

“Our Black students, faculty and staff have consistently shared the discomfort they experience negotiating spaces on campus that are defined by White culture, and about the regular stream of microaggressions they experience – comments and behaviors that show misunderstanding (at best) and hostility and disrespect (at worst),” Chancellor Blank said.

One of the key issues Black students at UW are pushing for is to create more safe and inclusive spaces on campus. Currently, there are only a few places on campus where Black students can feel safe and comfortable in. While the university says it is trying to diversify its cam-

pus, by creating these “safer” spaces, it is not being put into practice.

Along with the importance Black organizations bring onto the campus, Short feels that the lack of safe spaces is harming the mental health of the Black student body.

Short is a junior at UW studying social welfare. She is on the executive board for the Wisconsin Association of Black Men, as well as in other large Black-oriented clubs like Wisconsin Black Student Union and African Student Association on campus. Like Kennedy, Short understands the benefits of diversity can bring to a campus like UW. “I think it’s very important here.

These clubs make it feel like home or like family, for people on campus, and they just build community,” said Short. “It’s hard to feel like your voice is being heard, so I think those orgs are important in building community and getting to know other people to create stronger bonds and

WILL CIOCI/WISCONSIN WATCH

Members of the UW BIPOC Coalition left a list of their demands at the Chancellor's residence last month.

build better networks.”

Unfortunately, these concerns that Black students, faculty and staff have shared are not new to the public eye. Since the 1960s, Black students at UW have been pushing for more reform and demands regarding racism on campus.

Harvey Clay, a student at UW during the 1969 school year, was born in a small town in Texas. Coming to Madison, Wis., was a huge jump for him, and the racist culture that existed in the South was something that he was hoping to leave behind.

“There was no Black food, there were no Black clubs, there was no Black community. Racism isn’t regional. It exists all over,” Clay said.

Jordan Kennedy is a junior at UW-Madison studying finance and economics. Born in Burnsville, Minn., Kennedy is another student of color who knew that coming to a place like UW-Madison had a lot of challenges.

“People make the excuse that because we’re in Wisconsin, it’s impossible for us to be diverse,” Kennedy said. “Within an hour’s reach, either direction, we have the most diverse metropolitan areas in the entire country in cities like Milwaukee and Chicago. There’s no excuse for us to not be representative of that. There are students in those cities that would love to come to this school. They just don’t want to come here because the school is not creating those pathways needed to create success.”

Like Kennedy, many other students of color feel that UW is not doing enough to diversify its student body. Though the administration releases monthly reports about their efforts put forth to an agenda to increase diversity, many students feel that these reports are just a way for the administration to show that they care without meaningful corrective action.

Pieran Robert is a UW sophomore double majoring in Computer Science and Computer Engineering. Recently, he started a “Diversity and Inclusion” (D&I) Chair position in his fraternity in hopes that it would diversify and impact the minds of members in and outside of the Greek life setting.

Similar to the thoughts and ideas shared by Short and Kennedy, Robert knows that UW can change its stance on diversity, even if it takes longer than expected.

“Wisconsin will always be a place where a lot of the state population is going to be white,” said Robert. “I feel like you see that in a lot of Midwestern states. Kids will want to come here, you know, people want to feel at home. And I think if people know that, it will make you feel at home.”

The UW BIPOC Coalition, an activist group advocating for students of color on campus, recently had a conversation with Chancellor Rebecca Blank in the hopes of establishing a plan of action for increasing inclusion and diversity at UW as a whole.

In that meeting, the Chancellor agreed to ongoing meetings — twice per semester — with the coalition and other multicultural groups. ButBlank repeatedly insisted that in order to see their goals through, the students calling on her for action should instead work with lower administrators who deal with policy in specific areas of the campus experience, like Lori Reesor, UW’s Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, and Dr. Cheryl Gittens, Interim Deputy Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Inclusion and the University’s Chief Diversity Officer.

In the future, the Coalition said, the university should create specific timelines for responding to various demands from activist groups, involve more students in crafting plans for the UW’s COVID-19 response and increase transparency in university operations by including students of color in administrative meetings.

Overall, Short, Kennedy, and Robert hope that the school will finally listen to their pleas to push for more diversity reform. If the school listens and adjusts their practices to other student concerns, then diversity should not be an issue that is hard to fix.

“Everybody knows how to make somebody feel wanted, if they really want to do it. It just comes down to how much effort they are willing to put in to see the changes,” said Robert.

sports Men’s hockey seeks to bounce back

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Thursday, November 12, 2020

By REAGAN ECKLEY and COLE WOZNLAK STAFF WRITERS

Coming into the 2019-20 season, Wisconsin men’s hockey garnered a lot of attention as a team that could potentially rise to the top of the Big Ten after six straight seasons of missing the NCAA Tournament. Tony Granato’s Badgers, however, failed to deliver on those expectations after falling to 14-20 and missing the tournament for the seventh season in a row.

But after a delayed start due to COVID-19 athletic restrictions, Wisconsin is back and hoping to redeem themselves.

Coming into the season, the Badgers were slotted at fifth place in the Big Ten Preseason Poll, ahead of only Michigan State and defending Big Ten Champions Penn State. Ranked ahead of them are Notre Dame and Ohio State tied for third place, with Michigan and Minnesota slated as the runner-up and conference leader, respectively.

A few Badgers also received all Big Ten preseason honors — forward Cole Caufield was named to first team all-conference, while forward Dylan Holloway and defensemen Ty Emberson were awarded honorable mentions.

Caufield will play a key role in Wisconsin’s road to success.

After being named 2020 Big

Ten Freshman of the Year, he opted out of entering the NHL early to instead stay for his sophomore season. The speedy forward’s flashy and uncanny ability to score goals in transition, as well as his ability to handle the puck, will be something to watch out for on the ice. He produced 36 points (19 goals and 17 assists) in just 36 games last season.

Wisconsin does have a majority of last season’s key players returning. Newly-voted team captain Ty Emberson and alternate captain Tyler Inamato, along with senior Josh Ess and sophomore Mike Vorlicky, are back to perform on defense. Holloway, Caufield and Roman Achan — the recipient of last season’s Spike Carlson/Chris Chelios MVP honor and the Jim Santulli 7th-Man Award — will be leading the scoring effort for the Badgers.

The Badgers also have a relatively large incoming class with six freshmen and one graduate transfer. Forwards Sam Stange and Mathieu De St. Phalle, defensemen Anthony Kehrer and Luke LaMaster, and goalies Ben Garrity and Cameron Rowe are all set to get their first collegiate minutes this season. Robert Beydoun, a graduate transfer goalie from Michigan Tech, will also experience his first puck drop as a Badger. The new goaltending

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group is expected to contribute early as Wisconsin does not have a returning goalie.

Last week Wisconsin announced its first 12 scheduled

Following Thanksgiving, Wisconsin will host Arizona State, who is joining the Big Ten conference for this unprecedented COVID-19 season. Former

ment is set to take place from March 18-20, 2021. The 2021 NCAA Tournament is also still scheduled to take place, with regional tournaments beginning

COURTESY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON

The UW men's hockey team under Granato has had some stars, but that hasn't translated into team success. games of the season, starting with a tough back-to-back matchup with No.20 Notre Dame in South Bend. The Fighting Irish, who compete in the Big Ten for hockey, are expected to field a strong team this season — they return defensemen Spencer Stastney and Matt Hellickson, both of whom received Big Ten preseason honors.

Badger Sean Dhooghe will face off against his old team alongside standout forward James Sanchez, who finished last season tied 10th nationally in the NCAA for most points scored.

While the Big Ten has yet to announce the dates of the remaining 14 regular-season games, the conference tourna-

March 26, 2021.

Pressure will be on head coach Tony Granato this season, as his time with the Badgers could come to an end if his team doesn’t produce some winning numbers. Since his arrival to Madison in 2016, Wisconsin has gone 62-72-12 (.466) and has yet to make the NCAA tournament.

Badgers land commitment from 3-star receiver Markus Allen

By DEXTER MCCANN STAFF WRITER

JOHN BRANDS/CLAYTON NORTHMONT ATHLETICS

Allen tallied 844 yards and 14 touchdowns in eight games last season.

Wisconsin’s future got a little brighter last Friday, as the Badgers received a commitment from threestar wide receiver Markus Allen in the Class of 2021. Allen, an Ohio product, decommitted from the University of Michigan two months ago. He chose Wisconsin over offers from Cincinnati and Virginia and was reportedly garnering plenty of interest from Big Ten counterparts Ohio State and Penn State as well.

Allen’s physical measurables stand out immediately. Listed at six-foot-two and 190 pounds, Allen provides the unique blend of size and speed that is so highly valued at receiver. A member of the track team, Allen has been hand-timed at a 4.48 40-yard dash, although it’s worth noting that hand-timed results are significantly less reliable than laser-timed runs.

While Allen’s physical traits are tantalizing, his high school performance might be even more eye-popping. Allen, who plays for Northmont, a Division I school in Clayton, OH, recorded 844 yards and a staggering 14 touchdowns in just eight games. His team went undefeated before being forced to forfeit a playoff game due to a COVID-19 positive test.

Allen’s prowess helped Clayton improve from 6-5 in 2019 to 8-0 in 2020, and he starred in several dramatic moments to ensure the team stayed perfect. He caught seven passes for 121 yards and a fourthquarter touchdown in a 38-35 victory over Springfield, a game in which

Clayton trailed 28-7. In the team’s one playoff game, a 48-41 thriller against Marysville, Allen caught 14 passes for 224 yards and three touchdowns.

Clayton’s head coach, Tony Broering, was effusive in his praise of Allen’s ability and work ethic.

“They know when you have a kid like that on your team, anything’s possible,” Broering told The Athletic. “We didn’t lose all year because we had Markus. If teams didn’t triple-team him, we threw him the ball and he made the play. You match him up with a quarterback like Wisconsin has, now you’ve got something for the foreseeable future that could really be an explosive combination.”

Wisconsin offered Allen before his breakout senior season, but were unable to make a serious impact in his recruitment. Ted Gilmore, Wisconsin’s receiver coach in 2019, had left to take the same position at Michigan State two months before Allen committed. His replacement, Alvis Whitted, never had the time to develop a relationship with Allen.

The opportunity to change that occurred in early September, when Allen reopened his commitment, citing lack of support from the Michigan coaching staff.

“What led me to de-commit from Michigan was I really didn’t feel wanted or loved,” Allen told The Athletic. “These next four to five years, it’s a big decision.

You’ve got to go somewhere where you’re wanted and loved and you feel like you’re a top priority. I didn’t feel like I had that at Michigan. No diss to them or

anything, but I just felt like I was the last guy that they really needed. They just wanted to have me.”

Allen felt that love from Whitted and the Badger coaching staff, who sold him on the chance at early playing time.

“Coach Whitted said there’s never been a Markus Allen at Wisconsin,” Allen said. “Wisconsin has never had that dominant receiver, like 6-2, 205, coming in as a freshman. They’ve never seen anything like that. He said they need a gamechanger to come in and change the atmosphere, change the perception of Wisconsin being a running team.”

All four receivers in Wisconsin’s two deep — Danny Davis, Kendric Pryor, Jack Dunn, and Adam Kruhmholz — graduate after the 2020 season. That leaves room for Allen to step in and make an immediate impact. He projects as a natural complement to freshman Chimere Dike and Class of ‘21 recruit Skyler Bell, two more technical receivers who lack the size and stature of Allen.

Allen’s commitment only adds to a historic 2021 recruiting class for a Wisconsin program that has now signed one fivestar and six four-stars to date.

That’s good for 16th in the country per the 247Sports composite, which will smash the program record of 26th set last season come national signing day. With Wisconsin recruiting at unprecedented levels, it’s easy to see the Badgers tightening their grip on the Big Ten West and posing a greater threat to Ohio State in the Big Ten East.

Life & Style Wearing a mask becomes politicized dailycardinal.com

By SAMANTHA BENISH STAFF WRITER

2020 will most certainly go down as one of the most historic years in this century. Humanity’s limits have been pushed to the absolute limit — both mentally and physically. Hallucinatory natural events, monumental political movements and gutwrenching public deaths are simply a few of the pensive recallings that have highlighted this chaotic year. However, the catastrophic coronavirus has easily created the most destructive tendencies of our limits. It has forced mankind to adapt in a completely new way, signifying a driving force in each individual it affects.

The COVID-19 pandemic originally arose in Wuhan, China, rapidly spreading throughout the world at an alarming rate.

The first case hit the United States on Jan. 21, 2020, and cases swiftly covered the country soon after. Its sudden rise has brought a new, distorted reality to the world that we once knew.

In-person interactions have been put on pause. We are disconnected from others physically more than we have ever been. Yet, even with the astonishing technology that exists today, it is still nearly impossible to completely remove all in-person interaction.

In order to stop the spread of COVID-19 and ensure the

Thursday, November 12, 2020

safety of othpresent are not ers, the usage of here to ensure masks and face the victory of coverings has one party or the exploded. Masks other — they have been instituare simply here tionalized across to keep us all the nation, with safe. many mandates Although either encouraguncomforting or requiring able, face covthe wearing of erings provide one. Businesses an opportunity and schools for a tad bit of have been able normalcy in the LILY HOUTMAN/THE DAILY CARDINAL to reopen in- Wearing a mask is easy and there are so many different kinds to choose from! craziness that person with the surrounds us. requirements, and signs across have become politicized. The In addition to the protection the nation encourage the general simple truth? They shouldn’t be. that they offer, masks have been public to wear them as well.

Along with frequent hand largely supported and encourAs commonplace as the usage washing and social distancing, aged by the influencer world. of face coverings seems these face coverings offer an additionAthletes, musicians and days, it is significant to note the al preventive measure to slow actors adamantly raise awarecontroversy that follows close the spread of COVID-19. The ness for the habit by donning behind. The recent election benefits behind wearing one their face coverings in public. brought prominent strife to the can be easily found by simply A-listers like Jennifer Aniston, public’s eye. Individuals have searching online. Multiple stud- LeBron James and Future are been attributing the wearing of ies across the United States have just a few of the many celebrities masks to political gain in the ide- shown that masks significantly in the public eye that support als of both political parties and reduce the spread of respiratory the cause. Television and award their advancements. droplets that can travel from the shows have been recently moved Government officials in both mouth or nose. Masks not only to virtual production, yet celebrithe national and state level protect the individual wear- ties like Billie Eilish still strive to have supported face coverings ing one from potential viruses, incorporate masks into their red since their introduction, and but they additionally remove carpet attire. TikTok has seen an each party takes care of don- the possibility of spreading increase in popularity over the ning them. However, individu- unknown illness. In the middle course of this year, and its stars als across the nation see these of a global pandemic, safety is like Addison Rae and Charli mandates and officials as exert- and should be prioritized. The D’Amelio heavily emphasize face ing unnecessary control. Masks face covering mandates that are coverings and their importance.

5

It is quite prevalent that, in addition to their protection, masks have become a fashion statement all on their own.

The encouragement that celebrities put forth is only one step in the complicated process of action. Although masks are so clearly encouraged and mandated, political strife is coherently present. It takes a firm grip on something that is supposed to unite us in a time of trouble.

Our era of history highlights the animosity that exists between individuals. Government officials are not trying to further separate us; they are trying to ensure our country’s safety. A simple piece of fabric and a positive mindset is all it takes to make sure that the future holds something brighter than our current reality.

Generations after us will reflect on the year 2020 as a monumental time. We are surrounded by a constant stream of negativity; yet, there is a simple kindness that lies underneath the hatred.

Wearing a mask demonstrates a uniform goal of creating a better future. It ensures we can all jump around in Camp Randall Stadium, complain about classes in the residence halls, or simply be together once again.

Stay positive. Test negative.

Mask up.

Cities all across the United States celebrate a Joe Biden victory

By KELSEY BARRETT STAFF WRITER

Nationwide celebrations occurred this Saturday as Joe Biden was elected the 46th President of the United States and Kamala Harris was elected as the first female Vice President. Feelings of relief, success and unity were emulated throughout these celebrations, and citizens felt comfort in the outcome of the election.

Biden won in various swing states including Michigan, Pennsylvania, Nevada and our very own Wisconsin.

Students of UW-Madison contributed greatly to the Biden-Harris success in Wisconsin. There were record voter turnout numbers from both Dane County, and Madison itself. Saturday, Nov. 7 will be remembered as a turning point in American history, and serves as a beacon of hope for people all over the world. These celebrations did not only unfold because of Biden’s success, but also because of President Trump’s failure. Celebrations will continue to unfold when Biden gets inaugurated, but for now I want to focus on the celebrations that occurred on Saturday, the day the American people were told Biden had prevailed.

One of the biggest celebrations took place in Washington D.C., the capital of the United States, and the home of the current president. Students from American University, George Washington University, Georgetown University, Howard University and many more gathered in the city to support Biden’s victory, and to further support the Black Lives Matter Movement, LGBTQ+ rights, women’s rights and environmental protections. Kamala Harris being elected the first woman, Black and Asian Vice President was also a focal point of the celebration. Thousands of people gathered near The White House blasting music, dancing, blowing horns and cheering. The notion that people celebrated Trump’s defeat in front of his own home demonstrates the deep dissatisfaction that people felt toward him and his Presidency.

The residents of Washington D.C. went to bed satisfied with the knowledge that they will soon have a new next-door neighbor that has integrity, believes in science and is willing to make a plan to tackle the pandemic, global warming, the economy, racial justice and women’s rights.

Biden’s election victory also sparked celebrations in President Trump’s hometown, New York City. New York was one of the first cities to be hit extremely hard by the COVID19 pandemic. Countless businesses have shut down and hospitals were overflowing with patients suffering from COVID-

19; thousands lost their lives. Many residents blame the current president for the way the pandemic harshly affected their city, so hearing the announcement that Biden was victorious led to feelings of new-found hope. Celebrations occurred in Times Square, Columbus Circle, the Upper West Side, Greenwich Village, Brooklyn and various other parts of the city. According to The New York Times, Senator Chuck Schumer appeared at the Barclays center in Brooklyn to celebrate Biden’s victory. Just like the celebrations that occurred in Washington D.C., New York City residents were seen dancing, smiling, cheering, waving flags and simply overflowing with joy in the streets all day and all night. Some people were seen crying tears of relief. “The city that never sleeps” lived up to its name due to the sheer happiness residents felt after discovering Joe Biden’s victory.

Another city that erupted in celebration due to Biden’s success was Atlanta.It is important to recognize that Georgia has been a traditionally Republican state for the past three decades. Atlanta is also the home city of Martin Luther King Jr., a main leader of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s.

His actions contributed to the abolition of the Jim Crow Laws, and helped inspire The Black Lives Matter Movement which calls to put an end to police brutality against Black Americans today. People who back the Black Lives Matter Movement tend to disapprove of Trump’s presidency which is why celebrations occurred in front of MLK’s old home in Sweet Auburn, a neighborhood in Atlanta. Feelings of nostalgia occurred as the BLM Movement took strides forward due to Trump’s defeat. According to PBS News, a planned protest at Freedom Park turned into a party where participants danced to the electric slide. Atlanta residents drove cars with signs suggesting their pride in Biden’s win, and like Washington D.C. and New York City, people stormed the streets cheering, and dancing in celebration.

Madison was another city that erupted with happiness due to Biden’s election. A rally was held at the capital from early Saturday morning to late Saturday night.

Students of UW-Madison and other residents gathered to celebrate their victory. Gabi, a student at the rally stated, “surrounded by a multitude of people celebrating, smiling and dancing was a surreal commemoration of a historic moment and a time for me to reflect on how Biden’s leadership will guide the fight for the rights of minorities.”

The aroma in the air aligned with Gabi’s statement. It was refreshing to witness the unity of people of all different backgrounds coming together to celebrate such a historic moment. At the rally, there was a pro-Biden “car parade,”

an idea that sparked during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic which enables people to stay in their cars to cel-

WILL CIOCI/WISCONSIN WATCH

Biden supporters have a celebration in the streets of Madison. ebrate in order to practice social distancing. They honked their horns and held up signs in support of Biden’s victory out of their windows. There was also a gathering in front of the Capital that included large speakers that blasted fun music for people to dance to. People were holding up Biden-Harris signs and wearing Biden-Harris stickers to show their support. One citizen held up a large Black Lives Matter flag and another held up a Gay Pride Flag, symbolizing the idea that Biden will create policies to ensure the safety of minority groups. America is looking forward to the hope that Biden brings.

6

almanac Thursday, November 12, 2020

dailycardinal.com

Racism disappears from Madison completely Saturday morning

GRAPHIC BY GILLIAN RAWLING

By GILLIAM RAWLING Major news networks declared Joe Biden the winner of the 2020 presidential race this Saturday, and some residents are claiming it is the end of racism as we know it in Madison.

Multitudes of UW-Madison students, Madisonians, and surrounding area residents crowded the square all day Saturday to celebrate the victory of who they’re calling, the most progressive political candidate in United States history: Joseph Robinette Biden.

Through the background

sound of the honking horns from ecstatic drivers, attenders at the rally near the base of State Street could hear white speakers taking control of the mic, attending a rally for the first time after the George Floyd protests they went to for insta clout. One speaker was heard declaring “It’s the end of racism as we know it! And I feel fine!”

Kaitlynne Elizabeth, a freshman at Madison from a Chicago suburb shared how she knew it was finally time to stop the protesting and activism and go back to boat pics with her bes-

ties, saying, “I woke up this morning, and for the first time since May, there were no infographics on my instagram story about BIPOC justice, and that’s when I knew. It was over. We finally destroyed racism once and for all.”

She ran over quickly to correct herself for a silly mistake, adding “Well, you know technically this is the second time we’ve destroyed it since the first time was Obama and then Trump ruined it.”

As other organizers tried to wrestle the mic from a speaker shouting “it’s time, we can

finally go back to normal,” Chad McBrad also described how he knew something had shifted that morning.

“I went downstairs after a long night of beer die to see that the centerpiece of my buddy Brad McChad’s room, a giant MAGA flag, had been taken down.” He knew then that “racism had died.”

I found him again to comment later but it seemed he had been caught in the crossfire of the motorcyclist shouting racial slurs at innocent congregators.

Confused tourist racks up big hotel bill as he smashes all clocks in his room after clocks did not fall back as he expected

By ANUPRAS MOHAPATRA An unhinged tourist from a faraway land was found shaking violently in his hotel room, as broken glass was strewn all over the floor. There had been multiple murders — not of people, but of clocks. He sat there, looking ever so viciously at the damage he had done, slowly regaining his composure as hotel staff barged into his room, prepared for this moment by all the occasions they disregarded “Do Not Disturb” signs in their day-today work.

They offered him a bottle of water from his minifridge and helped him calm down.

Soon enough, he was ready to talk. Staffers picked out a wall clock that had been laying face down, no longer on a wall and a table clock that was now no longer on a table or a clock.

When quizzed about the damage in the room, the tourist burst out furiously and said “what is wrong with your clocks goddammit??”

The hotel staff stared at him quizzically as he went on.

“I was told by my American friends that the clocks were going to fall back on Nov. 1.

I was excited. I set an alarm with that table clock, hoping it would fall back but when I woke up, it was still erect on the table????”

“I looked at the wall, thinking ‘The table clock lies. After all, it seems to be an hour ahead. Surely the wall clock fell’ but no!”

“Your clocks were not behaving as they should have.

I did the right thing. I made sure they were broken. Now you can buy clocks that actually work,” he said.

By this point, the hotelier had walked in and heard the whole story. He sat down and took time to explain to him the real truth, which was met with great denial and muttered curses at his friends, who he thought had swindled him. He also questioned everything else he had seen in America so far, for he had walked far enough the previous day — or so he thought — and not found the restaurant he was told was five miles

away. Nor did he get as many apples as he had anticipated when he bought what he saw to be two pounds.

A settlement was reached with the hotel — he didn’t have to pay for the damages, as they took pity on his predicament. However, this was short lived, as the hotel management were less forgiving

of the bottle of water he had been handed to drink from the minifridge. They had only charged him the standard rate, but that one bottle of water cost him almost as much as he’d paid to get into the U.S., thus leaving him empty after this ordeal — both in his wallet and his mind.

GRAPHIC COURTESY OF FLICKR/GARY MARTIN

Chime

By ANUPRAS MOHAPATRA My bed lamp was my only companion, as I sat in anticipation The day transformed into the silent night The hours ticked by and darkness crept in place of daylight As I was the only one not asleep, desperately scrolling through tweets by tweeps But the minutes trickled by like water in a creek With the passage of time feeling ever so bleak Like a worshipper waiting at a shrine, rereading the scriptures, I waited for that sweet chime The gushing oasis in a desert of dilating time But all I could hear was silence so trite Alas, I knew what was in store — yet another empty night

Slumber

By ANUPRAS MOHAPATRA With his face planted firmly in his sheets And the tears puddling on his pillow He wished the dark of night would consume him And he would wake up to a better tomorrow In slumber it all seemed so serene He’d seen their names written in the stars He’d shared with her his once sheltered heart And she’d kept it so fine It was so sublime But then light appeared through the window pane This image faded and in its place came pain He awoke from his slumber and remembered his mother She’d said “anything is possible” He laughed and then cried, for he’d worked and he’d tried Clearly he had been told a lie His heart had been smashed to smithereens He wished he could live forever in dreams Where everything truly was possible, where there were no limits Where the ends matched with the means But he caught himself describing an unending paradise And found himself come across a paradox by surprise If there was limitless possibility, unending happiness Nothing would ever impress And just like that, his tears came to a rest He pulled himself up by his bootstraps and got himself out of bed Keeping the faith and hoping for the very best.

opinion Welcome, Madame Vice President dailycardinal.com

By SAMANTHA TELSON STAFF WRITER

Kamala Harris made history on Nov. 7, shattering the glass ceiling and becoming the first woman vice-president-elect in history. She is the first woman and first woman of color to hold this office — a major milestone that exposes our nation’s damaging history of racial injustice and patriarchy.

Harris brings many firsts to the vice presidency — as a daughter of immigrants from India and Jamaica, she will be the first woman, the first Black person, the first Indian American and the first Asian American to hold the office.

For both Black and South Asian women in the United States, the ceiling has collapsed and possibilities have opened for women everywhere. Harris has risen higher in our country’s leadership than any woman before. This win paves the way for our daughters and granddaughters to continue making history.

The California senator’s history-making win also represents the millions of women in demographics that are often overlooked and systematically ignored. Harris represents what America should have seen a long time ago: a strong, hard-working woman more than capable of leading our country.

Late Saturday night, VP-Elect

Thursday, November 12, 2020

Harris addressed the nation for the first time, bringing her audience to tears as she conveyed the importance of her win for women and minorities everywhere.

“While I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last, because every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities, and to the children of our country, regardless of your gender, our country has sent you a clear message: Dream with ambition, lead with conviction and see yourselves in a way that others may not, simply because they’ve never seen it before.

But know that we will applaud you every step of the way,” she said.

This statement encompasses everything her win means to the American people. The future vice president’s victory and the representation it brings carries a win for voters across the country, with even UW-Madison students commenting on what this historic

achievement means to them.

“Kamala Harris shows me that women have the power to be active in spaces where we have typically been underrepresented. She gives me the strength and motivation to share my voice and

Jack Madison, a senior at UW-Madison from Minnesota said, “I was raised by women and was always around strong women and now they now finally have a welldeserved seat at the table in the highest office in our land.”

“Kamala Harris becoming the first w o m a n V P - e l e c t means that women all over the world can see someone who looks like them in a position of power and give them hope that they can achieve their dreams. Knowing that there is a woman advocating for us in GRAPHIC BY RILEY SUMNER the White House and that she has a proves that women deserve a spot seat at one of the most imporin the White House. As a first time tant tables in the world gives voter, this election was big for me peace of mind and hope for me… and it means so much more America’s future,” said Hailey to know that we get to celebrate Laubscher, UW-Madison Harris as the first female VP.” junior and a first-time voter Bridget Horvath, a UW-Madison from Minnesota. junior and a first-time voter from Hearing from fellow Illinois said.

UW-Madison students and their

7

idea of this historic achievement emphasizes the magnitude of Kamala Harris’s victory. To me, this win means everything. Most importantly it means that there is hope for the future of this country.

Her position creates a platform of power for women of color and this representation is groundbreaking for women today and the women who will come after her.

The office of the Vice President has historically been occupied exclusively by white men. Harris’s nomination and victory this year was a sign that our country is realizing the power and influence of women in America. Her win serves as a lesson for anyone arguing that a woman could not succeed on a presidential ticket.

It is about time the gender barrier in our country is dismantled and I am thrilled that Kamala Harris is leading this charge for all women. Madam Vice President is no longer a dream, or a fictional character — it is reality and her name is Kamala Harris.

Samantha is a junior studying Strategic Communications, with a certificate in Digital Studies. How significant is the election of Kamala Harris as VP for women around the country?

Send all comments to opinion@ dailycardinal.com

Only yards away but miles apart: A look into the divisiveness of America’s current political climate

By IAN-MICHAEL GRIFFIN STAFF WRITER

The most apropos phrase to describe the events revolving the election from the past few days would be “a failure to unify.” One does not require clairvoyance to predict that this will be a theme which continues to plague our nation to its bedrock.

The 2020 Presidential Election simply invigorated the partisan hatred and feud that has been boiling beneath the surface for the past four years and the claims made by President Trump of a fraudulent election stoked the fires burning in the hearts of his supporters, but also his critics.

A new president has, for better or worse, been elected by the people of the United States, but as a nation we are unable, much like the president himself, to concede our partisanship and embrace a national pride and respect for our own countrymen.

When multiple major news organizations announced on the morning of Nov. 7 that they projected Joseph R. Biden Jr. would win the state of Pennsylvania — thus securing the 2020 Presidential Election — there were to be two obvious but opposite reactions: celebration or disappointment.

It seemed that only momentarily, the protests and demonstrations of joy would break out at any minute. In New York, Philadelphia and Boston, supporters of the Biden campaign flocked to the streets in celebration of President Elect Biden’s election. Here in Madison, it followed the same spirit.

Students, residents and activists alike congregated outside of the State Street corner of the

Wisconsin State Capitol Building in what turned out to be a massive gathering. When I arrived around 1 p.m. on Nov. 7, the crowd was sizable, yet modest. However, by 3 p.m., it was overrun by supporters, as they listened intently to those speaking from the megaphone at the steps. One unnamed activist who took center stage asked all those in attendance to make merry and not engage with anyone who came to “disrupt their celebration.” Some began to dance in the street, as spirited music blared from speakers.

While this was occurring though, there was an equal and opposite reaction only 150 yards away, on the other side of the building. Disillusioned by the loss of the election, Trump supporters gathered bearing “Make America Great Again” hats and American flags.

Chants rippled through the crowd such as “stop the count” and “they are stealing.” Many were dressed in camo and some brandished rifles and pistols as they made use of open carry laws here in Wisconsin.

Eventually, participants from the Biden celebration made their way over to voice their disapproval of the Trump supporters and their continuous shouts declaring the election to be a vast conspiracy of falsehoods. Clashes emerged and individuals from both sides began to shout at each other and obscenities were exchanged, but virtually nothing at all was said. You could feel it within both crowds that if you were a member of the “opposing” side, you were not welcome and sharp looks of disdain would promptly be shot your way.

Saturday’s events in Madison

were but a microcosm of an entire nation’s hatred and animosity between the divided political groups.

Some in the media have claimed that they hope there is a return to normalcy after this election and that the bridge of bipartisanship will be repaired but I must admit, I doubt this with the deepest of convictions.

These two groups of people were a football field away from each other.

They may have grown up in neighboring towns. Perhaps they even went to the same church or rooted for the same football team. Today, however, it was clear that they viewed each other as enemies. The State Capitol building felt as if it had territories of rival factions, for a day, and if one was to walk 100 yards in a different direction, they may find themselves behind enemy lines.

When agitators from either side would rally to the other to engage in debate, such debate was nowhere to be seen. No intelligent arguments were conveyed to the other, and no one tried to explain their own beliefs and reconcile.

They yelled at each other, they spouted claims of racism or communism. Nothing was achieved.

Even in the midst of an election with record voter turnout, there was not any mutual admiration for the process of democracy.

These events seemed to be a perfect example of the tension that will continue to reach a boiling point, as the fight for the Senate and the House of Representatives will continue to rage on. In particular, Georgia — which had been at center stage for much of the Presidential Election — will experience two runoffs this January which could very well decide how the Senate major-

ity could lean, whether left or right.

This battle will continue to rage on in the coming months and I predict it may turn ugly, especially between Senate leaders who are striving with equal vitriol to foster party superiority within the Senate. The frustration we will no doubt see

to stand outside the State Capitol Building and either protest, or celebrate. In some cases, that devolved and laid bare a path for our primal instincts of anger and mistrust to prevail instead of our virtues. We are still a nation which refuses to reevaluate our convictions, on both

IAN-MICHAEL GRIFFIN /THE DAILY CARDINAL

Demonstrators celebrating Joe Biden's Victory at the capital square. play out between the aisles, will continue to spill into our very own streets as well.

Such a display was troubling to say the least. I suspect similar scenes are being played out across the nation currently, and because of this great political chasm, President-Elect Joe Biden certainly has his work cut out for him. It is unclear how he will try to bridge a gap that seems cavernous, or if it can be at all.

Saturday was meant to be an example of democracy and of the power of our First Amendment rights which granted us the freedom

sides of the aisle.

Perhaps we as a nation can heal the wounds we have dealt to each other. Perhaps not. Nonetheless, in a completely apolitical sentiment, I think we, Republicans and Democrats, moderate and far, should wish President-Elect Joe Biden all the luck in the world. I suspect he will need it.

Ian-Michael is a freshman studying Political Science and Journalism.

What do you think the future holds?

Can a more united America emerge from this? Send all comments to opinion@dailycardinal.com

arts New album shows Gorillaz evolution 8

Thursday, November 12, 2020

By SEAMUS ROHRER STAFF WRITER

It’s been twenty years since Gorillaz’ first commercial release, “Tomorrow Comes Today,” an EP highlighted by its ominous-yetfunky title track. Damon Albarn and his collaborators have since released seven studio albums, with “Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez” being the latest off the assembly line.

The latest helping of seventeen highly synergic songs were composed, produced, and recorded in strange times indeed - almost exclusively during the Coronavirus lockdown. Initially a sequence of isolated singles released on a monthly basis, “Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez” is an unexpected galaxy of sound that bounces around genres, styles, and even languages.

Somewhat surprisingly for an album composed partially of stand-alone singles, no one song really rises above the others and blows you away.

Ultimately, Gorillaz’ seventh studio album displays a rich enough sound to leave the listener satisfied, if not a little disoriented. But one thing is crystal clear - Gorillaz have mutated and evolved in unanticipated and fascinating ways.

One thing that stands out about “Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez” is it’s production. Albarn clearly works to incorporate a wide variety of musical perspectives, as evidenced by the diverse features list and even a production assist from Mike WiLL Made It on the album’s ninth track. This leads to a diverse soundscape throughout

dailycardinal.com

the album, with plenty of new and surprising sounds and styles complementing some of the more traditional Gorillaz building blocks.

Yes, there are still some classic elements of early Gorillaz, such as funky drum and bass lines, trippy noises, and a healthy mix of electronic and organic sounds.

Still, though, the many sections, distinct pop producing, and hook oriented autotune are concepts that were previously forgeign to Gorillaz songs. Those who listen on a home stereo or a quality pair of headphones will quickly recognize that every track on the album is extensively layered.

Overproduced might not be the right word, but each track is audibly busy and certainly less barebones than past Gorillaz albums.

Fundamentally, “Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez”is skillfully and carefully produced, but it lacks the haunting/catchy combination that attracted so many fans in the early-mid 2000s.

The vast array of features on “Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez” is really what gives it its personality. Granted, Damon Albarn is and always will be the mastermind behind Gorillaz, but he is almost an afterthought to the substantial list of collaborators that includes Beck, Tony Allen, JPEGMAFIA, and Elton John, just to name a few.

Every song has at least one guest artist, another unheardof concept for a Gorillaz album.

Perhaps most striking is how these artists are paired together to create polarizing songs.

For instance, Elton John and 6LACK both have significant vocal

parts on the album’s sixth track, “The Pink Phantom.” They even sing a duet near the end of the song in a messy marriage of musical styles that probably sounded better in Damon Albarn’s head.

Regardless, this bold combination is just the beginning.

“Dead Butterflies’’ features Kano, a British rapper with a distinct accent, and Roxani Arias, a virtually unknown singer who has a bittersweet verse in Spanish.

On the album’s final song, unexpected dynamic duos continue with Tony Allen and British rapper Skepta. The album’s quest for musical and artistic diversity is exemplified by a few key tracks. Albarn calls on Fatoumata Diawara for the tenth track, a Malian singer who sings in both French and English.

The pair had already collaborated three times since 2012, but Diawara spitting in multiple languages on a full-length Gorillaz album is still surprising.

On “With Love To An Ex,” South African singer Moonchild Sanelly sings in English and then in Kinyarwanda on the chorus.

The song follows Gorillaz tropes like a driving bass line and offkilter production, but lyrics in the official language of Rwanda come out of nowhere. In other words, Albarn has his listeners right where he wants them.

The content of Gorillaz songs has always been dark, humorous, and reflective, with a satirical view of humanity and the world.

On Gorillaz’ first album in 2001, Albarn worked with a diverse but smaller cast of characters, including rapper Del the Funky

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British rapper Slow Thai joins Gorillaz for a feature on their new album.

Homosapian on the blockbuster hit “Clint Eastwood.” Del wrote the lyrics to his verses on this song, but Albarn gave him a frame - the song was to be about fictional drummer Russel Hobbs’s mental instability regarding the ghost of his dead friend. With this many collaborators on the album, this cohesive sense of theme and story was bound to go out the window at some point.

But what’s most shocking is how plainly non-Gorillaz some of the lyrics are. On the album’s fifth track, Albarn and guest singer St Vincent wail “I wanna get drunk, I wanna get stoned” over bouncy pop.

This theme recurs on track eight, with Octavian singing “I’ve been drinking and smoking too much” as the very first line of the song. This is simply hilarious to hear on a Gorillaz

song, let alone two on the same album. Just think of the dark lyrical bluntness on 2005’s ‘Demon Days’ - “Kids with guns, taking over, it won’t be long.” “Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez” sounds like exactly what it is - a modernized Gorillaz. It’s still Damon Albarn behind the boards, with his trademark bass lines and atonal rambling.

What’s different is the way the songs sound, not just the style but the feel that the production gives you. If early Gorillaz targeted the repressed, darker side of human emotions, “Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez” goes after the agreeable and wacky side. Not to say the quality of the music is any poorer, in fact, it’s rich and dense with sound. It’s simply different, and perfectly represents the colorful litany of chaos 2020 has thrown at the world.

‘The Boys’ is the perfect show for our political moment

By PHILIP KLINKER STAFF WRITER

I’m going to be honest and say I hadn’t seen any of “The Boys” until September when a good friend recommended it to me. The day after he told me I should check it out, I watched the first episode.Then the second. And then it only seemed right to watch the third...Within four days I had blown through the first season and half and was eagerly awaiting the next episode’s release on Amazon Prime Video.

The series follows Hugh, a young man whose girlfriend is accidentally killed by a superhero. Instead of taking a settlement in exchange for silence, Hugh falls in with an assorted group of victims of superheroes led by

the tortured and snide Billy Butcher.

Hugh soon realizes that superheroes killing and wreaking havoc is much more widespread than he thought and joins Butcher’s crew to help stop the bloodshed superheroes, or “supes” as the crew calls them, cause. Together they kidnap, blackmail and kill to chip away at the hegemonic power and influence supes have in society. Along the way, Hugh falls in love with a rookie supe named Annie, who later works with the crew as an inside agent.

A lot about it drew me in right away. Jack Quaid and Erin Moriarty’s affable and grounded Hugh and Annie kept me invested in their stories both individually and as an onagain off-again couple. Karl Urban’s

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"The Boys" follows a society that leaves crime fighting to the superheroes.

charismatic cynicism as Billy Butcher and his washed up rocker wardrobe that provide an excellent foil as to the bright-eyed, hopeful pair.

As I binged into the second season though, I knew something deeper was keeping me coming back for more. It wasn’t superficial or fan-service like so many superhero shows or movies.

Indeed it bills itself as something of a “not your parents’ superhero show.”

It made an effort to cut through the bullshit. “The Boys” is so compelling because it perfectly reflects some of the issues in our politics, in media and in our society as a whole.

In season two, the rag tag group of antiheroes takes the fight directly to Vought, the corporate conglomerate that employs the supes and enables their sociopathic behavior.

They try to work within the legal system and the government to finally hold Vought and the supes accountable for their atrocities.

Hugh and his friends are working against all odds to fight a gargantuan corporate monster. A conglomerate that has gathered so much wealth and influence that they are above the law, that they can cause untold suffering for profit with no consequence. They are fighting the very people their society idolizes and trusts to protect them.

In most classic old westerns, there were good guys in white hats and bad guys in black hats, but it’s not so simple anymore. With more and more people protesting rampant police violence and corruption, with a growing

distrust in our government, politicians and institutions, it’s harder to easily sort out those white hats and black hats. “The Boy’s” supes embody this crisis of confidence in authority. The supes are politically motivated, corrupt, sexually predatory and amoral; all the qualities in our institutional and authority figures that have caused recent backlash in the form of protests and the #MeToo movement.

The larger than life figures in the real world (included but not limited to; senators, presidents, news anchors and movie stars) have proven that absolute power corrupts absolutely.

“The Boys” took this message and cheekily made it literal. Supes feel they are above the law because everything in society tells them they are.

In the show, the supes have fanatical supporters who openly advocate for the supes to have unchecked power for the sake of safety and law and order. This reflects a growing authoritarian vein in our own politics where some Americans cheer the rough, bordering on violent, rhetoric of the president; wanting a strong man to take care of everything, any means necessary.

The sociopathic supe is summed up perfectly in Anthony Starr’s character Homelander. Homelander is a racist, sadistic, egomaniacal version of Captain America who stokes the fears of his supporters while promising that he is the only one who could possibly protect them, much in the style of a fascist strong man.

Homelander is complemented in season two by his latest flame, Stormfront. Stormfront is a media darling who uses social media to stoke fear and anger in a positively trumpian fashion. She makes the fascistic intentions of at least some of the supes clear when it is revealed she is gifted with perpetual youth and is actually the wife of Vought’s zealous Nazi founder.

Season two wraps up the gang’s quest to hold Vought and the supes accountable perfectly. After gathering enough evidence to trigger congressional hearings on Vought and their criminal activities, Hugh and even Billy feel things are looking up.

The hearings are called to order when all of the sudden several congress members’ heads explode at the hands of an unknown supe, preemptively adjourning the hearing in a bath of blood.

This final lesson of season two rings clear. If they can, fascists won’t just submit to a legal hearing to be shut down. By virtue of being fascists, they will achieve authoritarian power by any means necessary.

In his testimony in the Nuremberg trials, the top surviving Nazi Party official, Hermann Goering, bragged that established liberal politicians will just keep calling hearings and issuing reports all the way to a concentration camp. A somber warning for the future of our political moment considering how prescient the series has been so far.

comics dailycardinal.com

Thursday, November 12, 2020

CONFIDENCE

BY LYRA EVANS

SUDOKU

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