DU Clarion Volume 123 Issue 22

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VOLUME 123, ISSUE 22

MADELEINE ALBRIGHT VISITS DU TO SPEAK ON ELECTION

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Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright visits DU on behalf of U.S. Presdiential Candidate Hillary Clinton

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DU MEN’S SOCCER RANKED NO. 3 IN U.S.

NIXON’S COFFEE SHOP PLEASES PEARL ST.

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“THE ACCOUNTANT” COOKS THE BOOKS

LTTE: DIVEST DU ADDRESSES CONCERN

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PREPPING FOR STUDY ABROAD 101

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ith the chill of the changing air comes the beginning of study abroad applications.

Study abroad is an opportunity many DU students pursue. There are dozens of countries and dozens of programs to pick from, ranging from Germany to Madagascar.

To get started on this new adventure, the first thing to do is to attend a Study Abroad 101 meeting. These meetings are held on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in the International House Dining Room on 2200 S.

Josephine Street. This session will provide the basics for how to start on applications for study abroad.

Information about passports, visas, different programs and the university’s esteemed Cherrington Global Scholars Initiative are provided.

This meeting is required for all students who intend to study abroad during the upcoming school year.

The next part, and the most fun part, is researching programs. There are many different programs and countries to pick from. Programs can be selected by region, major or language

and can be accessed through the program page on the study abroad website.

For any specific questions, regional drop-in hours are a great way to get your questions answered. These advising periods are organized by regions of the world and run throughout the week. All meetings are at the International House. The calendar for meetings is located on the study abroad website for DU in the “Get Started” tab.

The last step is to complete the DU Study Abroad Nomination

Application. The deadline for this is Jan. 20. This is a mandatory requirement for all applications, no matter if you are studying abroad in the fall, winter or spring.

The application can be found online in the “DU Passport”.

Study abroad might feel a little overwhelming, but the process will feel completely worth it once you’re walking along the Champs-Elysees in Paris or crossing over the Rialto Bridge in Venice.

Sydney Kapp | Lifestyles Editor

Photo courtesy of the Wall Street Jounral Sydney Kapp | Clarion

Sydney Kapp | Clarion

ABOUT US

DU Clarion EDITORIAL STAFF

JILLIAN QUERI, Editor-in-Chief KELLSIE BRANNEN, Executive Editor JOHN POE, Business Manager The Clarion is the official student newspaper of the University of Denver, serving as the “Voice of the Pioneers.”

Founded in 1899, it covers campus and local stories with the highest level of journalistic integrity possible. 1000 copies are distributed each Wednesday afternoon (throughout the academic year) across the DU campus, and every article is also published at duclarion.com. The Clarion does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the faculty, staff and/or administration of DU, and the opinions expressed by columnists and contributing writers do not necessarily reflect those of the Clarion.

Reproduction of The Clarion in whole or part in any form written, broadcast or electronic without written permission of The Clarion is prohibited. The opinions expressed by columnists and contributing writers do not necessarily reflect those of The Clarion. Weather forecasts are of courtesy of the National Weather Service. The Clarion reserves the right to reject advertising, stories, columns or letters to the editor that it deems graphic, obscene or that discriminate on the basis of race, culture, gender or sexual orientation.

The Clarion welcomes letters to the editor. Those who submit letters must limit them to 500 words. Some letters may not be published because of space limitations, overly-libelous content or similarity to past submissions. Please submit letters to duclarioneditor@gmail.com.

HOW TO JOIN

The Clarion is open to contributors of all years and majors at DU, including both undergraduate and graduate students. There’s no application necessary; all you have to do is show up to one of our weekly meetings, which are held every Monday at 6 p.m. (during the academic year) in the Driscoll Underground. Can’t make it to a meeting? Send an email to duclarioneditor@gmail.com and we’ll do everything we can to get you published.

SASHA KANDRACH, News Editor BRAIDEN ALBRECHT-REED, Sports Editor GRACE CARSON, Opinions Editor SYDNEY KAPP, Lifestyles Editor RYAN NINESLING, Entertainment Editor DUSTIN AMICK, Photo/Video Editor TARYN ALLEN, Copy Editor MADISON HELLER, Copy Editor OLIVIA HYDE, Social Media Director ANDREW MATRANGA, Faculty Adviser

CONTRIBUTING STAFF JUSTIN CYGAN GEORGA FEEK DANIEL LORENZO ANNMARIE MARLOW SARA LOUGHRAN CAITLAN GANNAM EVA OAKES

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DU CLARION

NEWS | 3

Free Speech Wall returns after c o n t rove r s i e s

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n Sunday Oct. 16 from 5-7 p.m., Undergraduate Student Government (USG) and Graduate Student Government (GSG) hosted an event at the Free Speech Wall, inviting students to repaint the wall together. The Free Speech Wall, located outside of Driscoll Bridge, was reinstated on Oct. 16 after recent turmoil surrounding escalating messages (and defacement thereof) regarding the Black Lives Matter movement.

The wall reopens with new

guidelines, which, according to an email sent by USG and GSG, stem from “dialogues over the last week and from DU’s code of conduct.” These rules have been put in place to “position The Wall as a space where we can engage with one another more authentically, communicating our feelings and expressing our viewpoints without silencing other members of our community,” according to the same email.

New conceptual and specific guidelines have been

put in place. The conceptual guidelines revolve around two ideas—that students can use the wall to “express opinions, share information and stimulate conversation” and may not use the wall “ to intimidate, oppress or exploit members of the community.” Specific guidelines include not altering existing messages on the wall (students must completely paint over a panel before writing a message), identifying the student or organization in the message or

Jillian Queri | Editor-in-Chief

artwork and that a camera now monitors the wall. Any students in violation of the guidelines will be subject to a student conduct evaluation.

The event included food, music and paint. USG and GSG asserted that the guidelines are “not intended to restrict free expression; rather they are a means through which we can continue to thrive as an inclusive community with a shared value system and many varied viewpoints.”

Kellsie Brannen | Executive Editor

Photo courtesy of Divest DU

Madeleine Albright visits campus F

ormer Secretary of State Madeleine Albright spoke at a forum on behalf of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her campaign for the upcoming 2016 presidential election on Wednesday, Oct. 12. Secretary Albright has close ties to Denver, as it is where she grew up and attended the Kent Denver School. Her father, Josef Korbel, was a professor of international politics at DU, and he is the man after whom the Josef Korbel School of International Studies is named. Albright visited DU’s campus in June when she was a commencement speaker at the undergraduate ceremony.

Albright emphasized the

importance of the 2016 election and the necessity for those who are able to register to vote to do so in the state of Colorado. She spoke of the position voters in the audience are in due to Colorado’s status as a swing state, where each vote has more of an influence on the overall outcome of the election.

As Secretary Albright campaigns for Clinton, states such as Colorado, Iowa and Florida are some of her targets.

Albright’s involvement has included knocking on doors and making calls herself, surprising many due to her status in the world of politics. However, Albright sees no excuse to not be an active participant in getting

Clinton elected, according to her speech to the DU community.

Another one of her focuses at Wednesday’s forum was Republican candidate Donald Trump and the eccentricity of the 2016 election. Secretary Albright stressed that for Democrats in the United States, the stakes have never been higher and that avoiding a Trump presidency is imperative to our success as a country. Albright directed this particularly to the majority of millennial voters in attendance at the forum, acknowledging their responsibility as new voters in this presidential election.

After a short speech, Secretary Albright took questions from the audience. One DU student asked Albright what she believed

was the biggest issue facing both candidates and the political world as a whole. Albright responded, not skipping a beat, “climate change.” Behind her reasoning, she cited its presence as both a global and inevitable issue that requires strong negotiation skills in the upcoming presidential term.

On this subject, Albright again stressed the importance of electing former Secretary Clinton as president.

Albright believes there is nobody more qualified to face and negotiate the issues at hand than Clinton, a note she concluded the forum with.

Eva Oakes | Contributing Writer

Olivia Hyde | Clarion

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DU CLARION

SPORTS | 5

Denver hockey sweeps visiting BU, improves to 2-2

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wo forwards on opposite ends of their collegiate careers led the No. 6-ranked DU Pioneers in sweeping Boston University (BU) in the non-conference series hosted by DU on Friday, Oct. 14 and Saturday, Oct. 15.

Senior Evan Janssen (Green Bay, Wisconsin) totalled two goals in the first game’s 4-3 victory.

Freshman Henrik Borgstrom (Helsinki, Finland) amassed three points (two goals, one assist) on Saturday’s 3-1 win to secure the weekend sweep.

Denver (2-2) rebounded after its last place finish in the Ice Breaker Tournament on Oct. 7 and Oct. 8, where they lost 3-2 and 3-1 to Ohio State and Boston College, respectively. The Pioneers defeated the highly respected BU Terriers without the on-ice presence of standout sophomore forward Dylan Gambrell (Bonney Lake, Washington), who is recovering from hand surgery.

“It’s two nights in a row where we’ve had players do real unselfish things,” Head Coach Jim Montgomery said. “Last night, [Evan] Janssen could have tried for a hat trick, but he just killed the game off with a one-goal lead. Borgstrom ended the game with a great play to Tyson McLellan (San Jose, California), but that’s just good puck support.”

The Pioneers’ third line, consisting of Janssen, freshman McLellan and sophomore Logan O’Connor (Calgary, Alberta), delivered half of DU’s four tallies on Friday night. At 4:44 into the second period, Janssen finished on the doorstep off a feed from linemate O’Connor to extend Denver’s previous lead 3-0.

Just over the halfway mark of the period, BU added its first tally on a power play goal buried by Calgary Flames prospect Brandon Hickey. Hickey bounced the puck past Jaillet of a feed from Jakob Karlsson.

At 12:06 remaining in the middle frame, McLellan centered the puck across the slot to Janssen.

Janssen sent his wrist shot past BU goaltender Jake Oettinger to extend the Pioneers’ lead 4-1.

Denver lost momentum in the final frame but never relinquished its lead. 2:47 into the period, the Terriers cut their deficit in half. 8:01 later, Doyle Somerby was assessed for holding, delivering Denver’s seventh power play of the evening. Despite the man disadvantage, BU’s Clayton Keller picked up a loose puck and scored BU’s third goal on a shorthanded breakaway.

Boston’s physicality and overbearing intensity backfired as the Terriers served 14 penalty minutes

and allowed the Pioneers to gain momentum on their power plays.

Denver’s first goal was scored on the third power play of the night as BU’s Dante Fabbro was assessed with interference. 16 seconds in, Jarid Lukosevicus (Squamish, British Columbia) fed senior captain Will Butcher (Sun Prairie, Wisconsin) at the point. Butcher fired a wrist shot which senior center Matt Marcinew (Calgary, Alberta) tipped bar down past Oettinger to put the Pioneers on the board first.

The Pioneers’ second conversion was finished by Anaheim Ducks prospect Troy Terry (Denver, Colorado). 4:02 into the second period, Terry drove into the slot and shot a wrist shot past Oettinger on the weak side. Freshman defenseman Michael Davies (St. Louis, Missouri) picked up the assist.

Looking for their second win of the weekend series, Denver stumbled out of the gate early.

However, following a domineering first period by BU who outshot DU 9-3, Borgstrom put Denver on the board first at 1:37 into the second period. Borgstrom wired his shot from the left circle over Oettinger’s left shoulder to record his first career goal.

Borgstrom, a NHL first round draft pick within the 2016 fresh-

man class, recorded his first collegiate goal, relieving the previous tension and frustration on missed opportunities.

“I said last night, wait until the first one goes in…and you could just see him,” Montgomery said. “He started going around people, through people and that second goal was a big-time play.”

Borgstrom’s second and eventually game-winning goal occurred 9:37 into the final frame after BU equalized the score 43 seconds into the period on a powerplay.

Fellow freshman and first round draft pick Kieffer Bellows, a New York Islanders prospect, scored the Terriers’ sole point.

“This was a great weekend for us and a big step forward for our team,” said Montgomery. “We won a lot of one-on-one battles this weekend and a lot of different guys stepped up with big time efforts for us. These were two good team wins and it’s definitely encouraging to see positive results coming from the hard work our student-athletes have been putting in.”

Denver travels to East Lansing, Mich. for a nonconference series against the Michigan State Spartans on Friday, Oct. 21 and Saturday, Oct. 22.

Sasha Kandrach | News Editor Braiden Albrecht- Reed | Clarion

Caitlan Gannam | Clarion

Caitlan Gannam | Clarion

Caitlan Gannam | Clarion

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Denver downs Princeton in debut of William G. Tierney Field

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illiam G. Tierney Field, home of the new U.S. Lacrosse headquarters, set the stage for the first collegiate game to be played between DU and Princeton University on Saturday, Oct. 15. The Pioneers defeated the Tigers 16-8 in Sparks, Maryland, marking the first time DU Head Coach Bill Tierney faced his former team since taking the position at DU in 2008.

After leading the Pioneers to their first national championship title in 2015, Tierney became the first coach to win two titles at two different institutions. In 2002, Tierney was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame. Despite his extensive successes and impact within the lacrosse world, Tierney continues to radiate humility, love for his players, admiration for his staff and passion for the sport itself.

“It’s neat, I’d be lying if I didn’t think it was--if I didn’t say it was exciting, humbling and very meaningful,” Tierney said of the field being named in his honor.

“But most of all, I’m just thankful for thirty years at these two institutions, for all of the players, coaches and staff to have been with me and make something special like this happen.”

Without the pressure of reclaiming the national title and ending their season prematurely, the Pioneers looked to utilize their talent to build new success this year. Five All-Americans return, including Tewaaraton Award Finalist Connor Cannizzaro (Cazenovia, New York) and faceoff specialist Trevor Baptiste (Denville, New Jersey).

“We feel like we need to take advantage of the great player we’ve got at the faceoff x [Baptiste]. With

Olivia Hyde | Clarion

that in mind, we’re going to try to play a little bit faster and get more shots,” said Tierney. “We’re trying different combinations, we’ve got some new people that are going to be very good, that are moving other people in and out of different spots. As much as you hate to lose at the end of the year, there’s always a new energy when you come back four months later.”

Denver welcomes a 15-man freshman class, including 2016 USA Today All-USA Boys Lacrosse Player of the Year Ethan Walker (Peterborough, Ontario). Additional talented, youthful returners include sophomores Colton Jackson (Highlands Ranch, Colorado), Dylan Johnson (Englewood, Colorado), Alex Ready (Lancaster, Pennsylvania), Dylan Gaines (Baltimore, Maryland), Austin French (Danville, California) and Nate Marano (Tustin, California), who

all earned playing time during their freshmen campaigns.

“We’ve got great senior leadership now. We’ve got two really good young [freshmen and sophomore] classes. The attitude in the locker room has been great,” Tierney said.

“We’ve never worked this hard physically in the fall. Matt Van Dyke, our conditioning coach, has put these guys through a lot more than they ever have [done], both from a conditioning and a strength standpoint.”

Denver returns to Peter Barton Field for its second fall exhibition game against Team Canada on Saturday, Oct. 22 at 1 p.m. Former Pioneers Mark Matthews (Oshawa, Ontario), Wesley Berg (Coquitlam, B.C.), Dillon Roy (Denver) and Jeremy Noble (Orangeville, Ontario) will suit up for Team Canada.

Sasha Kandrach | News Editor

Olivia Hyde | Clarion

Ex-Pioneer Colborne nets hat-trick in Avalanche debut

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n their season opening Antti Niemi out of the game, as he matchup, the Colorado Ava- was replaced by Kari Lehtonen in a lanche defeated the Dallas coach’s decision.

Stars by a score of 6-5 on While poor goaltending has Oct. 15. The thrilling, high-scor- been Dallas’ downfall in recent ing affair saw former Denver Pio- seasons, the change to Lehtonen neer Joe Colborne record his first helped spark the team in this career hat-trick (three goals). contest. Former Art Ross Trophy The game didn’t start out well winning forward Jamie Benn and for Colorado, as Dallas superstar his talented running mate, Seguin, center Tyler Seguin scored only 43 would each score in the second seconds into the game. Avalanche period, cutting the lead to 5-4. goalie Semyon Varlamov would give The two teams traded goals in up another goal in the first period, the third, allowing the Avalanche pushing the Stars’ lead to two. to emerge as the 6-5 victors. While Not to be outdone by the oppo- the game marked initial Colorado sition, Colborne was able to jam debuts for ex-Pioneers Colborne two goals home before the first and Patrick Wiercioch (one assist), period was over, effectively tying it was also head coach Jared Bedthe game 2-2. nar’s first NHL game behind the The offensive explosion con- bench after replacing Patrick Roy tinued in the second period, as in the offseason. The team’s new Colorado managed three goals in up-tempo play style was evident en only eight minutes. Carl Soderberg route to the coach’s first win with scored on a slick breakaway move, the franchise.

Nathan Mackinnon wristed in a Colorado’s next matchup sees rebound shot and Colborne tipped the team embarking on an eastin a shot which originated from a coast road trip, beginning with Nikita Zadorov point shot. the reigning Stanley Cup champiHats rained down on the ice ons Pittsburgh Penguins on Oct. after Colborne’s third goal, the 17 at 5 p.m. first NHL hat-trick of his career.

The score also chased Dallas goalie Braiden Albrecht-Reed | Sports Editor

Photo courtesy of The Denver Post

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SPORTS | 7

Men’s soccer ranked No. 3 in the nation

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he No. 3 DU men’s soccer team picked up a pair of victories last week, extending the program’s regular season unbeaten streak to 31 games. The Pioneers downed Butler University 1-0 on Oct. 10 on the road, as well as Western Illinois University by a 2-0 margin at home on Oct. 15.

Redshirt-junior forward Blake Elder (Fort Worth, Texas) had the lone goal in DU’s first match of the week at Butler. The ball was crossed towards the net from the foot of redshirt-senior right back

Caitlan Gannam | Clarion

Reagan Dunk (Dallas, Texas), who currently has five assists on the year in 14 games played. The tally marked Elder’s sixth goal of the season. He currently has played in 14 games (starting seven), holding a shooting percentage of .207 percent and a shot on goal percentage of .488 percent.

The shutout was given to redshirt-sophomore goalie Nick Gardner (Marvin, North Carolina), who has played in and started all 14 games for Denver. Gardner made two saves on the night, one in each half, resulting in his tenth

Caitlan Gannam | Clarion

career shutout. DU was outshot Angling in a header off of a long 10-8 in the contest. cross, junior midfielder Alex UnderHoping to continue their hot wood (Winnetka, Illinois) extended streak, the Pioneers returned DU’s lead to 2-0 late in the second home to face Western Illinois. half. It stood as his fourth goal of A similar outcome was met, as the season.

Gardner recorded his 11th shutout Moving up from No. 7 to No. of the season.

3 nationally in the rankings last Redshirt-senior midfielder week, the men’s soccer program Karsten Hanlin (Centennial, set a new record for its highest Colorado) would kick the scor- ranking of all-time. ing off for Denver, converting a The Pioneers’ next match will be free-kick at the 23rd minute of on Oct. 19 versus University of New the game. Hanlin’s third goal of Mexico at home (CIBER Field). the season would prove to be the Braiden Albrecht-Reed | Sports Editor game-winner.

Caitlan Gannam | Clarion

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PIONEER VOICES Question of the week:

What’s your favorite class and why?

“My favorite class is Introduction to Mechanical Systems because you just learn about simple machines and how things work and it’s really interesting since I’m an engineer.”

“My favorite class is Art History, World Art I, because I’m just fascinated by the cultures and I like getting glimpses of the world before I knew it.”

Bradley Knowles, Freshman

Ellen Kaufman, Freshman

“My favorite class is my FSEM because it talks about Latin America and the revolution that happened and it kind of relates to what I already know based on my culture.”

“My favorite class is Stranger Than Fiction with Heather Martin because we’re allowed to write about anything we want and so, it just allows me to explore different types of writing and allows me to be really creative with it.”

Pedro Romero, Freshman

Sofi Hailu, Freshman

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OPINIONS | 9

Decision 2016: Weekly Column

Colorado’s Amendment T a must for positive progress

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his year’s Colorado ballot includes Amendment T, an amendment that would remove language in the Colorado Constitution that allows slavery and involuntary work to be used as punishment when a person is convicted of a crime.

Similar to the U.S. Constitution, the Colorado Constitution states, “there shall never be in this state either slavery or involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted.”

Those in prison are currently required to work unless they are approved for an education program. If the offenders do not work, they may lose privileges or receive a delayed parole eligibility date. If the amendment passes, it would abolish this form of punishment,

meaning that those incarcerated will no longer be forced to work.

American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado supports Amendment T stating, “words matter. We weren’t around to take part in the abolition of slavery after the Civil War, but Amendment T gives us an opportunity to finish that abolition today, at least for Colorado. Slavery in any circumstance is immoral, and it is not a Colorado value.”

Reverend Eric Banner, Assistant Minister of Jefferson Unitarian Church in Golden, also made a public announcement through Together Colorado on the amendment.

“On it’s own, the change is just a small thing. It won’t shutter our prisons or end mass incarceration on its own. But it is a step. A necessary step. And we must stand for it because we stand for the basic

worth and dignity of every person.

And as long as we treat people as slaves while they are incarcerated, we will produce people who have developed a slave’s mindset. An institutionalized mind. A way of being that has neither dignity nor preparation for life on the outside.”

The language that currently exists within the Colorado constitution is a reminder of our history with slavery, as well as the current racism that still takes place in society today.

The removal of this language is not only a progression from our history of racism, but it is a symbol of our wish to work towards the abolition of the state’s current reality of racism that exists. Voting that we don’t want slavery under any circumstances shows our willingness to work towards getting rid of all forms of racism. This is

particularly important with the current racial tensions that exist hroughout the nation.

In order for progression to happen, we must get rid of our history of slavery. As a college student and American citizen, I know it is my duty to help our nation progress towards a more equal society.

Grace Carson | Opinions Editor

Emotional support animals versus service animals: What’s the difference?

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ou might have heard recent complaints in the news or from irritated employees and customers about the overwhelming rise of Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) appearing on planes, in business establishments, in apartments and more. However, the general consensus of what an ESA actually is has eluded many.

According to many disgruntled members of the public, ESAs are either “fake service dogs,” pets whose owners got a phony letter from a medical professional so they could take their animal anywhere or simply a loophole used by people with a minor disability so they can get a service dog without the extensive training or high price tag. Those complaints all sound very similar and seem to revolve around a common theme that perpetuates disability stigma— that the disabled person is just faking it.

To clarify, service animals— which currently can only be dogs—are, according to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), “[dogs] that [are] individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual or other mental disability.”

Service dogs are considered working service animals under the ADA because of their specific

training, registration and the amount of money it costs for a disabled person to get one. They are not limited to seeing-eye or hearing dogs; many are trained to detect and aid a person during a seizure, panic attack, stroke, heart attack or self-harm and/ or depressive and dissociative episodes. These dogs are working dogs, not pets. As such, you should never go and disrupt a service dog while it is working or pet it without its handler’s permission because it could keep it from doing its job properly.

However, ESAs are not normal pets either. Unlike service animals, they do not solely have to be dogs, nor do they need specific training in order to be registered ESAs. They do, however, have to have a letter from a psychiatrist stating why they are necessary (though they are not required to reveal your diagnosis, since that violates the ADA in terms of medical privacy).

ESAs provide relief to disabled people simply with their presence. As many people are aware, pets are scientifically proven (most significantly cats and dogs) to reduce stress levels, blood pressure and extend a person’s life. Thus, for disabled people, like those with chronic pain, depression, anxiety, panic attacks and many more conditions, it’s understandable why they would be wanted, even necessary. They are easy to get, and if you already

have a diagnosed disability, it is a good, less costly alternative to a service dog.

The main problem people seem to have with ESAs is that these animals can be disruptive to the environment or people that they’re around. This mindset seems to stem from a few outlier cases rumored to be connected to an online site that offers free psychiatric diagnoses and registration for ESAs, which isn’t very credible. But this could simply be remedied through actually looking at the person’s letter from their psychiatrist (which is an actual required procedure when confirming ESAs that some people seem to overlook), and if it has the name of a website as certification, it’s clearly a ruse.

As far as animals being disorderly and disruptive, any owner of an animal—ESA or not—should make sure their animal is well-behaved before bringing them out in public.

Whether this should be a mandated requirement or not, I can’t say, but I do feel that businesses should have the ability to ask a patron to leave if they have a disruptive ESA and refuse to do anything about it.

As a physically and mentally disabled student whose issues are too many to count, I have had animals since before I was born. There is not a time, aside from a six month period when

I was six years old between my older dog’s death and our adoption of another dog, that I can remember not having pets around. At home, my family currently has two dogs and three cats, and it is only once I came to college that it really hit me how integral they were to my daily life. My pets always knew when I was having a panic attack or a depressive episode and just having them close by made my day significantly better. It’s been difficult not having my cat curled up next to me at night—the time of day I feel the most depressed—purring, warm and reminding me that this too shall pass.

While I do not think that I personally would want to get an ESA at this point in time (I’m too concerned with the welfare of the animal and would not want to subject it to life in a dorm where I am frequently away at class or other places), I think they are a good idea and I advocate for the possession of them by students or other people with disabilities.

So, before you go decrying someone for their “fake service dog,” take a step back and realize that you have no idea what this person’s disabilities might be, and as long as their ESA isn’t causing a disturbance or harm, they do not affect your life.

Sara Loughran | Contributing Writer

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Fighting the notion of “locker room talk” Connor W. Davis | Clarion

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t was the end of summer before my senior year of high school. I had just been accepted into a service organization at my school called PALS and was on the training retreat that we were required to go on before the school year started. I had just had a great first day at the retreat and I was looking forward to the guys tradition of gathering in someone’s cabin to stay up way past curfew to just hang out “as dudes.”

After hearing that our chaperones were finally asleep, my roommate and I walked into the designated room for the convening of bros and I was immediately given a challenge: “Daniel!

Three hottest girls in PALS, go!”

Anticipating the relatively innocent talk of crushes and cuteness that had been the subject of pubescent conservations with guy friends in junior high, I enthusiastically weighed in and felt the warmth of acceptance

wash over me. But as the night continued, things got less innocent. Among a few of my classmates, the debate got much more in-depth, and consequently grew increasingly lewd, as I heard the mention of a certain girl at our school’s name responded to with “Dude! I f------ her!”

Though not my first encounter with it, this was not the kind of “male bonding” I was expecting or comfortable with. This, my friends, was “locker room talk.” It is a reality, and it is a problem.

Donald Trump’s use of this term to defend his disgusting bragging of sexual assaults last week has made me think quite a bit on the way men talk to each other. I’ve read letters from athletes justly calling him out and asserting that such talk is not what happens in locker rooms, and I’ve seen many politicians decry his speech as unacceptable for anyone, all of which are great responses.

But it’s natural to denounce these words as they come from a

caricature of a candidate who’s been worthy of denouncing for a long time. It’s harder but more worthwhile to acknowledge not only that “locker room talk” exists to some degree in many private circles of men, but that it is powerful enough that a presidential candidate thinks it is a viable excuse for his actions.

Trump’s implication that objectifying women is something “guys just do” is a clear indication that rape culture has deep roots within our masculine social structure. It reveals that for many successful men in society, discussing women lustfully has mutated from a pubescent rite of passage like my experience into an acceptable part of their personality.

Obviously many of those guys from PALS were giving into peer pressure and grew up to be decent men, and in not all instances does “locker room talk” include claims as depraved as Trump’s. But how many of us, our friends, family members and coworkers have discussed

PIONEER FUNNIES

female peers in vulgar terms, even though they’d never say the same things around women, because that would be impolite?

Men, we simply can’t let each other talk or think like this. Because we see it in articles from the Huffington Post or Jezebel, some of us think that “rape culture” and the objectification of women are just “PC”/ liberal/feminist terms. But as a politically moderate, devoutly Catholic man, I tell you it’s not a matter of politics or ideology; these are universal problems with very real roots that we need to help put an end to.

Women are not entertainment for men. Our opinions on their looks are not a social convention, and our biology is not an excuse to objectify them.

“Locker room talk” has nothing to do with “being a man.” If you really want to be a man, silence it the next time you hear it.

Daniel Lorenzo | Contributing Writer

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR:

Divest DU addresses concerns T

he University of Denver has held multiple hearings to consider divesting the university endowment from fossil fuel companies.

Because this decision is a big deal, the Divestment task force of the Board of Trustees has created an online portfolio containing videos of each hearing and extensive reading materials available to anyone. If you would like to catch up on the information that was presented, you can find it there.

Divestment came on the university’s radar three years ago when a group of students established Divest DU. Outstanding student and faculty support of divestment resulted in the Board of Trustees inviting students of Divest DU to present their case at a full board meeting in April of 2016. Following this presentation, the Board of Trustees decided to form a special task force who would consider divestment.

This task force was not a demand of Divest DU. Divest DU is an environmental activist group at its core, however “divestment” describes a strategy that aims to cause social and political change by divesting resources from harmful industries and creating a political climate in which action is no longer just an option but necessary. In recent history, divesting has been successful in putting a check on the tobacco industry as well as ending South African apartheid.

Today’s divestment campaigns are motivated by the impending climate crisis and target the fossil fuel

industry in order to inspire political change surrounding global warming. Although both fight against the fossil fuel industry, Divest DU is in not a subsidiary of the organization 350.org and recieves no funding from them.

Considering the facts, divesting from fossil fuels is both an economically and socially responsible course of action for the University of Denver. The recent downfall of the coal industry devastated many investors and could very well reflect the economic future of oil and gas in a society that is moving towards renewables and more efficient technology. Investments in fossil fuels are actually quite risky compared to the norm because fuel prices change very dramatically due to non-economic factors, such as political conflict. According to The Guardian, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which is the world’s largest private foundation, stated earlier this year that they would have been $1.9 billion better off if they had divested from fossil fuels sooner. It is very likely that the university’s endowment portfolio would benefit from divestment in the long term and would therefore be able to provide a greater amount of scholarships, fellowships and programs to future generations of students.

The DU’s vision statement is “a private university dedicated to the public good.” Considering the current climate crisis, divestment from the fossil fuel industry is absolutely necessary for the university to honor this vision. The

burning of fossil fuels has raised the average temperature of Earth by 1.35 degrees Celsius already, and the consequences of this warming have manifested in disappearing ice sheets and extremely irregular weather patterns, such as the California drought. Studies show that burning only our current reserves of coal, oil and gas would put us well beyond two degrees Celsius of warming, which is the threshold set by scientists for irreversible damage to Earth’s systems.

In 2015, governments from all over the world met in Paris to discuss and decide on policies that would prevent the Earth from surpassing two degrees Celsius of warming. However, the pact was not legally binding, therefore, many countries (including our own) have not met the goals that were set to curb global warming. Even when the whole world is at stake, our government has refused to cut ties with the fossil fuel industry in order to change policies, which is where divestment campaigns are hoping to fill the political gap.

Furthermore, while we understand fear surrounding the issue of scholarships, we believe it is not economically, environmentally or socially responsible to base funding our education on the oppression of people and destruction of our planet. Fossil fuels are stranded assets. There are far more reserves than we are able to use due to the negative impact they have had and continue to have on our environment. Even if we burned all of the

already established reserves of coal, oil and gas, we would still reach two degrees Celsius of warming.

Investing in the fossil fuel industry therefore does not make economic sense because the product itself is destroying its own profitability. The return on investment is an increasingly dangerous planet to live on.

Finally, when we pride ourselves on being a socially responsible institution we cannot look solely at our students, we must look at the world beyond the DU bubble.

Climate change is causing immense suffering all over the world and particularly in the Global South from temperatures reaching more than 120 degrees in India this summer to over 800 people dying in Haiti just weeks ago at the hands of Hurricane Matthew. DU is socially responsible for divesting from one of the primary drivers of global warming.

Plus, the profitability of clean and renewable efforts has increased and, as humans realize we must transition away from fossil fuels in order to survive, we will continue to do so.

Over 50,000 organizations have committed to divesting $3.4 trillion from fossil fuels. As a highly esteemed institution, divesting our funds from the fossil fuel industry makes an important political statement that the University of Denver will not stand for the destruction of the planet or the oppression of its peoples.

Carly LeRoy | Divest DU

Photo courtesy of Divest DU

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D

enver’s coffee scene, which not too long ago was nonexistent, has expanded to become an impressive force on the national scale. Nixon’s, a local institution with a storefront in Englewood, threw its hat into the ring this summer, opening up a corner spot just off Pearl Street at the corner of Washington and Louisiana.

Nixon’s is located in the corner of a relatively new four story apartment building on Louisiana. It’s not far from the Louisiana-Pearl light rail station and is only a quick walk from Pearl Street. The airy, expansive space is the first aspect of the cafe that catches the eye. Two large, garagestyle walls open up the interior to the bright sun beams of autumn. There are plenty of seating options ranging from communal tables to bar-style seating and a comfy-looking

Justin Cygan |ofClarion Photo courtesy Phoebe Paur

THE GRIND: NIXON’S COFFEE HOUSE black couch. The long, marble, modern espresso bar is beautiful and quite aesthetically pleasing. The rest of the shop’s decorations are pretty run-ofthe-mill, though, with hipster style calligraphy, tile walls, exposed ducts and industrial style lighting—basically the “circa 2016 coffeeshop” set-up.

In reality, that doesn’t matter and shouldn’t be used as a con against the business. While the decoration and aesthetic might leave a little to be desired, the coffee and service make up for it.

After a long day of midterms and eye-glazing lectures, a friendly smile and pleasant conversation does a lot to brighten up one’s day. Nixon’s service was warm and impeccable, which is a change from many coffee shops’ dry and holier-than-thou attitudes. Nixon’s serves both their own brand of coffee and DU favorite Kaladi selections.

The menu is pretty typical, fea-

turing lattes ($2.75 for a small), cappuccinos ($2.75) and chai tea ($2.95). Nixon’s also serves seasonal favorites, such as a pumpkin pie latte and maple leaf latte ($4.80 for a medium iced).

This reviewer had an iced maple leaf latte which was amazingly refreshing after a long day. The latte was, of course, great—if not a little too expensive. The maple flavoring was just enough to taste good without being overwhelming, which is a huge plus, as shops sometimes tend to overdo the flavoring. It definitely would be very good on a cold fall day—if that situation ever actually arises. The shop also serves simple, typical cafestyle dining options, as well as bags of Kaladi beans.

Nixon’s doesn’t really bring anything new to the Denver coffee scene, but it is still a welcome addition. It occupies a desirable location, especially for the downtown bound com-

muter. Its coffee is great, and using Kaladi beans was a good choice on the owner’s part. The service was really great, and the spot has a good amount of seating, which is very nice. It is, however, not the most quiet spot, and may be more suited for conversation than hardcore studying.

Nixon’s Coffee House is located at 695 E. Louisiana Ave. and is open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

3/5 stars Suggestions: Maple Leaf Latte, French Vanilla Latte, Venetian Creme, Strawberry Shortbread Cookie

Justin Cygan | Staff Writer

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Easy cooking for dorm students

I

t’s that time of year when students are growing a little weary of eating three meals a day at the dining halls. After five weeks of being on campus, even Mom’s worst tuna salad recipe is starting to sound more appealing. With all the monotonous eating in the dining hall, it can be almost therapeutic to whip something up yourself just to add a little variety, and a kitchen isn’t even necessary to add a little spark to your daily diet. Each dorm on campus comes equipped with a fridge and a microwave, and that is really all you need to make yourself some easy meals.

Microwavable noodles or soup are excellent, cheap options for a quick meal. Cup-O-Noodles can be bought for less than 50 cents at Safeway and the only preparation needed is a few minutes of boiling water in the microwave. Another, similar option is some Easy Mac, which also requires some heated water for preparation. This can be purchased at the C-store in J-Mac or Halls as well, along with other easy snacks and meals.

If noodles aren’t quite up your alley, try buying some Hot Pockets, Pizza Rolls or chimichangas from the frozen food section. While they might not be outrageously

nutritious, it’s a good change of pace from the dining hall and they aren’t overly expensive.

There are also avenues for quick and easy healthy eating. It’s an efficient option to buy some lunch meat, cheese and bread at the store. Assembling a sandwich to eat at your desk or to take on the go adds some fresh variety to your daily food intake. If meat sandwiches aren’t your thing, you can buy some peanut butter and jelly for a classic PB&J sandwich.

For other healthier options, check out the produce section of the grocery store. There are bags of grapes, bell peppers, snap peas

and carrots that make for a great snack in between meals. Stock up on some Ranch dressing for extra flavor.

The bottom line is that it is really easy to get creative with the foods you buy. While perusing the aisles of the grocery store, pay attention for foods that are easy to store in the fridge or the freezer.

If you’re looking to expand your actual cooking or baking horizons, make friends with students in Towers, Nelson or Nagel to grant yourself access to those kitchens.

Madison Heller | Copy Editor

PREPPING FOR THE POWDER

C

olorado is home to some of the best skiing in the world, and countless skiers and snowboarders travel to our state to shred the slopes. Soon there will be snow covering the mountains and the chairlifts will start carrying eager skiers and boarders alike up the trails. Winter might not be here yet, but it is quickly approaching and that means it’s time to start preparing for the best time of the year: ski season.

Of course, it is essential to have a pass to access the numerous ski resorts in Colorado. You can buy a season pass for any ski area, which is nice if you find that you particularly like Winter Park or Aspen. However, students also have the choice to purchase an Epic Pass, which provides unlimited access to Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Park City, Heavenly, Northstar, Kirkwood, Wilmot, Afton Alps,

Mt. Brighton, Perisher and Arapahoe Basin. The Epic Pass also allows skiers access to areas across Europe if you happen to travel abroad over winter break.

Purchasing a day pass is another option as well, but over time the cost will accumulate to more than a season pass, especially if you go frequently, as day passes are usually priced at $100.

Now that you have a pass, the next step is gear. Proper gear is important and fortunately there are many different retailers that provide quality gear at relatively decent prices. Stores like Dick’s Sporting Goods and Christy Sports have anything from goggles to snowpants. Just make sure that whatever apparel you choose is listed as waterproof and that goggles protect against UVA/UVB rays. Local shops in ski towns will definitely have high quality gear, as well as hand warmers and other little things

just in case you forget something.

There are many stores at the base of the resorts that offer rentals for skis and other equipment, as well as used gear that is often the cheapest option.

While skiing and snowboarding are amazing activities, there are some health problems that can arise when partaking in these activities. Denver’s elevation might be 5,280 feet, but you must remember that all of the ski areas are at a significantly higher elevation, and you may be susceptible to altitude sickness and other altitude-related health concerns. It’s imperative that you stay hydrated and drink as much water as you possibly can. Also keep in mind that alcohol has a much greater impact at altitude and can present even bigger problems in the mountains if you haven’t acclimated.

Signs and symptoms of altitude sickness include headaches,

fatigue and shortness of breath.

This can all lead to insomnia and respiratory failure or cerebral edema and, ultimately, death.

If you or someone you know might be suffering from altitude sickness, get down to a lower elevation as quickly as possible and seek medical attention.

The sunlight also heavily reflects off the snow and is very intense on sunny days. Always wear sunscreen and chapstick with SPF in it.

Overall, if you encounter any emergencies on the slopes, call ski patrol at the many phone stations scattered across the mountain.

This ski season is bound to be as amazing as any other, and with the proper gear and knowledge about safety, there shouldn’t be any problems. Enjoy the fresh powder with your friends and keep shredding.

Georga Feek | Contributing Writer Georga Feek | Clarion

Georga Feek | Clarion

Taryn Georga Allen Feek | Clarion | Clarion

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Captivating colors of Colorado T

he word “colorado” is Spanish and can literally be translated to “color red.”

It’s not hard to imagine how our beautiful state got its name. Colorado is rich with natural beauty, from Red Rocks to Pikes Peak, Garden of the Gods to the Great Sand Dunes and Lake Granby to Mount Evans. The magnificent scenery is only amplified in the fall when the leaves start changing colors from green to yellow, orange and red. The leaves don’t last long, though— so be sure to take a drive and snap some pictures before it’s too late.

Scattered throughout our state, one can see many scenes of changing aspens and other trees. In Winter Park, the leaves provide a vibrant backdrop for many fall activities. A great way to experience the changing seasons for tourists and locals alike is through an aerial view of the transitioning forest while riding in a hot air balloon. Colorado Hot Air Balloon Rides and Grand Adventures are two good companies to use for your

scenic adventures this fall. A less extravagant experience, but with the same beautiful scenery, can be a simple drive around Grand County that will yield many picturesque shots.

Colorado is also famous for its countless hiking opportunities, so no matter where you go, there will be thousands of vividly colored leaves littering the earth or dancing in the autumn breeze. Whether you choose to summit a fourteener or take a casual stroll through a park, you’re bound to see brilliant shades of orange and red.

The Incline in Colorado Springs is a fantastic hike that will give you a great leg workout and end with stunning views.

Thousands of trees are there to please the eye.

Closer to DU, there are many quality hikes at Red Rocks where you can meander through the rocks; or, you can simply stroll through campus to take in the beautiful color show right in our own backyard.

Georga Feek | Contributing Writer

Georga Feek | Clarion

Easy fall dorm decoration

I

t’s that time of year again.

Sweaters, boots, flannels and socks are making their appearance. Tea is being made, people are bundling up, leaves are turning and falling and Halloween is right around the corner. October through December are arguably the best months of the year, as fall and the holidays mean time spent with family, celebrations and cute decorations.

Since we have over four more weeks until break, we might as well get our modest 12 by 13 foot dorms looking as festive as possible. Bonus perk: you can keep procrastinating on your Halloween costume.

The very first thing to start with are mini pumpkins, my personal favorite. These are a fall decoration staple because

Grace Houser | Clarion

they last a long time and are super accessible—try to walk into a grocery store without seeing crates full of them. Safeway is a short walk from campus and has pumpkins and gourds of all shapes, sizes and colors starting at 70 cents.

This next idea is super easy and free. Now you might not all want to partake, but everyone loves leaves—especially beautiful red and yellow ones found in the fall. So rather than going out to buy decorations, go outside, take a little stroll and try to spot the prettiest fall trees on campus.

Grab a few leaves off the ground and decorate your dorm with them. Although you can do this in different ways, I keep it simple by just taping them to my brick walls.

Now this might be ambitious, but some people out

there are die-hard Halloween fans. If you’re a freshman, you may have spent your entire life doing Halloween at home and decorating your entire house however you wanted. Transitioning to college, you can most definitely still decorate your living space, even though it might be tiny. One simple idea is to decorate your door. Break out those fake spiderwebs and spiders and sprawl them over your entire door. Not only is it fun and super festive, it will remind you of the good old days of trick-or-treating and going door-to-door in your childhood neighborhood.

For those of you that like to get crafty, here is a super cute DIY—whether you want to decorate dorm walls or the hallway, there’s a Halloween garland

that is really simple to make and adds a lot of festive color. All you have to do is cut triangles out of construction paper in green, black, orange and brown.

Feel free to cut as many as you want, as there’s a lot of creative freedom with this one. Now you can draw on them or add paper pieces to make faces of Frankenstein, a cat, a pumpkin or an owl. Finally, use clothespins to attach your art to some string and hang it up.

Whichever way you choose to decorate your dorm and whether you are more excited for fall or for Halloween, there are tons of ways to make your dorm room feel homier during the fun, festive season.

Grace Houser | Contributing Writer

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DU VIEW

(Clockwise from top left) 1. Madison Heller 2. Taryn Allen 3. John Poe 4.Sydney Kapp 5.Sydney Kapp 6. Taryn Allen 5. Taryn Allen

Madison Heller | Copy Editor

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“GEARS OF WAR 4”: BONDS OF BLOOD

T

he “Gears of War” series is one of the cornerstones of the Xbox library: a powerful, often brutal experience designed in a way that plays up social interaction between players and even its characters. The original entry in the series was like nothing else before it: a brash, dark and horrifying action shooter that took the intensity and violence of popular arena games like Quake and turned it into a third-person war game that redefined the genre. As the series went on, the “gamer bro” culture that surrounded other series such as “Call of Duty” had tarnished the allure of the franchise, and with so many other titles on the rise, Microsoft shelved the series until the right time arrived. “Gears of War 4” comes at exactly that pivotal moment for the gaming industry.

At face value, “Gears of War 4” is a shinier carbon copy of the previous games in the series, with everything from the plot to the gameplay remaining similar.

Photo courtesy of GameTransfers

Photo courtesy of Microsoft

Everything that makes “Gears” what it is can be found here: the crazy weapons ranging from chainsaw bayonets to powerful shotguns, the gory style and the witty banter between characters.

While this acceptance of the tried and true formula could have ruined the game, it in fact makes it one of the finest shooters to be released this year.

The gaming industry is deep into the era of prettied up nostalgia. From the endless remasters of old games to the countless sequels of decade old franchises, the industry keeps chugging along, nicely running on the fumes of what made it successful in the first place. This game, however, doesn’t just simply ride on the coattails of longing for the good old days. It takes everything that made “Gears” great and polishes it to perfection. The gameplay is better than ever, providing a special kind of rush and energy that no other series has been able to truly replicate. The classic modes outside of the campaign that often define the series, Horde and

Versus, are at their finest. Horde mode, the classic defense mode in which players fend off increasingly difficult waves of enemies, is still the definitive co-op play experience. Versus multiplayer, which includes classic modes like king of the hill and and elimination, is just as fresh and exciting as ever while adding in some fun new challenges such as Arms Race, a mode in which your weapon changes with each life. The real strength of the game, however, is in its story.

The “Gears” series has always been a series much deeper than it is given credit for. It tackles heady themes including social structures, the nature of violence and the duty we have to one another.

That ability to tackle themes greater than “shoot stuff because we’re the good guys” is just as powerful here, and when looked at in depth, “Gears of War 4” isn’t just a game about a group of young soldiers fighting monsters from beneath. It’s a game about bonds between people, whether it be bonds of blood or the bonds forged through struggle.

The game follows JD Fenix, son of previous series protagonist Marcus Fenix, and his friends Del and Kait as they fight to save the people of their outsider village from a mysterious new threat.

Their struggle to save those closest to them forces these characters to not only examine their bonds as a group, but also to face the demons of their pasts and find meaning in their relationships with the people in their lives. It’s truly powerful writing and the nostalgia factor of including the older Fenix as part of the story really gives nuance to the relationship between him and JD, as well as JD’s relationships with all people.

By harking back to the past, “Gears of War 4” examines it in a new light, a viewpoint that takes the game beyond the confines of a thoughtless shoot ‘em up and turns into a war story that has meaning.

It’s perhaps the finest tale of family and sacrifice released on the Xbox One yet, and it doesn’t hurt that it’s fun as hell, too.

Ryan Ninesling | Entertainment Editor

Photo courtesy of Microsoft

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SOLANGE DEMANDS “A SEAT AT THE TABLE”

O

n Thursday, Sept. 27, Solange Knowles released her third studio album “A Seat at the Table,” which is a provoking collection of song and spoken word that pervades areas of conflict regarding race, womanhood, dignity, gentrification and family. This project is a bold take on the fight for equality. It is a declaration of preserving what is rightfully yours and is an artistic rendering of black culture that reveals the richness, the regality and the strength of the oppressed race.

Solange posted a brief documentary on Oct. 6 that followed her creative process in gathering much of the album’s inspiration and generating its modern sound.

Louisiana has a palpable role in the depth and soul of the collection. Staying in a small house in New Iberia, La. in the center of a sugarcane field, Solange wrote of validation, self-care, familial honor and the beauty and burdens of being a black woman in America. Knowles chose this location because it is where her grandparents lived until they were driven out by the Ku Klux Klan. The connection with her family’s history and the hardships they traversed penetrates the music to produce an album laden with healing words

and a theme of perseverance and righteousness.

The first song on the album, “Rise,” is made up of a series of commands to “fall in your ways, so you can crumble” and in the end to “walk in your ways, so you won’t crumble.” The repetitive song has heavy base and a climactic progression of synth, immediately establishing the album’s meditative tone.

The first interlude of spoken word is called “The Glory is in You,” in which rapper Master P speaks of the importance of finding peace in everything you do. He explains, “as long as you find peace in what you doin then you successful.” The notion of peace runs fluidly into the next song, “Cranes in the Sky.” A soft, somber ballad about coping with discrimination, rejection and the ignorance of many. Her drowsy harmonies drip through the lyrics with the consistency of honey.

“Mad” is a statement of defiance against the stereotype of an “angry black woman.” In the song she is repeatedly asked “why you always gotta be so mad?” Solange responds with “I got a lot to be mad about,” which seems to be her response to the media on behalf of herself and all who refuse to relent in speaking out against racial injustice.

The music video for “Cranes

Photo courtesy of SPIN

in the Sky,” directed by Knowles’s husband Alan Ferguson, is conceptually and visually breathtaking. The artist liberally plays with color, texture and femininity. The glossy piano and strings are illuminated by the spinning world of jewel tones and mountainous landscapes that Solange places herself into.

The video for “Don’t Touch My Hair” is another dynamic gift. The song, which discusses pride and the dismissal of European beauty ideals, creates essences of regality with the use of horns, inspired by those used in Kanye West’s “We Major.” The video is luxurious, intimate and redefining. One scene is composed of four black individuals enrobed in furs and silks and balancing containers of water on their heads. Clear statements such as these are brilliantly woven into the narrative of the video with as much prowess as the messages laced into each song of the album.

In the closing interlude, “The Chosen Ones,” Master P states that “now we come here as slaves,

but we goin’ out as royalty and able to show that we truly are the chosen ones.”

During a time when movements such as Black Lives Matter are seldom able to rest, Knowles’ album is an admittance of exhaustion and a revelation of ascension. She encourages selfcare and a personal understanding of when to take an intermission from the incessant horrors of police brutality and racial slurs spewing from the mouths of political figures. She stresses the importance of cultural ownership and rebellion against the barriers of personal expression.

“A Seat at the Table” is Knowles’ message to stop seeing the evolution of black pride as a party of hate but rather as people trying their best to create a world for their children that embraces black culture rather than devaluing it.

AnnMarie Marlow | Contributing Writer

Daniel Lorenzo | Clarion Photo courtesy of EW

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“THE ACCOUNTANT”: COOKING BOOKS AND TAKING NAMES I

n the sea of films released

by Hollywood every year, sometimes a movie comes along that divides the people. Most of these films are cheese: corny and ridiculous “popcorn movies” that people will either love for being exceptionally entertaining or hate for being thoughtless and messy.

“The Accountant” is without a doubt a movie that toes that line; an imperfect and preposterous film that nonetheless stands as a wonderfully crafted and incredibly engaging thriller.

The plot of “The Accountant” is the setting for which both the film’s originality and absurdity bleed through. The film follows autistic accountant Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck, “Batman v. Superman”), who moonlights as a highly skilled bookkeeper for some of the world’s most dangerous criminals. Not to mention, his harsh and closed off militaristic upbringing provided

him with the skills to qualify him as highly threatening himself; Wolff can bring the pain to anyone who threatens him, displaying a “Jason Bourne” like aptitude with guns and fists. When a seemingly legal and routine consulting job starts to go wrong, it’s up to Wolff to find the individuals responsible and save himself and another accountant (Anna Kendrick, “Pitch Perfect”) who made the mistake of showing interest in him as well as the accounting errors that mark them as targets.

This is of course completely bonkers and potentially problematic. Creating a badass protagonist with a mental disability is inspired, but also invites a truckload of possibly harmful misconceptions about autism and other related disorders.

However, Affleck’s committed performance along with a respectful and admirable characterization make Wolff shine. Affleck truly dives into this role, bringing the

silent warrior persona of his buddy Matt Damon’s Bourne role and mixing it with a nuanced portrayal of a savant who is human, unlike the overwrought and often insulting “Rain Man” stereotypes that plague most films involving autistic characters. He is always convincing and a dream to watch, turning what could have been exploitative into multilayered and complex admiration for his character. It’s simply one of the finest performances of his career, and easily the best part of the film.

While Affleck’s performance is the centerpiece of the film, the style and action are entertaining as well.

None of them reinvent the wheel, but they are tightly and solidly executed and it’s endlessly entertaining to watch Affleck navigate through these scenes. The film excellently emulates the styles of the action films that inspired it, and it’s all the more exciting for that.

The film’s flaws lie in its subplots, which were where the silliness

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

teeters between confused and poorly thought out. JK Simmon’s (“Whiplash”) treasury director character, while well performed, has confused and unclear motives and sends an agent on a wild goose chase to find the accountant, a plot that basically serves to provide exposition and offer some kind of morally incomprehensible lesson. It’s where the messy roots of the script come to fruition and prevent the movie from rising above its B-movie cheese.

“The Accountant” is a study in what it means to be an anti-hero film. The film is unfocused, moving from action flick to corporate thriller to a romance between outsiders.

However, it pins you to your seat in a way few films will this year and it offers something unique: a depiction of an autistic individual who is not a perfect machine, but a human being. Who would have thought a cheesefest B-movie like this could achieve such a feat.

Ryan Ninesling | Entertainment Editor

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

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