April 17, 2017 by The Collegiate Times

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April 17, 2017

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An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903

We Remember 32 AHMED MUSTAFA / COLLEGIATE TIMES Virginia Tech cadets stand in front of the memorial flame to honor the fallen victims of the April 16 shooting, April 16, 2017.

New SGA leaders

Willis and Billingsley assume authority Get to know juniors Rex Willis and Julia Billingsley, who have been newly elected as the president and vice president of SGA, respectively. KAETLYN MEADE assistant lifestyles editor

Meet Rex Willis and Julia Billingsley, your new Student Government Association (SGA) president and vice president, respectively. Rex Willis, a junior management major, joined SGA his freshman year through the first year leadership program, a leadership development program where 30 first-year students are chosen to participate, and from there Willis went on to serve as the assistant director to membership development, and he currently serves as vice president.

“

I keep going back to it, but the ‘My Culture is not a Costume’ event was ... one of the most eye opening kind of events that has been held through SGA.”

Rex Willis president, SGA

But the path to SGA didn’t appear so clearly at first for Billingsley, a junior double majoring in public and urban

affairs and political science, who got involved after participating in Hokie Day. “It’s basically a university and SGA sponsored advocacy trip to Richmond to lobby the General Assembly for higher education issues, specifically funding for Virginia Tech to keep the cost affordable for students in any way possible. And I had just the greatest time, that’s where my interests lie, I study public policy,” said Billingsley, who currently serves as the chief of staff. Both Willis and Billingsley have come a long way in SGA since they first applied, both of them even admitting that they tend to put their roles in SGA before school while laughing together. Willis and Billingsley agree that for both of them, the “My Culture is not a Costume” event that was held last year confirmed their commitment to SGA, and made both of them want to grow even further as leaders, as well as the voice for the undergraduate student body. “I keep going back to it, but the ‘My Culture is not a Costume’ event was held my sophomore year and that was like, for whatever reason … one of the most eye opening kind of events that has been held through SGA,” Willis said. “I kind of realized that there were

CAT PIPER / COLLEGIATE TIMES Rex Willis, the newly elected SGA president.

just a lot of different people at Tech and a lot of voices to hear and represent.” “So many students were thankful that that issue was being talked about, that is was brought up and that we could see SGA / page 3

MEGAN MAURY CHURCH food columnist

Bottom of the Stairs, the longawaited sequel to the Blacksburg staple TOTS (Top of the Stairs), opened its doors and began serving food on Monday, April 11. It brands itself as a truly southern barbecue joint. The inside of BOTS is fresh and clean, with crisp paint and spotless wooden tables. This is, however, directly clashing with the rustic, down-south vibe that the decorating hints at. The aesthetic would have been better filled with scattered hay on the floor, as there are already lassostyle ropes lining the windows

and decorative cows on the walls. The menu is exactly what you expect from a restaurant under a pub: barbecue and brisket are heavily featured, there are more than five mac-n-cheese options and slaw goes with everything. All in all, it is a very exciting selection to look at. I was excited enough to order an appetizer, which I do not frequently do. I got the hot pimento cheese dip, which is served with housemade potato chips and spicy sweet pickles on the side. It came in a disappointingly small

pon enrolling at Virginia Tech as freshmen, we all stated what we would come here to learn. For some it is mechanical engineering, for others it may be urban planning or for those like myself, it is agribusiness. We all have our own unique area of study that we are destined to learn about and become experts in. However, one of the most important things we should all learn while here in Blacksburg is not some standard curriculum or extensive formula, but rather how other people live. As this past election and other data have shown, the divide between rural and urban America is becoming wider and wider; part of the reason is that we don’t understand each other’s way of life. For many students who come to Virginia Tech from Richmond, D.C. and other metropolitan areas, Blacksburg and the Virginia Tech campus can seem like a rural place. I mean Blacksburg doesn’t even have a metro or a mall! As someone who grew up on a farm in southwest Virginia — I’ve got news for you, Blacksburg is not rural America. There are more faculty and students on the Virginia Tech campus on a given day than people who live in my entire county. Better yet, that’s the case for 13 out of the 15 counties west of Montgomery County, where Blacksburg is located. Taking Route 460 over to Pembroke and hiking the Cascades on a sunny afternoon is fun and gets you out of Blacksburg, but I would challenge you to go beyond a single hiking trip. I’d urge you to go take in a local high school football game on a see SEARCH / page 2

see BOTS / page 5

BASEBALL VS. UVA Check out how the Hokies performed against their rival at home. page 7

It Happens Here, a new organization on campus, aims to teach Virginia Tech about human trafficking. news reporter

Students need cultural perspectives

Bottom of the Stairs falls short of the hype

sex trafficking

ANDREW SHEDLOCK

column

BILLY CLARKE / COLLEGIATE TIMES Bottom Of The Stairs has officially opened under the preexisting, well-known Top of the Stairs in downtown Blacksburg.

New organization aims to address

ENGINEERING CLASS Professors consider reconstructing this mandatory in-major class. page 3

During Homecoming 2016, Jordan White ran his campaign to raise awareness of sex trafficking in Virginia as part of his “It Happens Here” campaign. Since September, White, along with Kirsten Mitchell and Caroline Omland, have created a new student organization to continue the work of the homecoming campaign called “It Happens Here.” The group has three main goals: to educate people about sex trafficking, to raise money to help support victims of sex trafficking and to influence legislation at both the state and federal level. The group wants to make sure that people are fully aware of the existence of sex trafficking. The goal is “raising awareness that sex trafficking happens in America and more specifically in Virginia and even in the New River Valley area,” said White, co-founder of It Happens Here. “We do not want to just tell people about it, but

have practical things that they can do,” said Omland, co-founder of It Happens Here. Omland addressed the need to understand the origin of your products, ranging from chocolate to clothing and asks that people pay close attention to its production line in order to ensure that slave labor was not used in their production. Also important to the group is ensuring that people become aware of the connection between the porn industry and sex trafficking. This organization wants to help facilitate an understanding that the porn industry either directly or indirectly helps maintain the existence of sex trafficking. The student group is fully aware of the belief that porn depicts consensual sex with actors who are paid for their services. However, the group stated that a large portion of porn produced would not be considered consensual and can involve victims of sex trafficking. It Happens Here would like to inform people see HERE / page 8

Who are the victims of human trafficking? Gender

Age range

12%

35 or older

27%

92%

Female

23%

17 or younger

25-34

38%

18-24

8% Male

Citizenship

Ethnic origins 13%

6% Legal immigrant

3% Other

Asian

40%

21%

Hispanic

Black

38%

Undocumented immigrant

55%

U.S. citizen

23%

White NOTE: Data for age, ethnic origins and citizenship were not reported for about half the reported victims

The work of slavery How used

1% Permanent resident

Sex trafficking Forced prostitution

59%

83%

Sex trafficking

Child sex trafficking

38% Other

3% 5% Other 12% Labor trafficking

COURTESEY OF THE KANSAS STAR

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PAGE 2 April 17, 2017

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COURTESY OF TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

column

Confederate flag a symbol of pride, not prejudice

Rebel flag a reminder of historical oppression

you drive in either direction on 460 from Blacksburg, Virginia, you are bound to come across dozens of proudly flown Confederate battle flags. As humans, we best understand the world around us by categorizing things in distinct ways. We have a tendency to mark something as either incredibly racist or a symbol of regional pride, disregarding the fact that different people raise that flag for different reasons. The Confederate battle flag is explicitly a symbol of the South in the United States. And to get at the core of what it should mean as a symbol, you have to understand the different issues at play during the Civil War. Different schools teach different lessons when it comes to explaining the Civil War’s causes. The Civil War was primarily caused by the South’s support of slavery, and the North and the federal government’s opposition to slavery for moral reasons. What many people who are not from the South forget though is how much the South depended on slavery for its economic security. To abolish slavery, immediately and completely, would have placed the South in financial ruin. And it was beginning to think that it was losing all control over how slavery was addressed. “Unfortunately, when we disagree with one another, we too often do not focus on ... understanding others, but instead on shaming and separating ourselves from them.” Yes, the war was about slavery, but it was also about self-governance and the nature of government. It was about being able to control what happens to you and asserting the right to decide how you

are governed. I understand this sounds hypocritical and backward since, in the name of democracy, these men were fighting, in part, for their right to limit completely the freedom of slaves. Although, as opposing columnists have pointed out, the flying of the Confederate battle flag seemed to lose connection to the actual Civil War, and wasn’t seen again for almost a century. From my experience with people who fly or wear the Confederate battle flag, many of them are not aware of its use as a tool for antagonization and prejudice during the Civil Rights Movement. Perhaps if more people were aware of this history, they would be less inclined to display the flag. Unfortunately, when we disagree with one another, we too often do not focus on enlightening or understanding others, but instead on shaming and separating ourselves from them. There have been so many issues in American politics in which we, in the process of trying to prove that one side is right or wrong, have further divided our nation without care for the consequences. The issue many people face with the bearing of the Confederate battle flag is that it is racist in and of itself. To many, and some would argue a majority of the people, who fly this flag or otherwise display it, it is a symbol of southern pride. Everyone I have known who displays the Confederate battle flag has said they fly it for heritage, to show that they are proud to live in the South and proud to live out in the country. The flag might mean something horrible to others, but why is it so difficult to believe that it means something

entirely different to people whose families have a history in the South or who are proud to live here? It seems shortsighted and noncommittal to cast out every person who displays a Confederate battle flag as racist. Because the flag is, hopefully, not the primary problem here. The primary problem, the actual cause of this whole argument, is that we must eradicate racism in this country. I’ll agree with my opposition in that not publicly displaying a flag that some consider to be a symbol of white supremacy or racism is a good place to start, but fighting the flying of the Confederate flag is not essential to fighting racism because the people who fly it are not inevitably racist. I come from a suburban town in central Virginia, where dozens of people in my high school class either wore or adorned their vehicles with the Confederate battle flag. It would be wrong of me to assume that just because those people adorned a symbol that some interpret as racist, that they must be racist themselves. Because isn’t part of fighting racism about fighting stereotypes? Isn’t it about changing the way people treat others and the way they understand them? It is important to understand the history of symbols and to be sensitive to what your words and actions might mean to other people, but we must be conscientious of all viewpoints, not just our own. And we must respond to others’ opinions not with disgust or condemnation, but with a willingness to learn, teach and compromise. CARSON BARTLETT • opinons editor • senior/political science

SEARCH: Hokies need new insight beyond classrooms from page 1

Friday night in the fall or a county fair in the summertime to see how small towns take pride in their schools and communities. Likewise, take the time to sit in on a board of supervisors or town council meeting to grasp the problems that rural places face each day. “Our time spent here is a unique opportunity to gain exposure to the different ways that citizens live, not only in... southwest Virginia, but our country and world as a whole. ” Even better, take the initiative to go on a service trip to the far southwestern part of our state or into West Virginia or Kentucky to see how people and communities have been devastated by the declining coal industry. Additionally, make the drive to the Draper Mercantile or the Floyd Country Store to see how businesses in small towns are working to create experiences and hospitality to attract

tourists. Conversely, those of us who have grown up in rural places should make the effort to see the world through a different lens as well. While it may be harder to undertake true urban experiences and cultures while living in Blacksburg, it could be possible through an internship or study abroad opportunity. Even if we don’t experience a large metropolis, it could be beneficial to sit down and speak with folks from urban and international locations to learn about their way of life. These experiences and understandings transcend every profession and will allow us to have an informed perspective when we get into our postgrad jobs. So often a misunderstanding among people in professional environments is that they have no idea where the other person is coming from. It would be much easier for an attorney to represent a dairy farmer if he or she understood

the livelihood of that individual’s occupation. Such is true for those of us who get involved in everything from politics to architecture — in order to effectively realize what implications a policy or design may have on a certain part of the population or client base, it would be necessary to have a feel for how communities interact with one another, what sort of problems may arise from an action and how a city or town may react. So while we are busy with classwork and extracurricular activities, let us be aware that our time spent here is a unique opportunity to gain exposure to the different ways that citizens live, not only in Blacksburg or southwest Virginia, but our country and world as a whole. These lessons will remain with you longer than any PowerPoint will. JAKE TABOR • opinions contributor • junior/agribusiness

he Confederacy was founded on the belief that Abraham Lincoln would force the southern states to give up their slaves. Yes, the Civil War was about states’ rights, but it was about states’ rights to own slaves. Later, when Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, the war officially became about slavery, at least in the states that had seceded. In fact, the Confederate battle flag was never actually the official flag of the Confederacy. While they went through three different flags, the battle flag was never one of them. The battle flag that most people today associate with the South was first used by Gen. Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia. After the war, the flag mostly faded from public view. It wasn’t until the 1950s and ‘60s during the Civil Rights Movement, when African Americans were pushing for equal rights, that the battle flag made a prominent resurgence as a symbol of defiance to their cause. Extremist and white supremacist groups adopted the Confederate battle flag as their symbol, not because of southern pride and culture, but because the flag was used during the Civil War by those who fought to preserve slavery and white supremacy over African Americans. For many African Americans, the Confederate battle flag stands as a symbol of their oppression and labeling as property to be sold, beaten and tortured by their white masters. South Carolina f lew the flag on its state capital grounds up until June 2015. That action was in light of the

Charleston church shooting, in which professed white supremacist and killer Dylann Roof, who identified with and posed in pictures with the flag, murdered nine church worshippers. In the aftermath of the shooting, state legislators voted to remove the flag with then Governor Nikki Haley stating, “My hope is that by removing a symbol that divides us, we can move forward as a state in harmony.” Even more recently, a group of people interrupted a child’s birthday party, shouting racial slurs and waving the Confederate flag. A man and a woman were arrested and later charged with making terroristic statements, as well as a number of other related offenses. In Western Europe, where there are stricter laws in regard to hate speech, racist groups are not allowed to fly swastikas. So, instead, the Confederate flag was adopted to show their position as the alt-right racist groups that they are. “For ma ny A f r ica n Americans, the Confederate battle flag stands as a symbol of their oppression and labeling as property to be sold, beaten and tortured by their white masters.” Additionally, it is worth noting that there seems to be more than heritage at play when the Confederate flag is involved because many of the east coast states used to be part of the British Empire, and yet Union Jack flags are found far more infrequently than Confederate flags. Also, most people — even citizens of the former Confederacy — are likely to have ancestors from more parts of the world than simply the Southern United

States. Yet the Confederate battle flag is frequently the only symbol of their heritage that they choose to display on bumper stickers, in parades or on their front yards. The Confederate f lag might not be seen or used by everyone as a racist symbol, but it wouldn’t be the first time well-intentioned people had to give up a significant symbol that became associated with bigotry and hatred. For example, the swastika was originally a symbol of peace in Hinduism and Buddhism, but after the events of the World War II, both faiths dramatically decreased their usage of the symbol, in recognition of the atrocities that were committed under it. Even if the Confederate flag is considered by some not to be a hate symbol, the fact remains that the southern states broke the law when they chose to secede, as decided by the Supreme Court case Texas v. White. By existing, the Confederate States of America broke federal law, making the Confederate flag a symbol of a crime. The removal of the Confederate battle flag obviously isn’t the solution that will end racism in South Carolina or even the South as a whole, but it certainly is a step in the right direction in terms of beginning to change the narrative of the American South being racist and stuck in the past.

SALLY DUKES AND MOUSTAPHA OUATTARA • regular columnists • sophomore/political science • senior/international studies

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April 17, 2017 PAGE 3

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Foundations of engineering: Building a better class Many engineering students are frustrated with the foundations of engineering class and argue over its relevance. CLAIRE CONNOR news reporter

The foundations of engineering class holds a notorious reputation among first-year engineering students as being a necessary evil toward earning their degree. Many students fail to see the class’ relevance to their own future engineering careers and are frustrated by the seemingly aimless work they’re required to do. “By being broad enough to encompass all of the majors offered by the College of Engineering, it feels like foundations of engineering doesn’t truly prepare you for your major,” said Jonathan Lacson, a freshman engineering student. Virginia Tech offers about 60 sections of the foundations class every semester. The current model of the class is somewhat new, with teachers being allowed more flexibility in how they meet the course objective for the class as assessed by the engineering accreditation process. Several engineering students agreed that the class wasn’t as exploratory as it could have been, including Kevin Swecker, a freshman engineering student. “The 1216 class, with my section focusing on the development of a drone, felt like an introductory course in aerospace engineering with an introduction to Inventor,” Swecker said. “As a prospective engineering student, I feel as though I have, with the exception of MATLAB, (learned) nothing in foundations of engineering to prepare me for my first in-major semester.” According to Ken Reid, associate professor and assistant department head for Undergraduate Programs, the class’ purpose is to teach less about the individual majors and focus more on the interchangeable basis of all engineering. “We have 14 different programs, so it’s going to be pretty easy to look

BILLY CLARKE / COLLEGIATE TIMES Virginia Tech freshman Kaylen Melick sits in the engineering lounge in Randolph Hall, attempting to formulate a challenging yet functional MATLAB program for an assignment, April 12, 2017.

at a project and say, ‘This doesn’t relate to me,’” Reid said. “But in the end, the important piece is doing the engineering design. There’s a pretty specific engineering design process that you really need to go through.” Reid is responsible for coordinating the class, as well as developing the engineering curriculum. He also teaches several sections of it every year. “Part of engineering is picking out the best answer for every step of the way, figuring out if your design actually meets the criteria that your customer wants,” Reid said. “Even if you’re working on a drone project, and you’re not an aerospace engineer, you’re still going through that project and being able to justify the design. It’s sort of universal for all engineering majors.” Reid also emphasized the importance that the foundation course has on the rest of students’ engineering education at Virginia Tech. “If I sent you straight into a circuits class, you could do the work,” Reid

said. “Would you be able to relate the math that you’re doing to what it really means in real life? Sometimes yes, but sometimes no. I want you to build that context of what engineering is and why you’re doing all these classes. I want you to keep the big picture in mind as you go through the full year.” Reid has studied numerous research that evaluates the effectiveness of engineering classes, such as the American Society for Engineering Education and the Frontiers of Education Conference. Virginia Tech has also hosted a first year engineering experience conference and has found the foundations of engineering class to be successful in teaching critical skills such as communication and teamwork that are desirable to employers. He explained that the focus of the class encouraged self-discovery for the students, rather than just feeding information about the individual majors to them. While Virginia Tech has explored the idea of presenting a different engineering major every

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SGA: New leadership plans to enhance student living from page 1

collectively have a conversation about it,” Billingsley said. “It was just small things here and there that started shaping me as a person and as a leader and at some point I just realized I was a part of that … I decided to focus more on that than school and I certainly have this year. It’s just endlessly important.”

“

Because there is already great work on campus that just needs to be lifted up a little more by the student government.”

Julia Billingsley vice president, SGA

Willis and Billingsley ran on a combined ticket, with an extensive platform that also included action plans for how they planned to get everything done. Willis said one of his top priorities as president will be to rebuild relationships with student organizations. Willis feels like these relationships have been fragmented since the legislative branch of SGA switched from a bicameral body where every student organization was guaranteed a seat, to a unicameral one that does not directly represent these organizations. “In its first year, it’s kind of been bumpy and we’ve found that a lot of organizations saw that change as like a, ‘Oh, they don’t want

us anymore.’ That is so, so, so not our intention at all. So definitely reaching back out to those organizations and saying like, ‘While you don’t, like, just get an allotted seat on our branch anymore, we still want you to be involved so we still want your voice and the passions you have and the causes that you’re already doing such great work for, we still want you to represent that on our body,’” Willis said. Another issue, less serious, that they hope to address is one that they both say they have always felt is something that could simply be made easier for students — paperless football tickets. “It’s more sustainable, it’s more convenient for students — it’s just a no-brainer. We’re increasing the efficiency of students’ lives but also reducing so much waste,” Billingsley said. Billingsley says her two main concerns as vice president will be increasing due process within the student conduct system so that students know their rights and the best way to represent themselves in a system that is not run by students, as well as mental health for students. “Cook Counseling is an awesome resource, but I don’t think it’s given quite the funds it needs to be staffed at the level it needs to be … So just making sure that that’s a priority of the university’s budget the same way that physical health care is … because you can’t really focus on being a student if you are having mental health concerns that are pressing in your life,” Billingsley said. Willis and Billingsley agree that the best way to

make sure everyone is represented by SGA is by lifting up voices that otherwise might not get heard. “I think that is where Virginia Tech SGA really comes in handy is that we can really lift up those voices of work that is already being done. Because there is already great work on campus that just needs to be lifted up a little more by the student government,” Billingsley said. At the beginning of next year, Willis will not only be president of SGA, but he will become the first openly gay student body president at Virginia Tech — a milestone Texas A&M reached just weeks before Virginia Tech that landed it on national news and got the university a heavy amount of criticism from many people, including Rick Perry, the secretary of energy, who accused the Texas university, his alma mater, of making “a mockery of due process.” “It might seem, to Rick Perry and others, like a trivial victory, but for the community it represents, it means more than they could ever know, and I think that that’s important,” Willis said. “I think that’s something I learned more than anything by being able to share it and seeing what people had to say about it.” Willis and Billingsley both agree that, for them, SGA is their top priority, and they look forward to making sure everyone’s voice is represented during their term as president and vice president. @meade_katelyn

week, referred to as talking-ed seminars, Reid found it to be overall unproductive. “My experience with talkinged seminars is that everyone sits towards the back. They do their other homework, and they’re there for attendance. It’s really not a valuable way to get information across,” Reid explained. Instead, he encourages students to personally look at different engineering majors they’re interested in, or even engineering majors they know nothing about, and recognize on their own what discipline they want to go into. The benefit of the foundations course is students have time to examine other majors rather than immediately committing to one. Reid also finds the class to be beneficial in helping students reach graduation. “Our assumption is that if you get into Virginia Tech, you should be highly successful,” Reid continued. “You have all the ability to be highly successful. So what can we do in the first year to help you build the foundation so that you can be successful for the rest of your college career, as successful as you want to be.” David Knight, assistant professor in the Department of Engineering, agreed that the focus of the foundations class it to develop the necessary skills to become an engineer, regardless of the major. “I think one of the important takehome messages is to think about the transferrable skills that can be developed out of the class,” Knight said. “Those are the kinds of things that I don’t think students recognize as being important immediately after taking the class and then especially when they get to the senior capstone. I think once students are later on in their careers they see the benefit more of the kinds of things we emphasize in the first year program.” Knight’s class was unique in that he

didn’t require tests, instead having the students attempt real world learning activities to see how their engineering skills were developing, while simultaneously meeting the class objectives. Knight did, however, recognize the challenge of the course. “It’s a difficult course for our department to offer because we are feeding into different departments,” Knight explained. “If we tailor it into any one department then that puts students going into other places at a disadvantage. I think the challenge of having a first-year program is making sure we give due as much as we can.” As far as the future of foundations of engineering, Knight and Reid were both in agreement that they are constantly looking to improve the course and encourage students to come forth with their perspectives and ideas on bettering the class. “I look really closely at recommendations from students on SPOT Surveys to try to implement it the next year,” Knight said. “What we try to do too is check in with students along the way. There was some feedback from students throughout the semester, and I try to implement those as we were going. Often times it’s unfortunate that a lot of students will wait for the SPOT Surveys to air their ideas or concerns because then they lose the opportunity to experience the change.” Reid also encouraged students to discuss the class with the engineering department and help them be more successful. “While there are things in the class that might make you wonder, ‘Where is this going?,’ there’s generally a reason behind each thing in the class. But if somebody has questions about it, let us know, we’re happy to answer them.” @CollegiateTimes

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Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Birthday Horoscope: Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a year of transformation, renovation and revolution. Create plans this spring. Nurture partnership this June. Shift course with a community effort in August, before making time for fun, romance and family. Shared funds rise after October. December launches a two-year community collaboration cycle. Grow together.

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April 17, 2017 PAGE 5

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REVIEW: RICK AND MORTY On April 1, Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland released the long anticipated first episode of Season 3 of “Rick and Morty” — “The Rickshank Redemption.” BRADY TICKLE movie columnist

Wubba lubba dub dub. “Rick and Morty” is back at long last after a hiatus that seemed to go on forever and ever (100 years). If you aren’t sure what “Rick and Morty” is or why it’s one of the best things currently on television, then you need to go get a Hulu account right now and stream the first two seasons, then come back and read this spoiler-filled review of season three, episode one. Seriously, I’ll wait. Done? Awesome, let’s get into it. On April Fool’s Day, creators Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon released the first episode of the long-awaited season three. The episode is called “The Rickshank Rickdemption,” and (at the time of this writing, before any copyright claims take fire) you can find it plastered all over YouTube for free. At the end of season two, Rick turned himself into the Galactic Federation so that his family wouldn’t have to hide out with him forever on a comically tiny planet. It was an utterly depressing cliffhanger to end on, and ever since then,

fans have been speculating as to how the drunk old genius would bust out of prison. “The Rickshank Rickdemption” answers that question, although it throws plenty of fake-out moments on its way there. The episode opens with Rick, Morty, Summer, Beth and Jerry sitting pleasantly in a booth at Shoney’s as if nothing has happened. Of course, Rick figures out fairly quickly that this is an illusion, and so a Nathan Fillion-voiced alien reveals himself and tells Rick that they will fry his brain unless they get Rick’s secrets to interdimensional travel. Nathan Fillion, a god of nerd culture, is solid in this guest role. Rick begrudgingly agrees to show the alien the day that he invented his portal gun (although not without first stopping for a great bit at a 1998 McDonald’s to get some of that sweet, promotional “Mulan” Szechuan dipping sauce), and the two stand and watch as the younger, bluepants wearing Rick finishes his successful test of the gun. Unfortunately, younger Rick’s scientific triumph leads to the death of his wife and

daughter, which eventually turns him into the sociopath alcoholic we all know and love. Except, not really — this entire scene was fabricated so that Rick could hack into the alien’s cognitive machinery and escape from prison, taking over the minds of his alien friends and overturning their government in the process. He then goes off to destroy the government of alternate Ricks, running into Morty and Summer along the way. Throughout the episode, we also caught glimpses of Morty, Summer, Beth and Jerry living their new lives on Earth under control of the Galactic Federation. Jerry is the only one who enjoys this new life, with all of the others drowning out their depression in Federation-mandated pills. Summer becomes obsessed with rescuing Rick, but Morty has become disillusioned with his grandpa, claiming that Rick doesn’t care about them and showing Summer some of the foul remnants of his adventures with the old man. It was interesting to see Morty, whose primary character traits have been his weakness and stupidity, mature into someone who thinks for himself and

realizes the consequences of his grandpa’s actions. This could potentially provide an intriguing dynamic for the remainder of the season. Morty and Summer eventually end up at the Citadel of Ricks where they run into their Rick. In a moment of frustration in which Summer is being held hostage and Rick threatens to shoot her to get to the lead Citadel Rick, Morty shoots Rick, not knowing that Rick had given him a fake gun so that in the fake-out moment the lead Citadel Rick could be taken out. The episode ends with the Federation being dismantled and leaving Earth, Rick and the kids returning home, and Beth and Jerry (finally) agreeing to divorce. All seems well and good until Rick and Morty get a minute alone in the garage in a scene that parallels the end of the pilot episode. It’s here that Rick reveals his evil plan — his whole reason for getting captured by the Federation was not to simply dismantle it, but also to bring Beth and Jerry to an ultimatum so that Jerry would be out of the picture and Rick would become the de facto patriarch of the family. He also reveals that the

COURTESY OF ADULT SWIM

only reason he saved Morty and Summer was so that he would be welcomed back as a hero by Beth. He states that his ultimate goal, even if it takes nine seasons, is to get more of that sweet, Szechuan McNugget dipping sauce, and that the upcoming season will have the darkest adventures yet. It seems like a weird slap in the face to fans for Roiland and Harmon to build up Rick as a sympathetic character throughout season two only to have him become a complete monster in this episode; however, I am sure this development will lead to some hilarious and dramatic plotlines down the road. In addition, this show has always loved shocking its audience, so it should be no surprise that Roiland and Harmon are toying with our emotions yet again. This was a truly concerning

end to an overall fantastic season opener. Is Rick genuinely a sociopath who cares nothing for his family? Was Morty’s fake-out killing of Rick a sign of their degrading relationship? Did the blue pants mean anything? Was this episode even canonical, or merely an April Fool’s joke? Most importantly, will Rick ever get some of that sweet, Szechuan McNugget sauce? I don’t know, but I can’t wait to find out. This episode was filled with the fast-paced wit, awesome adventures and brilliant animations that fans have come to expect, and I can’t wait to see what Roiland and Harmon still have in store. I give “The Rickshank Rickdemption” five out of five Mr. Meeseekses. Burp.

@bradytickle

BOTS: New TOTS addition falls short of town staple from page 1

bowl that was only half full, and the quality did not meet my expectations. The chips were good, but the dip was 85 percent cheese, 5 percent pimento and 10 percent grease. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great. This sentiment is an accurate precursor for the rest of the meal. As one of my dining partners said, “What’s going to make it for me is the slaw. You can’t have a barbecue place if the slaw isn’t impeccable.” She and I were both disappointed. The coleslaw was just diced cabbage and mayonnaise with a sprinkling of carrots. It could

have come from the deli fresh section of Walmart, and there was nothing special about it at all. The same goes for the baked beans. They were great! But they tasted exactly like the popular brand of canned beans, Bush’s. In fact, I would not be surprised if they just bought Bush’s by bulk rather than creating their own recipe. There is nothing wrong with this exactly, but if I go to a restaurant and intend to spend money, I want my meal to taste better than something I could get at Food Lion. In order to truly judge the quality of this selfproclaimed barbecue joint, I got the three barbecue

LOREN SKINKER / COLLEGIATE TIMES The Bottom of the Stairs has officially opened underneath the pre-existing, well-known bar near downtown Blacksburg’s Top of the Stairs.

sliders: one pulled pork and two pulled chicken. The pork didn’t have much flavor, but the abundant options of barbecue sauce made up for it. I tried two: The Kansas City sauce, which was a classic tomato-based s a u c e, similar to Virginia style but with extra tang, and the open pit sauce, which reminded me of sweet and sour sauce from a Chinese take-out place (better than it sounds). The chicken was great on its own, with a smoky infusion that tasted just like summertime. It also paired well with the sauces. The star of the plate was the hush puppies. They were crunchy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, sweet and savory and — as far as I could tell — freshly made. 10 out of 10, would recommend. Both of my dining pa r t ners ordered t he brisket cheesesteak, which came recommended by the staff. It was essentially brisket and gouda on a bun. However, they both got brisket that was primarily fat — the kind that is basically jelly and can not be eaten. They each ended up picking out so much fat that they were left with just an expensive grilled cheese sandwich. This is a bad sign, considering how many of the BOTS menu items contain brisket. They also both got a side of mac-n-cheese, which — like the beans and slaw — was mediocre. All in all, I give the food two out of five stars, and that is generous. The barbecue was good enough to earn a few points, but the other options ranged from mediocre to terrible.

@CollegiateTimes 24.MonkeyLung_Virginia Tech_3col-4c_v1.indd 1

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Big Sean electrifies Burruss Hall auditorium Virginia Tech was Big Sean’s only college stop on his “I Decided” tour, which began back in February.

GRETCHEN KERNBACH lifestyles staff writer

Before entering Burruss Hall for the Big Sean concert, students passed warning signs posted on doors regarding strobe lights — and whoever hung those up was not exaggerating. On April 13, in the midst of his “I Decided” tour, Big Sean lit up Burruss Hall. Virginia Tech was the artist’s only college stop planned on his tour as he made his way from his April 11 show in New York to play in Charlotte on April 14. A more popular artist like himself required more security and a hefty amount of people to set everything up, but the show did not fall short of expectations by any means. “We had to move out several seats and bring on a lot more equipment than normal,” said sophomore English major Daja Askew, who works for Virginia Tech Union (VTU). Besides the usual sound equipment provided for per for m ing a r tists in Burruss, Big Sean incorporated a plethora of visuals into his performance. Two screens projecting an older man’s face were shown for most of the concert, occasionally transforming into a younger face that resembled Big Sean. In addition, more screens were arranged on center stage into an aisle for Big Sean to walk through entering and leaving the platform. The screens changed color

ARMAHN RASSULI / COLLEGIATE TIMES Big Sean performs in Burruss to a crowd of ecstatic students, April 13, 2017.

throughout the production, alternating between combinations of green and blue, combinations of pink and purple and an eerie red tint. Opening up for the singer of “Bounce Back” was record producer Madei nT YO. He came on a little after 8 p.m. and performed for 30 minutes, although the crowd was practically nonexistent at that time. However, the students who were in the building showed a lot of excitement to hear MadeinTYO perform his hit “Uber Everywhere.” It wasn’t until around 9 p.m. that students gathered at the front in a sizeable crowd

for Big Sean’s performance. dramatic walk to the microThat’s when white lights phone stand. shined bright, signaling he “Nothing really compares was about to walk in. (to) seeing the crowd reaction and the energy,” said VTU Co-Director of Special Events and sophomore public Nothing really relations major Gabrielle compares (to) Lozama about Big Sean’s entrance. seeing the crowd Among the first songs on reaction and the his setlist were “No Favors,” “Paradise” and “Mercy.” energy.” Gabriella Lozama Each one was paired with co-director of special a different visual and light events, VTU pattern, making good use of the strobe light that the audience was warned of. The crowd was lively for His entrance toward Big Sean’s entire production, downstage was a slow, waving their arms side to side

“

with him, holding up their pointer fingers for a cover of Kanye West’s “Clique” and turning on their cell phone flashlights to illuminate Burruss. One fan in particular, who I had the pleasure of sitting behind all night, actually never grew tired. He was quite the jumper and even threw in his own moves for each and every song. Head bobbing was one of his go-to moves for most of the performance. Big Sean also performed hits “All Your Fault,” “Moves” and a cover of Chief Keef’s “Don’t Like.” In between songs, Big

Sean occasionally stopped and talked to the crowd. He gave an inspirational speech about chasing your dreams and following the light at the end of the tunnel in times of need. Surprisingly, his words were very relatable, and I considered them to be quite moving. With his motivational speech, he led himself into singing “My Last.” He ended the concert with “Bigger than Me,” but made his way back on stage for an encore a couple minutes later. “I Don’t Fuck With You” and “Bounce Back” were the last two songs Big Sean played — and perhaps the most anticipated songs, based off of the crowd’s wild reaction to his encore. Personally, I do not listen to Big Sean’s music on my own time, but I was thoroughly impressed with the production he put on. The visuals of the concert definitely set a unique tone for each song. And by the look of the enormous crowd that filled Burruss, I can guess that other students felt the same way. Nicholas Brewer, a junior majoring in psychology, said that his favorite visual was the endless door. Out of a survey of artists including Wiz Khalifa, Wale, French Montana and a few others, I am glad that Virginia Tech chose Big Sean.

@gretchthecatch

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After two losses, Hokies bounce back in series finale Baseball dropped its first two games against UVA, but was able to redeem itself in the third game, winning 7–5. NATHAN LOPRETE baseball beat reporter

Virginia Tech welcomed in Virginia for a three game set beginning on Thursday. The Cavaliers were able to end their losing streak at Tech behind 17 hits and 10 runs in game one. A late comeback by the Hokies fell just short with the final score being 10-9. Game One Connor Coward made his eighth start of the year for the Hokies. The right hander struggled however, and only went three innings while allowing eight runs. “I think he just needs to get over that hump,” said head coach Patrick Mason. “As a pitcher when you show up and don’t have good stuff, you have to figure out a way to get some outs.” Neither team managed much in the first but the Cavaliers jumped out to a lead in the second. Virginia Tech responded in the home half of the inning. After freshman JD Mundy walked and advanced to second on a wild pitch, Mac Caples drove him in with a single to center against UVA starter Derek Casey. Virginia increased their lead in the third. A leadoff walk to Adam Haseley and a single by Pavin Smith put runners on the corners.

The next hitter, Robbie Coman doubled to left and two runs scored. Caleb Knight followed with a single and UVA led 5-1. The Cavaliers added two more runs in the frame to lead 7-1. In the ninth following a Garrett Hudson single, Grant Maiorana came in to pinch run. After a pitch that bounced in, the catcher Robbie Coma n th rew Maiorana out at first. That proved to be the big play of the game as Tech was trying to get the tying and winning runs into scoring position but came up short. Game Two After an offensive slugfest in game one, the pitchers brought the firepower on Friday. Virginia Tech fell behind early, but battled back later to force extra innings. UVA got a big hit late to ultimately take the second game of the series. Kit Scheetz took the ball for the Hokies on Friday. Making his fourth start of the year, the senior had a quick first inning before Virginia struck for a run in the second. Virginia starter Noah Murdock was making his fourth start as well. The freshman had it going and only allowed three hits through the first six innings. Scheetz also got better as the game progressed, as he didn’t pick up his first

ZOE SCOPA / COLLEGIATE TIMES Relief pitcher Jack Owens (8) steps in in the second half of the game to pitch against Boston College, April 2, 2017.

strikeout until the fourth. He had retired eight in a row before a single in the fifth, but he later picked the runner off. Virginia put back-toback singles together in the seventh but Scheetz bore down and ended the inning with his fourth strikeout. Scheetz also gave Tech a chance to rest a bullpen that had been heavily used on Thursday. “He executed his pitches and he didn’t miss a lot of spots,” Mason said. “He was on both sides of the plate

with all of his pitches. He controlled the tempo of the game.” The Hokies went back to McGarity in the tenth. With one out, Haseley stepped in and on a 3-1 count, launched his 11th home run of the year into the Cavaliers bullpen. Instead of facing the ACC leader in home runs, Virginia issued the free pass to Fragale. That brought up Mangrum who popped up to shallow right, ending the game. Soussa (2-0) got the win while McGarity (1-3) took

the loss. Game Three Virginia Tech went with Nick Anderson on Saturday in hopes of avoiding the sweep. Anderson battled through 5.1 innings and the Hokies used a big seventh inning to salvage game three. The Hokies took their first lead of the series in the first inning. After Owens walked and Stoffel reached on an error, Tech had runners on the corners for Fragale. His sacrifice fly to right scored Owens but the lead was short lived. Anderson ran into trouble again in the fifth after retiring the first two. A Haseley single and a double by Smith made it 3-1 before Coman doubled him in. Just like that it was 4-1 Cavaliers. Virginia Tech had an answer in the fifth. On the first pitch, Cooper took Haseley’s pitch and deposited it over the left field wall for his 10th of the year. Anderson returned to the mound in the fifth but only faced one batter before being relieved by Naughton. Anderson finished with 5.1 innings while allowing four runs on seven hits. “It probably wasn’t his best start but he competed today. He made some important pitches when he needed to,” Mason said. Caples was next, and he

came through with the big hit. The senior attacked the first pitch and sent it over the left field wall for a three-run shot. His eighth home run of the year gave Virginia Tech a 7–5 lead. “As a Virginia kid who chose to come here and to come up with a big hit against our rival. He works really hard so he deserves that kind of moment,” Mason said. In the ninth, Stoffel allowed a single but got Coman to bounce into a game-ending 6-4-3 double play. Stoffel earned his first save of the year and Sullivan (1-2) got the win. The emotion of the day of the day was another topic that Mason and the Hokies were focused on. “A day like today on our campus is a reminder of how fragile life is and how small baseball is,” Mason said. “We wear the VT with pride and it means something. It means a lot more now than it did 11 years ago. An incredible pla c e, a n i nc r e d ible community became even better somehow. When you put on your uniform and you see a patch there you want to win a baseball game. It seems kind of trivial in the moment.” @natejloprete

Tennis captures Softball swept in weekend series ending their six-game losing streak on Tuesday against Longwood, the ACC wins at home After Hokies fell back into their slump against Lousiville this weekend. Both the men’s and women’s teams beat their conference opponents 4–3.

JORDAN HUTCHINSON sports reporter

It was the weekend of the upset for the Virginia Tech men’s and women’s tennis teams, which played three matches over three days. The Hokies won all three matches, all by the same score. On Thursday, the women defeated the Syracuse Orange, 4–3. The doubles point ended up being the deciding factor for the Hokies, who advanced to singles, where they split with the Orange, three to three. Doubles: 1. Miranda Ramirez/ Gabriela Knutson (SU) def. No. 52 Francesca Fusinato/Caroline Daxhelet (VT) 6–1 2. Elena Cerezo-Codina/ Natalie Novotna (VT) def. Anna Shkudun/Dina Hegab (SU) 7–6 3. Shene Disbergen/Sansitha Nandakumar (VT) def. Nicole Mitchell/Maria Tritou (SU) 6–4 Singles: 1. No. 94 Miranda Ramirez (SU) def. No. 96 Francesca Fusinato (VT) 6–3, 6–3 2. No. 95 Natalie Novotna (VT) def. No. 80 Gabriela Knutson (SU) 6–4, 6–2 3. Elena Cerezo-Codina (VT) def. Anna Shkudun (SU) 6–0, 6–1 4. Caroline Daxhelet (VT) def. Maria Tritou (SU) 6–1, 6–1 5. Dina Hegab (SU) def. Sansitha Nandakumar (VT) 6–3, 6–1 6. Libi Mesh (SU) def. Katherine Butler (VT) 6–4, 6–1 Two days later, the Hokies upset No. 25 NC State, 4–3. Tech lost the doubles point on Saturday, but won the top four singles matches to clinch the upset win over the Wolfpack. Doubles: 1. No. 14 Anna Rogers/ Martina Frantova (ST) def. No. 52 Francesca Fusinato/Caroline Daxhelet (VT) 6–4 2. Bianca Moldovan/ Claudia Wiktorin (ST) def. Elena Cerezo-Codina/Natalie Novotna (VT) 6–4 3. Sansitha Nandakumar/ Shene Disbergen (VT) vs. Amanda Rebol/Adriana Reami (ST) 5–2, unfinished Singles: 1. No. 96 Francesca Fusinato (VT) def. No. 66 Martina Frantova (ST) 6–3, 6–4

2. No. 95 Natalie Novotna (VT) def. Anna Rogers (ST) 6–1, 3–6, 7–6 (8–6) 3. Elena Cerezo-Codina (VT) def. Claudia Wiktorin (ST) 6–4, 6–1 4. Caroline Daxhelet (VT) def. Adriana Reami (ST) 5–7, 7–5, 7–6 (8–6) 5. Bianca Moldovan (ST) def. Katherine Butler (VT) 6–1, 6–2 6. Amanda Rebol (ST) def. Nancy Ghanem (VT) 6–3, 6–0 The Hokies advance to 11–10 on the year with two matches against Miami and Florida State remaining. Both matches are at home, at 3 p.m. and 11:30 a.m., respectively. Moving over to the men’s tennis team, the Hokies secured a huge upset over the Yellow Jackets of Georgia Tech. The match featured some dramatics as the Hokies and Yellow Jackets were tied three to three with the match on court six playing on. Jason Kros lost the first set 6–1 and bounced back in the next two sets to clinch the match for the Hokies. Doubles: 1. Christopher Eubanks/ Carlos Benito (GT) def. No. 60 Jai Corbett/Henrik Korsgaard (VT) 7–5 2. Mitch Harper/Alexandre Ribeiro (VT) def. Cole Fiegel/ Daniel Yun (GT) 7–6 3. Jason Kros/Freddy Mesmer (VT) def. Carlos Divar/ Michael Kay (GT) 7–5 Singles: 1. No. 5 Christopher Eubanks (GT) def. No. 114 Jai Corbett (VT) 6–1, 6–4 2. Mitch Harper (VT) def. Carlos Benito (GT) 6–1, 6–4 3. Carlos Divar (GT) def. Alexandre Ribeiro (VT) 7–5, 6–4 4. Henrik Korsgaard (VT) def. Cole Fiegel (GT) 1–6, 6–3, 6–2 5. Daniel Yun (GT) def. Freddy Mesmer (VT) 6–3, 6–1 6. Jason Kros (VT) def. Chris Yun (GT) 1–6, 7–5, 7–5 The Hokies move to 10–11 on the year, with two road matches against Florida State and Miami next week to finish out the season.

@JHutchinsonVT

STEPHEN NEWMAN softball beat reporter

After ending their six-game losing skid on Tuesday against Longwood, the Virginia Tech softball team looked to maintain its momentum, hosting the Louisville Cardinals. However, its struggles against quality competition continued. Game one The series began with a doubleheader, which was initially scheduled to be played on Saturday, but was moved up due to the threat of inclement weather. Louisville came out strong early. The team jumped out to a 3–0 lead in the first against starting pitcher Taylor Barnes, aided by three errors. However, Tech responded in the second with four runs of its own, with Olivia Lattin and Breanna Davenport each recording RBI hits. After stranding the bases loaded in the third frame, the Cardinals made the Hokies pay, bringing six runners to the plate. They were once again aided by errors. Tech put a small dent in the deficit in the fourth, when Emma Strouth laced a triple off the right-center field wall, bringing Davenport across the plate. The Louisville attack settled down briefly after Elizabeth Birle replaced Barnes on the mound with two outs in the fourth. Head coach Scot Thomas stated, “I thought Taylor pitched really well, we just didn’t make the plays behind her.” He went on to add, “You can only give a team so many extra opportunities before they capitalize and make you pay.” The Cardinals did respond the following inning with a run-scoring single by Jenna Jordan. The hit, Jordan’s third of the game, extended the Louisville lead to 10–5. Davenport drove in a run with a single, her fourth hit in as many at bats, in the fifth. With the game still in gland slam range for the Hokies, the Cardinals finally got to Birle, bringing home three runners. The Hokies failed to rally in the bottom of the seventh, resulting in a 13–6 loss.

However, Davenport recorded a hit in the inning, tying the school record of five hits in a game. “She always sees the ball really well, you really just expect that of her at this point,” stated Thomas, showing just how confident he is in Davenport as a leader of the offensive attack. Davenport and Strouth, the third and fourth place hitters in the batting order, combined to record eight of the team’s 11 hits. Game two Louisville picked up right where it left off in the second half of the doubleheader, facing off against Carrie Eberle. With runners on first and third and two outs, Megan Hensley hit a hot shot that second baseman Lattin couldn’t handle. The following batter, Jordan, hit a double over the head of right fielder Strouth, giving the road squad a 3–0 advantage. Mea nwh i le, st a r t i ng pitcher Maryssa Becker also did her part in shutting down the Virginia Tech offense. She started the first game as well, but lasted less than two innings. “You have to tip your cap to Becker, who pitched way better than she did to start game one,” said Thomas, who went on to point out that “their defense also really helped them out, even though their fielding percentage is one of the worst in the league.” After a couple of quiet innings offensively, Jordan McNary led off the top of the third with a first-pitch single. She was quickly driven home on a Nicole Pufahl home run that easily cleared the left-field fence, making the score 5–0 in favor of Louisville. The first major sign of life for the Hokie offense came in the fifth. Caroline Schoenewald and Lattin led off the inning with consecutive singles. Vanessa Gonzalez then sacrificed both runners forward 60 feet. However, the next batter, Davenport, hit a flyout to left field, and McNary delivered a strong throw home to nail Schoenewald at the plate to end the inning. The Cardinals added a run of cushion in the sixth,

recording just one hit in the inning. In the seventh, Virginia Tech did something that was seemingly impossible: retire Pufahl. However, it wasn’t easy. It took an outstanding diving play in foul ground by Strouth to send the .400 hitter to the dugout. The stellar defense continued that inning when Lauren Duff threw out Celene Funke on an attempted steal of second base. Unfortunately for the Hokies, the plays on the defensive side did not translate to a rally from the plate with the game on the line, and the Hokies were shut out 6–0, with Becker pitching a complete game for the opposing side. Game three The Hokies turned to Lattin in hopes of avoiding a series sweep. However, she was unable to make it out of the first inning, giving up five runs in the process. In total, Louisville scored seven runs before Virginia Tech could even come to the plate. Once given an opportunity to bat, though, it did score three runs of its own, highlighted by RBI hits from Strouth and Duff.

After the first inning, Cardinals pitcher Becker, who also started the first two games, settled down and became virtually unhittable for a while. Those three runs would be nullified by the Cardinals in the top of the third, extending their lead to 10–3. The Hokies came back with four runs in the fifth inning. The rally included a two-run double by Schoenewald. Lattin also drew a walk with two outs and the bases loaded to drive in a run, but Gonzalez grounded out to end the inning. With the score 10–7, Tech added a run in the sixth inning, but was unable to close the gap any further. The sweep drops the Hokies to eleven games under .500, at 16–27 and 5–16 in conference play. The Hokies have one remaining series against an ACC team at Syracuse. However, they have a string of non-conference games prior to closing out conference play, beginning on Tuesday at Liberty. @CTSportsTalk

BILLY CLARKE / COLLEGIATE TIMES Breanna Davenport (22) stands at the ready to steal third base, cautious to remain in the game, April 2, 2017.

PAGE 8 April 17, 2017

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With gubernatorial race underway, GROUP: Treatment Periello shifts focus to medicaid to curb problem Periello campaigns for the Virginia governor position in Blacksburg for the with prostitution second time. Most of his platform addresses how he plans to expand medicaid. ANDREW SHEDLOCK news reporter

Earlier this week, former Virginia Rep. Tom Perriello met with locals from Blacksburg, Christiansburg and the surrounding areas at Mill Mountain Coffee off of North Main Street for a Q&A session about his platform and campaign. Perriello is currently campaigning for the upcoming Democratic primary for governor and is running against current Virginia Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam. Virginia’s Democratic primaries will be held in June to determine the party’s ticket for the state election this fall. During his meeting, Perriello took questions on issues regarding opioid abuse, education, vocational training, minimum wage, campaign strategy and criminal justice reform. Opioid abuse became the first question when a woman from Christiansburg expressed her concerns with the opioid epidemic in rural Virginia. Perriello used the question to emphasize his platform for drug abuse. As Perriello explained, his position was to focus on drug abuse as a disease and to treat opioid abuse by using Naloxone, a medication that can reverse the effects of an overdose, increasing access to group therapy and restricting the supply and access to opioids as part of a comprehensive treatment strategy. Perriello used the question about opioid abuse to recognize Gov. McAuliffe’s efforts in addressing opioid abuse in Virginia. Continuing with his thoughts, Perriello moved the discussion toward stigma. In order to reduce the stigma around drug abuse and treatment, Perriello said, “Focusing on comprehensive treatment is an important step in reducing stigma.” After spending the first part of the discussion addressing drug abuse, the

questions moved toward education. Perriello stated, “We need to break down the notion that the only way to succeed is through attending a four-year university.” Perriello cited the shortage of Certified Nursing Assistants in Richmond, a position he described as a job that requires an “eight-week certification and can pay $25,000 a year.” As he addressed shortages in skilled labor and the need to promote vocational training, Perriello made clear that his campaign is dedicated to making sure that work is done to ensure higher education and vocational training are affordable. One man raised his concerns with public education and making sure schools had enough money to succeed. Perriello responded by saying that he believes the best way to improve the school funding is to change Virginia’s model of funding local schools with local taxes, which he criticized as now being problematic in rural and poorer areas because it leaves major disparities between localities. When Perriello was asked to explain how he believes his education and vocational training proposals can be funded, he said through cutting tax loopholes or by thinking of funding higher and local education as well as vocational training as an investment, “an investment so that we have people making a living wage and not needing public assistance,” Perriello said. One of the last items addressed were the problems in the criminal justice system and what Perriello believed were the fundamental problems. Perriello promptly identified high bail, which he stated incentivizes poor people to take plea deals despite not potentially committing a crime, the underfunded public defender system and what Perriello saw as increasing taxes to pay to incarcerate more people, a problem he believes he can find a solution with bipartisan support. As the conversation progressed,

Perriello focused on some of the immediate actions he wants to implement if elected, one of the most important being medicaid expansion in Virginia. Perriello highlighted the 400,000 Virginians in the medicaid gap who would otherwise be covered under the Affordable Care Act. Following Perriello’s statements about medicaid expansion, a man who was skeptical about medicaid being passed in the state legislature wanted to know what Perriello was planning to do to get medicaid expansion through the Republican controlled legislature. Perriello replied that he believes that Democrats can retake the legislature by coalition building and using anti-Trump fervor to build support. Perriello stated that he believes that he can build a coalition of Republican leaning parts of Virginia by emphasizing medicaid expansion and his opposition to the use of eminent domain to build fracking pipelines. Perriello coined his plans the “Walk and Chew Gum” strategy, which includes an inclusive economic agenda that promotes vocational training and higher education, protecting marginalized groups and resisting the Trump administration while still giving people a positive reason to support him. When asked about what he sees as the important differences that he sees between himself and Northam, Perriello pointed out that his campaign was the first Virginia campaign to run on providing debt relief to college students, his campaign has refused to take donations from Dominion Energy, that he was a lifelong Democrat and that he is opposed his to building more pipelines. Recalling how he was elected to Congress, Perriello said, “I won the fifth district through understanding people and showing them respect.” @VTShedlock

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that in many cases, consumers are unable to know entirely whether or not the actors they are watching are consenting or are being forced to participate. Fund ra isi ng effor ts for the organization have been slated to support Street Ransom, a Roanoke non-profit dedicated to providing support for victims of sex trafficking and raising awareness of the issue. The money fundraised will help furnish rooms in a safe house for recently rescued victims and serves the entire state of Virginia. During homecoming week, the campaign raised over $1200 for Street Ransom. Currently, It Happens Here is running a fundraiser called “It Happens Hair” in which individuals can vote using donations to determine what hairstyle White will have at and after graduation — head shave, ‘fro, dreads or let it continue to grow. “It Happens Hair” was able to raise its initial goal of $700 in its first 6 hours, so the fundraiser is instead aiming to raise over $2100 to furnish rooms in a safe house. The last objective of the group is attempting to influence legislation

change. “When action is taken, we want to make sure that they don’t go after the girls who are being forced to prostitute themselves,” said Mitchell, co-founder of It Happens Here. The group hopes that police will not only dedicate more resources to the cause, but also have a higher priority toward targeting pimps and Johns rather than the prostitutes who are often victims themselves. All in all, the group’s initiative for changes in the legal process began due to problems with the language of the law. This has resulted in it being illegal to prostitute oneself while sex trafficking is also illegal. Regarding how It Happens Here wants prostitution to be handled, Mitchell said, “When a girl gets taken in for being a prostitute, she can receive help through social services and not just be thrown in juvie or prison where she isn’t going to receive any of the psychological or spiritual rehabilitation that she may need.” It Happens Here remains committed to informing people of the existence and prevalence of sex trafficking in Virginia and to fundraise to support the victims.

@VTShedlock