November 2, 2023
Vol. 36, Issue 6
I NDEP END E N T
STUD E N T
VO I C E
O F
B O I SE
STATE
S I N C E
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Banned Books: Exploring the power of prohibited words and ideas
NEWS
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Mayor McLean is challenged by former Police Chief Mike Masterson for Boise’s mayoral election
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OPINION
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Young female pop artists like Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter are making waves in the music industry
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CULTURE
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Boise State provides students the opportunity to engage in environmental preservation @arbiteronline
SPORTS & REC
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Boise State’s Spirit Squad and Mane Line put in work to compete and to cheer on Bronco sports
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@arbiteronline
PHOTO OF THE WEEK
Editor-In-Chief Hanalei Potempa editor@stumedia.boisestate.edu Online Editor Adam Bridges onlineeditor@stumedia.boisestate.edu News Editor Kiryn Willett news@stumedia.boisestate.edu News Reporter Kaylie Hilliker news@stumedia.boisestate.edu News Reporter Joel Hroma news@stumedia.boisestate.edu Culture Editor Emily Gordon culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu Culture Reporter Olivia Brandon culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu Sports & Rec Editor Marlei Soderquist sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu Sports & Rec Reporter Alec Simeone sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu Opinion Editor Ella Van Leuven opinion@stumedia.boisestate.edu Copy Editor Kelly Ann Asker copy@stumedia.boisestate.edu Social Media Coordinator Naomi Priddy Digital Content Manager Taya Thornton digitalcontent@stumedia.boisestate.edu
Man showing off tricks on his skateboard.
ON THE COVER:
Diverse stories and voices are impor tant and valuable. Book bans have a long histor y of censoring the expression of new perspectives and ideas, and this censoship is still prevalent in our countr y, especially in Boise.
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Graphic Design Manager Sasha White design@stumedia.boisestate.edu
CONTACT US: editor@stumedia.boisestate.edu 208.426.6302 PHYSICAL LOCATION: Located on first floor of Lincoln Avenue Garage Suites
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MISSION:
Digital Content Producer Niamh Brennan
Illustrator Sydney Smith Distributed every few weeks during the academic school year and online daily, The Arbiter is the official independent student newspaper of Boise State University, where student editors make all content decisions and bear responsibility for those decisions. The Arbiter’s budget consists of fees paid by the student body and advertising sales. The first copy is free. Additional copies can be purchased for $1 a piece at The Arbiter offices.
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NEWS
NOVEMBER 2, 2023 | ARBITERONLINE.COM
What to know about the upcoming Boise Mayoral Election Mayor McLean is challenged by former Police Chief Mike Masterson
Joel Hroma | News Repor ter | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu
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he country is a year away from the next presidential election, but another election is right around the corner. The City of Boise will have an election for Mayor and City Council on Nov 7. Mayor McLean is seeing a challenge from Former Boise Chief of Police Mike Masterson. In addition to Masterson, McLean is being challenged by Joe Evans, a Libertarian who ran for Idaho’s district 1 seat in the U.S. legislature in 2022. The final challenger is local activist Aaron Reis. Mayor Lauren McLean McLean served on the Boise City Council from 2011-2019 and was council president from 2017-2019. She then became the first woman to hold the office of Boise Mayor in 2020. McLean has a track record over the past four years of policy that she has put into place. First elected in 2019 when she beat former Mayor, Democrat, David Bieter, she has had four years to build up a resume for herself. Mayor McLean’s primary initiatives have included issues such as affordable housing, living wages and safety. Under McLean’s term as Mayor, Micron started construction on a new memory manufacturing fab. This comes after a $15 billion investment plan that will “create over 17,000 new American jobs, including approximately 2,000 direct Micron jobs, by the end of the decade” according to a press release from Micron. McLean also provided $2 million in grants to small businesses stemming from the American Rescue Plan (ARPA). McLean has also touted direct grants that will go to childcare providers and workers in the Boise area. This included
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the ability to apply for a one-time payment of $1,500. One of McLean’s plans moving forward will be her Pathways Plan which aims to add safer walkways for people in Boise and the areas surrounding. “The Boise Pathways Plan will build on the success of the Boise River Greenbelt to develop a robust system of off-street walking and biking pathways to safely connect our city and allow people to get around without relying on a vehicle” according to the plan posted on the City of Boise website. McLean has also been an avid supporter of the LGBTQ community in Boise and can be seen every year in her pink suit walking in the Boise Pride parade. McLean has made her opinion very clear in relation to anti-trans legislation in the state of Idaho. “My heart breaks today for every loving parent of a trans child, every doctor who strives to offer life-saving affirming care, and every child in our community targeted by H71” said McLean in a tweet. H71 blocked gender affirming care from individuals under the age of 18. Mike Masterson Masterson served as Boise Police Chief from 2005-2015. In his time as Police Chief, Masterson oversaw the creation of programs such as a refugee outreach program, the BSU student Alcohol Diversion Program and the 10 to 10 zone for Bronco football games. The 10 to 10 zone is a program that establishes a zone that begins at Broadway Ave and Myrtle St and extends west along Capitol Blvd. This program “specifies areas off-campus where people age 21 or older may consume alcoholic beverages from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Boise State
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home football game days only” according to the program from the City of Boise. Masterson and current police officers saw a lack of support coming from the current Mayor’s Office. “I’ve been pretty happy in retirement, serving military veterans, doing family things, when last fall the mayor took to basically casting aspersions on the Boise Police Department for the actions of one retired troubled captain regarding his racist views,” Masterson said in an interview with The Arbiter. This is in reference to former Police Capt. Matt Bryngelson making racist posts online while serving as Police Capt. A lawyer from Washington, D.C. was hired by Mayor McLean to investigate the matter. “I thought that there was a talented legal community here… very trained professionals that we could have stayed here locally at a much lower cost,” said Masterson. Masterson is running as an independent and has been endorsed by many different groups like the police and fire unions as well as former Mayor David Bieter, a Democrat. “Throughout my life, I’ve never declared any party candidacy. I mean, in policing, it hasn’t been good to reveal a whole lot about your personal life, whether it’s your political views, whether it’s your religious views, I mean, all those were kind of kept in the background for me with no disclosure, because when you go into somebody’s house, and you have to solve a problem, I don’t want to give them a preconceived notion,” Masterson said. Recently, Masterson faced an issue when it comes to his supporters and their
Photo of Boise City Hall. Photo by Niamh Brennan views on the current Mayor McLean and the LGBTQ community in Boise. There was a political ad paid for by an endorser of Masterson that painted the LGBTQ community as a far left, extremist agenda. “I became aware of these ads today, and I want to make it clear to every Boisean that I had nothing to do with their creation and that I do not condone them,” Masterson said in a statement to The Idaho Statesman. Masterson has stated that he supports and stands with marginalized communities. He is known for bringing new officers to visit the Anne Frank Memorial and inviting guests of various faiths and beliefs to speak. Guests included members of the LGBTQ community, members of the Muslim faith, and a Rabbi. Election day is Nov. 7 and Idaho has same day registration. Early voting started Oct. 23 and ends Nov. 3 with locations being open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. This will be the first election with the new voter registration policies in effect.
ASBSU passes a bill to support student parents with learning workshops
NEWS
The READY! For Kindergarten® program is gearing up to help students with children Kaylie Hilliker | News Repor ter | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu
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SBSU passed a bill during a joint assembly meeting on Oct. 26, sponsoring $15,000 dollars for 60 student parents to participate in training workshops called the READY! For Kindergarten® program through Boise State’s Children Center. The pilot program will span six workshops once a month on Friday afternoons providing free lunch, childcare and parent-child engagement toolkits. The six workshops will occur in two different sessions: three workshops in the NovJan session, and three workshops in the Feb-April session. Workshop one focuses on language and literacy, workshop two focuses on math and reasoning and workshop three on the social and emotional aspects of being a student parent. The bill was introduced by underserved population representatives Amelia Jobe, Josie Kennedy, Kaylee Rank and Mark Nelson. Jobe presented the bill to the joint assembly meeting after it was tabled the week prior. “So the hope is to really draw attention to childcare and the need that student parents have on campus in the bill … and it’s just crazy that there is not really resources specifically for students with children and that needs to be addressed, especially when one in five students on campus have children,” Jobe said. “I hope that this is implemented and that students take advantage of it and that it is well received.” The student parent population in universities make up 22% of undergraduates, around one in five college students. In contrast to other demographics, student parents experience more debt, around two-and-a-half times higher than students not raising children. On top of debt, student parents spend more money on necessities like clothing, food, transportation, housing and utilities. Keeping these realities in mind, it makes sense that only 37% of student
parents make it to graduation or complete a certificate in six years, compared to non-parenting students with a 59% rate of graduating in six years according to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. “The goal of the workshops is to teach parents how to manage time at school. It’s designed for when they’re with their children, to have quality time with their children, it’s not the quantity of time that they spend with their children,” Nelson said. “Children can be successful if they have parents that spend quality time, so they’re trying to give them the tools to teach your kids when you’re with them in a learning environment where they’re happy to learn, so that we have future students at BSU.” READY! For Kindergarten® has been implemented across college campuses for 20 years with a curriculum designed for student-parents with children under six years of age in alliance with The Children’s Reading Foundation and Idaho Association for the Education of Young Children. Jobe wants to continue to partner with the Children’s Center to find more solutions for supporting student parents in the future. “I hope that this initial period of collaboration with ASU can bring two departments together — the children’s center and then student government — that we can work to unite the student needs, with the capabilities of programs on campuses so that we can find a solution and hopefully provide child care or other support resources along this, along these topics in the future,” Jobe said. Boise State’s Children’s Center on campus, seeks to provide care for students, faculty and staff. Children ages two months to five years can access play-based learning approaches and full-time care with teachers. The facility includes a nursing mothers room and a parent study room, and hours are open during the
Illustration of a father studying while his child plays. week Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:10 p.m. “The Children’s Center assists student parents in a number of ways, making their experience as students and parents easier. We are a nationally accredited center that provides full time care allowing our student parents peace of mind that their children are receiving the highest
Illustration by Kelsey Mason
quality early care and education while they are growing as adult learners,” Director of the Boise State Children’s Center and adjunct faculty member in Early Childhood Education, Nichole Billetz stated in an email to The Arbiter. Billetz will facilitate the workshops in the upcoming months.
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NEWS
ASBSU’s mayoral debate encourages students to get involved in Boise politics
The candidates for Boise’s upcoming mayoral election on Nov. 7 attend a debate at BSU Kaylie Hilliker | News Repor ter | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu
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n the Grace Jordan Ballroom on Monday Oct. 16, Boise State’s student council ASBSU hosted a debate for Boise’s mayoral election. The mayoral debate was livestreamed and open to the public to encourage civic engagement. This mayoral election season, Bosie citizens will vote between four candidates, current Mayor Lauren McLean, Mike Masterson former Boise Police Chief, Joe Evans and Aron Reis. All four candidates agreed to attend the debate, an event led by ASBSU’s Government Relations officer Cayden Stone and the Government Relations Committee. “Back in 2019, our government relations committee hosted a mayoral debate as a way to bring candidates on campus and have students interact with candidates and be able to hear them on the issues before voting in November,” Stone said.. “It takes student involvement leadership and takes the vision set by our ASBSU president and vice president to have events like this and how they prioritize the importance of having this kind of civic engagement on campus,” Stone said. The ASBSU Government Relations Committee also organizes events like voter registration week and Bronco Day at the capitol. “We really do want students to come to events like this because it is important to understand what’s going on at the local level,” Stone said. “This is where we all live at least nine months out of the year and we want to make sure that we have engagement and the candidates are also speaking to students because it’s really important for them to do so,” Stone said. The debate involved a student panel with government Relations Officer Cayden Stone, Honors College Senator Ethan LeHaug, and Non-Tradi-
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Photo of members of ASBSU walking on campus. tional Students Representative Matt Spelsburg and was moderated by Dr. Martin. “I think the benefit of us bridging ASBSU governments and state governments is that it gives people a chance to informally come in because people aren’t expected to wear suits. People can bring themselves as they are. We have the student panels, where students are bringing their legitimate requests,” ASBSU Vice President Jason
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Holmon said. Topics ranging from growth of the city, cost of living, affordability of housing, the importance of trades, city safety, maintaining roots of Idaho culture and diversity were discussed during the debate from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. McLean and Masterson held the debate attention and took time to provide their thoughts on every question the panel presented.
Photo by Taya Power-Thornton “Bosians do it best when we work together,” McLean stated in the middle of the debate surrounding maintaining roots in Idaho culture. “We are one city but we are many communities here,” Masterson stated during the discussion on diversity. The results of the Boise race for mayor are yet to be seen, and with only a few weeks left, the pressure is on. Early voting began Oct 23, and continues to general elections Nov 7.
U.S. Speaker of the House elected after Idaho was divided on the vote
NEWS
Rep. Mike Simpson voted against Speaker nominee Rep. Jim Jordan
Joel Hroma | News Repor ter | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu
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fter three weeks of the State of Idaho and the country being split on the vote for a new U.S. Speaker of the House, Rep. Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) has been elected as of Oct. 25. Rep. Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho) and Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho) joined 218 other Republicans to push Johnson over the edge. All Republicans present voted for Johnson with Rep Derrick Van Orden (R-Wisconsin) being absent. “I was proud to cast my vote in support of Speaker Johnson, and I look forward to working with him to get the House of Representatives back to work on behalf of
the American people,” Simpson said in a tweet. Fulcher also issued a statement on the matter. “I supported Mike Johnsonson for Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. Mike has demonstrated his Conservative commitment to America, and House Republicans are ready to unite under his leadership for the American people,” Fulcher said in a tweet. Johnson comes into power with a deadline of Nov. 17 to pass funding legislation to avoid a government shutdown. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) lost a third speaker vote on Friday, Oct. 20 in the
U.S. House of Representatives. After a private meeting amongst House Republicans, Jordan was removed as the candidate. Idaho Rep. Mike Simpson voted against Jordan in all three votes, going against other Idaho Rep. Russ Fulcher. Simpson has expressed his continued support for House Majority Leader Steve Scalise. “Steve Scalise earned my vote for Speaker in the last two rounds. He has repeatedly proven his leadership as our conference’s Majority Leader, and I am honored to support him. Intimidation and threatening tactics do not — and will not — work,” said Simpson in a tweet on
Wednesday, Oct. 18. Simpson’s votes have received backlash from Idaho Republicans including Dorothy Moon, the chairwoman of the Idaho GOP. “We would like to express our disappointment in our Republican U.S. Congressman Mike Simpson (ID-2) for not voting with the Republican caucus for Jim Jordan for Speaker of the House today,” said Moon in an emailed press release to The Arbiter. Simpson believes that his vote is in line with his constituents and what the people want. “If I took Chairwoman Moon’s gracious advice, I would support a Speaker who has continuously voted in opposition to critical funding for operations and continued research at the [Idaho National Laboratory] INL. The INL created thousands of jobs and generated over $120 million for Idaho’s state and local tax revenue last year alone, keeping the tax burden low for Idahoans,” Simpson said in an op-ed on Friday, Oct.20. Fulcher, on the other hand, has held firm on his support for Jordan in the three votes. “I voted for Jim Jordan for Speaker of the House again this morning and I am proud to continue to back him on behalf [of ] my constituents in Idaho,” said Fulcher in a tweet on Friday, Oct. 20. There is a worry centered around what this looks like to the United States and the world. Congress is not able to get anything done until a speaker is elected. Other states that remain divided on the vote include Florida, Texas and Oregon. “We are sending a very bad message. We are sending a message of dysfunction, not only to those watching the situation in Israel, but right here at home,” Fulcher said in an interview with ABC News on Tuesday, Oct. 17.
Speaker of the House Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry and Jim Jordan on the floor of the House of Representatives. Photo courtesy of Alex Brandon/The Associated Press NOVEMBER 2, 2023
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OPINION NOVEMBER 2, 2023 | ARBITERONLINE.COM
Rising queens of pop: the young women redefining the music scene
In a male-dominated music industry, these young female artists are dominating the pop scene Ella Van Leuven | Opinion Editor | opinion@stumedia.boisestate.edu
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ince the origins of the modern music industry, men have dominated the charts and have been at the forefront of many of the industry’s biggest names. Despite the success of the women who have been huge names in pop music for years, there is still a large gap between men and women in the industry. The underrepresentation of women in pop music is a problem that has continued into recent years. A 2019 BBC article found that “ninety-one men or all-male groups were credited on the Official Chart Company’s top 100 most popular songs of 2018.” Today in 2023, while the gap between men and women is still very evident, a number of young women are making waves through their pop music and paving the way for young female artists of the future. Artists like Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo and Madison Beer are three prime examples of musicians who are creating an industry that is beginning to allow women to truly succeed. Since Her start on Disney Channel in “Girl Meets World”, 24-year-old Sabrina Carpenter has revealed herself to be an extremely talented musician as well as an actor. Carpenter released her first single in 2014, titled “Silver Nights”, and has continued to gain immense popularity in the pop industry since. She garnered even more publiciity particularly after the release of her 2022 album “emails i can’t send”, an album she called her first “big girl album” in an interview with Variety. As her fifth studio album and first release under label Island Records, “emails i can’t send” has been a massive hit. Ranked at 44 on Rolling Stone’s “Best Albums of 2022”, the album has pushed
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Illustration of a woman singing on stage. her to the forefront of the pop music scene, gaining popularity to the point of her opening for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in August 2023 in Mexico City, as well as headlining the Eras Tour’s Europe dates. 20-year-old Olivia Rodrigo is another pop star who got her start on Disney Channel and has recently become a staple name in the pop industry. After starring in “Bizaardvark” and “High School Musical: The Musical – The Series”, Rodrigo entered the music industry with her hit singles “Driver’s License” and “Deja Vu”. Quickly emerging as a rising star in pop music – and becoming the first singer to have her first two singles debut in the top 10 on Billboard’s “Top 100” – Rodrigo released her freshman album “SOUR” in 2021 and won a trio of Grammys at the 2022 awards, including the “Best New Artist” award. Rodrigo recently released her sopho-
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more album “GUTS” in September of 2023, an album full of songs that depict what it truly feels like to be a young girl growing up today. “GUTS” received an 8/10 from Pitchfork, debuted at number one on Billboard’s top 200 albums chart and is in the running for the 2023 Grammy awards. Madison Beer is a third major name in the pop industry right now, particularly with her recent album release, “Silence Between Songs”. The 24-year-old gained popularity in 2012 after Justin Bieber posted a link to one of her YouTube covers on his own social media. Since then, Beer has gone on to release her own music, beginning with her debut EP “As She Pleases” in 2018. Beer has skyrocketed in popularity in 2023, partially due to the release of her memoir “The Half of It”, a book detailing her mental health experiences and the
Illustration by Sydney Smith trials of being a teenage girl, as well as the September release of Beer’s second album “Silence Between Songs” which explores deeply personal topics like love, family and trauma. A review of the album from Beats Per Minute says that in “Silence Between Songs”, Beer is “honing in on her sound and voice to explore inner turmoil”. Through artists like Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo and Madison Beer, young girls are able to not only see their feelings and experiences represented in music, but also to have role models to show them they too can succeed in the music industry. Though the music industry is largely dominated by men, many young women are paving the way to create a setting where female voices (and songs) can be showcased as well.
OPINION
Folk pop has risen in the rankings of listeners music tastes Noah Kahan, Zach Bryan and Tyler Childers: Campfire ditty meets modern melody Kaylie Hilliker | News Repor ter | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu
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alk into any coffee shop downtown, and there is a pretty good chance Noah Kahan will shuffle his way through a playlist as you wait for your Americano. Maybe you pull out your phone, scroll TikTok reels, and soon you hear the viral song “Stick Season” by the same artist in your airpods. Once your order is ready, you’ll walk through the autumn leaves tousled around by light wind on the streets, get into your car, turn on the radio, and “Dial Drunk” croons from the speakers. In this music moment, Noah Kahan has made a mark. In September of 2017, the up and coming alternative folk pop artist released his single, “Hurt Somebody” and followed up in 2018 with his debut album “Busyhead”, and his next album, “I Was/I Am” in 2021. It was his album “Stick Season” in 2022 that broke through to mainstream listeners, and went viral on TikTok. TikTok plays a key role in this cultural phenomenon of people turning their attention to the folk-pop genre. It’s a promotional platform where people can go viral and artists can use the app as an experimental tool to test out their songs on the general public. Kahan is a symbol of the rise of folkpop music. It’s a blend of sound that strings together banjo, acoustic guitar, electric, mandolin and the fiddle together with a deep nostalgia and heartcry to history. Folk music refers to a genre of songs created out of oral tradition, typically speaking to a community of people like a village, church or ethnic group. Folk music contains themes, messages and language that resonate with a type of culture, geographic region or group. Pop music simply labels any music as recognized or “popular”. The pop music formula equates to repeated choruses or
verses, delivers a signature upbeat tempo, similar chord progressions and the topic of song usually revolves around love. Combine the two genres, and you have pop-folk music. Tyler Childers, Zach Bryan, The Lumineers and Oliver Anthony Music are all folk-pop artists that have risen to mainstream attention. Not all of these artists are strictly pop-folk, there are rock and roll, country, and alternative sounds in the mix to all their albums. But, the overall feel inspires a listener to assume the style is somewhere between a campfire ditty and modern melody. Even though some might argue that folk-pop music is a niche genre, look at the rankings. Billboards Top 100 artists of today include Zach Bryan at #5, Noah Kahan at #24, Tyler Childers at #51 and Oliver Anthony Music at #65. Zach Bryan’s music career in the pop-folk genre boomed in the last few months, with songs like “Something in the Orange”, “Heading South” and “Oklahoma Smokeshow” drawing in listeners. Like Kahan, his songwriting style incorporates raw, honest storytelling with red-dirt tones and stomp-clap tempos. As tastes change, so does sound. Music adapts to the time — think of artists like Bob Dylan, Woody Gurthie, Odetta Holmes or Leonard Cohen. All these artists’ music spoke to audiences at the time for different reasons, just like folk-pop artists of today. The appeal of the relatability elements of folk and catchy, easy to remember structures of songs that distinguishes pop has brought these artists to the forefront of the genre in the music industry. One of the iconic lines from “Burn Burn Burn” by Bryan is, “Well everyone seems like a damn genius lately / Tik-Tok talkin’ / late-night TV / There’s still so much I have yet to know.” Bryan accurately expressed a common internal interpretation of the app and its
Graphic of folk records scattered on the floor. influencers, and a lack of knowledge one might possess. There is so much information, disinformation and misinformation that makes it overwhelming. He goes on to sing about the paradox of social life where going out on the town can be an event that instead of bringing fun and connection can feel empty and meaningless. “We get dressed up just to go downtown In some ego-filled late night crowd / seems to be where I feel most alone / I’d like to get lost on some old back road.” As for Kahan, one fan favorite line from his song “Growing Sideways.” is “I’m still angry at my parents for what my parents did to them / but it’s a start / But
Graphic by Kelsey Mason
I ignore things / and I move sideways / Till I forget what I felt in the first place.” Kahan articulates a stage of growing up and maturing where suddenly the sins of our families come to light, and the facade of childhood in some degree falls. Every family has its shortcomings, and learning to heal and process those hardships can sometimes feel like you are moving sideways instead of forward. Skilled music artists need to be skilled storytellers, therefore writers. From lyrics to melody, what Bryan, Kahan and others sing about resonates deeply with their widespread audiences on a heart level, which is why they have successfully entered the mainstream scene.
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Banned Books: Exploring the power of prohibited words and ideas
Hearing diverse voices and stories is critical for people everywhere; book bans create challenges for everyone to access them. ELLA VAN LEUVEN | OPINION EDITOR | OPINION@STUMEDIA.BOISESTATE.EDU ILLUSTRATIONS BY SYDNEY SMITH
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n a country where diverse voices and stories are more important than ever, considering the implications of book banning is essential. Although book bans may seem like a relic of the past, they didn’t end with the Red Scare or the Holocaust. Prohibitions on certain books based on content often restricts communities from freely exchanging ideas and stifles intellectual and creative expression. A historical overview of book bans The history of banned books is a complex and longstanding one, dating back to ancient times. The banning of books has occurred for various reasons, including political, religious, moral and social concerns. Chelsea Major, the owner of The Lit Room and founder of the Boise Banned Book Club addressed how book bans have taken place throughout history. “We’ve historically seen books banned, generally in relation to what’s going on politically,” Major said. “You generally see a narrative around control in the media, about what people can learn about, what people can discuss. That’s been done consistently throughout time.” Book bans can be found throughout history, taking place as far back as the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and colonial America, and this literary censorship is still very prevalent in the world today. The practice of banning books can be traced back to ancient times. For
instance, in ancient China, the emperor Qin Shi Huang ordered the burning of books that were deemed subversive or critical of his rule in the 3rd century BCE. Similarly, in ancient Rome, certain texts were banned, and the Catholic Church later followed suit by placing restrictions on certain books. This type of book banning continued into the 20th century, with bans on literature being heavily present in many cultures. Governments and organizations increasingly targeted books they considered subversive, offensive or dangerous. Throughout history, book burning has been a common method of censoring books. The most infamous example of this was the Nazi book burnings in 1933, where thousands of books considered “un-German” were burned in public displays of censorship. The risks that book bans pose As book bans remain in our culture today, it is important to consider why they are so harmful to society. Major addressed this, saying, “Never in history has book banning been a positive thing, it has never indicated a positive change in society. It is usually representative of backlash from progress and from movement.” There are a wide variety of dangers that book bans present, and they affect society as a whole by limiting what they can learn about and what perspectives they can understand. Banning books can be seen as a violation of the fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression.
It raises concerns about government overreach and censorship, potentially setting a dangerous precedent for further restrictions on speech and information. These bans can easily result in ignorance and the denial of reality. For example, censoring books that discuss important social issues can prevent people from understanding and addressing those issues effectively. Major discussed the topics of books that are being banned across the country. “You’re seeing books pulled off the shelves and people not having access to books about representation,” Major said. “What we’re seeing across the United States is that the stories often center around people of color, people from other perspectives like the LGBTQ+ community, and things that maybe not every group agrees with. That doesn’t mean we should be taking away those books.” Banned books often include works by authors from marginalized or underrepresented groups. The censorship of these voices can perpetuate system-
ic inequalities and discrimination by limiting the reach of their narratives and perspectives. In addition, these bans strengthen taboos around topics that need to be discussed.
Banning books that address sensitive or controversial topics discourages open discussions. This can make it difficult for
society to address pressing issues such as racism, sexuality or mental health. Book bans often take place in public libraries, which deeply impacts people who may not be able to afford to purchase the books they want to read. When so many people depend on libraries for the stories they consume, maintaining diversity and telling a variety of stories is critical. Major pointed this out, saying, “Not everybody can come to a bookstore, not everybody has access to that, especially when you’re younger.” Book bans in Boise This is an active issue in Boise, and in 2023, the Boise Public Library removed all copies of the following books from the Ada Community Library System: “Gender Queer” by Maia Kobabe, “Lawn Boy” by Jonathan Evison, “All Boys Aren’t Blue” by George M Johnson, “Out Of Dark-
ness” by Ashley Hope Perez, “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison and “This Book is Gay” by Juno Dawson. Book bans are incredibly prevalent in today’s society in education systems, specifically in school libraries.
Some parents feel that banning books is necessary to protect their children from certain topics that they feel their children should not be exposed to. While protecting children from inappropriate content is important, much of the book banning that takes place is in fact detrimental to young readers. Kurt Zwolfer, the executive director of The Cabin, discussed the implications of book bans in Boise. “The Cabin staff and board always believe that parents should have a say in the age-appropriateness and content of what their children are reading,” Zwolfer said. “It should be the job of parents to make those choices in their homes, and it should be the job of teachers and librarians to make those choices in public libraries and classrooms. This is all an access issue more than anything else. By demanding the removal of books from public spaces, parents who want reading restrictions in their own homes are making decisions for all students in the community.” Pen America states that, “Hyperbolic and misleading rhetoric about ‘porn in schools’ and ‘sexually explicit,’ ‘harmful,’ and ‘age inappropriate’ materials led to the removal of thousands of books covering a range of topics and themes for young audiences. Overwhelmingly, book bans target books on race or racism or featuring characters of color, as well as books with LGBTQ+ characters.” The organization reported 3,362 instances of book banning from 2022-2023, including 25 in Idaho. Kallie King, the marketing director at Rediscovered Books, discussed reasons why books are banned and how it inhibits learning. . “It’s been really challenging because a lot of the books that have been banned are simply banned because they have diverse characters or diverse stories,” King said. “Because they are not on the shelf in the library, many kids won’t see them. A lot of children
only have access to books when they go to the library, so they will not be exposed to a lot of the diversity that exists in our culture and that they should be able to learn about.” Controversial Idaho House Bill 314, passed in March 2023, “Amends and adds to existing law to prohibit certain materials from being promoted, given, or made available to a minor by a school or public library and to provide a cause of action.” This recent bill has sparked intense debate in Idaho about how book bans affect children. Cathryn Oakley from the Human Rights Campaign responded to the passing of this bill. “Government should never be in the business of deciding what we can read, see, or hear,” Oakley said. “This bill is a despicable attempt to silence LGBTQ+ stories and further isolate LGBTQ+ kids who should feel safe and welcome whether they’re going to school or checking out books from their public library. Idaho deserves better.” A wide variety of books have been banned in Idaho schools, including “The Kite Runner”, “The Giver” and “The Handmaid’s Tale”. These stories -– and many others that have been banned -– make important commentary on society and tell stories from a variety of perspectives. Access to diverse literature, especially for children, is critical for a society to have empathy and an understanding of the people around them. Mary Aagard, the head of acquisitions and collections for Albertsons Library discussed this. “Access to diverse literature is really important, it’s how we learn about the human condition,” Aagard said. “We learn about emotions, about people, about time periods, about countries or orientations that we would never be able to experience in our own lifetime. Fiction gives us a portal to those worlds. Promoting and encouraging diversity is a way to understand who people are.” There is hope for the future of diverse literature, and individuals can work to promote a more inclusive and open approach to literature.
“The biggest thing people can do is talk about what’s going on and support the legislators that are going to make sure everybody can read freely and have access to the books they want to read,” King said. “It’s going to take a huge community effort and awareness to do that.” Zwolfer talked about how people can be active in their community to stop book bans. “One of the things people need to do more than anything else is to think locally,” Zwolfer said. “A lot of these decisions are made on library and school boards. If citizens are concerned about the right to read freely, they need to be active in local elections.” Another way people can take action is by seeking out books that have been banned, reading them and facilitating conversations about them. Today’s world is populated by people from all backgrounds, and everyone should be able to be represented in the available literature. When communities are able to hear stories from and about a diverse collection of people, they are pushed to understand perspectives other than their own and to be as empathetic to others as possible.
C U LT U R E NOVEMBER 2, 2023 | ARBITERONLINE.COM
Boise State provides environmental restoration opportunities for students
The Foothills Restoration project is one of many service opportunities students can get involved in Olovia Brandon | Culture Repor ter | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu
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oise is a city full of vibrant nature for individuals to enjoy. From the sweeping foothills that are perfect for hiking, to the beautiful rivers that provide an oasis in the summer, it’s safe to say that most Boise residents have a connection to the great outdoors. Boise State, in partnership with the City of Boise, has created a three-part local service project series that aims to provide students and community members with the opportunity to give back to the environment that provides so much joy for so many people. Martha Brabec, Boise Parks and Recreation Foothills Restoration Specialist, played a huge role in establishing this series at Boise State. The project is creating beaver analogs to decrease the speed of water and loss of sediment at Hulls Gulch. “Water is really important in desert ecosystems. You know, all of the wildlife and animals require a water source and so protecting the source of water is very important for land managers like myself,” Brabec said. “We’re working with Boise State University to try and reduce sediment loss in this ephemeral stream. Sediment loss is a pollutant … and also leads to further erosion.” The group created these structures in 2018 but many broke down due to erosion. “On top of that, we also have what we call a ‘headcut’. So an area where the water is being funneled in, it’s eroding,” Brabec said. “That’s really challenging to deal with and you have to fix it. And so thanks to the group with Boise State University in the first of the series, we’ve repaired the old structures.”
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Brabec offered up some possible ways Boise citizens can give back to the foothills and Idaho wildlife. From simply picking goat heads off the bottom of your shoes, to attending Boise Parks and Recreation’s education classes to volunteering opportunities like this one. “I think that there are a lot of challenges associated with Boise’s growth over the last five years ... and people are excited about being in Boise because of the trails,” Brabec said. “So all of us, as a community, need to collectively take care of these places.” The influx of Boise citizens who want to give back to their community is heartwarming. Brabec discussed her delight that so many individuals are interested in getting involved. “It is constantly humbling to meet people who are interested in giving their free time to help care for our shared resources,” Brabec said. “We almost have to turn people away because we only have so many opportunities that we can manage with our small staff. And I’m really grateful for the partnership the City of Boise has with Boise State University.” This project is just a snapshot of the work that the university and Boise Parks and Recreation do together. Brabec discussed service learning, a carbon sequestration project, goathead mapping and many others. “How can we steward the next generation of trail users into being restorative recreationists?” Brabec said. “And I don’t know, but I think that Boise State has the tools, has the leadership, and has the will to support this effort to be better to our shared open spaces because right now we’re really hard on them.” At the core of this issue, it is vital that
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Photo of volunteers at the Foothills Restoration Program. Photo by Taya Power-Thornton everyone find even small ways to give like, ‘Oh, this could be a legitimate part back to the environment in their day-to- of my career exploration,’” Monovich day lives. said. “I could get experience, I can fulfill “It’s ours, yours and mine and everysomething internally for me.” one else’s,” Brabec said. “And so we have Kylie Walters, a Boise State senior to find a way to get back to it in a way majoring in elementary education, that’s meaningful.” discussed why she is passionate about Leo Moronovich, the service programs participating in these projects. coordinator here at Boise State is instru“Events like this are definitely a part mental in making sure these events go of a bigger conversation that we need smoothly. to have,” Walters said. “If we don’t have “The objective is to help connect these conversations as far as preserving students to local community partners and making sure that generations to and provide unique and enjoyable and come can enjoy all that Idaho has to educational service outages for students,” offer then it’s going to disappear before Moronovich said. we ever realize that it’s leaving.” Monovich discussed the goal in mind With a plethora of upcoming events for these opportunities not just for and several more weeks of beautiful the environment, but for the students fall weather, it is the perfect time for themselves. students to roll up their sleeves and give “We want to get students to a point back to this environment that provides where they look at it not just as an Boise citizens with so much. obligation, but something that they’re
‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’ doesn’t capture the horror of the games
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Aimed at the wrong age group, “Five Nights at Freddy’s” is fun, but not a great horror film Kelly Ann Asker | Copy Editor | copy@stumedia.boisestate.edu
Still of Josh Hutcherson in “Five Nights at Freddy’s.” Image courtesy of Universal Pictures
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ased on the extremely popular video game from 2012, “Five Nights at Freddy’s” just hit the big screens on Oct. 27. The game “Five Nights at Freddy’s” (FNaF) has you play as a security guard hired to work the night shift at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. In the game, you must use lights, cameras, vents and more to survive the animatronics that come to life at night. The world of FNaF goes far beyond the gameplay and into a whirlwind of lore and easter eggs, like “The Bite of 83”. With FNaF spanning five separate games, spin-offs and a novel trilogy, there’s plenty for fans to dive into. And now, Blumhouse Productions has released a movie based on the fan-favorite game. “Five Nights at Freddy’s” follows Mike (Josh Hutcherson) as he desperately takes a job working the security night
shift at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. Although things seem normal at first, because the first night is always the easiest, things soon start to become strange. One night, he’s visited by police officer Vanessa (Elizabeth Lail) who begins to warn him of the horrific past of Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. Despite her knowledge of the kids who disappeared at the restaurant, she still holds a soft spot for the place and its beloved animatronics; Freddy, Bonnie, Foxy, Chica and Cupcake. Then when his babysitter is unavailable, Mike brings his little sister, Abby (Piper Rubio), to work the night shift with him. When she meets Freddy and his friends, she forms a strange and unlikely friendship with them, and Mike must fight to keep her, and himself, safe from the animatronics. The “Five Nights at Freddy’s” movie has a lot to live up to, since the origi-
nal game has been known for terrifying those who dare to play it. But unfortunately, the movie didn’t hold the same scare factor as the games. According to IMDB, “Five Nights at Freddy’s” is rated PG-13 for “strong violent content, bloody images and language”. There were some moments throughout “Five Nights at Freddy’s” that gave me hope for this to be absolutely horrifying, but truly scary moments were few and far between. Minimal jumpscares, occasional gore and limited suspense left me feeling disappointed. Although I understand the intent of targeting this film towards teenagers, the majority of FNaF fans are somewhat older generations, such as Millennials and older Gen-Z’s. Those who are 13 now, would have been only four years old when the first FNaF game came out. Blumhouse missed its target audience. Had the film been rated R, and featured a lot more thrills and gore, “Five Nights at Freddy’s” would have been a true horror movie — rather than a movie with some horror aspects — and would have been just as fear-inducing as the game. The oddest aspect of “Five Nights at Freddy’s” was the way they tried to humanize the possessed animatronics. Some fans are defending the director’s decision to humanize the animatronics, saying the animatronics should act childish because they’re possessed by kids. But for a horror movie, it just didn’t work. Seeing Freddy and his friends as anything other than horrifically evil made the film lose its momentum. It’s hard to be scared of something when you feel bad for it. One thing that “Five Nights at Freddy’s” went above and beyond on, however, was its casting. Josh Hutcherson — famous for his role as Peeta in “The Hunger Games” franchise — played his role almost perfectly. He was enjoyable
to watch and interacted with the animatronics well. Matthew Lillard — famous for playing Stu Macher in the “Scream” franchise — made an iconic return to the horror scene as Steve Raglan. Don’t let his seemingly uninteresting character fool you… Lillard has some tricks and twists up his sleeve that will make OG game fans happy. Fans got a very special surprise when Youtuber MatPat had a brief cameo in the film. MatPat, known for his game theory channel where he avidly posts theories on FNaF lore, shocked fans when he appeared on screen as a waiter. This cameo sparked conversation about Markiplier, another famous FNaF loving YouTuber who was also set to have a cameo, but had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts. Another feature of the film that was beyond impressive, was the animatronics. While on the surface they’re cool, they become absolutely fascinating when you learn there was absolutely no CGI used in creating them, and that they’re all practical. All of the animatronics are just that — real animatronics operated by puppeteers from the Jim Henson Creature Shop. The movie is receiving a variety of feedback, both positive and negative. As of Oct. 29, “Five Nights at Freddy’s” has a 26% critics score and an 88% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Although “Five Nights at Freddy’s” had its great moments, overall it didn’t live up to the hype people have been giving it for months. It’s a great entry-level horror film for teenagers looking to dive into the world of scary movies, but Blumhouse failed to take hold of its prime audience. “Five Nights at Freddy’s” is playing in theaters now and is also available to stream exclusively on Peacock.
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Exhibit “Expressions of Resistance” details the complexity of art
Boise State students spearhead a thought provoking exhibit expressing activism for social issues Jackson Nishihira | Staf f Writer | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu
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hree Boise State graduate students put together an exhibit that expresses their activism about certain modern day social issues like feminism, animal rights, sexuality and family trauma. The “Expressions of Resistance” exhibit, located in the Center for Visual Arts, is curated by third-year graduate students John Bybee, Alyse-Ambriel Hanna and Hallie Maxwell. “We’re looking at political stuff going on in Idaho right now with the gender policies,” said Curator John Bybee. “We’re trying to highlight the inequalities that a lot of marginalized communities in southern Idaho are facing right now. So that’s kind of where a lot of that inspiration came from.”
Bybee is a third-year graduate student at Boise State and a lot of his work uses gender roles and sexuality to illustrate what society wants to cover up. Bybee’s artwork in “Expressions of Resistance” is inspired by the religious trauma that he faced when growing up. “I grew up in southeastern Idaho and a very Mormon family. So a lot of it was just kind of working through some of those experiences like the embroidery pieces,” Bybee said. “I use the embroidery techniques because that’s kind of traditionally what they teach the young women in church growing up and so I was kind of trying to play with the gender norms of that.” The embroidery pieces included quotes that his family members said to him when
Photo of the exibit, located inside the Center for Visual Arts.
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he was coming out, such as “You did this to yourself ”. Alyse-Ambriel Hanna is also a thirdyear graduate student at Boise State. Hanna’s work focuses on her feminist ideologies and animal rights. Hanna’s artwork in “Expressions of Resistance” uses those specific lenses to show the oppression cosmetics have put on animals and women. “I found out that a lot of companies that are here in the United States that say they don’t test on animals, do test on animals in other countries,” Hanna said. “And I did some introspection, and I’m thinking about how animals have been oppressed by these cosmetic companies and then thinking about how women have also been oppressed by these cosmet-
Photo courtesy of BSU Visual Arts Center
ic companies. And so I’m really looking at that oppression.” Hallie Maxwell believes that artists will always have that aspect of activism and for her being a Japanese-American she shared that representation is activism. Being a Japanese-American has inspired Maxwell’s work and she asks the question; “what does it really mean to be Japanese-American?” “It’s kind of a major question in my work, where I’m always searching for what it really means to me to be Japanese American, and personally, I’m a fifth generation,” Maxwell said. “So I have in a way because I feel quite distanced from that identity. And through my art, I’m kind of searching for that identity and kind of reconnecting with my ancestors through processes that they use, like calligraphy.” The “Expression of Resistance” exhibit is something that has been quietly created for the past two and a half years. “It’s sometimes kind of hard to quantify, to be honest,” Maxwell said. “Because, in a way, the work that we’ve made is the result of many semesters of developing processes, but in terms of actually making the show a reality that was several months in the process.” Although all three artists have different mediums and topics, they believed that this exhibit would be a great way to express their art and also themselves through “Expressions of Resistance”. “We all have been kind of making this activist artwork with all different mediums and all different topics,” Hanna said. “And so we’re like, what is this thread line? And that thread was ‘Expression of Resistance’”. The “Expressions of Resistance” exhibit ran until Oct. 26. However, the visual arts collective has an ever changing selection of student art exhibits open to the public.
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“1989 (Taylor’s Version)” proves Swift’s pop album never went out of style Nine years after its original release, Swift’s latest re-record reinvents itself and its listeners Caresse Basaraba | Staf f Writer | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu
Album cover for 1989 (Taylor’s Version).
Image courtesy of Republic Records
aylor Swift continues to embark on her journey to reclaim her art, since her master recordings were sold to music manager Scooter Braun in 2019. Re-recorded “Taylor’s Version” albums of Swift’s discography are highly anticipated from fans with her developed vocals, altered production and additional “vault” songs. “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” includes 21 songs, including five brand new songs “from the vault”. “1989” originally released Oct. 27, 2014, named after the year the singer was born. This was a pivotal era for Swift, who was rebranding herself and entered pop music with essentially no references at the time. Despite being re-recorded, this album sounds incredibly different from the orig-
inal songs. The songs of “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” sound almost crisper, with a lower register from Swift and more of producer Jack Antonoff’s magic sprinked in. The biggest takeaways from the album stem from the five vault tracks, which are songs Swift wrote back in 2014 that did not make the initial album tracklist. ‘”SL*T!” (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)” is a multi-layered song, honing into the slur that the media has frequently used when referring to Swift’s dating life. The lyrics read “They might as well be lookin’ at us / And if they call me a sl*t / You know it might be worth it for once.” “Say Don’t Go (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)” paints a solemn, soft picture of heartbreak. Unpacking a failed relationship and the yearning for things to be different, Swift beautifully describes the
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animosity that accompanies this experience through the lyrics “Why’d you have to lead me on? / Why’d you have to twist the knife? / Walk away and leave me bleeding, bleeding?” “Now That We Don’t Talk (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)” describes the distance felt after a breakup. Once again, wonderfully conveying a relatable message into words for her listeners, Swift describes noticing updates on a previous partner and changes they may be facing without you. “You grew your hair long / You got new icons / And from the outside / It looks like you’re trying lives on.” “Suburban Legends (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)” is an upbeat song with a rather deep meaning that walks listeners through a timeline and clock-oriented perspective. “Tick tock on the clock / I pace down your block / I broke my own heart ‘cause you were too polite to do it.” “Is It Over Now? (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)” the last song of the album, tells a story of shaky boundaries among partners. Devout fans often examine Swift’s lyrics and jump to conclusions regarding the hidden message within the song. “Is It Over Now” has fans speculating Swift is alluding to her celebrity ex, Harry Styles as Swift once again references their snowmobile accident, synonymous to the song “Out Of The Woods (Taylor’s Version)”. The lyrics of “Is It Over Now (Taylor’s Versions)” read, “When you lost control (ah-ha) / Red blood, white snow (ah-ha) / Blue dress on a boat (ah-ha) / Your new girl is my clone.” These vault tracks felt more aligned with the sleepless, retro, vintage vibe of Swift’s album “Midnights” rather than 1989, but it seemed the lore and branding of 1989 changed through this re-recording. Other than the vault songs, fans raved about other changes throughout the rest of the album. One of the most notable changes came from the pitch difference
in “and we run’ from the song “I Know Places”. Other differences can be heard in Taylor’s Version from the iconic “Welcome to New York” claps, the memorable “Shake It Off” bridge and the pureness of “You Are In Love”. Many fans will argue that “Clean” from the 2014 album felt more fragile and vulnerable than its re-record. There is one bonus track on the album, exclusive only to Target’s Tangerine Edition Vinyl. “Sweeter Than Fiction (Taylor’s Version)” unfortunately did not hit streaming services, which is a frustrating facet to fans, synonymous to Swift’s track “You’re Losing Me” from “Midnights”. Fans’ wildest dreams came true when the deluxe version of the album dropped the morning after the release. This included the remix of “Bad Blood (Taylor’s Version)” featuring rapper Kendrick Lamar. The pair collaborated in 2014, so fans were hopeful for this feature on the re-recording. Swift is arguably at the peak of her career and is releasing albums routinely. 1989 (Taylor’s Version) is coming shortly after her release of “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)” this past summer. Notably, both of these albums were announced by Swift onstage at The Eras Tour. Fans have the opportunity to relive other iconic moments from the tour with The Eras Tour Film. This is a concert movie taking over theaters around the world. With only two albums left to re-record, “Taylor Swift” and “reputation”, Swift now has nothing left to reclaim but her name and reputation. “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” is now ‘clean’ and owned by Swift. This release surpassed expectations and solidified the album’s relevance in the pop realm.
NOVEMBER 2, 2023
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S PORTS & REC NOVEMBER 2, 2023 | ARBITERONLINE.COM
Better After The Bye: Boise State takes down University of Wyoming 32-7
The Broncos look like a new team after a much needed bye week Alec Simeone | Spor ts & Rec. Repor ter | spor ts@stumedia.boisestate.edu
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he Boise State Broncos (4-4, 3-1 MWC) played their best game of the season, blowing out the Wyoming Cowboys (5-3, 2-2 MWC) 32-7. After what must have been an extremely productive bye week, the Boise State Broncos looked like an entirely new team on Saturday night. “The players did a really good job throughout the course of the week with the preparation and really understanding the game plan,” head coach Andy Avalos said. “And that’s a big part of the maturity of this team.” The Broncos returned both sixth-year senior DJ Schramm and redshirt senior running back George Holani. Their return was pivotal in this matchup. The defense was noticeably better with Schramm on the field and with Ashton Jeanty injury midway through the second quarter, Holani’s return couldn’t have been timed any better. “It’s a blessing to go out there and finally be back out there with the boys,” Holani said. “It’s a beautiful part of this team, everybody welcoming me back … being open armed.” In his return, Holani had 75 rushing yards and 17 receiving yards while Jeanty notched 53 yards despite his apparent injury. Boise State’s defense played strong through all four quarters. On the opening drive, the Broncos forced the Cowboys into a three and out, setting the pace for what would become a defensive showcase. With the back and forth of the “dual quarterback system” that the Broncos have been operating on for the past few weeks, quarterback Taylen Green got the
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offense started in the opening drive. On the fifth play of the series, Green connected with redshirt sophomore Eric McAlister on a perfectly placed 49 yard touchdown pass. To cap off the drive, the Broncos ran a tricky two-point conversion play that set up redshirt sophomore Colt Fulton with a perfect dime to redshirt sophomore tight end Matt Lauter. The successful two-point-conversion put Boise State up 8-0. After back to back punts, freshman safety Ty Benefield came up big. On third and 11, Wyoming quarterback Andrew Peasley launched it deep to receiver John Michael Gyllenborg, Benefield jumped up and intercepted the pass. While a great play, this set up a strange series of events. Three plays later, Green fumbles on a quarterback keeper, leading to what should have been a three and out for Wyoming. Instead, sixth year senior Sefan Cobbs muffed the punt return, setting Wyoming for a 19 yard touchdown pass to Gyllenborg on the next play. After the extra point, Boise State’s lead was shortened to 8-7. From this point on, Green only saw about a quarter of the snaps Madsen did, if that. A big reason for that is due to the Cowboys having a plethora of players dedicated to run defense, according to Avalos. Having Madsen in, even during run situations, kept their defense honest, always having to account for his arm, as well as the running backs’ legs. “One big piece of it was that … we were able to run the ball for 227 yards, but there was a lot of bodies in that box too,” Avalos said.
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Two punts later, the Broncos find themselves in field goal distance on fourth down. After a bad snap and hold, senior kicker Jonah Dalmas booted the ball into the back of the offensive line, giving the Cowboys the ball on their 20 yard line. Boise State maintains a great defensive showing, forcing another three and out. “There’s nothing more rewarding than to be able to go out there and play the way the defense did tonight,” Avalos said. The defensive side of the ball kept rolling, which made this game a solid matchup and an even more momentous win. Safety Seyi Oladipo and linebacker Andrew Simpson, both had themselves a game with four solo tackles each. The Broncos’ next drive started on their own 23 yard line. The offense went the length of the field in 14 plays (tied for longest drive of the season) and Jambres Dubar’s first touchdown as a Bronco, putting Boise State up 15-7. To kick off the second half, Madsen led the offense down to Wyoming’s nine yard line, highlighted by a gutsy 36 yard throw and catch to McAlister. On the final play of the drive, Green came in at quarterback and ran around the outside for a 9 yard touchdown, Broncos up 22-7. Boise State’s defense held firm yet again, setting the offense up at the 37 yard line. Another lengthy drive featuring Madsen at quarterback most of the time, and another first career touchdown, this time for freshman receiver Prince Strachan, putting the Broncos up 29-7. The final scoring drive for the Bron-
Photo of BSU football player #24 George Holani. Photo by Niamh Brennan cos, Madsen led the offense on a 41 yard drive, to set Dalmas up for a 48 yard field goal, 32-7 Boise State. The Broncos closed out the game like pros, running the final eight minutes out on offense, and not allowing a first down on defense. Boise State played their most complete four quarters this match, dominating in major stat lines such as time of possession (38:31 to 21:29) , offensive yards (443 to 112 lowest in series history) and first downs (23-8). The Bronco defense especially showed improvement. Wyoming is a team known for their ground game, but Boise State’s front seven held them to 27 rushing yards on 24 attempts. Additionally, they recorded two sacks, seven tackles for loss. With a statement win, the Broncos will look to continue to utilize the dual quarterback system and fine tune an already improved defense. Boise State will travel to Fresno, Calif. To face Fresno State on November 4.
SPORTS & REC
Boise State soccer success surges as regular season comes to a close
Goalkeeper Genevieve Crenshaw and head coach Jim Thomas break program records Marlei Soderquist | Spor ts & Rec. Editor | spor ts@stumedia.boisestate.edu
Photo of BSU Women’s soccer team in a huddle.
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oise State soccer is breaking records and taking names.. The Broncos are coming off an overwhelmingly successful week in which two program records were broken. Head coach Jim Thomas notched his 112th win, breaking the record for most wins by a head coach in program history. In the 2-1 win against Nevada, Thom-
as cemented his name in the Boise State record books as the winningest soccer head coach in the history of the program. Thomas’ success has been mounting for years now, with a steady climb to the top and recruiting of phenomenal athletes, Thomas’ success is no surprise. “Glad that it’s over and we don’t need to talk about records anymore,” Thomas
Photo courtesy of BSU Soccer said. “Records can hang heavy on you until it’s broken but there’s so many people and players I get to share this with and so much support that goes with it.” Despite breaking the record, Thomas’ eyes are on the prize: returning to the Mountain West championship. “Whoever can operate the best in chaos this time of the year probably has the best chance at winning the whole
thing,” Thomas said. “I thought we were absolutely fantastic in changing things at half-time, staying with a new game plan and staying together when it’s very easy to fall apart.” Thomas’ success isn’t the only thing this program celebrates this last week. Senior goalkeeper Genevieve Crenshaw etched her name into the record books as one of the most successful Boise State goalkeepers. The 1-0 shutout against UNLV 1-0 on the road on Oct. 22, led to Crenshaw notching her 19th shutout of her Boise State career, the most in program history. “I’m so pumped for Gen (Crenshaw) to now solely hold that record,” Thomas said of his star goalkeeper. “It’s going to be exciting to see what she does the rest of this season and next.” The Broncos are coming off an absolute high of a week, with both Thomas’ and Crenshaw’s record breaking performances. The incredible performance from the team couldn’t come at a better time. The Broncos will wrap up regular season play and enter the Mountain West tournament with quite the momentum. “Now it’s everything, isn’t it?” said Thomas. “There’s still going to be games going on for a chance at a championship and bye game at the tournament, so we need to now go home, rest and be ready for next week against Utah State.” The Broncos currently hold a 10-2-6 overall record and 8-1-1 in conference play with a five game winning streak. The last game of the season will be hosted at the Boas Soccer Complex against Utah State on Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. The Broncos will be led by their star players Crenshaw and Carly Cross as they head to Laramie, Wyoming, to kick off the first round of the Mountain West Championships on Oct. 29.
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SPORTS & REC
A look into the Boise State Spirit Squad and Mane Line dance team
Cheerleader Darcy Gilfoy gives us an inside look into what it means to be on the Spirit Squad Natalie Whitf ield | Staf f Writer | spor ts@stumedia.boisestate.edu
Photo of BSU cheerleader Darcy Gilfoy. Photo by Taya Power-Thornton
T
he Boise State spirit squad elevates game day spirit to the next level while also demonstrating their commitment beyond the field. Cheerleaders are more than just a pretty face. They don’t just cheer for sports, Cheerleading is a sport. The International
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Olympic Committee officially recognized cheerleading as a sport in 2021 and will be in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, California. Cheerleading is intense physical activity with dancing, tumbling and stunting to motivate a sports team, entertain an audience and compete in competitions. At Boise State, you can find the cheerleaders and Mane Line dancers cheering on the Broncos at football, basketball and volleyball games. On game days, the spirit squad arrives four hours before kickoff for tailgating, parades and warm-up. Warm-up is essential for cheerleaders, as the stunts they execute must be perfected and rehearsed vigorously to perfect their gameday performance. “For people who aren’t familiar with cheer, I am a backspot. I like to describe a stunt group as a tripod,” senior cheerleader Darcy Gilfoy said. “When the flyer (top girl) is in the air, it is my job in the back to balance the stunt all together and take as much weight as I can off the bases (the two girls in front that hold the flyer up).” The skills taught at practice are expected to be perfected and properly executed at each game or competition, which means stunt groups are committed to meet outside of regular practice hours. If one member of the group is not completely engaged and mentally concentrated, stunting can easily lead to serious injury. Not to mention, the intense gymnastic tumbling passes that are going on right next to a stunt, which includes a combination of backflips, twists, turns and handsprings performed with precision and fluidity; requiring a strong core, excellent body awareness and extensive training to execute flawlessly. As for the week-to-week practices, the team is no stranger to early call times. “Practice starts at 6 a.m. There is a call
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time of 15 minutes before or you’re late,” Gilfoy said. “So morning practice is more like 5:45 a.m.” The cheerleaders engage in practices, including both regular practices or strength and lift training, at least four days a week to perfect their stunts, jumps and tumbling passes. Whether it be on the sideline or competing, the team is always showcasing their athleticism and teamwork. “Cheerleading practices year round. Whether it’s game day or comp (competition) mode,” Gilfoy said. “Sunday night, Monday night, Tuesday night and Thursday night, not including stunt group meet ups and open gym practices.” As one of the only year-round sports, the Boise State cheer team competes nationally every January at the UCA College Cheerleading Championships in Orlando, Florida. The team performs a two minute and 30 second routine requiring intense strength, flexibility, comradery and coordination. Last year in 2022, the Boise State cheerleading team took home 6th place out of 1,125 teams across 33 states. Despite success off the field and in their own competitions, the cheerleading and Mane Line team are considered a club at Boise State. Meaning they are both 100% self-funded and rely heavily on donations. “All our uniforms, our trip for nationals, our choreography, our gear is self-funded,” Gilfoy said. “We run on donations. We are so thankful to our donors because we do not get the same sports benefits.” When it comes to the team traveling to away games, the spirit squad preaches seniority. Only a group of eight to 10 spirit squad members get to go to the highly coveted away games. The groups that go to away games normally consist of half cheerleading and half Mane Line dancers. Student-athletes are required to juggle
their academics and athletic commitments in order to enhance the team’s reputation and overall success.The spirit squad has what they call “protect the program”, which means their grades must always be up to par to ensure everyone is presenting themselves well and holding up the standards of the program. Everyone’s schedules are different with the team consisting of all different majors and different class standings making for ideal Sunday practices and almost no-days-off. Practices are scheduled early enough that they don’t conflict with class time and to ensure proper time management for academic obligations and social gatherings. “We do have a few nursing students who have to leave practice 30 minutes early to get to their clinicals on time. They are superwomen,” Gilfoy said. “I don’t know how they do it.” Head coach and spirit squad alumni Kelsey Messer ensures “school first, athlete second”. “We have regular grade checks and we as a team help each other out,” Gilfoy said. “Once we find out we share the same major with a teammate we form study groups and are always there for one another.” Beyond Boise State, spirit squad members have the opportunity to try out for a myriad of different professional sports teams and carry on their passion. “It’s been a great run. I have been cheerleading since age four,” Gilfoy said. “The cheer team led me to Boise State. I am honored to end my cheerleading career here as a Boise State cheerleader.” With energy and enthusiasm the cheerleaders and Mane Line dancers bring the Boise State campus to life.
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