Volume 102, Issue 1

The Fordham Ram Serving The Fordham University Community Since 1918 Volume 102, Issue 1

FordhamRam.com

January 22, 2020

Trebeks Recieve Founder’s Award

Writing Wrongs Produces Book

By SARAH HUFFMAN and HELEN STEVENSON

By SARAH HUFFMAN

Fordham University honored Alex and Jean Trebek with this year’s Fordham Founder’s Award on Jan. 7.

Roger A. Milici, Jr., vice president for development and university relations, said individuals who receive the award embody and reflect the community’s values.

“Awardees are designated Founders of Fordham for their personal achievements for their contributions to the life of the university, and for their support of Founders Scholars,” he said. “Fordham Founders exemplify the renewal of the university’s identity and mission through successive generations of women and men for others.”

The Trebek’s son, Matthew Trebek, FCRH ’13, graduated from Fordham and owns a restaurant called Oso in Hamilton Heights.

In 2015, Alex and Jean Trebek donated $1 million and created the Alex Trebek Endowed Scholarship Fund to help students who live in North Harlem. In 2019, they donated another $1 million and expanded eligible students to include East Harlem.

In a video Fordham posted of the Trebeks receiving the award, Alex Trebek talked about the power of prayer, citing the Jesuits as one of the groups that taught it to him. He thanked Fordham Trustee Fellow Armando Nuñez, GSB ’82, Trustee Brian MacLean, FCRH ’75 and Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of the university.

“We are so delighted to be here tonight to accept this beautiful award,” Alex Trebek said. “It’s humbling and it’s gratifying to know that because of the program I have hosted for 36 years, I have managed to touch the lives of so many people who are suffering, who need encouragement and if through our work … if we are able to affect society in a positive way, then our lives will not be for naught.”

Labor Day weekend is when a lot of students go home or spend time with friends, but this cannot be said for Gillian Russo, FCLC ’21. This past September, Russo traveled to Reading, Pennsylvania to participate in Writing Wrongs 2019.

Writing Wrongs is a weekendlong community journalism program that has been going on for five years. Students from around the Northeast apply to the program, and those who are chosen travel to Pennsylvania and spend the weekend immersing themselves in a social issue. The 72hour program results in a published book that is completely written and designed by students.

The topic of Writing Wrongs 2019 was the LGBTQ+ community. Russo said she was interested in the topic, partially because she is a member of the LGBTQ+ community herself. She said she

in this issue

Opinion

Page 11

Debate Debacle Erodes Trust in Media

Sports

Page 24

Women's Basketball Beats George Mason

Culture

Page 15

What Will the New Decade Bring Us?

NEWS EDITOR

GRACIE DAVIS/ THE FORDHAM RAM

The 2020 Women's March encouraged a message of unity after facing divided opinions last year.

Fourth Annual Women’s March Focuses on Unity and Solidarity

By GRACIE DAVIS

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Thousands of people gathered at Columbus Circle and Foley Square to participate in the fourth annual Women’s March on Saturday, Jan. 18. The Columbus Circle march was organized by the Women’s

March Alliance, as it has been since the first annual march in 2017. Foley Square’s march was organized by the original Women’s March organization. Last year, controversy surrounded the Women’s March due to allegations that the group was antiSemitic. Vanessa Wruble, former head of campaign operations for the

2017 Women’s March, broke off from the organization in 2018 to create March On, which hosted the 2018 Women’s March in Foley Square.

This year, the Women’s March Alliance released a statement in an effort to repair the orgaSEE MARCH, PAGE 3

SEE WRITING, PAGE 5

Water Main Breaks at LC

By SARAH HUFFMAN NEWS EDITOR

Fordham Public Safety announced that the Lincoln Center campus would be closed on Monday, Jan. 13 as a result of a water main break and street flooding at Broadway and 62nd Street in Manhattan.

At 7:55 a.m., Public Safety sent an alert that the Lincoln Center Campus would have a delayed opening until noon that day. About two hours after the first email, they sent an update that the campus would remain closed fr the rest of the day.

According to the email, NYPD diverted traffic from the area around Lincoln Center and one or more subway lines to local stations were suspended.

Bob Howe, senior director of communications, said Fordham Public Safety and Facilities staff have been in continuous contact with New York City Emergency Management SEE WATER, PAGE 3

COURTESY OF THOMAS REUTER

Three representatives from Fordham attended the JSGA Winter Summit at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.

United Student Government Sends Students to JSGA Winter Summit

By SARAH HUFFMAN and JOERGEN OSTENSEN Over winter break three members of Fordham’s United Student Government (USG) attended a meeting of the Jesuit Student Government Alliance (JSGA) summit. Discus-

sions focused on diversity and equity, LGBTQ+ resources on campuses and environmental sustainability.

JSGA is a coalition of student leaders from 27 Jesuit colleges across the nation. Students from 21 schools attended this winter’s event, which was held at Loyola Marymount Univer-

sity (LMU) in Los Angeles, California.

Kaylee Wong, GSB ’20, who is the executive president of USG, is among JSGA’s main organizers and was elected to the position of co-chair of JSGA. She said her main issue of interest was gender-inclusive housing, which is SEE JSGA, PAGE 5

NEWS

Page 2

PUBLIC SAFETY BRIEFS Jan. 13 John F. Kennedy Airport 2:00 a.m.

A student reported a vehiclethat picked him up from John F. Kennedy Airport demanded more money upon driving him to campus. Once the student gave the driver more money, the SUV left the scene.Public Safety advised students to make sure they use trustworthy services for their off-campus transportation needs.

Jan. 14 Arthur Avenue 9:00 a.m.

A fire alarm was activated in Arthur House. FDNY responsed and determined that the alarm was activated by burnt food.

There were no injuries and no students were displaced.

Jan. 14 Walsh Library 12:45 p.m.

The fire alarm for Walsh Library was activated and the building was evacuated. After it was determined that the alarm was due to an alarm malfunction, students and faculty returned to the building. FDNY did not respond.

Jan. 17 Cosi 10:25 a.m.

Aramark called Public Safety after an altercation involving an employee. Upon response, the employee assaulted a Public Safety officer, which resulted in the employee's arrest. The employee was taken into custody by the NYPD and removed from campus.

January 22, 2020

Fordham Men's Rugby Team Tours Ireland Players Play Hard and Have Great Craic

BY HASNA CERAN

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

The Fordham men’s rugby team went on a two-week tour to Ireland over winter break. Not only did the players gain excellent rugby experience, they said they had great “craic,” or fun, exploring the culture and sights of Ireland.

During the tour operated by Irish Rugby Tours, the team played three matches against Irish rugby teams.

The team had been largely dormant since finishing the season with an explosive win versus Binghamton University on Nov. 16. It was revived on this early January trip, playing matches against Athy Rugby Club, Galwegians and Highfield.

Phil Terrigno, head coach of the team, said that he was happy with the player’s performance. “I knew (the team was) going to be a bit undercooked before going to tour, performances were very strong considering that,” he said.

Performances were strong indeed despite the team's relative inactivity over break, as the team won against Athy Rugby Club and Galwegians 19-17 and 33-17, respectively.

“We played youth-20 teams, meaning players are typically 17-19 years old,” said Terrigno, “Senior men's teams would have been massive challenges.”

Between matches, the rugby team benefitted from two sessions with director of Rugby

COURTESY OF FORDHAM RUGBY

The team poses with an American flag and an Irish flag in front of the Gaelic Athletic Association Museum in Croke Park.

at Trinity College Dublin Tony Smeeth. Trinity College Dublin, also known as the University of Dublin, is home to the oldest existing rugby club in the world, which has been playing since the 1830s.

Tony Smeeth has coached rugby for over 20 years. He has worked closely with American rugby players for a long time, having previ-

Jan. 19 Arthur Avenue 8:20 p.m.

A fire alarm was activated in Arthur House due to burnt food for a second time. There were no injuries and no students were displaced.

— Compiled by Hasna Ceran

Follow us on Twitter! @TheFordhamRam COURTESY OF FORDHAM RUGBY

The team takes a group picture with Galwegians after a match.

ously coached teams in Seattle for 10 years.

“That the players had access to a coach of that caliber was unparalleled,” said Terrigno. “Not a lot of teams get that opportunity. It was a great experience to see how they do things.”

Nicholas Ulto, GSB ’21 said that In between honing their skills, players also got to see the cultural role of rugby in Ireland.

“It was really cool just going and seeing how much rugby impacts their culture,” Ulto said.

“Before the first game, we went to the field, and there were so many little kids playing rugby, it’s like their little league or football.”

He said the team visited various cultural sites such as the Cliffs of Moher and Blarney Castle, where the team hung upside down to kiss Blarney Castle’s Stone of Eloquence. The Stone of Eloquence, named for its fabled ability to bestow eloquence on everyone that kisses it, is an iconic attraction for visiting tourists.

“It’s a tradition, so the whole team did it,” said Ulta.

The team also visited Aviva Stadium in Dublin and Croke Park, home of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The Gaelic Athletic Association, Ireland's largest sporting

This Week at Fordham

organization, is an organization dedicated to the promotion of Gaelic games and Irish culture.

The players had the opportunity to play and learn about the different sports in Irish culture.

“We went to Croke Park where we learned about the Irish traditional games, hurling, Gaelic football and handball,” said John Grifonetti, GSB ’21. One day we got to experience those games and play those games and learn about the tradition behind them and what that means to the people.”

Terrigno agreed with Grifonetti's statement. “[The team] learned how to play hurling and Gaelic football, and both of those sports are really big parts of Irish culture. It’s the only place in the world where they’re prominently played,” said Terrigno.

The funding for the tour was procured thanks to donations from family members of players and alumni.

He credited the arrangement of the tour to Jared Smallwood, GSB ’20, and Tony Kutz, GSB ’20.

“They did a great job selling the concept to their teammates, organized the tour fully in two months and organized a full set of gear for the players on a pretty short timetable,” Terrigno said.

Wednesday Jan. 22

Wednesday Jan. 22

Friday Jan. 24

Friday Jan. 24

Friday Jan. 24

ACE Spring Kickoff Meeting

Student Life Council Meeting

March for Life

Bepler Commons 2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Commuter Community Social

McGinley Ballroom/Second Floor Lounge 1:00 p.m. - 2:15 p.m.

MSA Jummah Prayer

Asian Cultural Exchange will hold its first meeting of the spring semester.

Learn about Asian cultures and heritage and partake in fun and games.

The meeting will take place at 1:00 p.m.

The Student Life Council Meeting is the Rose Hill campus’ monthly town hall meeting where students can come to express opinions about campus life and sit in on discussion about important campus issues

Show up to join the Commuter Assistants for some “classic grade-school fun and games.” Commuter Student Services organized the event in mcGinley Ballroom. The event will start at 1:00 p.m.

Join the student group Respect for Life in their annual trip to the March for Life in Washington, D.C. March for Life focuses on creating more respect for life in America by opposing the legalization of abortion.

McGinley Ballroom/Second Floor Lounge 1:00 p.m. - 2:15 p.m.

Washington D.C. All Day

McGinley 236 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Every Friday the Muslim Students Association hosts the Jummah prayer. They have requested the use of a larger space because of the numbers of Muslim students participating.

NEWS

January 22, 2020

Page 3

Water Main Breaks Near Fordham Lincoln Center Campus University Cancels First Day of Classes Due to Street Flooding FROM WATER, PAGE 1

since the break occurred. He also said the streets around the Lincoln Center campus were impassable this morning due to flooding and that the campus temporarily lost water service and steam heat to several buildings as well.

“Of course our primary concern is the safety and comfort of students, faculty and staff at Fordham,” said Howe. “We are glad that the situation appears to be resolved so quickly.”

Public Safety sent a third alert at 2:39 p.m. that said the campus would reopen at 5 p.m. for evening classes, that Ram Van service would resume on a normal schedule at 4 p.m. and that they anticipated a normal schedule on Tuesday, Jan. 14.

“The decision to reopen is based upon consultation with New York City Emergency Management regarding the resumption of water service to campus via the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, and the resumption of steam heat to several buildings either via ConEd or emergency boilers,” said the email to students and staff at Fordham announcing the reopening of the Lincoln Center campus.

One week later, on Tuesday, Jan. 21 at 3:30 p.m., Public Safety sent a follow-up email listing issues that the water main break has caused to the Lincoln Center campus.

The email said the break caused

COURTESY OF RAM ARCHIVES

Classes at Fordham’s Lincoln Center campus were cancelled on Monday, Jan. 13 due to a water main break. The break caused street flooding in the area.

significant damage to steam lines in the Lincoln Center neighborhood and, as a result, has caused residual issues to some of Fordham’s buildings.

“Fordham immediately ordered temporary boilers to heat both 140 West 62nd Street and Lowenstein Center for a period of time

that Con Edison had assured us would be less than one week,” said the email.

Public Safety said the temporary boilers helped significantly, but Con Edison informed them that the damage to the steam lines was worse than anticipated.

“As a result, we now need a special high pressure boiler to continue providing adequate heat, particularly to perimeter office spaces,” said the email. “Working with Con Edison, we have ordered this special boiler and will hook it up to our buildings as soon as it arrives.”

Public Safety apologized in the email for any inconvenience that the Lincoln Center community has endured and reassured the Fordham community that they are actively working to bring appropriate heat to every space at that campus.

2020 Women's March Seeks to Promote Inclusion FROM MARCH, PAGE 1

nization’s reputation and voice its priorities: “New York City is noted as one of the most diverse cities in the world. At Columbus Circle, the Women’s March Alliance also supports the ROARS of the Women’s March NYC rally taking place at Foley Square. Discrimination, racism and the exclusion of any members of the NYC fabric because of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status and hair will not be tolerated. It was a priority to bring the two marches together.

Both leadership teams have been working seamlessly and cooperatively to ensure success and sisterhood going forward.”

The main priority of this year’s march was unity. The march in Foley Square was referred to as the Women’s Unity March on several websites, including the Women’s March site. However, the three specific issues that organizers chose to focus on were climate change, reproductive rights and immigration.

Many of the signs and chants at the march were directed toward President Donald Trump.

New York Senator and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who made a surprise appearance at Columbus Circle, said, “We’re gonna vote him out,” while proudly hoisting up a Planned Parenthood sign which read, “Together We Fight for All.” Other signs read “Trump Is Our National Crisis” and “Trump Is a Ra_ist.” Hundreds

GRACIE DAVIS/THE FORDHAM RAM

Thouands of people attended the fourth annual Women’s March. Some shared their reasons for marching.

simply said “F--- Trump,” and still more offered suggestions as to who should run for the presidency in 2020; women and “any functioning adult” were popular options. Several kiosks were selling anti-Trump merchandise, and as the crowds passed by the Trump Tower, they yelled, “Shame!” and held up middle fingers.

Although this year’s march drew a smaller crowd than in previous years, organizers and supporters of the march stressed that quality,

not quantity, was their goal. Leadership in the Women’s March Organization was revamped after last year’s allegations, and the 2020 march’s purpose felt similar to the first march, held the day after Trump’s 2017 inauguration. Some chants were similar — “Hey, hey, ho, ho, Donald Trump has got to go” was yelled throughout the entire march, just like it was at the very first march.

A mother and daughter, Emily and Sophie, said they marched

for the generations of women to come.

“I’m marching because I have a niece now, and she’s almost two years old. I want her to be able to grow up in a place where she doesn’t have to do this,” Sophie said. “I want her to be able to know that she has rights as a woman and that she doesn’t have to be afraid to be a woman. I’m really doing a lot of this for her.”

Emily mirrored her words and said, “I’m marching so my daugh-

ter’s daughters don’t have to.”

Unity across not only different generations, but different races, religions, sexual orientations and more were not only stressed by the organizers, but demonstrated by the marchers themselves. Hundreds stopped on Central Park West while chanting, “Women united will never be divided,” and strangers became familiar.

Bahar Ghandehari, FCRH ’23, said she marches for women in Iran, who would be risking their lives to participate in something like the Women’s March.

“For me, the women’s march is about celebrating the female power and recognizing what we have achieved and what we need to fight for as a global community,” she said. “If Iranian women are willing to get arrested in this fight, then it is our responsibility to use the freedoms we’ve been given to ensure that their voices are heard too.”

Katie Schulte, FCRH ’22, said she has marched for the past three years and has had this same positive experience every time.

“This year I felt the spirit was the same despite the weather,” Schulte said. “Though I did have to leave earlier because of the snow, I felt it was still important to show up because it sends a message; these voices fighting for equality cannot be silenced. It’s a reminder not just for those in power but for those at the march too, to speak up not just on days like this, but every day.”

NEWS

Page 4

January 22, 2020

Research Spotlight

USG Column

Graduate Student Researches Food Security Advocates For Sustainable Resources

By KRISTEN McNERNEY

By CARMEN COLLINS

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Hailing from Rio de Janeiro, graduate student and human rights activist, Marry Ferreira, GSAS ’20, is a research assistant for professor Garrett Broad. She will explore food insecurity in both her native country and the United States.

As part of the Public Media Master of Arts program, Ferreira said she wanted to get her master’s in a place where she could focus on researching issues revolving around social injustice.

Before coming to Fordham, Ferreira researched how media perpetuates gender inequality and violence towards black women in Brazil.

“When I came to New York I knew I had to expand my resources and learn more about the international context,” said Ferreira.

She came to the United States in January of 2018.

Ferreira said she will help Professor Broad research his paper, which he will present at a conference in Rio from June 14-21, 2020, focused on exploring sustainable transitions in the food system in the United States and Brazil. She will research how food insecurity affects the Brazilian population, specifically the black community, in comparison to the United States.

Every year, Fordham organizes a trip through the Faculty Research Abroad Program, (FRAP,) where faculty and student researchers get to go abroad to facilitate research collaborations and projects between different universities worldwide.

This year, the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro will work with Fordham to organize an international symposium where attendees will conduct research field trips to explore global issues in Brazil.

COURTESY OF MARRY FERREIRA

Mary Ferreira, GSAS ‘20, will assist Professor Broad in researching a paper on sustainable food production.

Ferreira said doing this research about food justice will help her become a better racial justice advocate by expanding her worldview.

“For people who work as human rights activists or organizers, it’s really important that they are experts in their field, and also that they understand other roots of the problem,” Ferreira said.

“In my case, one of the biggest

challenges of black communities in Latin America is poverty. Once I understand more how the food system works, I’m sure I can fight poverty in a more sustainable way and support my communities with other food alternatives.”

As a Fordham non-governmental youth representative for the United Nations, Ferreira takes the findings from the research she does and communicates them to

the U.N. to help promote world peace through the lens of human rights activism.

“The enemies of poverty and hunger are inequitable systems and policies,” she said. “Being a research assistant to professor Broad will add to my work as a human rights activist new strategies to end hunger and poverty and change the system once and for all.”

COURTESY OF THE RAM ARCHIVES

Photo of the Week:

USG Holds Special Elections

John J. McGlennon, pictured above, served as editor-in-chief of The Fordham Ram in 1970. He went on to have a career in politics and currently works as a professor at William and Mary University.

United Student Government (USG) representatives returned to work on Thursday after a month-long hiatus.

The Senate held special elections for Fordham College at Rose Hill Class of 2020 and Gabelli School of Business Class of 2021 senator positions.

Returning to represent FCRH was former vice president of Health and Safety, Nate Singh, FCRH ’20. Singh was not a senator this past fall due to a time conflict and he said this semester he would continue his past work with the Committee on Sexual Misconduct.

Sean O’Brien, GSB ’21, was elected to represent GSB and said that he wanted to help bridge the gap between FCRH, GSB and commuter students. O’Brien also said that he was a transfer student and would be able to relate to those who have had similar experiences of being transfers at Fordham.

Amanda Blaze, GSB ’22, argued to confrim the Film Club as an university sanctioned club. Blaze said that the purpose of the organization would be to bring together students who enjoy watching and making movies together, as well as serve as an educational space where students could receive feedback on their films.

She said she hoped Film Club would be able to participate in Spring Weekend’s film festival on campus.

Executive President Kaylee Wong, GSB ’20, said that a Student Life Council meeting will be held this Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. to discuss public safety. Wong also said that there is one unfilled GSB 2020 senator position.

Vice President of GSB Reilly Keane, GSB ’21, said that seven new subcommittees were created within the Committee on Sexual Misconduct.

Vice President of Operations Olivia Quartell, FCRH ’21, said that the club fair was successful during the first week of the semester. The club fair is an event where all Fordham clubs have the opportunity to recruit members.

Students can walk around the fair and sign up for clubs that interest them.

Senator Nicholas Abbazio, GSB, ’21, said that he had helped with a food drive at the end of last semester that collected 75 pounds of food.

Assistant Director for Leadership and Commuter Student Services Stephen Esposito, FCRH ’17, said that certificate applications for Fordham University Emerging Leaders (FUEL) will be open for the next week.

He stated that students of all class years are welcome to apply to be part of the cohort of 50 students.

Senator Phillip Krehbiel, FCRH ’23, was newly appointed as the co-chair of the Dean’s Council.

Senator Luke Morgan, GSB ’21, was elected as president pro tempore.

NEWS

January 22, 2020

Page 5

Student Writes About LBGTQ+ Issues for Selective Program FROM WRITING, PAGE 1

found out about the project from an email she received from the Observer’s former editor-in-chief.

“I read through the email, and it sounded really cool,” she said. “So I was like, hey, a weekend of doing journalism and getting experience, that you know, it was free, so that was kind of an added plus.”

Russo was one of six staff writers chosen for the program. Only 15 students total were accepted.

Russo said the positions ranged from writers to photographers, designers and social media producers. Russo was also the first student from Fordham to be accepted.

Russo was put up in a hotel for the weekend with the rest of the program’s participants, where they used the hotel’s ballroom as their home base for everything from eating meals to doing work.

As a staff writer, Russo traveled to the LGBTQ+ community center of Reading Pennsylvania, to complete interviews for the articles she was assigned. Russo said she interviewed four people with very different stories and perspectives to offer.

“I think the interviews as a whole, I definitely got a range of different perspectives, because, the LGBT community is broad.

There’s people with a lot of different identities and different experiences,” she said. “I talked to people with different backgrounds, it was definitely a learning experience for me.”

Russo did interviews both Saturday and Sunday and had to write 1,000+ word articles based on the interviews almost immediately after they were completed.

Russo said she worked collaboratively on two of the articles, interviewing and writing with the other students.

“It was an incomparable experience. I’ve never done anything like it,” she said. “This was very rapid fire, very fast paced.”

Dawn Heinbach, the founder and program manager of Writing Wrongs, said the writers met the challenge head on.

“These student journalists eloquently captured and conveyed the LGBT folks’ personal journeys, their experiences, their heartbreaks and happiness, so that readers may gain a better understanding of what it’s like to be LGBTQ+,” Heinbach said. “Each student definitely put a piece of their heart and soul into this book, and I’m in awe of what they accomplished in just one weekend.”

She said that the 15 students at the 2019 Writing Wrongs program should all be proud of the book they created.

Russo said she walked away from the project with new friendships, perspectives from new people that she would not have talked to otherwise and awareness about different issues within the LGBTQ+ community.

She said she also learned about how being part of the LGBTQ

COURTESY OF GILLIAN RUSSO

15 college students in a variety of roles produced "Outgrowing: Stories From the LGBTQ+ Community."

community fits into people’s lives.

She learned about their journeys and identities, but also about who they are as people.

“I learned about their identities, but also learned about their likes and their dislikes and, you know, just kind of made friends with these people,” she said. “So like I said it all comes back to just, I definitely took away some really meaningful personal connections that I'm glad I made.”

The final product is titled "Outgrowing: Stories From the LGBTQ+ Community.”

Russo said the title was actually her idea but it came out of a long brainstorm session.

She said “out” related to being an open member of the LGBTQ+ community, and “growing” came from a flower motif that a lot of the students liked.

She said it also connected to the idea of growing out of an old self

and as a person, which connected to a lot of the stories told in the book.

“A lot of these stories really, really tended to be about us, just people,” she said. “These people just talking about how they went through their lives.”

“Outgrowing: Stories From the LGBTQ+ Community” was released in November and is currently available for purchase on Amazon and at Barnes and Noble.

Jesuit Student Government Alliance Shares Ideas FROM JSGA, PAGE 1

especially important to her because Fordham has dorms with communal bathrooms.

“It’s a really unique problem that some of our students face, and they probably face it very quietly and alone,” she said. “And I think that's so important to give a voice to.”

According to her, a point of contention with the university has been over Catholic values. She said meeting students who are working on these issues at other schools has helped strengthen her arguments for what she has pushed for.

“So often, the response is we can't because we're Jesuit. Right,” she said. “We can't have gender inclusive housing because we’re a Jesuit school. We have a guest policy because we’re a Jesuit school, but then you go to these conferences and we actually hear from other Jesuit schools and sometimes that’s not the case.”

She said Regis was among the schools that are examples of a more progressive Jesuit institution, which she hopes to cite in discussions with the university.

“Regis has gender-inclusive housing floors and we can then come back here and say look, other Jesuit institutions are doing this,” she said.

Another priority for Wong coming out of the summit is pushing Fordham towards creating multicultural and LGBTQ+ resource centers, areas which she said other schools have done more in than USG has been able to.

Ashley Qamar, GSB ’20, the executive vice president of USG, also attended the summit. She said her biggest takeaway was how far Ford-

ham needs to go to truly provide adequately for its students.

“We are lagging behind when it comes to addressing the social needs of students at Fordham,” she said.

“And we need to move forward in changing the types of support that students get on an everyday basis.”

Some schools, according to Wong, are very strong in some areas and lacking in others. “Some schools are really great in certain areas, like Seattle is awesome in sustainability, but they really struggle in diversity,” Wong said.

Students from the other schools were able to learn from USG’s achievements around diversity, according to Wong, like the preferred pronoun policy and the land acknowledgement that was passed last year by USG on the Rose Hill campus.

“We talk a lot about our Diversity Action Coalition and the work that they do,” she said.

No faculty or administrators oversaw the conversations. Wong said the USG advisor at LMU helped with logistics, but was not present during any of the discussions.

“It’s really a space for the student leaders to speak and kind of have these conversations free from administrators,” she said.

The lack of supervision and the fact that everyone there was an elected student leader helped foster a good environment for equal and productive discussion, according to Wong.

“There’s no one who steps up (and) is like I am in charge here, because we all do that in our institutions,” she said. “And so instead we all just kind of share ideas and smaller

COURTESY OF THOMAS REUTER

Wong, Qamar and Reuter shared ideas with student governments from Jesuit schools around the country.

discussions and then we share them in larger discussions with the whole group.”

Qamar said she thinks traveling to Los Angeles will help inform her work in the coming semester.

“I attended the summit because in my opinion, it is the most important space that we have to come together as the different leaders of our respective campuses,” she said.

Wong and Qamar, who are both entering their final semester at Fordham, wanted to bring younger members of USG with them.

Thomas Reuter, FCRH ’22, was able to make the trip with them.

Reuter is USG vice president of communication and said he wanted to attend the summit as a way to collaborate between other Jesuit schools and to garner information about how other Jesuit universities

structured their respective student governments in order to to best promote diversity, equality, sustainability, safety, programming, etc.

“I am also optimistic for the continuation of the Jesuit Student Government Alliance and the ability for our joint statements about relevant issues facing all of our Universities to carry weight, legitimacy and effectiveness,” he said.

Wong said she has enjoyed creating relationships with others serving in the same capacity as her at other schools.

“It’s so nice to go to an environment where there’s so many people who are doing the exact same thing, facing the exact same problems,” she said. “And you can really relate to them on another level, so it’s first of all just nice and refreshing to meet other student leaders.”

Qamar said she enjoyed the social aspect as well, especially because it brought together so many young people committed to the work of having these tough conversations.

“We come together to form friendships,” she said. “But we also come together to support each other in our work through Jesuit values.”

Wong said she hopes the meeting leads to a strong semester for USG and she plans to commit herself to advocating for the student body.

“We are committing ourselves to things as well as calling on our universities,” she said. “I think that’s a really important thing to do, as a group, and then I also just feel like when we’re going into meetings, we’re stronger.”

Page 6

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January 22, 2020

OPINION

Page 7

January 22, 2020

The Fordham Ram

Congress’ Measures to Combat Nicotine Use: Another Prohibition?

Signs attempt to discourage people from smoking and vaping.

By TAYLOR HERZLICH CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The popularity of nicotine products among teenagers is clearly an issue. It plagues the news daily, and personal stories from individuals who have fallen ill due to the drug are scattered across Instagram feeds and Facebook pages. Children have been forewarned of the danger of smoking. Countless assemblies in elementary school and projects in health class taught our generation the negative effects of this harmful habit. For a while, it seemed as though the message was getting through. The sight of a teenager smoking a cigarette is fairly rare these days, especially com-

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pared to the prevalence of smoking amongst older generations.

Nonetheless, these precautionary measures derailed once vaping consumed the nation. It quickly grew in recognition among younger generations, and, honestly, the movement is not very surprising. The ingenuity of the product lies in its marketability. Teens saw JUULs as a safer alternative to cigarettes, since these products eradicated the use of tobacco.

Furthermore, such brands as JUUL took care not to have the same associations as e-cigarettes, which are usually seen as devices intended to aid people in weaning off cigarettes. Instead, vaping devices were produced in a completely new shape,

with virtually no reference to the typical look of a cigarette. In addition, a wide array of vape juice flavors were released in an attempt to appeal to younger generations, although companies tend to claim innocence to this knowledge. However, I find it difficult to believe that most adults who grew up smoking cigarettes would be swayed by the implementation of fruit-flavored vape juice.

However, vaping is not the “safe alternative” to smoking that companies proclaim it to be. Most vape juice products contain nicotine, which is an extremely addictive drug in and of itself.

The most disgusting part of this phenomenon is that nicotine is truly not necessary for the creation of vape juice. It is completely plausible for the product to contain absolutely no nicotine. In fact, that is how the product begins, before nicotine is subsequently added. There is nothing like relying on children to develop addictions in order to keep your business flourishing.

Thankfully, the United States government is beginning to take notice of this issue. Congress recently passed a new law raising the age limits for purchasing cigarettes, tobacco products, and other vaping products containing nicotine. The minimum

age has now been pushed from 18 to 21 across the United States. This is a noticeable first step taken by Congress to attempt to combat the vaping revolution.

However, these moves are not enough. Over time, these measures will prove themselves to be inefficient. The problem is not in the law itself, but in the lack of enforcement of these laws. Vaping stores continue to pop up across the nation, and these businesses are profiting off the addiction of children. These laws have proved themselves to be ineffective time and time again.

When the age limit was 18, vaping was still extremely prevalent with high school students. Children would sit on the school bus, smell cotton candy and intuitively know that it was the kids vaping on their way home from school. These kids were not all 18 or above. There is a plethora of loopholes to the rule.

It was easy enough for high schoolers to find an 18-year-old “middleman” to buy vape juice legally and sell it to their younger friends at a markup. Price proponents of the increased age limit argue that it will erase this practice, since younger kids will no longer be able to find 18 year olds to purchase the drug for them.

This argument is extremely weak. If

anything, these 18-year-old kids will just have to convince their 21-yearold friends to purchase the products, and the chain of sale will just become even more convoluted.

An easy way to think of how the law will ultimately fail is to compare the illegal sale of vaping products to the illegal sale of alcohol. Back in the 80s, the age limit for purchasing alcohol was raised from 18 to 21 in a very similar fashion. Today, the effects of the law are extremely minimal. Freshmen in high school can still manage to find a way to get their hands on alcohol, and the same will go for those in search of vaping products.

While the intent of the government is certainly admirable, its tactics are insufficient. Congress has seemingly identified the issue of the legality of vaping products to lie in the weakness of the law, when in reality, the true issue is in the lack of enforcement in the law. More preventative steps need to be taken in a child’s formative years to instill the next generation with the same distaste our generation has for cigarettes, as we should for vaping products.

Taylor Herzlich, GSB ’23, is a Business Administration major from Mount Sinai, New Jersey.

Escalation in Iran Risks Chance for Peace

By OWEN CRANN

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

On Jan. 3 of this year, Iranian General Qasem Soleimani was killed by an American airstrike at Baghdad International Airport in a military operation authorized

by President Trump. Soleimani’s death led to an escalation in tensions between the two countries that culminated in a series of Iranian missile attacks on American troops in Iraq several days after Soleimani’s death, which resulted in zero American deaths.

The Trump administration’s justification for its killing of Soleimani has been disingenuous at best, as the administration has changed its reasoning for doing so several times. On the day of Soleimani’s death, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo justified Soleimani’s death by characterizing him as an “imminent” threat to American lives and stating that he “was actively plotting (attacks) in the region.” President Trump doubled down on that assertion later that day, stating that “Soleimani was plotting innocent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel.”

As the days went on, it became clear that the Trump administration was unable or unwilling to provide evidence for its characterization of Soleimani as an “imminent” threat. For example, on Jan. 9, Pompeo revealed that he did not know “precisely when and … pre-

cisely where” the supposedly “imminent attacks” were going to take place. As public pressure mounted for the Trump administration to provide evidence to support its claims about “imminent attacks,” President Trump asserted, without evidence, that Soleimani had been planning attacks on four American embassies. However, the next day, Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper contradicted that claim when he stated that he never saw any specific evidence that would suggest that Soleimani was planning to attack American embassies.

The Trump administration’s insincerity in its justification for killing Soleimani has reminded many people of the run-up to the Iraq War, during which the Bush administration often alleged that fact that Saddam Hussein allegedly had possession of weapons of mass destruction in order to justify the war, a war that many Americans now consider to have been a mistake.

Due to the similarities between the run-up to the Iraq War and the Trump administration’s recent statements about Iran, many Americans are now concerned that the Trump administration is trying to start an Iraq War-like conflict with Iran. However, according to Thomas Wright of The Brookings Institution, it is very unlikely that the United States will enter into a major military conflict with Iran, mainly because it would not serve the interests of either country.

Even if it is unlikely that the United States will soon enter into a war with Iran, the Trump administration continues to recklessly push for regime change in the country.

In fact, this past week, Secretary of State Pompeo issued a veiled threat to the Iranian regime when he asserted that the Trump administration wants “Iran to … just be like Norway” in its actions, which will never happen unless there is regime change in Iran.

This administration’s constant advocacy for regime change in Iran is extremely dangerous, as we have seen the disastrous effects of American-led regime change in many countries throughout the world.

The United States government has advocated for and even enacted regime change for decades now, typically leading to dire consequences for both the United States and the countries in which we have enacted regime change.

In fact, one could make the argument that our current precarious situation with Iran is a consequence of American-led regime change. In 1953, the CIA helped to orchestrate a coup d’état in Iran in order to oust the democratically elected government of then-Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh.

The United States then helped to install an American-friendly government in the country, led by the Shah. However, the Shah was deeply unpopular among the Iranian people. As a result, his government was overthrown during the Iranian

Revolution in 1979, and the current Iranian government, led by the Supreme Leader, rose to power.

Another disastrous example of American-led regime change occurred in Libya in 2011 when the United States and its NATO allies invaded the country and overthrew its leader, Muammar Qaddafi. As a result of that intervention, many people now consider Libya to be a failed state as the current government has essentially no control over the country. Furthermore, according to Ross Kemp of The Guardian, there is now a “booming” slave trade of migrants in the country. For these reasons and others, former President Obama has referred to Libya as the “worst mistake” of his presidency.

If President Trump wants to avoid the mistakes of past presidents, his administration must stop advocating for regime change in

Iran. A significant part of this president’s platform during his initial campaign for the presidency was ending American wars in the Middle East and bringing our troops home from that region. However, he seems to have abandoned that policy during his presidency.

He continues to send more troops to the Middle East, including the 3,000 just deployed there after the strike on Soleimani, and he continues to engage in military conflicts throughout the region.

Instead of spending trillions of dollars on pointless wars in the Middle East, the Trump administration should consider spending that money on more pressing matters, such as healthcare or infrastructure.

Owen Crann, GSB ’23, is a Finance major from Morristown, New Jersey.

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President Trump’s decisions in Iran have made national headlines.

OPINION

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R

Serving the Fordham University campus and community since 1918 The Fordham Ram is the university journal of record. The mission of The Fordham Ram is to provide a forum for the free and open exchange of ideas in service to the community and to act as a student advocate. The Fordham Ram is published and distributed free of charge every Wednesday during the academic year to the Rose Hill, Lincoln Center and Westchester campuses with a readership of over 12,000 and a web readership of over 300,000. The Fordham Ramoffice is located in the basement of the McGinley Center, room B-52.

Website FordhamRam.com Email Address theram@fordham.edu

Editor-in-Chief Helen Stevenson Managing Editor Andrew Posadas Editorial Director Kelly Christ Multimedia Director Kristen Egan Business Director James Rosato Operations Director Robert (Max) Quintas Production Editor Vanessa DeJesus Copy Chiefs Emma Butler Erica Weidner News Editor Sarah Huffman Projects Editor Joergen Ostensen Assistant News Editor Hasna Sena Ceran Opinion Editors Kelly Christ Emma Lipkind Culture Editors Rachel Gow Kieran Press-Reynolds Sports Editor Jimmy Sullivan Assistant Sports Editors Dylan Balsamo Alexander Wolz Digital Producer Katherine Morris Visual Director Hunter Benegas Photo Editor Jennifer Huang Graphics/Illustrations Pia Fischetti Faculty Advisor Jessica Baldwin-Philippi Editorial Page Policy

The Fordham Ram’s editorial is

selected on a weekly basis and reflects the editorial board’s view on a campus issue.

Opinions Policy The Fordham Ramaccepts submissions to fordhamramopinions@gmail. com. Commentaries are printed on a space available basis. The Fordham Ram reserves the right to reject any submission for any reason, without notice. Submissions become the exclusive property of The Fordham Ram .

The Fordham Ram reserves the right to edit any submissions. The opinions in The Fordham Ram’s editorials are those of the editorial board; those expressed in articles, letters, commentaries, cartoons or graphics are those of the individual author. No part of The Fordham Ram may be reproduced without written consent.

January 22, 2020

From the Desk | Alexander Wolz

Starting the Clock: Kicking off the New Volume as a First-Time Editor I have spent a great deal of time thinking about how I want to kick off Volume 102 here at the Ram. I am not entirely sure if a firsttime editor is the right person for the job, but I will try my best.

Toward the end of this volume, there will be seniors spending their final days in the print shop with the opportunity to share stories of celebration and sadness at having to move on from what has consumed countless, incredible hours of their college life.

With that being said, I will reserve those stories for later and let those who know the Ram best speak about all it has to offer. Instead of worrying about the end, I want to set the stage for this volume with nothing but excitement and confidence behind what lies ahead.

Since I have become assistant sports editor for Volume 102, I suppose the only thing I can do is talk about what I know.

When it comes to my experience with sports, I’ve had times of success and those of gut-wrenching failure, whether it be on the court or a fan. I will never forget, even as blurred of a memory as it may be, hitting a buzzer-beater in a recreational basketball league game and ultimately winning a championship with people who I am still friends with today.

Despite never receiving much

playing time, knocking down corner jumpers en route to a near twenty-point performance or drilling a deep three over my coach in practice will always be some of my favorite memories from my youth basketball years.

In one year of tennis in my senior year, even though my partner and I never won a doubles match, I had the greatest time possible, learning, growing and laughing with coaches and teammates.

For as much joy as playing is, I am also a passionate fan. Just recently, watching the Oregon Ducks down the Badgers in the Rose Bowl brought about unexplainable happiness for the seniors who overcame a 4-8 season in their freshman year to become champions.

A lifelong Stephen Curry admirer, watching him dance, shimmy and rain threes on the court with a dynastic basketball team has been an absolute wonder.

Equally as memorable is LeBron James leading the Heat to backto-back championships or the Red Sox magically capturing a World Series in 2013 behind the splitter of closer Koji Uehara. As a fan of these teams, these are the moments I’ll never forget.

That’s not to say there haven’t been times of failure. I’ve watched Steph tweak, twist and break his ankle almost twenty times or de-

stroy a historic 73-9 season by losing a 3-1 lead in the Finals. I recall watching Stanford drive home a game-winning field goal, staring at my television in silence for minutes out of despair.

The Saints have managed to throw away a spot in the Super Bowl for three consecutive seasons. In the moment, these times feel like the worst of all, that nothing could heal the wounds of disaster. I do not think it is unfair to say that Volume 102 will be all that different. There will be times of triumphant successes and those of devastating failure.

Ultimately, it is the moments of success, just as it is in sports, that I will never forget, and the same will be true for the Ram.

Adversity will come. I — possibly even we — will fail.

However, I am also a devout ambassador of Under Armour, and as their recent advertising campaign states, “The Only Way is Through.” That one minute, thirty second commercial got me excited to take on whatever comes next and just happened to release with the outset of Volume 102. Not that I needed the extra confidence boost, but sometimes things just work out that way.

We will push through these challenges, overcome difficulties and nothing will remain but the memories that will never be forgotten. I think the seniors will tell you plenty more about that in the future.

Editorial | 2020

Maintaining Political Accountability During the 2020 Election Cycle On Jan. 19, The New York Times made the decision to endorse two Democratic candidates for president, Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).

Though the Times has a long history of political endorsements, this decision marks the first time two candidates have been selected.

While The Fordham Ram intends to cover the 2020 presidential cycle, we have decided against endorsing a candidate.

The staff of Volume 102 will remain dedicated to reporting the news in an unbiased and impartial manner as we cover the election.

We, as a publication, aspire to hold political actors accountable through facts and reliable reporting — not endorsements or personal approval. Though we will continue to share our stances on public issues in our weekly editorial, we will not blatantly endorse political candidates or platforms.

Today’s political climate is one of the most volatile in history.

With a president undergoing an impeachment trial amidst this competitive and chaotic primary, media outlets are under intense

public scrutiny in regards to bias and accuracy. In light of this, political endorsements by newspapers may be doing more harm than good.

Endorsements, by nature, give news outlets the ability to guide the reader to the conclusion that they are pushing for. Instead, the Ram hopes to urge readers to draw their own conclusions based on fair and accurate reporting.

We believe that it is imperative that we provide the necessary information for readers to confront their own beliefs and make a decision for themselves. Journalists have a responsibility to present the truth in a manner that serves to inform without looking to sway the readers in a certain direction.

The New York Times dramatized their endorsement online with a dramatic black screen that reads: “In a break with convention, the editorial board has chosen to endorse two separate Democratic candidates for president.”

The endorsement was also heavily promoted with the trailer for the episode of “The Weekly,” the Times’ show on Hulu and FX,

which culminated in the revelation of the paper’s endorsement decision. By framing the interviews and the article around the editorial board’s conclusion, it places less emphasis on the substance of each candidate’s answer.

However, the decision to make the interviews public and on-therecord allows the audience to have more information and develop their own positions on each of the candidates. The Times concedes that their opportunity to interview the candidates in depth is an “exercise that is impossible for most Americans.”

By including the transcripts online, they are allowing Americans to have more access themselves to the information provided in these interviews. At The Fordham Ram, we encourage our readers to take advantage of this resource. We urge voters to listen to each candidate’s argument and decide for themselves who to vote for.

Even with the Times’ endorsement, more research is necessary in order to cast an informed vote.

In their endorsement, the Times wrote that the Democrats are a “divided party.” They said

they hope these two candidates could represent the two major factions within the party, and that Warren and Klobuchar represented the strongest of the candidates to go against President Trump.

However, we feel their decision to put their support behind two distinct candidates is not actually a decision. It serves to dilute the attention that the endorsed candidates will receive.

Only one candidate will be able to win the nomination, and fostering this sense of amplified competition within the party will likely serve to increase tensions.

With the threat of an incumbent with a strong support base behind him, it does not make sense for the Times to further the disagreement and division among Democrat supporters.

Readers need to process the information themselves and develop a conscious decision that they believe in. It is our hope that Volume 102 will help readers during the 2020 election cycle to find the truth and maintain the journalistic integrity that our history asks of us. We look forward to another great volume with an incredible staff by our side.

January 22, 2020

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OPINION

The Crown Loses its Best Jewels

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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s decision to leave the monarchy is no surprise, given the media treatment.

By KELLY CHRIST

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

On Jan. 8, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, announced their plans to step down from their obligations as senior members of the Royal Family to take on a “progressive new role in the institution.”

In a statement posted to social media, the couple vowed to maintain their “duty” to the Queen while seeking to become “financially independent.” Their decision represents a key moment for the royal institution. The monarchy, if unyielding to change, cannot survive in modern society.

Prince Harry has always been seen as the wild child of the British Royal Family, creating controversy and filling British tabloids with scandalous headlines. From infamously dressing as a Nazi at a costume party in 2005, to partying with Kanye West in 2007, to being photographed naked in Las Vegas in 2012, Harry has been

something of a black sheep in the family. Despite these antics, Harry has long been adored by fans of the Royal Family. In fact, a recent poll named Prince Harry as the second most popular member of the family—only behind the Queen herself.

Born in 1984, the Duke of Sussex is the son of Charles, Prince of Wales, and the late Diana, Princess of Wales. Diana’s tragic death in 1997, when Harry was just 12, rocked the Royal Family and the global community as a whole.

Much of the British public blamed the invasive media for Diana’s fatal car accident as her car was followed by aggressive paparazzi before the crash. This event forever changed the family’s relationship with the media, especially Diana’s sons, Harry and elder brother William. At the televised funeral for the princess, a young Harry collectively broke the hearts of everyone watching as he walked through the procesion, at the smallest stature by far, carrying a note addressed

“Mummy,” which he left on the casket. Since then, the general public has always had a soft spot for Diana’s boys.

Prince Harry’s life, to this day, represents the heart of a son following in the footsteps of his mother. He served 10 years in the Armed Forces, with two tours of duty in Afghanistan. The Duke of Sussex remains dedicated to his military community, bringing public awareness to the need to aid veterans in their transition to civilian life and creating the Invictus Games, a sporting event with a goal “to inspire recovery, support rehabilitation and generate a wider understanding and respect of all those who serve their country.”

He continues his mother’s legacy of philanthropic efforts towards HIV/AIDS, creating a charity for orphans in South Africa and making the controversial move to take a live HIV test on Facebook in 2016.

Harry’s courage and dedication to his philanthropic efforts keeps

Diana’s spirit alive. With this in mind, it should come as no surprise that he fell in love with the Duchess of Sussex. Though most well-known as an actress, social activism has always been close to her heart.

In many interviews, Markle recalls sending a letter to a company in protest of an advertisement that used sexist language to promote its dishwashing product when she was just 11 years old. Like Harry, she is unafraid to take on stigmatized issues. In one instance, Markle wrote an article for Time Magazine after a trip to India entitled “How Periods Affect Potential,” where she criticized the stigma around menstruation and how it affects female educational opportunities.

The way that Markle has been treated in the media, especially in the United Kingdom, is disgraceful. One recent article published

by Vox highlights some of the worst examples: one Daily Mail headline read “Harry’s girl is (almost) straight outta Compton” and the firing of a BBC reporter for comparing the couple’s son, Archie, to a chimpanzee. In one heartbreaking interview from last fall, Markle holds back tears after the reporter asks about her health amid the public scrutiny, saying “Thank you for asking. Not many people have asked if I’m okay, but it’s a very real thing to be going through behind the scenes.”

Ultimately, the Royal Family failed to protect Meghan and Harry from this cruelty. Perhaps the institution’s history is inescapable.

Prince Harry’s patience with the media was practically gone even before he met Meghan after living through what happened to his mother. If the monarchy is not able to make up for their past mistakes he will not leave his family in the line of fire and let history repeat itself.

The monarchy must change if it wants to maintain a place in modern society. Harry and Meghan’s

decision is a turning point that it must successfully adapt to. The vicious scrutiny Meghan faced in particular undoubtedly contributed to this decision.

While this is a lesson for the monarchy, it is also a message to the public. The legacy of racism and general intolerance that is imbued in the institution cannot stand any longer. Harry’s decision to marry a woman he loved, who happened to be a biracial American divorcée, was controversial on all levels to the British public, but proves to be a love story worth celebrating.

One day, Harry’s brother William will become king. Just like Harry, the Duke of Cambridge is his mother’s son: he served seven years in the British military, married his college sweetheart Kate Middleton, and remains dedicated to carrying on his mother’s activist legacy. William, Harry and Kate joined to develop Heads Together, a charitable organization for mental health outreach, inspired

by William’s own mental health struggles after Diana’s death. Also like his brother, William frequently takes a stand against aggressive paparazzi to protect Kate and the privacy of their three children.

Prince William represents a new chapter for the monarchy, and he is a sign of hope that change is in the future.

When it comes down to it, the decisions of the Duke of Sussex place the well-being of his wife and son above all else. Knowing what his mother had to go through, it should be no surprise that this remains his highest priority. As Harry himself explained in a recent documentary, “If anybody else knew what I knew—be it a father, be it a husband, be it anyone— you’d probably be doing exactly what I’m doing as well.”

Kelly Christ, FCRH ’21, is a English and Psychology major from Long Island, New York.

OPINION

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January 22, 2020

Australia Is Burning and Climate Change Is the Culprit

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A kangaroo is photographed amidst the destruction of the Australian bushfire that ravaged the nation recently.

By JILLIAN KENNY

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Bushfires are common in Australia, but never to the degree we’ve seen in these past weeks. So far, these fires have killed more than 1 billion animals and at least 29 people. They are affecting all regions of Australia but primarily the New South Wales region. The fires destroyed habitats for thousands of species and put some endemic species into extinction.

These devastating outcomes, while covered by many global news sources, have not prompted the government to address the human-caused climate crisis. It is unclear what will finally make these leaders listen and react to the climate change crisis. Their land is burning, yet the government is not doing enough to protect it. There are some commentators claiming that the January wildfires are just part of Australia’s typical, natural ecological pattern, but this is not the case. While

it is true that Australia does usually face wildfires during their dry, summer months, it is not to the degree we are seeing this year. There are several reasons for this, many of which can be linked to the climate crisis.

First, fires that Australia has faced in the past have not been nearly as intense as this year’s fires. About 10 million hectares have burned, a plot of land approximately as large as England. Second, the fires have spread much more quickly and have been sustained longer because of the drought that eastern Australia endured from Jan. to Aug. 2019. Some areas faced the least amount of rainfall they have ever experienced. Temperature and wind speeds increased during this time. Low moisture in the soil made it an ideal site for fire to spread and sustain.

Climate change has many outcomes, but in Australia, these manifest mainly through warmer temperatures, decreased rainfall and an

increase in heatwaves. All of these effects are the result of increased greenhouse gases and human activity that releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Since these bushfires have links with climate change, and it is the duty of a government to mitigate this issue, it is imperative that the Australian government react more forcefully than it has.

How has the government reacted to destruction of its people and ecosystem? During the fires, while people were killed and displaced from their homes, Prime Minister Scott Morrison took himself and his family on a vacation to Hawaii. New South Wales Emergency Services Minister David Elliott also went on a vacation, to Europe, during this time. The Australian people deserve leaders that defend their people and their ecosystem when they need it most, instead of leaders who abandon them in exchange for leisure. Both men have since apologized, but the actions of

these two politicians are just a reflection of the government’s consistent, delayed and insufficient action regarding the climate crisis.

Australia’s history of ignoring climate change issues began in 2001 when the cabinet under John Howard chose to withdraw from the Kyoto Protocol, an international treaty that fights to limit greenhouse gas emissions. Since then, they have not made much progress. Just two years ago, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull scrapped emission reduction goals set in accordance with the Paris Climate Agreement. As a result, their coal industry continues to thrive, releasing more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Additionally the Australian Financial Review claimed that the government has been sitting on a climate change action plan for a year and a half prior to these destructive bushfires. Perhaps if Australia’s government put more care toward lessening its environmental impact, people and animals may face less devastation.

Of course, Australia is not the only country that faces the climate crisis, but they must contribute to a global action against climate change in order to prevent fires like these from intensifying further. Many countries do not act sustainably for economic reasons, but this is illogical since climate change is linked with many natural disasters that weaken economic growth tremendously. In Australia, the economic impact of this year’s bushfires will exceed $4.4 billion, which is a huge blow to Australia’s tourism sector. No longer can we ig-

nore climate change in the name of economics: the crisis has punctured the idea of endless economic growth.

Allocating funds properly to manage the fires is difficult due to the government’s reaction. The government is setting aside funds for wildlife protection fund. While this is a positive reaction, it may be more useful to turn to Aboriginal people for help because they have dealt with bushfires for thousands of years. These bushfires are much fiercer than the past, but incorporating Aboriginal methods of fire-fighting, such as mosaic cool-fire burning, could prevent some of the devastation. This method, paired with a plan to fight climate change, could reduce devastation from both a preventative and a reactionary standpoint.

What will finally get world leaders to care about the climate crisis? It is unclear to me. Perhaps people need to continue speaking out creatively to display the tragedies of these fires. For now, people have been photographing kangaroos and koalas suffering from the fires. Writers are crying out for change using poems and educational articles. Activists are using their voices, participating in events like the Jan. 10 march that protested the lack of response to these fires. Yet, the leaders still don’t want to listen.

Hopefully they’ll begin to pay attention before it’s too late.

Jillian Kenny, FCRH ’21, is an international studies and environmental studies major from Bridgewater, N.J.

Impeachment Conflict Threatens Democracy

By NOAH OSBORNE STAFF WRITER

While the United Kingdom undergoes a shocking turn of events with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s departure from the royal family, America is currently dangling precariously over the abyss because of its own royal rumble: impeachment of a president. Only the third president to be impeached in U.S. history, President Donald J. Trump finds his presidency at risk. The House, led by speaker Nancy Pelosi, has impeached President Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of congress.

However, before either political party can declare a state of ecstasy or anger, impeachment does not necessarily spell the exile of a President; it’s more of an accusation. Nonetheless, impeachment is like gum on one’s shoe: no matter what you do, you’re not getting rid of it.

Many Americans today do not understand the full gravity of the somber situation the country is in. The warlike party lines of the Democrats and Republicans show no signs of healing, and further scarring may be ahead.

Some would define Pelosi’s impeachment endeavors as a presumptuous attempt designed to favor the Democratic party and eviscerate any prospect of another Republican victory in 2020.

Yet there is ample evidence corroborating that President Trump abused his power by establishing a quid pro quo with Ukraine in exchange for sensitive information on the Biden camp.

With regard to scrupulousness, Pelosi said she believes that it was her duty to summon for articles of impeachment. She said she believed she was defending the very fabric of the American constitution from election interference.

However, I do not believe it was shrewd of Pelosi to play the role of the American messiah, especially so close to the 2020 election, where the number of democratic contenders has increased with the progression of time.

Because of the impeachment inquiry, 2020 will be a crucial year

for American politics—it will be a warzone between Democrats and Republicans.

If the Senate has its way, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell stays true to his intent on keeping proceedings short, Donald Trump will not be convicted. He will be exonerated in the eyes of Republicans and a substantial amount of American voters, meaning Republicans may win this laborious game of chess while Democrats suffer another scathing defeat.

If not convicted, Trump will enlarge his repertoire of Democrat bashing by boasting his “exoneration.” In doing so, he would be given the right to say that he was irrefutably correct. Pelosi’s impeachment inquiry was noth-

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Senators are sworn in as impeachment trials begin in Washington D.C.

ing more than a “sham” designed to divide the country rather than tend to the needs of Americans who are suffering because of Democrats’ lackluster approach to public policy. This would serve as the guillotine responsible for the execution of not only the reputation of the Democratic party heading into the 2020 election, but it would also play into the hands of Trump and virtually certify him another term.

What I have described may sound like a dystopia to some Americans or a utopia to others.

However, there is no way to tell which way the political pendulum will swing with regard to Trump’s impeachment, as everything is contingent on the outcome.

America may even witness a 2020 paradigm shift with not only the impeachment of Trump, but the total and complete ousting of President Trump altogether.

One thing is assured: The United States of America will never be the same because of such a deep political wound. The precedent of our elections will never be what it once was as a result of this impeachment inquiry, regardless of who “wins.” No matter who wins, America will still lose.

The principles on which such an aesthetic-obsessed country was founded upon will be disregarded over what seems more like a political “turf war” than a united front meant to protect to the interests of American citizens.

As this relates to the prospect of President Trump’s reelection in 2020, with the reality of a predominantly Republican Senate, I believe that Trump’s reelection chances will not be compromised, but bolstered as Republicans seem lax in terms of Trump’s conviction. Trump will likely use it as somewhat of a political steroid to provide him with the momentum he needs in order to secure a victory in 2020.

Whether you’re a Democrat or a Republican, we should all be able to arrive at a consensus that we want our elections the way they were initially envisioned to be: in the hands of the American populace. An impeachment proceeding should not get to pick the next president, and neither should Russia. American citizens are the cogs that move the political machine concerning elections, and it is dejecting to see that we, as an American society, have been deprived of an inalienable right that our founding fathers established for us.

United we stand, divided we fall. As the country becomes more divided, I can feel the legs of our democracy weaken. The only crutch to keep us standing is the hope for freedom in elections, now and forever into the future.

Noah Osborne, FCRH ’23, is a journalism major from Harlem, N.Y.

OPINION

January 22, 2020

Page 11

Debate Debacle Erodes Trust in Media

By KYLE CHIN

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

On Jan. 14, six candidates took the stage in Des Moines, Iowa in what may be seen by many as the worst 2020 Democratic primary debate thus far. For many of the candidates, the night was neither terrifically good nor bad. However, looming over all proceedings was the conflict between Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders over whether or not the latter had that said a woman could not win the presidency.

For many, it is hard to believe that someone someone who is accepted by most as among the most progressive politicians in the country could say such a callously sexist thing in private then proceed to lie about it.

As Sanders referenced in the debate, videos from the late 1980’s have surfaced which depict him opposed to sexism in politics. In everything from meeting with children to C-Span interviews, Sanders repeatedly stated a woman could be elected president.

Moreover, the Senator even suggested Warren specifically run for this highest office as early as 2013.

Most likely, Sanders may have noted in their conversation that sexism still exists in America, a sentiment echoed in his recent interview with NHPR, and that President Donald Trump will readily stoop to sexist attacks if his opponent is a woman in November. Though this argument is debatable, it is hardly as scandalous as the charge against Sanders.

Being generous to both candidates, one can easily be speculated that something like this was expressed during the meeting in question. Perhaps, Warren interpreted the comments more negatively than had been intended and passed on an exaggerated version of Sanders’ statement. Seeing that Warren had settled into third place nationally at a crucial time in the campaign, perhaps these staffers decided to publicize the story on the eve of the final pre-Iowa debate. They might have done this without Warren’s knowl-

COURTESY OF FLICKR

The most recent Democratic Primary debate highlighted the conflict between U.S. Senators Warren and Sanders.

edge, but it seems her camp has stuck to this tactic in a bid to regain traction.

New polling suggests the public agrees that Warren has been calculated and disingenuous in this saga, with the Real Clear Politics aggregate showing a bump for Sanders and a dip for Warren since the debate. Though this has shaken my own trust in Warren, she remains strong on the policies, and is second in my mind only to Sanders himself.

But while this incident may have dealt a blow to Warren’s credibility, it has above all revealed a troubling lapse in the integrity of CNN and the broader media.

In their handling of this spat, CNN has acted more as a tabloid than a reputable news organization. It is plainly obvious that CNN pushed the story heavily in the lead up to the debate to build interest and bring negative attention to Sanders. Undoubtedly, their moderators asked questions in a way which might illicit drama between Sanders

and Warren.

CNN’s bias was particularly clear in its framing of debate questions, beyond just the sexism allegation.

Sanders’ foreign policy was likened with that of Iran’s Ayatollah Khamenei. Later, it was suggested that Sanders’ programs might “bankrupt the country.” On the USMCA trade deal, Senator Warren was not asked why she supported it, but rather why Sanders specifically was wrong to oppose it, in a bold-faced ploy to sow further discord between the two.

As for the original accusation, Sanders was asked if he had ever said a woman could not win the presidency. He categorically stated that he did not. Moderator Abby Phillip immediately turned to Warren, not to ask her whether or not Sanders had made the comment, but instead to ask her what her reaction was when he said it, at which the audience rightly laughed.

Bias was also plain to see in the debate’s immediate aftermath. During CNN’s post-debate panel, com-

mentator Jess McIntosh argued that Sanders’ denial was insufficient because the situation was “not a ‘he-said-she-said’” and had been officially “reported out.” This remark was tepidly corrected by Anderson Cooper, who pointed out that it was in fact the epitome of a ‘he-said-shesaid,’ as all four sources cited in their report ultimately lead back to Warren alone. Two days after the Iowa debate, CNN’s Chris Cillizza wrote an article titled “Why we shouldn’t stop talking about the SandersWarren fight.” Cillizza claims he is earnestly seeking the truth of the matter, but the appearance of trying to draw out the controversy further is hard to shake.

These shenanigans are not reserved to CNN alone, though as the moderators of the debate they had the most to benefit from stirring controversy. Indeed, a number of outlets including The New York Times and The Washington Post have described the conflict as one over whether a woman can be presi-

dent. On its face this seems an innocuous description, but it implies that someone is arguing against a female president, when in fact all parties involved claim to believe a woman can hold that office.

Perhaps the most singularly egregious example of media bias following the debate came from MSNBC, where body language expert Janine Driver appeared on Joy-Ann Reid’s show to analyze the unfriendly exchange between Warren and Sanders at the end of the debate. Driver declared Sanders a liar based on his slouched shoulders and his “cold shoulder” toward Warren, despite the fact that Sanders has notably poor posture and offered Warren a handshake. Giving a platform to someone whose arguments seemed to fall flat and presenting them as an arbiter of the truth is journalistic malpractice.

All this being said, none of these organizations are a monolith. On MSNBC’s Morning Joe, the general consensus seemed to be that the accusation against Sanders was unbelievable. Even on CNN, host Erin Burnett asserted that the story was a plant by Warren or her staff.

While these are some refreshing exceptions, much of the coverage on the Sanders-Warren fight has been disappointing.

More than anything, this debate and the media circus surrounding it should be a reminder that media cannot and should not put issues, substance and policy to the wayside while promoting drama for the sake of views. Nor should they expect their audience to accept their claims of objectivity when engaging in reporting which is cobtusely uncharitable towards certain candidates. If CNN and other outlets want to peddle in biased narratives and scandalize viewers in the hopes they come back for more, then they do a disservice to their profession, to voters and to discourse in this country.

Kyle Chin, FCRH ’21, is a political science major from Malverne, New York.

Disagree with our takes?

Write in to us at fordhamramopinions@gmail.com!

Page 12

Meet The Staff Editor-In-Chief

Helen Stevenson is a junior at Fordham at College Rose Hill double majoring in political science and women, gender and sexuality studies and minoring in film and television. She loves watching movies and eating Chinese takeout. She can balance almost anything on top of her head, and she is really good at bowling. Mostly though, Helen loves the news. She was features editor for Volume 100, news editor for Volume 101 and joins the Ram this year for Volume 102 as editor-in-chief. She hopes this volume will be the best one yet.

Editorial Director AND OPINION EDITOR

Kelly Christ is a junior at Fordham College at Rose Hill double majoring in English and psychology. She is from Long Island, where she enjoys spending her time exploring bookstores and watching trashy reality television with her one-eyed dog named Jimmy. In her freshman year, she attended Boston College, but decided to transfer because there were just too many Red Sox fans. She first began her journey at The Fordham Ram in the fall of 2018 as a staff writer for the opinion section. For Volume 101, Kelly wrote a mental health column for the culture section. In Volume 102, she will take on dual roles as the editorial director and an opinion editor. She is ecstatic to begin this volume with an amazing staff by her side.

business director

James Rosato is a junior in the Gabelli School of Business majoring in finance and minoring in business administration. His involvement with The Fordham Ram began during the first semester of his junior year, as he worked closely with the business team, specifically the finance team. During his free time, James enjoys spending time with his family and friends, watching and participating in different sports and promoting awareness and research of childhood cancer through fundraisers and other charitable events. He is looking forward to starting his new role as the business director of The Fordham Ram, and can’t wait to enjoy the progress and success of Volume 102!

PRODUCTION EDITOR

Vanessa DeJesus is a junior at Fordham College at Rose Hill majoring in English and minoring in medieval studies. She started copy editing for The Fordham Ram as a freshman and coming off of an amazing volume as copy chief, she is excited to move into Volume 102 as the Ram’s production editor. As a native Jersey girl, the pork roll vs taylor ham debate is the hill she deems most worthy of dying on. A reformed “caf cretin,” and a budding home chef, she now just sticks to whatever she can manage out of Cherry Valley ingredients.

On a lazy afternoon you can find her knitting, listening to true crime podcasts and dreaming of the day that we get the sequel to “Avatar ” (the blue people, not Caillou in a bathrobe).

COPY CHIEF

Erica Weidner is a sophomore at Fordham College at Rose Hill majoring in English and thinking about minoring in everything else. You can usually find her in window sills; yes, she is one of those people who sits in the O’Hare Hall walkway and watches you walk to Urban. She has a problem with collecting colorful pens, and she uses up her earbuds’ eight hours of battery life every day. As one of the copy chiefs for Volume 102, Erica looks forward to getting passionate about more excuses to have colorful pens, curly apostrophes and the lack of an Oxford comma in this sentence.

January 22, 2020 Managing Editor

Andrew Posadas is a junior who calls Fordham College at Rose Hill home base, but because he commutes, he takes a majority of his classes at Lincoln Center to avoid Metro-North ticket prices. His journey with The Fordham Ram began as a staff writer for Volume 100 and continued when he became one of the assistant sports editors for Volume 101. Now, Andrew embarks on a new challenge by taking on the role of managing editor for Volume 102. You can also listen to Andrew talk incessantly about all things sports-related through WFUV Sports on 90.7 FM. A double major in english and journalism, he often unwinds by meditating and binge-watching episodes of “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.” Confidence is key and Andrew is confident that Volume 102 will be epic.

MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR

Kristen Egan is a junior at Fordham College at Rose Hill majoring in digital technologies and emerging media and minoring in marketing.

Kristen is from the great state of New Jersey, but would prefer if you don’t hold it against her. She is excited to be back in the basement of McGinley in the Ram office after her semester in London and is ready to take on her new role as multimedia director after back-to-back volumes of being digital producer. Kristen is a fan of late-night talk shows, art she doesn’t understand and turning her love for social media into something professional-ish. If you don’t believe that the third time’s the charm, well, here’s your proof.

OPERATIONS AND MARKETING DIRECTOR

Robert (Max) Quintas is a junior in the Gabelli School of Business majoring in marketing with a concentration in strategic branding. His time with the Ram came to start last year when he worked heavily with the marketing team to promote the newspaper to students and launched a recruitment campaign. In his free time, Max enjoys hanging with friends, finding new places to eat in the city, working out, listening to music and fine-tuning his wardrobe. He looks forward to seeing a lot of progress made this coming volume.

COPY CHIEF

Emma Butler is a junior at Fordham College at Rose Hill majoring in political science and minoring in English and Spanish. She lives in the great state of Pennsylvania, which of course means that she never shuts up about Philly (go birds!). She began working at The Fordham Ram during Volume 101 as a copy editor, and after a semester in London she is so excited to come back and get to work as a copy chief for Volume 102. In her free time, she enjoys buying way too many red lipsticks and rewatching John Mulaney’s Netflix specials until she can quote them word for word. Emma is looking forward to her first year on the Ram’s editorial staff and can’t wait to get started on a fantastic new volume!

news editor

Sarah Huffman is a junior at Fordham College at Rose Hill and is (most likely) double majoring in journalism and communications and culture. She began this crazy journey with the Ram two years ago as the USG columnist and spent the last year as an assistant news editor. Sarah spends a lot of time being stressed, so she thought it would be appropriate to apply for news editor of Volume 102. She is honored to fill the position’s big shoes. When she isn’t passionately informing people about the news, Sarah can be found in Collins Hall building sets for Fordham’s various theater groups. She has found that a high energy set build and a cup of mint tea can calm any frustration, even ones caused by InDesign.

The true loves of Sarah’s life are Central Jersey and freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. She is excited to share both of these passions with her new ramily, the staff of Volume 102.

PROJECTS editor

Joergen Ostensen is a junior majoring in journalism with a minor in creative writing. He started writing for the Ram at the beginning of his freshman year and was assistant news editor for Volume 100.

He is excited to return to staff for this volume, hoping to continue producing conscientious reporting in the interest of social justice. He grew up in rural Maine and spent the spring semester of 2019 studying abroad in Pretoria, South Africa. He loves revolutionary music, particularly Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley and Nahko Bear.

You will find him looking for, in the words of Allen Ginsberg, the “heaven which exists and is everywhere about us.” He believes deeply that we have a responsibility to create a better world by any means possible.

ASST. NEWS EDITOR

Hasna Ceran is a freshman at Fordham College at Rose Hill majoring in economics. She began working on The Fordham Ram by copy editing and writing the USG column for Volume 101, and is excited to move into a new decade as assistant news editor for Volume 102. Hasna currently lives in northern California, and her likes include brevity, succinctness, concision and her thesaurus.

Volume 102

January 22, 2020

culture editor

Kieran Press-Reynolds is a junior at Rose Hill majoring in English and DTEM and minoring in film and television. He enjoys making short films, watching ASMR videos and exploring. You will likely find him trying to do something overly ambitious, like applying for the TV show “Survivor” or trying to down a gallon of milk then vomiting.

He will return as one of the culture editors this volume.

sports editor

Jimmy Sullivan isn’t here on business; he’s only here for fun. Jimmy is a junior who has somehow gone the last 44 issues without destroying the Ram’s sports section. He first joined the staff as an assistant sports editor in Volume 100 and became sports editor for Volume 101. He’s just happy to be allowed back for one last volume. In his free time, you’ll find him working at WFUV and screaming wrong answers during “Jeopardy!” He also loses a lot of things and is majoring in journalism. Those things are not related.

Asst. sports editor

Alexander Wolz is a freshman tentatively majoring in communication and culture. He loves to comment on some of his favorite sports stories or put his passion for Star Wars into print. He photographs many of the sports on-campus from soccer to water polo (don’t worry — Star Wars has a visual say on Instagram) or can be found perched on the baseline to film some highlights for WFUV Sports.

He also joined the copy editing crew for the late-night shift on Tuesday nights for Volume 101. Clearly, he loved it so much he wanted to become assistant sports editor.

VISUAL DIRECTOR

Hunter Benegas is a sophomore at Fordham College at Rose Hill and is on the pre-med track. Hunter is from the wonderful state of Maryland, yes, the home of the “stunning” Baltimore City. At Fordham he is the visual director for the Ram and is a part of FUEMS as well. When he isn’t at his clubs or hysterically panic studying chemistry at 2 a.m. he enjoys: photography, music, reading, skateboarding and working out. Hunter is looking forward to his second issue with the Ram and can’t wait to see the wonderful work they will create.

GRAPHICS/ILLUSTRATIONS

Pia Fischetti is a freshman at Fordham College Rose Hill and is looking to major in new media and digital design and minor in film and television. Her hobbies include photography and drawing. She also likes watching sitcoms and late-night talk shows. Pia is excited to be a part of The Fordham Ram’s editorial staff and cannot wait to contribute her creativity to the team!

FINANCE DIRECTOR

Annie O’Meara is a senior in the Gabelli School of Business, majoring in business administration with concentrations in finance and marketing. She is new to The Fordham Ram and is excited to learn more about the publication and contribute her ideas! She was born in Seattle, Washington and moved to the East Coast when she was 10 years old and has stayed ever since. In her free time she loves being around her family and friends, working out, listening to music and looking at dogs on Instagram. She is excited to be a part of The Fordham Ram and cannot wait to see the success of this volume!

Page 13 culture editor

Rachel Gow is a sophomore majoring in journalism and with (lots of) help from Google Translate hopefully minoring in Spanish. She lives in Worcester, Massachusetts and convinces herself every winter that she likes the snow and cold. She is returning as a culture editor for her second volume and can’t wait to spend another year in McGinley basement eating pizza and trying to get to bed before 3 a.m. When she isn’t writing or editing articles she can be found thrifting too many clothes, watching Tasty videos and planning trips to Europe she can’t afford.

Asst. sports editor

Dylan Balsamo is a sophomore at FCRH who is originally from the farming area on the distant planet of Tatooine. You may recognize the name of this planet because it was also the childhood home of one Luke Skywalker. Dylan was his next door neighbor. The two of them used to play with toy spaceships together. Dylan pretends not to be resentful that Luke got to live out their childhood dreams of flying and fighting spaceships while he had to stay back home and settle for looking after the Tatooinian vegetation. Dylan traveled all the way to this galaxy to come to Fordham so he could forget about that part of his life, so please don’t ask him about it. Anyway, he’s a communications and music major.

OPINION EDITOR

Emma Lipkind is a freshman hoping to major in international political economy. She spends too much time with her friends, but balances that time with buying obscene amounts of clothes or doing anything art or music related. She spent last summer obsessively listening to the NPR Politics podcast and now dreams of working as one of their reporters. For the new year, Emma hopes to perfect her headstand in yoga and spend less time watching TikToks on Instagram. She can’t wait to start as the new Opinion Editor for the Ram!

DIGITAL producer

Katherine Morris is a sophomore at FCRH double majoring in digital technologies and emerging media and mathematics-economics. When not baking brownies with her roommates, she can be found undermining patriarchal systems of hegemonic control and being a ginger. Skills include, but are not limited to: sitting on benches, spontaneously quoting TikToks, drinking tea and curating Spotify playlists. Returning to her role as digital producer, she vows to continue to bring her enthusiasm for the Oxford comma in Volume 102.

photo editor

Jennifer Hoang is a sophomore majoring in film and television, although she hasn’t officially declared yet. And no, it’s not because she’s going to change her mind; she just keeps forgetting to email her dean.

Like most people, she hates spoilers, but unlike most people, she is impatient so she ends up reading spoilers anyway. You might have seen her at most Fordham events trying to get photos for the Ram, and she is absolutely thrilled to start working on Volume 102 as photo editor.

asst. business director

Nathaniel Metviner is a junior at the Gabelli School of Business studying applied accounting and finance. Despite his eloquent and professional birth name, his friends call him Nate while his close friends call him Nate Dogg. Nate hails from the beautiful and remote Weston, Connecticut with four brothers and two small furry dog-like sisters named Ruby and Sapphie (short for Sapphire). Nate initially joined the staff as the finance director, and loved working with the team.

Despite his deep passion for accounting, in his free time, Nate loves watching sports, playing guitar and being an active member on Fordham’s own men’s club lacrosse team. This semester, you can find Nate working hard making sure the business operations of The Fordham Ram are up to snuff as the assistant business director.

CULTURE

Page 14

January 22, 2020

Letting the Sun Talk: An Interview with Mavi

By SAM HADELMAN STAFF WRITER

Mavi makes the type of music you have to read to comprehend, and he doesn’t intend on changing that.

The 20-year-old Charlotte native simultaneously runs the underground rap scene and balances his academic career as a biology major at Howard University. His debut record “Let The Sun Talk,” which dropped in October, was met with universal praise and was a necessary inclusion for any “best of 2019” lists.

His music plays like a slow-burning confessional, with help from some of underground hip-hop’s most renowned producers, like ovrkast. and Earl Sweatshirt. His songs are immune to passive listening, with full consciousness and a ready thesaurus necessary for any dive into his discography.

The sold-out show at Baby’s All Right was packed tight with not only eager fans, but some of the best talent this pocket of hip-hop has to offer. Accompanied by fellow underground artists Medhane, Maxo, Slauson Malone, Kahlil Blue and MIKE, Mavi performed a supreme showing for his first show in New York City. His dedicated fanbase came out in full force, rapping almost every line of his complex musical offerings. The most touching moment of the event was when

Mavi invited his family onto the stage for a full immersion into the community his music has created. After the show, Mavi sat down with The Fordham Ram to talk about reincarnation, his family and Lil Keed.

Q: When I read your interviews or hear your lyrics, I think you almost have this timeless essence, like you are eternal. Are you?

A: No, I gotta die. Like all things.

Q: The other day when we talked, you said it felt like you have died and come back a bunch. What does that experience entail?

A: It mean you become a different person by going back to who you was.

Q: You have corralled a cult following on the internet, somehow without gimmicky marketing ploys or social media manipulation. Is that something you are conscious of, or is it just purely organic?

A: I’m a cult leader.

Q: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

A: Making the people who I care about happier.

Q: When I listen to your music, sometimes I am marveled that music was the medium you chose to express yourself. Why do you think that was the best way to compose your ideas?

A: Because it’s a medium that no one can disqualify me from, in specifically hip-hop, that no one has greater ownership of than me.

Q: Your confidence on the mic is

extremely developed for someone your age. Where do you think that comes from? Do you think that’s learned or that you’re born with it?

A: Definitely learned. But it was learned from birth, so ...

Q: So it’s kind of both?

A: Yeah.

Q: Your songs are so multi-faceted and eclectic that the ideals behind them might be up to interpretation.

Do you care about how they are interpreted by your audience?

A: Only by black people.

Q: You’re gearing up for your follow-up to “Let The Sun Talk,” even though in your pocket of hip-hop, we usually see artists take time between projects. Yet your work flow and release style is more of a DatPiff style (DatPiff is a free mixtape sharing website popularized in the early 2010s).

A: Yeah, I’m a mixtape rapper in my heart, bro. I wanna drop like Gucci Mane and just so I can have the music and the discography underneath me, so I can make the decisions I want and chill when I want to later.

Q: You say you listen to Future and Lil Keed because “they do what I can’t,” so what is it about their music specifically that you feel like you can’t do?

A: Future paints really, really, really vivid pictures of situations that will put you back into an emotional real life, even though he’s not talk-

ing about it at all. And Keed, he’s like glued to a kick drum when it’s time. His timing is impeccable.

Q: What’s the most strenuous part of being a student and an artist simultaneously? Blackboard?

(The student-teacher tracking website used by most universities.)

A: Nah, having to code-switch.

Q: You’ve been completely independent up until this point, but recently you have been touring around labels while in New York.

What are your thoughts on signing, and what sort of deal, nonspecifically, would satisfy you?

A: One that could help me

change all my family life and that could allow me to make the best album I want to make.

Q: Can you speak specifically about “Love, Of Money” and the concept of how it relates to the “black tax”?

A: It’s about the black tax because “my wallet in my rib cage, I love love enough for comfort knowing money go with it.”

Like, love go with money, when money is spread unequally and love ain’t. It’s a deficit, but whatever.

Q: Who are you greatest influencers?

A: My momma and my sister.

SAM HADELMAN FOR THE FORDHAM RAM

Mavi recently released his debut LP "Let The Sun Talk" to critical acclaim.

Neil Peart: A Transcendent Icon of Rock n’ Roll

By ALEXANDRA LANGE STAFF WRITER

Neil Peart was more than just a drummer. A brilliant lyricist, champion of individualism, sci-fi fanatic, history buff, fierce libertarian and more, Peart was not your traditional member of a rock band. However, his uniqueness is exactly the reason why his death has devastated fans worldwide.

Dying from brain cancer at age 67 after a private three and a half year battle with the illness, Peart’s death came as a surprise to many. After losing great rock legends David Bowie and Tom Petty in recent years, the pain of Peart’s death is especially

strong, as it signals the end of the rock ‘n’ roll era. While it may be cliché to call these rock icons “gods,” there was something transcendent about their musical abilities. Neil Peart defied human limitation with his lyrical genius and command of the drums. From his metronomic accuracy to the intricacy and speed of his drum fills, his ability to make the complex seem effortless inspired a generation of young listeners to dream of themselves sitting in his position behind the drum kit.

Pert's impact was evident the moment he joined the struggling band Rush in 1974. Alongside singer Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson, he pioneered a new brand of hard rock. During a time in which most pop songs

COURTESY OF TWITTER

Acclaimed drummer of Rush, Neil Peart, recently passed away from brain cancer.

were about love, most heavy metal songs were about sex and most country songs were about heartbreak, Peart pushed the limits of songwriting. He addressed deeply philosophical matters and issues plaguing the country.

He wrote about suburban alienation on “Subdivisions,” metaphorical struggles for equality between oak and maple trees on “The Trees” and even a futuristic dystopia where fast cars are banned by “the motor law” on “Red Barchetta.”

Aptly nicknamed “The Professor,” Neil Peart’s ability to set deeply political, futuristic, interpersonal and scientific themes to music made him the antithesis of the typical “rock star.”

In contrast to the indulgence of many rock greats, Peart was extremely disciplined and devoted to excellence.

Whereas some stars would party after a show, Peart was more likely to be found engrossed in a book. He especially loved science fiction and Greek mythology, which inspired everything from Rush’s most famous early work to their final studio album.

Instead of conforming to the music industry’s commercial standards, Rush embraced their idiosyncrasies.

Even in times of struggle, its members refused to be anything but themselves.

A few years after Peart joined the band, Rush was still struggling to develop a strong fanbase and succeed commercially. However, despite the lack of enthusiasm over its work, the band released one of the most ambitious albums of all time, “2112.”

Opening with a title track that is over 20 minutes long and takes up the entire first side of the LP, Rush made it clear it was not concerned with achieving the traditional idea of fame. Peart’s

futuristic lyrics about an interplanetary federation on the title track may have confused listeners on a narrative level but resonated on a more spiritual level. These lyrics not only transfixed fans but also helped them discover themselves and find marvel in their existence.

Those coming of age who listened to the mastery of Peart’s lyrics found solace in the fact that others experienced the same anxiety over growing up and were inspired to champion their individualism instead of conforming to social norms.

While songs about futuristic governments outlawing individualism and creativity, Peart made a point about the beauty of individual will and artistic integrity.

Whether it be a fictional government placing limits on individuals, the music industry attempting to peg Rush as mainstream rock or society pressuring youth to conform to its standards, Peart’s lyrical genius spoke to listeners in a way that traditional rock failed to do. Thanks to Peart’s masterful lyrics, Rush’s music transcended the definition of music and took on an entirely different meaning.

On top of the beauty of Peart’s lyrics, his skills on the drums truly set him apart from other rock stars.

He used the same “nerdiness” to write drum patterns as he did to write his lyrics, obsessing over intricacies and constantly striving for perfection. Whereas some drummers improvise their playing and rely on feeling, Peart took a different approach. His goal was to make his drum pattern perfect ahead of

time and execute prewritten, unchanging parts. More like a classical percussionist than a rock star, his “rock” was born out of concentration and accuracy instead of abandon and spontaneity.

It was the combination of Peart’s brilliant lyricism and expert drumming that truly set him apart from any other musician.

Because he wrote much of Rush’s lyrics, he knew exactly how to craft his drumming around lead singer Geddy Lee’s vocals. He was able to balance his signature ridecymbal rhythm, which oftentimes was busy and over-the-top with restraint and uncluttered groove, allowing Lee’s voice to shine and letting the lyrics fully resonate.

Peart spoke about the power of being both a writer and drummer in an interview with Modern Drummer in 2011, stating, “I love the fact that not only are the lyrics written, but because I wrote them I know them. I know where I can punch up vocal rhythms and accents, for example. It’s really lovely to be able to do that. I think a lot of drummers are forced to play simpler than they’d like to, just not to take a chance on being in the way.”

Many would say that rock music is about losing control, rebellion and chaos. but that was not Neil Peart’s way. He found release in organization and order, crafting elaborate rhythms that complemented the emotional journey of the songs he wrote. In his life and music, Neil Peart truly was his own kind of dummer, marching to the complex beat of his own drum.

CULTURE

January 22, 2020

Page 15

What Will the New Decade Bring Us?

Three Predictions About the 2020s

Memes Will Save Us All

By TAYLOR MASCETTA CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The 2010s proved to be a wild ride, and we have finally reached the new Roaring ’20s. The new decade may have only started three weeks ago, but it has already made its mark: the country may go to war, Australia is currently on fire, President Trump faces potential impeachment and the battle for the 2020 presidency grows uglier as time goes on.

These events, with their tragic implications, led to widespread fear of the unknown future. Nevertheless, they all eventually got riddled with memes, jokes and surprisingly positive attitudes stemming from the newest generations. Teens across TikTok plan to assemble an army of Naruto runners and LEGO Star Wars characters to do the “Renegade” dance across enemy lines. A viral tweet about a girl selling promiscuous photos for donations to Australian bushfires spreads more awareness to this current tragedy.

Overall, more and more people, teenagers especially, are taking troubling events and putting a positive spin on them. Global conflict still remains a serious issue, and everyone knows that. However, teenagers aren’t allowing its looming presence to bother them. They still want to enjoy their lives, and humor is a great way to cope with these sudden

changes.

However, they use their jokes to bring awareness to making change.

This new outlook serves as a prediction for the attitude of humanity in the 2020s: humor and positivity, often spread by social media, will protect our lives from the negative influences creeping across the planet.

Invention of the "Z Phone"

By GRACE ROBINSON CONTRIBUTING WRITER

There is a chance some of you will remember the episode of “Hannah Montana” where Hannah lusts over the “Z Phone,” a phone that offers a

holographic screen for reminders and videos.

The Z Phone may be a fictional device, but is it foreshadowing the next big thing? Despite this episode appearing over 13 years ago, I think the Z Phone has a good chance of becoming a reality in the next decade. While Apple contin-

ues to improve display features on the iPhone, there has yet to be a 3D element that would bring life to the phone’s functions, including video watching, gameplay and FaceTime calls. Although Apple has experimented with holographic screens, I predict in this decade they will be perfected so that every image will appear in an illuminated design that seems to defy space and time. This will completely change our relationship with technology. It will lead us to wonder how this advanced media may potentially lead us to an even deeper relationship with our phones, one that shelters us even more from communicating outside of our devices.

End of Phone Dongles

By ERICA WEIDNER COPY CHIEF

PIA FISCHETTI/THE FORDHAM RAM

Three writers make bold predictions about what innovations will sweep the world in the new decade.

The 2010s trend of headphone jacks disappearing will only escalate in the new decade. In the 2020s, phones will become smooth pieces of glass free of any buttons or ports.

The change will take some time to get used to, but it’s a natural step in technology’s evolution. Get ready for an era of Bluetooth accessories and wireless charging. No more pesky dongles. It will either be a blessing or a curse: you will no longer need your box of tangled cables and cords, but your wallet will take a hit when you inevitably buy wireless replacements for all your devices.

Eminem Kills on “Music to Be Murdered By”

By NOAH OSBORNE STAFF WRITER

It was a relatively quiet Friday morning on Jan. 17, 2020, until I received a notification from YouTube informing me of a new music video from Eminem. Befuddled, I stopped what I was doing and clicked on the video to see that, lo and behold, it wasn’t just a new song: it was an entirely new album.

Without warning, Eminem struck with his eleventh LP, “Music To Be Murdered By,” inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s 1958 album of the same name.

The 20-track LP is one of Eminem’s most lyrically diverse of his other record-shattering albums, with collaborations ranging from Young M.A., Royce da 5’9”, Ed Sheeran, Skylar Grey and even the late Juice WRLD. Upon listening to the opening track, aptly titled “Premonition,” it becomes apparent that listeners are in for something profound.

However, listeners are treated to something better: unpredictability.

The one thing that became certain after listening to the intro track was that this would be Slim Shady’s magnum opus for the new decade.

The album is jam-packed with heavy hitting songs like “Premonition,” “You Gon’ Learn,” “Those Kind of Nights” and “Godzilla.” In each one of these intricately designed songs,

Eminem incorporates everything that made him a household name in the early 2000s: superb lyrics, impactful collaborations and ripping rhythms.

However, the new album is already subject to a substantial amount of controversy upon its release two days ago. On the track “Unaccommodating,” Eminem raps, “But I’m contemplating yelling ‘Bombs away’ on the game / like I’m outside of an Ariana Grande concert waiting,” refering to the deadly attack at an Ariana Grance concert in Manchester in 2017. This lyric instantaneously unleashed a firestorm on Eminem, with Grande fans and even the mayor of Manchester vehemently condemning the lyric as disrespectful.

“Darkness” is one of the most haunting songs Eminem has produced in recent memory. It samples Simon and Garfunkel’s “The Sound of Silence” both lyrically and melodically with a delicate piano tune and light beat. “Darkness” narrates the story of Las Vegas concert shooter Stephen Paddock. Eminem not only raps from the perspective of the shooter, but he does so in a manner that draws parallels between himself as a rapper afraid of being forgotten and Paddock.

“Darkness” further cements that Eminem’s storytelling is like fine wine: it gets better with age. Additionally, the song looks to make a statement regarding the lack of gun

control laws in America, with lines like, “Leaning out the window, going Keyser Soze / Finger on the trigger, but I’m a licensed owner / With no prior convictions, so the law says sky’s the limit.” Clearly, Eminem wanted to evoke a genuinely profound emotion in listeners, and he has surpassed this expectation with “Darkness.”

However, “Darkness” is far from the only high point on the album, as he unleashes a lyrical onslaught with “Godzilla,” featuring the late Juice WRLD. The track is bound to become an earworm with its catchy yet minimalist beat. Juice WRLD’s chorus bolsters the track with a modern hip-hop flair. Eminem proves that he’s not done breaking records either as he shatters “Rap God” with his new fastest verse, recorded on “Godzilla.”

Although the album sports more of a modern sound, there is still an ample amount of throwbacks to Slim Shady. Tracks like “Marsh” sound as if they were from Eminem’s earlier work, “The Slim Shady LP.” “Marsh” is cartoonish, humorous and delivered over a minimalist piano loop and a catchy beat, along with a great chorus.

These songs don’t even constitute half of the masterpieces on the album. “Music To Be Murdered By” is Eminem’s way of conveying to the world that he doesn’t need to keep up with the music scene. He’s evolv-

ing so much that it has to keep up with him. He backs this up with a diverse assortment of tracks, with intricately implemented rhymes and bumping beats. However, I

cannot truly say that Slim Shady is back. With the release of his triumphant new album, what’s unclear is whether Slim Shady was ever truly gone.

COURTESY OF FACEBOOK

Eminem impresses with his new surprise LP, "Music to Be Murdered By."

CULTURE

Page 16

January 22, 2020

Star Wars Hits a Dead End With “Rise of Skywalker”

By MATT DILLON STAFF WRITER

Disney’s time with Star Wars has been full of blunders, both artistically and financially. With “The Rise of Skywalker,” the supposed end of the Skywalker saga, the franchise hits a new low. I haven’t been happy with the previous two “sequel trilogy” films, to the point where I thought they could only improve. Unfortunatly, I was wrong.

Having killed and humiliated the old guard and failed to build up any of the new heroes, “Rise of Skywalker” resorts to resurrecting Emperor Palpatine. That’s not a spoiler, as it’s revealed in the confusing title crawl.

One might think there’d be a sense of building mystery and disbelief at the Emperor’s return from the grave. Instead, the characters, without showing a shred of disbelief, quickly accept his resurrection within the first 10 minutes. Even the film itself is not interested in how or why the Emperor inexplicably returned, as the most it offers is some throwaway exposition.

Arbitrarily resurrecting the main antagonist of George Lucas’ Star Wars films is not only a creatively bankrupt decision, but invalidates the old heroes’ achievements. It’s a desperate appeal for nostalgia, a decision clearly made with box office numbers in mind.

Even Disney’s paltry additions to the Star Wars canon are treated with equal disrespect.

“Rise of Skywalker” only manages to merge the past and present of Star Wars by mishandling both.

Force wielder Rey (Daisy Ridley) has an identity crisis over her heritage, a plotline that would be compelling if not for her lack of personality and incoherent motivations. This trilogy would have benefited from a protagonist that drives the story forward instead of aimlessly reacting to the world around her.

After a thorough disciplining in “The Last Jedi,” Resistance leader and ace pilot Poe (Oscar Isaac) largely fails in both roles and gets a pointless romance plotline to boot. Ex-storm trooper Finn (John Boyega) continues to be sidelined from the central narrative, despite his potential.

Quasi-villain Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) is still the closest to a substantial character and the only one to gain a meaningful arc.

The character’s success rests on Driver’s performance, as he humanizes a pathetic villain with an unsympathetic backstory. While his character still has some conceptual issues, Kylo Ren’s story at least has a real beginning, middle and end, which is more than you can say for this trilogy.

“Rise of Skywalker” is the rare movie that feels like it just wants to be over. The nonsensical opening in which the Millennium Falcon blindly “lightspeed skips” across the galaxy is an apt metaphor for the film as a whole.

If there’s anything of value along the way, it’s easily missed in the

rush of poor editing and questionable camerawork. Even the central premise directly contradicts what was established in previous films.

The dialogue of “Rise of Skywalker” consists almost entirely of snappy, quip filled exchanges, none of which are memorable.

The script rushes through plot point after plot point, barely leaving you enough time to figure out what you just saw, much less why you should care. The editing further compresses all this, in what ends up being a suffocating experience.

The film culminates in a barelycoherent climax which combines every imaginable Star Wars trope

and image to the point of unintentional parody. The villains’ threat and the heroes’ triumph feel equally unearned due to how little the film established and developed the story. To compensate for that lack of substance, everything happens at once in a conclusion that is as noisy as it is contrived.

“Rise of Skywalker” is more than just a bad Star Wars film. It embodies everything wrong with the modern science fiction genre.

Characterization, pacing, themes and anything that requires too much thought is sacrificed for the sake of fun. The film has no interest in following its own rules,

much less those established in previous installments.

The end result is a barely coherent series of set pieces that crash into each other at high speeds, interspersed with cameos and callbacks.

For all its faults, Star Wars used to examine contemporary politics and the human condition through the lens of starfighters, blasters and aliens. The fantastical elements were always a draw, but there was a dose of reality to back it all up. Never has Yoda’s exclamation “Wars not make one great!” felt truer, as “Rise of Skywalker” is built purely from spectacle and nostalgia.

COURTESY OF TWITTER

The latest Star Wars trilogy, which is now owned by Disney, ended with “The Rise of The Skywalker” on Dec. 20.

The Fordham Ram Crossword: Sweater Weather 1. Notoriously itchy sweater ma terial 5. Trust 10. Monopoly piece 14. The “A” in AD 15. Start 16. Frog’s pal 17. Nautical Hazard 18. Dick Grayson, before be coming Nightwing 19. Against 20. Reptile’s sweater 22. Non-cardinal direction 23. Bond, for one

24. That is, abbr.

25. Scottish tartan patterned sweater 29. Tex-___ Cuisine 30. Texas politician 32. Cartoon burger chef 33. Mr. Rogers’ trademark sweater 36. Musical drama 38. Pizzeria in “Do the Right Thing” 39. “Et __, Brute?”

40. Handheld Nintendo gaming device DS 42. A British noble woman 43. Classroom with mice

45. The sweater fabric of the wealthy 48. Swiss manufacturer of highquality industrial switches 49. Diving sea birds 51. Degree for a NASA worker 52. Less-luxurious sweater material 54. Goes with the FD and EMS 55. Govt. assistance program SSI 58. Mother MA 59. Artifically-made sweater ma terials 64. Carpe ____ 66. A shade of brown 67. Russian mountain range 68. Facial blemishes 69. Senior 70. River of southwestern Italy 71. Queens team 72. Implore 73. Make a sweater Down

ANSWERS TO VOLUME 101 ISSUE 22

1. Skin blemishes 2. Outdo 3. Cantankerous: Var. 4. Hit high 5. What might help you beat the heat?

6. Anonymous nickname on line 7. “Let __ __” 9. Do this to someone in the way 10. Hurt 11. Winnie the Pooh 12. Cereal grain

ANSWERS IN ISSUE 2

Across

CREATED BY KEVIN DINEEN

13. Tokyo, formerly 21. Fabricated 26. Aussie hopper 27. “Royals” singer 28. Online auction site 29. Super-bug that causes infec tions and rashes to different parts of the body 30. Arts deg.

31. They justify the means 33. Chocolate source 34. Ration 35. Oozy goop 37. Request 38. Detail, for short 41. Flock tender, probably

would wear a sweater 44. Title of a Pixar short film about a woman and a dump ling 46. Used for a simile 47. Prepared 50. Use a plunger 53. Breaks 55. Attention getter 56. Former U.N. delegate John 57. Land in the sea 60. Southern pronoun 61 A stocking’s shade 63 Boar’s weapon 64 Water holder 65 Hotel amenity

CULTURE

January 22, 2020

Floral Tattoo Stuns

By PATRICK HEAVEY

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

“We are young, we are restless, we are rebels. Young gay people living our lives in radical self-love, in defiance against the people who would like to see us flung down.”

This is the line at the center of the opening track to Floral Tattoo’s sophomore album, “You Can Never Have a Long Enough Head Start.” The line is delivered spoken-word, barely cutting through the drone of an organ behind it.

Soon after, when the song’s vocals cut out, the organ is joined by a procession of whistles and bells.

Floral Tattoo plays with the fire of an ambition so earnestly that it threatens to consume them and reduce music to pretentious parody.

Instead, “You Can Never Have a Long Enough Head Start” is among the first great rock albums of the year.

Floral Tattoo is based in Seattle,

Washington. Its primary songwriters are Gwen Power and band founder Alex Anderson. They selfreleased “You Can Never Have a Long Enough Head Start” on Bandcamp on Jan. 3, then watched it become a word-of-mouth hit.

They’re best defined as shoegaze or emo, though they stretch themselves to the utmost sonic diversity allowed within that label. “You Can Never Have a Long Enough Head Start” cycles through bristling pop punk (“The Art of Moving On”), walls of sound-inflected balladry (“Julius & Ethel”) and neo-psychedelia (“(Redding Forest Fire/Fermi)”), displaying mastery of each form, and never producing any feeling of whiplash for the listener.

In this effect, they are aided by the uniformity of their lyrics, which are consistently devoted to the mission statement of their opening track. They approach this from two angles: writing lyrics

COURTESY OF TWITTER

Floral Tattoo self released “You Can Never Have a Long Enough Head Start.”

which ponder entrance into adulthood as a trans person and lyrics which spitefully admonish those “who would like to see [them] flung down.” They derive exceptional pathos from the former and exceptional catharsis from the latter, and as such their mood varies as much as their music.

Of course, it would be inaccurate to say that Floral Tattoo’s second album is a perfect outing. The band errs on their longer, slower tempo songs — especially when they are blatantly ripping off Interpol.

But if Floral Tattoo wears its influences a bit too heavily on its sleeve, and extends at times too far beyond its comfort zone, it is all made worth it by the times when it leaves its influences behind to reach new, transcendent heights.

Ergo, if “Danny, Be Well,” the album’s ninth track, is slightly listless, it is redeemed by the track which follows it, “Julius & Ethel, Pt. 2,” wherein shimmering guitar is placed over Power’s lyrics of bold acceptance of trans identity. It is gorgeous.

“You Can Never Have a Long Enough Head Start” is stunning, urgent, meditative, aggressive and melodic. It is a testament to the power of ambition when coming from the youthful in the underground.

In this sense, it calls back to albums like Arcade Fire’s “Funeral” and My Bloody Valentine’s “Loveless,” whose influence is written into Floral Tattoo’s DNA and albums which have been the lifeblood of indie rock for decades.

Floral Tattoo is poised with similar potential. With “You Can Never Have a Long Enough Head Start” they have become instant leading lights in the world of guitar music.

Page 17

Editor’s Pick | Music

Streaming Cheapens Music Connections

By HUNTER BENEGAS VISUAL DIRECTOR

The first song to be recorded was “Au clair de la lune,” a French folk song, recorded on a phonautograph.

Since then music has been brought to the public through records, cassettes, discs, MP3 and more recently streaming services.

Over time, the mediums that brought music to fans have changed, but it was not until recently that they changed how we see music. Up until the creation of streaming services like Spotify, the task of getting music required you to be fully involved.

Listening to your favorite artist’s new album on vinyl or CD was previously an entire process: You would mark the release date, save up for it, go to the store and buy the album.

Listening to new music in today’s society involves you leaving class to lay in bed, procrastinating some homework and waiting until the clock hits midnight and then, just like magic, the new album you’ve patiently waited for is on your devices (unless you’re a Kanye fan—then it’s at least 12 hours later).

The convenience that music streaming services have provided us

with has drastically changed how we view music, whether you realize it or not.

On a streaming service, you can click around and listen to hundreds of new albums and artists in a single day for the same monthly fee. Previously, listening to this large volume of music would have required a small fortune.

The freedom that streaming services provide causes a sense of de sensitization when it comes to music.

Music can still seem special, but finding new artists you love on a streaming service is less rewarding than scouring stacks of CDs and records.

The accessibility to this all- youcan-eat music buffet has allowed people to enjoy a wide variety of genres and new artists where previously you were limited to the few genres and artists you could afford to follow. The caveat to this luxury is that people tend to lose that “special” connection to artists and music itself.

What fostered this connection was the time and effort it took to simply listen to a song. Technology has done wondrous things for the music industry, but it’s always good to remember the foundation that these streaming services were built upon.

COURTESY OF HUNTER BENEGAS

Streaming is now the dominant means with which people listerns consume music

Who’s That Kid? | It’s Daniella Rossi, FCRH ’20!

Senior Appreciates Her New York Upbringing

By VANESSA DEJESUS PRODUCTION EDITOR

Daniella Rossi, FCRH ’20 never realized how unique it is to grow up in New York City until she went to college. During her freshman and sophomore years at Penn State, she was faced with many jarring differences not just in day-to-day life, but also in the core values of her and her peers.

“I never found it strange that I don’t have my license (I’ve taken the subway since I was 10) or that I went to school in a converted mansion,” Rossi said. “Growing up in the city is so different and it really has influenced how I view the world.”

Rossi originally attended Penn State to chase the quintessential college experience on a campus full of greenery, life and of course a quad or lawn where students gather and lounge on sunny days off and between classes.

However, she missed the hustle and bustle of city life. “The concrete jungle was calling me,” Rossi said.

Rossi says that she could no longer ignore the “pull” of city life, and transferred to Fordham after two years at Penn State. “Fordham was

the perfect combination of both.

There is that typical college campus feel, Edward’s Parade in all its glory, but you’re also less than 20 minutes away from the city.”

The city demands and breeds a certain type of person, Rossi explained.

“Yes it is really fast-paced and it’s fair to say that it’s a city that never sleeps ... in light of that unavoidable fact, in order to survive you have to be highly motivated, independent go-getter.”

That go-getter attitude is something that Rossi has applied to her life both in and outside of Fordham.

Her passions include fashion, coding, working with children and advertising. Amazingly, she is able to use the life lessons that the city has taught her to incorporate them into her daily life.

On campus, she is an ambassador for the Office of Career Services, where she helps students with their resumes and prepping for internship interviews. “I’m basically a liaison between the career service office and the student body,” Rossi said.

“I also work a lot with children,” Rossi said. “Aside from teaching a

Sunday school program, I also created and run my own after school class to teach preschoolers the basics of coding.” This program consists of playing collaborative hands-on learning to teach the kids the fundamentals of what it means to code.

Her love for fashion also stems from city-life: “In the city, people never look twice if you’re waearing an extravagantly wild or funky outfit.

New York is the capital of fashion,” Rossi said.

This year, Rossi began working as a Rent the Runway Representative. Along with spreading awareness of Rent the Runway on Fordham’s campus through social media as well as sponsored events, Rossi revels in being able to style outfits with the rotating closet given to her by Rent the Runway, wear them throughout the semester and post them on social media.

“I want to work in advertising after graduation,” Rossi said. “I really love the mix of creativity and the fastpaced nature of advertising agencies.

I also think it would really be cool to use social media and advertisements to create a positive impact on younger generations.”

“Growing up here taught me the importance of accessorizing and to always have a good pair of heels. It also taught me how to run in those

heels to catch the 6 train before the doors close on you,” Rossi said. “I will always call the city my home and will probably never leave it again.”

COURTESY OF DANIELLA ROSSI FCRH `20 FOR THE FORDHAM RAM

Daniella Rossi, FCRH `20, has called New York City her home her whole life.

Page 18

CULTURE

January 22, 2019

Little Women Takes On the Big Screen Once Again

By KATIE SCHULTE

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Greta Gerwig’s adaption of the beloved classic “Little Women” was released Christmas Day of 2019.

Despite taking place in New England during the Civil War, the coming of age story of the four March sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy, has resonated with audiences throughout the 20th and now 21st century, being retold several times through television and film. Each version signifies what the director and writers find important at the time they adapt it. In the 1930s, “Little Women” stressed the importance of resilience during the Great Depression.

Almost 100 years later, the reboot represents the importance of a wom-

an’s ambition. This powerful storyline is carried through by the star-studded cast: Meryl Streep as Aunt March, Saoirse Ronan as Jo, Emma Watson as Meg, Florence Pugh as Amy and Eliza Scanlon as Beth. Timothée Chalamet plays Laurie, a neighbor and friend of the sisters, and Laura Dern plays Marmee.

The film comes at a time when reboots seem to be an all-time peak in popularity. Gerwig makes “Little Women” her own by adding changes that do not alter the already wellknown narrative but rather serve as necessary, meaningful updates. The film begins in medias res, with Jo living in New York City as an adult.

She’s trying to make her way as a writer when Beth’s illness calls her back home to Concord, Massachusetts.

COURTESY OF TWITTER

Saoirse Ronan and Timothée Chalamat star in the latest addition of “Little Women”

The story of Jo struggling to make it as a writer and support her family is artistically interwoven with the past, the story of the four girls growing up together. The past is filmed with a filter to create what the director calls a “golden glow,” signifying the young girls’ optimism regarding the future.

The present is much duller, bare of the warm hues and hopes of youth as the sisters are faced with the reality Aunt March warned Jo about when she said, “No one makes their own way, least of all women. You’ll need to marry well.”

This way of filming also allows Gerwig to rework the way ambition was portrayed in earlier renditions, especially for Jo and Amy. Jo, who Alcott famously based on herself, spends the entirely of the novel rebelling against marriage and trying to find a way to support herself and her family, only to get married in the end. Gerwig understood that this was because Alcott could not have the heroine of her novel end as a spinster, as Jo’s editor in the 2019 film explains, because it was too much of a risk.

An unmarried woman in the late 1800s was unheard of, and her ambition would have been unnerving to the public. In light of this, Gerwig rewrites the end to pay tribute to the author, intercutting a scene of Jo speaking with her editor about having her novel, “Little Women,” published with Jo and the seemingly random love interest from the book, Professor Bhaer, getting married.

The end is deliberately unclear as to whether Jo actually marries or if she, like Alcott herself, remains unmarried but chooses marriage in her novel in order to get it published and more importantly, to maintain ownership

of the copyright. While including the ending of the actual novel, the alternative interpretation pays tribute to Alcott: the intercutting of the couple is not real, but only imagined for the sake of Jo’s editor, and Jo ends as an independent and successful “spinster,” like Alcott.

Towards the end of the film, Jo cries out a line that perfectly captures the meaning behind this new ending: “Women, they have minds and they have souls, as well as just hearts. And they’ve got ambition, and they’ve got talent as well as just beauty, and I’m so sick of people saying that love is all a woman is fit for.

I’m so sick of it.”

Gerwig also rewrites Amy, who is commonly regarded as the villain of the work. In an interview with SiriusXM, Florence Pugh says her portrayal of Amy under Gerwig gives the misunderstood character a “completely different image.” Her story of ambition differs from Jo, in that she is not trying to achieve independence through her work.

She understands that marriage is a necessity in a time when women had nothing and in many parts of the world were still treated as property.

Amy aspires to marriage because she, as Pugh explains, is a realist. “It is the only guaranteed way of having their own income and having their own life, and something that Greta has given Amy in this version is that it is totally OK to be safe.”

The marriages in this film do not pretend to be romantic, and Amy made clear in a scene with Laurie the necessity of such an institution.

“As a woman, there’s no way for me to make my own money,” she said. “And if I had my own money,

which I don’t, that money would belong to my husband the moment we got married … So don’t sit there and tell me that marriage isn’t an economic proposition, because it is. It may not be for you, but it most certainly is for me.”

Laura Dern speaks to the power of this new portrayal of Amy in an interview as well.

“That’s what’s so incredible to see, Greta’s longing to make ambition this gorgeous,” she said. “In Amy’s character too, to allow ambition to be fiery and gorgeous... because ambition in male characters is always honored.”

With this new Amy, Gerwig again brings to light the norms of the time the story is set in and highlights the different ways women had to work within these patriarchal institutions in order to survive.

By adding powerful updates to such a well-known work, the film has been well received by audiences and critics alike, earning six Oscar nominations, two Golden Globes and five BAFTAs. Despite this success, many felt that Gerwig was one of many female directors WHO were snubbed this Oscar season, as she did not receive an Oscar nominee for Best Director and only men were nominated.

This particular award is notoriously biased, as it is an accolade only five women have been nominated for, none of which were women of color, and only one women has won in the 92-year history of the award. Even in the face of this snub, Gerwig’s tribute and the powerful portrayal from the cast successfully brought a new meaning to the beloved tale on the big screen.

“1917” Battles With a Lack of War Scenes

By ALEX DICKISON

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

“1917” is an adventure-thriller movie, set on the frontline of the First World War, yet rarely depicts men at war. Rather, what director Sam Mendes has chosen to pursue is a more confined story: a narrative better suited for a duo than for a battalion. The movie begins with pudgy-faced greenhorn Lance Corporal Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) on reserve with his squadron, when a superior officer mysteriously tells him to bring a friend and his rifle down to the trenches. Blake chooses Lance Corporal Schofield (George MacKay), a more experienced fighter already decorated for his valor.

The two are brought to see none other than their commanding general (Colin Firth), who quickly establishes the thrust of the remaining plot. Early air intelligence indicates that the German army abandoned its current positions, and in response, the Second Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment, lead by Colonel Mackenzie (Benedict Cumberbatch), pursued the German forces and are geared for a charge to crack the enemy once and for all.

However, more recent intelligence has painted a drastically different picture where the Germans have not retreated, but strategically removed themselves to a new frontline so well-

enforced that the attack of the Second Battalion would be tantamount to suicide.

As a parting gift, the Germans cut the telephone lines over their once occupied land. In order to warn the unknowing Second Battalion, the generals contract Blake and Schofield for a mission: cross no-man’s land, walk through the abandoned German trenches and make their way up to Second Battalion. However, Blake’s older brother also serves as a Lieutenant under Col. Mackenzie; therefore, failure might mean his death, too.

Blake sets off at once, and for the first time here we see the central technical gimmick used in the best way. That gimmick is the myth of the one-shot take, where the entirety of the movie gives the illusion of having been filmed in just one long cut.

What this actually means is that a number of lengthy, well-choreographed shots have been stitched together during moments of visual confusion.

However, the illusion works, and is ideal for showing the roving vastness of the trenches, as well as for tracking movement through the winding frontlines. This is the use we see at first, with Mendes closely circling Blake and Schofield as they walk up the down trench and bump past shaken, rude soldiers, revealing to the camera an entire world of men

COURTESY OF FACEBOOK

Director Sam Mendes helps direct the cast in his movie “1917” which follows two characters on their quest to warn ally troups.

hardened into living mud by many days of war.

Mendes has not decided to make a movie about trench warfare or warfare at all, but a movie divorced from the confines of a reconnaissance adventure movie where the unbroken movie-image is used to the last of its potential to capture vast bloody infantry battles.

Scarcely are the pair of messengers traced through any actual chaos or anything very unpredictable. The sets revolve instead around emptiness, from the apocalyptically-shelled ruins of plains to the eerie green farmland devoid even of cattle (the Ger-

mans machine-gunned them while on their retreat), in an effort to breed suspense. This suspense manifests at times, but fails to land at others.

The movie suggests, through the sentiments of more than one character, a general weariness and tiredness brought about by the three-year long conflict, prophesizing a mutual destruction between the sides where the victor is the last man standing.

It’s a fitting feeling for the time and place of the film, but the implied carnage and resulting cynicism is never properly shown on screen.

This is because Mendes has decided to divorce his principal characters

from the greater divisions of the army, ensuring that the viewer sees the shadowy underbelly of the war more than the over-the-top charging horrors of its every battle. The film isn’t ultimately weary and war-worn, but urgent.

The importance of getting to the message to Second Battalion is transformed into a deus ex machina that overrides the whole film into a story as unbelievable and improbable as it is inevitable, guided by the force of Blake and Schofield’s death-defying heroics. The trace of the war itself remains ever in the background, a distant memory.

CULTURE

January 22, 2020

Page 19

A Different Kind of Meal: Dining in Spain

By MIA TOMMINS

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

During a typical New York lunch break in the middle of the work week, lines of sharply dressed business men and women stream outside the door of Sweetgreen, a popular salad restaurant chain. No matter which of the 22 locations in the city, customers are visibly annoyed at the five to 10-minute wait to order their lunch, while others choose to avoid the line completely by ordering their meal online. Empty tables and chairs reflect the grab-and-go culture of a lunch “break.” For many Americans, an hour-long sit down lunch is not an option. In Madrid, however, there is no other way to spend the afternoon.

When it comes to living well, Spain is an expert. Last semester, I studied abroad in Spain. Not only is Spain one of the healthiest nations with the longest life expectancy in Europe. The Spanish lifestyle is like no other in the world. It includes a daily schedule marked by a three hour long siesta, rigidly-set eating hours, non-existent personal boundaries, quirky traditions and a contagiously strong sense of community, living in Spain is as weird as it is wonderful. But one of the biggest markers of this distinct Spanish lifestyle is its restaurant culture.

To people in Spain, eating is more than just a way to fuel your body. Although many Spanish people of Spain love their food, going out to eat is about more than just what’s on your plate. Spaniards believe in taking their time and enjoying their meals as a way to hang with friends and family.

The culture in Spain heavily emphasizes the importance of spending time with family and friends, and this Spanish value extends to restaurants and outside the home.

Restaurants could not be more alive during the hours of 1:30-4:30 p.m., with people enjoying their two to three-hour-long lunch. This midday meal is the biggest meal of the day in Spain. Lunch includes various courses, as well as alcohol, no matter what day of the week it is.

Valentina Ruffoni, a middle-aged woman originally from London who has lived in Madrid for three years, knows this distinct restaurant culture better than anyone. She is the founder of Eat Out Madrid, an online community of over 6,000 food lovers in Madrid looking for the best places to eat and drink.

Ruffoni said the restaurant lifestyle in Spain is an essential part of the culture. Even when it is the middle of a work day, she said it is customary to drink alcohol during meals. Ruffoni remembers her experience as difficult

when she was adjusting to Spanish drinking life.

“You drink at any time of the day,” she says. “And it’s so hard not to drink, because it’s an essential part of the culture and it’s so cheap.”

Spain is one of the cheapest countries when it comes to eating and going out.

“It certainly doesn’t break the bank,” said Bruno Squarca, owner of the restaurant Ouh… Babbo! in the Opera area of Madrid.

Squarca moved to Madrid about ten years ago, and described his visit to New York City as one of his most expensive vacations ever, purely because of the prices of the restaurants.

In Spain, prices make it easier to go out.

“The beer and wine is made here in Madrid or close to Madrid, so for that reason it is so ridiculously cheap,” said Squarca.

Along with free classic Spanish tapas that come with drinks, such as a tortilla or croquettes, one can walk out of a restaurant having only spent one euro (about $1.10) on a glass of wine. The proliferation of restaurants and bars in a Spanish city like Madrid also drives competition, which may be another factor in low prices.

“No one’s going to choose an overpriced restaurant with all the other great cheap restaurants here,” Squarca

said.

Another unique aspect that makes up the Spanish restaurant culture is the special offer during the midday meal, the “menu del dia” (menu of the day). Enjoying the menu del dia is the most economical way to eat in Spain.

The menu del dia was required for many restaurants in Spain by a law enacted in 1965. The law set standards and pricing for the midday meal to benefit tourism. Originally targeting tourist areas, it became popular throughout Spain by the early 1970s.

At Restaurante Fresno in the Las Ventas barrio of Madrid, restaurant owner Alvaro Iso described what the menu del dia is comprised of. “It’s basically three sections,” said Iso. “Which is also why lunches tend to be longer, because people definitely take their time with each course.”

He said the first is “El Primero Plato,” which translates to “the first plate.” One can choose between two or three dishes. Bread is included and served with this course.

Next is “El Segundo Plato,” which is the main course of the lunch.

Options usually include a meat or a fish, like bacalao, a popular Spanish fish. Lastly, he explained one finishes off their lunch on a sweet

note, for all menu del dias offer a “postre” or dessert. You can bet the popular Spanish flan will be one of the options. A glass of water, beer or wine is included, and coffee may be served with the dessert.

Iso says his menu del dia goes for 10 euros (about $11.02).

“It’s my favorite part of the day and is extremely popular among customers,” Iso said. “I love seeing tourists get a menu del dia for the first time and being so surprised at how much they get at such a small cost.”

Spain is one of the cultural centers of Europe, and it has been called so for several years now.

Spanish cuisine itself is incredibly unique in more ways than one, with Roman, Jewish and Arab traditions having a significant impact on Spanish food. The ways Spanish people enjoy this incredible cuisine are a staple of Spanish culture.

A famous Spanish saying sums it up perfectly: “A beber y a tragar, que el mundo se va a acabar,” which roughly translates to, “drink and swallow, for the world is going to end” but is the English colloquial of “eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die.”

Find the Facebook group Eat Out Madrid on www.facebook. com.

Nothing Has Changed at the Academy

By GREG MYSOGLAND STAFF WRITER

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences announced the nominations for the 92nd annual Academy Awards on Monday, Jan. 13. “Joker,” Warner Brothers’ dark reimagining of the origins of Batman’s greatest villain, earned the most nominations, with recognition in 11 categories, including Best Picture and Best Actor for star Joaquin Phoenix.

Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman,” Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” and Sam Mendes’ “1917” earned 10 nominations each, including Best Picture.

The last few nominees for Best Picture are “Little Women,” “Jojo Rabbit,” “Ford v Ferrari,” “Marriage Story” and “Parasite.”

As per usual, there was controversy surrounding the nominations. Since the announcement, the Academy has been criticized for failing to recognize female filmmakers, with the lack of a single female nominee in the directing category. Actress and filmmaker Issa Rae called attention to this while announcing the nominations alongside fellow actor John Cho by saying, "Congratulations to those men." Film fans and casual moviegoers alike have named Greta Gerwig, director of “Little Women,” as one of the women they consider worthy of the nomination.

Theresa Amoruso, FCRH ’20, was disappointed with the snub. “I’m glad there are more opportunities for women in film, but I wish they were recognized more,” she said.

In addition, as proved by “Green Book” winning Best Picture last year, the Academy’s handling of race continues to be problematic. For her work in “Harriet,” Cynthia Erivo

became the only non-white actress to be nominated in any category, despite the acclaimed performances by diverse stars such as Eddie Murphy in “Dolemite is My Name,” Lupita Nyong’o in “Us” and Jennifer Lopez in “Hustlers,” to name just a few. The recognition of Korean-language film “Parasite” and that given to its director, Bong Joon-ho, may be used as a counterargument to the accusation of racial bias, but it seems more like the exception that proves the rule. It is also worth noting that none of the film’s Asian actors were recognized.

Regarding diversity at the Oscars, film and television student Keith Bodmer, FCRH ’20, said, “I definitely think it’s lacking. Off the top of my head, Greta Gerwig and everyone from ‘The Farewell’ are notable exclusions.”

In addition to the exclusions, the movies that were nominated, even those not dealing explicitly with race, speak to the Academy’s biases. The success of “Joker” is particularly problematic. Despite its commercial and critical success, there are also more significant negative conversations around “Joker” than many of its competitors have. At the time of its release, critics and scholars raised concerns at how the film seemingly condones, or at least fails to condemn, white male violence, and cautiously noted its potential to inspire real-world violence in impressionable viewers.

The fact that the film managed to achieve so much recognition despite its issues is especially telling when one compares it to a film with a similar topic but different racial perspective.

“Queen and Slim,” which tackles the issue of police brutality towards black people in America, was released in November to critical acclaim, but received no nominations. The two films have surprisingly similar plots: The protag-

onists of both become figureheads for revolutionary action and have violent confrontations with police. However, the protagonists of “Queen and Slim” are a black couple. It is unfortunately no surprise the Academy instead recognized “Joker,” given that the lead character is white.

This tendency to favor white narratives is also noticeable when one compares the success of “Joker” to that of a past contender from the same genre.

“Joker” is only the second film based on a comic book to be nominated for Best Picture. The first was “Black Panther,” which competed at last year’s awards. Considered a cultural milestone for being the first major superhero film to feature a majority black cast and crew and for the way it used common sci-fi and fantasy tropes to explore issues of race relations and colonialism, it became one of the most successful films of all time. Its recognition was well deserved.

Unfortunately, the film couldn’t break through all of the Academy’s biases. In total, “Black Panther” received seven nominations. And while it won the awards for Best Costume Design, Best Original Score and Best Production Design, it was left out of categories such as directing, acting and adapted screenplay, despite the widespread acclaim given to director Ryan Coogler, the cast and the writing by Coogler and Joe Robert Cole.

By comparison, the nomination of “Joker” in these categories and others highlights how the Academy is still more partial to white-centric stories and white artists.

Despite having this bias on its side, “Joker” does not seem to be a likely Best Picture winner, although Phoenix could very well go home with the Best Actor award. Ultimately, the extreme violence in the film is likely to

deter some of the more faint-hearted voters. “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” and “Parasite” may encounter the same problem. If not for the brutality on display, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” would seem like a natural choice for leading contender thanks to the way it celebrates the town and the movie industry.

That stance, supported by the Academy, as well as Tarantino’s status as one of the most famous auteurs in the modern industry, may still prove to be enough to override concerns about the film’s violent content and nab it the win.

“1917” is stiff competition given its place in a genre the Academy loves (pre-Vietnam war movies) and the technical expertise of its production. “1917” was filmed and edited to appear as if it all takes place in a single continuous shot. The way the technique fully immerses the viewer in the wartime experience makes Mendes the frontrunner for the directing prize, but the visual mastery on display in “Parasite” gives Bong a chance as well. And, of course, one should never count out Scorsese.

While Tarantino and Mendes’ films are both deserving of recognition, the fact that a film that romanticizes old Hollywood and a war movie lead a slate of mostly white, male narratives made by mostly white men shows that nothing has really changed at the Academy.

Turning to the individual side of things, Adam Driver’s work in “Marriage Story” makes him Phoenix’s toughest competition in the Best Actor race, but the award is most likely still going to the latter. Driver’s co-star Scarlett Johansson achieved the rare honor of being nominated in both the lead and supporting categories for her work in “Marriage Story” and “Jojo Rabbit,” respectively, and the former is likely to get her a win, though Renée Zellweger’s Golden Globe victory for “Judy” sets her up for a potential upset.

The supporting categories are a bit more open, though Laura Dern, also of “Marriage Story,” seems to be the safe actress choice, while Brad Pitt and Joe Pesci have the most momentum among the supporting actors for their appearances in “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” and “The Irishman,” respectively.

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Many viewers have accused the Academy of racial and gender bias.

SPORTS

January 22, 2020

Beyond the Scorebard: Rooney Rule Requires Attention

By ANDREW POSADAS MANAGING EDITOR

In 2003, the National Football League implemented a new hiring policy requiring all 32 teams to interview at least one or more candidates of color when filling its open head coaching vacancies. The rule would later expand in 2009 to include general manager jobs and front office positions. At the time of its inception, there were three black fulltime head coaches.

Coincidentally, that is the same number of black head coaches currently in the league today.

Consider a capable and experienced candidate of color like Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bienemy, who has yet to be given the opportunity to become a head coach. Why has the Rooney Rule been so ineffective? And what more can be done to give those of color a better chance at proving themselves in highly-regarded positions?

Through two games of this season’s NFL Playoffs, the Kansas City Chiefs offense has been nothing short of prolific. They are averaging 43 points in that span, and now have a date on Feb. 2 against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl 54. While the majority of Kansas City’s success will be credited to head coach Andy Reid, and rightfully so, he has not been the only one dialing up the plays on offense.

On that side of the ball, Bienemy deserves his fair share of recognition for garnering Reid’s trust, earning him stretches of game time where he takes over as the primary play-caller. In his two seasons as the Chiefs offensive coordinator, the team ended with a top-five offense in both years. They were ranked first in his inaugural year, and finished fifth this past season.

Bienemy has accumulated over 19 years of experience coaching and coordinating on the college and NFL levels. Ideally, he is the perfect coaching candidate to hand the proverbial “keys to the car” in leading a professional football team. Yet, teams like the Carolina Panthers and New York Giants decided to go with unproven commodities in Matt Rhule and Joe Judge, respectively.

Rhule, the former head coach at Baylor University, was able to turn that program back into a national top-10 team. He also did great things for Temple Uni-

Page 20

Swimming and Diving Celebrates Senior Day

By JACK ROCHE

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

COURTESY OF FLICKR

Eric Bienemy’s resume is unquestioned, but head coaching is yet to come.

versity before that. However, not all successful college coaches translate well when moving up to the NFL. Just ask Nick Saban and Chip Kelly, whose head coaching tenures ultimately left more to be desired.

As for Joe Judge, he goes into the Giants job as a former wide receivers and special teams coach for the New England Patriots.

While he does have NFL-level experience, his years in New England pale in comparison to the near two decades of experience Bienemy brings to the table.

To complicate things further, one could argue that Bienemy should have been given a head coaching job now when looking at Andy Reid’s coaching tree. The previous two offensive coordinators, Doug Pederson and Matt Nagy, also spent time as secondary play-callers to Reid. Pederson would ultimately end up with the Philadelphia Eagles, winning the franchise’s first Super Bowl in 2018. Nagy went on to become head coach of the Chicago Bears, earning Coach of the Year honors that same year.

There is no doubt that the Chiefs offense has never been better under Bienemy than it was with either Pederson or Nagy.

Playing devil’s advocate, there are critics who will downplay Bienemy’s success because of the emergence of quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the talent surrounding his offensive personnel like wide receiver Tyreke Hill or

tight end Travis Kelce.

Bienemy can only work with the players that the franchise puts around him, and it would be very hard to argue that any other offensive coordinator in the NFL now could have this offense hitting on all cylinders better than Bienemy in the last two seasons.

Andy Reid has gone on the record to say, “If you’re asking me, ‘Is he ready to be a head coach?’

Yeah, he was ready last year. Nobody is in more control than what he is in this game. He’s a leader of men.” Wide Receiver Sammy Watkins told Yahoo Sports recently, “Think he might be too valuable to let go.

Bienemy’s resume and ringing endorsements from fellow coaches and players only further validates his worthiness to be one of 32 head coaches in the NFL. He may end up being one of the hottest head coaching candidates two to three years from now if Kansas City wins multiple Lombardi Trophies, which is not out of the realm of possibility with the superfluous amount of talent assembled on offense.

The point is, Bienemy should not have to wait for all of those dominoes to drop in order to get his chance at a head coaching gig.

Especially when teams are taking risks on candidates who are essentially neophytes to NFL coaching. If that is the case, then not taking a chance on Bienemy proves the flawed nature around the head coaching process.

After a long break from competition, the Fordham swimming and diving team had a busy weekend with multiple meets.

On Friday, the Rams hosted the Boston College Eagles. The men fell 183.5-96.5, while the women suffered a heartbreaking loss at 150.5-149.5.

The very next day the squads hosted the La Salle University Explorers and the University of Richmond Spiders. The women posted victories against both Richmond (181.5-117.5) and La Salle (206-92), while a shorthanded men’s squad fell to Boston College (183.5-96.5) and La Salle (217-71).

While Boston College has struggled in Atlantic Coast Conference play, they were able to sweep Fordham on both the men’s and women’s side. While not reflected in the win column, there were certainly highlights on both sides.

The men took home three events in the competition, beginning with sophomore Josh Stegen’s performance in the 200 freestyle (1:42.77). Additionally, junior Bryce Bollessen touched first in the 50 freestyle in 21.48 seconds, and junior Nathaniel Guenther posted a winning time of 1:57.43 in the 200 individual medley.

The women’s loss marked their first loss of the season, coming in devastating fashion as they only lost by a point. Their last home loss in duel meets came during the 2016-17 season, as they fell to Boston University 167-133. During that meet, freshman (now senior) Amelia Bullock was one of two multi-event winners for the Rams. She played a crucial role this weekend, as she has throughout her entire tenure here at Fordham, capturing the 100 (55.56) and 200 (2:02.86) butterfly events. She was also a part of the Rams’ 200 medley relay with juniors Michelle Martin and Hannah McGee, as well as senior Theresa Mullen, which tied for first with a time of 1:45.78.

The meet came down to the final event, where BC placed first in

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Amelia Bullock races to the finish.

the 400-yard freestyle relay with a time of 3:27.14. This gave the Eagles a one-point edge, defeating Fordham 150.5-149.5.

“It wasn’t just the first loss of the season, it was our first loss in two years,” sophomore Kiara Norris commented on the magnitude of the loss on the team.

Sophomore freestyle swimmer Allie Hodorski from Tampa, Fla, added a more positive perspective on the difficult meet.

“People were happier that it was close. It definitely hurt a little bit, but we won the next, so it all worked out.”

The women bounced back on Saturday, cruising past both Richmond and La Salle in their tri-meet while the short-handed men lost to La Salle.

Senior Casey Sawyer from Syracuse, N.Y, talked about the impact this team has made on him.

However, before any of the events, Fordham honored 14 student-athletes that competed in their final home conference meet during their Senior Day. “Swimming here has been the best thing about Fordham to me and it was a great pleasure to have all the fans and my teammates come out and support us at our senior meet.”

Looking ahead, the Rams are back in action as they host the Iona College Gaels on Wednesday. That meet begins at 5:00 p.m. at our very own Francis B. Messmore Aquatics Center.

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Email: fordhamramsports@gmail.com COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

A first loss for the women was one of many emotions on Senior Day.

SPORTS

Page 21

Shorthanded Squash Drops Four Matches to Start 2020

January 22, 2020

Men’s Tennis Starts Spring with Victory

By JIMMY SULLIVAN

By JIMMY SULLIVAN

SPORTS EDITOR

SPORTS EDITOR

It is often said that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and usually, this saying is true. Perhaps, we hear this saying most often in sports, when teams rally despite losses or injuries that might seem insurmountable.

However, when several of the sum’s most important parts are missing, it becomes incredibly difficult for the whole to function at all.

Fordham Squash learned that lesson this past week.

The Rams dropped four matches over six days last week to fall to 14-9 overall. The trouble started for Fordham in the first match on Tuesday, Jan. 14, when health issues forced senior William Douglass to retire from his opening match against Connecticut College’s M.D. Jawad.

Fordham was unable to win an individual match against Connecticut and fell 9-0. However, the injury problems were just getting started for the Rams.

Fordham struggled Friday against Chatham University, falling by a final tally of 8-1. The Rams dropped each of the first six individual matches and handed Cha-

Fordham Men’s Tennis is trying to live up to the lofty standard it created last season.

The Rams went 17-6 in the 2018-19 season, which, despite a loss to Saint Louis in the Atlantic 10 Tournament in April, could be considered a rousing success.

This year’s Rams tried to carry the torch and continue their run of success. This past weekend, the team took a season-opening step towards doing just that.

Fordham opened its spring season with a commanding 6-1 victory over Bucknell University at their home in Williamsport, Pennsylvannia. Fordham was dominant in victory, taking five of the six singles matches and winning the doubles point, as well.

Fordham set the tone for the Sunday afternoon match by pulling out a competitive doubles slate. The tandem of senior Fabian Mauritzson and junior Lutwin de Macar beat Bucknell’s Michael Owen and Guillermo Torres 6-4. The Rams, then, lost the

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

It was a difficult start to the year for Fordham Squash, as they lost four matches.

tham two more points when they were unable to field a full nine-man lineup. Sophomore Dylan Panichello, junior Tommy White and sophomore Patrick Rodden were all unavailable for Fordham, leading to two forfeitures.

Throughout the week, it seemed that Fordham could not field a full roster. On Saturday against Hamilton College, Panichello and White returned, but junior Griffin Fitzgerald and sophomore Jack Reed did not compete. Fordham once again fell 9-0. While it is difficult to speculate on what exactly happened in these matches, it is important to note that Fordham’s forfeitures all came at the end of matches when

the outcome had already been decided. Fordham limped to the end of a tough week with two more forfeitures and a 7-2 Sunday loss to Hobart in which the team showed fight but ultimately did not have nearly enough to earn the victory without its full complement of weapons.

The Rams will look to put a positively nightmarish week behind them on Saturday when they host Bucknell University at the Lombardi Squash Courts. Fordham and head coach Sahel Anwar is hoping that a week of rest leads to better health for the team and that the Rams can put these struggles in the rear view mirror for the rest of the season.

next doubles match 6-3, leading to a winner-take-all third doubles match between Fordham junior Max Green and sophomore Jofre Segarra and Bucknell’s Marwan Abaza and Chunyu Chen. Segarra and Green earned Fordham a much-needed doubles point by taking down their opponents 6-4.

After the opening doubles victory, the Rams never looked back. Segarra, Green and sophomore Finn Kemper won the next three singles matches to seal the victory for Fordham.

Bucknell earned its only point when Abaza defeated Mauritzson in the next match, after the overall outcome had already been decided. Junior Alex Makatsaria and de Macar won the final two singles matches of the day to hand Fordham a 6-1 victory.

Fordham is off to a great start in the spring of 2020, and the team will look to carry this momentum forward into the rest of the season. The Rams’ next match is this Saturday in Harrison, New York, as Fordham hosts Davidson College.

The match starts at 7 p.m.

SPORTS

Page 22

January 22, 2020

Track Hosts Elkin Invitational

By MIKE MESSINA

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Fordham Track and Field was ecstatic this past Friday, Jan. 10, when it was able to host the Robert Elkin Invitational right here in the Bronx. Students from Stony Brook, La Salle and Iona all packed into the Lombardi Center and tried to take down the Rams.

The Rams had a successful day, taking home wins in eight different events. Fordham ran the show in the relay department, winning three of the four relay events.

The women’s 4x800 relay, including senior Sydney Snow, sophomore Helen Connolly, freshman Taylor Mascetta and freshman Alexandra Thomas won with a time of 9:51.88. Following their performance, the men’s 4x800 team which consists of junior Jack Keegan, sophomore Jeremiah LaDuca, junior Christopher Strzelinski and senior Sean Sullivan took home gold with an outstanding time of 8:00.42. To cap off a fantastic day of relays for the Rams, the men’s 4x400 team of junior Arthur Gooden Jr, junior Kyle Mack, junior Anthony Misko and freshman Erik Brown took home the win, clocking in at 3:22.79.

While the Rams had already made a statement throughout the day, this was not the end of their winnings. Senior Ryan Kutch, already a decorated athlete here at Fordham, took home first place in the mile run with an impeccable time of 4:18.11. Sophomore Zalen Nelson and junior Nikolas

Reardon also took first place in their respective events with Nelson finishing the 800-meter run in 1:57.82 and Reardon with a distance of 23 ’ 4” in the long jump.

Continuing his success, Reardon added a second-place finish in the triple jump, coming in at 44 ’ 6“.

Sophomore Alec Wargo finished second in both the weight throw and the shot put.

The women were no strangers to first and second place finishes.

Junior Sarrinagh Budris competed in the 400-meter run, finishing in 59.46 seconds, while sophomore Helen Connolly ran in the 800-meter, coming in at 2:21.71.

Freshman Radha Dooley was the next athlete to be showcased at the Robert Elkin Invitational, taking second place in the high jump, clearing 5’ 1 1/4”, where sophomore teammate Jane DyerKennedy was the runner up in the triple jump. Fordham rounded out its day in the women’s 4x400 relay, where senior Gabrielle Schreib, sophomore Dominique Valentine and freshman Mary Kathryn Underwood took second place, finishing with a time of 4:06.43.

Fordham came in first out of five teams in the women’s competition with an outstanding 66 points. The men’s team also finished first, scoring 69.5 points, 22.5 points ahead of the second place La Salle team, which scored 47 points. Then came Manhattan in third place with 35.5 points, Stony Brook in fourth place with 34 points and Iona in fifth place with only 26 points.

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Fordham’s track and field teams collected eight wins at the Elkin Invitational.

By JIMMY SULLIVAN SPORTS EDITOR

Like a five-year-old getting a little too close to the fireplace, the New York Mets have absent-mindedly stumbled into trouble once again.

Continuing the franchise’s linear tradition of incompetence, the orange and blue are in the recruiting process for their third manager in four months. First, Mickey Callaway — who claimed his closer was “electric” after he gave up a game-winning home run and once batted his lineup out of order — was let go in early October. A month-long search for a manager commenced, with the front office zeroing in on and hiring former Met Carlos Beltran, who had no coaching experience and retired from baseball in 2017. General manager Brodie Van Wagenen and others within the Mets’ braintrust cited Beltran’s baseball acumen and his presence on the championship-winning 2017 Houston Astros as an unofficial coach.

Unfortunately, he was a coach in more ways than one.

Just over a week after his hiring with the Mets, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich first reported that the Astros electronically stole signs in 2017. Several more reports of this came out shortly thereafter and also swept up the 2018 Boston Red Sox. With these brazen rule violations in tow — the Astros dugout pathetically banged a trash can to signal offspeed pitches that year — both organizations were in deep, deep trouble. Houston was the first to act, letting go of general manager Jeff Luhnow and manager AJ Hinch, who could not save his job despite twice attempting to destroy a monitor behind the team’s dugout that was used to steal signs. It is still unclear if he tried to destroy the equipment or just lost control of the Wii remote.

Either way, he is now unemployed.

The Red Sox took action the next day, mutually parting ways with manager Alex Cora, who is facing a long suspension (Hinch and Luhnow are each suspended through the 2020 season). Boston’s general manager at the time, Dave Dombrowski, is no longer with the organization, so Boston’s action was done there.

In comparison to these decisive

actions, the Mets acted like a kid on a swingset with a house burning in the background.

New York ultimately arrived at its decision on Thursday, saying that it agreed to mutually part ways with Beltran and file for divorce after a marriage that lasted just four days longer than that of Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries. The team said it would be extremely difficult for Beltran to manage the Mets under these circumstances, and although you can argue with how it arrived at this decision, the organization probably made the right call.

The problem here is not necessarily the handling of this isolated and extraordinarily absurd matter. The issue is, in and of itself, the New York Mets.

You see, some teams in sports are just snakebitten: the Mets, the Jets, the Knicks, the entire city of Cleveland. Some organizations just can’tget out of their own way. The Mets are one of them.

When Major League Baseball announced the findings of its investigation into the Astros and Red Sox on Monday, Beltran was the only player on the 2017 Astros named in the report. This was extremely questionable, as he likely was not the only player involved in the scheme. Even before November, there were rumblings around the sport of the Astros’ mischievous ways, and despite interviewing him for eight hours — which sounds like hell — in their

managerial search, the Mets never asked Beltran about this potential issue. When reports made news in November and December, and in the two months between the first reports and the announcement of MLB’s findings, the Mets still never asked Beltran anything other than to cooperate with the league’s investigation (which shouldn’t have to be said out loud).

That is not the mark of an organization that has its ducks in a row. And who can blame them? The team may be in the middle of a sale to hedge fund manager Steve Cohen, and fans practically rejoiced when it was announced that Cohen was planning to buy the team from Jeff and Fred Wilpon, who were infamously caught in the middle of the biggest Ponzi scheme in U.S. history not so long ago. It was true then and is true now; the Mets just can’t stay out of their own way.

Finally, the worst part for Mets fans is that, unlike Boston and Houston, the team received no benefit from the dugout tomfoolery. The Astros and Red Sox won titles in 2017 and 2018 while the Mets — completely abiding by the rules — stumbled to 70 and 77 wins in those two seasons.

If that doesn’t tell you what you need to know, then I can’t help you.

The Mets received no benefit from the biggest baseball scandal in 100 years, and yet somehow, despite every known law of the universe, they wound up right in the middle of it.

COURTESY OF FLICKR

Carlos Beltran never managed a game for the Mets despite his November hiring.

Varsity Calendar HOME AWAY

Thursday Jan. 23

Friday Jan. 24

Saturday Jan. 25

Men’s Basketball

Follow us on Twitter at @theram_sports

Women’s Basketball

Saint Louis 7 p.m.

Sunday Jan. 26

Wednesday Jan. 29 St. Bonaventure 7 p.m.

Dayton 12 p.m.

VCU 6 p.m.

Davidson 7 p.m.

Brown 3 p.m.

Women’s Tennis

Harvard 3 p.m.

Boston College 10 a.m.

Squash

Bucknell 1 p.m.

Terrier Classic 2 p.m.

Tuesday Jan. 28

Saint Louis 3 p.m.

Men’s Tennis

Track

Monday Jan. 27

SPORTS

January 22, 2020

Kaley Bell Student-Athlete Column: To Be an Outlier During my winter break, I decided to rekindle my passion for reading. I began with a book called “Outliers”

by Malcolm Gladwell. In his book, Gladwell talks about successful people and their not-so-straightforward paths to success.

Gladwell’s thesis is that opportunities make people successful. In his book, he goes on to justify how this statement is true. He talks about what makes NHL hockey players successful. If you look at their birth dates, you’ll realize that they were all born in the same month.

Thankfully, Gladwell is not saying that only people with January birthdays will become national hockey players. He explains how players who are born during this time are older while they were playing at an amateur level; therefore, they stand out and are given more attention.

Recruiters and agents liked them because they dominated their younger opponents. It wasn’t because they were better, but it was because they had the opportunity to overpower those who were smaller than them.

It is easy to see, then, how the metric for success can be skewed. Today, we see successful people as those who work hard and come from nothing, but Gladwell shows how this idea is not necessarily true. Of course you have to work hard as a professional athlete, but getting to such a level is due to a set of circumstances.

If I look at how I define success in my life, I see that a connection can be made. Athletics used to be my thing, especially track when I was younger.

My mom was a track star (she always claims that she still holds records in her high school, coincidentally Cardinal Spellman in the Bronx). As the oldest, I was the first one in my family to start running, and I loved it. My brother soon followed suit, and my two younger siblings are starting to show love for it too.

Due to this set of circumstances, I have been training basically my whole life (excluding the period through middle school when running was not the first thing that I wanted to do).

When I got to high school, the track team was small, so I was never afraid to compete. When it came to my senior year, my coach made me captain because I had the most experience, since I was the one and only senior on the team.

Now here I am, on Fordham Track and Field, because of the circumstances that I have been granted. Even as a walk on, I am still shocked every day that I am a part of something that I never saw myself doing. I really used to think I was an outlier because I didn’t think I would ever be able to compete at such a high level, but today, I am an outlier because I get the chance to compete with a team that will work hard on its way to success.

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Chris Hennessy

Varsity Scores & Stats Women’s Basketball Fordham 66 George Mason 54 (FOR) Cavanaugh: 29 PTS, 5 3PT Men’s Basketball Fordham Duquesne (FOR) Perry: 17 PTS, 5 3PT Davidson Fordham (FOR) Eyisi: 17 PTS, 8 FG

56 58 74 62

Men’s Swimming & Diving Boston College 183.5 Fordham 96.5 (FOR) Stegen: 200 Freestyle - 1:42.77 - 1st La Salle Fordham (FOR) Bollesen: 50 Freestyle - 21.65 - 1st

217 71

Women’s Swimming & Diving Boston College 150.5 Fordham 149.5 (FOR) Bullock: 100 Butterfly - 55.56 - 1st Richmond Fordham (FOR) Dunn: 3M Dive - 284.75 - 1st

117.5 181.5

La Salle 92 Fordham 206 (FOR) McGee: 100 Butterfly - 56.85 - 1st Men’s Track & Field Penn 8 Select Meet 23 - 7th (FOR) Kutch: 3 Mile - 4:06.60 - 3rd

Hamilton Fordham (FOR) George: 9-11, 11-3, 11-4, 11-9

Men’s Tennis Bucknell Fordham (FOR) de Macar: 6-4, 3-6, 6-4

Molly Dunn

Junior

Senior

Men’s Tennis

Swimming & Diving

While celebrating her own Senior Day, Dunn had a record day for a Fordham diver against La Salle and Richmond. She won the one-meter and three-meter with NCAA Zone Qualifying marks of 276.85 and 284.75, respectively.

Each week, The Fordham Ram’s sports editors honor one male athlete and one female athlete for their on-field performances as their “Athletes of the Week.”

News & Notes

Fordham alumnus Thomas Slattery, GSB ‘18, has officially qualified for the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials after finishing in eighth overall with a qualifying time of 2:18:35 at the Chevron Houston Marathon. Five weeks prior, at the CIM Marathon in Sacramento, Slattery’s time of 2:19:09 was short of the Olympic “B” standard by those final nine seconds. “The opportunity to race at the Trials has been one of my biggest goals throughout my running career and I truly owe it to my support system for encouraging me to roll the dice once again after coming so close in Sacramento,” Slattery said after qualifying in Houston. He will compete at those trials on Feb. 29 in Atlanta.

• Hot Stove Event is February 6

The 2020 Fordham Rams baseball season, the

161st year of the sport being played at the university, will kick off on Feb. 6, when the team will host its annual Hot Stove Event from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The team is coming off of their successful 2019 campaign, which saw an Atlantic 10 Conference Championship and a spot in the NCAA Regionals. The event will feature members of the Fordham team, as head coach Kevin Leighton,gives insights on the state of the program and the forthcoming season. To purchase tickets, please contact Kara Field at kfield1@fordham.edu.

• Etienne On Haitian Team

Fordham midfielder Danielle Etienne has once

again been called up to the Haitian Women’s Senior National Team to take part in CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying and the CONCACAF Women’s U-20 Championship. Etienne was previously named to the squad back in October to help the Haitian team earn a spot in the CONCACAF Women’s Qualifying Championship. “We are proud of Dani and her call up to the senior team,” Fordham head coach Jessica Clinton said of Etienne. “She’s worked hard to put herself in that position to earn a call up and a cap. Dani has also created a new set of Haiti Soccer fans here at Fordham and we can’t wait for her to kick off on January 28th.”

• O’Brien New Associate Trainer

Fordham University announced on Tuesday

morning that Thomas O’Brien, MPS, ATC, CES would be promoted to the position of associate athletic trainer. O’Brien had previously been an assistant athletic trainer at the university since August 2018. Before O’Brien first arrived at Fordham, he had spent two years as a graduate assistant athletic trainer at St. John’s, where he attended to members of both the women’s volleyball and men’s tennis squads. Since arriving at Fordham, he has worked primarily with the men’s basketball team and the golf program.

9 0

Hobart 7 Fordham 2 (FOR) Panichello: 11-8, 8-11, 11-9, 1-11, 11-7

Lutwin de Macar

• Slattery Qualifies for Trials

York Hockey Squads

Men’s Squash Chatham 8 Fordham 1 (FOR) Schumacher: 13-11, 11-7, 11-7

Athletes of the Week

Men’s Tennis had a commanding 6-1 victory over Bucknell on Sunday, and de Macar was an enormous part of that. He won his singles match 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 and won his doubles match alongside teammate Fabian Mauritzson 6-3.

Chaos For the New

Women’s Track & Field Penn 8 Select Meet 4 - T-10th (FOR) Thomas: 3,000M - 10:07.29 - 5th

—Compiled by Dylan Balsamo

1 6

The last issue of The Fordham Ram ran over a month ago, and plenty has happened in the world of hockey since then, especially within the three local teams. The Devils fired their general manager and traded their best player, the Rangers called up their top prospect and the Islanders struggled offensively.

Starting in New Jersey, Taylor Hall and Ray Shero are no longer in the building. Hall, the 2018 MVP in Jersey, was traded to Arizona on Dec. 16 for a conditional first round pick, a conditional third and three prospects.

Arizona has had a great season, sitting in first place in the Pacific Division, and Hall is a great compliment to its middling offensive core. However, the deal lacked a proper return for the Devils. If the Devils had waited until the February deadline, they could have taken advantage of a desperate team looking for a goal scorer (Hall is averaging a point per game right now), but they dumped him way before that.

The shocking news of general manager Ray Shero’s termination came out of the Prudential Center three weeks later. Shero was welcomed to Jersey due to his work as Penguins general manager, but his moves with the Devils did not work out as well.

The timing of this move is questionable, leaving Tom Fitzgerald to man the deadline without Hall. The Devils should not have allowed Shero to trade Hall, as his offseason moves from this past summer have not worked out as planned. The move makes sense, but the timing does not.

The Rangers called up top goalie prospect Igor Shesterkin from the minor leagues over the break, and he has been fantastic. The 24-year-old Russian has played in two games thus far, posting a 3.03 goals against average and a .926 save percentage. However, this has created a logjam between the posts, as Alexander Georgiev has been sensational in his NHL career, and Henrik Lundqvist would be very difficult to trade with his hefty contract. The easiest answer is to trade Georgiev at the deadline for a significant haul. Toronto and Nashville are two teams that seem like a good fit for Georgiev, as he could step in and make those teams even more dangerous than they are. Only time will tell, but it certainly seems that Georgiev’s time as a Ranger has ended.

Now on to Long Island. The Islanders are still in a playoff spot for now at 28-14-4. With 60 points, they are in third in the Metropolitan division, fifth in the NHL and only four points clear of the playoff floor. The main issue with the Islanders, once again, is the lack of goal scoring. The bottom five wingers of Michael Dal Colle, Tom Kuhnackle, Ross Johnston, Matt Martin and Leo Komarov are easily replaceable by players in Bridgeport such as Keiffer Bellows, Oliver Whalstrom or Otto Koivula, or trade pieces like J.G Pageau and Tyler Toffoli. I will say again what I said last year: the 12 forwards currently constituting the Islanders forward core will not win a Stanley Cup. The next six weeks will be key for the 2019-20 Islanders.

SPORTS

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January 22, 2020

The Fordham Ram

Women’s Basketball Earns Double-Digit Victory Over George Mason

By JIMMY SULLIVAN SPORTS EDITOR

Fordham Women’s Basketball entered Sunday’s matchup with George Mason University with up-and-down performances to its name in Atlantic 10 play. Fordham started the conference schedule with a win over St. Bonaventure University but followed it up with a loss to conference-leading Da-

vidson College. The Rams’ third A-10 game of the year turned into a slugfest between Fordham and George Washington University, with the Rams prevailing in a late victory. With these results in tow, Fordham entered Sunday’s matchup against George Mason with something to prove.

In that game, Fordham proved that it is still capable of playing as

well as anyone else in the A-10.

Fordham toppled George Mason 66-54 in a dominant road performance to move to 3-1 in A-10 play. Fordham’s offense was led by junior Bre Cavanaugh, who scored 29 points on 9-20 shooting. The other major key for Fordham was shutting down George Mason junior and defending A-10 Player of the Year Nicole

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Bre Cavanaugh has become the A-10 leading scorer as the conference schedule intensifies.

Cardaño-Hillary, who shot just 4-15 (26.7%) from the field and scored 15 points.

“I thought we played some really good defense in stretches,” Fordham head coach Stephanie Gaitley said. “So, it’s a great road win.”

Cavanaugh was by far the best player on the floor on Sunday and emerged as the clear winner of the battle between her and Cardaño-Hillary as — arguably — the two best players in the Atlantic 10. With Sunday’s results, Cavanaugh is now the A-10’s leading scorer, with Cardaño-Hillary close behind.

“She’s been a great leader,” Gaitley said of Cavanaugh. “They (CBS Sports Network) asked me on TV today about Bre and her shooting, and I’m like, ‘I can’t get mad at her because she puts the time in…she’s earned the right to take those shots.’”

“Those shots” are the type that Cavanaugh and only a select few other players can make — floaters through contact near the basket, jump shots off the dribble, threepointers around screens. Cavanaugh’s unique ability to get to the basket, get hot from the field and lead the Fordham offense were all on display on Sunday.

However, she was not the only player making serious contributions for Fordham. Sophomore Kaitlyn Downey had 15 points and seven rebounds to go along with excellent interior defense.

Redshirt sophomore Vilisi Tavui played her best game of the season off the bench, scoring four points and yanking down six re-

bounds in just 13 minutes. Last but not least, junior Kendell Heremaia, as usual, did a little bit of everything, scoring eight points, grabbing five rebounds and dishing out seven assists.

Fordham led the game from wire-to-wire, as there were no lead changes. The Rams led 2617 at halftime and pulled away in the third quarter, starting the second half on an 11-4 run. Fordham never allowed the Patriots to pull within single digits after the first two minutes of the second half.

With the win, Fordham has started Atlantic 10 play on a high note and the loss dropped George Mason to 1-4 in conference play.

While Fordham has done its job early on in conference play, the hard part of the schedule now begins. Fordham will take on St. Louis, Dayton and VCU in its next three games in what will comprise its toughest test of the season.

Win all three and the Rams are in excellent position to finish at or near the top of the conference.

Lose all three and Fordham will fall below .500 and reach a crossroads in late January. Somewhere between those two outcomes lies the likeliest result, and the forthcoming gauntlet — against teams that are a combined 11-3 early on in the conference season — will give a good read on where Fordham stands after the first month of Atlantic 10 play.

If Fordham can play up to the level it did on Sunday, the Rams will give an extremely good accounting of themselves over the next few games.

Rams Drop to 0-5 in Atlantic 10 After Davidson Loss

By ANDREW POSADAS MANAGING EDITOR

Fordham Men’s Basketball played arguably its best first half of the season against Davidson College on Sunday afternoon, but it would not be enough as the Wildcats dominated the second half en route to a 74-62 win in Rose Hill Gymnasium. Sophomore forward Onyi Eyisi enjoyed an efficient day for the Rams, scoring a career-high 17 points to go along with three steals and two blocks in the loss.

Earlier in the week, the Rams came awfully close to winning their first Atlantic 10 conference game this season. Fordham went on the road and gave Duquesne University everything it could handle, ultimately losing in overtime 58-56. Head coach Jeff Neubauer’s squad came into Sunday on a four-game losing streak, and without three of its top four scorers.

Redshirt junior forward Chuba Ohams was ruled out for the season after suffering a leg injury during warmups of Fordham’s game against La Salle University back on Jan. 5. Senior guard Erten Gazi was still unavailable to play, missing his third consecutive game due to a concussion sustained against Virginia Commonwealth University. The Rams have also been without senior guard and captain Antwon Portley, who

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Inconsistency continues to plague the Rams and their struggles in the A-10 this season. injured his leg in the team’s loss to James Madison University last month and is considered day-today moving forward.

As for Davidson, head coach Bob McKillop’s team came into this season predicted to finish second in the A-10 preseason poll. However, the Wildcats have gotten off to a slow start since conference play began. Davidson dropped to 1-3 in the A-10 after losing a home game to the University of Richmond by double

digits. Even so, the dynamic duo of senior guard Jon Axl Gudmundsson and junior guard Kellen Grady can be devastatingly potent on offense.

In the last nine games, Fordham’s first half woes on offense have been well documented. In that span, the Rams averaged just 26 points in the first half and 34% shooting as a team. Fortunately, Fordham’s offense was surprisingly ready to roll from the opening tip. The Rams shot a scorching

55% from the field behind 6-of7 shooting from Eyisi. The efficient interior scoring opened up great shots from beyond the arc, with Fordham knocking down five three-pointers.

Fordham would lead by as many as nine in the first half, and went into halftime sporting a fourpoint advantage, 41-37.

Then the second half began, and inconsistency reared its ugly head for the Rams again. The offense would come out cold to start the

half, allowing Davidson to play a quicker tempo and get its offense cooking. Specifically, Gudmundsson was able to get in a groove shooting the ball. Last year’s A-10 Player of the Year scored 16 of his 21 points in the final 20 minutes of regulation. Additionally, his eight assists on Sunday brought him over 500 assists for his career, making him the fourth player in school history to do so.

Davidson knocked down eight three-pointers in the second half and never looked back, shooting 56% as a team in the process.

Sputtering, the Rams offense was not able to keep pace with Davidson’s efficient offense. Fordham shot 8-of-25 from the field in the second half, as it watched a four-point halftime lead evolve into a 12-point defeat.

With the loss, Fordham falls to 7-9 on the season, and still looks for its first A-10 win at 0-5. Sophomore guard Ty Perry scored 13 points and added four assists in the loss. The Rams next game will be on Jan. 22, when the team welcomes George Washington University to the historic Rose Hill Gymnasium. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. and can be viewed exclusively on ESPN+.