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The Coronavirus and the spread of xenophobia
+Special pages, page 8
+Opinion, page 6
Local efforts to honor Indigenous histories Honoring Ho-Chunk Nation: Planned new developments at Madison casino recognize state’s indigenous history
‘Our Shared Future’ plaque celebrates significance of Indigenous communities
By Zachary Ausavich
By Gina Musso
STAFF WRITER
The Ho-Chunk people have a long history in Wisconsin — one strongly associated with dispossession, destruction and lack of recognition. In response, recent efforts have been made throughout the state to acknowledge the Ho-Chunk Nation, a people who have always been and are still very much present in the region. While many sacred features of the land were lost in the process of previous urbanization, new developments — like the planned expansion at Ho-Chunk Gaming Madison — aim to honor, versus destroy, the Ho-Chunk Nation. However, while the plans were announced a year ago, ground has yet to be broken and the expansion continues to hit stalls in receiving government approval. Ho-Chunk Gaming Madison’s expansion seeks to provide the space for Ho-Chunk people to tell their own story with their own voice in order to create a better understanding of their people among those who attend the facility, explained the executive manager and Ho-Chunk Nation member, Dan Brown. Ho-Chunk Nation’s long — often erased — history in W.I. Ho-Chunk people have resided in the Dejope area — which is comprised of the four lakes surrounding Madison — for over 15,000 years. This region features the single most effigy burial mounds in the country — monuments constructed in burial ceremonies or to honor a specific clan’s representative animal — according to Brown. But since the colonization of the Dejope area, many of these burials have been destroyed due to agricultural and urban development. Along with the destruction of physical sites, European settlers tried to remove Ho-Chunk culture by persecuting them for speaking their language or practicing their religion. Th r o u gh nu m e r o u s removal acts, the Ho-Chunk people were scattered across
Wisconsin and remain so today. The Ho-Chunk Nation resides across several portions of land held under reservation status, not a single Wisconsin reser vation, according to the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin. Despite these challenges, the Ho-Chunk people are still here. “We have suffered forced removals and even with those we continued to return to this land,” Brown said
in the year since announcing their plans, they’ve been approved by the city common council but have reached a sticking point with Wisconsin’s Department of Transportation regarding access to the land.
STAFF WRITER
The “Our Shared Future” heritage marker represents the significance of the Ho-Chunk land and the government’s past efforts to remove Wisconsin’s indigenous population. Yet, various Native American student groups on campus feel this is only a first step to a much larger issue. UW-Madison implemented the “Our Shared Future” historical
TAYLOR WOLFRAM/THE DAILY CARDINAL
Wunk Sheek acknowledged the plaque as a first step in acknoweldging Ho-Chunk land on campus. Holdups in honoring Ho-Chunk Nation The Ho-Chunk Nation continues to contribute to the state economy through both tourism and gaming at six enterprises throughout Wisconsin. In February 2019, the Madison location announced a major expansion, emphasizing they would use this opportunity to turn greater focus toward Ho-Chunk people. The 40-acre expansion will include a conference and entertainment center, a hotel, as well as a 30,000 square foot museum and cultural center, which will be an evolving window into the history and culture of Ho-Chunk people. “It’s not a sad story — it is reality,” Brown said. “It’s also a triumphant story as we are still here.” Yet, Brown explained that
WisDOT claims the high volume of traffic the expansion would draw would create an issue at the highway exit nearest to the casino. Brown and other members of Ho-Chunk Gaming have been working closely with WisDOT and believe they have found a solution. “Wisconsin Department of Transportation is looking at a potential groundbreaking in 2022, and the funding for this project is becoming more of a reality,” Brown said. Despite holdups, Missy Tracy, head of municipal relations at Ho-Chunk Gaming Madison, said progress has been made toward the project. “We are seeing a lot of advancement as we progress toward prepping this site for
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marker in fall 2019 to give recognition to the Ho-Chunk land the campus was built on. The plaque moves to various locations on campus, seven departments and colleges plan to host the marker this spring. The heritage marker will be integrated into messages from visiting speakers, organized events and campus tours. Student Native American organizations on campus, like Wunk Sheek, work to connect students of indigenous identity through cultural education and experiences. Michael Williams, an officer for Wunk Sheek, spoke on the initiative to honor Native American culture through the “Our Shared Future” marker. “It’s a good recognition of what’s happening, but it is a very minimal first step,” Williams said. “It’s a step in the right direction, but we shouldn’t stop because we
have this plaque, we should still keep pushing to do more.” The plaque notes how the “history of colonization informs our shared future of collaboration and innovation,” and inspired the university and indigenous peoples’ community moving forward. Along with the “Our Shared Future” plaque, the university implemented the presentation of land acknowledgements before major gatherings, such as the Chancellor’s Convocation. “Different university groups have done [well with] land acknowledgments at events, but in terms of the university as a whole, there is no formal land acknowledgment,” Williams said. “That’s another basic first step of building relationships with native students and people on campus.” While Williams noted how the land acknowledgements are a step towards honoring the Ho-Chunk land, there is still more to be done in terms of acknowledging the indigenous people and their history in Wisconsin. “No plaque or monument can ever adequately convey a difficult and complicated history,” Chancellor Rebecca Blank said. “But it can start a conversation that moves us from ignorance to awareness. So today is the beginning of an intentional effort to teach our shared history.” According to Williams, one area for potential improvement is Wunk Sheek’s annual ‘On Wisconsin Powwow’ on the UW-Madison campus to make the event, which educates and celebrates indigenous culture, more accessible to students. The event is annually held at the Alliant Energy Center due to a lack of accommodation by on-campus facilities. “The whole point of the ‘On Wisconsin Powwow’ is to share native culture and give UW students an opportunity to engage with that — but we do not have the ability to host it on campus,” Williams said. Williams is hopeful more students and faculty will contribute to making campus more inclusive towards all groups. “There’s always room for more to be done where there are people who are willing and want to do this work,” Williams said. “There are always ways to make the campus more inclusive and to share more about the native community with the general campus population.”
“…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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Ho-Chunk from page 1 An independent student newspaper, serving the University of Wisconsin-Madison community since 1892 Volume 129, Issue 20
2142 Vilas Communication Hall 821 University Avenue Madison, Wis., 53706-1497 (608) 262-8000 • fax (608) 262-8100
News and Editorial edit@dailycardinal.com Editor-in-Chief Robyn Cawley
Managing Editor Erin Jordan
News Team News Manager Allison Garfield Campus Editor Morgan Lock College Editor Dana Brandt City Editor Addison Lathers State Editor Bremen Keasey Associate News Editor Michael Parsky Features Editor Sonya Chechik Editorial Board Chair Lauren Souza Opinion Editors Sam Jones • Anupras Mohapatra Arts Editors Raynee Hamilton • Emily Knepple Sports Editors Nathan Denzin • Jared Schwartz Almanac Editors Haley Bills • Jordan Simon Photo Editors Kalli Anderson • Taylor Wolfram Graphics Editor Max Homstad Multimedia Editor Ethan Huskey Science Editor Alberto Kanost Life & Style Editor Allie Sprink Copy Chiefs Grace Hodgman • Emily Johnson • Haley Mades Social Media Manager Miriam Jaber Special Pages Kayla Huynh • Lauren Souza
Business and Advertising business@dailycardinal.com Business Managers Ignatius D. Devkalis • Asher Anderson Advertising Manager Nick Dotson The Daily Cardinal is a nonprofit organization run by its staff members and elected editors. It receives no funds from the university. Operating revenue is generated from advertising and subscription sales. The Daily Cardinal is published weekdays and distributed at the University of WisconsinMadison and its surrounding community with a circulation of 10,000. Capital Newspapers, Inc. is the Cardinal’s printer. The Daily Cardinal is printed on recycled paper. The Cardinal is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press and the Wisconsin Newspaper Association. All copy, photographs and graphics appearing in The Daily Cardinal are the sole property of the Cardinal and may not be reproduced without written permission of the editor in chief. The Daily Cardinal accepts advertising representing a wide range of views. This acceptance does not imply agreement with the views expressed. The Cardinal reserves the right to reject advertisements judged offensive based on imagery, wording or both. Complaints: News and editorial complaints should be presented to the editor in chief. Business and advertising complaints should be presented to the business manager. Letters Policy: Letters must be word processed and must include contact information. No anonymous letters will be printed. All letters to the editor will be printed at the discretion of The Daily Cardinal. Letters may be sent to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
Editorial Board Robyn Cawley • Erin Jordan • Sam Jones • Anupras Mohapatra • Kavitha Babu • Max Homstad • Lauren Souza • Hazel Levy • Sam Nesovanovic
development,” she said. Brown added throughout the process support from the community has remained strong. “We are very thankful for the openness of the local community and the local community leaders,” he said. Attempts for broader recognition The efforts to acknowledge Ho-Chunk history have not been isolated to Ho-Chunk Gaming — there have been additional community attempts for heritage recognition throughout the city. By organizing programming, UW-Madison has tried to honor the Dejope region, as well as the forced removals of the Ho-Chunk Nation through signs around campus. “The campus signage is being created with input and guidance from the Ho-Chunk Nation. Ho-Chunk Nation collaboration is essential in communicating the Ho-Chunk worldview,” Aaron Bird Bear
By Hope Karnopp STAFF WRITER
While COVID-19 has begun to spread across the U.S., Wisconsin officials ruled out declaring a state of emergency for now as the state and UW-Madison prepare emergency plans. Gov. Tony Evers held a briefing Wednesday with state officials and lawmakers explaining they won’t declare a state of emergency during the outbreak. Last time Wisconsin declared a state of emergency during a public health crisis was in 2009 during the H1N1 influenza outbreak. Wisconsin has one confirmed case of COVID-19 in Dane County. The patient has since recovered and been released. Yet, six others are currently awaiting tests. The Wi s c o n s i n Department of Health Services said 19 others have tested negative.
said in an email. Bird Bear added that, as UW-Madison’s first director of tribal relations, fostering strong ties between the university and the 12 first nations in Wisconsin is important to him.
Most recently, the university introduced a new heritage marker to be moved from building to building in order to educate as many members of the campus community as possible. These efforts have also
can get faster results as the state shifts strategies from containing the disease to now identifying and controlling the spread within the community. “The risk to the public remains low in Wisconsin,” Ayers said to the Wisconsin
Robin Vos, R-Rochester, said he feels the department has enough resources to handle the situation. “I think it’s important for us to monitor the situation, which it sounds like they’re doing a good job doing that,
would make decisions about school closures. UW-Madison also planned emergency measures in case of an outbreak. While the university’s email communications stressed the risk is extremely low and
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CDC
As coronavirus has spread in states across the US, Wisconsin officials decided not to declare a state of emergency.
“The risk to the public remains low in Wisconsin ... [But] it’s especially important we have this lab capacity.”
Jeanne Ayers State health officer
Corrections or clarifications? Call The Daily Cardinal office at 608262-8000 or send an email to edit@dailycardinal.com.
Ho-Chunk Gaming provides an opportunity to recognize native histories.
WI officials confident of controlling COVID-19
Board of Directors Herman Baumann, President Jennifer Sereno • Don Miner • Scott Girard • Josh Klemons • Barbara Arnold • Robyn Cawley • Erin Jordan • Ignatius D. Devkalis • Nick Dotson
For the record
PHOTO COURTESY OF HOCHUNK GAMING
included collaboration with UW-Madison’s Indigenous People’s student organization, Wunk Sheek. “The more that the UW is communicating with native students the better our relations will be with the UW and the community,” said Wunk Sheek Co-President Michael Williams. While Williams shared that connection between native students and the university has increased, he added that there is still room for improvement. The Ho-Chunk Nation’s community center collaborates with these efforts and leads their own events for the Madison community, like sharing Ho-Chunk heritage through Ho-Chunk storytellers at public libraries. Brown hopes Ho-Chunk Gaming’s expansion can impact the community both on and off its land. “The whole thing is to instill a sense of pride in the people who originally inhabited this land,” he said.
On Monday, the State Lab of Hygiene in Madison and the Milwaukee Health Department were cleared to begin testing patients who have similar symptoms to coronavirus. Previously, tests had to be sent to the CDC in Atlanta. State health officer Jeanne Ayers said now Wisconsinites
State Journal. “[But] it’s especially important we have this lab capacity.” According to a Trust for America’s Health study, Wisconsin is ranked highly for public health emergency preparedness. The measurement includes the state’s public health budget, flu vaccinations and quality of hospitals. Other states affected by the outbreak, including Washington — where 10 deaths have occured — and Florida, have already declared states of emergency. Under a state of emergency state funding could be mobilized to support local health departments for costs. The Legislature also could act to give more funds to the DHS, but Assembly Speaker
and for us to have the ability to react when we have facts and more information,” Vos said. Still, officials said discussions are underway about plans for prisons, long-term care facilities and other crowded places. Lawmakers have also expressed concerns about vulnerable populations in their districts, including the incarcerated and elderly. If coronavirus were to spread, working from home or closing schools might become a possibility. Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction spokesman Chris Bucher said school districts should already have plans in place from the 2009 H1N1 flu outbreak, and local officials
there’s no need for anxiety, UW-Madison has reiterated prevention requires collaboration and has taken other preventative steps. UW-Madison has already suspended its study abroad programs in Italy, South Korea and China. Returning students are advised to self-quarantine for 14 days and monitor themselves for symptoms. On campus, UHS recommended protective measures such as washing hands often, staying home when sick and covering coughs. UW Health set up a hotline Wednesday offering information and answering questions. They are also updating their plans, which includes increasing access to video and telehealth services.
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Badger softball prepped to repeat their historic season from last year By Reagan Eckley STAFF WRITER
After ending the 2019 season 43-19 — the second-most wins in program history and the fastest team to reach 30 wins ever for Wisconsin — Badger softball came into the 2020 season looking to write more stats in the history book. With 13 returning players and some fresh new faces, Wisconsin (10-9 overall) began the season with a hopeful outlook. The most notable returning player is senior first baseman Kayla Konwent, who won 2019 Big Ten Player of the Year, the first time that’s ever happened in Wisconsin softball history. Her power hitting was an asset for the Badgers’ journey to the NCAA tournament last year, and will be again this year — she leads the team so far with a .720 slugging percentage, a .538 on-base percentage and 20 hits. Freshman Fiona Girardot, a two-time MaxPreps AllAmerican, has also made a strong first impression on offense. She currently leads the team with 13 runs and is second in slugging percent-
age, on-base percentage and hits, all behind Konwent. In the pitcher’s circle, senior Kaitlyn Menz has had a great start to the year. As a 2019 second-team All-Big Ten member, she has produced 45 strikeouts through 69 innings over 13 appearances so far this season. The Badgers began their season in early February by heading to sunny Boca Raton, Florida to play in the FAU First Pitch Classic. After falling short in their first game, they came back and won the rest of their games, finishing the tournament 4-1. The following weekend, the Badgers traveled south to Chapel Hill, North Carolina for the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. They ended up splitting the weekend with two wins and losses, winning and losing to Louisville and North Carolina once each. They then headed out to Cathedral City, California for another tournament, where the Badgers proved they could hang-on with some of the nation’s top teams. Although they only went 2-3 for the weekend, they beat
JESSI SCHOVILLE/THE DAILY CARDINAL
Badger softball went on a tear last season, winning more than double the games they lost. No. 3 Oklahoma 4-3, and only lost to No. 2 Washington and No. 1 UCLA because of two walk-off homeruns. More notably, Wisconsin was the only team in the tournament to bring UCLA to extra-innings. Back out west in the Sun Devil Classic this past week-
end, Wisconsin went 2-3 again. After coming out short in their first meeting against No. 17 Arizona State, they were then able to defeat the Sun Devils on their home field 10-1. Although the Badgers have lost nine games so far this season, they’ve all been decided by two or less runs.
On the flip side, their 10 wins have been decided by an average of 5.6 runs. This weekend, the Badgers will head down to Tampa, Florida for the USF tournament, their final pre-season tournament before their first regular season game on March 18 at Villanova.
Scrappy Badgers knock off rival Gophers in heartstopping finish By Bremen Keasey STATE NEWS EDITOR
TAYLOR WOLFRAM/THE DAILY CARDINAL
Ford slammed home the dagger against Michigan last week.
The Wisconsin Badgers (12-6 Big Ten, 19-10 overall) hung on to a 71-69 win over their cross border rivals, the Minnesota Golden Gophers (7-11 Big Ten, 13-15 overall) to earn their sixth straight win. After a quick start for Minnesota, Wisconsin went on an 11-0 run to take a 14-10 lead in the first half. The Badgers — led in the first by guards Brad Davison and Brevin Pritzl — did most of their damage on drives and layups as the team struggled from the three-point line, shooting just 21 percent in the first frame. Davison, who led Wisconsin with 20 points on the night, hit a buzzer beating layup to give UW a 31-28 at the break. The Minnesota-native started off well in the second too, hitting five straight points to start the half to help the Badgers keep their advantage early. But Minnesota went on a run in the second half. Led by forward Daniel Oturu, who had a double-double with 26 points and 12 rebounds, the Gophers mounted a 12-0 run to get back in the game. A three by freshman guard Tre’ Williams gave UM a 57-56 lead, and the game was tight until the finish. There were 17 (!) lead changes as the teams traded buckets, making for a nervey final minute.
Down 66-64, junior forward Aleem Ford tipped out a miss towards midcourt. After a scramble, Davison came up with it and passed it to junior guard D’Mitrik Trice. Trice found Brevin Pritzl open in the corner, and the senior hit a three pointer to put the Badgers back on top with 56 seconds left. Head coach Greg Gard was happy with how the team found a way to win despite the struggles, and said this hustle play embodied the type of play needed to find the way to win when things weren’t going well. “It’s not always easy or as you script it, but you have to make those types of plays. It was an effort possession,” Gard said. But then, Oturu again hit a jumper with 47 seconds to go to take back the lead. After a timeout from head coach Greg Gard, junior guard D’Mitrik Trice found junior forward Aleem Ford wide open on the baseline and Ford dunked it emphatically to give UW the 69-68 lead. On that play, Gard said it was a ball screen that Trice read really well to find Ford in space. Ford said that Brevin Pritzl helped call the play, but the whole team noticed the potential advantage that ended up giving Wisconsin the lead for good. “I was trying to tell [Trice] to try and get that look...it just
worked out perfectly,” Ford said. On the other end of the floor, junior forward Nate Reuvers and the Badgers finally got a stop on Oturu with a block, then Pritzl hit a pair of free throws to put the game on ice. Oturu had dominated inside against Reuvers and junior forward Micah Potter, and Minnesota had scored on 17 straight possessions up until that point. Gard said Reuvers’ block and forcing Oturu into a bad shot was the best defensive play all game. Potter gave Oturu a ton of credit in the battle down low, and said that defensive challenge will be good for the rest of the season and the postseason. “Obviously, he’s one of the best bigs in the Big Ten for a reason,” Potter said. “Going up against him only makes you better.” With the win, the Badgers moved into a tie for second place in the Big Ten standings with the chance to get a share of the title if results go their way and they also win out. While Potter said he was excited at the chance of possibly winning a Big Ten title, Wisconsin is going to focus on what they have to do to get there. “Obviously, we all know where we’re at in the standings, but at the same time, all we can do is control what we can control. We gotta win against Northwestern and win at [Indiana],” Potter said.
almanac A week in photos: Almanac style l
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Photo by haley bills
Shoe catching bus to work.
Photo by jordan simon
Photo by jordan simon
Photo by haley bills
It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood.
Ew! Who drinks Busch Light?
“toilet” shot with iPhone 6 lens
Photo by jordan simon
Photo by jordan simon
E.T. phone home
Who’s pants?
Photo by jordan simon
Shoutout to these randos!
Public Hearing
Wednesday, March 11 at 6 p.m. Madison Municipal Building 215 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Room 215
Photo by haley bills
How symbolic: a tampon in the sun ... the illumination of womanhood
To discuss: • UW campus updates • Route 3 schedule improvements • Service to new Pinney Library • Changes to several other routes
mymetrobus.com/publichearing Give us your feedback! (608) 266 - 4466 mymetrobus@cityofmadison.com
Photo by haley bills
L’espoir est un plat bien trop vite consommé à sauter les repas ...
We’re always looking for more funny and insightful writers with fresh takes on topics ranging from the UW campus to international news. We accept and encourage creative submissions as well! Any and all submissions are more than welcome. You can send your submissions and any comments or questions to almanac@dailycardinal.com. All articles featured in Almanac are creative, satirical and/or entirely fictional pieces. They are fully intended as such and should not be taken seriously as news.
comics dailycardinal.com
Thursday, March 5, 2020 • 5
Trans Thoughts
by Lyra Dark
Today’s Crossword Puzzle
Across 1. Scarecrow’s makeup 6. Thick-soled shoe 10. Nukes 14. Busy Illinois airport 15. Norway’s capital 16. WWII opponent 17. “Fernwood 2-Night” star 19. Small valley 20. Lamb’s mom 21. Hunk 22. Street, city and zip code 24. “So that’s it!” 25. “Norma __” 26. Immortal Santa Rosa horticulturalist 33. Poet Dickinson 35. Animal 36. Hamilton’s bill 37. Breeze or gale 38. Rover’s restraint 39. Stadium cover 40. Singleton 41. Thanks, in Toulouse 42. Downstairs, on a ship 43. Undisputed champ 46. “As if!” 47. Israeli weapon 48. Annual fact book
52. Phil Mickelson’s gp. 53. Cat’s foot 56. Cat’s cry 57. Middle school 60. Apply macadam to 61. Drive the getaway car, say 62. Actress Zellweger 63. Timetable, for short 64. Risqué 65. Apply, as pressure Down 1. A few 2. Spring melting period 3. Red in the middle 4. Museum display 5. Ponderous, as issues 6. Hair untangler 7. Baton Rouge sch. 8. Spanish stewpot 9. The California one started at Sutter’s Mill 10. Croatia’s capital 11. Wheel holder 12. Desserts with crusts 13. Payroll dept. IDs 18. Biblical shipbuilder 23. Pub missile 24. “__ Lang Syne” 26. Bedding and such
27. Critic Roger 28. “Stick ‘em up!” 29. Count in jazz 30. Ring-shaped reef 31. Verne’s skipper 32. Was certain of 33. Furry ally of Han and Leia 34. Skimpy skirt 38. Didn’t quite close all the way 39. Hot dog server 41. Cow’s hurdle, in rhyme 42. Strange 44. Chewed like a beaver 45. “Les Misérables” author Victor 48. Electrical units, briefly 49. Faucet problem 50. Relocate 51. Havana is its capital 52. Feel sorry for 53. Tree with cones 54. Golden __: older retired person 55. Stimulate, as one’s appetite 58. Japanese rival of IBM 59. Evil spell
MSCR is hiring! Don’t Delay! Immediate & Summer Openings • Afterschool • Day Camps • Sports • Outdoors • Swimming • Arts & more See all openings and apply at
mscr.org/employment To get in contact with any of our artists, please email us at: graphics@dailycardinal.com
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Thursday, March 5, 2020
Spread of xenophobia cannot be permitted to trump coronavirus
IMAGE COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS
The spread of coronavirus has led to widespread hysteria and a spike in xenophobia throughout the United States and worldwide. By Anupras Mohapatra OPINION EDITOR
The beginning of 2020 has seen the rampant rise of the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), a pathogen originating in Wuhan, China and spreading rapidly worldwide. Not much concrete information is available about the pathogen — with research ongoing — but the virus has been known to cause COVID19, a contagious and potentially fatal respiratory disease. All of this has resulted in widespread fear and panic, but also an uptick in racist and xenophobic attacks on people of East Asian ethnicity. Comedian Ken Cheng put it this way, “less than 0.001% of Chinese people have coronavirus yet more than 99.999% have already experienced coronaracism”. While this may be comedic hyperbole, it does
give us a picture of reality. From more subtle acts like maintaining an unreasonable distance from East Asian people or overreacting to a cough or a sniffle, to overt rants on subways attributing all diseases to China, xenophobia has reared its ugly head again. Staff at two different hotels in Indiana harassed two guests of Hmong descent, asking intrusive questions about nationality or just outright denying them a room. The disease also crippled businesses in Chinatown, long before any coronavirus cases were diagnosed in the state of New York — let alone the city. While such developments are abhorrent, they are merely a relapse of age old reactions to any adversity that has a foreign origin. Immigrant Irish workers were deemed responsible for Cholera outbreaks in the
1830s and Americans of African origin were treated like scapegoats in the 1900s, as Syphilis was considered a “black” disease. The 2003 SARS outbreak saw widespread racist rhetoric against Asians similar to the present day, and the 2014 Ebola outbreak saw attacks aimed at immigrants hailing from Ebola ravaged countries like Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. Such a long list of historic racial misdemeanors seems to suggest something — that fear and panic play a role in the spread of racist and xenophobic rhetoric during phases of pandemic. In fact, a study conducted on this subject seems to support the idea that people have a stronger feeling in favor of their in-group and stronger opposition to out-groups, basically suggesting that people have a tendency to feel safe around people belonging to their own ethnicity or race and oppose people from other races and ethnicities, when exposed to disease. Such feelings are only exacerbated when diseases have a clearly foreign origin. While this might be a psychological byproduct of fear and panic, it is categorically wrong. For starters, it is important to note that disease does not discriminate — once the pathogen reaches a body, it wreaks havoc regardless of race or ethnicity. If anything, such disease outbreaks are likely to affect people of foreign origin more, because those
with families back home at the epicenter would be in far greater danger than the privileged racists who point fingers and spew hatred. Keeping the 2014 Ebola outbreak in mind, Americans were the first to get access to ZMapp, an experimental anti-Ebola drug, despite Africans having died for months since the outbreak began. While Americans could access experimental drugs, disease stricken African nations couldn’t even access fuel to power ambulances. The drug might not have been as effective as hoped, but the fact that a potential cure was received by Americans first highlights the position of privilege they hold compared to most people from stricken countries. Cycling back to the spread of coronavirus, the fears surrounding it are valid but it is important to stay clear of misinformation. It is natural to feel paranoid but this is not the right time for tribalism. Instead, unity is required to solve a global issue and xenophobia is most definitely not the answer. Pandemics transcend racial and ethnic barriers and we need bridges, not walls. This does not mean reckless action — for I do support control of travel and increased screening of travelers to protect their safety and ours — but rather making sure that the puzzle pieces that make up the nation are tightly packed in unity, because the strength found this way can help overcome adversity.
This cycle of divisiveness must stop here. To fellow members of the campus community, I urge greater sensitivity to the matter at hand. Support friends and acquaintances whose families back home might be affected by the spread of coronavirus. Stand up to overtly racist remarks, implicitly racist actions and even jokes. Humor is a great means of escapism but there are limits to what constitutes humor and what is blatantly racist. Make use of campus resources like bias and hate reporting services and other affiliated partners. People facing racist and xenophobic remarks should be assured of the fact that there is absolutely no justification for dehumanization or prejudice. Additionally, folx should remain cognizant of the threats of the coronavirus, regularly checking the CDC website for updates and instructions to remain safe. Such an exercise would prove to be far more beneficial than xenophobic and racist acts. 2020 marks the start of a new decade, one where we can no longer afford to live with divides in the face of global crises. If we cannot adequately handle the first crisis that comes our way this decade, we might as well consign ourselves to our doom. Anupras is a freshman studying Computer Science. Do you feel like Coronavirus has resulted in an increase in Xenophobia? Send all comments to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
What Warren’s presidency would have meant to me By Izzy Boudnik SENIOR STAFF WRITER
It’s the afternoon after Super Tuesday (Regular Wednesday?) and the sun is shining determinedly in the sky. Days like today are usually welcome after the gray monotony that is February. But today, I feel less than sunny. If she hasn’t by the time this op-ed is published, Senator Elizabeth Warren is likely to drop out of the 2020 presidential election at any moment. I keep waiting for my phone to blow up with notifications one after another, and then I’ll know: it’s over. I have to confess something before I go any further. Way back when this race first started I supported Senator Kamala Harris, and I assumed I would do so until the end of the race. I did not foresee the issues that her campaign would face. You would think that I would then be more careful in choosing my second candidate, but I was not. But… Why should I have been? Today, on the hellscape that is Twitter, people are calling Elizabeth Warren the best presidential candidate of our lifetime. And there is a damn good chance that they could be right. Warren seemed to have it all: a legacy of experience in the Senate, a plan whipped out of her back pocket for every situation, a Republican party past that could appeal to moderates and maybe even Republicans themselves, the ability to connect with voters that Hillary Clinton seemed to lack. People were excited about this candidate in a way that I have not seen
before, having been young during the Obama era. So excited that they waited in lines thousands of people long just to take a selfie with her - to spend thirty seconds in the presence of this incredible woman. I did not “know” Elizabeth Warren until a few months ago, beyond the fact that she was one of the symbols of the “Resistance” to Trump and his cronies after having stood up to Mitch McConnell in the Senate. The impression I got from her was that of a kind of nerdy older lady who wore fleeces a lot and was fond of math. Okay, seems pretty average for a U.S. Senator. Then, as I am known to do, I started reading every piece of writing about the Senator that I could get my hands on. I read old articles from the Harvard Crimson, the Boston Globe, but most importantly, I started to read profiles. There, I “met” the woman that is Senator Elizabeth Warren, and my life — particularly my politics — began to change. One thing you’ll notice about Senator Warren is that she loves to tell stories. Particularly, she loves to tell the same stories over and over again. I get this — I’m a Midwesterner, we do that too. As I was doing all this research about her, I also started listening to her speeches. And what I got was certainly not what I expected. Without flinching, Warren often tells the story of her family’s place along the “ragged edge” of the middle class. About her father’s heart attack and her mother’s minimum
wage job that saved their family from financial ruin. She also talks about how difficult it was to picture going to college while her family grappled with financial troubles. How selfish it felt to be considering her own dreams when struggle seemed to persist in every other area of her life. I know these stories already — they are also mine. I also come from a family that would — and has — struggled with emergency expenses, where $300 for a car repair is an immense burden. Without the vast financial support that UW-Madison has given me, it is very unlikely that I would have been able to go to school here. The chance that someone took on me has allowed me to sit here and write this op-ed. It is difficult for me to articulate what it means for a candidate for president of the United States to talk about the same struggles I have faced. Given our class-stratified society, it would have been impressive enough for Warren to earn her law degree. But to become a law professor at the most prestigious university in the world? Then to turn around and become a United States Senator? To be the first female president? Unthinkable. As a first-generation college student, there are some days where I find it hard to picture myself at graduation, let alone behind a lectern or a debate podium someday, But as I listen to this woman I have come to admire, not only does that seem more possible, I start
IMAGE BY GAGE SKIDMORE
Warren’s campaign may end soon, but she still touched many lives. to breathe a little easier. I start to believe that the shared experiences between Senator Warren and me were not shameful but that our class system in the United States is a shame. I think about the fact that there is no amount of sheer grit and determination that can replace money and being in the right place at the right time. For her, it was a $50 commuter college. For me, it was fee waivers and a couple of generous scholarships. Where would both of us be without those supports? Makes you think. What’s my favorite thing about Liz Warren (can I call her Liz?) Her humanness. In between talk of plans and big structural change, she also talks about the first boy she ever loved asking her to get married at the age of 19. She says yes. She drops out of college. This ends up being a mistake that changes
the course of her life. What kind of presidential candidate says that out loud? I mean, have we not all been there, young and making rash decisions because the world seems infinite and ours? Liz Warren was young once. Liz Warren was considered “poor,” once. I’m the beneficiary of a full Pell grant, so me too. Our stories have a similar beginning, who knows if they will have a similar end. All I know is that beyond policy or party, it has been a tremendous honor to support her over the past few months. And even though it is hard to imagine that her campaign is ending despite so much promise, nevertheless, we persist. Izzy is a Junior studying Political Science,with a certificate in Educational Policy Studies. How did Elizabeth Warren’s campaign affect you? Send all comments to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
arts
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Thursday, March 5th 2020 • 7
ICYMI: White feminism is a necessary evil on TV By Lauren Souza and Robyn Cawley THE DAILY CARDINAL
You — the five people who read our introduction article — asked for it, you got it. Yes, the bitches are back to talk about TV shows, yet again, in our second installment of the Evolving Inclusivity series. This week’s topic will revolve around the realm of female leads and feminism — specifically, white feminism. While this trend in television is extremely problematic and must be challenged on a daily basis, it did allow there to be more fluidity and freedom to break out of stifling norms and oppressive systems. Similar to the feminist movement, there are countless waves and subcategories that are beneficial but also problematic. It’s important to recognize these were stepping stones to get us to where we are now. Inclusivity and representation are constantly evolving in the media. I can’t stress this enough — nothing is static. Before there was intersectional representat i o n , women of color leads or people of color beyond secondar y tropes, there were white, female leads. In an ideal world, we should have been able to have inclusive, intersectional depictions in TV shows but the evolving waves within television are gradual and heavily influenced by society. As a womxn of color, I recognize the significance that came from white, female-identifying leads on television because it enabled more representation in the future. It was definitely harmful and frustrating to never see myself depicted or acknowledged when I was growing up but I learned from what I saw, especially when it was a female character. We shouldn’t be afraid to mention white feminism or shy away from calling it out because then nothing changes. But we also should be able to recognize the good that it did do for some people. I’m tired of being the POC who calls out how this can be problematic on television, more people need to step up and have these conversations. It’s important to remember everyone’s experience and background are different along with what they have seen and learned from television. I, Robyn, am white. I normal-
ized these tv shows because I did see myself represented on screen. I believed work was getting done — women were on-screen and portrayed with simultaneous strength AND vulnerability. Yay, television is woke — the work is complete. My ignorance prohibited me from understanding the stagnation of white, middle-class women deemed successful only in relation to a man as representative of femininity. It is necessary for white folks, like myself, to use their voices to uplift, not write in place of or tokenize people of color on and off-screen. In the first season, “Suits” makes something very clear: Donna Paulson would not exist without Harvey Specter. Yet, she is treated as a novelty — a gentleman’s dream. She likes her scotch. She plays along with Harvey’s flirtatious banter. And she doesn’t have a lot of friends, or relationships,
COURTESTY OF HAT TRICK PRODUCTIONS
outside of the office. She is welcomed as “one of the guys,” yet sequestered into the role as the assistant. Her embodiment of femininity — her hair, nails, skin and outfit never breaking the historic white and female expression of propriety. Yes, Donna’s ability to be “put together” and challenge Harvey is inspiring, yet perhaps the inspiration of strength is only possible because she is successful, but not enough to match Harvey. It’s not until the final two seasons of the show Donna is promoted to CFO of the law firm, allowing her to have a tangible vote in the decisions they collectively make as a firm. Suddenly, Donna is represented as an equal to Harvey — both in the workplace and as a romantic partner in life. This decision to make Donna integral to show was perhaps intentional from the start and learned how to go with the changing tide of feminist expec-
tations in television, yet it did not challenge it. Her relationships with Rachel Zane and Jessica Pearson were pushed to the background, her personal life was kept hidden, she was seen as a success because of Harvey, not despite him. “Suits” bring out the nostalgic memories of high school tv viewing. And while we would still find ourselves watching them today, those representations were lacking — women as feminist, collaborative and vulnerable can be seen on tv, despite perpetual problems of whiteness. “Derry Girls” branches away from a single character-driven plot and focuses more on an ensemble cast. It explores the various dynamics of familial and friend relationships that celebrate love and feminism. The crew is made up of four girls and one wee British fella, focusing on kinship that is beyond the typical gender binary. The canon of strong female leads is expanding and showing the complexity of female representation. The cast and show itself is still predomin a nt l y white and could be more conscious of the intersectional identities, but it has evolved much more from the traditional female characters in a male-led show. It explores 90s adolescence during the Troubles in Northern Ireland. It’s cringeworthy, comedic nostalgia allows for there to be various character storylines instead of falling into classic tropes or relying on romance to be the plot. This is a prime example of a current TV show passing the Bechdel test that isn’t one dimensional or in the service of men. While this show could still be classified in the realm of white feminism, it works to tackle heavy topics and incorporate intersectionality into its work. It isn’t perfect, but it’s definitely progress. And that’s all we’re asking for — there’s no such thing as the perfect show. And while we shouldn’t settle, we should appreciate the work that has been done to pave way for shows like “Pose” and “Schitt’s Creek” to be aired. There always will be space for television to evolve, but there is value in how these shows empower women, no matter how white they are. To read the full article, visit dailycardinal.com
SAM JONES /THE DAILY CARDINAL
Michael Fitzpatrick, lead singer of the Fitz and the Tantrums, brought a fun time to The Sylvee on Saturday.
Fitz and the Tantrums jolt The Sylvee, reveal reality of genre fluidity By Sam Jones OPINION EDITOR
Attending (and enjoying) the Fitz and the Tantrums concert this past Friday was a bit of a fluke — a friend of mine was a fan, yet I ended up going alone among the masses of indie pop fans cramming into The Sylvee. With a few special songs I was particularly looking forward to, I entered the venue with limited expectations and a somewhat open mind. The sold-out show was entertaining to say the least, and represented a sort of genre awakening for me. As I weaved and squeezed through the overexcited crowd, an older gentlemen approached me, asking about my opinions of Fitz and the genre more specifically. I laughed. He looked confused. We talked. Over the course of the next half hour or so, this man and I discussed music — decades old to brand-spanking-new — and I slowly began to realize that if this dude can enjoy this shiny genre of upbeat, happy and that mildly obnoxious twinkle of boy band glory, why shouldn’t I? With this being said, opener Twin XL’s set was just as energetic as expected, with their endearing (and almost juvenile) positivity, balanced nicely with a generous dose of punk jam moments. Funky instrumentals and standout songs “Messy” and “Sunglasses” kept morale high throughout their performance, establishing a vigorously lively vibe before Fitz went on.
The six-piece that is Fitz and the Tantrums is brimming with talent — vocalist Noelle Scaggs is a goddamn showstopper, and saxophonist James King ensured he had adequate time to bask in the spotlight with his epiphanyworthy instrumental breaks. Right off the bat with “Get Right Back” from their 2017 album, Fitz established that they aren’t just indie pop, but also can be grouped into a genre otherwise known as “neo-soul” — marked by its eclectic yet mellow tone. Further channeling their electronica and funk roots came “Spark” from their breakout
album More Than Just A Dream. The feel-good protest song was conducive to Fitz’s circuslike energy and movement, followed by the hip “Complicated.” Fan favorite “Out of My League” was next, spoiling the audience with the much-anticipated nostalgic dance track that made them famous. New, bright bop “123456” and the older, yet still fresh “Break the Walls” were followed by “Maybe Yes” “Fool” and “OCD” — each transmitting very different atmospheres, each with their marked tinge of resilience and unashamed pep-in-their-step. As easy as it would seem to get exhausted during this power group’s 21-song set, with each song exuding an additional degree of potency and zeal, the opposite is true. Fitz’s endurance and animation was infectious — even for us folks who would normally be gagged by such adamant eagerness. Classic “6am” showcased Scaggs’ vocals in an utterly flattering way — her soulful power reverberated off the walls as she pounced across the stage, a bounce in her step as she paced to the beat. The militant “Livin’ for the Weekend”, vulnerable anthem “I Need Help!” and stirring “Fools Gold” followed. “Roll Up” had the entire venue plunging their hands in the air, and “MoneyGrabber” offered up a little validation and satisfaction for long-time fans. “Burn It Down” “I Just Wanna Shine” and “Hands Up” concluded the initial set, with the unsurprisingly chaotic “Hand Clap”, preachy “All The Feels”, and eternally wellloved alt hit “The Walker” as a climactic encore. This concert, and conversations I had as a result, reiterated the importance for music lovers like myself to step outside of their comfort genre, and listen to something a bit different every once in awhile — just to keep things interesting. While I may never attend a Fitz concert again (and may take a brief indie pop hiatus following that marathon of a show) the contagious passion and pep beaming from this group and their performance was certainly worth the zing.
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8 • Thursday, March 5, 2020 dailycardinal.com
: Should I stay z i u q k a e r b g Sprin or should I go? START HERE I’m ready to splurge
New experiences?
Plan a fulfilling
summer
Earn credits early and still have time for travel, work and play UW–Madison’s Summer Term’s first 4-week session is May 18-June 14
summer.wisc.edu
Yeah, they’ll die without me
My house plants need extensive care.
Ew
y’l The live
Yes!
No thx
The outdoors? I’m down
Maybe
Stay home!
I’m allergic
. t s e b e Th
Road trip!!! I’m an adventurous eater. Duh!
Nah
Travel abroad!