Over the last two weeks, a man has been spreading flyers across campus that reinforce the gender binary system, oppose preferred pronouns and encourage suppression of any LGBTQ+ "lifestyle," according to one flyer obtained by The Breeze on Sept. 27.
Since then, students and faculty members have accused JMU of slow communication and a noncommittal response surrounding the flyers. Multilingual Student Services Coordinator Kristen Kelley penned a petition with other unnamed faculty members — who feared retribution if their names were included — that has garnered over 500 signatures, calling for more transparency from the university surroundng the incident.
Some faculty members who have "safe zone" stickers on their office wndows and doors have been specifically targeted.
RIGHT: Volleyball fifth-year middle blocker Sophie Davis (left) broke the JMU program record for most career blocks Sept. 23 against Appalachian State. But to get to that point, Davis faced multiple obstacles, including torn ligaments in her foot before her freshman year as well as the CAA postseason ban in 2021. The Dukes, led by Davis, are 11-4 (4-0 Sun Belt) and face Old Dominion on Friday and Saturday.
Kaiden Bridges / The Breeze
Read more about Davis' record on page 16.
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A week after the distribution of antiLGBTQ+ flyers by an unnamed man, JMU has not released information to students about the incident, which Multilingual Student Services Coordinator Kristen Kelley said has inspired over 500 JMU community members to sign a petition denouncing the university’s lack of action.
Last week, four to five JMU faculty members drafted a petition voicing their disappointment in JMU’s handling of the flyers’ distribution. Since then, students, faculty and staff have virtually signed via Google form, said Kelley, the sole author who chose to release their name and the organizer of Wednesday’s Queer Teach-in.
One flyer obtained by The Breeze last week reinforced the gender binary system, opposed preferred pronouns and encouraged suppression of any LGBTQ+ “lifestyle.”
Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEIJA) Malika Carter-Hoyt and JMU Chief of Police Anthony Matos addressed JMU’s response in an email Tuesday to faculty and staff — not students — in which they reaffirmed previous statements from Provost and Senior Vice President Heather Coltman and discouraged the spread of misinformation.
The statement confirms the JMU Police Department found the flyers’ distributor did not pose an active, violent threat to JMU community members, and law enforcement cannot prevent the flyers’ further distribution by taking action against the individual.
“Please keep in mind that as a public institution of higher education, the university must respect the right of each member of the community to speak or engage in expressive activities and that enforcement of all university policies, including Policy 1121 (Public Expression on Campus), must be done in a content-neutral manner and must be done evenly,” Matos and Carter-Hoyt’s email says.
The statement also said JMU “denounces any divisive actions” and will remain an inclusive campus.
“We affirm the university’s values and everyone at the institution, and will continue to seek ways to enhance our community for all members,” the email says.
Kelley said the distributor of the flyers had entered JMU buildings located on the Quad and posted messages on the doors of faculty and staff, specifically those whose offices were labeled as Safe Zones. According to JMU’s website, Safe Zone stickers indicate workspaces of faculty and staff who have voluntarily gone under training to discuss LGBTQ+ issues.
Among the departments visited by the distributor were political science. In a statement to The Breeze on Sept. 27, political science
professor and department chair Kerry Crawford confirmed the distributor seemed to target individuals with Safe Zone stickers or other LGBTQ+ content, such as Queer Teach-In flyers or rainbow heart stickers, posted in front of their offices in Miller Hall. Crawford said her department contacted JMU PD each time the distributor entered the building.
all need to keep in mind: freedom of speech does not provide freedom to harm or freedom from responsibility,” Crawford said in the statement.
Kelley said the distributor’s actions should not be classified as an exercise of the First Amendment. By entering buildings and targeting faculty and staff based on their beliefs, she said, his actions should be classified as harassment, which would mean he wouldn’t be protected by the First Amendment.
Since the flyers’ distribution, Kelley said JMU administrators “are using freedom of speech as a way to excuse this type of harassment.”
JMU Executive Director of Communications and university spokesperson Mary-Hope Vass said in a follow-up email Wednesday that JMU must respect “the right of each member of the community to speak or engage in expressive activities” since the university is a public institution.
Kelley said the letter’s authors also felt concerned by JMU’s lack of a centralized, official response in addition to emails initially sent to department heads and later to faculty members and staff. So far, JMU has yet to release a statement to students.
Kelley said her untenured co-authors chose not to publicize their connection to the petition for fear of retribution.
“Unfortunately, there is sort of a repressive culture that is showing up in spaces in colleges on campus where administrators and academic
unit heads are encouraging faculty who are untenured to refrain from advocacy because that may affect their ability to receive tenure,” Kelley
The Breeze previously requested a statement from JMU regarding the petition, and Vass said Friday “I do not have plans to provide a comment on the proposed petition” on Wednesday, following The Breeze’s interview with Kelley, Vass did not comment on the “repressive culture” Kelley described but said “JMU’s Office of Equal Opportunity is designated to receive reports of discrimination, harassment and retaliation. This is a resource for all members of our community to make a report.”
The petition originally began as a letter and had been delivered to Coltman last Thursday. Afterward, Kelley said she had received an indirect response from Associate Vice Provost Rudy Molina reassuring Kelley that JMU would provide adequate security for Wednesday’s Queer Teach-In — an all-day event celebrating LGBTQ+ culture with lectures, art and performances, which was referenced in the letter, saying there was a heightened state of confusion before the eventand concerns about the attendees’ safety.
Kelley said she was disappointed by the school’s response and felt the original letter had fallen short of its intentions. In light of this, she and her co-authors made it a Google form to better share it with their colleagues and have it spread from there.
Kelley said students are aware of campus happenings and are frustrated with JMU’s lack of response. Any distress felt by LGBTQ+ community members and allies should be respected by the university, Kelley said.
“If they know about it, there’s a potential for fear,” she said. “If they don’t know about it, there’s confusion as to what we’re talking about.
And so that confusion breeds more fear.”
According to JMU’s Assessment of Climate for Learning, Living and Working, 3.3% of JMU student body of 22,224 identify as transgender and 21.1% identify as either queer, bisexual or asexual.
Kelley said the panic was exasperated by encouragement to lock doors last week if faculty, staff and/or students felt uncomfortable with the distributor’s presence. In the era of school shootings, Kelley said the miscommunication instilled fear.
“There wasn’t clear communication about whether it was a threat,” Kelley said.
Kelley said the anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric coupled with the recent distribution of discriminatory leaflets by a KKK group in Old Town neighborhood of Harrisonburg — unrelated incidents, Vass said to The Breeze in an email Friday — have impacted the capacity of the JMU community to learn and teach, or “do what we are here to do.”
“Students are feeling, I guess the primary word would just be frustrated,” Kelley said. “[They are] feeling frustrated that there isn’t some sort of universal address being given and I think that this is really critical because of the population that is being targeted.”
Junior Jade Oh, a queer person of color, said they have been frustrated with JMU’s silence. While they understand JMU wasn’t able to remove the distributor, they said JMU should have affirmed LGBTQ+ students with a statement, either via email or social media.
“As a student, it’s made me feel like, you know, JMU admin doesn’t really prioritize people like me,” Oh said. “I know a lot of people who feel fearful and hurt. Who feel disregarded.”
Oh said they learned of the flyers from their professors, all of whom affirmed the identities of their students and wondered why Coltman hadn’t addressed students in her email to faculty and staff explaining the incident.
In separate Friday email to The Breeze, Vass said, “We will continue to share information as necessary,” and reiterated that JMU PD deemed the distributor as nonthreatening.
“Even if they’re not an overt threat to the school, it still causes a lot of confusion among students if they don’t even know what’s happening in the first place,” Oh said. “Every student has the right to feel safe at school, and I really don’t appreciate the downplaying, and almost diminishing of our fear and our hurt and our feeling of disregard.”
Avery Goodstine and Zoe Mowery contributed to this report.
JMU Chief of Police Anthony Matos provided more details about the antiLGBTQ+ flyers found across campus throughout last week in an email addressed to university deans that The Breeze obtained Sept. 28.
In the email, Matos said students and faculty members reported flyers in common areas, academic unit mailboxes and directly posted on faculty doors in buildings including the Forbes Center for the Performing Arts and the Music Building.
The individual responsible for spreading the flyers on Sept. 25 returned on Sept. 27, and the situation continued the day after. The individual, who Matos identified as a man, is not believed to be a danger to students or faculty, Matos said, and is known by JMU police because he often attends university events, though he’s not affiliated with the school.
Matos said the man has been approached by multiple members of the JMU Police Department — in reference to the recent flyers and in the past — but the department is unable to take direct action against him.
“We have discussed with him his actions and the angst he creates within our community as a result of his actions,” Matos said in the email. “At this point, JMU PD is not aware of any crime that has been committed, and there has not been a defensible, legal basis to issue a criminal no trespass order for public spaces.”
The man posting the flyers also spoke with JMU community members who approached him, Matos said, and is known to “verbally defend his viewpoints” when confronted, though he “has not shown disorderly conduct.”
In his email, Matos referenced JMU Policy 3104, which regulates bulletin boards and the posting of public notices in university buildings. He said individuals and departments can remove anything posted on their own doors without permission, but additional nonapproved materials posted in visible public areas may be removed by building coordinators and university services.
“As a public institution we cannot limit a community member’s freedom of expression or legal access to campus,” Matos said.
One flyer obtained by The Breeze reinforced the gender binary system, opposed preferred pronouns and encouraged suppression of any LGBTQ+ “lifestyle.”
As reports came in about the flyers and the man posting them, affected departments, including the JMU School of Music and the School of Theatre and Dance (STAD), shared information with their students about the situation and how to proceed.
Senior music performance major Rachel Tan said they received an email from Rubén Graciani, the dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) on Sept. 27 about a suspicious person outside Forbes. Tan said
the email also informed students that the Music Building would be restricted to JACard access only, which meant only students in the department could swipe into the building.
Executive Director of Communications and university spokesperson Mary-Hope Vass confirmed in an email to The Breeze on Friday that some student spaces — namely, within CVPA — were restricted to JACard access only, but the decision was made by individual departments.
“This was not from a recommendation of anyone within public safety,” Vass said.
Graciani’s follow-up email to students and staff within CVPA on Sept. 28 clarified the situation he was presented with the day before. He said he was informed that a disruptive individual was heading toward their space and sent a message to CVPA officials that locking their doors might be a reasonable response.
“His presence and activities disrupt our operations and we can call campus police to have him removed,” Graciani said in the email.
“Our offices and office suites are not public spaces, which is why I suggested that those spaces may be locked to prevent him from accessing them.”
Graciani also clarified he had not recommended locking office doors for safety reasons, and the individual had at no time been a threat to physical safety. He recommended mental health resources for those in his department who were affected by the incident and expressed support for the entire CVPA community, including those targeted by someone “loudly espousing views that denigrate members of our community.”
“As a public institution, we are open to the public — even those whose views we find
abhorrent or hurtful,” Graciani said.
Tan, who is a member of club orchestra, said their rehearsals were affected because the department email about restricted building access arrived late in the day. They said the club was unable to reschedule, so music majors stood by the doors to let in students who didn’t have card access to the building.
Music classes on Sept. 28 and 29 moved online, which Tan said “caused a bit of chaos” as some music students struggled to find space to take class on campus.
Tan said they later received an updated email confirming the instigating individual was not a threat to student safety and that no police action would be taken, though the email did not give any further details. As of Wednesday, JMU has not released an official statement to the student body.
“I have really appreciated the response of my professors and the faculty I interact with,” Tan said. “I also appreciate the School of Music’s concern for our safety. One thing that I was very off-put by was a lack of information from JMU as a whole.”
For students affected by the flyers, and by challenging moments in general, Vice President for Student Affairs Tim Miller recommended they reach out to him or the Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) office and the Center for Multicultural Services.
“We want to help students feel welcome and comfortable,” Miller said on Sept. 28. “But also, discomfort is, sadly, part of our experience. Individuals can say these things legally in our country and on our campus.”
The flyer-distributing came a week after discriminatory leaflets were left in Harrisonburg’s Old Town neighborhood. Vass
said in a Sept. 27 email that the incidents were “completely unrelated.”
JMU Senior Vice President and Provost Heather Coltman sent a statement to faculty members Sept. 26, urging them to show support for one another after initial reports of the anti-LGBTQ+ flyers found on campus, and after the Old Town incident.
In response to the flyers’ distribution, some faculty members drafted a petition directly asking JMU President Jonathan Alger and Coltman for a faster, more decisive and supportive response in cases of “hate-based harassment.”
The petition, obtained by The Breeze on Sept. 28, was written by Multilingual Student Services Coordinator Kristen Kelley and other faculty members who are unnamed for “fear of retribution in the tenure process.” It emphasizes a need for greater transparency regarding the recent “divisive and hateful” rhetoric.
The petition says faculty, staff and students were told to remain in their classes and offices on Sept. 27; some of whom stayed put for hours “without clear communication that the threat had been neutralized.” On Sept. 28, the petition says, some students and faculty members refused to reenter classrooms “due to feeling at risk of violence.”
The Breeze requested a statement and/or interview with Alger and/or Coltman regarding the petition, and Vass said “I do not have plans to provide a comment on the proposed petition” in an email Sept. 29.
The petition called for “enhanced” safety protocols that include better communication about procedures being acted upon by the school. It said protocols need to be clear and include “direct lines of communication” so JMU community members are aware of what is happening.
Other issues brought up include a need for community support, including invitations to take advantage of mental health resources and academic accommodations. The petition also asked for collaboration with police to remove individuals from academic buildings who are responsible for hateful actions and for the implementation of a zero-tolerance policy for hate.
But with the flyers, and rhetoric that people might deem hateful in general, Miller said there’s only so much that can be done.
“It’s the reality of what it’s like to live in a free society like [JMU] ... that we have to exist in a place where people will say things that we agree with, and people say things that we don’t agree with,” Miller said. “We’ve got to figure out how to live within that space because it allows us to do things we love but also makes us have to experience things that we don’t.”
Abel Chávez, president of Our Lady of the Lake University and son of two Mexican immigrants, spoke in The Union on Tuesday about his career, which he said he dedicated to engineering and finding the most efficient way to do things.
The talk was a part of a series of events hosted by The Center for Multicultural Student Services (CMSS) to commemorate Latinx Heritage Month, which began Sept. 15 and runs through Oct. 15.
Chávez, a first-generation college graduate, gave a presentation titled “Courage and Ganas: Two Key Ingredients,” referencing the Spanish word for “desire.”
The presentation focused on Chávez’s life path — which he broke up into five phases — and the courage and preparation he said it took for him to conquer obstacles he faced.
While lecturing, Chávez emphasized the importance of taking risks.
“Say yes, say yes, say yes,” Chávez said. “Even though something might not make sense in the moment, say yes, try it, learn from it, grow from it. If it doesn’t work, scrap it and move on to the next thing.”
Listening and taking the advice of others to heart was another thing Chávez highlighted, and he said the best lesson he’s gotten was from his parents. His father had a saying: “The road to success is always under construction.”
“That still lives with me, especially on those days that don’t go how I want them to go,” Chávez said. “I’m often saying that my parents
were right. Now being a father, I often ask my kids, ‘Are you listening to me, or are you just hearing me?’ I had to learn how to listen and not just hear.”
Chávez said it’s important to maintain menteementor relationships — and for the mentee to put in effort to maintain the dynamic and “do the homework” given to them by their mentors.
Expanding on professional and personal relationships, Chávez said it’s important for everyone to remember they’re not alone, and they have people to support them both inside and outside their workplace.
“We’re all a product of a network of folks who have stuck their neck out for years,” Chávez said. “We should all recognize that none of us got here alone, and none of us are going to get to the next step alone.”
Chávez, who spent much of his 20s getting an education in engineering from various institutions, said he wants students to understand and value the benefits of learning. He pointed to a picture he took on JMU’s campus of the quote from James Madison
painted on the tunnel between the Forbes Center for the Performing Arts and the Quad: “Knowledge will forever govern ignorance.”
Assistant Director of CMSS Rebeca Barge said the presentation provided a nuanced perspective of failure.
“I loved his message to us and to students that failure is how we define it,” Barge said. “We get a lot of closed doors in our lives, but … it doesn’t have to be called a failure, and in many instances, it leads to many other successes.”
Ivan Guadarrama, chair for the Madison Hispanic Caucus and educational technology instructor for JMU Libraries, said he thinks presentations like Chávez’s are important for JMU’s Latinx community because they offer positive representation for students.
“It’s almost like seeing a grown-up version of yourself,” Guadarrama said. “It’s beneficial for students here at JMU of all backgrounds, especially those of Latino and Hispanic backgrounds, to see someone representing them and their culture.”
Like Guadarrama,
Barge said the presentation gave Latinx students an opportunity to see someone who shares their identity. Barge said she and her colleagues at CMSS work to bring a “critical consciousness” of the various identities that exist across JMU’s campus, and Chávez’s presentation was a part of that work. According to JMU’s Office of Institutional Research, 7.4% of JMU students identified as hispanic as of 2022.
“Our work in identity development is really critical for people to understand who each of us are,” Barge said. “The more I understand my identity, the better I can connect to those of similar or different identities than myself.”
Similarly, senior SMAD major Karla Hernandez said one of the major benefits of Chávez’s presentation is the representation it provides for Latinx students.
“Seeing speakers that look like you is important,” Hernandez said. “[JMU] is a PWI [primarily white institution], so it’s very hard to find a mentor that looks like you. I think events like this give us an avenue to show that you’re destined for great things.”
Chávez said the message he hoped attendees took from his presentation is the James Madison quote he showed during his speech about knowledge and ignorance.
“Let’s continue to learn about one another,” Chávez said. “Let’s continue to learn, period, and think and rethink and challenge ourselves. That’s all I ask.”
It was during the Student Government Association (SGA)’s Sept. 19 Senate that senior Sen. Parker Boggs first took notice of what he considered a “major First Amendment violation.” His concerns came after the organization amended its election policy to require social media posts from candidates to be submitted for approval before posting, and since he raised his concerns, the SGA has made plans to revisit the amendment at a later time, said on Sept. 28.
The passage in the virtual document stipulated that, as it had been enforced in previous years, “all campaign content posted to social media or otherwise must be approved by the commission before posting.” Although the SGA is open to further conversation surrounding the policy, it felt the Sept. 19 meeting was neither the time nor place to discuss it.
The amendment applies to prospective SGA members during election season, which is required by the organization’s Constitution to take place before the first week of October. Class of 2026 President Reagan Polarek said the reason this was a time-sensitive issue was that without the approval of the corrections, the entire policy would have been stalled, delaying elections by two weeks. Despite the dissent, the Senate passed the amendment with only Boggs’ objection, as he outlined in a letter to The Breeze.
“It’s not that it’s personal. This is about the First Amendment,” Boggs said in an interview with The Breeze on Sept. 27. “This is about our Constitution. This is about the school we’re named after, the Father of the Constitution himself. If James Madison were alive today, I’m pretty sure he’d see that and that clause and understand that that is a blatant violation of what he fought for so hard.”
Polarek explained the necessity of the clause and the practices that take place in its effect. Polarek said prior to any SGA-related social media content being shared during elections, the candidate must first receive approval from the
election committee. This was to verify information before its release to the public, she said.
“I think that this policy protects SGA as a whole and potential new members in SGA from spreading misinformation, even unintentionally,” Polarek said.
Polarek followed this comment with a personal anecdote of misdated content that was reviewed by the committee, which she later corrected and posted to her platforms. She stressed that the policy may be revisited in the future, but that it was both effective and imperative to this year’s Fall election cycle.
“Our elections commissioner, Riley Gilbert, has done a great job of managing elections thus far, and I think she will continue
to do that throughout the end of the election season,” Polarek said. “I trust her wholeheartedly.”
Gilbert sent an email to The Breeze on Sept. 28 clarifying the statement’s purpose.
Despite the SGA’s flexibility on revisiting this matter, Boggs said he believes the policy requires immediate attention. Boggs said its very existence, having “flown under the radar,” was an attempt at censorship rather than dispelling misinformation.
“ You can combat misinformation by combating it after it comes out,” Boggs said. “Misinformation, while it is very important that it absolutely should be addressed, that still has the right to be posted.”
Boggs attributed his lack of support from other senators to a discomfort surrounding the matter.
“It’s a precedent that if people don’t vote for the majority, that they’re going to feel like people are going to force them to be in the minority,” he said. While Boggs has no more campaigning opportunities as he graduates in May, he still intends to challenge the policy on behalf of incoming and current SGA members. In spite of this, he emphasized his trust in the elections committee but said his faith in it would improve with the removal of the policy.
“The fight continues,” Boggs said. “I’m not going to let this next election have that happen. I’m going to ensure that I fight within SGA to make sure that we don’t have that clause.”
Ultimately, the importance of bipartisan problem-solving was stressed by both those against and in support of the amendment, and Polarek said the issue could be solved by greater student involvement.
“I would encourage all those who think that it’s a violation of their free speech to come to Senate, voice that opinion and propose an amendment,” Polarek said. “We had a member of SGA do that already, and I think that will be an issue that we talk about further. CONTACT Hannah Kennedy at
By HANNAH KENNEDY The Breeze
The Student Government Association (SGA) Senate approved reserve funding for Madison Equality and SGA spending, and passed a resolution to allot contingency funds to the Madison Saxophone Society on Tuesday.
The SGA unanimously approved $180.64 of reserve funding for itself toward the purchase of two foldable tables ($52 each), 50 velvet hangers ($32.65) and a clothing rack ($43.99).
The purpose of these items is to provide “longterm” solutions to everyday problems the SGA encounters, junior Executive Assistant Brielle Lacroix said. She explained that JMU charges for using more than five tables per event, and that the SGA faces difficulties when not scheduling events officially through the university, which denies them the resources.
“Getting tables at all from JMU requires setup time,” Lacroix said. “We can use these tables for years.”
The hangers and rack are a proposed place for SGA members to leave their Senate attire to prevent damage prior to the meetings. SGA may also leave free business casual clothing for all to use in the future.
“Hang your clothes if you need to change,” Lacroix said. “I want to put the lost-and-found box on the lower shelf.”
The SGA approved Madison Equality, an organization intended to promote queer rights, to access reserve funds. Madison Equality already collected $117.99 toward its goal of attaining a button maker, and the rest of the money will be provided by its reserve funds.
Reserve funds differ from contingency in that the money is not provided to the SGA to dole out but rather is leftover funding for front-end budget organizations. In contrast, contingency funds come from JMU to be spent on clubs and orgs with a maximum of $3,000 per group annually.
“Madison Equality and [SGA] are both front-end budget (FEB) organizations, so they are entirely funded by student fees in a process where the senate approves their budget at the end of the year prior (budgeted on the ‘front end’/beginning from contingency funds),” SGA Executive Treasurer and Senior Advisor for Madison Equality Matt Haynicz said in a text to The Breeze.
The remainder of the budget, if not entirely expended in the fiscal year, will be put into a reserve. On average, there will be a 10%-30% residual that the organization can request for equipment or non-consumable materials that will benefit the organization for the foreseeable future.
“The Senate has already found the FEB’s mission as crucial to the mission of the university, as was voted on in last year’s FEB retention hearing and budget approvals, so the requesting org doesn’t really need to ‘sell a pitch,’” Haynicz said in a text message.
Madison Equality intends to use the button maker purchased with reserve funding to create
affirming resources for LGBTQ+ students during upcoming events such as its Trans Awareness Week Tabling, Madison Equality member Megan Newcomb said. Presenters emphasized the longevity of the device and its applications.
“Our mission, which I helped form, is ‘To promote the values of the LGBTQ+ community and offer the resources necessary for all students to thrive at JMU,’” Haynicz said. “From my perspective, the importance of our organization is promoting visibility of diverse identities and representing a community that still experiences adversity in society today.”
The SGA unanimously approved $2,500 in contingency funding to the Madison Saxophone Society (MSS). This request was made to offset costs for the Professor Carrie Koffman Masterclasses and Recital Event.
MSS raised a collective $759 from fundraising ventures, including the 2022 Parade of Champions marching band competition and by partnering with various businesses that gave a percentage of earnings to the club when customers used a promotional code.
On top of these earnings, 10 members also paid a collective $100 in dues this semester and sold merchandise on behalf of MSS.
The proposed event will take place Nov. 4 and directly support the saxophonists’ mission statement, according to members' presentation slides. The educational services provided by the Madison Saxophone Society’s event will
be available to all JMU students, regardless of membership or musical affiliation.
“Madison Saxophone Society will provide its members and the JMU community with access to saxophone education materials and experiences,” the presentation said.
Koffman of the School of Music will perform a one-hour recital and give four masterclasses: a yoga course designed for saxophonists, critiques from Koffman regarding members’ solos, a communications course titled “Skills for Music and Life” and a chamber music group performance with commentary from Koffman.
CONTACT Hannah Kennedy at kennedhj@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on X @BreezeNewsJMU.
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Looking for a positive, uplifting group that requires no prior skill and competes with others? The JMU Billiards Club encompasses all of this, said Jack Sellers, junior Integrated Science & Technology (ISAT) major and club prsident Billiards is, according to Merriam-Webster, “a game in which one scores by causing a cue ball to hit in succession two object balls.”
“Anybody can join the club and get involved,” Sellers said.
Sellers joined the club in the fall of his freshman year and is serving his first semester as club president.
“I just picked it up one semester and I just kept on playing it,” Sellers said. “It’s amazing what can happen in just one semester.”
Sellers said the club encompasses around 30 members, but they consistently see new faces and are “always willing to let people into the club.”
Garrett Hall, sophomore ISAT major, said his entire friend group was formed from the club and they regularly do things together besides just playing pool. Hall has been a member since his freshman year and is now the social chair for the club.
“I believe it brings everybody together, even if you’re not good at pool,” Hall said. “It’s still just a nice way to meet new people.”
Hall said compared to other clubs he’s been in, members of JMU Billiards Club are very close.
He also said the culture of playing pool is “pretty prominent” around campus because there’s a pool table in every residence hall he’s seen and he sees people in his hall playing pool all the time.
Junior health sciences major Chloe Matz said she sees 30 or 40 new faces every day she plays pool in Taylor Down Under (TDU). Matz is the secretary for the club and said
she typically spends at least five hours a day, five days a week practicing her skills and teaching new people how to play.
“On Mondays, I usually get in at about 1 [p.m.] I don’t leave until maybe 10 or 11,” Matz said. “I just really enjoy the space.”
Matz holds the top rank among all players in the billiards club. She said this is based on her overall score playing 9-ball, a variation of the original game.
The club hosts challenges Monday through Friday where players compete and face off against each other based on their rankings, Sellers said.
The club has a document that calculates scores and
determines rankings, said Matz. The club competes around the state at colleges like Virginia Tech, Christopher Newport and Old Dominion, but also squares off with out-of-state colleges such as Carnegie Mellon and Dartmouth, Sellers said. “We’ve been working to put on tournaments, mostly in Virginia Beach at a place called Q-Master, which has been fun,” Sellers said. “It’s been an awesome opportunity for players who are not as familiar to get exposure to that kind of playing environment.”
Hall said the team is set to compete in the East Coast Collegiate Open (ECCO) sometime in mid-October against ODU, U.Va. and Virginia Tech.
Matz said the club attended this tournament last year where she had fun interacting with different people. She said this tournament will be a learning experience because many of the participating schools have experienced players, but she thinks JMU Billiards will “do OK.”
Although Sellers said most members join “for fun,” he also said joining the billiards club is a great way to build a community at JMU.
“It’s not serious,” Matz said. “It’s not stressful. It’s super, super inviting.”
Matz said the club “bridges the gap” between many different types of people, such as those from different majors, areas and even countries. She said club members come together despite their differences because of one common love: billiards.
“We all just bonded over a simple game,” Matz said. “A lot of these people that I met have become my friends, almost like a second family. It’s like a family on campus.”
CONTACT
By ASHLEE THOMSPON The Breeze
Harrisonburg drag queens were met with a protester outside of the Festival Conference and Student Center Monday evening after performing their third annual on-campus drag show, a kickoff to a series of LGBTQ+ History Month events hosted by the University Program Board (UPB) and Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE).
The performance, and protest, comes one week after anti-LGBTQ+ flyers were found in various halls and common areas across campus. One flyer obtained by The Breeze reinforced the gender binary system, opposed preferred pronouns and encouraged suppression of any LGBTQ+ “lifestyle.”
Five local drag kings and queens — Jayda Knight, Genesis Knight, Brittany “B” Miller, Angelle Zhané and Dana St. James — put on a show in front of roughly 220 JMU students, singing and dancing along to hit songs from the likes of Whitney Houston, Lady Gaga and Beyoncé.
After the show, the kings and queens encountered a nonviolent man outside of Festival with a large red banner, protesting their show and ideologies.
The man’s banner read “REPENT, or 90% of you will go to HELL.” The other half of the banner included a list of Bible scriptures, namely Revelation 12:17, Rev. 14:12 and John 14:15-24 — verses that describe obeying God’s teachings — as well as a message about going to hell if an individual breaks any of God’s Ten Commandments.
“[God’s] love is unlimited for those who are good, but his hatred of their evil is unlimited, too,” the protester said to the drag kings and queens.
Zhané questioned the protester about the source of the hatred he spoke of, asking if he had attended any shows like theirs before. The man responded by saying Jesus would hate their shows and began listing the previously mentioned Bible scriptures as his reasoning.
“We preach love,” Zhané said. “We came out here to show you love and wish you all the happiness in the world.”
When asked what he finds evil about drag queens, the protester responded with “everything that is unnatural” and called heterosexual marriage “normal” and everything else “unnatural.”
Zhané told the protester he was not a prophet and can’t put individuals in heaven or hell himself. After the protester responded with the fact that he “teaches” Catholic ideas, the drag queens laughed and walked back inside Festival.
The conversation lasted approximately five minutes and was strictly verbal. A small crowd of students formed to watch, a majority of whom were filming.
Zhané, who did the bulk of the talking to the man, said she likes talking to protesters to get inside of their mind and learn why they think the way they do.
“You can’t understand the hate if you stay away from it,” Zhané said. “I don’t mind getting close and personal.”
When asked about safety precautions of
Monday’s event, considering the flyers recently spread across campus, SOGIE Director Jordan “JT” Todd said he was “confident” nothing bad would happen after discussing the issues with the SOGIE staff.
Assistant Director of SOGIE Cassidy Angelo said it’s important to create space for LGBTQ+ members, and that SOGIE is always pushing to advance diversity, equity and inclusivity on campus — the organization’s main goal.
“We’re just here to spread love and inclusivity and give people a space of welcoming inclusion,” Angelo said.
Jayda Knight, CEO of drag company Rhinestone Productions, called the protester spectacle “unfortunate” but a fair use of the man’s First Amendment right to free speech.
Rhinestone Productions was created 20 years ago by Jayda to build a safe space and experience for drag queens to “be themselves.” The idea formed because she didn’t have anything like that growing up in Harrisonburg.
“There was no [drag] scene. There was no diversity. There was no Miss Knight. I created that sh*t,” Jayda said to the crowd after her performance. “Without your support, there would be no us.”
Jayda said she was not aware of the flyers across campus but thinks having events centered around and for the LGBTQ+ community is important to spread love and show that drag queens aren’t going anywhere. Zhané added that she shouldn’t feel nervous or be stressed
walking into a venue.
“If the show feels like family, then it’s safe,” Zhané said, adding she felt that way performing at JMU and has never had a bad experience as a drag queen in Harrisonburg.
Genesis Knight, who’s been involved in drag since 2017, said she feels safe as a queer person in Harrisonburg and loves performing for the “warm” and “welcoming” JMU community Freshman Charlee Butler attended the drag show because they had never seen one before, and they said they wanted to “have a fun time.” Butler, who identifies as asexual, was “sick” and “disheartened” over the flyers but is happy to go to events on campus that make them feel included
“It makes me feel like there is finally a community I can belong to,” Butler said. “I can feel comfortable being myself as an asexual person.”
Genesis, Jayda and Zhané all expressed love to the JMU and Harrisonburg community and want to preach to younger LGBTQ+ people to always stay true to and love themselves.
“There’s always going to be that type of negativity in the world,” Zhané said. “You have to have a love within yourself that is louder than all that hate.”
water shipped to Harrisonburg and being “earth friendly,” according to the company’s website.
As JMU students progress further into the year, social events continue along as well. While JMU offers alternatives to parties, many choose to engage in activities that revolve around drinking. On average, more than 80% of college students consume alcohol, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIH) in July 2013, and nearly half of this 80% have reported binge drinking.
Learning how to consume alcohol safely and understand its negative effects can help students navigate social events that involve drinking.
Alcohol carries numerous consequences, health sciences professor Sherri Wilson said, including unplanned sexual activity, poor academic performance and both short- and long-term health issues. The NIH states that around 97,000 students aged 18 to 24 report alcohol-related sexual and physical assaults. Longterm impacts of alcohol misuse include heart and liver disease, cancer and mental health problems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
While students may find themselves in environments where drinking is prevalent, it’s crucial for them to consume alcohol safely. Wilson recommends eating before consuming alcohol.
When you eat before drinking, it allows the small intestine to absorb alcohol at a slower rate, reducing the risk of alcohol poisoning and allowing your body to process it more safely, according to Healthline. Other strategies to promote healthy drinking habits include setting a limit on the number of drinks you consume and alternating alcoholic beverages with non-alcoholic drinks, such as water. Day drinking, often an hourslong activity, can be managed by choosing beverages with lower alcohol content to mitigate the impact of prolonged drinking.
Responsible drinking not only reduces the risk of mental and physical health problems but also builds stronger connections with peers without the influence of substances, Wilson said.
Understanding what causes alcohol abuse or misuse is crucial when learning to drink responsibly. Some key signs of alcohol abuse, Wilson said, include an inability to limit consumption, dedicating most free time to drinking and a constant urge to drink. Read the full article at
With a plethora of goods from vintage apparel to homemade items, JMU Student Life most recently brought back the flea market at the Union patio on Saturday.
Unlike the farmers market, none of the vendors have food, and the event is held monthly rather than weekly.
Organizers Anthony Cordova-Ramirez and Angie Wiederock said that last year’s April 29 flea market had such a great reaction from vendors and consumers that they decided to bring it back this year and have it more frequently.
The date for this year’s debut of the market wasn’t consciously picked to align with Family Weekend, but “it was a happy coincidence,” Wiederock said. In order to advertise the event, junior Kiera McCrohan, who does graphic design in her free time, was hired to make a slide to go on the various TVs throughout campus, Weiderock said.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a flea market at JMU, but it fizzled out after students went into quarantine.
Senior Anthony Cordova-Ramirez said he decided to bring it back to campus last spring.
Before the market started, Cordova-Ramirez began selling vintage clothing and frequented flea markets, garage sales and thrift stores to find apparel. He would set out a few clothing racks at his house on South Mason Street to see if the vintage apparel he found would sell.
“People really enjoyed it, and it was nice to bring [vintage] to them,” Cordova-Ramirez said.
The community’s receptiveness to his clothing sale proved there was a demand for vintage clothing, but no access to it. This sparked the idea to bring it to campus, Cordova-Ramirez said. Despite frequenting flea markets, Cordova-Ramirez had little experience organizing the event. Wiederock helped bring Cordova-Ramirez’s idea to life with her experience as an event coordinator for Student Leadership and Involvement.
“There’s a bunch of great [flea market] events throughout Virginia, but I noticed that there are none here in the valley,” Cordova-Ramirez said.
Cordova-Ramirez said he’s always been a fan of thrifting as it relates to his history major.
“I love stuff that comes before me and giving it a new life,” he said.
In order to sell goods at the event, every vendor has to complete an application in which they explain what will be sold and agree to the terms of the flea market. If approved, they are assigned a spot on the Union patio. Vendors at typical flea markets would have to pay $40-$200 to rent the space for the day, according to Vendorzs, an event management website for pop-up vendors. However, Wiederock said JMU will not charge anything so that the vendors can go home with a larger profit.
Each flea market takes about a month to plan because of the application process, securing a rain date, and advertising and communicating with vendors. The market is meant to mutually benefit the consumers as well as to give the opportunity for vendors to sell their craft. Student vendors are prioritized at the event, Wiederock and Cordova-Ramirez said.
“The goal is to give students the opportunities to make money, advertise for their business and get a feel for selling their stuff,” Wiederock said, “especially students that don’t have a car and can’t go an hour out to make a sale.”
Great.full Goods is a vendor that was purposefully selected to promote sustainability, Cordova-Ramirez said. Great.full Goods’ products — self-care, oils and cleaners — are all chosen to emphasize reducing the amount of
Anya Strogonova, junior and Great.full Goods employee, said the products at the flea market are chosen to be convenient for students in a residence hall. Strogonova said Great.full Goods’ mission is to form a connection with students so they realize that living sustainably is possible.
In addition to Cordova-Ramirez’s activity within the vintage community, multiple vintage resellers were selected to be at the market.
“Whether you like it or not, vintage is sustainable,” Cordova-Ramirez said. “You’re not contributing to fast fashion — its recycling.”
Freshman Hallie Meyer bought a secondhand Ann Taylor maxi dress for $20 at the flea market on Saturday. While Meyer said she appreciates the bargain, she mostly applauds the environmental impact the market has.
Monthly event features vintage clothing, sustainable household products
“My favorite part is the environmental impact the flea market has on the community,” Meyer said. “[The Flea Market] encourages the people of Harrisonburg to consume less and invest in sustainable fashion.”
Cordova-Ramirez said he wants to disprove the misconception that vintage is expensive with the flea market.
“Vintage doesn’t need to cost 200 bucks to be really cool to you,” he said. “It can cost five bucks.”
Right now, the event is student-focused, but the plan is to expand so all of Harrisonburg can enjoy it, Cordova-Ramirez said.
“I want it to be a community event, not just for the university,” Cordova-Ramirez said. “I want to focus on vendors and artisans that are in this area, especially for students to know what’s out there.”
Cordova-Ramirez said he felt many students assumed there isn’t much liveliness to Harrisonburg, but in reality, “there’s a lot of stuff here and I want [the flea market] to be the introduction to another side of Harrisonburg.”
CONTACT Arianna Taylor at taylo3af@dukes.jmu.edu. For more on the culture, arts and lifestyle of the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the culture desk on X and Instagram @Breeze_Culture.
By AVERY GOODSTINE & KAIDEN BRIDGES The Breeze
On Saturdays when JMU football is in Harrisonburg, it’s a busy time for JMU’s mascot, Duke Dog. When he’s not on the field with the cheerleaders or riling up fans in the stands, Duke Dog can be found at tailgates, birthday parties and playing along with the Marching Royal
(MRDs).
During pregame tailgating, Duke Dog makes his way back to Bridgeforth to take a break before entering the stadium. On the walk back from P Lot located by Showker Hall, Duke Dog poses with fans, both furry and human. Every few steps, fans can be heard calling for Duke Dog from every direction.
Before kickoff, Duke Dog and his handlers travel from tailgate to tailgate to help hype up JMU fans. Duke Dog is present for the JMU Dog Walk, where fans and the MRDs crowd outside the Plecker Athletic Performance Center and welcome the football team to Bridgeforth.
While JMU football is on the field, Duke Dog riles up the crowd by dancing, lip syncing, playing games and holding up signs. In front of the student section, Duke Dog jumps up onto the bleachers infront of the student section and motions for them to cheer loudly for the Dukes. In the third quarter, Duke Dog and South Alabama’s mascot, Southpaw the Jaguar faced off in a dance battle to “Footloose.” Duke Dog also competed in a Mario Kart-themed JMU Dining food race. While on the sidelines, Duke Dog also enjoys playing tricks on JMU’s cheerleaders like stealing their pompoms and tugging on their hair.
For more on-the-field coverage of JMU’s 31-23 win over South Alabama on Saturday, scan the QR code below for Sports Editor Jackson Hephner’s game recap.
For more football photos, see page 21 and breezejmu.org/multimedia.
JMU volleyball fifth-year middle blocker Sophie Davis is in her last season at the collegiate level, and she has a lot to show for it.
In her final year, Davis etched her name at the top of the record books.
Davis was also named to the AllCAA First Team in each of her first three years as a Duke. Then, when JMU played in the Sun Belt Conference her senior year, she made the league’s first team, brought home the Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year award and was crowned the VaSID Player of the Year.
In a match against Appalachian State on Sept. 23, Davis recorded seven blocks, putting her at 502 for her career and surpassing middle blocker Lizzy Briones (2011-14), who previously held the record with 495 blocks.
Despite her success, Davis hasn’t always seen a future with volleyball. During high school, she considered pursuing a career in basketball instead.
“I had always played basketball and thought that would be my sport,” Davis said. “My mom got me into volleyball, and I started to play competitively in my sophomore year of high school.”
Despite Davis’ later start in volleyball, JMU head coach Lauren Steinbrecher saw promise in her.
“I knew she was a stud recruit with huge potential.” Steinbrecher said. “But we definitely didn’t expect her to produce the way she did so early on.”
As a recruit, Davis said once she saw JMU she knew she wanted to call it home. But before Davis even got to play a match for the Dukes, she partially tore most of the ligaments in her left foot, which left her sidelined at summer practices before her freshman year. Even with this setback, she managed to get herself ready in time for the season.
Davis said she and her coaches didn’t expect her to play a big role as a freshman, especially after the injury. But when JMU called her number, she didn’t back down. In 2019, Davis led the team in blocks with 133 and was second in kills with 257.
Davis’ sophomore season was unorthodox for herself and every other student-athlete. COVID-19 pushed the 2020 volleyball season to the spring. In the wake of the pandemic, “I had no clue when I would be able to play again,” Davis said.
Despite not having a fall 2020 season, Davis impressed in the shortened, 10-match schedule the Dukes faced in her sophomore year. History repeated itself, as she once again led the team in blocks (56) and finished second in kills (97).
With a full, fall regular season for her junior year, Davis continued to progress. Davis led the team in blocks (107) for the third year in a row. The Dukes were on pace to make it to the CAA championship, but just two weeks before the conference title, the CAA delivered a message that would change the team's outcome for the season, as news broke about JMU’s move to the Sun Belt.
“Two weeks before the CAA championship, they told us we wouldn’t even be eligible to play,” Davis said. “We had worked so hard that season, and were even ranked.”
But after two years in a row of facing setbacks, Davis had an electric start in the Sun Belt. Her 148 blocks and .407 hitting percentage both led the conference last season. Davis helped lead JMU to the Sun Belt championship, where it defeated Texas State in four sets. After being crowned conference champions, Davis was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.
“It was redeeming to win a championship after what happened the year before,” Davis said.
Davis has led the Dukes in blocks every year since she arrived in Harrisonburg and is on pace to do it for her fifth and final year at JMU.
“When I think of Sophie, I can’t help but just smile”, Steinbrecher said. “She is a great human with great demeanor. Sophie has a competitive work ethic but never stresses herself out. She is always having fun.”
Davis said she hopes to play professionally after her collegiate career. She said she has interest in playing overseas for a few years while a professional women's league develops in the U.S.
CONTACT Preston Comer at comerps@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more volleyball coverage, follow the sports desk on X @TheBreezeSports.
Want to praise someone or get something off your chest? Darts & Pats is the place to do it. Submit your own at breezejmu.org.
A “you-understoodthe-assignment” pat to all the fans who had their tickets ready and clear bags to make the lines at the football game go by quickly.
From someone who appreciates getting in the stadium in time for pregame.
A “what's-that-smell” dart to the skunk that hangs out around my townhouse.
From someone who needs to invest in pest control.
A deep political divide has been rapidly increasing for decades in the U.S. This partisanship has leaked into the cracks of higher education, and students are caught in the mess. The 2016 and 2020 elections are prime examples of extreme polarization, and the 2024 election will no doubt continue this trend. With democracy quite literally hanging in the ballots, it’s time for our generation to step up and mend the country’s expanding fractures.
Citizens are divided along party lines, but politicians have their own problems — they’re polarized in their own parties. Both have been significantly affected by the rise of extremism, and disinformation in the media has worsened the divide among voters.
JMU political science professor Martin Cohen said voters have begun identifying with political parties rather than viewing them as entities representing their interests. This leads to stronger attitudes against opposing ideologies.
A “participation” pat to all the fans at the Family Weekend football game who followed along to the cheers, songs and fan games.
From a graduate and parent who can't understand why people come to a game and don't cheer or leave early.
“The parties themselves are polarized at the elite level due to numerous things — the gerrymandering of districts, the importance of primary elections and the willingness of interests to challenge incumbents in their own party who are not sufficiently extreme or polarized,” Cohen said.
Politicians have begun to fear the extremists in their own party rather than the opposition. Cohen defines extremism as “ideologies out of the mainstream,” differing from the average voter's beliefs. He cites the example of extreme views on abortion, which the majority of Americans disagree with, as seen when Roe v. Wade was overturned in June 2022.
A “sweet-and-spicy” pat to the honey-chipotle chicken tenders at TLC.
From a chicken connoisseur.
Polarization is increasing more than extremism, but that doesn’t mean the Republican and Democratic parties haven’t turned toward the worrying trend. Republicans have moved right “more quickly and more expansively” than Democrats have moved left, Cohen said, and the median voter moves with each party. This means the average voters’ ideologies have shifted further from traditional party values, inviting and normalizing radical views.
In terms of the outcome of the 2024 election, Cohen cites the prior 2016 and 2020 elections — two of the “most static" in U.S. history, as he said. Cohen said the 2024 election will most likely be a 2020 rematch: Biden and Trump struggling with small local
Graphicsby /TheBreezemargins — the polling margin of error between different candidates — low approval ratings and fighting to achieve the majority vote in an electorate that probably won't change.
When compared to increasing political polarization on the national level, polarization on college campuses is significantly less prominent. However, that doesn’t mean political divides in higher education don’t exist.
“Polarization is more pronounced among the most informed and engaged,” Cohen said.
It makes sense that college students would be among this population. Cohen poses the question, “Is the JMU student more or less engaged than the average American?” He says it’s unlikely, which could be viewed as a “silver lining” because students are not as pulled by partisanship.
Cohen teaches perhaps the most politically engaged students: political science majors and minors. He said polarization definitely exists among this group but is nowhere near as strong as the wider population. He observed through his classes that it’s often an 80-20 split, with most students leaning liberal. But political science students aren’t representative of the electorate or the JMU population. For example, finance majors may hold different views than political science majors.
Junior political science major Aiden West has made similar observations in his classes. He found that JMU is a moderate to leftleaning school, and the professors in his department tend to lean similarly. He hasn’t noticed a deep political divide at JMU and said that he’s never had issues concerning the topic in his classes.
He praised his professors, specifically in political science, for keeping their personal opinions outside of the classroom and playing devil’s advocate to promote healthy debates and conversations, no matter a student’s or professor’s ideologies.
While JMU certainly doesn’t have overtly extreme polarization among students and faculty, other schools across the country face such issues.
“I think that polarization in general, specifically on a college campus, is quite sad,” West said. “We’re spending tens of thousands of dollars to receive an education and be a part of a community — a family. To see college campuses be split in half, especially during election cycles or tragedies that should otherwise be unifying, is heart-wrenching.”
60% of 120 respondents said they don't think political polarization has effected classes
71% of 124 respondents believe a political divide exists among students and faculty
Evan Weaver
Politics is a major aspect of everyday life. From the mail in your mailbox to the food you buy at the grocery store, politics is everywhere. West said politics can have a place in the classroom, and should, if done correctly. Regardless of your specialty, students should be politically informed. West outlines potential ideas for majors that don’t study political science.
“In English courses, students should read and analyze political speeches and essays. For math, students could learn how the government collects and spends money,” West said. “Even in the sciences, students can study the political implications of scientific research. Politics is
more than just Democrat and Republican, left vs. right, pro-choice vs. pro-life.”
In a Breeze Instagram poll on political divisiveness on college campuses, one JMU student said “political differences are a good thing as long as there is healthy and respectful discussion.” In any healthy democracy, opposing parties will exist, which is not a bad thing. In fact, some form of division is necessary. Without competition, a single party could dominate the federal and state governments, driving out and oppressing all opposition.
When asked if a political divide exists among students and faculty, 71% of 124
respondents answered yes, but when asked if this polarization affects classes, 60% of 120 respondents voted no.
So, what’s the key takeaway? JMU seems to be less politically polarized than the national population, but divisiveness among faculty and students persists nonetheless. The muchanticipated 2024 presidential election is quickly approaching, and the political polarization that walks hand-in-hand with elections is set to remain the same. With disinformation on the loose and political parties divided among themselves, the future is impossible to predict.
As students and citizens in a democracy, it’s
our duty to uphold democratic values, regardless of party affiliation. It feels as if respectful political discourse has fallen off the face of the Earth, but hopefully, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Perhaps our generation will be the one to set our democracy back on track — wiping up past generations’ political messes.
CONTACT Emma Seli at seliek@dukes. jmu.edu. For more editorials regarding the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the opinion desk on Instagram and X @Breeze_Opinion.
The Madison Business Review is The Breeze’s primarily online business-focused publication. Read MBR’s content at breezejmu.org/business.
I recall being a novice high school investor who almost sold his entire portfolio when the stock market turned for the worst at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. A portfolio made up of more than three years of diligent savings.
Economic uncertainty led to extreme volatility in global markets, and major U.S. stock indexes faced record-breaking monthly declines, such as the Russell 2000, which fell more than 40% from February to March 2020. Nearly every news source weighed in, with an almost unanimous sentiment to “get out while you can,” and some headlines predicted drops in the market as significant as 70% — after all, we should listen to the experts, right?
By sheer luck, I stumbled upon “The Intelligent Investor,” written by famous
investor Benjamin Graham, which influenced my decision to increase my positions rather than sell out of the market — a choice rooted in the detailed analysis Graham provided that evaluated data from past recessions. Had I listened to headlines and not been as fortunate as I was to receive information at the perfect time, I would have missed out on the more than 100% upside the S&P 500 had from March 2020 to January 2022.
Some of the most well-known economic commentators and asset managers who have amassed fame and fortune from an accurate prediction are often just broken clocks — individuals who inevitably got it right once, despite countless incorrect attempts, yet continue to move financial markets, even years or decades later, by instilling fear in new investors.
“The idea that a bell rings to signal when to get into or out of the stock market is simply not credible. After nearly fifty years
in this business, I don’t know anybody who has done it successfully and consistently. I don’t even know anybody who knows anybody who has,” Vanguard Founder Jack Bogle said in his book “Common Sense on Mutual Funds: New Imperatives for the Intelligent Investor.”
In November 2008, Fox Business aired an interview with business consultant and trend forecaster Gerald Celente to gain insight into the state of the U.S. economy amid the great financial crisis, a period that put significant financial strain on households globally, instilled profound fear in investors and changed the global economic landscape.
During the interview, Celente predicted the U.S. economy would collapse by 2012. He claimed the country would become “the first undeveloped nation,” allegedly leading to a crisis worse than the Great Depression.
Not only was this a bold statement but it influenced already-fearful investors to make a terrible financial decision: selling their portfolio at more than a 50% loss. Naturally, many investors listened because the supposed voice of reason told them it could only get worse.
Since this aired, the S&P 500 has increased by over 350%, for an impressive 11% compound annual growth rate, proving to be one of the most lucrative 15-year periods for the index. Yet, many investors missed out on probably the best stock market opportunity of their lifetime because they focused more on not losing money than actually making it. With the rapid emergence of doomsday predictions, who can blame them?
Unfortunately, the interview with Celente is far from a one-off event, highlighting the broader problem of fear-mongering, which costs impressionable investors a considerable amount of money and sometimes even their retirement. Articles are released daily trying to cash in on the next big prediction for clicks, views and dollars earned; however, the reality is that predicting a recession is an almost impossible endeavor and far more nuanced than most new investors realize.
Perhaps the most famous investor to make an accurate call is hedge fund manager Michael Burry, who predicted the Great Financial Crisis in 2005 and eventually gained a massive following. Despite his initial success, Burry has lost millions from countless incorrect speculations over the past 15 years and continues to influence others to sell at inopportune times.
The purpose of this article is not to discredit the intellect and career accomplishments of Burry or any other investor, but rather to suggest heeding caution — recessions are unpredictable, and even the brightest minds consistently fail at forecasting them. Even then, the stock market often moves in erratic ways and often does not reflect the actual state of the economy.
Predicting the movement of the stock market aims to foresee both economic outcomes and human behavior, neither of which is always rational. Economist Thorsten Drautzburg summarized this perfectly, on behalf of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, by stating “One might be tempted to conclude that if the origins of business cycles are random forces, then analyzing business cycles must be a pointless endeavor.”
see RECESSION, page 20
from RECESSION, page 19
According to One Digital, which collected data on investor returns from 1996-2015, the average retail investor earned a measly 2.1% annual return on their portfolio, underperforming all major asset classes — including bonds — and did not outpace inflation. During the same period, the S&P 500 attained an 8.2% annual rate of return.
Not only do retail investors frequently take on additional risk within their portfolio from stock-picking and risky bets, but they lose out on potential gains by trying to get in and out of the market when volatility occurs, which is often influenced by perpetual articles that claim to know that the next recession is just around the corner, despite nearly always being wrong.
Even investors who exclusively buy index funds, which have historically provided the highest chance of positive returns, underperform the exact index their funds track because of getting in and out of the market when it becomes volatile. This strategy can be incredibly costly, as missing out on the 10 best days in the stock market from 1992 to 2021 would decrease your overall return by 54%.
According to the book “Beating The Street” by Peter Lynch, who earned an astounding 29.2% annual return during his 13-year tenure managing the Fidelity Magellan Fund, the key is to stay invested year-round and have the patience to let your investments grow for long periods.
Recessions are inevitable in market cycles, so portfolios should be able to withstand any correction or bear market. Attempting to time the market by selling out of your companies or funds on the premise that the market will react a certain way has historically cost investors much more in missed returns.
Most importantly, it is critical to focus on the big picture — the U.S. stock market has
crashed by 20% or more 12 times since 1950, averaging downward trends lasting less than a year, and made full recoveries each time. Seeing your hard-earned dollars consistently dwindle during a recession will naturally evoke an emotional response, but resisting the urge to sell will diminish the chance of permanent losses.
Next time you see a headline that the market is about to plummet, consider two possibilities: the article is correct, although unlikely, and you do nothing, or, the prediction is incorrect, and you still do nothing. Although seemingly counterintuitive, adopting this mentality will eliminate stress while minimizing your chance of incurring losses.
“Far more money has been lost by investors trying to anticipate corrections than lost in the corrections themselves,” Lynch said.
Consistently timing the market is an impossible feat, and even the most wellrenowned economists have a poor track record of anticipating how the market will react in the short run.
While recessions are inevitable, stressing about them or reading speculative articles about the “next downturn” is probably doing more harm than good for your portfolio and personal well-being. According to Peter Lynch, the key to enduring volatile markets is to remain invested at all times and maintain an allocation that can weather any market.
By adopting this strategy, investors maximize their chance of capturing the stock market’s upside and have no reason to worry about a big headline or potential correction. Because of their long time horizon, young investors should view a market crash as an opportunity to buy stocks at a discount, which can significantly contribute to the long-term gains of their portfolio
CONTACT David McAlister at breezembr@ gmail.com. For more coverage of Harrisonburg businesses and personal finance insights, follow the Madison Business Review on X and Instagram @breezembr.
UPB
Community reacts to recent anti-LGBTQ+ activity around campus
Field hockey improves ahead of weekend home games
Honoring
Edited by Patti Varol and Joyce Lewis
By Katherine Baicker & Laura Dershewitz 10/2/23
4 Bedroom 2 Bathroom Apartment
4 bedroom 2 bathroom apartment available 9/30 1321 Mount Clinton Pike https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1321Mount-Clinton-Pike-HarrisonburgVA-22802/85868542_zpid/
JOBS
Immediate Positions Available
Urgent! Massanutten Resort Inhouse Marketing Call Center has 2 immediate part-time positions available!
Saturday-Tuesday 4pm-9pm Use of resort amenities.
Hourly pay + Commission Paid Weekly Contact us for more information.
540-289-4006 Ask for Mandy or Debe
Madison Marketplace is open for business, and all text-only listings are FREE ! Post job listings, announcements, rentals and more using our online placement tool. Ads run two weeks online and in two print editions.
Career Opportunity - Technician I (Grounds)
Career Opportunity - Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) and 911 Specialist (HRECC)
Do you want a career that allows you to utilize your IT experience in an industry where your daily work will make a direct impact on public safety? If so, consider applying to the CAD and 911 Specialist position with the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Emergency Communications Center (HRECC)! Visit https:// www.harrisonburgva.gov/employment. EOE.
Are you seeking a rewarding position that allows you the opportunity to use your experience in general maintenance, groundskeeping, and/or parks maintenance? If so, the City of Harrisonburg’s Technician I - Grounds position may be the right career for you! Find out more/ apply online: https://www.harrisonburgva. gov/employment. EOE.
Officer
The City of Harrisonburg is currently accepting applications for non-certified individuals interested in joining HPD, which offers a rewarding career plus an excellent benefits package, including enhanced hazardous duty through the Virginia Retirement System (VRS). Find out more/apply online: https:// www.harrisonburgva.gov/employment. EOE.
Career Opportunity - Emergency Communications Shift Supervisor
Are you seeking a rewarding career in a CALEA-Accredited agency that allows you the opportunity to use your prior public safety communications experience to work with a variety of public agencies in the Harrisonburg/ Rockingham area? If so, consider applying to the HRECC Shift Supervisor career opportunity! Visit https://www.harrisonburgva.gov/ employment. EOE.
Career Opportunity - Customer Care Representative
Do you want to utilize your customer service skills and knowledge to help ensure that citizens and local businesses receive quality water and sewer services? If so, the City of Harrisonburg Public Utilities Department’s Customer Care Representative position may be the right career for you! Visit https://www. harrisonburgva.gov/employment. EOE.
Construction Program Inspector
Do you want to make a difference in the community by utilizing your construction/ inspection skills to enhance the quality of life for citizens and protect the public interest? If so, the City of Harrisonburg’s Public Works’ Construction Program Inspector position may be right for you! Find out more/apply: https:// www.harrisonburgva.gov/employment. EOE.
