WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30 | SERVING TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893 | © 2019 STUDENT MEDIA
STUDENT PRESS FREEDOM DAY
Remembering
those who endured
Today is Student Press Freedom Day, and publications across the country are coming together to bring attention to the rights of student journalists. There are cases across the country of student publications that have been censored due to a lack of state laws protecting student media. In Texas, there are no state laws that protect university students from administrative censorship, according to the Student Press Law Center. SPLC is calling attention to student press freedom today to protect the rights of young reporters across the country. To learn more about how to get involved, visit splc.org/ student-press-freedom-day.
FORMER PROFESSOR DIES AT 84
Cassie Stricker — THE BATTALION
Kelly Zúñiga, CEO of the Holocaust Museum Houston, answered questions after a screening of “Big Sonia” in Geren Auditorium.
Documentary event highlights need to tell Holocaust survivors’ life stories By Kathryn Whitlock @KathrynWhitloc8 In honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day, the Texas A&M Department of International Studies partnered with the Israeli Consulate for a documentary screening Tuesday night. International Holocaust Remembrance Day is recognized annually on Jan. 27 to
commemorate the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, to honor the victims of Nazism, and to promote educational programs to prevent genocides. Tuesday’s event included a film-screening of “Big Sonia” and a Q&A session with the Holocaust Museum Houston CEO Kelly Zúñiga. Since Jan 21, there has also been a photo exhibition in the Academic building showcasing heroic individuals entitled “Beyond Duty: Diplomats Recognized as Righteous Among the Nations.” Produced by the main character’s granddaughter, “Big Sonia” is a documentary that
tells the story of Holocaust survivor Sonia Warshawski, who lives in Kansas City, Kansas and works at a tailor shop she has owned for over 30 years. When she is not at work, Sonia exercises her ability to connect with people by recounting her life during the Holocaust to students and incarcerated people. Consul Omer Chechek-Katz works in the Consulate General of Israel in Houston and introduced the documentary. CheckekKatz said he hopes the film resonates with students and serves as a reminder to never let such a disaster reoccur. REMEMBRANCE ON PG. 3
Graphic by Nic Tan — THE BATTALION
The Texas A&M Health Promotion office teaches students about warning signs to watch for when it comes to stalking.
The signs of stalking A&M staff looks to educate community about red flags during Stalking Awareness Month and throughout year
MOVING FORWARD Brandon Holmes — THE BATTALION
Senior guard Chris Collins has made 11 assists this season.
Men’s basketball prepares for upcoming matchup with LSU after Saturday’s victory over Kansas State
By Giselle Warren @GiselleWarren16
By Dylan Poitevint @Poitite
Each January for the last 15 years, National Stalking Awareness Month has taught people about the prevalence and warning signs of stalking. At Texas A&M, the Health Promotion office educates students about stalking awareness through events and workshops that define stalking and offer warning signs to watch out for. Additionally, the office holds stalking awareness programs in concurrence with events held during October’s Domestic Violence Awareness Month and April’s Sexual Assault Awareness Month to discuss how different types of power-based personal violence are connected. Health Promotion also uses their social media presence to promote these events. Interpersonal violence prevention specialist Taylor Tyson said being aware of stalking is prevalent because people are often not very educated about the crime. “One of the large problems with stalking is that most people don’t recognize the behaviors or patterns,” Tyson said. “Stalking is extremely underreported because of this. The goal with the social media campaign is to create some general knowledge about how many people are actually impacted and what stalking may look like.”
The Texas A&M men’s basketball team is looking for another win over a divisional rival as they prepare to host the No. 19 LSU Tigers on Wednesday in Reed Arena. The Aggies are coming off of a stunning upset win over Kansas State which snapped their three-game losing streak. While the 65-53 win on Saturday helped get the team out of a slump, A&M now has to prepare for what could be an even greater challenge. The Tigers are 16-3 overall and undefeated in SEC play. LSU is also on a nine-game win streak, and holds second place in conference standings. LSU’s performance can be attributed to its efficient scoring, averaging 83.2 points per game. In addition, the Tigers lead the conference in steals per game, taking the ball from opponents almost 10 times per game. In order to stop LSU’s offensive attack, A&M head coach Billy Kennedy said he plans to play solid defense and rotate larger players into the lineup. “Our guys played really well last game, and changes to the defense I think will help us,” Kennedy said. “We played both of our bigs about five minutes last game together. We may have to
STALKING ON PG. 3
BASKETBALL ON PG. 3
Via DignityMemorial.com
Author and former Texas A&M professor Henry Clay Dethloff passed away Friday, Jan. 25, following a prolonged battle with Alzheimer’s disease and cancer. He was 84. Dethloff joined the A&M history department in 1969 and served as its head from 1980 through 1985. While tenured at A&M, he garnered recognition for his account of Aggieland in “A Centennial History of Texas A&M University, 1876-1976.” Dethloff was born Aug. 10, 1934, in New Orleans and raised in Natchitoches, Louisiana, a National Historic Landmark district that borders Cane River Lake. As noted in his obituary, Dethloff loved growing up on water and is rumored to be “one of the only citizens to swim the width of the river completely underwater.” After graduating from Natchitoches High School in 1952, Dethloff received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin in 1956, and his Master of Arts from Northwestern State University in 1960. He then went on to receive his doctorate in 1964 from the University of Missouri. In addition to his seminal work in Aggieland, Dethloff published a variety of books on the history of the American south, business and space programs, archived at the Sterling C. Evans Library. However, between his education and writerly pursuits, what defined Dethloff was that he had “a zest for living, exhibited a great sense of joy, and journeyed through life with a twinkle in his eye and a skip in his step,” as noted in his obituary. Author and College Station resident John Adams Jr. co-wrote “Texas Aggies Go to War” with Dethloff in 2006, but at one point he was also his pupil. Adams spoke with The Bryan-College Station Eagle about Dethloff’s impact as a mentor, to both himself and to the community. “Over the years, we became great friends,” Adams told The Eagle. “Everything I’ve written, every book, he read part or all of each one. He taught thousands of students, was well known in the community and he helped encourage and foster so many people.” Dethloff and Myrtle Anne Elliot married on August 27, 1961, and shared 57 years together, of which the last 49 years were spent living in the Brazos Valley. The couple raised sons, Carl Henry Dethloff and Clay Elliott Dethloff. Speaking with The Eagle, Carl Dethloff shared memories of his late father’s commitment to education and people. “His outlook on life was that he really believed in the entire person,” Dethloff told The Eagle. “My dad wanted you to be wellrounded socially, build relationships, and wanted you to be social, connect with people, and to be a continuous learner. He read often and was curious about the world.” Family and community members will celebrate a life of service at 3 p.m. on Saturday at the First United Methodist Church in Bryan. Memorial contributions in Dethloff’s name can be made to Hospice Brazos Valley.
STARTING NEXT WEEK! GET YOUR PHOTO TAKEN FOR THE 2019 AGGIELAND!
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The Battalion | 1.30.19
AR Photography will be set up to have your FREE portrait taken for Texas A&M University’s 2019 Aggieland. ALL CLASSES: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Feb. 4 - 6 & Feb. 11 - 13 in the Sanders Corp Museum Library Via Bell Media
Any graduating seniors who wish to set up a cap/gown photo will need to contact the studio at 979-696-9898. Cap/Gown sessions cost $21.95.
Six seasons of “Letterkenny” aired between 2016 and 2018.
‘Letterkenny’ is comedy gold Superb dialogue and acting makes for a consistently hilarious show Keagan Miller
Megan Rodriguez, Editor-in-Chief Luke Henkhaus, Managing Editor Jordan Burnham, News Editor Sanna Bhai, Asst. News Editor Henry Mureithi, Asst. News Editor Kathryn Whitlock, Life & Arts Editor Hannah Falcon, Life & Arts Editor Samantha Mahler, Life & Arts Editor
Angel Franco, Sports Editor Abigail Ochoa, Sports Editor Cassie Stricker, Photo Chief Meredith Seaver, Asst. Photo Chief Daoud Qamar, Video Editor Kevin Christman, Video Editor Jane Turchi, Special Sections Editor
THE BATTALION is published Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays during the 2019 spring semester (except University holidays and exam periods) at Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843. Offices are in Suite L400 of the Memorial Student Center. News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in Student Media, a unit of the Division of StudentAffairs. Newsroom phone: 979-845-3315; E-mail: editor@thebatt.com; website: http://www.thebatt.com. Advertising: Publication of advertising does not imply sponsorship or endorsement by The Battalion. For campus, local, and national display advertising call 979-845-2687. For classified advertising, call 979-845-0569. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Email: battads@thebatt.com. Subscriptions: A part of the University Advancement Fee entitles each Texas A&M student to pick up a single copy of The Battalion. First copy free, additional copies $1.
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here are two words I would use to describe the new Canadian TV show “Letterkenny:” hilarious and strange. The show is set in the small town of Letterkenny, and each episode opens with the words, “There are 5,000 people in Letterkenny. These are their problems.” The main character is a man named Wayne, played by Jared Keeso, who is also the creator and one of the writers for the show. Wayne is a self-proclaimed hick and the toughest guy in Letterkenny. The show revolves around Wayne’s often bizarre conversations with his friends, and the antics of other Letterkenny residents that Wayne frequently has to clean up after. “Letterkenny” aired its first season in 2016. It also aired its second season in 2016. The show aired two more in 2017, and two more after that in 2018. In just three years, the cast and crew of this excellent TV show put out six seasons with six episodes a piece, in ad-
dition to several holiday-themed specials throughout the series. I found the production schedule to be extremely rushed but was pleased to discover that it did not affect the quality of the show. Somehow creator, writer and star Keeso, along with director and recurring character Jacob Tierney and the rest of the crew, found a way to churn out seasons in just a few months’ time without sacrificing quality. That is something they should be praised for. The show is very dialogue-focused, drawing most of its humor from a fastpaced, back-and-forth format between characters. It’s kind of hard to explain to someone who’s never seen the show, but the way the characters bounce off each other is both hilarious and impressive. The writers do an excellent job with most episodes, and the actors really bring the characters and their dialogue to life. “Letterkenny” is a show in which the visuals aren’t actually all that important. You could watch it turned away from your TV and still find it funny. It’s all about the character’s voices, the cadence of their speech and of course what they’re actually saying that allows the humor to succeed.
The acting is absolutely brilliant. I’m completely convinced that Keeso is the only person who could ever play Wayne. Just watch one episode and you’ll see what I mean. His face, his demeanor, his stature and of course his voice bring the character to life and make him hilariously funny. There’s a reason Keeso is the star of the show, but that’s not to diminish the contributions of “Letterkenny’s” many other central characters. Nathan Dales is brilliant as Wayne’s friend Daryl, as is K. Trevor Wilson as Squirrely Dan. Props to all these actors for doing a good job with their characters, and for being able to keep a straight face while saying some of the most ridiculous and funny lines I’ve ever heard. “Letterkenny” is definitely an adult show. Every character curses very frequently, and sex jokes abound. But if you’re an adult who’s looking for a hilarious new show that will likely put out lots of new content relatively soon, get on Hulu and give “Letterkenny” a try. It’s worth it. Keagan Miller is a psychology junior and Life & Arts writer for The Battalion.
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Cole Fowler says “El Acompanante” is a film worth watching, as the story brings light to the difficulties patients faced during the Cuban AIDS epidemic.
Unveiling a dark past “El Acompanante” tells a story of unlikely friendship in the face of adversity
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he Department of Hispanic Studies presents the Hispanic Film Series, which screens Latin American films throughout the semester. The next film to be shown is “El Acompanante” (“The Companion”) which will be screened at on Monday, Feb. 4. “El Acompanante,” directed by Pavel Giroud, depicts the heartbreaking tale of the adversity that HIV and AIDS patients faced during the Cuban AIDS epidemic in the 1980s. During this period, most of the HIV and AIDS patients were forced to live on the outskirts of the island in sanitariums. In addition to forceful containment of those affected by the disease, each patient was designated a “companion” who was to look after them at all times and report to the sanitarium staff if they were living in accordance with the unjust rules set in place. “El Acompanante” is the story of one of these many forced relationships that took place during this era. After failing a doping test, a widely popular Cuban boxer named Horacio is forced to serve as a companion to the rebellious Daniel Guerrero. As the story progresses, Giroud uses this relationship as an agent to unveil multiple, horrific aspects of this period in Cuban history, and to convey the sense of rejection that those affected by HIV and AIDS felt in Cuba during this time. Although the film is full of instances that provide more context for the events of the period, Giroud does attempt to follow too many subplots. There are instances where the relationship between Guerrero and Horacio is halted for a few scenes to discuss the corruption of the system for choosing who goes to prison and who goes to the san-
itariums. While these scenes are important to the overarching narrative of Cuba in the 1980s, these instances draw attention away from the central story of the film. That said, the relationship between Guerrero, played by Armando Miguel, and Horacio, played by Yotuel Romero, creates a perfect depiction of the prejudices against HIV and AIDS patients during this time, and shows that even when faced with overwhelming evil, human connection remains the most important aspect of humanity. Despite the horrors of their environment, Horacio and Guerrero spark a friendship that guides them in their survival throughout the film. Both Romero and Miguel are fantastic throughout the film, each bring life to their characters in an effortless, yet meaningful manner. The screen presence that each of the actors naturally have is captivating, and Giroud certainly makes the most of their natural chemistry. Giroud could’ve focused his film on depicting in graphic detail the horrors that the Cuban government put HIV and AIDS patients through, yet he chose to focus on this friendship. This directorial decision pays off often and provides the audience with one of the best on-screen chemistry in recent memory. Despite a few of the film’s distracting tendencies, “El Acompanante” is certainly worth a watch. The film, although chosen as Cuba’s submission to the 89th Academy Awards, has never received a proper release in the United States. The Hispanic Film Series provides a great opportunity to see the movie and other incredibly influential Latin American films. “El Acompanante” will be screened with English subtitles in HECC 100 at 7 p.m. on Feb. 4. Cole Fowler is an English sophomore and Life & Arts writer for The Battalion.
NEWS
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The Battalion | 1.30.19
BASKETBALL CONTINUED
Jesse Everett — THE BATTALION
Junior guard Wendell Mitchell had four steals and 22 points against Kansas State.
REMEMBRANCE CONTINUED “[Sonia] is very small in size but a huge person and leader,” Chechek-Katz said. “Telling her story helped a lot of other people to overcome their own private problems, and this will show how one experience can contribute to other people’s future. I hope students will take away the message of hope and keep the memory of the Holocaust.” English senior Madison Imiola said Sonia exhibited an incredible and surprising ability to endure. “My favorite thing was when Sonia said ‘When you feel down, look more down and you’ll be on top,’” Imiola said. “Her kind of
STALKING CONTINUED According to Tyson, stalking’s official definition is “a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to feel fear.” Courses of conduct may include unwanted text messages or showing up to places unexpectedly. Coordinator for interpersonal violence prevention Denise Crisafi said stalking often goes unreported because people are not equipped to recognize signs that point to the severity of the situation.
do that again against LSU.” Junior forward Josh Nebo said to get a win over the Tigers, the Aggies will have to execute the fundamentals, communicate well and keep mistakes to a minimum. “I feel like we will have to rebound well because they’re a pretty big team,” Nebo said. “We’ve got to limit our turnovers, so they can’t get out in transition, and we’ve just got to guard the ball well, communicate as one, and stay together through the highs and lows of the game.” Kennedy said the team has improved and its offensive success translates to an improved defense. “I know we’ve gotten better, and we established that on Saturday against a really good team,” Kennedy said. “When we make shots I think, like any team, we’re better defensively.” Nebo was also happy with Saturday’s performance against Kansas State and said A&M needs to build off the victory. “I feel like this last win is a good stepping stone for the team to get better for SEC play, and we can take that performance forward and into the LSU game,” Nebo said Kennedy said he is pleased with the performance of his players, but he is mostly focused on defeating LSU, something the Aggies have had a hard time doing in the past. “We lost to LSU twice last year, so the guys who are returning know how good they are, and I don’t think we’re overlooking anybody,” Kennedy said. The Aggies will take on the Tigers on Wednesday in Reed Arena. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m., and the game will be televised on ESPN2.
charm and spirit is difficult to have, but she exhibits it flawlessly. We often live our own lives doing regular life and we can’t even stay that positive, yet someone who has endured unspeakable horrors was able to portray positivity.” Zúñiga conducted the question and answer session after the film and said any opportunity to meet a survivor of the Holocaust is remarkable as the number of survivors is dwindling. According to Zúñiga, young people should be aware of their responsibility to advocate for human dignity. “When fighting prejudice, hatred and apathy, everyone can take action and everyone can be an upstander,” Zúñiga said. “We try at the museum to emphasize the importance of
how to stand up for others that are less fortunate, weaker and may be abused. What we try to do is teach to communicate in a civil way and to have an impact within the community showing the importance of civility and respect.” During the Q&A, Zúñiga said the current generation will be the last to physically meet a survivor. To preserve these important testimonies, the USC Shoah Foundation has launched “Dimensions in Testimony,” an initiative to create interactive video biographies of Holocaust survivors. “This technology basically memorizes the speech pattern of the survivor,” Zúñiga said. “Survivors have been asked 1,200 questions over a week, and 12 survivors have been ques-
tioned so far. So when the voice recognition technology goes in, you get to ask the survivor a question and then the survivor responds to you. You will feel like they’re alive.” Computer science sophomore, Nathan Mandell, said he attended the event to see the story of a living survivor through the medium of film. “I came because I’m Jewish, and it’s always important to hear survivor stories when you get the chance,” Mandell said. “They won’t be alive much longer. People should Interact more with people who have had different experiences than you and go out of your comfort zone whenever you can and meet someone new. Stories like this you won’t hear just by talking to the same people.”
“Although our campus and community are safe places to learn and live, stalking happens more often than many are willing to acknowledge or realize,” Crisafi said. “Part of this perception comes from the fact that stalking can be difficult to identify from ‘everyday behaviors’ or seem ‘harmless’ at first, and as a result, many of these crimes often go unreported until they escalate. It is important for students to be informed about their rights and resources in the instance that they or someone whom they know is experiencing stalking.” The Office of Health Promotion is partnering with MSC Aggie Cinema on Wednesday
to increase awareness on campus by hosting a screening of Safe Haven — a film about stalking based on the book by Nicholas Sparks of the same name. After the movie, attendees will have the opportunity to speak to a panel of experts from Phoebe’s Home, the Sexual Assault Resource Center, the University Police Department and the Offices of the Dean of Student Life, marking the beginning of a new program called Reel Relationships during Stalking Awareness Month, Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Domestic Violence Awareness Month. “We have heard from many of our students
that they would like to attend more events where they are able to have an open and honest conversation about power-based personal violence, their rights and responsibilities as students, what the university is doing to protect them, and how they can support others,” Crisafi said. “Our event on Jan. 30 provides an educational opportunity while meeting this expressed need, and we encourage our students to attend, learn more, and network with these experts, our staff and some of their fellow Aggies.”
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HELP WANTED Work around your class schedule! No Saturday or Sundays, off during the holidays. The Battalion Advertising Office is hiring an Advertising Sales Representative. Must be enrolled at A&M and have reliable transportation. Interested applicants should come by our office located in the MSC, Suite 400, from 8am-4pm, ask to speak with Joseph. The Battalion Advertising Office is hiring for our Street Team. Work around your class schedule on campus! Interested applicants should come by our office located in the MSC, Suite 400, from 8am-4pm, for more information Ask to speak with Joseph.
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Olivia Treadwell — THE BATTALION
Planning meals ahead of time can help students make healthy and low-cost choices. PROVIDED
The Bhakti Yoga Club helps students incorporate the body, mind and soul into workouts.
More than a yoga class Club offers A&M students a unique way to exercise and relieve stress By Claudia Soto @cisoto98 Students participating in Texas A&M’s Bhakti Yoga Club incorporate their body, mind and soul into their workout. The word “Bhakti” means “loving devotional service,” and the club at A&M aims to help students experience spiritual bliss. Their first session of the semester is on Friday at 7 p.m. in Rudder Tower 301. Computer science graduate student and club president Abhishek Deb began attending two years ago after learning about the organization at MSC open house. Deb said he has enjoyed Bhakti yoga ever since. “The Bhakti Yoga Club is meant to integrate the exercise, which keeps you physically fit, with the mind and the soul yoga, which helps you to start the week by being able to see things in life you can appreciate,” Deb said. Electrical engineering graduate student Sai Kiran is familiar with Bhakti yoga from his undergraduate university as well as his home in India. Kiran said he was introduced to the Bhakti yoga club at A&M by Deb, his former roommate. “Bhakti yoga is a different kind of yoga,” Kiran said. “Normally yoga you’re used to is mainly all about exercise, but Bhakti yoga is
a combined type of yoga. It brings you peace of mind.” A typical Bhakti yoga class has multiple stages. The first session is the yoga for exercise, the second is the yoga for mind, which involves meditation, then yoga for food where vegan dining options are served to attendees. The Bhakti Yoga Club also hosts two cooking classes each semester and sometimes invites motivational guest speakers. Deb said speakers are usually monks who come from all over the world. However, if there is no speaker that week, the club may instead have a mantra meditation session where participants are encouraged to detach themselves from the worries of their mind. Mansi Sharma, Class of 2018, attended the Bhakti yoga club events regularly when she was a student and said it was a place where she could relax and let go of negative thoughts. “It was the best stress buster every Friday evening, and me and my friends used to look forward to it, especially after a busy week,” Sharma said. “I really enjoyed the hatha yoga part of it, followed by motivational talks. The food served after it was pure heaven.” Deb said the organization is useful for anyone who is looking to take a step back from their strenuous academic work. “We are students, and in student-life, we deal with so much homework and exams that it keeps us on our toes,” Deb said. “It’s good to go back a bit and say this part of your life is not about exams but beyond that.”
Eating healthy on a budget Tips for building a tasty, nutritious meal without breaking the bank By Navid Nathani @nathaninavid Eating a healthy diet is a very popular New Year’s Resolution, and also a tough one to keep on a budget. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, a healthy diet should include an emphasis on fruits, vegetables and whole-grain foods, limits to both saturated and red-meats and a strong focus on portion control. One useful strategy is to check the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s MyPlate.gov to make sure meals are following the recommended layout. Planning meals can help students make smart choices, such as purchasing wheat bread as opposed to white bread and learning how to cook some foods like chicken beforehand rather than worrying about your diet in the midst of studying. A common roadblock to eating healthy is also taste, which can be taken care of by planning ahead and trying to find healthy foods that are both tasty and affordable. Another great way to transition toward a healthier life is by snacking on fruits and vegetables such as carrots, apples and celery instead of chips and cookies. Eating foods low in saturated fats like peanut butter and avocados as a replacement for common dips like queso is a great way to prevent cardiovascular disease. Making transitions similar to these becomes much easier when meals are planned ahead.
Contrary to popular belief, eating healthy can be budget friendly. For example, a twopound bag of brown rice from H-E-B costs $1.25 and creates about six cup-sized servings. Another example is 16 oz of baby carrots, which comes out to 98 cents for five servings. MyPlate.gov recommends that fruits and vegetables make up half of every meal. The other key building blocks are whole grains, lean protein and dairy. The ideal plate may be hard to achieve, so below there is a sample meal with prices per serving: Sample Meal Cup of Brown Rice Half a Cup of Broccoli 3 oz Grilled Chicken Breast Medium Apple Cup of Low-Fat Milk
($0.20) ($0.24) ($0.90) ($0.24) ($0.13)
Total:
$1.71
This meal and many others end up being a reasonable price for a healthier life, and they are affordable enough to leave room in the budget for spices and sauces. The sample meal closely resembles the recommended servings, but any change, no matter how small, can make a difference. Spending an extra $1.34 to purchase a grilled chicken Sandwich as opposed to a regular Chick-fil-A Sandwich or replacing an order of fries for a small fruit offered at most food courts on campus are important choices to make throughout the day. Recognizing the healthier options and planning ahead is going to aid in the efforts to keep those New Year’s Resolutions and maintain a healthy diet.