Issue 01, Volume 83 by The Cougar

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Traynor Swanson, EDITOR

Letter from the Editor: We need you

ewspapers. Who reads those anymore? Turns out a lot of people still do, but often, they’re not reading a piece of paper. Only 15 EMILY BURLESON percent of people EDITOR IN CHIEF have never read news on a laptop or smartphone before, according to the Pew Research Center. TV news still holds the most viewers: 80 percent of people prefer to watch the news, not read it. So where does that leave The Cougar, an organization many would call legacy media? First, we scaled back from printing daily to weekly. Then, we cut one fourth of our paper out — the Life and Arts section — and started publishing a magazine, Cooglife. All this to serve our readers, University of Houston students, who more and more look to their news feed, not the newsstand, to stay informed, including myself. This year, we’re hoping to do “digital daily” even better, and part of that includes more engaging social media. Look for us on Twitter with an account, rolling out in time for our first game against UTSA, dedicated solely to UH sports. The

Cougar’s sports editors will have exclusive player interviews and updates from all fields and courts, not just the big three. You’ll see Instagram Stories highlighting our latest features with in-house photography. And on Facebook, we’re going live — like on this Saturday, we’re interviewing Beto O’Rourke, an up-andcomer who’s hoping to unseat Ted Cruz next year. Plus, we’re getting a new website soon, too. One that’s beautiful and functional on mobile devices (we know; it’s a problem). So all this, and yet, we’re still making our weekly print editions. Why cling to a dying art? The Cougar’s website and social media are your go-to for daily news and takes on the University and beyond. Breaking news, quickly developments and coverage of campus events are our bread and butter here. But our print issues are home to stories about students, faculty, staff, alumni, administration, and yes, our neighborhood. This is where we humanize the big issues that affect our city, state, nation and world. Issues like: White supremacy. How does it affect our campus? Immigration. Will UH stand up and protect students by becoming a sanctuary campus?

Gentrification. How does our presence in the Third Ward affect its residents? And our standard issues on campus: parking, dining, rising cost of attendance, campus crowding, and that fountain that can’t seem to stay filled. These are stories that deserve better than a clickbait-y headline and a social media push. They deserve a more permanent treatment, one that sits on your coffee table and lingers for a few days, making you think. In this Back to School issue, we cover undocumented students seeking comfort and advice, a couple who run twin small businesses in the Third Ward, sexual assault reforms on our campus, and more. We’re here to serve you, not just symbolically, but literally: a portion of your Student Fees pays for our printed pages each week. Get your money’s worth. Read our stories and give us feedback — who do we need to talk to? What’s missing from our pages? And what do you wish we would cut? We can’t do our jobs without your help. This newspaper is a mirror to the student body, showing us what we can’t see on our own. My door (Room 234, Center for Student Media, Student Center North) and inbox are always open. editor@thedailycougar.com

UH professor bringing watchful eyes to City of Houston MICHAEL SLATEN

A University of Houston computer science professor and the City of Houston are collaborating to increase the awareness of security cameras by alerting an operator if there are mechanical issues with the camera or if it is recording unusual activity in its view. Professor Shishir Shah and his research team received a $1.57 million grant from the National Institute of Standard and Public Safety Innovation Accelerator Program to test algorithms that can alert first responders to potential emergencies, according to a UH press release. The goal is to alert help if it’s needed at the camera’s location. “Can you design algorithms that say, ‘Look at this camera that went out of focus, tell someone maybe that needs to be fixed’?” Shah said. “ So that’s part of what we are trying to look at as part of this research project, and hopefully design some useful algorithms that can automatically providealerts to people for scenarios where cameras are not

Computer science professor Shashir Shah is designing a security camera that sends alerts to first responders at the first sign of trouble. | Dana C. Jones/The Cougar

functioning properly.” Shah’s research is a part of the computer vision field, where inferences on what object is seen by a camera sensor are made. “So obviously our brain has figured out how to make those associations. The questions is, can we understand how that happens so that maybe we can have that same process replicated on computers,” Shah said. The City of Houston will be working with Shah and his research team, allowing them to use their near 900 cameras

throughout the city, to one day adopt the algorithms if proven useful. “Our goal is to see if they can come up with an analytics solution that is viable, that we would end up adopting and using permanently to assist in better and more quickly identifying a situation that’s occurring,” said director of the Public Safety Video Initiative Program Julie Stroup, who will be working with Shah. Using the City of Houston’s security cameras, rather than

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ABOUT CSM The Center for Student Media provides comprehensive advisory and financial support to the university’s student-run media: The Cougar newspaper, Student Video Network and COOG Radio. Part of the Student Life portfolio in the

RESEARCH

STAFF WRITER @MICHAELSLATEN

just the ones at the University of Houston, will allow the researchers to test more situations than those that occur just on campus, Stroup said. “We are going to be working and collaborating closely with the City of Houston," Shah said. "We will basically be talking to people there to understand where we can test our algorithms, how can we go about testing our algorithms, and with their help, try to understand what the impact might be.” One issue this research may eliminate is the daunting task of monitoring hundreds of security cameras, which have uneventful feeds for most of the time, Shah said. “It’s physically impossible for people to view all of those cameras at the same time,” Stroup said. “What this would allow us to do is pop up things in front of people and say, ‘Hey, we aren’t sure, but there might be something here you want to look at,’ and allow an operator to look at it and see if there is some type of an event occurring.” news@thedailycougar.com

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Not long after they met, Marques and Jai Raven traveled with a group to southwestern Nigeria to be initiated into a spiritual practice called Ifá, which underlies both of their small businesses — The Luvin Oven and The Woman's Earth. They spent hours talking on the porch of its compound. Now running businesses out of their house in Third Ward, they made sure to get a house with a porch. | Thom Dwyer/The Cougar

LOCAL

Entrepreneurship program fosters local businesses TRAYNOR SWANSON

NEWS EDITOR @TRAYNORSWANSON

Jai and Marques “Baba Cupcake” Raven met at a New Year’s Eve party in 2012. Within a month, they were discovering the spiritual practice of Ifá at a compound in southwest Nigeria, spending hours talking on a porch. The journey laid the groundwork for their small businesses — and, eventually, their marriage. Marques derived his nickname from the first pastry he mastered and Babalawo — a spiritual title denoting priests of Ifá. He later started his vegan pastry business, The Luvin Oven, in June 2014, just one year after Jai founded The Woman’s Earth — a yoga and spa studio run out of the couple’s home in Third Ward. “It’s interesting because we would have our talks in Africa on the porch of the home we were staying in,” Jai said. “So everywhere we’ve stayed together, we’ve always said, ‘It has to have some kind of a porch for us to talk.’ It’s kind of our thing.” Marques and Jai are two of more than 500 local entrepreneurs who graduated from the University of Houston’s Stimulating Urban Renewal through Entrepreneurship

Program, which partners student consultants from the Bauer College of Business with entrepreneurs from underserved communities in the Houston area. SURE is holding its next application day on Aug. 19, when it expects to accept somewhere between 70 and 75 entrepreneurs. “All over the country and all over the world, there are medical schools where people go in and get health care from students. It’s the best way to produce doctors,” said Charlie Becker, UH alum and assistant director of the SURE Program. “So why is that model not applied to every discipline?” The SURE Program — originally launched by UH accounting professor Saleha Khumawala as the Microfinance Initiative in 2012 — is the first group to apply that model to business, Becker said. “Instead of physical health, we’re bettering the economic health of the community,” Becker said. The program has two separate tiers, he said. First is the SURE Entrepreneur Academy: a semester-long course in which the entrepreneurs work with the student consultants and attend Saturday classes where experts give lectures, hold discussions and organize activities. After the semester, the entrepreneurs have life-long

access to the SURE Incubator — a separate student-run program that meets once a month instead of every Saturday. “They do more hands-on, kind of one-off events,” Becker said. “That’s where they sign up for their mentor.” The students earn grades based on participation, a few early assignments, the business plans they devise and a review by their entrepreneurs, he said.

'Dynamite' ideas The SURE Program considers three factors when choosing its entrepreneurs after each semester’s application day: if they have a concrete business idea, if they’ve demonstrated commitment to that business idea and if they’re either from or will serve an under-resourced community. If the applicants satisfy all three factors, they’re accepted, Becker said. The rest of the entrepreneurs are chosen if they meet two of the criteria. “That might be someone with a dynamite idea who started a business, but they’re not from an underserved community,” he said, “or someone from an underserved community with a great idea that for whatever circumstantial reasons has not been able to do a lot of work on that idea.” The definition of under-

resourced has evolved over time, Becker said. “That can be anyone from a specific neighborhood, like Third Ward, to female founders or a founder of an ethnic minority," he said. According to SURE’s Summer 2016 Impact Study, the program launched 87 businesses and educated over 500 entrepreneurs. Seventy-seven percent were women and 27 percent were Hispanic or Latino. The average participant is a 41-year-old African American female with some college education but no degree in a three-person, lowincome household, Becker said.

In the nick of time Over 90 percent of the applicants are referred by people who graduated from the program and community partners, like the Third Ward Initiative and the Emancipation Economic Development Council, which send out emails to prospective businesses, Becker said. Jai Raven was one of the recipients of those emails. “I remember getting the email like the day that the applications were due,” she said. “I had to show up for our interview because my husband was working, so I interviewed for both of us, and we got in.” The experience she gained from the SURE Program was

invaluable to her business and her ability to help her clientele, she said. “African American women largely do not have a lot of selfcare in their lifestyle,” she said. “We do yoga and meditation, and we also have women’s circles. I’ve partnered with professional therapists to come in and facilitate the circles.” Her husband agrees: he started his own trucking business in 2007, but it caved when the oil market tumbled in 2011. He made a business plan for the trucking company, but it wasn’t as thorough as the one he devised with SURE. “It affected us tremendously,” he said. “It exposed me to people that I’d probably never be exposed to. Also business-wise, just the people they had come in and speak with us about business and all aspects of business and how it works was very good.” In addition to the student consultants and getting a working business plan, SURE provided the Ravens with legal counsel from the UH Law Center and marketing assistance from the Jack J. Valenti School of Communication. “That was just amazing,” Jai said. “It helped us a whole lot. It’s kind of the gift that keeps on giving.” news@thedailycougar.com

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RESEARCH

Bright light causes sleep blues, research shows Study by College of Optometry finds link between late-night cell usage, lowered melatonin levels KAYLEE DUSANG

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR @KAYLEEMDUSANG

Technology is essential to student life — it is used for studying, communication, entertainment and more. Those long hours of staring at a screen, however, can lead to potential consequences. A new study by the University of Houston College of Optometry has shown that blue light emitted from technological devices is the cause of sleep deprivation in people who stare at their screens right before bed. Assistant professor Lisa Ostrin, the leader of the study, said their hypothesis was that the blue light emitted from electronic devices is suppressing melatonin release at night and reducing sleep quality. “There’s a lot of evidence already that artificial light disrupts sleep patterns and sleep quality,” Ostrin said. “We wanted to use some new objective methods to test sleep quality and melatonin level, and also assess whether it was mediated by this new photoreceptor that’s been recently characterized in the eye.” Ostrin said the effect of blue light on an individual’s sleep patterns is caused by one of the three photoreceptors of the eye called the intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells, shortened to ipRGCs. Ostrin and two other researchers conducted a threeweek study using a group of participants to discover how this cell related to sleep. The group of participants were told to carry on with their daily routine wearing a wrist-worn activity and sleep monitor for the three weeks. For the final two weeks, they put on blue-light-blocking glasses for about three hours before they slept. “Over the last 10 years or so, we’re beginning to learn the role of the ipRGC’s,” Ostrin said. “Its job is really to detect light and darkness and tell our body

Optometry researchers found being exposed to blue light, which smart phones, artificial lighting and other sources often emit, lowers levels of a key natural hormone needed for sound sleep. Solutions include switching smart phones to night mode or using special glasses in the evening. | Thomas Dwyer/The Cougar

when it’s day and night, so those particular photoreceptors that are getting too much light input at night.” The glasses, also called “blue blockers” or amber-tinted lenses, block the blue light wavelengths from affecting the eyes. “We believed that would essentially trick our eyes into thinking it’s nighttime and help release melatonin and then prepare our bodies for sleep,” Ostrin said. “With increased melatonin, it should improve our sleep quality and help us feel more alert and awake the next day.”

Awake and alert One of the researchers in the study, Kaleb Abbot, said that they had the subjects fill out a survey after the two weeks of wearing blue blockers to find out their results. “Our were results were pretty incredible and very fascinating,” Abbot said. “We found that our subjects actually increased their sleep duration by 24 minutes at night on average, and that was measured through the smart watch we had them wear.” Abbot said they also found that 21 out of the 22 participants felt that their sleeping was improved after wearing the blue-blocker glasses, and that

they were more awake and alert throughout the day. Although the blue-blocking glasses are the most effective in improving sleep quality, Ostrin said that using the nighttime mode on smart phones and computers is a great start. “The reason is because not only do we get lights from our devices, but even the room lights have quite a bit of blue light in them that’s tricking our bodies into thinking it’s still daytime,” Ostrin said. “So by wearing the glasses you can block a higher percentage of those wavelengths.” Ostrin said the blue blocker glasses used in the study are about $10 on Amazon and block about 98 percent of the blue wavelengths. Ph.D. candidate in biomedical engineering Gwen Musial, also a participant in other studies performed by the College of Optometry, said she uses several blue-blocking apps and nighttime modes on her phone. “I have noticed that when my phone is less dim with the blue blocking on, I just use my phone less, and I think that has been, in general helping, my sleep pattern,” Musial said. Musial said she recommends the apps because they are simple and free.

Ostrin said that lack of sleep has been linked several health problems, so it is important for people to find ways to have regular sleep periods at night. “One thing that I think is really important for students is that we hear a lot that we should turn off our devices and turn down the lights before bedtime, but that’s our most productive time, especially if students are studying,” Ostrin said. “So if they do something like wear blue blockers, then it should improve their sleep quality and allow melatonin to be released in a more normal fashion.”

Cheap solution Although the blue-blocking glasses are the most effective in improving sleep quality, Ostrin said that the using the nighttime mode on smart phones and computers are a great start. “The reason is because not only do we get lights from our devices, but even the room lights have quite a bit of blue light in them that’s tricking our bodies into thinking it’s still daytime,” Ostrin said. “So by wearing the glasses you can block a higher percentage of those wavelengths.” Ostrin said the blue blocker glasses used in the study are about $10 on Amazon and block

about 98 percent of the blue wavelengths. Ph.D. candidate in biomedical engineering Gwen Musial, also a participant in other studies performed by the College of Optometry, said she uses several blue-blocking apps and nighttime modes on her phone. “I have noticed that when my phone is less dim with the blue blocking on, I just use my phone less, and I think that has been, in general, helping my sleep pattern,” Musial said. She said she recommends the apps because they are simple and free. Ostrin said that lack of sleep has been linked several health problems, so it is important for people to find ways to have regular sleep periods at night. “One thing that I think is really important for students is that we hear a lot that we should turn off our devices and turn down the lights before bedtime, but that’s our most productive time, especially if students are study-ing,” Ostrin said. “So if they do something like wear blue blockers, then it should improve their sleep quality and allow melatonin to be released in a more normal fashion.” news@thedailycougar.com

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Traynor Swanson, EDITOR

RESEARCH

Optimism can change outcomes for seriously ill, study finds MARIALUISA RINCON BIANCI

WEB EDITOR @LUCYRINCONB

A person in the throes of a serious health crisis may feel lost in the recovery process. Finding the light at the end of the tunnel can be difficult when faced with a life-threatening illness. Melanie Rudd, an assistant professor of marketing and entrepreneurship in the Bauer College of Business, co-authored a study that hopes to address that hopelessness. It's called “Cultivating Optimism: How to Frame Your Future during a Health Challenge." "We wanted to ask, 'If you're facing a health challenge — in visualizing how you're going to achieve the goal — what should you do?'" Rudd said. "And our answer is that it depends on your cultural background." The study found that "culturally specific" language made a difference in self-perception and how optimistic an indi-

vidual is that they'll reach a specific goal. Jennifer Aaker of Stanford University and Donell Briley of the University of Sydney co-authored the study. In the study, which was directed at people facing serious health problems, researchers compared two models when approaching recovery — the "initiator" would focus on their future actions and imagining how they would react, regardless of situation. The "responder," would imagine their reactions to tough situations they're bound to encounter. "Optimism is important to everyone — regardless of their cultural or ethnic background," Briley said. "Our studies show, however, that the way individuals should go about cultivating optimism differs depending on culture." Rudd found that little research had been done on the

subject of optimism as it relates to recovery. "Other research showed that if you have a goal, don't visualize the outcome you want, visualize the process," Rudd said. "Visualizing the goal can sometimes be a mal-adaptive thing to do, but visualizing the process — how you're going to a achieve that goal — is generally a good thing." To expand on that conclusion, the team found distinct ways to visualize the process. Rudd said the team predicted that people from more independent cultures, such as Americans, would be more optimistic about recovering from a serious health problem if they adopted an "initiator." Conversely, they predicted an individual from a culture where the people are more traditionally interdependent would have higher levels of optimism if they adopted a "responder" frame when envisioning their recovery.

Different cultures benefit from utilizing different kinds of opitimism, Rudd and others found in their study. | Courtesy of Melanie Rudd

Rudd, Aaker and Briley found evidence to support their hypothesis that higher levels of optimism could positively impact health outcomes and decisions dealing with riskier medical procedures. The research has practical uses — the feedback received in the study can be used by health care providers, businesses, lawmakers and other consumer

analysts to determine marketing strategies and better communicate with consumers on health-related matters. "In my experience, going into a difficult task with a pessimistic attitude is a recipe for disaster," Briley said. "And an optimistic outlook can fuel success when things get tough." news@thedailycougar.com

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CAMPUS

Reforms in progress following victim-blaming reports SGA representatives push new training for campus police officers who respond to sexual assaults

and rape as well as the stigma of sexual violence. “When you think of just our culture and how we look at it,” she said, “it creates a barrier for individuals who want to report."

TRAYNOR SWANSON

Down to definitions

NEWS EDITOR

@ TRAYNORSWANSON

A sexual assault task force created by Student Government Association President Winni Zhang will be working this year to reform the way the University of Houston Police Department handles sexual assault investigations amid reports of victim-blaming. The task force, which was created by Zhang’s Executive Order 001 in June and is still being formed, aims to create a streamlined process for sexual assault reporting and ensure that all UHPD officers respond to sexual assault reports with a trauma-informed approach, said SGA Vice President Adrian Hernandez. “There are times where what they are doing — some of the questions are victim-shaming,” said Hernandez, the chair of the task force. UHPD Lt. Bret Collier told The Cougar that it’s hard to say if sexual assault victims found questions inappropriate without the specifics of the case. “It’s difficult to speak to, because I don’t know what case they might be talking about, and what officer and what training they may have had, or whether it was the initial officer or the investigator,” he said. All officers are trained to respond to all types of calls, Collier said, including sexual assault. In addition to the academy and field training, more than half of UHPD’s officers are certified through the Sexual Assault Family Violence Investigator Course, which is a significant percentage for any police department, he said. SAFVIC training includes debunking myths that enable sex offenders, including the myth that sexual assault victims should be blamed for various reasons such as dressing a certain way, participating in what some perceive as irresponsible behaviors and not fighting back, according to the SAFVIC website. While not every officer receives such training, those

Bret Collier said reports of victim-blaming by UHPD were "difficult to speak to." Devan Ford-McCartney, director of the Women and Gender Resource Center, said staff members have heard of some cases. | File photo/The Cougar

who do return with information on preventing and investigating sexual assaults on campus, Collier said. The Women and Gender Resource Center has worked with a number of different UHPD officers when students have been escorted to its office, said Devan Ford-McCartney, WGRC director. Inadvertent victim-blaming has occurred at times, she said. “It has happened with some officers, and with others not so much,” Ford-McCartney said. “But I do think everyone is coming from good intentions in the work that they do.”

A new approach WGRC, which does not collaborate with UHPD, offers free trauma-informed training courses, she said. Trauma-informed is simply saying that you’re understanding the impact of trauma, said Ashley Griffin, sexual misconduct services coordinator at WGRC. It follows core principles: empowerment, trust, choice, safety and collaboration. When someone is impacted by some form of sexual violence, they lose power and control over their person and their environment, Griffin said. By telling victims what options are available to them, victims can feel like they have power and are in control. Such an approach can prevent victims from re-experiencing

trauma, which can go a long way, she said. “If I understand that you’ve experience this trauma, I’m going to do everything I possibly can to make sure that you don’t have to re-live that,” Griffin said. “An example of that is having to tell the story five times, and you have to keep repeating, ‘Oh this is what happened, then he did this, or she did this, or they did this.’” A trauma-informed approach would train officers not to ask victims what they were wearing or if they enticed the perpetrator, said CLASS Sen. Valerie Campos, who began working on reform prior to Zhang’s executive order. “It allows (officers) a little more empathy and a little more restriction on what they should be saying in that moment so that they don’t make the individual go through that trauma again,” Campos said.

Low numbers, high impact The task force will connect SGA senators like Campos who are passionate about sexual assault projects with the executive branch, Hernandez said. In addition to the vice president, the task force will consist of eight students as well as chairs from departments related to sexual assault issues, such as the UH Wellness Center, Equal Opportunity Services, WGRC and UHPD, he said. The impetus for the task force

was the low number of officially reported rapes and sexual assaults, Zhang said. “We looked at the EOS data from this year … and rape was at zero,” she said “I mean, reporting is incredibly low on our campus, so we don’t get accurate numbers to see what it looks like, and I personally have heard stories.” The number of reported sexual violence crimes does not reflect their impact, Ford-McCartney said. Some individuals may fear coming forward, Griffin said, due to the way the judicial system treats cases of sexual assault

Another barrier to low reporting is the misperception that the only type of sexual assault is rape, Griffin said. Sexual violence is a continuum, ranging from forced penetration to inappropriate comments comments, she said. “It’s really boiling down to what kind of sexual violence we’re talking about, Griffin said. “And if you’re thinking about rape, a lot of times it’s someone that someone knows.” If the rapist is a close connection — a husband, a wife, a family member or best friend from down the street — the likelihood of reporting is lowered. The task force will research effective survey methods to bring to UH and get a localized number of how frequently sexual assaults occur. Editor's note: If you are a victim of sexual assault, the Women and Gender Resource Center has a confidential resource who can be contacted at 713-743-1076. If you have experienced victim-blaming or mistreatment by members of the UH administration or campus police and wish to share your experience, please contact the email below. news@thedailycougar.com

Winni Zhang

Adrian Hernandez

SGA President

SGA VP, Sexual Assault Task Force Chair

"We have a very big challenge to combat when it comes to the handling of sexual assault cases. The process is long and tedious enough for survivors/victims and not explained well enough. This committee is tasked with researching the process and suggesting ways to improve it, including the way our officers are responding to survivors/ victims."

"When looking at the statistics on sexual assault on college campuses on a national level, the results are disturbing, especially when looking at the number of female students. It's important for students because sexual assault can happen to anyone, whether it's the person themselves or someone around them, so it's important to know the resources available to them to eliminate the stigma."

— Courtesy of SGA

Wednesday, August 16, 2017 | 7

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Campus life is the time spent outside of the classroom that helps build character, shape leaders, and develop the next generation of UH alumni. From student organizations, outdoor adventure trips, mock interviews, and major campus and community events, we have so many opportunities to keep you on the right track for success.

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CAMPUS

Bud Light announced as official beer of UH Athletics C. MCRAE PEAVY

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR @MCRAEPV1

Stereotypical college students are known for many things: pulling all-nighters, eating pizza for every meal, drinking enough coffee to make an elephant jittery and, depending on age and level of social interaction, consuming copious amounts of alcohol before, during and after football games. And now, Bud Light is the new official beer of the University of Houston Athletics, according to a July press release on the UHCougars website. The agreement between the University, Anheuser-Busch — the producer of Bud Light, Silver Eagle Distributors and IMG, which is confirmed through 2021, includes the UH basketball, baseball and football programs, according to the press release. “As Houston’s local Bud Light distributor, Silver Eagle Distributors is thrilled to partner with our hometown team as they embark on another season

of growth and success,” said chairman and CEO of Silver Eagle Distributors John L. Nau III. “We are excited about UH’s future and elated to be part of this exciting time in Houston college sports.” Bud Light and other AnheuserBusch products will be available at the new Bud Light Beer Gardens at TDECU Stadium, Darryl & Lori Schroeder Park and, in 2018, the new Fertitta Center. UH previously partnered with MillerCoors, according to the Houston Chronicle. “Any time you can partner with one of the largest beer distributorships in the country, it’s a good thing, right?" said General Manager for Houston-IMG sports properties Clay Harris. "I think that the impact that Silver Eagle has on this city really led to us wanting to do a deal with them." IMG represents UH Athletics in corporate sponsorship negotiations, Harris said. His team is embedded within the athletic department at UH, where they also handle radio broadcasts,

Bud Light's partnership means the company will be exclusively allowed to use the UH logo in advertising, allowing the school's logo to receive airtime without the University paying for it. | File photo/The Cougar

programs and local TV rights.

Safety and fun Assistant Athletics Director for Communications David Bassity said that TDECU Stadium is the only location where the Bud Light

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Beer Garden plan is finalized. Located outside the stadium in Shasta Square for pre-game enjoyment, anyone over the age of 21 with the proper identification will have access to the Beer Garden. Though Bud Light will have exclusive marketing rights, other beer brands will be available at UH sports venues. During the game, club level ticket holders will also have access to the Bud Light Bar. Many college students, particularly underclassmen, are under 21, but with the ubiquity of alcohol at college sporting events, underaged drinking remains a big problem. Driving under the influence is also a danger after the games have ended. Bassity said that Bud Light and UH Athletics have several programs in place to combat these problems. “It’s not just us who are focused on combatting all that," Bassity said. "It’s also Bud Light and Anheuser-Busch. That was one of the things with any potential alcohol sponsor, we want them to be on board with responsible consumption." Bud Light’s Enjoy Responsibly program, which promotes responsible drinking, and the We Card program utilized by UH Athletics both promote responsible drinking, and the Good Sport program encouraging responsible fan behavior and the use of designated drivers. These programs will help to curb underage drinking and unsafe consumption practices, both of which are dangers at a college sporting event.

Marketing with a purpose Bassity explained the purpose of the sponsorship in an interview. “It’s more of a marketing sponsorship, so it essentially gives us marketing that we don’t have to spend dollars from our budget on. As far as the impact on the university as a whole, it helps us financially,” Bassity said. Bud Light will be exclusively allowed to use the UH logo in advertisements, meaning the school’s logo will get airtime without having to pay for it. "Through our new partnership with the University of Houston, we're excited to continue to build our connection to the Houston community, a place where we've had roots for over 50 years with our Houston brewery," an Anheuser-Busch spokesperson said in an email. Anheuser-Busch will be granted assets in and around basketball, baseball and football programs and the right to use UH Athletics trademarks in advertising and promotions. “With all of our sponsorships, ourselves and IMG are looking to gain great partners in the community, the Houston market and across the state of Texas. They can help us expand the UH brand as well. That’s something we’re looking for and something that can also enhance our fan experience on game days,” Bassity said. “We are excited to welcome Silver Eagle Distributors and Anheuser-Busch as our newest partners in the Houston Athletics family,” said Vice President of UH Athletics Hunter Yurachek according to the press release. news@thedailycougar.com

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INTERNATIONAL

Diplomatic history expert: War with North Korea unlikely TRAYNOR SWANSON

NEWS EDITOR @TRAYNORSWANSON

The United States and North Korea exchanged warring rhetoric Monday with Washington preparing military exercises and Pyongyang threatened to fire missiles off the coast of Guam, according to the Guardian. The threats followed a week that saw President Donald Trump vowing to rain “fire and fury” if the communist country continued to provoke the United States, but it’s unlikely that North Korea will launch the first strike, said University of Houston professor Robert Buzzanco. “I mean, to be straight, what we’re dealing with here is North Korean nuclear testing,” Buzzanco "They pose no threat whatever to the United States," history professor Robert said. “Kim Jong-un has said, ‘I will Buzzanco said, despite Trump's worries. | Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons never use nuclear weapons unless attacked.’” answer: South Korea would be hit. anything to worry about, as North A pre-emptive strike by the U.S., If you want to put a big bull’s eye Korea doesn’t have the capability to he said, would be condemned by the on your ally, then you attack North strike even the West Coast, he said. international community and would Korea, because then South Korea’s “They pose no threat whatever to endanger its close ally, South Korea. gone as well.” the United States,” Buzzanco said. “If 10-10902_Cougar Newspaper 1 8/15/17 9:46toAM “There would be a retaliation if August_PRINT.pdf Even if tensions do continue anybody would be afraid, it would possible,” Buzzanco said. “The short rise, people in Houston do not have be South Korea, because they share

a border.” The North Korean military has made progress in their missile testing, however, which is concerning for the U.S., said Zachary Zwald, a UH political science professor who researches international security and nuclear weapons. Some of the progress has been in the type of fuel they use in mediumrange missiles, he said. They previously use liquid-fueled rockets, which required them to put the missiles on launch pads and bring a truck to fuel them. This was detectable by U.S. satellite signal intelligence, Zwald said. Recently, the North Korean military advanced to solid-fueled missiles, which give little warning beforehand, he said. The development of their intercontinental ballistic missiles, which could theoretically reach the U.S. by going over the Arctic, is unclear, he said. ICBM’s go up into space, which takes about 40 minutes, then fall

back down, Zwald said. Based on their last two ICBM tests, U.S. intelligence officials have concluded that North Korea’s ICMB’s can enter the atmosphere, but it’s unlikely that they can survive re-entry. “A ballistic missile goes to some fixed point in space, then falls back down into the atmosphere,” Zwald said. “it’s really violent re-entering the atmosphere. It’s one technological hurdle to get the missile into that high point of space, and it’s a whole different technological hurdle to make it where it can withstand re-entry through the atmosphere and hit its target.” The situation is not beyond a diplomatic reproach, Buzzanco said. “There’s sanctions, there’s aid, there’s China,” he said. “There are other countries in the region that have a far greater stake geographically, politically and economically with North Korea than the United States does.” news@thedailycougar.com

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CAMPUS

New contractor promises dining satisfaction Aramark's replacement plans to keep Moody open all night and allow students to order through an app — while raising meal plan prices. Will increased costs give way to better quality food? TRAYNOR SWANSON

NEWS EDITOR @TRAYNORSWANSON

Students frustrated with the food options on campus can expect to see relief when they return to campus this fall. Chartwells Higher Education replaced Aramark — the company responsible for overseeing the two dining halls, convenience stores and most of the campus’ restaurants — as the dining service provider

graduated last May. There is a clause built into the plan to more specifically address the dining needs of low-income student, Smith said, but that will occur in several years once the transition is fully completed and student satisfaction is ensured. That program will make UH one of the first colleges in the country to have a cheaper offering for students who demonstrate a financial need,

"We're going to make good decisions and try to use the San Francisco city model for sustainability here at the two big dining halls.... We're hoping students care about that." David Riddle, Chartwells District Manager for the University of Houston System on July 1, bringing variety, speed and improved quality to students, said Chartwells District Manager David Riddle. The new food provider brings anytime dining to Moody Towers Dining Hall and unlimited meals for students who purchase the 24/7 meal plans, Riddle said, as well as an improvement in quality, variety and speed. “It reflects the way students eat,” he said. “I think it’s more natural, like your home kitchen: you don’t have to worry about how many meals you have left. You can come in and out as much as you want.” The 24/7 Budget Plan, which is the cheapest of the anytime dining plans, costs $1,800.20 — nearly $300 cheaper than Aramark’s unlimited meal plan, though it’s a roughly 3 percent increase from last year’s base plan, Cougar Choice 150. “I’m never happy about any price increase, but it’s based on the execution: if the execution is good, I think that the students getting a new term is significant,” said former Student Government Association President Shane Smith, who was involved in new contract negotiations until he

Smith said. “Students get financial aid for classes and housing, and this is kind of in line with that,” he said. “I think things like food should be considered right there, because we want lowincome students to be able to live on campus.”

higher level of service than Aramark, Riddle said. “I think a big part of that was student input,” he said. “They wanted to make sure that they didn’t see the same thing repeat itself.” The contract includes key performance indicators — agreed upon between Chartwells and SGA — to measure service quality, Riddle said. SGA President Winni Zhang will lead the discussion as to what the KPI’s will be, Riddle said. Additionally, the Division of Administration and Finance created a new position: program director of UH Dining Services, said Neil Hart, the executive director of Auxiliary Services. “This is a person whose full-time job is to monitor all aspects of the dining program, which includes perceptions, feedback and making sure that we’re getting exactly what we need,” Hart said. All surveys will be done through a third party —

completely independent of Chartwells, Riddle said. Auxiliary Services will hire a third-party secret shopper to critique the dining locations as well, Hart said. The position is still open.

Wasting nothing Beginning this fall, Chartwells will roll out the beginning of their zero waste-to-landfill program at the Moody Tower and Cougar Woods dining halls, Riddle said, which will include composting and full recycling of plastics, cardboard and metal.

“We’re going to make good decisions and try to use the San Francisco city model for sustainability here at the two big dining halls,” he said. The program will be fully implemented by 2020, Hart said. “We’re hoping students care about that and that’s important to them,” Riddle said. “We’re looking forward to turning both of those locations into greencertified dining facilities." news@thedailycougar.com

Chartwells introduced Starbucks and Peet's Coffee stations at Cougar Woods and Moody Towers dining halls respectively. | Katie Santana/The Cougar

Online ordering Riddle said there are several new features that he thinks students will be particularly excited about, including a mobile application that students can access to see nutritional information, view menus and order online. All of the big brands and high volume locations will have the app, he said, but some smaller subcontractors will not. Additionally, the Moody Towers dining hall will have a Starbucks component, and the Cougar Woods dining hall will house Peet’s Coffee. “These are full-service espresso machines, so it’s not just drip coffee,” Riddle said. “I think the addition of these very cool, high-end, self-service espresso machines is going to be a big deal.”

Monitoring satisfaction Chartwells is committed contractually to provide a

Chartwells plans to phase out the Cougar Choice 150 plan gradually with each graduating class. The entering class of 2021, and all freshmen who enroll at UH hereafter, will only be able to purchase unlimited plans. | Katie Santana/The Cougar

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CAMPUS

Katy campus groundbreaking Ethnic organization group changes name ceremony delayed until spring in effort to remove stigma, be inclusive C. MCRAE PEAVY

C. MCRAE PEAVY

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR @MCRAEPV1

Groundbreaking for a new University of Houston campus in Katy set to break this month has been pushed back to next spring due to land acquisition delays, said University spokesman Mike Rosen. The acquisition for the new campus, which is still set to open in 2019, took longer than expected because the University was ensuring that it correctly resolved all deed restrictions, resulting in extended negotiations with current and prior land owners, Rosen said. “We are in what is technically called the programming stage, determining who will have what space within the facility,” Rosen said in an email. “However, the facility remains on track for the scheduled opening in 2019.” According to Community Impact, about 2,000 students from UH and UH Victoria are expected to take classes at the new 46-acre campus.

The Council of Ethnic Organizations announced on Facebook on Aug. 14 that it changed to the Council for Cultural Activities, aiming to be more inclusive and to combat stigma. Founded in 1972, CEO’s purpose was to promote diversity, cultural awareness and inclusion at UH, according to its website. They do this by supporting diversity-related registered student organizations and events on campus. “We changed it because we’re trying to be a little more inclusive than before,” said CCA director Nazir Pandor. “So we had a stigma at CEO that we only catered to international, foreignbased students, and that wasn’t the case.” Pandor said the stigma existed because most of CEO’s

UH Katy is still expected to open in 2019. | File photo/The Cougar

The school will offer undergraduate degrees in nursing, business, computer science, special education and engineering, as well as graduate courses in psychology, computer science, nursing, engineering, math and political science beginning in the fall of 2019. UH purchased the land for $13.8 million from a private equity firm called Parkside Capital on Nov. 2. The new campus will be located inside a 125-acre development called University Center in northeast Katy, Community Impact reported. news@thedailycougar.com

STATE

Special session: Abbott falls short on 20-item agenda TRAYNOR SWANSON

NEWS EDITOR @TRAYNORSWANSON

With just days remaining in the first-called special session, the Texas Legislature is working on several measures that Gov. Greg Abbott wants to pass: property tax legislation, funding for public schools and retired teacher insurance, according to the Texas Tribune. On Friday, Abbott signed his first bills of the special session, which began July 18 after the Legislature failed to send to his office must-pass legislation that would continue to provide funding for the Texas Medical Board, according to the Texas Tribune’s coverage. Abbott also signed a measure that requires a signature verification process for early ballots and punishes mail-in voter fraud with up to 10 years in prison, according to the Austin American-Statesman. The bills are two out of his “20-for-20” agenda he announced at the beginning of the special session, which Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick pushed Abbott to call for in order to vote on the controversial bathroom bill.

That measure, which would regulate what bathrooms transgender Texans can use, appears to be dead, according to Reuters. The Austin-American Statesman’s coverage reported that two other bills are heading to Abbott for consideration are H.B. 13, which requires emergency health care providers to report complications from abortions and call for the Health and Human Services Commission to publish the data H.B. 214 would ban abortion coverage through the Affordable Care Act and allow private insurers to offer such coverage. Abbott would not rule out calling a second special session if the Legislature failed to pass further statutes, according to WFAA. Senate Bill 4, the anti"sanctuary cities" measure that was signed into law during the regular session, goes into effect Sept. 1. news@thedailycougar.com

Courtesy of Council for Cultural Activities

programming was something that came from a foreign source. People felt that they didn’t think they were ethnic or foreign enough to be a part of CEO, so the organization wanted to cater to as many cultures as possible, not just the ones perceived as foreign, he said. “Look, we’re more interested in showcasing culture, rather than defining what ethnic is, or only catering to what an ethnic org or an ethnic person is,” Pandor said. “Culture can be white Caucasian American, culture can be black

and African, culture can be Indian — it can be anything.” Pandor said the organization itself would be following the same morals and standards, and the basic formula would stay the same. The newly renamed CCA wanted to involve more types of people than it did before, namely the white American base. He listed Greek Life as a prime example. “We’re trying to see what ways we can cater to them, if its funding, if its resources. We’re still following the same base we had at CEO to provide them those resources, to help them with some things that they would, so that remains the same. We just want to show that ‘Hey, we’re inclusive, and we want to include you as well.’ We want to include every base that we can.” news@thedailycougar.com

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CAMPUS

DACA recipients offer advice, support at event GREG FAILS

STAFF WRITER

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When political science junior Maria Treviño-Rodriguez’s parents brought her from Mexico to the United States as a one-yearold, they had one goal in mind: provide their daughter with the best education possible. Treviño-Rodriguez spoke about her personal story at an Aug. 8 panel discussion on undocumented immigrants organized by UH’s Youth Empowerment Alliance chapter and the Urban Experience Program. “My mom and dad knew that Mexico wasn’t investing enough in their public education,” she said. “There’s a lack of resources and books, and teachers aren’t getting paid enough so they don’t care.” Treviño-Rodriguez, the vice president of YEA, spent most of her education after third grade attending public schools she wasn’t zoned to. Her parents made the commute in an effort to ensure

she had Gifted and Talented and Vangaurd programs available to her, TreviñoRodriguez said. As a teenager she attended Michael E. DeBakey High School for Health Professions, eventually graduating with a President’s Scholarship — an award described by the Department of Education as “one of the nation's highest honors for high school students.” Scholarship in hand, TreviñoRodriguez planned to attend New York University, but while applying for the student loans needed to cover the rest of her tuition, she discovered the truth about her immigration status. “I started to question my mother about why we didn’t have a social security number, and she informed me that my father had applied for residency through his mother, who is a citizen, and we had still been waiting,” Treviño-Rodriguez said. They’ve been waiting for 20 years.

Courtesy of YEA

“My mother and father could have both gone to college in Mexico, or at least still be seeing their families,” TreviñoRodriguez said. Wait times like those experienced by her family are common, with it often taking upwards of 20 years for Mexican immigrants to obtain citizenship, according to Politico. “It’s just bureaucracy — something that many

conservatives hate — that is making people undocumented and that is funneling people into these immigration systems,” Treviño-Rodriguez said. Unable to attend NYU, Treviño-Rodriguez successfully applied for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program and spent her first year after high school working on a political campaign, aiming to give driver's licenses to

undocumented immigrants. In 2014, she published an op-ed in the Houston Chronicle entitled “Mr. Abbott, stop trying to tear my family apart.” DACA was passed in 2012 under President Obama and provided certain teenagers and adults brought into the United States as children the ability to legally work and live in the country. According to statistics provided by the Department of Homeland Security, nearly 800,000 people have been granted DACA since 2012. While Treviño-Rodriguez’s vocal presence has made her a direct target for conservative media outlets such as Breitbart, UH YEA president Maria Gonzalez-Treviño said during the 2016 presidential election that she faced harassment from fellow classmates. Read more at thedailycougar. com news@thedailycougar.com

"It's just bureaucracy — something many conservatives hate — that is making people undocumented, and that is funneling people into these immigration systems.” Maria Trevino-Rodriguez, Youth Empowerment Alliance Vice President

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OPINION PROTEST PG 2

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Racists aren't afraid to hide anymore. Opinion Editor Dana Jones breaks down how the protest in Charlottesville was different.

EDITOR Dana C. Jones EMAIL opinion@thedailycougar.com ONLINE thedailycougar.com/opinion

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TERRORISM

College town protest shows racists' true intentions DANA C. JONES

OPINION EDITOR

@DANACJONES_

n August 11, 2017, white supremacist groups marched through Charlottesville, Virginia because of their disdain for the removal of Confederate General, Robert E. Lee’s statue. Charlottesville is also home to a prominent Virginia college, University of Virginia.This city served as the home ground for the latest KKK protest. Make no mistake,this protest was anything but peaceful. This was a riot. There were torches, handmade tear gas and violence. The demonstration came to violence upon meeting the counter protesters with handmade tear gas even before the lowest law enforcement came on the scene. However, when too many people of color, namely Black people, congregate together at a gas station, police arrive. A black person in the suburbs a Muslim on a plane or even Latinos driving always elicit a police officer because there’s a perceived threat or disturbance. Brown skin is feared not because of any omnipresent danger, but because white nationalists have to share a country that they never built, like they claim they did, and was never theirs to begin with. “I’m not surprised, just sad that so many people were injured,” said Uzo Njoku, studio art senior at the University of Virginia.

Who started it? CNN reports that James Alex Fields Jr. drove a car into a group of counter protesters killing one and injuring 19. The New York Times reports that there have been pictures of Fields with the Vanguard American, a white nationalist group, but they deny any affiliation with him. Fox News reports that a White House Spokesperson says that “he condemns all forms of violence, bigotry, and hatred. Of course, that includes white supremacists, KKK, Neo-Nazis and all (other) extremist groups.” In the actual speech regarding Charlottesville, Trump blames violence on “many sides.” In the recent increase of the predominantly Salvadoran gang, MS-13, Trump had no issue attesting the minority gang with their violence to the gang. There is no secret as to who started the riots in Charlottesville— they were white nationalists— but like recent outbreaks of hate driven violence he opted out of calling them by their names: terrorist. Even though the two instances are in the same vein of violence, taking an actual stand and stating the name of the terrorist organization, that is white supremacy, does not hold the same weight as condemning the umbrella of violence. Madison Tatum, psychology senior at the University of Virginia says “this was not only a result of me coming to a white

Some white natiionlists expressed their right to bear arms as they demontrated in Charlottesville on Sunday. | Courtesy of Alexis Gravely

Counter-protestors clash with white nationalists on the University of Virginia campus. Charlottesville resident Jason Kessler organized the protest. | Courtesy of UVA's Cavalier Daily News Editor, Alexis Gravely

school. This is a result of me living in white America.” When it comes to Black Lives Matter protests or any recent protests for oppressed groups there have been no fatalities from the protestors themselves. It has always started and had an intent for peace—that sometimes escalated to violence from the overreaction of law enforcement— and was never racially charged in the aspect of black superiority.

Campus safety What happened in Charlottesville had an intent for violence on the bases of white conservation and the fear of a white inferiority complex. A few days after, talks of a “White Lives Matter” protest is rumored to happen at Texas A&M. Both of these incidents are opening the floodgates of multiple protests that could lead to more danger and animosity for not only the social climate of the country, but more importantly, the students on these college campuses that white nationalists appear to be targeting. “I am more weary about returning to grounds. I have to be on alert at all times, now more than ever,” says Kahmarrie Robbins, English senior at the University of Virginia. Student safety is at stake. Colleges are marketed as the safest places, and now that is threatened. I don’t think something like this would happen at the liberal beacon that is the University of Houston, but we should use our widespread tolerance and

A counter-protester covers his nose to protect from tear gas. Some white nationalists brought homemade cannisters to the protest. | Courtesy of Alexis Gravely

acceptance to stand in solidarity with UVA. The Charlottesville protest was an effort to protect something a group of people hold dear. It should not be at the expense of compromising the students, their children’s, safety. “I don’t think I’m invincible, but I’ve always gone and done what I wanted in Charlottesville. I never felt unwelcome or threatened. I feel like now my town is a battle-

ground for a race riot. I guess I should get ready to explain this part of history to my grandkids,” said Tyler Carrington Kernodle, African American studies junior at the University of Virginia. Opinion editor Dana C. Jones is a print journalism junior and can be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com.

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MEDICINE

Groundbreaking autism research could be life-changing for patients DANA C. JONES

OPINION EDITOR

@DANACJONES_

veryone is aware of autism, a widespread condition that affects millions of children and their families. But within the context of other ailments such cancer or AIDS, the scope of its research and media coverage on the disorder is limited. However, researchers at Duke University have and are still making change. They have introduced a possible option to work toward a cure — or, at least, a treatment — for autism. In short, the procedure involves injecting umbilical stem cells through an IV into the autistic patient's blood and monitoring the patient's behavior afterward. After the initial tests, the data showed the blood to be helpful. The patients' parents and Duke researchers found behavioral improvements in 70 percent of the children, who were between the ages of 2 and 6. Parents' evaluations are important because behavior is subjective and parents are the only ones who truly understand the everyday

symptoms of autism. Even though the first trial was purely to test the procedure's safety, and researchers are now conducting a more thorough trial as the FDA monitors, optimism is still high among families, and it should be. Many are unaware that autism actually exists on a vast spectrum, hence its formal name: autism spectrum disorder. Some people have symptoms you can see: involuntary jerks or poor motor skills. Autism's effect on the mind is less discussed outside of the medical field, but it's the primary reason why children tease and bully their peers who have autism. Additionally, many believe a stigma that kids and adults with autism are less intelligent than their peers, which is far from the case. In reality, the disorder creates a hindrance to adequately keeping up with everyone else when it comes to retaining material. It is not correlated to anyone's actual level of intelligence. Some of the most intelligent people that I have met are autistic. Some think that we should focus less on finding a treatment for

autism and start accepting people as they are. Autism is not a disease, nor a virus, and a cure is not the mission. The goal is to help autistic patients live easier lives. A former high school friend of mine named Zach led the entire graduating class in the toughest subjects such as calculus, chemistry and physics. My 11 year old baby brother, who excels in reading and writing just like his brothers, makes some of the most interesting Minecraft architecture. I've seen both get frustrated with daily social tasks, and this treatment could ease the stresses they endure that the rest of us don't have to think about. Along with this increase in medicinal leaps towards autistic improvement, I hope social awareness increases too. For example, 1 in 68 children has some form of ASD. Boys have a higher risk, with 1 in 42 displaying a form of ASD. Boys are socialized to be aggressive, resist affection and less communicative than girls, and those traits often follow into adulthood. Many of these attributes are heightened but present in people with autism. With that high of a statistic, I

People with autism have hidden talents and qualities just like everyone else, despite their disorder. But new research that hints at treatment could change lives. | Katie Santana/The Cougar

doubt that every single person that has symptoms is actually diagnosed, nor necessarily should they be. Lastly, we should look at environment, not solely genetics, as a cause to see if there could be effective prevention strategies within households themselves. To further this study, Duke needs to promote and publicize these findings to reduce public doubt. Many parents get nervous at the thought of submitting their children

to experimental treatments, so Duke must show parents how their child will benefit emotionally and cognitively. The last step is put people with autism in positions where they can speak for themselves so they don't need me to write this column on their behalf. Opinion editor Dana C. Jones is a print journalism junior and can be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com.

WORLD

Venezuelan students need to make others understand our struggle Understanding nation's 'crumbling political climate' imperative for any multicultural campus

KARIN KELLER

ASSISTANT ARTS EDITOR @KARIN_KELLER

he United Socialist Party in Venezuela has been a ticking time-bomb since President Hugo Chávez took office in 1999. While promising prosperity, The United Socialist Party, with Chávez at its head, has only delivered poverty. Nicolás Maduro, Chávez’s successor and the current president of Venezuela, has done nothing to help the impoverished Venezuelan citizens trapped in the wake of an economic catastrophe— if anything he has created a deeper hole that Venezuelans will inevitably have to crawl out of. In recent months there have been riots in Venezuela almost daily at the nation's capitol, Caracas. The people are starving, there’s not enough electricity, and the crime rates are through the roof. In 2016 the Observatorio Venezolano de Violencia (OVV) estimated a homicide rate of

91.8 per 100,000 residents— that is over 18 times the rate in the United States. This means Venezuela has the second highest homicide rate not including countries currently at war. It has been reported that over 80 percent of cases involving resisting authorities resulted in death. Instead of protecting Venezuelan citizens, the government is seeking to control them and using lethal means against those who oppose the government. While many have been able to find refuge in other countries, there are millions who are suffering and fighting for a better life. Recently, Venezuela held a Constituent Assembly vote to elect a legislative body that will reform the constitution. Maduro’s party won with a sweep of every single seat in the new legislative body. Maduro claims that voter turnout for the election was 41 percent , however, the opposition along with many Venezuelan citizens argue that voter turnout

was closer to 12 percent. Even then, the odds of a complete sweep of the legislature are outlandish at best. Maduro’s actions simply work to reaffirm the evidence of corruption within the Venezuelan government. This is just a small fraction of what is happening in Venezuela; the injustices people face on a daily basis are ever present. Furthermore, it does not just affect those living in Venezuela but their families, friends, and expats living all over the world. Venezuela’s crumbling political climate and lack of economic stability are issues that affect United States citizens, residents and green card holders. The University of Houston itself has a Venezuelan Student Union, where students can come together in order to “promote the cultural values of Venezuela, while helping their members integrate and connect with their fellow countrymen and keeping a focus on academic excellence, supporting Venezuelan affairs and informing the Houston community on the current socio-

The humanitarian crisis in Venezuela affects nations all over the world, not just the citizens dealing with the daily consequences. | Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

economic situation in Venezuela.” For many of the students with family and friends in Venezuela, myself included, it can be an incredibly difficult situation. Knowing your loved ones are at danger when you can do little to help them from here is infuriating. The socio-economic climate in Venezuela is so rarely covered in mainstream media that few people understand what

is going on. That ends here. The University of Houston is one of the most diverse colleges in the nation, and as students, it is our duty to inform and educate others on our cultures. Assistant arts editor Karin Keller is an English and art history junior and can be reached at opinion@ thedailycougar.com.

Wednesday, August 16, 2017 | 5

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Dana C. Jones, EDITOR

STAFF EDITORIAL

Administration must oppose S.B. 4 by declaring itself a 'sanctuary campus'

ACROSS 1 Repulsive 6 Body pouch 9 Prefix with “violet” or “marine” 14 Maui veranda 15 “To ___ is human ...” 16 Banister’s end 17 Packing on the years 18 Aussie ratite 19 Take into one’s family 20 Some collectibles 23 Something to pick out 24 Common foil material 25 Assume to be 27 Like a love letter 32 Public speaker’s platform of yore 33 Traditional or Roth savings vehicle 34 “___ while they’re hot!” 36 Anti-flood embankments 39 Mimicking bird (var.) 41 Things at Six Flags 43 Fit for picking 44 Elevate 46 Automobile type 48 Teachers’ org. 49 Eggnog time 51 Wellmeaning one 53 Restaurant customer, at times 56 And so on (abbr.) 57 Animal’s gaping mouth 58 Eng or Chang, famously 64 Stay awhile 66 ___

constrictor 67 Break down grammatically 68 Oldies players 69 Measure, in music 70 Doddering 71 Thoroughly proficient 72 Accommodating place 73 Keep from happening DOWN 1 Rock genre for David Bowie 2 Hindu musical genre 3 Tending to a problem 4 Safe havens 5 Sounding wistful 6 Provide startup funds 7 Barcelona chair’s lack 8 Salad oil holder 9 Not on the guest list 10 Did a tour guide’s job .11 Poker pair 12 Copy, briefly 13 Make modifications to 21 Computer key 22 Another computer key 26 Qatar VIP 27 “The ___ of the Ancient Mariner” 28 African antelope 29 Couple for life, hopefully 30 “___ a far, far better thing ...” (Dickens) 31 Turned over, as property 35 “Love ___ (Beatles tune) 37 Sword with a bellshaped guard 38 Burn on

the outside 40 Tissue additive 42 Wise old heads 45 Minimally worded 47 Tablet 50 Hawaiian gift 52 Pump number 53 Nebraska metropolis 54 Fanatical 55 Jewish religious leader 59 Indicate agony 60 Make, as money 61 Habeas corpus, e.g. 62 “Cast Away” setting 63 Not once, poetically 65 Ballroom dancing move

Senate Bill 4 will allow police officers to question any detained person about their immigration status. | Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

n May 7, Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law Senate Bill 4 — a multifaceted, draconian measure set to take effect on Sept. 1. The controversy began in late January when Abbott engaged in a public standoff with Travis County Sheriff Sally Hernandez over her decision to comply with federal immigration requests only if suspects are accused of serious offenses like rape, murder or human trafficking. Abbott responded by withholding $1.5 million of funding from Travis County. Several weeks later, S.B. 4, known as the anti-“sanctuary cities” bill, grew harsher and harsher as it was amended in the Texas House and Senate. This piece of legislation is dangerous and reactionary, and the University of Houston should establish itself as a sanctuary campus to protect the estimated 1,000 undocumented immigrants who attend UH. The legislation originally aimed to cut state funding from any local and state institutions, including public universities, that fail to honor requests from Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to hold people suspected of improper immigration authorization. Then, it was amended to allow any department heads who don’t comply with ICE detainers to be criminally prosecuted. The final version does all this and goes one step further

—it allows local police officers to ask for the citizenship status of anyone they detain. The bill effectively deputizes local police as ICE agents and criminalizes any department heads who refuse to comply with detainers, which ICE itself said is voluntary. In light of S.B. 4 and President Donald Trump’s increased immigration raids, the stage is being set for statewide and nationwide battles over immigration. We ask UH to establish itself as a bastion of safety for its silent victims, becoming a protector for those who can’t protect themselves. What exactly would a sanctuary campus do? It would pledge to not allow ICE agents onto our campus unless required by a warrant; it would guarantee that students’ records won’t be released to ICE without a warrant, subpoena or court order; it would prevent the UH Police Department from enforcing ICE detainers; and it would offer scholarships, increased financial aid and confidential legal support to undocumented immigrants and recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. In doing so, UH would be the first university in the state to join a list of colleges across the nation that have adopted policies designating themselves as sanctuary campuses, including Trump’s alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania.

In other words, we would be the first Texas university that’s not afraid to tell Abbott that our undocumented students are valued members of the community. Most of us don’t have to worry about bringing identification with us everywhere we go, whether it be commuting to campus, late-night Whataburger runs or trips to the grocery store, in the event that we’re detained by police. Most of us don’t have to worry about our families being ripped apart by deportation raids. Most of us don’t face the possibility of being expelled from the country if we report to police that we’re victims of rape or assault. But an estimated 1,000 UH students do, according to Maria Trevino-Rodriguez, the president of UH’s chapter of the Youth Empowerment Alliance. UH should join the chorus of vocal opponents to S.B. 4, which include Texas’ four largest cities, religious groups, the American Civil Liberties Union and leaders of the state’s law enforcement community. Two top police figures — Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo and Texas Police Chiefs Association Director Joseph McLaughlin — warned that S.B. 4 will sow distrust of law enforcement among members of the community and “lead to the fear that they can’t seek assistance from police for fear of being subjected to an immigrant-status investigation.” This law will create more silent victims. Indeed, Acevedo reported that HPD saw a 43 percent decrease in the number of reported rapes from Hispanic people, even though the total number of reports increased by 8 percent among non-Hispanics. A UH spokesman told The Cougar in February that UH complies with all local, state and federal laws. But it is the moral duty of the administration not to let backwards policies create silent victims on campus. We must adopt sanctuary policies to protect our students now.

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Dana C. Jones, EDITOR

FOOTBALL

Annexing parking lot might not be best for students ANTHONY CIANCIULLI

STAFF WRITER

@TONYCIANCIULLI

ast year around this time, the University of Houston announced its plan to construct an indoor practice facility for the football team. The mammoth 108,750 sq. foot structure will be nestled beside TDECU Stadium. The building was proposed after one of UH’s most successful football seasons under former head coach Tom Herman. He pleaded with the University to build a facility strictly for football so the team wouldn’t have to share a building with other student athletes. The 22-year-old Athletics and Alumni Center, one of the only athletics facilities on campus, is shared by all sports, including the football team. Instead of focusing their attention and budget on the students, the University has made its priorities clear with the implementation of the indoor facility. “I get it, facilities cost money, and money doesn't grow on trees,” Herman said in Novem-

Right by TDECU Stadium, a new practice faciltiy for football is being constructed. | Thomas Dwyer/The Cougar

ber. “But if we want to continue this road that we are on, championship seasons, 9-, 10-, 11-win seasons year after year after year, you have to have good players. And in order to recruit good players you've got to have great facilities because guys want to know where they are going to spend the majority of their time and that they are going to be treated in a first-class way." The Board of Regents approved a $20 million budget for the structure, which is set to

finish construction by the start of the upcoming season, which kicks off on Sept. 2. The 120-yard turf field, located along Scott Street, takes the place of a parking lot formerly used by students and staff. Herman's demand, which lingered after he left UH, is also taking up valuable parking spots. And parking on campus has become a real issue as the number of attending students increases. Prioritizing football, especially in Texas, should come as no sur-

prise to UH students. Our state glamorizes the sport and constructs these enormous arenas for entertainment. Even high schools in Texas pay homage to the football gods by constructing massive stadiums that rival some colleges'. Not to mention the show "Friday Night Tykes," which highlights the Lone Star State's crazed fanaticism with football. The docu-series follows around kids as young as 8 participating in the violent game.

Only in Texas. The facility serves as a slap in the face to UH students who already pay ridiculous amounts on tuition, not to mention the absurd amount required for a “parking pass,” which often doesn’t guarantee a spot. Lots have become overcrowded and most fill completely by noon, leaving purchasers of the pass feeling scammed. Add to that other rising costs of attendance, such as tuition, meal plans and books, and overall, this practice field creates problems. Only a relative handful of student athletes will benefit from this facility, which displaces just as many, if not more, students who embark on a daily search to park. Until then, UH students can enjoy a view of the newly resurrected practice facility from Holman Street, as they drive from lot to lot looking for a parking spot. Sports staff writer Anthony Cianciulli is a broadcast journalism junior and can be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com.

PSYCHOLOGY

Seventy-year-old test has adapted to modern society

DANA C. JONES

OPINION EDITOR @DANACJONES_

In the 1940s, psychologists Kenneth and Mamie Clark created the “doll test” that has since been modernized — a psychological test for children based on their self-esteem. Children from different racial backgrounds are shown different colored dolls ranging from pale to dark skin. Questions are asked like “which one is smart,” “which one is bad,” “which one is ugly,” along with their reciprocals. Of all the questions, the dolls that were darker were associated with the negative answers and the lighter dolls with the positive. The last questions were which of the dolls looks most like that particular child. The black children perceived themselves in a negative light. Most parents aren’t teaching their children to hate themselves, and yet, they see themselves poorly. Not only is this shown from

black children, but their white peers as well. The test is over 70 years old, but this is still the current state in perception of race. The popular term “I don’t see color,” is both false and more sophisticated.

Modernized dolls An adult version of the doll test could be seen in New York City’s controversial stop and frisk practice back in 2011. Of the 23 percent of black population that makes up NYC, they account for 53 percent of stopping and frisking in 2011. In Brownsville, one of Brooklyn’s predominately black neighborhoods, 76 percent in 2015, had 93 out of 100 black residents have been stopped and frisked in 2009. From the 2015 black Brownsville population, over 65,000, that would mean over 61,000 residents have been stopped and frisked. Brock Turner raped an unconscious girl last year and received only six months of county jail because it’d have a “severe impact” on him. Cory

Batey, a black man also charged with rape, received 15 years in state prison. Blacks are incarcerated at more than five times the rate that whites are. This is in America where blacks only comprise 13 percent of the population. The prisons system shows how people are viewed on the largest scale, being judged in the justice system.

Representation matters When it comes to the self-esteem of black children, the current version of the doll test is through lack and miss-representation in the media and the desire of specific beauty standards that are not Afrocentric. Going back as far as films like D. W. Griffith’s "Birth of a Nation," black film archetypes like Jezebels and modern token black characters in media are the antagonists — they're portrayed as murderers or drug dealers. In the news media, there is a hyper-representation of black people being criminal and

Modern doll tests have changed alongside modern dolls, which are now mutli-ethnic. | Courtesy of Kahmarrie Robbins

extracting any type of innocence away from the story even if they are the victim. With the now infamous “super-predator” term, it has allowed for inter community negative perceptions. The doll test has shown how the world perceives each other and how that affects

one another, 70 years later and there has been no social progression no matter how post-racial we claim to be. Opinion editor Dana C. Jones is a print journalism junior and can be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com.

Wednesday, August 16, 2017 | 7

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Dana C. Jones, EDITOR

IDENTITY

East or west: Pakistani students' conflict

Balancing American culture with norms at home proves difficult for some

EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR IN CHIEF

students in Houston who suffer from dissociative identity disorder. It was almost strenuous being oblivious to this unfortunate syndrome. Those afflicted spoke in fake accents and indulged in alcohol when around Americans while falsely claiming it was haram, meaning forbidden, while in the company of their supposedly sacred Muslim brothers and sisters. Whether I came in contact with such people at the on-campus mosque for Friday Jummah prayers or at events for cultural organizations, I could tell that they were not completely comfortable in their own skin. Their lifestyle, habits, clothing, preferences, opinions and overall character vastly differed depending on who they were around. In the depths of it all, they did not know who they were. As someone who has held tightly onto her Pakistani Muslim identity and beliefs while simultaneously venturing into the American culture, their actions seemed purely hypocritical.

New personalities

Code switching, or changing behaviors and mannerisms when switching between groups, is too common among international students, Bukari writes. Instead, students stay true to their culture. | Courtesy of Maria Yaqoob

IQRAA BUKHARI COLUMNIST

“A

merica is big enough to accommodate all their dreams,” said the 44th President of the United States, and more importantly, the first African American to sit in office, Barack Hussein Obama. It is hard to determine what is more impressive: the impactful statement on diversity, or the person who delivered it: the most powerful symbol of what that statement preaches. Nonetheless, the American Dream has brought together cultures and races from all around the world, who have time and time again contributed to American society. I come from a similarly distant land. I first set foot in

Houston — my first glimpse at the United States — as an international student from Lahore, Pakistan, one year ago. Having been educated in a private international school, adjusting to

As it turned out, I was not the only one who felt this sentiment. Maria Yaqoob, an international student from Karachi, Pakistan, observed a similar double standard amongst Pakistani Muslims. Yaqoob, a human nutrition and foods sophomore, thought their identity confusion deterred them from constructing a vision of who they really are. “There is a lot of stuff happening due to peer pressure,"

“I feel that one should be open to changes and accept the ones that make one a better person as every culture has its own benefits and flaws." Maria Yaqoob, International student from Pakistan

the new environment was easy. In fact, I saw more similarities than differences between where I came from and where I was. However, I came across numerous Pakistani Muslim

Yaqoob said. "People try to modify their personalities just to fit in. It makes me feel quite surprised and uncomfortable." Her first interaction with Pakistani Muslims, many of

whom were Americans, was during her first week in Houston, at new student orientation. She said certain people were confused about whether they truly belonged to the West or the East and did certain things just for the sake of blending in with the Western crowd. “I feel most of the people I met faced this problem more or less," Yaqoob said. "Their background does affect it, but the changes between the two societies are so massive that it's almost impossible to not get confused and form an unordinary personality which doesn't completely fit in either boxes of the two cultures.” She elaborated that the solution for those who face this dilemma would be to accept the American culture while staying true to their individuality. Yaqoob said they should adopt the changes that their original, moral values collaborate with.

Visibility at school Yaqoob said the UH community did try to bridge the gap between the two cultures, but more promotion of Pakistani culture would make Pakistani Muslims feel more confident. Moreover, students themselves need to feel proud of where they come from. “There are still Pakistani people who are rigid in their beliefs and do not let any change reach close to them," Yaqoob said. "Again, I feel that one should be open to changes and accept the ones that make one a better person as every culture has its own benefits and flaws.” Despite the recent tarnishes on the face of American hospitality, the land of the melting pot has taken into its arms those who had the audacity to believe in the American Dream. Such is the warmth of the land; it does not ask its inhabitants to change their culture, religion, thoughts and opinions. It simply embraces them, the way they are regardless of their age, gender, ethnicity, caste or creed. It is about time Pakistanis coming from overseas embraced themselves as well. Columnist Iqraa Bukhar is a print journalism sopjomore and can be reached at opinion@ thedailycougar.com.

Emily Burleson MANAGING EDITOR

Jasmine Davis

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

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COOGLIFE EDITOR

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PHOTO EDITOR

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Frank Campos

STAFF EDITORIAL The Staff Editorial reflects the opinions of The Cougar Editorial Board (the members of which are listed above the editorial). All other opinions, commentaries and cartoons reflect only the opinion of the author. Opinions expressed in The Cougar do not necessarily reflect those of the University of Houston or the students as a whole.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Cougar welcomes letters to the editor from any member of the UH community. Letters should be no more than 250 words and signed, including the author’s full name, phone number or e-mail address and affiliation with the University, including classification and major. Anonymous letters will not be published. Deliver letters to N221, University Center; e-mail them to letters@thedailycougar.com; send them via campus mail to STP 4015; or fax to (713) 743-5384. Letters are subject to editing.

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The Gite Gallery is now featuring Afro-Cuban art, an effort to further define its niche in dealing art. | Courtesy of Fred Goodall

CULTURE

Black business brings beauty into the city DANA C. JONES

OPINION EDITOR

@DANACJONES_

ugust is Black Business Awareness Month, created by John William Templeton and Frederick E. Jordan, to shine light on notable businesses. Businesses that are local to the community do more than just sell goods and services. They instill pride that goes back to the cultural root of an entire community— in this case— the black community. Lloyd Gite, owner and curator of the Gite Gallery, does that with his African and AfroCuban art. Located on Alabama Street, in the Third Ward’s Black art hub, he connects the people of the city back to their roots. “I wanted to be in this particular neighborhood because I actually grew up in parts of Third Ward,” Gite says. He has his gallery in a house. Primarily made of brick with red accents on the columns and door of the patio enclosed by a black gate, the house stands out just from the curve appeal. When you walk in the house you’re invited not only by the art that fills the walls but also meticulous color that changes in every room. “I wanted a house to showcase art. I didn’t want a place where all the walls were white like a traditional gallery, because we as Black people love color. And I wanted

to showcase what people’s house could look like with art on walls that also have color,” said Gite. The decision to put his gallery in a house was a psychological one. He says that galleries have a feeling of “isolation” opposed to the feeling of welcome brought on by the homeliness of his gallery. Gite himself is a former reporter who has visited Sub-Saharan African countries. His first trip to Africa was to West Africa in 1976 after he finished his undergrad. Going to Africa he “fell in love” with the art and started buying pieces. After a while, his friends began to ask him to bring back art from his travels which started his interest in creating an art gallery. “I would bring (art) back and sell it to friends of mine and it got to a point where I was paying for all of my trips and making money. When I got ready to transition from my television job, after 25 years, I got on a plane to West Africa and never turned back,” says Gite. A year ago, he expanded his art to another part of the Black diaspora and introduced Afro-Cuban art. “The Black influence in Cuba is very prominent in terms of culture arts fashion and food,” says Gite. He touches on the historical context of how African influence reached Cuba. Africans were shipped to Cuba to work in the sugarcane fields.

From that, the cultures blended and became a part of the diaspora. With the addition of Afro-Cuban art, it opened the opportunity for a new lesson on culture and history. The idea of an African art gallery came from an organic place. “I didn’t start off thinking about an art gallery. I simply went there because I love the culture and I love the people and I love the

Lloyd Gite started his gallery after visting West Africa. | Courtesy of Fred Goodall

They do things to the body and the mind, and in that sense, it gives you energy,” Gite says. With being a local Black business in a black neighborhood, giving back and helping your community is not only important but it is also an obligation. Gite gives back to the community on a spectrum. On the smaller end, he adds beauty to the neighborhood. The actual home has stunning landscaping that draws the eye. “In our neighborhood, there needs

“When you buy art from here, you are also helping someone in Africa. If I was not there to buy their works they would probably go without, basic necessities that we don’t go without. We shouldn’t underestimate what this does for a family in Africa,.” Lloyd Gite, Art Dealer and Curator

country. The art gallery came 20 plus years later in the late ‘90s,” says Gite. On his website, there’s a quote that says, “A few pieces of African art in your home or office can really change the energy of a room.” He references an Afro-Cuban piece that uses bold colors to convey a specific emotion. “It’s been proven that color affects us.

to be more beauty,” Gite says. He also gives directly to the community by donating art. At Emancipation park, there is a multicultural center where Gite donated two pieces of art valued at 10,000 dollars. Other Black organizations come to his business for auction items for their charity causes. On the other end, the most

important way he gives back is through his work with the youth. Third Ward has impoverished areas where the kids do not get exposure to things that seem miniscule to people who were afforded opportunities to fine art that are not available to every neighborhood. “We have African American kids who have never been in an art gallery before. As a child, I never went to an art gallery and I think so many African American children are not exposed to that,” says Gite. This is important because it opens Black kids’ eyes to what is possible and available to them not only outside of their realm of existence but also showing them the artistic opportunity is right in their backyard. With Black business, preservation is important. The preservation of culture customs and way of life, are all imperative in making sure the culture that keeps Black people together can last. “When you buy art from here, you are also helping someone in Africa. If I was not there to buy their works they would probably go without, basic necessities that we don’t go without. We shouldn’t underestimate what this does for a family in Africa,” Gite said. Opinion editor Dana C. Jones is a print journalism junior and can be reached at opinion@thedailycougar. com.

SPORTS

EDITOR Frank Campos EMAIL sports@thedailycougar.com ONLINE thedailycougar.com/sports

FOOTBALL PG 2

Major decision Applewhite has three viable choices for quarterback: senior leader Kyle Postma, versatile sophomore D'Eriq King and A&M transfer Kyle Allen.

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Frank Campos, EDITOR

Greg Ward Jr. was a major part of the team both on and off the field. Now that he is in the NFL, the Cougars have a big hole to fill in their offense and they still havent chosen a quarterback. | File photo/The Cougar

FOOTBALL

Cougars' hunt for new quarterback still active REAGAN EARNST

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR @REAGANEARNST

Former Cougar quarterback Greg Ward Jr. electrified crowds across the country in his four seasons at the University of Houston. Filling his shoes is proving to be no easy task. Now more than two weeks into fall camp, head coach Major Applewhite remains patient in deciding who will line up under center when the Cougars take on the University of Texas at San Antonio Roadrunners on Sept. 2. “We got good players at that quarterback position right now,” Applewhite said. The first-year head coach has a tough decision ahead.

No one like Ward Between the likes of Texas A&M transfer quarterback Kyle Allen or returning lettermen D’Eriq King and Kyle Postma, it would be difficult for Applewhite to make a wrong decision. Although Allen enters the fold as the odds-on favorite to take the job, King and Postma have made their case to be placed with the first-team offense. Like Ward, all three offer a dual-threat attack at the quarterback position, but it’s the former quarterback’s leader-

ship abilities that will prove hard to match. “(Ward) raised the level of players around him. You can say that’s what all great players do, but it was just something about each and every day the way he approached the game, the training room and the weight room,” Applewhite said. “Whatever the coaches say, whether it’s the head coach, quarterback coach or the offensive coordinator, he responds. That’s the type of leadership that he had for our offense. That’s what we want to have at our quarterback position now."

Next man up Allen was highly touted out of high school before committing to attend Texas A&M. The Arizona native appeared in 20 games for the Aggies, where he threw 33 touchdowns to just seven interceptions in one of the best defensive conferences in the nation. Using his 6-foot-3 and 210pound frame to his advantage, Allen specialized in short yardage situations in his freshman and sophomore seasons. He found the end zone three times via the run while in College Station and accumulated 146 rushing yards, albeit

while averaging just 1.6 yards per carry. The junior redshirted last year due to NCAA transfer rules, but spent the whole season on the team learning the system. Allen’s skill set can allow the Cougar coaching staff to take risks with downfield passes that can open the run game for either himself or his tailbacks. Having been on the sidelines for over a year, Allen dodged the wear-and-tear that King and Postma experienced in 2016. King’s season was cut short before the team’s bowl game after a weight-lifting mishap while Postma suffered a year-ending broken collarbone after just four games. Regardless, the pair are ready for action. Offensive coordinator Brian Johnson acknowledged last season's injuries during Houston's media day on July 30, calling it a "unique situation." “This will be our first chance to really get a look at those guys when they are fully healthy and ready to go," Johnson said. "It should be an interesting battle. All those guys are unique with their skill sets and talent levels. We’ll find ways to put them in positions to be successful.”

Postma became a fan favorite when he filled in valiantly for Ward against the Memphis Tigers on Nov. 14, 2015. When Ward went down with a tweaked ankle in the second quarter, Postma led a 20-point fourth quarter that was sealed with his seven-yard touchdown run in the waning minutes of regulation. The then-sophomore accounted for 285 yards of offense and two touchdowns in the 35-34 victory over the 25th ranked Tigers. Overall, the Katy native has proven his tenacity in relief of Ward over the last two seasons. The 6-foot-3 senior finds success with short to mid-range passes while also offering a constant threat on the ground.

Young hopeful Like Postma, King can use his feet to make big plays. The former ESPN 300 recruit dominated defenses in high school before joining the Cougars. Although highly-touted as a quarterback, scouts recognized his ability to play a multitude of positions and thus ranked him among the top athletes in the country. King elected to switch to wide receiver during Ward’s senior season. As a freshman, he proved his

dynamic play-making ability by recording a passing, rushing and kick return touchdown against the Texas State Bobcats on Sept. 24, 2016. King finished the season averaging 25.4 yards per kick return. With Ward now in the NFL, King is trying to return to his former position. Even if he is unable to earn the starting position, Applewhite noted on media day that he expects to use the sophomore in a multitude of ways. “There is also a bit of a balancing act with D’Eriq being the whole package,” Applewhite said. “He’s going to play quarterback, regardless if he’s starting or not. He also has to play at the wide receiver spot. We want to utilize a good athlete like that.” No matter who is named the starter, football will be in a good position to once again be among the NCAA’s top offenses. Even with their diverse skill sets, Applewhite said that it will be intangibles that decide who wins the starting position. “Toughness and competitiveness: To me, that supersedes the on-thefield tangible attributes, because that really is what your offense and team holds onto in a quarterback.” sports@thedailycougar.com

Wednesday, August 16, 2017

If you are hungry… If you seek quiet… If you seek solace… If you want to meditate… If you want to reflect… If you are at a crossroad… If you want to discover… If you are questioning… If you want to celebrate…

WE ARE HERE

Campus Ministries Association and the A.D. BRUCE RELIGION CENTER www.uh.edu/adbruce

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VOLLEYBALL

Team eyes comeback with new season ANTHONY CIANCIULLI

SPORTS REPORTER

@ TONYCIANCIULLI

The University of Houston women’s volleyball team looks to come back from a forgettable 2016 campaign where the club lost all 20 of their conference matchups. The team looked to be in disarray during the tumultuous season as they fell further and further out of contention. Houston was unable to stay healthy long enough to gain traction as they limped into the spring with a miserable 5-26 record. It wasn’t until the offseason that the team began to turn things around. In a trifecta of spring tournaments, the team dominated and managed to win all but one game. It was a significant improvement that displayed the perseverance and mental toughness of head coach Kaddie Platt’s squad. “We don’t want to be the way we were last year,” senior outside hitter Brianna Lynch said. “We want to grow as a team and individually. I think it’s important that we take what happened last year and just keep moving forward.”

During the offseason coaches are not allowed to hold practices of any sort, leaving it up to the players to improve themselves. The Cougars used this time to their advantage by holding player-organized open gyms and working out as a team. It allowed them to develop relationships off the court, too. “We always hang out with each other outside of volleyball,” Lynch said. “Whether it’s lunch, dinner or hanging out in someone’s room, we’re always trying to spend time with each other outside of Alumni.” Supporting each other during their darkest hour shows a team using the experience as a learning curve instead of a deterrent — a team at peace with the past. “I think last year, although the record didn’t show it, these girls worked their tails off the whole time,” Platt said. “We never lost focus no matter what the score said. The girls came in through summer and spring and were like, 'We have something to prove.'” With a plethora of new additions to the roster and two new coaches, the Cougars have placed themselves in position to flip the

The volleyball team may have not shown a lot in their record last season, but they are ready for a comeback this season. Houston was unable to stay healthy and ended with a miserable 5-26 record. | Courtesy of UH Athletics

narrative. Among the three recruits picked up this summer, two have been attending the University already. Freshmen setter Abby Irvine and outside hitter Gabby Zelaya both graduated high school early to join the Cougars. The extra semester will help them adapt to Platt’s system as well as the speed of the college game. The Cougars face stout talent throughout their division schedule, highlighted by nationally ranked SMU, which claimed the AAC Championship last year. The

school now ranks No. 25 in the nation based on RPI projections. The Cougars will have their chance at redemption on Aug. 25 where they will attend the UTA Invitational to kick off the season. Houston’s first game is a matchup with McNeese, a team the Cougars have fared well against in the past. The last five encounters between them have resulted in UH victories. After starting the season on the road, Houston will come home Sep. 8 to hold the 8th annual Flo Hyman Collegiate Cup. The

Cougars will open their doors to McNeese, Mississippi State and Stetson University during the two day tournament. The home debut is scheduled to take place Sep. 8 against Stetson. The Cougars' regular season will end in Louisiana, where they will take on Tulane. Playoffs will be held a week after the Cougars' last game. If Houston attends the NCAA Tournament, it will be their first appearance in some decades. sports@thedailycougar.com

GOLF

Returning star Perras may lead team back to championship REAGAN EARNST

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR @REAGANEARNST

The men’s golf team will soon to be in full swing this fall. With multiple returning lettermen, the squad looks poised to build upon its impressive track record. Coming off of a third place finish in the American Athletic Conference a year ago, Director of Golf Jonathan Dismuke believes that day-to-day focus will reap great results. “My main goal every year is for us to be better each and every week,” Dismuke said. “No matter where you start the year, if you can incrementally continue to improve then you will finish the year off better, and that’s how we want to end the year.” Golf is one of the most storied programs at UH, with 16 NCAA Championships to its name. Although the Cougars have not hoisted the trophy since 1985, their mark is greater than any other school in history.

Michael Perras is set to lead the men's golf team this fall after a stellar performance last year. They start their season in October and will try to continue their success from the last few years. | Courtesy of UH Athletics

The team features a roster that has a balance of newcomers and veterans. To reach its goals, the team will need to come together in order to fight expected complacency. “We are more invested in where we are going than where we have been,” Dismuke said.

“It’s a tough process because you have a little bit of success here and there, and that breeds a little bit of complacency. You can’t just take breaks because you have accomplished something.” Houston will return threetime letter winner in senior

Michael Perras. The Deer Park native earned a first place finish at the AAC Championships last year, but there’s reason to believe the new season could bring even more success. Perras paced the men’s team with an impressive average of just 71.63 shots per round.

Despite his remarkable season stats and accomplishments, he fell short at the end of the season. Perras was unable to advance past the Stanford Regional, where he finished in a tie for 41st. Even with star power on the roster, Dismuke attempts to keep his expectations reasonable. “I try not to have too many expectations about who is going to do what, but I am very excited about both programs,” Dismuke said. “They are both strong programs and they have a good support crew in place and good leadership from the top down, so I am excited for what the next season has in store for us.” The men’s team will tee off the 2017-2018 season Oct. 1 when they travel to Valentine, Nebraska for The Jackrabbit from the Prairie Club. sports@thedailycougar.com

Wednesday, August 16, 2017

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SPORTS

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Frank CamposEDITOR

Steven Dunbar started his career in 2014 as a true freshman with minimal playing time on the field. Now a senior leader, he looks to fly high both on and off the field. | File Photo/The Cougar

PROFILE

Wide receiver Dunbar ready to show how high he can fly FRANK CAMPOS

SPORTS EDITOR @FRANKCAMPOSJ

Senior wide receiver Steven Dunbar has been getting better statistically every year since he first came on the scene in 2014. Now a senior, he is set up for a breakout season after posting his best numbers in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns under Greg Ward Jr.’s dynamic offense last year. With his eyes on a thousand-yard season, Dunbar has shown signs of growing up both on and off the field as a leader and in his academics.

Earning his role Dunbar finally used his 6-foot-3 and 202-pound frame to good use last year after catching just 286 yards in 2014 and 382 yards in 2015. Despite being the third option in the offense last year Dunbar came up big with 53 receptions for 692 yards and five touchdowns. Newly promoted wide receiver coach Kenny Guiton has noticed Dunbar’s growth and expects big things out of the wide receiver. “In (my) past two years as a graduate assistant, Steven has kind of always been the guy to

lead by example,” Guiton said. “Now it’s starting to coming out vocally. He knows he has earned it and is the guy who has to lead in the locker room.” In July, Dunbar made it to the preseason watch list for the Wuerffel Trophy, which is awarded to the player who best combines community service with athletic and academic achievement. “He is an all-around guy both on and off the field,” Guiton said. Dunbar also mentors freshman wide receiver Jeremy Singleton as part of a big brother program implemented by Houston coaches, Guiton said. The big brother program is designed to help younger players succeed both on and off the field. “We are getting better and coming together as a team,” Dunbar said. “We have been building that cohesiveness, working hard and just grinding every day.” Houston will return with four out of five of their top pass catchers next year. This group includes leading receiver Linell Bonner, who pulled in 98 receptions for 1,118 yards and three touchdowns. Although the team looks to

retain some of their starters from last year, there are many leadership roles left vacant. Dunbar considers himself a quiet guy who isn’t used to being the vocal leader in the locker room, but he knows this is the year he has to step up. “I feel like I am stepping into a leadership role well even though it is out of my personality to be so vocal,” said Dunbar. “I’m learning to be more confident in myself, to push my teammates to do some of the things I do and get the best out of my group.” Dunbar is the second leading receiver returning from last year. He will look to help replace the loss of Chance Allen, who had 56 receptions for 815 yards and six touchdowns.

Something to prove Dunbar believes above everything else his first role on the team is to be a leader to not just the wide receiver corps but the entire offense. With the loss of Greg Ward Jr., the offense has a huge hole to fill in its passing and running game. Two weeks into camp the question of who will be behind center is still a mystery, but Dunbar said he is not phased because he believes he needs to create his

own success. “I have a lot to prove this semester,” Dunbar said. “I don’t feel like I have showcased by full potential, and this year I really want to show the country who I am and that I can compete with the best of the them, and I can be the best.” Dunbar showed up big against Oklahoma last year in the opening game of the season, posting seven receptions for 125 yards which led all receivers. This helped propel the offense to a 33-23 victory over the heavily-favored Sooners and set the tone for the rest of the season. Despite flying high as one of the premier weapons in an upcoming team, Dunbar still remembers where he came from and uses that motivation to push him to be better.

Focusing on what's important The Metairie, Lousiana native grew up wanting to play sports since he was young. He admired many of the athletes he would see at his local high school and was determined to make his dreams come true. “I remember what it was like as a kid looking around me and

seeing athletes and wondering how they did it,” Dunbar said. “Now I can show young kids in the community it is possible, I am human and they can achieve anything they want to if they just work hard.” There have been many moments in Dunbar’s career that have humbled him. His service in the community has been one of the biggest proponents of keeping him grounded and he still sometimes sees himself through the eyes of the kids he mentors, Dunbar said. Dunbar is ready to face the challenges of the year ahead. Despite having so much to balance, he credits his mother with teaching him how to remain focused. “My mom instilled a lot of these principles in me when I was younger,” Dunbar said. “She always told me to take care of business and stay ahead. Focus on one thing at a time. When I am on the football field — worry about football, when I am in the classroom — worry about class. I just need to stay focused and not let anything get in the way.” sports@thedailycougar.com

6 | Wednesday, August 16, 2017

SPORTS 713-743-5303

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Frank Campos, EDITOR

SEASON

Sports staff predicts Applewhite's ability, offense strength ANTHONY CIANCIULLI REAGAN EARNST , PETER SCAMARDO Football is facing new challenges this year. A new head coach, scheme and players fighting for a roster spot will certainly add to the dynamic of this upcoming season. Despite a new look, the team is still coming off of a 9-3 record and look to have an easier schedule than last year. The sports section discusses how they think the team will do this season and moving forward.

Reagan Earnst, assistant sports editor

UH faces some challenges ahead this season. Key matchups include games against the University of South Florida, and Memphis. | Thom Dwyer/The Cougar

Predicting how the Cougars will fare in 2017 is no easy task. Between having a new head coach and quarterback, there are a ton of question marks on the offensive side of the ball. We haven’t seen what a solely Major Applewhite-run offense looks like before, although I don’t anticipate it to vary too much from Tom Herman’s offense of the last two seasons. For the first time in recent history, the team has a quarterback battle sure to produce a formidable starter come September. Whether it be Texas A&M transfer Kyle Allen or the dynamic D’Eriq King, the quarterback position will be in good hands to begin the post-Greg

Ward Jr. era. With what will likely be five returning starters on the offensive line, whoever wins the quarterback job will be in a great position to succeed. Where the team doesn’t get enough credit is on the defensive side of the ball. In 2017, the Cougars are returning eight starters and seven seniors who are poised to see significant playing time. Sophomore defensive lineman Ed Oliver’s play speaks for itself, and barring injury, he will be one of the nation’s top defensive players. In addition to Oliver, senior linebackers Matt Adams and D’Juan Hines provide expe-

rience in the middle of the field. All in all, if the team can stay healthy, I believe they will escape the season with a 9-3 record.

Anthony Cianciulli, football beat reporter The Cougars should have no trouble adapting to Applewhite’s offensive scheme, which will probably operate similarly to last year's. The team is essentially the same with a plethora of returning starters on both sides of the ball, including “The Truth,” aka Ed Oliver. The secondary will need to improve along with the run game to make this team a legitimate con-

tender for the conference title. Kyle Allen will provide the Cougars with their first traditional quarterback since the gun-slinging days of Case Keenum. That's not to take anything away from D’Eriq King, who Applewhite already said was going to receive snaps at the quarterback position, regardless of depth. He is a talented athlete with loads of potential, and it would be a waste to leave him on the sideline. With a cupcake schedule and only one ranked preseason opponent, the Cougars have only themselves standing in the way of a potential double-digit win season. This might seem like a whimsical prediction, but it could happen if they continue to dominate at home. UH’s record at TDECU Stadium is practically unblemished, and they currently hold a 14-game win streak at home. Their toughest opponents of the season, which include Tech, SMU and Navy, are all home games. Unless other teams within the conference improved dramatically over the offseason, I see Houston emerging as AAC Champions under first-year head coach Applewhite. Now that’s what you call a hot take.

Peter Scamardo, assistant

sports editor As the resident skeptic, I have every faith Major Applewhite will be a good coach for the Cougars. Despite his unimposing nature in interviews, many former coaches have spoken in favor of Applewhite and his abilities as a coach. The problem for the Cougars lies in the rest of the conference. USF was a solid team last year and has only improved with the arrival of Charlie Strong and retention of quarterback Quentin Flowers. Navy’s triple option offense will continue to trouble the entire conference. Plus, Memphis will continue to be a menace to the Cougars' season as they have the last two years. And although the defense will continue to be strong with Ed Oliver, the offense will have its problems. Don’t expect Kyle Allen to be the savior at quarterback. As someone who followed his career at Texas A&M closely, he has the talent to dominate smaller opponents but risks the chance of cowering in the big games. A part of Allen’s fall may have been due to the Manziel-era culture, but simply put, he was an athlete who could not win the big games and lost his job to a true freshman. sports@thedailycougar.com

FRESH START

New coach to propel soccer to uncharted territories PETER SCAMARDO

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR @PLSCAMARDO2

The Cougar soccer team finished the 2016-17 with a record of 6-7-3. This was their best record in five years but firmly in the bottom half of the American Athletic Conference. But this offseason was highlighted by the hiring of Diego Bocanegra as the women's new head coach. Bocanegra comes to the team having spent the last three years as an assistant at Notre Dame. While at Notre Dame the Fighting Irish won the 2016 ACC regular season title and qualified for the NCAA tournament all three years. "Notre Dame really showed me what a top 5, top 10 program looks like," Bocanegra said. "From the personnel to the training habits, technology, travel, all the little

details I now know what it looks like to be a top program in the country. An ACC champion in the hardest conference in women's soccer." Bocanegra's immediate impact on the team has been to do away with the complacency. To not settle for what the team has accomplished in the past. This change in attitude from what the team has experienced has resulted in the entire roster buying in. Junior defender Haley Hubbard led the team in minutes last season. She saw first hand the areas the team needs to improve in and the efforts Bocanegra has done towards bettering the squad. "Unity and getting to know each better other on and off the field," Hubbard said. "We've been here for a month so I think that us being together really separates us from any other team."

The soccer team looks to turn things around this semester with a new head coach and a new attitude | Courtesy of UH Athletics

At the moment Bocanegra does not see any one player becoming the sole figure that the team relies on. Instead he sees the strength lying in the whole group. Any given day someone on the team has the capabilities to step up and get the job done. Senior midfielder Vanessa Almaguer led the Cougars in games

played last season. She saw that while the defensive structure was strong the team lacked the offensive consistency to rival the better teams in the conference. Almaguer saw that while the season was sprinkled with moments of individual brilliance there simply was not enough goalscorers on the squad.

"We have great talent on our team, we have great individual talent," Almaguer said. "The last bit is putting the individual talent together and being the best team we can be because I know we're good enough to make conference and win conference." Bocanegra is not setting any goals for the team in terms of wins. His goal is getting his athletes to focus in on the process and taking the season one game at a time. Bocanegra believes as the season rolls along the wins will come as long as they stay focused. But the Cougars expect to be in the conference tournament and playing for a title. "I know we're good enough and I know the coaching staff is incredible," Almaguer said. "So when you put those two together it has to be a championship win. sports@thedailycougar.com

Wednesday, August 16, 2017

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Fall 2017

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SPORTS thedailycougar.com/sports

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Frank Campos, EDITOR

TRACK

CHANGES

Athletics facilities continue construction over summer FRANK CAMPOS

Baseball clubhouse

SPORTS EDITOR @FRANKCAMPOSJ

Fall semester is fast approaching, and students will soon swarm campus after a relatively quiet summer. One part of UH that stayed alive during the summer, and looks to continue for some time, is construction on the Athletics Department's new and updated facilities throughout campus. TDECU Stadium is getting a few updates, while the Hofheinz Pavilion on its way to transforming into the Fertitta Center. New structures include the new state-of-the-art football practice facility as well as a new two story baseball clubhouse.

Without a completed indoor practice field, the team has used the Texans' bubble facility due to weather a few times already early in training camp. Once the facility is complete, the team will have protection from lighting and thunderstorms and not have to waste time and money traveling to another facility, Bassity said.

The football and basketball teams are not the only ones getting an upgrade this offseason. Baseball will be getting a twostory clubhouse that is meant to maximize the potential of each player, Bassity said. “The Player Development Center and Clubhouse will provide the student athletes with a comfortable working environment,” Bassity said. Bassity said weather delays have shifted the schedule for the clubhouse's construction, and he could not estimate a completion date. The 20,645 feet clubhouse will be adjacent to Cougar Field down the third base line. Amenities include new locker rooms, a training room, a video area and an observation deck. “The new Player Development Center and Clubhouse has been a long-term goal for my staff since we arrived in 2010,” said baseball head coach Todd Whitting. “Once this project is completed, it will conclude the master plan for our facility.” Although these projects are big in scope, there are still plans to continue renovations anywhere necessary to accomodate

Updates to TDECU Stadium The stadium is getting a few new bells and whistles as part of its attempt to accommodate the growing fan base and student body. New work includes 360degree ribbon boards on the façade of the second level with two new field level LED boards. Two sections of seating within the stadium, sections 128 and 130, are switching from bleacher seats to chair-back seating, too, according to Athletics spokesman David Bassity. “We are also improving and expanding our closed captioning system for our hearing-impaired fans,” Bassity said. All work on the stadium will be completed before the football team's first home game against Rice on Sept. 16.

Football practice facility Work on this practice facility started in December. It will be completed during the first half of the football season this fall, if weather permits. Student athletes can expect a full-size synthetic field along with an area on the east side for additional workout space.

Fertitta Center After a $20 million donation and a lot of behind-the-scenes negotiations, the plans for the Fertitta Center are now well underway. The interior will be completely renovated. The low ceiling will be removed, seating will be switched to a bowl style and there will be an addition of two large club areas with VIP amenities. Renovations will also include a new audio system, sports lighting and video boards as well as new concession stands and expanded restrooms. The facility's exterior will also be refreshed. "This is going to be a happening place on our campus again," said Tilman Fertitta, the facility's namesake and chair of the UH System Board of Regents.

student athletes from any sport in athletics. "We are constantly evaluating our facilities master plan to provide competitive resources for our student-athletes and the best game day experience for UH fans," Bassity said. "As the items that affect those two audiences are determined, and proper private funding is secured by Athletics, we will continue to execute our facilities master plan."

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF UH ATHLETICS sports@thedailycougar.com

Cougar sprinter faced world's fastest in London PETER SCAMARDO

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR @PLSCAMARDO2

Track & field took its first step toward reentering international prominence on Aug. 4: the opening day of the 2017 IAAF World Championships. That's when junior Mario Burke, Barbados' top sprinter, competed in the competition's opening event. He placed second and advanced to the 100m quarterfinals, where his individual run ended at the world's premier track and field tournament — bar only the Olympics. Burke, the only Cougar to attend the event, earned his trip to London by winning the Barbados National Championships with a PR 10.12s. For Burke, this marked the first time he would represent Barbados at the senior level. Senior sprinter Eli Hall-Thompson had qualified in the 200m to represent the United States by running 20.60s at the U.S.'s national championships, taking third in the event. Hall-Thompson holds the UH record in the 200m. However, he decided to skip London to avoid aggravating a lingering injury he suffered during the outdoor season. Ultimately Hall-Thompson wanted to ensure his health for his final season of eligibility with the Cougars, according to a news release. This left Burke as the sole athlete for the Cougars competing at the World Championships. Standing in the same stadium that hosted the Olympics five years ago, Burke had to watch the first two heats before getting to stretch his own legs. But when he got to run, Burke seized his opportunity. Burke ran 10.22s to qualify for the 100m quarterfinals, the third-fastest preliminary time overall. His time was second only to Jan Volko of Slovakia, who ran a national record 10.15s to win the heat. Originally, Burke was scheduled to race against Canadian champion and Olympic silver medalist Andre De Grasse. However, the day of the championships, De Grasse pulled out with an injury. Regardless, in the quarterfinals, Burke's competition ended as he placed sixth in his heat with a run of 10.42s: two-tenths of a second away from qualifying for the semifinals. Even though Burke's individual run came to an end, his time at the championships was not over yet. On Saturday, Burke donned the blue and gold of Barbados again to compete in the men's 4x100m relay.

Mario Burke faced tough competition in London. | File Photo/The Cougar

Burke helped the Barbados relay team qualify for Worlds at the IAAF World Relays in April, where he ran the first leg on the team that finished second to the United States. Two Cougars who competed against Burke at the April relay and qualified for London weren't selected to run in the World Championships. Graduate sprinter LeShon Collins ran for Team USA, and sophomore sprinter Brianne Bethel ran for the Bahamas women's relay team at the contest. Both helped their teams finish in the top eight, qualifying them for Worlds. Collins even left the Relays with a gold medal. But at the World Championships, Burke was the only one of the three to run for his country. However, Barbados was unable to match their silver medal performance from the World Relays. Even with Burke running the final, or anchor, leg, the relay team only managed to run 39.19s, a dead-last finish. Regardless, Burke's presence on the world stage may carry him into success during his junior year. Assistant coach Carl Lewis said just after the April relays that the coaching team hopes to create a space at Houston where athletes' success can carry into the national stage. Burke is just the first of many, in his coaches' eyes. Now the track & field's team focus turns to the 29th Summer Universiade in Taipei from Aug. 19-30. Twenty-two Cougars will represent the USA Team there and compete against teammates like Burke who represent their respective nations sports@thedailycougar.com

A special section of The Cougar

A.D Bruce Religion Center

Interfaith Week Program February 13-17

www.uh.edu/adbruce

/UHADBruce

2 | Wednesday, August 16, 2017

FAITH 713-743-5314

thedailycougar.com/special-section

editor@thedailycougar.com

Peter Scamardo, EDITOR

EDITOR'S NOTE

The Importance of questioning than following PETER SCAMARDO

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR @PLSCAMARDO2

As a Catholic my parents were very keen on our Sunday’s being spent at church. At the time I didn’t question it, I would just sit in the pews, sing the songs, say the words and wait for communion to be served. That was how I knew mass was almost over. But when I grew older and went to catholic school I started to become more aware of what was happening at mass. And while my time at school did affirm my belief that there is a God or supreme being, not a universal outcome, I did start to question everything around me. What I saw at mass was an organization more focused on spectacle than the salvation of man. Where the message of any sermon given was lost to my ears.

Standing in the ruins of a cathedral like Tintern Abbey has a hauntingly mystic quality that will make you feel closer to God than any type of pompous ceremony | Peter Scamardo/The Cougar

Plus whenever we said The Lord’s Prayer, when we profess

our faith to God, the words did not feel genuine.

They sounded like words a hypnotized rabble says to appease their overlord. It did not fit the image of an all loving God they preached of. I cannot speak for the people who have found God and feel closer to him through mass, or their respective religious ceremony. But for me, the times I felt closer to God were when I was sitting alone in a cathedral with nothing but my thoughts. Not during the pompous celebrations of Sunday evening. There was also this arrogance from the Church that disturbed me. The Catholic Church teaches that anyone who is baptized and confirmed will be welcomed into Heaven. But in response to those who are not Catholic they say they will be saved as well if they never had the chance to be confirmed. But when I heard this I knew that there are people who know about Catholicism and confirmation and who choose not to be confirmed. To imagine that these people would suffer damnation for finding God in another religion sounds ridiculous to me. Now I have never experienced another religion outside of a classroom, and despite my criticism of the Catholic Church it’s very unlikely I’ll change faiths. The Irish comedian Dara O’Briain famously referred to Catholicism as a ‘sticky religion’,

and it’s true. But from the little I know the people who have found God in other faiths appear just as happy as the Catholics who have found him. My cousin for instance converted to Mormonism several years ago when he married his wife. I've seen nothing from him to show that he's regretted the decision. For that reason I hoped this special section would display a variety of different faiths and cultures. Of how people live their life in respect to their faith. Of the various art that has been influenced by religion. And of course how the current political regime has impacted the religious communities. I’m of the opinion that all faiths are true. That if there is a supreme being that he orchestrated the construction of different religions in different cultures. The faith that emerged was the best way for those people to worship God. Because of that I hope this section has shown respect to the various faiths. Even to those who do not believe in a God. My hope is that these stories will be informative to those uninformed as to how the other half lives. editor@thedailycougar.com

Wednesday, August 16, 2017 | 3

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FAITH

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Peter Scamardo, EDITOR

FILMS

Religious symbolism found in modern films DANA C. JONES

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

OPINION EDITOR

@ DANACJONES_

The single most powerful tool film has over any other medium is telling stories through picture. Films intertwine metaphor with the images, placing subliminal messages throughout the film. With this practice, religious imagery has entered Hollywood countless times. Here are seven films that have done so. If you haven’t seen these films, be prepared for spoilers.

The Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe This is one of the more obvious ones. Based on the book written by C.S. Lewis, the story is an allegory of the story of Jesus dying and resurrecting. Aslan, the Lion and ruler of Narnia, gives up his life for others and then comes back to life to save the day from the White Witch. Aslan plays the part of Jesus and the witch as the Devil.

Subliminal imagery is often filled in films to create deeper metaphors, and the characters in those films often reflect those of religious tales | Courtesy of MovieWeb.com

War of the Planet of the Apes In a nutshell, the ending scene is Caesar, the main ape, leading his people to the promised land. They escape oppression and slavery from the main antagonist, just as how in the Bible Moses leads the Israelite's to the promised land from the confinement of the Egyptian Pharaoh.

Life of Pi Life of Pi is a film about a boy named Pi who follows three different religions. He follows Hinduism, Catholicism, and Islam. The themes of these religions are sprinkled throughout and you can draw upon them as you may. Within the rest of the film there are Biblical scenes like the whale and the flying fish. The main one

though is his belief in his faith, or faiths, has him survive as he is stranded in the vastness of sea with a hungry tiger. It’s reminiscent of Daniel and the lion’s den story. The only thing that kept him alive was his faith in his God and that was the same for Pi. The tiger in this case was kept at bay and he did eventually reach safety.

This installment of the Harry Potter series put all of the upset evangelicals to rest. This movie is full of religious imagery and metaphors. First is Voldemort’s horcruxes. Since he has seven of them, each one represents one of the seven deadly sins. Second would be the actual deathly hallows. The resurrection stone would be the Holy Ghost because of the resurrection properties being congruent with the ghost spirit. The invisibility cloak would be the son because of it being handed down to an actual son, the son being Harry. Lastly, the elder wand would be the father because it’s all powerful. Of course, there’s Harry being similar to Jesus by being the chosen one and coming back to life. editor@thedailycougar.com

4 | Wednesday, August 16, 2017

FAITH 713-743-5314

thedailycougar.com/special-sectionâ&#x20AC;&#x192;

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Peter Scamardo, EDITOR

ISLAM

Olajuwon: the dream of knowledge and faith How UH's basketball star found religion in Houston

illustration by Katie Santana

PETER SCAMARDO

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR @ PLSCAMARDO2

akeem Olajuwon earned his place in the Basketball Hall of Fame for his unique quickness and defensive skill. But what all Houstonians remember about Olajuwon is his charm, a charm that earned him the nick-

name 'The Dream." What made Olajuwon stand out was how he balanced being a devout Muslim with the career of a top level NBA athlete. He became an ambassador of Islam to Houston, helping create a positive image of Muslim people throughout his career. To this day Olajuwon has remained a strong figure in the Islamic community

and has been instrumental in its growth. "I think that is my position," Olajuwon said when asked how he remains a figure in the Houston Islamic community. "I'm a Muslim, I'm a public figure. Whatever role I have to play, I'm still a public figure as a Muslim. I think it's been the role I've been playing naturally without planning to play

that role." Growing up in Lagos, Nigeria, Olajuwon grew up in a multicultural society. A place where Muslims, Christians and Idol worshipers, the indigenous faiths, interacted with one another; where their kids played in the soccer fields in between the homes. In Lagos, being Muslim was

part of culture and tradition. Olajuwon described how during Ramadan a change could be felt in the community and in the media. While not a devout Muslim at the time, he would fast with his neighbors as a form of competition, even when they were too young to fast. That competitive nature proved dividends for him in the future.

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FAITH

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Peter Scamardo, EDITOR

Through his success in the NBA, Hakeem Olajuwon became an ambassador to islam and helped the society grow in Houston. | Courtesy of David Copper/Toronto Star

A journey of faith Olajuwon faced his first test of faith when he came to Houston for university. "Even at home I was practicing maybe at Ramadan, maybe every once and a while I followed my dad to the mosque to pray," Olajuwon said. "But those Islamic principles are part of my culture. The respect, the honesty, all those qualities. So that was with me, but I wasn’t going to the mosque (because I didn't know) where the mosque to pray was." For the better part of Olajuwon's time with the Cougars he tried to live a normal college life. It was not until his time with the Houston Rockets that Olajuwon began to make that transformation into a devout Muslim. The story goes that one day at The Summit after practice with the Rockets, a man approached Olajuwon and inquired why he was not at the mosque if he was a Muslim.

Upon saying that he didn't know there was a mosque, the man took Olajuwon five minutes from The Summit to Eastside on Richmond. This was the first mosque ever built in Houston. Today it is the sight of the Islamic Society of Greater Houston - Masjid. What Olajuwon found was a multicultural group of people all together in prayer. Black Americans, White Americans, Indian and Pakistani, all coming together when they hear Adhan, the call to prayer. For Olajuwon, this was the first time he had heard the call in years. "When I went to the mosque and heard that call, the goosebumps," Olajuwon said. "Emotionally I was crying, because it gave me so many goosebumps, it reminded me of my background, my inner soul. The joy and the comfort that I can come every Friday now for my Friday prayer and I can come any other day. It’s like you discover the jewel, a diamond, that you lost and find

The Houston National Bank was purchased by Olajuwon in 1994 and reopened as the Islamic Da'wah Center in 2002 | Peter Scamardo/The Cougar

again." Olajuwon's reentry into the Islamic community kick-started a personal journey that resulted in him becoming the devout Islamic athlete the media knows today. Every day after practice Olajuwon would head straight to the mosque for prayer. And afterwords he would read books on Islamic history and culture in order to better understand his faith. Olajuwon said he became aware of what was permissible and what was not.

Ramadan Dominance The ultimate moment of this journey was Olajuwon's fasting during the months of Ramadan, which always fell during the NBA season. Olajuwon was past the point of making excuses for not fasting. He saw that he had an obligation to fulfill during Ramadan so he fasted. Despite worries from his coaches, Olajuwon played without consuming any food or liquids from sunrise to sunset. Yet his performance level never dropped and often he dominated his opponents. Once word spread that he was playing while fasting, Olajuwon become a model to Muslim and Non-Muslims alike. He became an inspiration for others not to give excuses in their workplace. His story is one that is shared around Houston to inspire people to this day. "It's uplifting to realize people noticed Hakeem and his high competitive nature," Executive Director of the Islamic Da'wah Center Ameer Abuhalimeh said. "He always strives

to do his best and give his best in any situation. He never compromised, never used it as an excuse. Fasting is supposed to free your spirit and let you focus." Redshirt junior Valentine Sangoyomi is one athlete on the Cougar men's basketball team who has felt the influence of Olajuwon. Growing up in Lagos, Sangoyomi said it was impossible not to hear people talk about Olajuwon, even before Sangoyomi started playing basketball. And even though Sangoyomi is a Christian, the way Olajuwon played and lived his life has remained a model to the 6'8 center. "He's just been a great role model for me," Sangoyomi said. "Everyone talks about him so much back home. When I came to visit (Houston) I knew I wanted to play here because I see all the legacy Hakeem laid down. I'm looking up to him every single time."

An institution of learning Having experienced the rejuvenation that his faith brought him, Olajuwon's next step in life was to create a place for others to worship and learn about their faith. With that in mind he set his eyes on the Houston National Bank. Having sat abandoned in downtown since 1974, Olajuwon purchased the building in 1994 and after eight years of renovations reopened it as the Islamic Da'wah Center. The goal of the center was to create a place to advance and educate people about Islam and its culture and people.

In addition, by having the center in downtown it leaves itself open to the multinational business' that come into Houston. Olajuwon sees it as just one more thing to help illustrate the multicultural nature of Houston. One year ago the Library of Islamic Knowledge was opened at the center. Mayor Sylvester Turner was at the ribbon cutting ceremony, physically showing his support for Houston's cultural identity. The Library opening is one more tool to create awareness of Islam in Houston. Abuhalimeh said the library is the first of it's kind in North America. A place to provide resources to Muslims and non-Muslims alike so that people may learn the history and culture of Islam. And even though the Da'wah Center has dealt with protests in the past year they have always remained peaceful. Abuhalimeh said that it is because of those protests that the center exists. To inform the other side about what Islam is. The center is every bit a fulfillment of Olajuwon's dream. "We are very lucky to have someone like him," Abuhalimeh said. "(Hakeem) is not just talk. He is someone that shows you how to live your faith in practical manners. He is helping his community be better through training, through education. These are all practical examples that we need in this day and age. (Olajuwon) realized this is what made him who he is today." editor@thedailycougar.com

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Peter Scamardo, EDITOR

ART

Madonna and Shiva, how art speaks to masses KARIN KELLER COOGLIFE ASSISTANT EDITOR

Art and theology have been irrevocably tied together since the beginning of history. Often used as a tool to communicate to the historically illiterate masses. Art was the most effective way to convey a message. To relay what society should look like through the eyes of the gods. Initially, most if not all art was religious or political in context. Although more often than not religion and politics were simply two sides of the same coin. Wealthy patrons commissioned artists to create art in order to push a certain agenda. Whether it be personal or public, religious or political. Most artists did not have the means to create masterpieces. Making art was expensive and so the wealthy had a monopoly on the kind of art that was made.

Art has the power of relaying messages of faith and religion through imagery. At certain times throughout history art has been a tool to spread teachings to illiterate peoples | Courtesy of Museum of Fine Arts Houston

Madonna and Child with Souls in Purgatory, a piece by

the Neapolitan painter Luca Giordano, is currently on view

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at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston and a part of their permanent collection. This awe-inspiring piece stands over six feet tall and over five feet wide. Giordano’s piece depicts the Virgin Mary holding Christ while seated on a bed of clouds floating over souls trapped in purgatory desperate pleading to be released from their stagnation and suffering. When viewing the Madonna and Child with Souls in Purgatory, the viewer is level with the souls in purgatory. The viewer makes eye contact with Madonna as if searching for a similar sense of salvation. Not only would this painting have influenced people to return or join the church due to its beauty, it also served as a way to advise and warn the people against the church less they find themselves stuck in purgatory. While everyone might not be able to read and understand the teachings of the Bible, images are a universal language.

The destroyer and transformer Centuries earlier in another part of the world, art and theology were similarly always intertwining. The Kaveri River saw an erray of temples constructed during the Chola dynasty in India. Ornate figures heavily decorated these temples. One of these figures, Shiva Nataraja, is located at the

MFAH. Shiva is a Hindu deity. with three eyes and two to four arms. In this particular instance Shiva is portrayed as the cosmic dancer (Nataraja). In this sculpture, Shiva is performing the Tandava, representing creation, preservation and destruction. Under Shiva’s left foot is Apasmara, a demon dwarf who symbolizes human ignorance. Shiva holds a damaru (an hourglass shaped drum) in his hands, another symbolic item. With this Shiva provides the rhythm for the dance as well as representing the sound of creation. Moreover, Shiva is making the abhaya mudra gesture of blessing, meaning do not fear. These intricate and detailed figures awed the Indian Hindu worshipers. Much in the same way in which the Madonna would have awed Catholics in Italy. These temples built by the emperors employed and encouraged the people of India to devote themselves to Hinduism. Simultaneously they displayed their power through their architectural feats. Although these pieces were made in different parts of the world, in different periods in time, their purpose was the same. Art meant to inspire devotion to their respective religions. editor@thedailycougar.com

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Peter Scamardo, EDITOR

OPINION

Trump taps Christian potential with eye on 2020 FRANK CAMPOS

SPORTS EDITOR

@ FRANKCAMPOSJ

President Donald Trump is a lot smarter than you think. Well, those who run his campaign and twitter account have figured out how to please some of his core followers. Despite being a long-time donor to the Democratic Party, Trump ran as a Republican and won the presidency last year. Now, just a few months after his victory he is still holding rallies, and despite not passing any major legislation, he has tried to please his Christian voters with executive orders, speeches and his Twitter account. In the process of gaining and keeping followers, he has abused my faith. This isn’t about Trump’s qualifications as a Christian or his lack of faith, and I want to be clear that I am not a perfect

Trump has managed to please his Christian supporters with empty words rather than any major piece of legislation. What is sad is that it is working. | Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Christian. There is no one right way to worship God. Those of us who live as Christians constantly

fail to live up to the expectations we hold ourselves to. But Trump's abuses need to stop.

ST. LUKE THE EVANGELIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

Playing the game Trump as president is the same cutthroat business man

he has been all his life. When he sees a sucker, he will try to take them for all they have. There is no difference when it comes to his Christian voters. We have seen the real Trump for years. The twice-divorced billionaire has been known as a playboy and has constantly flaunted his carefree lifestyle. He has even gone as far as bragging about being able to enter women’s locker rooms at will and was even caught talking about being able to grab women by their privates in a video that surfaced during his campaign. This is the real Trump, and one who has been around for far longer than our current iteration. Getting elected as a conservative means he must appeal

CHRISTIAN POTENTIAL

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CATHOLICISM

Q&A: Father Peter Daly, The Church in the Modern World PETER SCAMARDO

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR @PLSCAMARDO2

For over a quarter of a century, Father Peter Daly has been delivering sermons in the archdiocese of Washington D.C. and writing for the National Catholic Reporter. The recently retired priest plans to move back to Capitol Hill to work with St. Joseph's and St. Peter's parishes. The Cougar caught up with him to talk about being a priest in the current political climate. The Cougar: What has it been like being a priest in the DC-area with the current and past political regimes? Father Peter Daly: Well the average parish priest has very little contact with the political world. Most of the time my parish might as well have been in South Dakota as far as my contact with politicians, but we are impacted by the presence of the government in many ways. So many of our parishioner’s work for the government. Some of my parishioners worked at the White House and State Department, places like that. So, you do hear a lot about what is going on in the government. And you also have the impact of the refugee and immigrant communities in Washington, which for a while was pretty big. It’s diminishing now but still it’s impactful. That’s what I’ll be doing this coming year — I’m going to start working with catholic charities and refugees and migrant services. TC: How would you describe the different political and social views in the parishes you’ve served in? Fr. PD: I’ve been in four parishes over my 30-some years. I was in two mostly African American parishes and their political and social views reflect the African American communities. They’d be by and large in favor of most social programs and very concerned about things like abortion, too, just like the white community would be, but they’re more concerned about many other

"I'd rather fail at the level where the people are than be successful in a chancery office," Fr. Peter Daly said | Courtesy of Fr. Peter Daly/St. John Vianney Catholic Church

issues like racial injustice and write it? And also I think the problem community policing. is there’s a kind of careerNow in this community where Fr. PD: Well I wanted to get ism in the church. A lot of I’ve been for 23 years, it’s a some things off my chest. I priests see their life as a kind middle class white commuthink one of the big problems of career path to greater and nity, and their concerns are with the church is this scourge greater influence and higher sort of typical of middle class of clericalism. People who office and so forth, and they white communities. are not much involved with lose sight of what it is they’re Drugs and alcohol are major the Catholic Church probably supposed to be doing, which concerns — we have a lot of don’t think about it much, but is the spiritual nourishment people addicted to pain killers (clericalism is) the idea that of the people. So that’s why I and heroin and things like in a sense the clerics run the wanted to write that. And also that. it was kinda The usual fun, writing family it. problems and health, TC: How so forth. do you deal But I with priests would say who are there is a more ambibig contious and trast. In are thinking the city, in more for an archthemselves? diocese like WashFr. PD: Father Peter Daly , Pastor at St. John's Vianney Catholic Church Well we all ington, suburban look out for parishes ourselves in can be completely different church — that the priests run some way, that’s why I retired from, say, a Latino parish or the church and then they have to some extent. I think you an African American parish. a kind of superior position to just have to focus on your other people. I think that’s own life, your own service TC: Your novel Strange Gods profoundly wrong and conand that’s what I’ve tried to deals heavily with corruption trary to what Jesus wanted do. We’ve had a tremendous and cover up in the Church, from us. He wanted a leaderprogram in Nicaragua building so what made you decide to ship of service. houses. I just came back from

“A lot of priests see their life as a kind of career path to greater and greater influence and higher office and so forth. They lose sight of what it is they're supposed to be doing, which is the spiritual nourishment of the people.”

there. We’ve done a lot in our community with the homeless. We’ve done a lot of social service and I just try to keep focused on that and not get involved in the politics of the Church. I find that it’s just too irritating to me when I hang around the clerics. They’re too concerned about their own prerogatives, their own careers. I guess that’s true for all of us and at some point you have to decide where your life is going to be. Dorothy Day said one time that she’d rather fail at the level where the action is than succeed at the level where the action isn’t. She saw the action, in terms of the social teaching of the church, (as being) in direct contact with the poor. She didn’t think it was in some office somewhere with some big agency. That was always my view. I’d rather fail at the level where the people are than be successful in some big agency or chancery office or something like that. I got offered

DALY

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DALY

Continued from previous page a job early on in the priesthood of being the director of finance and management for the archdiocese of Washington and I turned it down because I recognize that would lead me on a path probably to my own perdition. I’d get lost there because basically I’d become a businessman with a collar and I didn’t want to do that. TC: So how would you describe the state of the Catholic Church at the moment? Fr. PD: The new crop of clergy is very conservative. They’re cultural warriors; they want to see us go to war with the culture. And I have always said we’re not at war with the culture, we’re in dialogue with it. Sure, we don’t accept everything culture gives to us, but on the other hand we’re not at war with people. Pope Francis is trying to correct a lot of this. You see in his own lifestyle, the fact he didn’t move into

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the papal apartments, he doesn’t ride around in a big Mercedes. He keeps telling the people that they should get out of Rome and go back to their diocese and parishes, that sort of thing. He’s very much what I was yearning to see for a long time and we didn’t see, and I had kind of given up hope. But then along comes Francis. And you should never really give up hope. I think the state of the church is in flux right now. In the United States, younger clergy are very conservative and they’re very focused on these cultural wars. Which means, in concrete terms, abortion, contraception and homosexuality. Those are sort of the big three issues. Frankly, I’m much more concerned about poverty, immigration, social loneliness of a lot of people. Social issues like the lack of health care and the lack of security a lot of people have. I don’t hear much concern from younger clergy about that stuff.

FAITH

editor@thedailycougar.com

TC: What do you preach to your congregation when you hear of hate crimes against other religious or ethnic groups? Fr. PD: Well I think that’s very important to talk about and I hit it very hard. There was a movement in our own little community — there were people very suspicious of the Muslim community in our area. There’s a small one here. So I think it’s very important to talk about that. One of the things that’s happened to me, that we realized, is when you start talking about that stuff you never realize how deeply ingrained racism was, even in people you’ve been friends with for years. I’ve preached upon things like gun control and Black Lives Matter, issues on immigration, and people have walked away. I’ve lost parishioners and I’ve lost friends over it, but I think it’s necessary. The Prophet Jeremiah had that experience. The Word of the Lord tastes sweet when you

Peter Scamardo, EDITOR

first taste it, but then it starts to become sour because you realize it costs you something. I’m still outspoken on things like abortion; I’m still very pro-life. But people don’t think I’m as outspoken as I should be.

emails. I just went through the beatitudes. How is he a peacemaker? How is he meek? How does he hunger and thirst for justice? All the things that Jesus said we’re supposed to do.

TC: If the President says something controversial about a religious group what do you preach?

I think that’s what I try to focus on. What is the teaching of Christ? What is the teaching of the New Testament scriptures? And what does it mean for us in the Catholic Church to be Catholic, which is to be part of this universal community of believers? We’re not just Americans; I’m not preaching Americanism. We’re not supposed to put the flag on the altar, we’re not worshiping the flag.

Fr. PD: Well it’ll be interesting because now I’ll be preaching on Capitol Hill. I’m going to be helping two parishes (there). So it’ll be interesting to see because they’re mostly Capitol Hill staffers, people that work for committees.

So, we do have to speak out against this guy on a lot of things. Especially, I think, on his treatment of immigrants, refugees and people who are suffering around the world. I just think it’s reprehensible how he degrades people.

That’s the other problem about the conservative movement in the Catholic Church. Everything is about abortion, everything — the weather, global warming — everything’s attributable to abortion. You get tired of it after a while.

I wrote an article about why Donald Trump is not a Christian and I got a lot of angry

editor@thedailycougar.com

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CITY

Law puts Houston's sancutary reputation in danger MARIALUISA RINCON

from the federal government to detain individuals suspected @ LUCYRINCONB of being in the country illegally The passing of Senate Bill 4 by the are not filled," Rottinghaus said. Texas legislature in May has put "Immigration and Customs Houston’s reputation as an open Enforcement would make a call and welcoming city in danger. on Houston to say, 'Keep this Mayor Sylvester Turner has person in your jail. We suspect been an outspoken oppothey’re here illegally, we’ll nent of the legislation. prosecute them, we’ll come On June 21 city council, and get them.'" at Turner’s request, voted While sanctuary cities to join three other Texas laws apply to undocucities in a lawsuit against mented immigrants, similar the state in an effort to federal legislation like challenge the law. January's travel ban affect“It’s awkward because, ing immigration from six in large part, the definiMuslim-majority countries tion is political,” political draws a similar argument science professor Branfor xenophobic tendencies don Rottinghaus said. “In driving the White House's general, the expectation agenda, said associate of a sanctuary city is a city professor and Director of Mayor Sylvester Turner asked city council to vote to that doesn’t enforce federal oppose senate bill 4 | File Photo/The Cougar Middle Eastern Studies immigration law to the Emran El-Badawi. fullest.” "Sanctuary cities and According to the Texas Tribune, they are detained. Islamophobia are separate but sheriffs, police chiefs, constables "In effect, what it means is, related discussions." El-Badawi and public university officials essentially that a specific request said. "They’re related because WEB EDITOR

can be charged with a Class A misdemeanor, serve jail time or face penalties for refusing to cooperate with federal immigration officials. In practice, SB 4 now allows law enforcement officials to question a person's immigration status if

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of the political climate, but they are separate because the White House has two policies in place trying to mitigate, reduce and some would say even offend, two distinct populations. One being Muslim-Americans and the other one being Hispanic-Americans." Despite the travel ban being struck down by several courts, the initial effect were still felt on campus, However, Rottinghaus said, opposition to federal mandates does not fall under Turner's purview. The mayor's proclamations to make Houston a welcoming city did not directly imply he would go against the law. "My hunch was that it was a symbolic gesture to imply that he plans to make Houston a welcoming city for immigrants." Rottinghaus said. "I don’t think it means he’s going to defy federal law, and now state law, by not complying with specific immigration rules." Refugee policy, which Governor

Greg Abbott had actively campaigned against, similarly falls under federal jurisdiction. Houston is home to almost a dozen refugee resettlement organizations that work with public funds as well as donations. Turner argued the law will make it harder to build trust with Hispanic and minority communities in Houston, and Texas at large, when he asked city council to vote to join the lawsuit against SB 4. “I will ask City Council to consider and vote to join the lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of SB4,” Turner said. Houston joined Austin, Dallas, San Antonio and El Paso County in the lawsuit. "For me, the real question is, can a Houston mayor go against the governor of Texas?" El-Badawi said. "I feel like he wants to resist this law as strongly as possible." editor@thedailycougar.com

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GUEST COLUMN

Trump presidency elicits violence and hate One year ago, I wrote how America was becoming increasingly polarized with each passing election. Our nation has a long history of struggling with diversity, namely non-white cultures and, in recent decades, Islam. After Trump’s surprise victory, the words of the writer DaShanne Stokes come to mind: “Trump didn’t divide America. He just doused us with gasoline EMRAN EL-BADAWI and fanned the MIDDLE EAST flames.” STUDIES DIRECTOR That is where we are today. Barely eight months into the most wild, complicit and unstable White House administration in memory. The local mosque at Bloomington, Minnesota was not spared the flames of an improvised bomb on Aug. 5. Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton acknowledged the attack as an act of “terrorism,” while White House aide Sebastian

Hate crimes and violence against Islamic peoples has risen drastically during the eight months Trump has been in office and he has not condemned the actions of the attackers | Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Gorka called the incident a “false flag” report. The president himself could not be bothered to comment. This cycle of events typifies the recent history of Islamophobia in Trump’s America. Since Inauguration Day on Jan. 20, several hate crimes against Muslims and their sympathizers have gripped our nation. Besides Minnesota, they include: the local mosque burned to the ground in Victoria, Texas ( Jan. 28) taking

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place just hours after Trump signed the first “travel ban;” the heinous train attack in Portland, Oregon (May 26), where two good Samaritans were stabbed to death for fending off a white

exhaustive reporting on his comments about Islam and Muslims. Between the plethora of Trump’s embarrassing malarkey was his statement “I think Islam

“After Trump's surprise victory, the words of the writer DaShonne Stokes come to mind: 'Trump didn't divide America. He just doused us with gasoline and fanned the flames.'" Emran El-Badawi, Director of Middle East Studies

supremacist affronting Muslim girls in public; and the grizzly murder of a young girl worshiping at a mosque during the month of Ramadan in Victoria, Virginia ( June 18). By July 2017—just last month—Newsweek reported that anti-Muslim hate crimes "increased at an alarming rate." A report released by the Council on American-Islamic Relations found more than 940 reports of potential bias targeting Muslims in April, May and June, according to Newsweek. The magazine continues: "Of those, the organization determined 451 stemmed from anti-Muslim bias, which contributed to a 91 percent increase in anti-Muslim hate crimes during the first half of the year as compared to the same time period in 2016." Newsweek also reported in July that “the rise in hate crimes against Muslims shows what politicians say matters,” and that is exactly right. Given Trump’s instability, news agencies including The Washington Post have done

hates us,” which aired March 9 on CNN for the world to see, and various “white nationalists” and domestic terrorists waiting to take their cue, is it any surprise that hate crimes against Muslims has sky rocketed given the direction of our leadership? However, Trump has made sure not to let his administration’s rhetoric against Islam and Muslims get in the way of business. In May, he and key members of his family and administration—the two frequently overlap in autocracies—made a nine day visit to Saudi Arabia where he personally accepted an award from King Salman, performed the traditional male sword dance and secured a $110 billion arms deal. The spectacle was not complete without his praise of Saudi Arabia’s efforts fighting Islamic extremism. This comes a year after Trump blamed them for 9/11 and condemned their treatment of gays and women. The visit showed the world the extent to which the Ameri-

can people are being taken for a ride; Muslims, Mexicans and refugees are just in the front row seat right now. Just days into office, Trump signed his infamous travel ban, which after being struck down by a federal court was rewritten, struck down again, then reinstated by the Supreme Court. From travel ban to travel ban—between January and June of 2017—America roiled amid days of national protest and renewed civic activism. In subsequent weeks, I wrote an open letter to the Trump administration. Between immigration attorneys and clients’ family members, my phone did not stop ringing. On the night of Jan. 29 I stayed on the phone till 2 a.m. speaking with an attorney in Washington, D.C., then the sister of a petroleum engineer detained at Austin-Bergstrom. She was unsure if she would see her loved one again—a feeling which has scorched many immigrant families in 2017—especially since he was returning from work in Iraq (banned under the initial law). To this day, I remember the sound of her voice, quivering but courageous. Maybe that is the lesson. Fear does not have two lead to hate. Fear can be the first step toward courage, toward an America for us all. Emran El-Badawi is the program director and an associate professor of Middle Eastern Studies. He is also the founding executive director of the International Qur'anic Studies Association. El-Badawi can be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com.

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CHRISTIAN POTENTIAL

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to the base that got him to the White House. Since coming into office, he has attempted a Muslim ban that unnecessarily targets one religion. This ban had been applauded by the right but fought from its inception by organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union. Trump has also signed an executive order that claims more religious freedoms for Americans. When you look closer at the executive order, it is obvious he just used the moment as a photo op. Instead of granting or protecting religious freedoms, it does nothing to change any current laws regarding contraception, businesses and how they handle LGBTQ rights, and it doesn’t even expand political religious freedoms like Trump promised.

A devout twitterer The most pious thing Trump has done is spout religion from his Twitter account. He recently posted a picture of himself at prayer with religious leaders standing over him. Trump has also tweeted that the United States does not worship government, it worships God, which makes one question if he understands the freedom of religion at all. One of his most egregious acts has been to call for a ban on transgender people in the military. This may make his Christian supporters happy, but it also sends a strong message to the thousands of transgender military members currently serving. What is worse is that this proclamation may be more lip service that proves to be unconstitutional because he did not even consult his military leaders in his decision to tweet. Trump has yet to give a directive to his joint chiefs regarding his statement. This makes it clear that, yet again, he says anything to please his Christian supporters. Trump has shown through his first few months as president that he is not a religious man but rather a business man. He will do whatever it takes to get re-elected, and that includes pretending to be a man of faith. editor@thedailycougar.com

At the Downtown Campus of Houston's First Baptist Church, you'll meet people from different walks of life and countries around the globe — and other colleges and universities, too. This eclectic mix of people gathers each Sunday to share their experiences, talk about the Bible, and worship God together. No two people are alike, so you are sure to ﬁt right in!

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TELEVISION

The faiths and gods of Ice and Fire in 'Thrones' PETER SCAMARDO

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR @ PLSCAMARDO2

The bestselling series "A Song of Ice and Fire," which forms the foundation for hit series "Game of Thrones," prides itself on being brutally realistic. Author George R.R. Martin puts his characters through horrible but accurate situations during medieval wartime. Another tool Martin uses to make his fictional world like our own is religion. Even during a great war, societies are shaped by varying faiths. Westeros, Martin's fictional continent and the setting for the majority series, is dominated by its religious institutions, just like our own society. Politics are shaped and lives are won and lost by the will of religious leaders.

The Old Gods of the Forest The Old Gods are called such because they were the first idols worshiped in Westeros, first by the faerie-like Children of the Forest, the first beings to ever reside in Westeros. Next up were the First Men, the first humans to come from the neighboring continent of Essos. Unlike other faiths, there are

The Great Sept of Baelor in King's Landing is the seat of The Faith of the Seven, the largest religious group in Westeros, and the place where the Kings and Queens of Westeros are crowned. | Courtesy of HBO

no priests or temples dedicated to the Old Gods. For religious

Jewish Life

at the University of Houston FREE lunch every Tuesday

in the UH Hillel Student Lounge A.D. Bruce Religion Center, Room 106

Liza Naomi Abrams

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ceremonies, such as marriage, or just praying, the devout go to a weirwood, a holy tree with faces carved into it. Most followers of the Old Gods reside in The North, the northern-most kingdom of Westeros. There the Northmen were able to stop the advance of the invading Andals, another race of men from Essos. The Andals brought with them The Faith of the Seven and either killed or converted the First Men, who they saw as pagans. The North was the only kingdom not to be conquered. So the weirwood trees still stand and the Northmen worship The Old Gods.

The Faith of the Seven The Faith of the Seven is the dominant in religion in Westeros thanks to the Andal invasion. In the Faith, it states that there is one god who has seven faces, each face representing a different thing to pray for. The faces represent ideals and qualities such as mercy, fertility, love, wisdom, courage and death. Martin has said the Seven are modeled off of the Holy Trinity of the Catholic church, in which the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost are all one God. Unlike the Old Gods, the Seven are worshiped in great temples

called Septs. They have priests, called Septons and Septas, who lead ceremonies of great spectacle. Martin even shows the Septons become corrupt with power, mirroring shifts in the Church during the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Another similarity: At one point, a zealot organization called the Sparrows went on a crusade to arrest the sinful and convert people to The Faith, a process not unlike the real-life Inquisition of the sixteenth century.

The Drowned God The Drowned God is the deity worshiped by the people of the Iron Islands, the Ironborn. The Ironborn are a group of maritime raiders who see their plunders as a pious act towards the Drowned God. For the Ironborn, a boy is not considered a man until he has killed his first enemy. The religion of the Ironborn has a clear connection to the Norse gods worshiped by Vikings. In addition to their raiding culture, the Ironborn believe after death they are taken by the Drowned God to an underwater hall to dine on fish served by mermaids. Despite this viking connection, the Ironborn are baptized like Christians. But in an Ironborn baptism, their priests literally drown the men so they may be

reborn by the Drowned God.

R'hllor, The Lord of Light This deity, alternatively called the Red God, is worshiped primarily in Essos. The followers of R'hllor, the red priests and priestesses, believe the one true god is constantly involved in struggle against The Great Other, a being whose purpose is to bring death and darkness to the world. A devil, in any other word. The connection R'hllor and his priests have with fire is symbolic as it represents light and life, the very things The Lord of Light aims to bring to the world, in opposition to The Great Other. R'hllor brings the heat to counter the cold brought on by The Great Other. There is also a savior complex in the religion of R'hllor: Azor Ahai, the Prince who was Promised. He is said to be the one destined to defeat The Great Other and rid darkness from the world. But R'hllor arguably is the one true god. His followers are the only people in the series who have caused miracles. None greater than a handful of characters being brought back from the dead by praying to the Lord of Light. editor@thedailycougar.com

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MISSIONARIES

How religious groups on campus give back JULIE ARAICA

COOGLIFE EXECUTIVE EDITOR @ JULIEARAICA

The A.D. Bruce Religion Center is a place for students in religious organizations to build a community around what it means to be at UH. “The A.D. Bruce Religion Center is technically a student center,”said Janelle Hooper, director for ministry with children and pastor at Houston Lutheran Campus ministry. “We give students, staff and faculty a way to connect around something that goes beyond academics.” These organizations all share the same goal; to give back to their community while spreading the word of their faith in a positive light. And to reach this goal, they do whatever they can both overseas and within the Houston community to reach out to as many people as possible.

Houston Lutheran Campus Ministry Hooper said the Houston Lutheran Campus Ministry’s prime goal is to develop its community both within Houston and at UH. The group volunteers at a number of different places in a number of different ways. Including: volunteering at the food bank, helping those involved in human trafficking and having some members do advocacy work for issues like immigration and world hunger. Instead of simply trying to convert as many people as possible, the Houston Lutheran Campus Ministry aims to show students that they can be fulfilled outside of just their work. And that God can also give them fulfillment in their lives, Hooper said. “We want to be a resource on campus for students who need help and offer them a safe place to grow in their spirituality,” Hooper said. However, their reach is not just limited to students, staff and faculty are also able to participate in the service.

Houston Hillel During the second half of May, almost a dozen students traveled to Israel as part of Houston Hillel. In order to learn about its history and the modern State of Israel they engaged in an open

Through volunteer efforts Houston Lutheran Campus Ministry hopes to develop its community both on and off campus. | Courtesy of Houston Lutheran Campus Ministry

dialogue with Jewish and Arab people within the country about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. “We came away with a greater understanding of the complexity inherent in such a long lasting conflict, compassion for all people who suffer and hope that a lasting peace can be achieved in our lifetimes,” the organization’s executive director Rabbi Kenneth Weiss said. Weiss believes that trips like these are important for creating a greater sense of community within the organization. And that during the trip, members were able to get to know each other much better. “Our students not only got to know each other better as friends," Weiss said. "But they also learned about each other’s political, religious and cultural views. Everyone who travelled to Israel is looking forward to the coming semester because they can build on the strong friendships they nurtured while in Israel." Houston Hillel hopes that it can continue to enrich the lives of Jewish students so that they can enrich the Houston Jewish community, the Jewish people and the world.

to achieve common goals and to appreciation the dignity of others, regardless of race, creed or socioeconomic status. Outreach is very important to Bolger, and he considers it to be

a responsibility among all faith groups. “Mission trips, whether local or international, raise awareness to the inter-connectedness of all peoples, regardless of

differences,” Bolger said. “As a community of faith, we have a responsibility to serve all.” editor@thedailycougar.com

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Catholic Student Organization For the Catholic student organization, their goal this year is to continue to serve the local community, said the organization’s director Father John Paul Bolger. Bolger said that in the mission trips his students have gone on, they have learned that it is important to work with others

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RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCES

How college shapes student religious experience KAYLEE DUSANG

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR @ KAYLEEDUSANG

There is no denying that college is a pivotal moment in almost everyone’s life. Young adults are leaving home for the first time, growing into adulthood and faced with new, everyday challenges and experiences. A part of that maturity and growth in college are students beginning to discover who they are and what they believe. For many, the university experience is the main influence of their worldview. The director of the A.D. Bruce Religion Center Bruce Twenhafel and the President of United Campus Ministries and Campus Ministries Association Stephen Cottingham work with several students from different religious backgrounds who are either seeking to dig deeper into their faith or attempting to learn more about religion. “There are certain factors that happen when a student leaves home and goes on to college,” Twenhafel said. “Part of it is

With over seventeen differen campus ministries, Bruce Twenhafel, director of the A.D. Bruce Religion Center, has helped sustain a welcoming environment to students of all faiths and backgrounds. | Kaylee Dusang/The Cougar

self-discovery, and they may not continue things that they were doing, like going with a family to church.” Cottingham said that since there are several cultures and religions at the University, stu-

dents are exposed to more than at home. “You never really know what a student’s going to be going through when they come through the door,” Cottingham said. “I will say that some students choose to just coast with what they’ve Inherited from their parents and recreate a form of that here in college. Other ones will break away from what they inherited and find something for themselves, and that’s where you get more questions.”

out if this was something that I wanted to believe and want to choose to do for the rest of my life.” Stevens has been a leader in the Baptist Student Ministries for three years. For her senior year she has accepted the position as an officer. “I’m really excited to lead some new incoming students who are also seeking to decide if this is something that they want to believe in,” Stevens said.

Choosing their own path

A biology senior who goes by Hunter Smith had a different experience in college when it comes to religion. He believes college is a place where one begins to learn how to respect others beliefs and worldviews. For him, moving away from religion was a part of growing in college. “You’re exposed to a lot of different people from different backgrounds,” Smith said. “Because there are so many foreign exchange students here you might meet people of different faith’s that you’ve never heard of before. So I think that by meeting more people and understanding their point of view makes you look at your own, and think ‘what if they’re right and I’m wrong.’” Smith said he strived to be religious when he was younger. When he read more into his faith, he realized that it did not

Since students are away from the teachings of home for the first time, it becomes their own journey. To decide what they believe. For English-literature senior Madi Stevens, college was where she felt it was time choose if she wanted to follow the faith she had grown with. “I grew up in church and around a lot of religions, so that was normal,” Stevens said. “When I got to college it made me choose for the first time if this is what I wanted to believe, or if this was not what I wanted to believe.” Stevens' decision to become involved in Baptist Student Ministries on campus lead her to become more active in her faith. “There were no parents or anyone telling me what to do, so this was my choice,” Stevens said. “I would say college really helped me define and figure

The opposing view

reflect his personal values. “When I got to college it kind of shaped how I deal with it in a sense,” Smith said. “I learned how to still be respectful of others beliefs without having to agree with them.” Smith, who was of the Islamic faith, said he hopes to help others of all religions who were in the same situation as him. “I believe that people have rights, but ideas do not,” Smith said. “It’s okay to criticize ideas, and college gives you a good place to have that discussion. At the same time, it doesn’t mean you have to be disrespectful to somebody because they hold an idea different than you.”

An open dialogue Twenhafel said that the religion center is a building that promotes interfaith dialogue. A tradition of the Campus Ministries Association. Within the interfaith dialogue, students discuss and ask questions about other people’s beliefs and opinion. This provides them with a better understanding of different worldviews. “The more a student knows about another religion the more barriers are dropped,” Twenhafel said. “They begin to understand that we may not have to agree with how another person views their spirituality or their religion. But the more you know the better you can understand.” editor@thedailycougar.com

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CHURCHES

Nondenominational churches and communities ERIN DAVIS

Houston’s nondenominational community. Its teachings are based on positivity and having a oneness with God; focusing less on ensuring an afterlife and more on how to live your best life in the present. Their large amount of resources allows for a professional staff of licensed teachers, as well as multiple reverends, that provide a series of classes and faith-oriented events. There are services in Spanish, classes for grades pre-K through high school, and prayer groups for those looking for a smaller community to be a part of. There are groups available for women, young adults, singles, couples and LGBTQ members looking to find a place in the organization. The variety of content and opportunity focuses on the singular goal of creating a positive global community.

COOGLIFE ASSISTANT EDITOR

Nondenominational churches in Houston offer a convenient alternative for Christians looking to spend Sunday practicing their faith, but without the conditions of previously established sects. As Houston is known for its large volume of diverse cultures and faiths, sometimes those looking to practice a muted and community-based Christianity find refuge in the city’s nondenominational churches. While most churches fall under a specific denomination, such as Catholic or Baptist, nondenominational refers to the lack of label on a churches’ specific theological philosophy. Instead, most nondenominational churches make a point of clearly defining their values and priorities either online or as a part of their outreach, so as to easily connect with new members looking for a similar approach.

Nondenominational churches offer a community to those pressured by ritualistic demands, but who desire a place of worship. | Courtesy of City of Life Ministries

City of Life

Ecclesia

The City of Life church, located at 7120 Grand Blvd, dedicates the majority of its outreach to its core values defined in its online mission statement. It focuses on authenticity, diversity, generosity, boldness, creativity, and excellence. A group of young leaders host a variety of weekly outreach programs, creating small and interactive communities in order to best connect to those looking to join the congregation. The City of Life Church 2017 Easter celebration and service includes contemporary music to appeal to a younger crowd. Their specific connect class, as stipulated on their website, is specifically designed for new members intimidated by the church’s large size. The church also offers opportunities that focus energy on creativity and the arts, which includes teaching creative classes and having a contemporary band play during the service. Childcare and a lax dress code ensure that attendees may come as they are. City of Life is also a large presence on multiple campuses in the United States, targeting college students that desire to find support from a faith-based community, but without the pre-requisites associated with many Christian denominations.

Ecclesia, located at 1100 Elder St, is another Houston nondenominational church that focuses mainly on community and service. Founded in the late 90s, Ecclesia’s main focus is on supporting the Houston homeless community. The church’s Rhythms of Ecclesia program serves at the recommended, holistic approach to faith that includes living a healthy lifestyle and journeying together as a congregation both physically and spiritually. Rather than services, Ecclesia holds weekend gatherings and share a simple feast afterwards. This method places emphasis on the relationship between members, and the emotional support that a close community can provide. The church’s main mission to help with the Houston homeless community, is funded by the Ecclesia-owned Paper Co. Café. The café is a non-profit that provides meals to homeless as well as raises money to further the congregation’s outreach. The café also makes a point to support local Houston farmers, as well as coffee providers that are fair-trade certified.

Unity of Houston Unity of Houston, located at 2929 Unity Dr., is a large institution that has been central to

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EVENTS

Religious events happening on campus TRAYNOR SWANSON

When: 8 to 9 p.m. Monday, Aug. 21 Where: BSM office, 4801 Calhoun Rd.

NEWS EDITOR

@TRAYMPRSWAMSPM

Aug. 29 Where: A.D. Bruce Religion Center Room 101

School is back in session, which means life could get pretty hectic with classes, work, and maintaining a social life. You might find relief from day-to-day stress by joining an on-campus faith-based organization. Here’s a list of religious organizations holding events around campus during the first couple weeks of the semester:

Church of Christ

Baptist Student Ministry

What: Praying the Psalms When: 3 to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 22; Thursday, Aug. 24; Tuesday, Aug. 29; Thursday, Aug. 31 Where: A.D. Bruce Religion Center Room 101

BSM will host free lunch, a worship service and ultimate Frisbee in the dark with glow sticks during the first week on campus. What: Free lunch When: Weekly, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, beginning Aug. 22 Where: BSM office, 4801 Calhoun Rd. What: Worship service When: Weekly, 6:30 p.m. Thursday, beginning Aug. 24 Where: BSM office, 4801 Calhoun Rd. What: Glow Ultimate Frisbee

The Church of Christ will have several events during the first two weeks of the semester. In addition to free lunch, which they provide every Wednesday during the fall and spring semesters, they will hold meditative readings of the Psalms as well as a movie night.

What: A Capella worship When: 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday Aug. 23 and Aug. 30 Where: A.D. Bruce Religion Center Room 101 What: Free lunch When: Weekly, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, beginning Aug. 23 Where: A.D. Bruce Religion Center Atrium What: “War Room” movie night When: 6 p.m. Tuesday,

What: Devo + Meal When: Weekly, 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday

Houston Canterbury Houston Canterbury, a ministry of the Episcopal Church, will begin holding its weekly common worship and Sunday services. What: The Gathering – UH/TSU service When: Weekly, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Sunday, beginning Aug. 20 Where: St. Luke the Evangelist Episcopal Church, 3530 Wheeler Ave.

United Campus Ministry of Greater Houston UCM, a ministry that supports the LGBTQ community, will begin holding its weekly Sunday dinners. What: Soul Sunday Dinners When: Weekly, 7 p.m. Sunday, beginning Aug. 20 Where: A.D. Bruce Religion Center Room 208

Muslim Student Association MSA plans to hold an event during the second week of school to participate in a campus fast.

A cathedral for Houston, embodying its diversity, inspiring faith,

and leading change for the common good of all peoples and communities. SUNDAY WORSHIP: 8:30, 9:45 & 11:05 am WEDNESDAY COMMUNION: 12:15 pm

5501 Main Street  Houston, TX 77004  (713) 528-0527

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The A.D. Bruce Relligion Center is headquarters to seventeen different campus ministries | File Photo/The Cougar

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JUDAISM

Conversation with Scott Hausman-Weiss GREG FAILS

incidents is concerning, Hausman-Weiss said, but not the biggest struggle for the Jared Kushner and Ivanka Jewish community. Trump's relationship with “The real division that’s President Donald Trump been happening is in the and evolving roles within the Jewish community has been administration have resulted the growing divide between in them becoming two of the the left and right—liberal most influential people in and conservative,” HausAmerican politics. man-Weiss said. Their prominence in the The rabbi said Southern White House should stand synagogues members tend as representation for Jewish to be far closer to a 50-50 people across the country, split politically, in contrast but incidents like the couple to Northern congregations flying during the Shabbat which tend to be more Demoand their relationships with cratic overall. controversial members of “It may not be fair but the president's cabinet have there are a lot of Jews in the caused many to question the community who describe depths of their faith. themselves as an AIPAC Jew “It’s definitely a new world," or a J-Street Jew,” Weiss said. said Rabbi Scott HausThe American Israel Public man-Weiss of Congregation Affairs Committee (AIPAC) Shma Koleinu. "Here you have is Jewish political organizathe President who is anything tion whose main mission is but Jewish culturally or ethto support Israel and foster a nically, yet his daughter not positive relationship between only is Jewish, but she conit’s government and the verted to United Judaism." States. HausHausman-Weiss man-Weiss is the head said rabbi at AIPAC’s the conincreasgregation ingly in Housconserton and vative hosts the and right podcast leaning "Conversaaffiliation tions With led to the Rabbi Weiss is host of the podcast Conversathe Rabbi." Creation tions with the Rabbi | Courtesy of CongregaHausof J-Street, tion Shma Koleinu man-Weiss another said the Jewish while he political wants to give the Kushners committee leaning more the benefit of the doubt, towards the center and left. he isn’t able to ignore their “I know that many rabbis in relationship with some of the South have either explicTrump's advisers. itly or implicitly decided that “It’s a paradox,” Weiss said. they’re just not going to talk “I think it’s incredibly odd about politics because it is that on a regular basis people such a divisive issue,” Hauslike the Kushners can sit in man-Weiss said. the same room with someone A report from the Anti Deflike Steve Bannon.” amation League showed an During the campaign, Bre86 percent spike in anti-Seitbart, a conservative news mitic incidents in the United outlet owned by Bannon, States so far in 2017. published articles containing Though his congregation what Hausman-Weiss said he has not directly been a target, considers over anti-Semitic Hausman-Weiss said statisimagery. tics like this are a reminder The spike in anti-Semitic that society has not proSTAFF WRITER @GREGFAILS

gressed as far as he would like. “I would like to believe our society has radically changed since suffrage and since Brown V. Board of Education," Hausman-Weiss said. "But it was strikingly depressing to me to realize if not for legislation these things come back so fast. We can’t just sit back. We don’t live in a world where we’ve achieved some level of tolerance that everyone has bought into.” editor@thedailycougar.com

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Rabbi Weiss of Congregation Shma Koleinu uses his podcast as well as his synogogue to be critical of politicians when it comes to issues rooted in Judaism | Courtesy of Congregation Shma Koleinu

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