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Wednesday, March 6, 2019
Issue 23, Volume 84
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Cougars lose game, at-home win streak PG. 8
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NEWS
GREG FAILS, EDITOR
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SGA
SGA election sees lower voter turnout, victory by Students Unite A.K. ALMOUMEN
Lacking information This election cycle introduced the new ranked voting system of Get Involved, in addition to a longer voting period. There was also an emphasis on marketing by the Election Commission, though many students reported still feeling uninformed about the election. “Honestly, most people I know don’t know about the election because I feel it’s close to the middle of the semester when people are stressing the most about classes,” said public relations junior Mackenzie Spadoni. “The more stressed a person is about doing well in class, the less a person wants to learn about student elections, when it really has nothing to do with them.” This was a recurring theme. Many student either opted not to vote, or voted while feeling uninformed about the candidates. A number of students pointed to a lack of obvious social media presence during the campaigns. “I feel as though not every candidate did their job in the PR department. Perhaps they didn't use all their resources to spread the word,” said public relations sophomore Priscilla Adejokun. “They might have used outlets such as social media, but they never reached me.” Some who kept up with the process, however, saw improvement over previous years in getting the word out. Procedural changes There was a new voting system
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STAFF WRITER @AKALMOUMEN
The 2019 Student Government Association election was a tumultuous race that came to a close Thursday with a victory by Student Unite’s Allison Lawrence and her running-mate Maysarah Kazia. Lawrence secured more than 1,700 votes, and her party won the majority of the Senate seats for the incoming 56th Administration. Coogs Unite’s Moiz Syed and EVERY COOG’s Claude Johnson split the rest of the votes at 835 and 792, respectively, according to results published by the UH SGA Election Commission. “It was a really long seven months,” Lawrence said to The Cougar moments after the announcement. “I’m really excited to get started on my initiatives.”
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Allison Lawrence and her running-mate Maysarah Kazia swept the 2019 SGA election, recieving more votes than the other two other presidential candidates, Claude Johnson and Moiz Syed, combined. | Corbin Ayers of Name Lastname/The Cougar
that allowed students to rank each candidate. The success of this method yielded varying degrees of confidence from the SGA. “The voter turnout was lower than last year, but I expected it due to the change in the voting procedures and change in the voting time frame,” said Speaker of the Senate Kim-Briana Lorine. “I expected that there would be some kind of voter fatigue going on, and that may have been the situation.” Lorine said she would not change the whole process but focus on making the Senate elections more streamlined. “Voter turnout was a multifaceted issue,” said SGA President Cameron Barrett, who was newly elected as a graduate at-large senator for the 56th Administration. “There were less candidates. It rained every day of voting. Since campaigning wasn't allowed in dining halls or the library/SCs the last couple days, that hurt turnout as well.” Barrett said the new voting system was designed to be fair, and it accomplished that by avoiding complete sweeps by one party. Lorine also said it was intended to avoid runoff elections, which would hurt turnout exponentially. Complaints, controversies There were, however, surprises when the results came out. The EVERY COOG Party was able to secure sizable wins in the election despite its small numbers. “We were running five members for four different position
tickets, and we got three of those four. This is going a long way to creating the diversity in the student government,” Johnson said. “While I am disappointed I did not get the presidency, Allison is a strong candidate whom I can definitely support.” Barrett commended Johnson for being approachable and creative in engaging with possible voters in fraternities and through social media. The Coogs Unite Party secured a sizable presence in the Senate, despite numerous controversies during the campaign. "Unfortunately we didn’t win, but I am glad that my senators got elected,” Syed said. “There were a lot of politics involved but then again, that’s expected. I just hope that everyone will be able to properly represent the students.” His party experienced a number of complaints and campaign bans, including one case against the Election Commission, regarding the commissioner's failure to appoint a chief investigator as stipulated in the newly revised Election Code, that went to the SGA Supreme Court. “There is always a good amount of complaints,” said Chief Justice Kate Dentler. “Although there hasn't been a hearing in two years, so yes it's a big deal.” The Supreme Court ultimately ruled in Election Commissioner Bo Harricharran's favor, though it granted a time period for Coogs Unite to appeal complaints the party felt resulted in punishment as a result of the missing investigator. No such complaints were reversed as a result.
In the days prior to voting, tweets that were construed as homophobic and racist resurfaced from the party's vice-presidential candidate, Nader Irsan. These tweets became a focal point of the vice-presidential race during the Feb. 18 debate in the Student Center South Theater. “In terms of Nader’s tweets, I acknowledge that they were a mistake. He has personally accepted fault. He made those tweets when he was much younger and didn’t understand the weight his words can have on others,” Syed said. “However, I think we should stop delving into the past and focus on what we can do in the present for the students.” Both Syed and other members of SGA believe the tweets hurt Coogs Unite’s chances, though the president and speaker saw merit in the recency of the social media statements. Coogs Unite maintained there was bias involved in the election. “This was my first election. As for what can be improved in the future, I think above board politics needs some improvement,” Irsan said. Looking forward, each party is hopeful they can work together on common issues under Lawrence's presidency. "I'm really happy for Allison and Maysarah," Barrett said. "I have a lot of confidence in them." Lawrence, Kazia and Harricharran could not be reached for comment on this story. news@thedailycougar.com
COVER
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CAMPUS
Religion Center director among those mourned at Day of Remembrance He was commemorated Tuesday along with more than 500 other alumni, faculty and staff who died in 2018 MCKENZIE MISIASZEK
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR @MISIASZEKUH
Tissues sat at both ends of every pew in the A.D. Bruce Religion Center. As light shone onto those in attendance, organ music began the annual Day of Remembrance honoring University alumni, faculty, staff and students who died in 2018, in addition to the Religion Center’s director, who died Monday. The Day of Remembrance is held in the A.D. Bruce Religion Center on the first Tuesday of every March to honor members of the UH community who died in the previous year. “As we gather together today, try to remember a fun memory of someone you’ve lost and a smile may come on your face. Smiles are welcome here,” said the President of the Campus Ministries Association Shannon Rutherford. “You might also remember that person and be pulled into the depths of sorrow. Tears are also welcome here.” More than 500 individuals, many of whom being alumni, were listed in the event’s program, but just one was mentioned by name: Religion Center Director Bruce Twenhafel, who had worked at the University for 20 years. “He’s been in this building managing it since 2010,” said Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs - Student Life, Keith Kowalka. “He is an amazing spirit he really transformed the (Campus
Ministries Association). CMA was always here, but they didn’t have somebody here that knew their world, being a spiritual person and a faith leader.” Twenhafel may be remembered throughout campus for his years-long crusade to repair the Center’s roof, which had leaked and not been updated since the ‘60s prior to this summer’s renovations, but he will be remembered by his coworkers and friends for his lively personality and upbeat attitude. “He was joyful. He always had jokes,” Rutherford said. “He was quick witted — but professional — and loved people well, and that was seen a lot towards the end of his life, just the people who came out and loved on him and cared for him in his last days because of how much he loved other people and how much he made them feel welcomed and part of his family here.” Twenhafel served as director for two years and had been manager since 2010. He was formerly the associate director of Campus Activities, according to his Linkedin profile. “Today, the UH community showed how interconnected and well supported we all are, despite the director of the Religion Center, Bruce Twenhafel, passing away the day before,” said Student Government Association President Cameron Barrett. “The ceremony was just as respectful and well-organized as if Bruce was there himself.” During the ceremony, speakers
The Day of Remembrance is an annual event held at the Bruce A.D. Religion Center commemorating University of Houston alumni, students, faculty and staff who have passed away during the year. | File Photo/The Cougar
took to the stand to read poems and light memorial candles in honor of the Cougars who had passed. Four candles were lit to represent students, faculty members, staff and alumni, respectively. Barrett lit the first candle, followed by Faculty Senate President Raul Ramos, Staff Council President Emily Merrell and UH Alumni Association President Brent Chinn. “It was one of the greatest honors of my presidency, and one of the most somber moments, to participate in the UH Day of Remembrance,” Barrett said after the memorial.
The Religion Center’s bell tolled 27 times at the end of the ceremony in honor of the year the University was founded, 1927. Before attendees were let out to congregate in the lobby for snacks, the University’s Alma Mater was played on the organ. Though, no one sang. The Center, though religious, is non-denominational; it is open for anyone’s use, no matter their religion, or lack thereof. Students may come to the Center to work on homework on the couches upstairs, attend one of the many events held each day, or, of course, to pray. The annual UH Day of Remembrance will be held
again next year to honor those who passed in 2019, no doubt including a prepared eulogy and time for Twenhafel, who helped modernize the A.D. Bruce Religion Center physically and spiritually. “He was a great partner from the University supporting these folks who aren’t part of the University officially but are people of interest which, I think, one of his greatest accomplishments,” Kowalka said. “He was just an amazing guy, the remarks are him, quick witted, just a very caring soul, and funny.” news@thedailycougar.com
SGA
Outgoing SGA president reflects on rewarding, challenging tenure LAURA CONTASTI
WEB EDITOR
@LAURACONTASTI
The office of the current SGA president is lived in. Canned tuna, diet cola and shirts are tossed around haphazardly. On the desk, a deodorant tube sits next to a “Cameron sucks APPROVED” slip of paper. This is Cameron Barrett. Barrett, the 22-year-old native of New Caney, is currently wrapping up his second master’s degree in finance. He finished his first master’s degree the summer after taking
office. Aside from being an “overachiever,” Barrett also commutes most days from his grandmother’s home in New Caney to the University. “I didn’t want to start adulting at 20,” Barrett said. “I knew that I was going to graduate in two years, so my mindset was I’ll go ahead and plough through a master’s degree and go into the workforce around the same time as my high school cohorts — just with more education.” Before coming to the University of Houston, Barrett attended the Kingwood branch
of the Lone Star College System, taking dual-credit classes in high school. Prior to his election as president, Barrett unsuccessfully ran for a senator position in the 53rd Administration, in which he says he was “demolished.” Despite that loss, he persevered. His path to the presidency was one of the most competitive, eventually ending in a runoff election in which he beat the incumbent president, Winni Zhang. During his tenure as
president, Barrett has pioneered a few initiatives, one of the most notable being a major election code reform that limited the possibility of two-term presidents. “If we didn’t have term limits I wouldn’t (have) run again anyway,” Barrett said. “Running for the position is very stressful, and I think that SGA elections can be a lot more personal than other elections because you’re running against fellow students.” Despite the difficulties of campaigning, Barrett has
managed to balance work and school relatively well, though he admits it posed a challenge. “When I was running for SGA president and my first month of being in office, I was in a one-year program for applied economics,” Barrett said. “I wasn’t anywhere close to getting kicked out, and I ended up just fine — you know, whatever, I’m a genius.” Though his grades didn’t suffer, his attendance did.
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SGA PRESIDENT
Continued from page 4 During the election, Barrett wound up missing multiple classes — as well as a week and a half of work, about $700 — to go out and campaign. His experience with the runoff election would eventually lead to an overhaul of the runoff election system at the time. “The last day of the runoff, I campaigned from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m., and then the following day, which was the last day of voting, I campaigned from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. again,” Barrett said. “That’s with an hour drive back (home) and an hour drive to campus.” It was a dangerous and exhausting situation, Barrett said. The new SGA voting system, which was voted into practice April 25, eliminated extended voting periods for runoff elections all thanks to Barrett’s near death experiences. The last 10 months haveMarch 10-11847 Cougar News been fruitful for the 55th
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Administration, bringing to campus a multitude of bills meant to help and protect students. Among the most notable are the Homeless Student Relief Act, the Transgender Inclusion Act and the Food Inclusion Act. “It’s been tough to figure out what to do next,” Barrett said. “I feel like we really have accomplished what we set out to do and so much more. But we got the Taco Bell on campus to reduce their value menu by 25 percent, so that’s cool.” Though he didn't run for president again, Barrett did win the position of graduate senator at-large for the Students Unite Party in this year's SGA election. “I think as SGA president you’re always going to upset some people, but I think overwhelmingly we’ve done a good job of rebuilding the administrative relationship,” Barrett said. news@thedailycougar.com 1_print.pdf
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During his time as the Student Government Association president, Cameron Barrett championed several innitiatives including the Homeless Student Relief Act, the Transgender Inclusion Act and the Food Inclusion Act. | Corbin Ayers/The Cougar
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SPORTS
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TRACK AND FIELD
Cougars ready to race at NCAA Indoor Championships ANDRES CHIO
SPORTS EDITOR @CHIOANDRES
The Cougars have 11 entries total with 10 athletes competing across 10 events at the NCAA Indoor Championships. Houston swept the American Athletic Conference Championships last weekend for the men's fifth straight AAC title and the women's first and are looking to continue the success with NCAA Championship medals. "I'm happy with the way the team performed at the conference meet. We came in with a plan to not overextend our guys, and we managed to be successful," said head coach Leroy Burrell. But success at the conference level does not guarantee anything, and the Cougars are already preparing for its next challenge. After its fourth win in the AAC last season, Houston went into the NCAA Championships with hopes of glory. It came out with individual medals but no team hardware. "Last year we scored, but we didn't quite do what we were capable of. But we were also relying on fewer people," Burrell said. "This year, we definitely have more depth that will certainly serve us well, and it doesn't hurt when you have two of the best 400m runners in the world on the team." Senior Kahmari Montgomery is currently No. 1 in the country with a 400m dash time of 45.04s, and senior Obi Igbokwe is No. 3 with a time of 45.35s. Together with junior Jermaine Holt and senior Amere Lattin, the Cougars' squad ran the season's fastest 4x400m time of 3:01:51s at the Clemson Tiger
Senior Amere Lattin will compete in the 60m hurdles and start the 4x400 relay for the Cougars at the NCAA Indoor Championships. | Trevor Nolley/The Cougar
Paw Invitational Feb. 8. Florida won last year's indoor title with 40 points while UH came in seventh with 26. Florida sent 10 men to the meet, six of whom scored points in the championship win. Houston is sending six men to compete with seven entries, and it will take every member scoring and some help for the Cougars to take a medal in the men's championship. "We're focused on trying to put together the best effort as a team and maximize our scoring opportunities and see where the chips fall," Burrell said. Some of the other athletes to look out for are senior Mario Burke and redshirt senior Trumaine Jefferson, who will compete in the 60m dash and long jump, respectively. Igbokwe will also run in the
200m dash along with the 400m and 4x400m relay, while Lattin will be in the 60m hurdles. Burke and Igbokwe are both No. 7 in the events they are in without other Cougars and need to move up in those events to get Houston to the podium. Lattin's best time is No. 10 in the 60m hurdles. Jefferson is the No. 11 long jumper in the country, and securing even a couple points by landing in the top eight could be the difference in what looks to be a close indoor championship. On the women's side, the Cougars do not have the numbers to challenge for a team podium spot, but all four athletes will have the chance to score points for the school. Senior Taylor Scaife is No. 4 in the country at the weight throw, and from current scores she is
the closest to earning a medal for the Cougars on the women's side. Sophomore Naomi Taylor is No. 11 in the 60m hurdles, but the difference between No. 11 and No. 5 is .04s and the difference between No. 5 and No. 3 is .09s. Junior Brianne Bethel and junior Samiyah Samuels were the last to qualify for the 200m dash and long jump, respectively, but similar to the 60m hurdles, the differences between competitors is far from insurmountable. Just .12s separate Bethel and a points-earning finish while Samuels is .09m away. Houston preaches #RED, or Ready Every Day, and that is what the team and its opponents will need to be. The current scores are each athletes'
very best attempts from the entire season, but not every one hits their best mark on the day of the indoor championships. Being ready and rising to the occasion is important and something the Cougars have the ability to do time and time again. "(At the AAC Championships), we really relied on our most talented athletes and they came through," Burrell said. Houston will need to persevere again, and it will be the final time many of the runners don the red and white on the indoor track. The competition starts Friday for the Cougars with the preliminary rounds, and the finals of most events are Saturday. sports@thedailycougar.com
8 | Wednesday, March 6, 2019
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MEN'S BASKETBALL
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Cougars welcome national broadcast ESPN 'College GameDay' ushers in revived basketball program JHAIR ROMERO
SENIOR STAFF WRITER @JUSTJHAIR
Houston was all the rage Saturday morning after ESPN’s “College GameDay” morning show made its first basketball visit to campus ahead of the Cougars’ high-profile matchup against UCF. UH is in the homestretch of its season, and with just a few games left, the No. 12 Cougars find themselves in the national spotlight for the first time in more than 30 years. Fans poured into the Fertitta Center in the early hours of the morning and stayed energetic throughout the day. Students wielded signs making fun of UCF's national title claim on the gridiron and compared it to LeBron James' Lakers and the team's slim chances to make playoffs. ESPN host Rece Davis riled up the crowd with the Texas Longhorns' Hook 'Em hand sign before he switched over to the Cougar Paw. Talk of the Duke basketball team and its star freshman Zion Williamson were met with chants of "overrated" from the rowdy crowd. Amid the festive atmosphere, “College GameDay” analyst Jay Bilas had a lot of praise for head coach Kelvin Sampson and his strides with the program. “It’s more of a resurrection than a rebound,” Bilas said. “(Sampson) has breathed new life into a program that was really good and really proud 30-plus years ago. It’s a real program now.” Houston has had its fair share of highs and lows since the days of Texas’ Tallest Fraternity in the ‘80s, but during Sampson's tenure, the team has found itself on an upswing that includes four straight 20-win seasons. Before it won in the first round of last year's NCAA tournament, the University had not won a game in the March battle royale since Phi Slama Jama made it to the finals in 1984. Although Sampson’s revamping of the program is not overlooked, many give credit to the newly renovated Fertitta Center and the effect it has on fans.
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“This is intimidating,” said Jay Williams, fellow analyst and colleague of Bilas, on the refurbished arena. “It seems like people are going to be right on top of you, and it seems like the atmosphere is going to be alive. The vibe here is what basketball should be.” UH is the best it has been in a very long time, and visits by prominent shows like "College GameDay" prove it. Houston legend and NBA Hall of Famer Elvin Hayes believes the national exposure the team has been met with this season is well deserved and a long time coming. “It lets the country know that, once again, UH is a major power in college basketball,” Hayes said. Despite its 69-64 loss to UCF, there is no such thing as bad publicity, and in a time when some do not take the team seriously despite its 27-2 record and No. 12 ranking, it is important the Cougars receive the recognition. Broadcast journalism sophomore Mady Chidester, who frequents the team’s games and was part of the ESPN broadcast, has high praise for Houston being in the limelight. “There is a big buzz of campus,” Chidester said. “Everyone is talking about the games and getting excited about them.” Houston has taken itself to the top and finally been acknowledged. Davis had praise for the Cougars, and said the team can go toe-to-toe with any team in the country. “Houston can compete with anybody,” Davis said. Current ESPN projections by Joe Lunardi give the Cougars a chance to compete early against great teams like mid-major upstart Buffalo and Big Ten powerhouse Michigan State as possible second and third round opponents. How the Cougars will move forward after the loss is not yet known, but with the nation’s eyes now on the team, it will be up to Sampson and his players to find the way. sports@thedailycougar.com
By the numbers: Houston's loss to UCF ANDRES CHIO
SPORTS EDITOR @CHIOANDRES
Houston suffered its second loss of the season Saturday against UCF, and there were a few key areas where the Cougars struggled and allowed the Knights to take over the game.
Zero Senior center Tacko Fall had no blocks in the game but still cut Houston's playbook in half, and he kept the team out of the paint when he was on the court.
One The home loss was the first in almost two years, ending the Cougars' 33-game home winning streak. Houston's last loss at home was March 15, 2017 against Akron.
Two The Cougars lost the rebounding battle 35 to 33, which is an anomaly for the team. Houston has out-rebounded opponents by an average of eight per game this season.
Three Houston had just three second chance points after offensive rebounds. The Cougars had nine in its previous win over UCF and 15 in the game before Saturday against ECU.
Four The Knights had four players that scored in the double digits, and the team spread the ball around well to move around the Cougars' defense.
Five
Houston fans arrived as early as 8:30 to gain entry to the College Gameday crowd and brought signs to show on the ESPN broadcast. | Kathryn Lenihan/The Cougar
Houston made just 50 percent of its free throws, but the team averaged 72 percent before the game. Central Florida made 75 percent compared to its usual 64 percent. If both teams had shot the average and all else stayed constant, Houston would have won 70-66. sports@thedailycougar.com
SPORTS
Wednesday, March 6, 2019 | 9
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MEN'S BASKETBALL
Trash Can Man wows as UH's newest tactic
Trash Can Man, also known as architecture sophomore Luis Lemus, was deployed in the past two basketball games and will be for the final home game of the season on Thursday. | Corbin Ayres/The Cougar
JACKSON GATLIN
STAFF WRITER @JTGATLIN
Many fans who weren't in attendance during Trash Can Man’s first outing against the USF Bulls were likely confused when an oversized, red trashcan was wheeled courtside in the second half against the UCF Knights. Was a custodian lost? Was
cleanup set to begin early so staff could get home in time for "American Idol?" The truth is, the trashcan held within its confines men’s basketball’s newest homecourt weapon. Trash Can Man, aka architecture sophomore Luis Lemus, is the newest addition to the raucous Fertitta Center environment.
Lemus has one job and one job only: wait for his handler’s signal then explode through the lid of the trashcan and try his best to distract visiting team’s free-throw shooters. His courtside seat comes without the usual furnishings, exchanging a cushioned chair and great view of the game for a cramped space, a livestream of the match on his phone and
props like wigs and signs. “It kind of all started when I got contacted through an Instagram page I made last year called 'Discount Rob Gray,'” Lemus said. “They saw that page and saw I was devoted to the team, and they said, ‘We gotta get this guy out here and do something ridiculous.’” The USF Bulls shot a paltry 13-of-22 from the charity stripe
during Lemus’s first showing, but the UCF Knights managed to go 13-of-15 when he reprised his role a week later. While it may never be a true X’s and O’s strategy to rely on, Trash Can Man is popular enough to turn into a Cougar tradition for years to come. sports@thedailycougar.com
SOFTBALL
Junior pitcher reaches perfection during successful weekend outing ANDRES CHIO
SPORTS EDITOR @CHIOANDRES
Junior Trystan Melancon now has a 3-1 record for this season from five starts and one relief outing. | Ahmed Gul/The Cougar
Softball's elite pitching was on show this past weekend and it even made history. Junior Trystan Melancon threw the first perfect game of the her career on Saturday at the Cougar Softball Stadium. Melancon threw a no-hitter the previous weekend against Northern Illinois in Houston's 8-0 win and threw the perfect game, which means no hits, walks or errors, against DePaul in the 8-0 win this weekend. It was the fourth perfect game in Houston softball history and the first since 2008. It was Melancon's third no-hitter of her career, which
made her the third player to have three no-hitters in a career. Melancon has a 2.02 ERA this season after eight earned runs from 27.2 innings pitched. The team as a whole has a 1.76 ERA from 35 runs allowed and 139 innings pitched and a 16-6 record. Houston will play its first road tournament of the season at the Highlander Classic in Riverside, Cal. this weekend against UC Riverside, San Diego and Nebraska-Omaha to start a 10 game, 16 day road trip. The Cougars will return home on March 27 against the Cowgirls from McNeese. sports@thedailycougar.com
10 | Wednesday, March 6, 2019
OPINION JORDEN SMITH, EDITOR
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CULTURE
Let’s do a better job celebrating Black History Month DIAMOND HOLLOWAY
Lacking education
B
During the first week of the month, my teachers would lecture about four well-known activists: Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks. The rest of that week, the class would be silent enough to listen for notable African American inventors or entertainers during the morning announcements. But once the second week rolled around, black history left the classroom. We were taught through the announcements. Instead of continuing the Black History Month celebration, we’d have entertaining school plays and school fundraisers for Valentine's Day. I even remember some inspiring speeches about Presidents' Day. For the rest of February, teachers and students wouldn’t speak of Black History Month. After growing up this way, when you say “Happy Black History Month” to a millennial, they may not know how to answer.
OPINION COLUMNIST
lack History Month has ended, and much like every other year, the promised pageantry and remembrance was nothing more than one or two events. Black history was not celebrated in 2019, instead being allowed to fall through the cracks. We can do better than this. There is so much black history that we unknowingly encounter every day, and it should be relatively easy to fill one month with daily remembrances. But 2019 was a disappointment, like most years before it. What is Black History Month supposed to be? To me, it’s a celebration of contemporary achievements and preserved heritage. It assures us that we as African Americans have overcome and will continue to do so throughout future generations. Black history is the legacy of Black America, explaining that from the tireless efforts of our ancestors, African Americans now have more opportunity to choose instead of being oppressed. Black History Month deserves more than a week's worth of celebration. Each day should be uniquely celebrated until the last day of February. But to most millennials, it's easy to think of Black History Month as an obligation rather than a celebration. In high school, it seemed to take only one week for Black History Month to lose its charm.
BASEBALL
More than the past Black History Month began as Negro History Week in February of 1926. During that time, it was celebrated the second week of February because it merged the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. In 1970, Black History Month was proposed by black educators at Kent State University. The university become the first American institution to celebrate
the month-long holiday. Six years after Kent State, not only did this become a huge phenomenon, but it was heavily supported by most of American society. Black History Month is not solely about slavery and tyranny, and it is comprised of more than just the top four people listed above. There are social activists such as Tarana Burke, who created the #MeToo movement. She became a positive voice for survivors of sexual harassment and abuse. Another example is NFL player Colin Kaepernick, who took a stand when he took a knee in protest of continuing social injustices in America. Recording artists, such as Meek Mill and winner of the Pulitzer Prize Kendrick Lamar, make major impacts on society by bringing awareness to the current state of Black America and the social injustice of black people. And what about the popular comedian and director Jordan Peele, who had us jumping in our seats with his profound social thriller “Get Out?” The whole purpose of Black History Month is to celebrate black excellence and not just our struggles.
Who cares? One of the main reasons why millennials aren’t commemorating Black History Month is due to there being other distractions. February has Valentine's Day and the beginning of school, not to mention all the stress of every day
The African American studies department has resources for students looking to learn more than what can be taught in a month. | Jorden Smith/The Cougar
life. A lot happens in February, and millennials don't have a lot of time in their busy lives to stop and remember the past and admire the present. Think about this for a moment: If no one before you has actively celebrated Black History Month, what’s your motivation? Black History Month is an American holiday. That means not only should America celebrate, but it means millennials in America should be encouraged to celebrate. This also means that universities, such as the University of Houston, should show greater respect to Black History Month. I've seen signs and online events commemorating Black History Month, but I have yet to see anything that merits active celebration.
Try harder in 2020
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“Every student in public and private schools across Texas should be required to take a unit of this history annually. In doing
so, we could accelerate not only knowledge of African American history and the struggle for black citizenship, but also enable the deep empathy that comes from recognizing strangers as part of the wider human family,” said American scholar Peniel E. Joseph in an article for the Houston Chronicle. Millennials especially should be active in celebrating Black History Month. As millennials, it’s necessary we bridge the gap from the past to the present. Once we do, the possibilities will be endless. It can start with universities, such as UH, showcasing African American creations and achievements throughout their campus and inspiring the current generation. So in 2020, let’s really celebrate Black History Month. Opinion columnist Diamond Holloway is a journalism junior and can be reached at opinion@thedailycougar. com.
DIRECTORY
Bryce Harper will not win a championship in Philadelphia ANTHONY CIANCIULLI
ASSISTANT OPINION EDITOR
B
ryce Harper is one of the most enigmatic players in sports. He’s like the fish at Long John Silver’s or the beef at
Jack in the Box: it tastes like fish deserved and serves as a testament This is the same guy who blamed and looks like beef, but who really to his abilities. an ejection on his pregame playlist, CATHOLIC MASS knows? What can be certain is thisON CAMPUS But he sealed his fate by agreeing which supposedly had him too fired SUNDAYS: 10:45 AM man, and all that hair gel, willReligion never Center to go to Philadelphia. In doing so, up to keep his emotions in check. 6:00 PM - Catholic Center win a championship. One of the songs that induced WEEKDAYS: Harper sold his soul to the devil, Tuesday—Friday 12:00 Noon Harper recentlyCATHOLIC signed a recordand this contract effectively ended this emotional state was “5AM” by NEWMAN CENTER Confession: Before or After Masses breaking 13-year $330 million any chance he had at lifting the Logic. Sunday BibleLet’s Classhope he never hears “Baby contract with the Philadelphia Commissioner’s Trophy. Phillies. The contract will give the Shark: Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo,” 26-year-old slugger enough money Hot headed because that bop of a song would to buy a lifetime supply of hair Harper is somewhat of a hothead likely cause Harper to enter a new products to keep his mane looking and tends to throw temper dimensional plane of existence, one crispy. tantrums whenever he struggles. where no mercy is shown and all Harper’s talent is not the reason He's emotional to crazy ex-lover good things turn to ash. he won’t win in Philadelphia. The proportions. If you piss this guy off, Harper wears his heart on his guy is a statistical machine expect to your tiresIN slashed and,leaves nothing for the IF YOUwho ARE INTERESTED IN have ADVERTISING WORSHIP Dsleeve IRECTORY is capable of putting up gaudy and “Bryce was here” keyed into the imagination. This is a great quality REPRESENTATIVE AT 713-743-5356 CONTACT A SALES numbers. Even after a poor 2018 side of your pretty little souped-up when he’s happy and playing season, his new contract is much four-wheel drive. well. But when the going gets
tough, you can expect Harper to act accordingly. This has lead to multiple altercations with teammates who take issue with Harper's antics. Last season, Harper hit a routine fly ball to left field and lackadaisically jogged to first base. This caused his former teammate, Jonathan Papelbon, to scream at him from the dugout for his lack of effort. An argument ensued and ended with Papelbon grabbing Harper by the throat and shoving him into the dugout wall. Harper better get used to getting
BRYCE HARPER
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choked out because, like Papelbon, Philadelphia fans will not stand for laziness. They will devour him at the first sign of weakness. Harper was a kid when he made his MLB debut at just 19 years old. He came into the league with a reputation for being arrogant, which many believed was a maturity issue. But after seven years since his first at-bat, the right fielder has done little to show any signs of emotional growth. Harper has dealt with criticism from traditional baseball fans who hate when players show any type of emotion. They value sportsmanship and scorn any display that could be considered self-indulgent. But nothing twists traditionalist’s panties more than when a player flips their bat after hitting a home run. It’s a huge no-no in the “unwritten rules” of baseball etiquette. These rules mostly address sportsmanship with Code of Hammurabi-style punishments for those who break them: rules like “your pitcher hit my batter so expect my pitcher to hit your batter.” Harper embodies everything traditional baseball fans hate and doesn’t care to follow the “unwritten rules.” In a league full of lobotomized players with less charisma than Mark Zuckerberg, Harper’s personality stands out. He’s not the kind of guy to give a cookie-cutter response for the sake of saving face. In one of Harper’s more memorable interviews, a reporter asked him what his favorite beer was. At the time, Harper was only 19 years old and he responded, “That’s a clown question, bro.”
Bryce Harper is a once-in-a-generation talent. But he wasted any real chance of winning a World Series championship by signing with the Philadelphia Phillies. | Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/user: UCinternational
Philadelphia’s home teams must stay and endure the wrath of their fans. Philadelphia fans have beat up an opposing team’s mascot, thrown beer bottles and cheesesteak on players, tossed commemorative bracelets — originally given to fans in remembrance of the life of the Flyers co-founder — onto the ice after a bad loss, jumped into the
penalty box to fight a professional hockey player and climbed light poles to celebrate a victory after city officials specifically asked them not to and even greased up the poles to try and stop them. They either hate you or love you. They wear their emotions on their sleeves and let players know exactly how they feel. On second thought, maybe this is the perfect fit for
Harper. But it also might be the worst duo to form since actor Kevin Bacon and his brother Michael started a band called “The Bacon Brothers.” You read that correctly. Kevin Bacon attempted a career in music. The addition of Harper will make the Phillies an automatic contender. That’s how special his abilities are. He is a once-in-ageneration player that is capable of carrying a team when his bat is hot. But the same was said about the Nationals last season when Harper was there, and they didn’t even make the playoffs. Now he'll be playing with less talent than his previous team in front of a less tolerable fan base. And it's only a matter of time before the emotionally volatile pair of Harper and Philly fans clash. It will be a Greek tragedy that only Philadelphia could write — remember Terrell Owens. Watching Harper and Philadelphia fans coexist will be quality entertainment, but it won’t produce championships. Assistant Opinion Editor Anthony Cianciulli is a broadcast journalism senior and can be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com.
worship DIRECTORY
Philly fans Harper better brace himself for more of the same in Philadelphia because they have enough clowns to staff Barnum and Bailey Circus 10 times over. Philly fans are in a category of their own when it comes to fandom, and playing the game the “right way” will be the least of Harper’s worries. Philly fans drink a lot of beer and live in a city where the temperature can dip below zero — which is cold enough to put the calmest individual on edge. It’s also a fact that 90 percent of the illiterate population in the United States is either from, or migrates to, Philadelphia. All of these conditions combined create a perfect storm of the world’s most belligerent sports fans. Philadelphia is a hostile environment for visiting teams, but they at least get to leave once the game has concluded. Players for
CATHOLIC MASS ON CAMPUS SUNDAYS: 10:45 AM - Religion Center 6:00 PM - Catholic Center WEEKDAYS: Tuesday—Friday 12:00 Noon CATHOLIC NEWMAN CENTER Confession: Before or After Masses Sunday Bible Class
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Universal Crossword Edited by David Steinberg March 6, 2019
ACROSS 1 Installed, as tile 5 Japanese or Javanese 10 Geek ___ (nerdy style) 14 Otherwise 15 “You betcha!” 16 Dill, e.g. 17 Princess Anna’s sister 18 Video game pioneer 19 Cupid alias 20 Willie Nelson genre 23 “Laughing” critter 24 Say again 25 Start for “carte” 27 Open grazing area 31 Pampering place 34 Rush into battle 39 A dromedary has one 41 Borders on 42 “Ditto!” 43 Not in jail, perhaps 46 Gymnast’s top score 47 “Iron Mike” of boxing 48 Down in the dumps 50 Revolutionary War gun 55 ___ Dame 3/6
59 Salad ingredients that bookend 20-, 34- and 43-Across 62 Touched down 63 Employee’s reward 64 Redding of soul 65 Devil’s food ___ 66 Core i9 processor maker 67 Kurylenko of “Oblivion” 68 Sized up 69 Blasts of wind 70 Say it ain’t so DOWN 1 Human sponge 2 Brass or bronze 3 Problem 4 “Star Trek: TNG” character Troi 5 Rent-___ 6 Mythical goat/man 7 Slack-jawed 8 “Mad Men” agent, informally 9 Cacophony 10 They’re spotted on safaris 11 German mister 12 Press, as clothes
13 Eye-logo network 21 Baby powder 22 “Sharknado” star Reid 26 Captain with a whalebone leg 28 Pretty cool 29 Jacks, e.g. 30 Home for Adam and Eve 31 Whiskey glass amount 32 Peewee 33 Rock band gear 35 Lawyers’ org. 36 Dirt road groove 37 Sporty VW 38 Those, in Tijuana 40 Publicized
44 “Movin’ ___” (“The Jeffersons” theme) 45 Da ___, Vietnam 49 Be altruistic, say 51 Parsley garnish 52 Reeves of “Speed” 53 Makes a long story short? 54 Best Buy buy 56 Car owner’s paper 57 Queen’s rule 58 One-pager, for one 59 Potter’s wheel lump 60 Quarterback’s cry 61 Morays and congers 62 Miss no questions on
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