University of Wisconsin-Madison
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How UW planned its ‘Smart Restart’ By Anthoni Trombi STAFF WRITER
Criticized for its perceived lack of preparation and empathy toward underrepresented communities in Madison, Wis., the UW-Madison “Smart Restart” plan has left Badger families and students, as well as city residents, questioning the processes leading up to executive decisions that affect everyone associated with the campus community. The “Smart Restart” plan outlines the university’s approach to navigating and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, complete with updates, plans and information. Testing implementation, details and statistics were also included in the plan. UW-Madison Senior Strategic Communications Advisor David Giroux said that Chancellor Rebecca Blank’s executive team is responsible for devising the Smart Restart plans. “The Chancellor’s entire executive team, representing every administrative and academic unit of the campus, devised the plans, calling upon specific input from experts in public health, epidemiology, and other related fields,” said Giroux. “The Chancellor and her leadership team will continue to seek broad input from the best available sources as they adapt and adjust our strategies moving forward. Regardless of what tactics we employ, our goal will remain the same-- continue to fulfill our educational mission while protecting the safety of our students and employees.” While Blank sought input from outside experts, colleagues and department faculty, some remain critical of the university’s approach to preventing a COVID-19 outbreak. Daniel Zuckerman, a UW-Madison sophomore and member of student organization Engineers for a Sustainable World, shared his opinion
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Discussions and conversations about COVID-19 at the administrative level have not been made transparent to students. on the university’s “Smart Restart” decisions and initiatives. “I think the university prepared well but I do not know how they did not anticipate for the freshmen to have a surge of COVID-19 cases,” Zuckerman said. “Sophomores and upperclassmen do not have the biggest urge to go out and socialize compared to freshmen. Also, upperclassmen live off-campus which reduces exposure compared to living in the dorms. The university should have set dorm curfews and other
restrictions on freshmen before cases began increasing.” Discussions and conversations about COVID-19 at the administrative level have not been made transparent to students. “Conversations among university leaders, in general, tend to be very robust, rigorous conversations,” Giroux said. “Academic leaders tend to be very collegial, but they take their roles and responsibilities seriously, and they are accustomed to having their theories
and ideas challenged. That’s the scientific method, so you typically see a lot of back-and-forth, with people always coming back to the best available evidence, data, facts, etc. That is how we derive the best possible decisions.” Academic leaders within each department come together to make decisions for the university. According to Giroux, the Office of the Provost had a significant impact on deciding what the 2020-21 academic calendar would look like, including the scheduling of
breaks and recesses. This year, the housing and dining department underwent many changes as well. They established new safety measures by providing isolation housing for students with COVID-19 for a minimum of 10 days. Students identified as close contacts to people infected with the virus are placed in quarantine housing for at least two weeks. Restrictions were also applied to dining halls after consultation with health officials and leaders of housing and dining. “To reduce the number of people entering and exiting residence halls this fall, the university will limit access to residents only; no guests will be allowed,” says University Housing and Dining. “This policy also will apply to all campus dining facilities operated by University Housing, including Gordon Dining & Event Center and Four Lakes Market inside Dejope Residence Hall.” With so many departments, university leaders and faculty sharing their opinions, discourse regarding campus decisions proved difficult to balance. “We are a very large, decentralized university campus, employing thousands of people who all have advanced degrees (and are not afraid to use them), so discussions about power and authority could take up the better part of a doctoral thesis or two,” Giroux said jokingly. “In all seriousness, this is a place where broad input is valued; decisions are made in a collaborative fashion.” Ultimately, Chancellor Blank has the greatest influence regarding decisionmaking. UW-Madison continues to adapt to new information about the coronavirus through its “Smart Restart” plan. However, the department or university leader — other than Chancellor Blank — responsible for spearheading initiatives and making final decisions cannot be easily determined.
ASM calls for asynchronous classes on Election Day By Gina Musso COLLEGE EDITOR
The Associated Students of Madison (ASM) passed two bills at their meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 28, calling for continued employment and pay for University workers through the pandemic and for classes to be held asynchronously on Election Day next week. After the open forum session, the meeting began with a special order presented by the University Labor Council (ULC) detailing UW-Madison’s institutional debt and debt servicing. According to the presentation, UW-Madison has received declining state aid for the past 40 years. Meanwhile, tuition has increased by 56 percent since 2016, and in the last academic year the university allocated about three percent
of UW-Madison’s budget to paying off debts. ULC representative Eleni Schirmer explained that the university must find new ways to make up for mounting debts as a result. “Institutional debt is basically the way that we can understand the response to decades of budget cuts,” Schirmer said. “This is part of a larger transition of what some economists and sociologists will frame street calls that transition from the tax state to the debt state, where money that used to be raised and distributed to public institutions through taxes is now procured by debt.” As of June 30, 2019, the presentation also noted that the UW-System holds $1.62 billion in bonds and notes. They also have $29.4 million in capital lease obligations, or debt that UW owes for buildings
that they are leasing, which is a 95 percent increase since 2009. The special order also discussed how the COVID-19 pandemic creates new financial challenges for UW-Madison. At the last ASM Student Council meeting on Oct. 13, ASM proposed a bill calling for UW-Madison to continue to provide employment for UW-Madison employees, which passed at the meeting on Tuesday. UW-Madison is one of the state’s largest employers, and employs over 14,000 workers. The UW Foundation, the organization that raises, distributes and invests the funds that support UW-Madison, holds $4.5 billion in net assets, with $194 million not use-restricted. “UW’s priority seems to be about preserving high credit ratings and investing hundreds of millions of dollars into debt
servicing rather than supporting the workers that allow for this institution to operate,” ASM Chair Matthew Mitnick said. This bill follows Chancellor Rebecca Blank’s announcement on Monday regarding a second round of progressive furloughs and a move towards a $15 minimum wage for hourly employees, excluding temporary and student employees. “Although we commend UW for implementing a progressive furlough system and $15 minimum wage for hourly employees (though not students or temporary workers), the University Labor Council’s presentation last night demonstrated how this institution can and must do more,” Mitnick said. “Worker protections should always be valued above profiteering.” After the special orders were present-
ed, ASM moved to pass another proposed bill, one that calls for the Office of the Provost to move all classes to be asynchronous on Tuesday, Oct. 3, for Election Day. If the bill passes, students will not be penalized for missing class and can plan to participate as poll workers, volunteers and even vote in-person if they hadn’t already done so. One Pew Research Center study that the bill references found that throughout the last five presidential elections, registered voters cited being “too busy” or unable to vote in-person due to work or school schedule conflicts, as two of the top three reasons for not voting. ASM hopes the switch to asynchronous classes will
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“…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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encourage civic engagement on campus. “I’m really excited by the action the Student Council took tonight to make voting more accessible to students,” ASM Vote Coordinator Ellen Abad Santos said. According to a 2018 study done by the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement, student voting rates at UW-Madison were up 17.3 percent since 2014, with 52.9 percent of the student
An independent student newspaper, serving the University of Wisconsin-Madison community since 1892 Volume 130, Issue 10 2142 Vilas Communication Hall 821 University Avenue Madison, Wis., 53706-1497 (608) 262-8000
News and Editorial Editors-in-Chief Kalli Anderson Will Cioci
Managing Editor Gaby Vinick
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The bill calling for asynchronous classes on Tuesday was passed.
Madison details election security measures
News Team Campus Editor Jessica Sonkin College Editor Gina Musso City Editor Addison Lathers State Editor Hope Karnopp Associate News Editor Michael Parsky Features Editor Morgan Lock
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body voting. This same study found that, of the 34,629 eligible voters on campus, 73.5 percent registered to vote in 2018. “In an ideal election, no eligible individual would be kept from going to the polls,” Abad Santos said. “Moving classes to an asynchronous platform on Election Day is a necessary step in the right direction.” The bill calling for asynchronous classes on Tuesday was passed unanimously.
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Editorial Board Kalli Anderson • Kavitha Babu • Will Cioci • Anupras Mohapatra • Riley Sumner • Gaby Vinick
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As Election Day nears in Wisconsin — a battleground state in the 2020 election — the Madison City Clerk’s Office has implemented measures to ensure secure and accurate voting results occur once the polls close. Last Friday, the city announced it would place 14 newly purchased secure ballot drop boxes at 13 Madison Fire stations and at the Elver Park Shelter. Equipped to protect ballots against inclement weather and tampering, the boxes will collect absentee ballots until 5 p.m. on Election Day. The city instituted 1 p.m. and 5 p.m daily pick up times in anticipation of drop boxes becoming more popular for Madison voters, as the number of absentee ballots cast has increased amidst the coronavirus pandemic. Of the 189,938 registered voters in Madison, the city has already received 102,811 absentee ballots out of 117,663 requested ballots. These figures dwarf the 2016 general election in which only 66,834 absentee ballots had been requested. According to city clerk Public Information Officer Maggie McClain, the city made efforts to increase awareness of how to properly vote by mail-in and absentee ballots, citing Wisconsin’s unique and decentralized electoral system as a source of confusion among voters. “A lot of people are watching national news, but that might not be how it works in Wisconsin,” McClain said. “It’s not the secretary of state running the election. It’s the clerks.” At the same time, the clerk’s office created a strong affinity towards absentee voting by polling voters and utilizing an equity analysis after the April primary election on how they would like to cast their ballot. “We have the stance in our office that we have voting available in the way that voters want to vote,” McClain said. “We heard that people wanted to vote by mail and vote in person. As long as we’re following state statute,
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and 600,000 additional absentee ballots have been sent out, meaning that a large number of voters could receive two ballots.”
GRAPHIC BY JESSIE LEVY
On Election Day, olls will open in Madison at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. the city clerk’s office has supported the alternative voting method, even as President Donald Trump spreads false accusations that mail-in voting would cause widespread voter fraud and Wisconsin Republican state legislators echo the president’s calls. When Gov. Tony Evers attempted to move the April primary election to entirely mail-in voting, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Racine, followed party lines and condemned the move. “The governor’s idea is merely a statewide invitation for voter fraud,” Vos said in a statement. “More than 100,000 votes have already been cast
In response to Republican consternation, McClain said the clerk’s office did not believe voter fraud would be an issue heading into the election, noting every ballot would be checked to make sure each vote cast contained the necessary information. “We see mail-in [voting] as an option that is available under state law,” McClain said. “What needs to be on there is the signature address, and witness signature. If one of those isn’t on there, we do our best to reach out to them, and If not, we scrap the ballot. It is the law here, so we follow the law.” As partisan squabbling continues
around absentee voting and assurances of protecting the integrity of the election, McClain expressed her confidence that the current system in place will yield accurate results. “We’re not worried that all of [the ballots] are counted by election night, but every poll worker will stay until every ballot is counted,” McClain said. On Monday, the clerk’s office published another news release detailing the testing, security and tabulation procedures the city would implement in correspondence with the Dane County Clerk’s office leading up to and on Election Day. The Dane County Clerk’s office designs and programs the election equipment for its municipalities — including Madison — from a secure computer in a locked room. After the County Clerk completes a pre-test of memory sticks that enables voters to mark ballots and for machines to tabulate their votes, the memory sticks are sent to municipal clerks to go through another round of testing to be completed within 10 days of the election as mandated by state law. Tamper evident-seals are placed on each tabulator and on Election Day they are checked to ensure the serial numbers match and election officials verify the seals are not broken. When the polls close, workers check to see if the number of voters match the number of ballots cast. Results are printed on paper and announced at the polling place; they are later sent back “on modem” to another computer at the Dane County Clerk’s Office. Dane County polling places also leave a “paper trail” of all ballots cast which poll workers close up in a bag with tamper evident-seals and send back to the county clerk’s office as well. The election results do not become official until appraised by the Board of Canvassers. On Election Day, the polls will open in Madison at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.
What to expect on election night in Wisconsin By Emma Grenzebach
Media Corporation
then we’ll make it available.” Amid a polarized environment across the United States and in Wisconsin around absentee ballots,
With Election Day just five days away and voter turnout increasing across the nation, many experts believe some results will be delayed. However, UW Political Science Department Chair Dr. David Canon expects minimal delays in Wisconsin around Election Day, which is Nov. 3. “I would expect we will know who won the elections here in Wisconsin by late Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning; that’s the way it typically goes in Wisconsin elections,” Canon said. A U.S. Supreme Court decision on Monday ruled that Wisconsin’s ballots must be received on Election Day by 8 p.m. to be counted. The
ruling removed a six-day extension for counting ballots postmarked by Election Day, and it may reduce the turnaround in ballot counting. Dr. Barry Burden, UW Political Science Professor and Director of the Elections Research Center, said the ruling could lead to rejected ballots. “The Supreme Court decision means that the vote tabulation will finish sooner, but it also means that more otherwise valid absentee ballots will be rejected because they arrive too late,” Burden said. “It is difficult to know how many ballots will fall into this category and whether it will affect the outcome of the presidential race in Wisconsin.” Canon said that unlike some
other battleground states, Wisconsin state law says absentee ballots can only be opened and recorded on Election Day. Burden added that results will be released in a “spotty fashion across the state, depending on the amount and handling of absentee ballots in each municipality.” Canon reminded people who plan to view election coverage that Milwaukee’s results might be delayed. “One thing that viewers should keep in mind about Milwaukee is they’re one of the cities in the state that doesn’t count early votes in the precincts,” Canon said. This means all absentee ballots, including early in-person ballots,
are counted in a central location, which usually delays the report of their results. Canon added that Milwaukee’s results could impact the vote count significantly. “Biden might be trailing going into those absentee ballots in Milwaukee, those all get reported at once, and that could be … as many as two hundred thousand votes just plopped down all at once,” Canon explained. “That could really change the result of the election very late in the process.” On a national level, Canon said people should watch Pennsylvania and Florida. According to polling
Election Night page 3
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from Election Night page 2 website FiveThirtyEight, President Donald Trump has only a two percent chance of re-election if he loses Pennsylvania, while former Vice President Joe Biden has a 30 percent chance of winning the Electoral College if he loses the state. Pennsylvania is one of the states that, unlike Wisconsin, can count ballots received up to three days later as long as they are postmarked by Election Day, though the extension is facing a new lawsuit by Republicans in the state. “So if it is a close election we almost certainly won’t know Pennsylvania’s results until Thursday, Friday, Saturday, maybe even a few days longer than that,” said Canon. Canon suggests those predicting election outcomes before results are released should look to key political regions in Wisconsin, including Washington,
Thursday, October 29, 2020 Ozaukee and Waukesha counties. “[Look] at some of the patterns in voting in some of the key counties as they’re coming in, both in terms of turnout and in terms of the percent breakdown,” Canon said. Wisconsin has ten of the 538 total electoral votes. A candidate needs 270 electoral votes to win. The final Marquette Law School poll released Oct. 28 showed 48% of likely voters in Wisconsin support Biden while 43% support Trump. There are still opportunities to vote, either on or before Nov. 3. The practical deadline for mailing in ballots has passed, according to the Wisconsin Elections Commission, but voters can use absentee ballot boxes if they have Madison ballots. UW Political Science Professor Kathy Cramer reminded students on Twitter that if their ballots are from outside Madison, they should use express mail delivery or discard the ballot and register to vote at their Madison address.
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GRAPHIC BY CHLOE SHEFTEL
A recent Supreme Court ruling will reduce election results delays, but absentee ballots could be rejected.
Chancellor, BIPOC Coalition meeting fraught with tension By Will Cioci EDITOR-IN- CHIEF
In a meeting fraught with tension and frustrations, UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank agreed on Wednesday to an ongoing dialogue with the UW BIPOC Coalition, but urged student activists to work with her subordinate administrators in seeking progress on racial justice at the university. In the virtual meeting, Blank told representatives of the BIPOC Coalition, the Teaching Assistants’ Association and the Asian-American Student Union that she would meet with activists twice per semester in the future to discuss progress on their wide-ranging demands of her administration. But throughout the meeting, Blank insisted that in order to see their goals through, the students calling on her for action should instead work with administrators 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, both of whom were present in the meeting. “Why don’t we agree to meet twice a semester, but I will expect in between those meetings, that you have actually moved issues forward with the people who are responsible for moving them,” Blank said in the meeting. “Things have to move forward. And they aren’t going to move forward in conversations with me, I can tell you that. They’re going to move forward in conversations with people on
the ground that have responsibility for those issues.” The students began the meeting with a slideshow presentation outlining their concerns about the state of racial diversity and inclusion, calling attention to the campus’ 69% white student body, the difficulty of finding safe spaces for students of color, instances of targeted racial bias and what they called the university’s “continued contracting with industries of racist practices.” “Over the course of years as it compounds, if you feel like you’re not wanted, if you feel like people don’t want you to be there and don’t understand you. Overall it becomes tough to feel like UW wants you and that you’re supposed to be here,” BIPOC Coalition member Josh Mitchell said. In 2016, the university’s own climate survey found that 23% of students of color felt excluded very or extremely often, and 30% of reported incidents of harassment were racial in nature. Students of color were also less likely than their peers to feel their contributions in the classroom were respected by fellow students and instructors. In the future, the Coalition said, the university should commit to monthly meetings between the Chancellor and campus multicultural groups, 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 administra-
tive meetings. Until Wednesday’s meeting, the BIPOC Coalition, which has spent much of the semester pushing its list of 10 demands for the university to address racial inequities on campus, had tried for months to speak directly with the Chancellor about their demands, but representatives from the newly-formed student activist group say they were told instead to meet with other administrators and university representatives. Earlier this month, Blank backed out of an agreement to speak with the Associated Students of Madison, citing a scheduling conflict with the meeting’s agenda after the coalition was given time to speak as well. “I think you have the process a little wrong, to be blunt. I am not the one who makes final decisions on a number of issues,” Blank told the group of activists. “I have staff, Vice Chancellors, who are in charge of different areas, and they have full decision-making power in those areas. When things need to come back to me, they will. But oftentimes, they don’t need to come back to me.” Dr. Gittens also seemed frustrated by the way student activists have chosen to pursue change on campus, saying that no one in the meeting had contacted her in her administrative role. “None of you have cared to meet with me as Chief Diversity Officer. If you want me to speak for you, you need to meet with me,” Gittens said. While the group of activists committed to setting up a meeting soon with Gittens and Reesor to further discuss their
ideas and possible strategies, they also seemed weary of the Chancellor’s handsoff approach to their demands that her administration take racial justice seriously. One student pointed to Blank’s recent comments that the “social revolution” ignited by George Floyd’s death was one of a number of crises facing the campus. “If this social movement that has been happening for years is a problem on campus, it needs your direct attention,” the student said. “The university is … claiming to value diversity, but I’m sorry, Chancellor Blank, we literally had to hunt you down to have this conversation,” another student said. The university officials pointed to the progress the university has made in recent years in faculty and student diversity — initiatives headed up by the Office of the Provost — as evidence of this administrative structure’s effectiveness. The Chancellor also told students that Reesor and Gittens are developing diversity training programs for students, faculty and staff, and that the university has worked hard to enforce disciplinary actions for incidents of racist behavior on campus. “I do believe that the people who work for me and with me are busting it — literally working hard to not have you express the way you’re expressing,” Gittens said of the progress the university has made. In response to the coalition’s claims of limited space on campus for students of color, Blank cited recent renovations to the Red Gym on campus, where many
of the university’s multicultural student organizations are housed. Yet, other cultural spaces around campus have come under threat in recent years. In 2012, to make way for the recently-completed Hamel Music Center, the Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán was displaced and its office’s building demolished by the university. The current home of the American Indian Student and Cultural Center faces a similar fate under the university’s current master plan. “It’s not okay that the only space that students of color on campus feel that they can go is one building at the very end of campus,” BIPOC Coalition member Tarah Stangler said of the Red Gym. Ultimately, administrators and students alike agreed that more needed to be done to improve the UW experience for BIPOC students, but in the eyes of the students, officials’ recognition of their shortcomings is a far cry from the solutions they want. Even as they made plans to schedule meetings with Gittens and Reesor in the near future, multiple students expressed disappointment that they felt the need to continue activism work, which dates back fifty years to the 1969 Black Student Strike on the UW-Madison campus. “I have an econ exam tomorrow,” another student told the Chancellor. “I can’t study for my exam because I’ve had to spend the last week preparing for this meeting. I’m a full time student and a full time activist. You guys are full time workers. Why aren’t you doing your job?”
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In a long-awaited meeting, Chancellor Blank encouraged student activists to seek change through her Vice Chancellors and other administrators, rather than Blank herself.
sports Badger football’s COVID-19 outbreak leads to Nebraska game cancellation
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By Joe Rickles SPORTS EDITOR
The Wisconsin Badgers’ football team announced Wednesday morning that they have paused team activities and as a result Saturday’s contest between the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Wisconsin Badgers will be cancelled as a result of multiple cases of COVID-19 on the Badgers’ football team. The decision to pause team activities was made by Chancellor Rebecca Blank and Athletic Director Barry Alvarez. As of Wednesday morning, 12 members of the Badger football team had tested positive; six players and six staff members. Head Coach Paul Chryst is one of the team members with a positive case. “This morning I received the news that I had tested positive via a PCR test I took yesterday,” Chryst said. “I informed my staff and the team this morning and am currently isolating at home. I had not been experiencing any symptoms and feel good as of this morning.” Coach Chryst and Alvarez spoke with the media Wednesday afternoon. Alvarez noted that the Badgers’ situation lies in the “orange/red” sec-
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tion of Big Ten COVID-19 protocols, which directs teams to take increased precautions but does not necessitate a cancellation. “First month of testing and practice we had one positive test the Wednesday prior to the game. Since the game we’ve had 12 positives,” said Alvarez. “[We] just felt with the number of positives over that time we had to control it before it got out of hand.” Speculation of a cancellation began shortly after the Badgers crushed Illinois on Oct. 23, when Jeff Potrykus of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that redshirt freshman quarterback Graham Mertz had tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday. A second positive test was reported by CBS’s Dennis Dodd on Tuesday, sidelining Mertz for 21 days according to Big Ten protocols. Potrykus also reported that backup quarterback Chase Wolf, who was next on the depth chart after Mertz, also tested positive. College football programs do not reveal the names of players infected with COVID19, so it is unknown what other Wisconsin football players or personnel have been infected.
TÉALIN ROBINSON /THE DAILY CARDINAL
Paul Chryst was one of twelve Badger football team members to test positive for COVID-19 this past week. However, Big Ten protocols say that a team positivity rate of greater than five percent and a population positivity rate of greater than 7.5% will lead to a pause in competition until the team can reach acceptable levels again. This is not the first college football game to be cancelled
this season. The University of Florida has only played three games up to this point while other teams in the SEC have played five due to COVIDrelated cancellations. The Wisconsin-Nebraska game is the 36th college football game to be cancelled due to COVID-19. If Wisconsin athletics can
get the positivity rate down and adhere to the Big Ten protocols, the Badgers will be back in action next Saturday against the Purdue Boilermakers. Alvarez said that the Badgers will “see where they are with testing” before determining the game’s status “when we’re closer to the game.”
Packers give grants to Wisconsin social justice groups By Ellie Nowakowski STAFF WRITER
On Tuesday, the Green Bay Packers announced donations of $50,000 to five different social justice organizations in Madison, Kenosha and Milwaukee. After tweets calling for social justice and remaining in the locker room for the national anthem, Wisconsin’s pro football team has once again put their money where their mouth is. “Our players and the Packers organization remain committed to doing our part to address the pervasive issues of racial inequality and social injustice in our communities,” Packers President/ CEO Mark Murphy said in the Tuesday press release. “We are proud to contribute to these nonprofit organizations who are working every day to create and enhance access to education and economic opportunities and develop communities where children, adults and families can grow and thrive.” This is not the first time this year that the Packers have supported the fight against racial inequality in the United States. The outraged sparked by George Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis served as a catalyst for the team to further the momentum which they have been building on over the past three years by making contributions to social justice organizations. In the first two games of the season, on Sept. 13 and 20, the team collectively remained in the locker room during the national anthem. “You get out there and guys kneeling, guys not, whatever, it just gets hijacked,” Packers receiver Davante Adams said. “We didn’t want anyone to take off with it and give a new meaning to what we were trying to do. We decided to stay inside as a team.” Conversations in the Packer locker room about racial injustice began during
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE GREEN BAY PACKERS
Linebacker Preston Smith and cornerback Jaire Alexander have had plenty to celebrate on the field this year for this 5-1 Packers team. the summer when social unrest was at its climax. Packer players committed to having complex and hard conversations about racism, which is what ultimately led to the team decision to remain in the locker room during the National Anthem at their first two games. “...The question is going to be, as we move forward throughout this season, are guys still going to be able to take that stride forward and put that front foot forward to make a difference in that category,” offensive lineman Billy Turner
said in August. One of the five organizations to which the Packers contributed is 100 Black Men of Madison Inc. This organization focuses on serving youth, and directs their efforts towards creating “environments where our children are motivated to achieve, and to empower our people to become self-sufficient shareholders in the economic and social fabric of the communities we serve.” An extensive list of programs, which focus on mentoring, educa-
tion, health & wellness, or economic empowerment, are how they work towards their mission. The other Madison organization, Urban League of Greater Madison, also has a variety of programs, geared both towards youth and adults. Their mission is to “ensure that African Americans and other community members are educated, employed and empowered to live well, advance professionally and contribute to the common good in the 21st Century.”
Life & Style The lasting impact of fast fashion dailycardinal.com
By Lailee Connel STAFF WRITER
The detrimental environmental impact caused by the fashion industry is not a novel idea, yet recently, a rising number of consumers and companies have focused their attention on the role the fashion industry plays in our environment. Sustainability has become a buzzword in the fashion community, and consumers now use their purchasing power to create a cleaner environment through fashion choices. Though there has been a shift in focus on clean clothing initiatives, the state of the environment due to fast fashion is disheartening, and it’s going to take a lot more than buying a pair of recycled denim jeans to fix it. The “fast fashion” industry represents companies who make high volumes of clothes cheaply to keep up with constantly evolving demands for the newest styles. Companies such as Zara, H&M and Forever 21 are key players in the fast fashion industry and are responsible for unethical environmental practices in clothing production. Fast fashion, though
Thursday, October 29, 2020
convenient for Brands have consumers who shifted their focus want cheap to become more trendy clothes, ethical, sustainable is putting the and environmenfuture of our tally conscious by planet at risk. standing against The fashion fast fashion pracindustry, first in tices. Outerknown, line after the oil the sustainable industry, is the clothing company second largest created by surfer polluter in the Kelly Slater creates world responsi“a future where ble for the damclothing contribage caused on our utes to a world environment. where people and According to the planet prosper.” Ellen MacArthur By working with Fo u n d at i o n , partners offering ANN SELIGER/THE DAILY CARDINAL “it is predicted fair wages, practhat the fashion It's important to be aware of fast fashion and its effects on the enviornment. ticing sustainindustry will be able production, responsible for a quarter of the direction towards an indus- and recognizing environmental world’s carbon budget by 2050.” try focused on preserving the impact, Outerknown is an exemThough consumers’ constant earth. These agreements have plary sustainability-forward buying habits add to the detri- been signed by over 150 com- company. Other sustainably conment of our environment, most panies including Nike, Adidas, scious companies include Levi’s, of the issue lies in the hands of Chanel, Nordstrom and even Reformation and Patagonia. manufacturers and brands who fast fashion culprit Zara. Levi’s, a leader in both overlook sustainable initiatives. Though it’s going to take a denim and apparel globally, has Efforts such as the G7 copious amount of reform from always been a leader at the foreFashion Pact and the UN fashion companies, we as con- front of environmental progSustainable Fashion Industry sumers can impact the environ- ress. By ethically sourcing cotCharter for Climate Action have ment by making smart decisions ton, reducing water usage and made movement in the right on how and where we shop. initiating eco-friendly denim
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recycling practices, Levi’s sets a high standard. Reformation does their part by creating timeless pieces that endure seasonal fads and trends, and creates products only from sustainable and upcycled materials in a fair waged environment. Reformation includes a description of the environmental footprint caused by each of their items. Patagonia, one of the first companies to defend environmental ethics in fashion, continues to expand their commitment to the environment by using recycled material, organic cotton, and focusing on durable items built to last. Though the influences the fashion industry has on our environment will not go away overnight or improve when one or two large companies decide to change their negative environmental footprint, consumers have a say in who we buy from. Considering ethical and environmentally conscious brands, that support slow fashion and sustainability can make a huge difference in the long run. The future of the earth is in our hands, and it’s up to us to buy responsibly.
A social media chessboard, the intricacies of modern texting By Anupras Mohapatra STAFF WRITER
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced most of the general population to rethink their approaches to many things in life, as pretty much everything has changed since mid-March. One such thing that has been affected significantly is socialization. Different people have always had different approaches to social interaction, with some thriving as social butterflies pre-pandemic, while others welcoming the slew of lockdowns as an opportunity to reset socially. Whatever one’s approach may be, the pandemic has turned out to be a great equalizer in a social sense. Everybody — social butterflies, socially awkward people and those in the middle — is now forced to communicate virtually. With everyone hunkered down and spread out hundreds — even thousands — of miles apart, virtual communication has become the way to go. A lot has been said about video conferencing platforms like Zoom, but texting, the most basic of virtual interaction channels, can often go ignored. In this piece, I’ll talk about texting and just how intricate it really is, since this period of time has truly helped me see it all clearly. When I think of how I typically communicate, I find that I tend to ramble on about things I enjoy talking about or maybe just my thoughts in general. It is partly why I enjoy writing pieces like these, to have someone on the receiving end of my thoughts for once. Such a move to textual conversation should have been a blessing for me and I have been largely lucky lately, yet I have also found that texting is more like a chess game than a means to keep in touch with people you care about, unless of course, you take certain steps or find the right people, both factors being interconnected. Firstly, there arises the issue of how many messages one should send and how large they should be. The way I communicate often dictates that my messages be verbose, oftentimes despite me wanting to keep things short. This is something often frowned upon, since people have limited patience, attention spans and often listen only when and to what they want, especially in written form. In truth, nobody should be feeling the need to shackle themselves while expressing their thoughts on text. Admittedly, you would need to reach a level of comfort with the other person and people can definitely do things their own way, but texting substantively should not be seen as a negative and probably be normalized, especially now when there aren’t too many great alternatives to texting.
Secondly — and perhaps most pervasively — there is the issue of make-believe rules. Such rules are certainly down to personal preference and I do not really judge anybody for their choices, but I personally dislike some rules that exist around texting people, like waiting a specific amount of time to respond to someone or holding back on responding on purpose or having to suppress the urge to double text, simply to avoid looking “needy,” or texting a certain way to fit into some viral Twitter trope, or as mentioned above, disregarding messages with any amount of substantive content. Not only can it affect the person on the other end, it just threatens to cause more harm than good through misunderstandings. It is hard enough as it is, trying to detect tone or read emotion from texts. These norms or rules only add to the trouble. Now, I can understand some of these rules making sense with strangers, but if they persist with people you personally know, I find myself taking issue with it. There is also the fairly recent phenomenon of ghosting, where one completely cuts off the other with no explanation whatsoever. In a world riddled with triggers for anxiety, this is yet another arrow added to the quiver. There are several instances where ghosting people is entirely justified and I can understand the need for it, but when mixed in with some of the make-believe rules, it can create the breeding ground for catastrophization i.e. fearing the absolute worst due to a lack of response. Nobody can be expected to be around for anybody all the time, no matter how close they may be, but for people susceptible to feeling anxious, there can certainly be great fear from actions — or inaction — without any malicious intent. It is not implausible to fear being ghosted even without reason, simply because of the environment created today. These are just some of the chess-like intricacies of texting that I have noted in my limited social interactions. I personally think some of this needs remedying, although people could make a case for things being perfect and I cannot entirely dispute them, since there is no empirical right or wrong here. This is really just my take on things. Part of the reason texting can sometimes feel like an excruciating game and less like an invaluable means of communication is that most people are not on the same page. However, unlike any subjects we encounter in school or college, texting simply cannot be codified. To that end, I would urge people to think of the
LYRA EVANS/THE DAILY CARDINAL
The intracies for texting in today's world can be overwhelming! other person as if they were right before them and the conversation was being held in person, affording them in-person levels of respect. Establish open communication about needs, wants and expectations and try finding a middle ground. Heck, use little things like message reacts and likes to adequately acknowledge the other person. Such things could be harder to work out with strangers than with people we personally know, but it is worth trying for everybody we talk to, despite the extra effort it takes, in the name of decency. Perhaps such an approach would help mitigate the issues I have brought up, making texting all about communication that can be enjoyed and less about trying to out-fox the other person, or fight our own brains catastrophizing over nothing.
spooky almanac 6
Thursday, October 29, 2020
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Zodiac inspired halloween costumes: Almanac Edition
Spooky Time? By Jordan Simon As we embark on this spooky spooky time, You better prepare yourselves for some spooky rhyme. But you see … Everywhere I turn my eyes All the people are in disguise! Because they are costumes! Ooh spooky.
in
Frightful Fears. Fears so big so outlandish, There doth be tears. And haunted houses are oober goober spooky. BOO! Did I spook you? I think I did. I sometimes eat too much candy and get a belly ache. … just so you know.
GRAPHIC BY JESSICA LEVY
By Gillian Rawling Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) If you’re an Aquarius, your easy-going nature and humanitarian vision screams for you to dress up in all tie dye and wear no shoes. Just make sure you don’t cut your feet on the ridiculous amount of glass on Madison sidewalks. Pisces (Feb. 19-Mar. 20) If you’re a Pisces, you are the most emotional and empathetic of the signs. You’re also a hopeless romantic so get yourself a pair of wings and a bow and arrow and go as cupid! Aries (Mar. 21- Apr.l 19) If you’re an Aries, you are the most fiery and dangerous of the
signs. You’re also a major asshole sometimes so go as a devil. Taurus (Apr. 20- May 20) Since you’re a Taurus you’re probably really outdoorsy and annoyingly stubborn making you aperfect fairy. Gemini (May 21- Jun. 20) As a Gemini you’re already probably a two-faced snake, making Medusa the IDEAL costume for your personality. Cancer (Jun. 21- Jul. 22) Cancer, you should definitely go as a baby it shouldn’t be too hard since all you do is cry. Maybe bring a pacifier just in case. Leo (Jul. 23- Aug. 22) Since you make everything about you anyway, you could
definitely pull off a great princess costume. Bonus points if you can get your friends to go as peasants. Virgo (Aug. 23- Sep. 22) You’re already super organized and judgmental making a perfect costume for you one of 2020’s favorite characters: a Karen. Get yourself an annoyingly expensive haircut and harass your friends all night for drinking too much because you deserve it. Libra (Sep. 23- Oct. 22) If you’re a Libra, you’re very fair AND an intellectual, meaning you can only really go as one thing — a supreme court judge — so get out your robe and collar and prepare to make a lot of people angry. If all goes well,
you’ll be exercising your rights under Roe v. Wade the morning after ;) Scorpio (Oct.23- Nov. 21) If you’re a Scorpio, you’re super intense, and according to my roommate, a sex god, so naturally you’d make a great playboy bunny. Get your slut on queen. Sagittarius (Nov. 22- Dec. 21) You should definitely go for a rave look, you probably already party a ton so you shouldn’t have to shop a lot for it. Capricorn (Dec. 22- Jan. 19) If you’re a Capricorn, you’re usually super money-oriented and controlling, making you the perfect Melania Trump — get that bag sis!
A guide to celebrating halloween during a pandemic By Jordan Simon You can’t. It’s cancelled. Lol jk! Got you there! But no, Halloween is, in fact, still on for this year – Becky Blank and the other Big 10 chancellors voted unanimously to keep it. It will obviously look very different this year, however. Due to social distancing guidelines there won’t be any tricking or treating or going to parties and hooking up with tons of babes in slutty costumes, which is, um, obviously what I would be doing if I could (just smile and nod). But perhaps the biggest thing Halloween will be missing, due to the limited gathering size, is the presence of all the Halloween stereotypes. You know, a mom handing out candy, the kid whose costume is the mask from ‘Scream,’ a little girl crying after some asshole made their Halloween decorations
too scary, her angsty teenage sister who can’t believe she has to deal with this when she’s supposed doing oxy at the Misfits concert, the haunted doll that stabs grandma, the jack-o-lantern that prophesized the haunted killing in hieroglyphic carvings … the classics. However, we here at Almanac have a way to fill the void left by all of the spooky Halloween characters: you must be them all. That’s right! Help save Halloween by acting in all of the Halloween roles instead of just the one you usually play! For example, instead of spending Halloween nailing all of the scandalously dressed baberinos (which, again, is definitely what happens) my Halloween night would start by baking a bunch of candy with razor blades to hand out (hey, someone has to do it). When that is finished, then I’d, haunt my neighbor, film a docu-
mentary about politics, hit a toddler dressed as Buzz Lightyear with my truck, cheat on my husband with the nerd at the library on Halloween, destroy a potato farm, thwart a coup in Angola and, finally, take not, one, not two, but six pieces of candy when the bowl
clearly says “take one.” Again, the classic Halloween stereotypes that we all experience every year. So, if you follow this one simple piece of advice, I guarantee you’ll have as good of a Halloween night as you’ve ever had. And if you don’t, I’ll eat your family.
There is a Halloween party and it is so cool, Over there on the street! Someone is dressed as a ghoul! That’s cool. Super cool. Halloween is a holiday. Sexy nurse. Twix. Twix, Twix. Snickers; Whoppers is not a good candy. Ahhwooooooo! Hear my werewolf howl! Ahwoooooooooooooooo! I am outside and it is dark and It is Very spooky. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, More like Reese’s Peanut Butter … Um. I couldn’t think of a thing. I like the Easter Reese’s better anyway. Because they are shaped like eggs. It makes it better, wouldn’t you say? But they do have pumpkins and bats. Those are gooood Reese’s David S. Pumpkins Why can’t we trick and treat. This is what is wrong with society. I once knew a guy who stabbed a pumpkin a lot and then said it was a Jack-OLantern. And I was like, “Woah. That’s crazy man.”
GRAPHIC HAND-DRAWN BY JORDAN SIMON
opinion The (not-so) old adage: It gets better? dailycardinal.com
By SAM CANNEY STAFF WRITER
I started to realize that I was gay one year after the Supreme Court ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges that legalized same-sex marriages across the nation. As I was figuring out who I was, I was lucky enough to know that whether I was gay, straight or somewhere in between, I would be able to marry whoever I wanted. Of course, the fight for LGBTQ+ rights didn’t end with Obergefell. Employment discrimination and adoption rights were still up in the air, along with a whole bunch of other issues that affected other members of my new community. But in 2016, it was a relief to know my ability to get married when I was older, no matter who I loved, would be a non-issue — at least from a legal standpoint. That’s why watching events over the last few weeks has been so disappointing. Instead of seeing continued advancement of LGBTQ+ rights, it’s looking like open season on the few victories we’ve already achieved. Earlier this month, Justices Thomas and Alito openly criticized the court’s ruling in Obergefell. This attack on what seemed like a settled issue is incredibly concerning in and of itself, but it’s made much more so in the wake of Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation to the Supreme Court. Some people, of course, will say that queer people’s concerns are ridiculous or unwarranted. However, today’s non-queer Americans have never known how it feels to see their
Thursday, October 29, 2020
right — their privilege — to marry whomever they please be attacked by their own government. For them, it may be difficult to understand the state of fear queer people are living in right now as they watch their government play with the idea of rolling back their rights. These Americans, unlike their queer counterparts, likely haven’t considered the realities of a world where Obergefell v. Hodges is overruled — a world where alreadymarried same-sex couples wonder where their marriage stands in the eyes of the law, and young queer people come of age with the painful knowledge that their country refuses to protect their basic right to marry. The Obergefell ruling was — and still is — a cause for joy for queer people. It was a ruling that seemed like a sign that the government was finally making progress on LGBTQ+ rights and protecting our freedoms like those of any other American. Today, the reversal of Obergefell is feeling more and more like a real possibility, and it’s scary to contemplate a world where I and my community, instead of seeing continued progress, are even further marginalized by the government and once more deprived of our freedom to marry the people we love. Still, there are undoubtedly those who are dismissing the concerns that queer people have for their rights in the wake of Justice Barrett’s confirmation. Barrett herself said in her confirmation hearings that she felt it was unlikely that the Obergefell ruling would face a
challenge due to the precedent it set. The thing is, it’s difficult to take any of these reassurances seriously. Justice Barrett cements a 6-3 conservative majority on the Court. Three of those conservatives dissented in the case of Obergefell, and the other three were nominated after Obergefell by a president whose party explicitly states in their platform that they “do not accept the Supreme Court’s redefinition of marriage and urge its reversal.” Justice Barrett has said that her legal philosophy is the same as that of the late Justice Antonin Scalia, a notorious opponent of LGBTQ+ rights — and another dissenter in Obergefell. Obergefell isn’t the end of the fight for LGBTQ+ rights, either. Cases with major implications for the rights of queer people are still coming before the Court. On Nov. 4, the Supreme Court — including Justice Barrett — will be hearing the case of Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, a case with major implications for the adoption rights of same-sex couples. Depending on the ruling the Court makes in this case, adoption agencies could be given the authority to reject qualified same-sex couples as foster parents purely on the basis of their sexuality. Even if Obergefell doesn’t get overruled as a consequence of Justice Barrett’s addition to the court, the fact remains that even today, the Court is making decisions about whether or not the rights of LGBTQ+ people should be protected. In the face of all of that, frankly, I refuse to be told that I don’t have
cause for concern. Watching Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation process made me — and many others — feel helpless, and like our voices have been completely
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they occur, the President will pick nominees to fill them. The Senate will vote to confirm them. You may not vote on Supreme Court justices, but your vote still shapes the
COURTESY OF MERCEDES MEHLING
The Obergefell ruling was, and still is, a cause for joy for queer people. ignored. The GOP clearly didn’t care that a majority of Americans were in favor of waiting to fill Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s seat until after the election, or that COVID-19 was ripping its way through their party leaders even as they rushed Barrett’s nomination through in just 30 days — for context, on average, Supreme Court confirmations take over twice that amount of time. The outlook for LGBTQ+ rights, as well as other significant issues like health care and the election, can seem grim in the face of Justice Barrett’s confirmation. But there is something we can do. Vote. The fight for RBG’s seat may be lost, but there will be more Supreme Court vacancies, as well as vacancies on lower courts. When
Court’s composition. The (not-so) old adage in the LGBTQ+ community is, “It gets better.” But in this situation, that’s not going to happen without a little bit — or a lot — of work on our part. So if you’re feeling scared, helpless, angry or any combination of the three, get out and vote for candidates who will make sure this country continues to work towards liberty and justice for all.
Sam is a freshman and his major is currently undecided. How do you feel about the future of queer rights in America? Is fear justified in the wake of Barrett’s confirmation? Send all comments to opinion@dailycardinal.com
Continuing the fight for our reproductive rights By ALEXANDRA SEIDLER STAFF WRITER
Amy Coney Barrett’s recent confirmation as a justice in the supreme court is a paramount example of new leaders entering office with dismissive views on progressive topics, such as bodily autonomy. The conservative views that accompany these new leaders has made it even more difficult to progress as a nation and — more specifically — progress as a gender. There was a time when women had minimal rights. Even after the passage of the 19th Amendment granting voting righs, societal expectations of women stayed the same, leading to multiple waves of feminist movements urging society toward equal rights for women. Decades later, women’s rights issues are just as prevalent. As the 2020 election approaches, it seems as if our leaders are neglecting any progress made, instead moving backwards. People with uteruses have been scared for the protection of their reproductive rights for countless years. Unfortunately, those same people are waiting for the outcome of a terrifyingly hostile overturn of Roe Vs. Wade that has been proposed by national Republican leaders. Amy Coney Barrett officially replacing Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the Supreme Court, where conservatives lead a 6-3 majority, may have horrific effects on women’s rights. Roe v. Wade is a monumental Supreme Court decision that declared a woman’s right to an abortion as implicit in the right to privacy protected by the 14th Amendment. Before Roe v. Wade, many people with uteruses took abortion-inducing drugs that were advertised and sold
despite the danger they posed. If Roe v. Wade is overturned like some politicians want, women in the country will be forced to resort back to fatal abortion methods in order to protect their own futures. The term “pro-choice” comes from the idea that if a person with a uterus becomes unexpectedly pregnant, they have the option to abort the child. That said, why are prolifers so adamant about demolishing abortion laws if they can make decisions about their own bodies? Why does nearly every pro-life argument involve religious beliefs? Some progressive Christians, like Jes Kast, a minister in the United Church of Christ and someone who serves on the clergy advocacy board of Planned Parenthood, argues that abortion “should be legal in all or most cases.” She continued, “there are no circumstances under which it is immoral to get an abortion.” Kast grew up in a Chrisitian family where abortion was painted in an entirely negative light. When Kast matured, she began to view herself as a “Christian feminst,” and began to ask herself tough questions about the religion she preached. “I began questioning: What about bodily autonomy? Isn’t that justice? How would God ever infringe upon that?” She said. Christian groups have been consistently recognized for supporting antiabortion laws and arguing the equivalence of abortion and murder. A church located outside of Planned Parenthood in Idaho is being sued for their frequent religious services that are intentionally held outside of a Planned Parenthood
building. That church’s motive was to intimidate patients and staff members to sway them away from receving a safe and legal abortion. Typically, Christians reference the Bible and the simple commandment of “thou shall not kill” to defend their pro-life ideals. If the Christian Justices that now dominate our country’s Supreme Court pass anti-abortion judgements, the First Amendment is entirely violated. Not everyone in the nation has Christian beliefs and Supreme Court members making a choice based on their own religious agenda is unconstitutional. Similar to Christian groups speaking out on an issue that is way larger than their religious sect, numerous male politicians have entered the reproductive rights debate. Congress has been predominantly male for years, which means the reproductive rights of people with uteruses in the country are determined by people that can’t even comprehend the struggles of living as a woman in a male-dictated society. In addition, people with penises have no laws that regulate their bodily autonomy. How is it fair for a gender that has no restrictions on their reproductive rights to make a decision that is completely irrelevant to their body? It isn’t. Planned parenthood is a major organization that supports reproductive rights. Advocacy to defund this organization has become extremely prominent as conservatives control courts and state legislatures. States that have access to Planned Parenthood have lower rates of teen pregnancy, STD’s and abortions.
Planned Parenthood provides safety and care to people that have not always had the opportunity to feel like their bodily rights aren’t restricted. By defunding such a powerful organization, a threat is posed to people with uteruses who just want control of their own body, which, really, should not be a big ask. Just because a woman is in power does not mean her role inherently relies on feminist principles. Amy Coney Barrett, for example, has a long record of being hostile towards women’s reproductive health and rights due to her Christian beliefs. Her actions directly oppose Justice Ginsburg’s evident passion for making sure women are protected and are able to make choices for their bodies. It is unfortunate that not all women use their power to build up other women, and instead inflict harmful notions inspired by religion. Amy Coney Barrett is known to be a devout Christian, and was even on the board of a Christian private school that tried to ban children of same-sex parents. It is rather horrifying that even in 2020, a leader with such anti-progressive views holds such a major position in our judicial system. Third term abortions have also been an argument that pro-lifers tend to spark up in order to prove their point that abortions are “murder.” In reality, these procedures are rare and are typically tragic situations where women face life-ending fetal diagnoses. Despite the fact that aborting a child within the third term of the pregnancy is due to fetal complications, some antiabortion advocates believe that these women should still go through with the
pregnancy and potentially die to save an already dying baby. Here in Wisconsin, there are some restrictions on abortion. Public funding is only granted in cases of life endangerment, rape, incest or when the procedure is necessary for the health of the birthgiver. Additionally, Planned Parenthood is not funded in Wisconsin, despite Governor Tony Evers campaigning on a promise in 2018 to restore Planned Parenthood funding. Wisconsin law prevents state or local tax dollars from being used to fund abortions, except in rare circumstances, making it difficult for women to easily receive abortions. It is a frightening time for women in the United States right now. As more conservatives are elected into judicial positions, more restrictions on women’s bodies are being discussed. Members of Congress continue to defund Planned Parenthood and restrict access to abortions. As a woman, I feel terrified as I continue to grow up and witness the people in congress doing everything in their power to terminate my reproductive rights. When will all people with uteruses feel safe and secure in a country that supposedly guarantees freedom regardless of gender? Now, it seems like my duty to be strong and stand up for the rights I know I deserve. Alexandra is a freshman studying communications. Is Justice Barrett’s confirmation a cause of concern for women? Do you think men should decide on abortion rights? Do you think decisions and laws should be made on religious grounds? Send all comments to opinion@dailycardinal. com
comics
8 • Thursday, October 29, 2020
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AM I SHEEP?
BY LYRA EVANS
SUDOKU
DIRECTIONS: Fill in each row, column and square with the numbers 1-9
GRAPHICS BY [JULIA WEILER]
CROSSWORD
DIRECTIONS: Fill in words via the prompts across or down via their respective numbers.
ONLY DIGITAL? WE GOT YOU COVERED HOW TO PRINT OFF PUZZLES: 1. On Issuu website on pc/mac go to comics page. 2. Enter fullscreen 3. Make sure puzzle is in full view 4. Take a screenshot • PC - windows key + print screen •MAC - shift + command + 3 5. Crop image (if applicable) 6. Click print 7. Make sure “shrink to fit” is selected 8. Print! 9. Cut out puzzles and have fun!!
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arts New ‘Borat’ movie brings mayhem
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By Dominic Lerose STAFF WRITER
Few in show business are as daring as Sacha Baron Cohen. For years the Jewish comedian has gone out of his way to make us cringe and laugh with his mockumentary style of film in which he portrays fictional characters yet interacts in the real world with oblivious individuals, often getting himself in deep danger and trouble. Fourteen years after his comedic hit “Borat: Cultural Learnings of America For Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan,” Baron Cohen returns in his grey suit to play Borat in “Borat 2,” officially titled “Borat: Subsequent Movie Film.” Similar to its predecessor, this sequel continues its satirical style that mocks many heinous aspects still prevalent in American culture while also pointing fingers at other parts of the world whose culture has serious human rights issues. You’ve got to give Baron Cohen credit for exposing so many issues in America both in the Bush years and now in the Trump years. Clearly politically motivated and biased, Baron Cohen tries to expose the more extreme elements of conservatism, at one point heckling Mike Pence at his CPAC speech. Another time trying to convince a pro-life doctor to “take a baby out of his daughter” after
9 • Thursday, October 29, 2020
she accidentally swallows a plastic baby on top of a cupcake. The film’s premise, admittedly outrageous, revolves around Borat returning from the central Asian nation of Kazakhstan. He travels with his fifteen-yearold daughter in an attempt to sell her (yes, sell her) to Mike Pence so that the Trump administration can look favorably on Kazakhstan and join the “club of dictators” that are friends with Trump such as Kim Jung-Un in North Korea and Vladamir Putin in Russia. Throughout his journey to America, the socially inept journalist comes across a number of individuals who reflect the extremes of America, as well as the issues surrounding the coronavirus. Unafraid to challenge both the sexism found in most countries like Kazakhstan and the stains of bigotry in America, Baron Cohen does a good job of poking fun at more than one target throughout the film. Where the comedian struggles is to find new jokes, for the vast majority of the film we’re forced to sit through Borat and his daughter reminding us of how women are viewed as objects in Kazakhstan. While funny at times, the overwhelming energy that Baron Cohen adds to the screen can get tiresome, and after running the same joke for a half-hour, the film gets tired. There are admittedly several
uncomfortably funny scenes that involve oblivious conservatives interacting with the outlandish character, yet outside of these scenes, Baron Cohen doesn’t seem to be able to find a joke outside of his daughter’s lack of individualism. When things take a turn for the worse at attempting to sell her to Mike Pence, that’s where Rudy Giuliani comes in, whose scene has made headways for his, shall we say, “odd” behavior with the girl. It’s a scene that makes you wonder just how such a thing happened and is hands down the shining star of the sequel. In a world where everything seems to be dismal due to the global circumstances surrounding the coronavirus, having a refreshingly funny and brutally honest set of eyes bring out the lunacy and chaos of the world we live in is a guilty pleasure and a wonderful treat. While this wild comedy is definitely out there, it gets redundant after a while and fails to stay humorous throughout. Despite the tiresome energy and pervasive vulgarity, there’s no denying that this is one of the most entertaining movies of 2020 and a clever take on the issues surrounding modern-day American politics and culture. “Borat: Subsequent Movie MOVIESTORE/SHUTTERSTOCK Film” is available to stream now Sacha Baron Cohen returns to the big screen with new "Borat." on Amazon Prime.
Are You Entertained? — A weekly entertainment column that provides recommendations of new content to explore By John Bildings, Dominic Lerose STAFF WRITERS
Dominic LeRose and Johnny Bildings are seniors at UW-Madison who are fanatics about all things entertainment. Their goal is to recommend their favorite movies, tv shows, books, music, documentaries and specials to make the dismal times of the current pandemic a little less sufferable.
Here are Dom’s picks:
‘Hereditary’ With Halloween on its way, what better time to watch not only just the scariest movie in years but one of the best films in years period? Ari Aster’s traumatizing debut feature isn’t effective solely due to its unsettling premise about a family haunted by a demon and a cult that worships the entity, but due to how it authentically captures the harrowing break down of a family. Toni Collette gives the greatest performance in a horror movie you can find, unleashing her dramatic powers as no other has
ever done in a horror film. From start to finish “Hereditary” challenges us to face the literal and figurative demons plaguing a broken family, traumatizing us in the process yet carefully testing our attention to detail. Undoubtedly one of the most disturbing films of the decade so far, you won’t know what hit you after viewing this nuclear bomb of a movie currently included with Amazon Prime. Marvin Gaye Music has a way of making the current world make more sense, and few artists have withstood the test of time as much as the late Marvin Gaye, a pioneer in the Motown scene and a brilliant social poet. Songs such as “Inner City Blues” and “What’s Going On?” are surprisingly as relevant as they were during their release in 1971, tackling seemingly unavoidable social issues such as racism, poverty, war, and conflict. Through the powerful, transcending songs of this gifted artist, we have the chance to reflect on society as a
COURTESY OF A24
Toni Collette stars in an A24 thriller 'Hereditary,' a perfect watch around the spookiest season of the year, Halloween.
whole and enjoy the beauty of the Soul genre. ‘Up’ There’s no better feel-good movie than Pixar’s 2009 hit “Up.” The polar opposite of “Hereditary,” this animated classic is a heart-warming, tear-jerking masterpiece that anyone can enjoy no matter their age or background. In a time filled with political tension, a deadly virus, social unrest, and economic turmoil, this pick-me-up is a hopeful and beautiful story that everyone deserves to see.
Here are Johnny’s picks:
‘Doctor Sleep’ My pursuit of getting scared led me to discover this hidden gem and sequel to the classic 1980 Stanley Kubrick horror film “The Shining” on HBO Max last weekend, which was largely ignored by audiences due to bigger King releases earlier in 2019 - “Pet Sematary”, “IT: Chapter II” - but warrants far more attention and praise. Ewan McGregor (“Star Wars”) teams with director Mike Flanagan (“Haunting of Hill House”) to star as an adult version of Danny Torrance, whose alcohol abuse has caused him to repress his childhood trauma and psychic abilities before he finds himself trying to save a powerful young girl under attack from a devious cult named the True Knot, led by Rebecca Ferguson (“Mission Impossible”). Beautifully laced with shot-for-shot recreations of its predecessor and evoking the feeling of constant dread throughout, Flanagan’s work is a strong follow up and should be a staple of Halloween viewing. ‘The Mandolorian’ Before the new season comes out Friday morning, be sure to take the quick trip back into the world of galactic bounty hunters, Baby Yoda, and more with “The Mandalorian” — available on Disney+ and easily bingeable with only eight episodes in the first season, each falling somewhere between 30-45 minutes apiece. Starring Pedro Pascal (“Narcos”) as the eponymous and faceless bounty hunter, this is as close to an actually good Star Wars property as you’ll get from Disney - capturing unfamiliar parts of the universe in a serialized yet compelling way and featuring a slew of new supporting characters that will quickly become some of your fan favorites. If you have four hours, love assassin stories and more, don’t worry - “This is the way.”