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BLACK AND WHITE LSU’s 1976 SGA President alleges racist attitudes led to rigged 1976 homecoming election.
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page 2 NEWS
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LSU Campus Life’s homecoming website was updated to include the 2018 homecoming queen, following social media outcry.
SPORTS
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Senior defensive lineman Breiden Fehoko steps up in face of LSU’s injury-riddled defensive line.
ENTERTAINMENT
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Crybaby Stitch brings a vintage twist to home decor with hand-stitched embroidery artwork.
OPINION
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“I am here to tell you that Burrow won’t be watching the Heisman ceremony from his couch.”
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Former SG president alleges racism in questionable 1976 homecoming election procedure BY RAYMOND CONSTANTINO @r_dog_3 Homecoming at LSU is steeped in tradition, and the selection of the homecoming court is no exception. For students named homecoming king and queen, being crowned to thunderous applause by the tens of thousands of LSU students and fans in Tiger Stadium is a once in a lifetime moment. However, there was a time when some University students have been historically barred from this honor, despite their achievements. Renée Boutte, the first black homecoming queen at the University, was crowned in 1991. But according to former LSU Student Government President Ted Schirmer, the University could have crowned its first black queen in 1976. Schirmer, who served as SG president in 1976, told The Reveille in September about the attempts to rig the 1976 election for homecoming queen in the hopes of addressing the racist attitudes of the time and make strides toward rectifying the situation. Schirmer said the homecoming election of 1976 was set up in order to ensure that a black member of homecoming court, Cynthia Payton, would not be elected queen. Schirmer said the men he appointed to run the election changed the voting process, requiring students to vote for three candidates instead of one. As a result, many people who wanted to vote for Payton were forced to also vote for the other white candidates. A Reveille article from 1976 confirmed the three-vote ballot requirement. The voting initially started as a one-vote ballot, but the next day the Homecoming Committee changed it to the three-vote system, according to the story. The Homecoming Committee Co-Chairman at the time, Mike Williams, said in the article he changed the voting procedure because “it gives more girls the opportunity to be elected, since they have a three-in-ten chance rather than one-in-ten.” Schirmer, angry at what he perceived to be a racist and discriminatory voting process, fired the two co-chairmen he appointed to run the election. He subsequently halted the election and initiated a new one, despite thenUniversity Chancellor Paul W. Murrill’s decision that no homecoming queen would be elected due to the controversy surrounding the election. Schirmer said Murrill was speaking at an out-of-town event that night, so he called the sheriff’s office of the town and said he was LSU’s student body president. The sheriff’s office then connected Schirmer to Murrill. “I told him, I said, ‘Paul, I
don’t give a s--t what you said, we’re going ahead with homecoming,’” Schirmer said. “I said, ‘if you want to somehow stop us with going ahead with this event, good luck.’” However, Schirmer’s election was formally disregarded several days later. A Reveille article from 1976 stated the homecoming queen finalists met with Murrill and agreed a queen should be crowned from the results of the initial election. The confusion and controversy surrounding the homecoming election stirred opinions across campus. A scathing letter to the editor by Jo E. Myers in The Reveille castigated SG and the Homecoming Committee for the way the election played out. “Is this a joke? Do you think that we are that unaware, naive, ignorant?” Myers wrote. “This is a supreme insult to blacks, the student body, and myself. How dare you insult me with your pettiness?” Another letter to the editor was written by four members of the Homecoming Committee: Kathy Finley, Larry Hoskins, Mary Morales and Patty Rowland. The group said the three-vote system had been in place for at least two years prior in order to discourage black votes. The committee members said much of the confusion came from their confusion over who the committee was responsible to. They criticized Schirmer for overstepping his bounds as SG president and said he only attended one committee meeting. “Who does [Schirmer] think he is?” the group wrote. “SG president is not the highest office in the land as he seems to think. Does he have the right to tear down signs and remove ballot boxes if he wants?” Schirmer also said Alphe Williams, one of the committee cochairmen, was black, which is worth noting given the accusations of racism being the primary driver behind the three-vote ballot requirement. Seemingly as a result of Schirmer’s interference with the election, a petition began to circulate for Schirmer’s recall as SG president. The recall failed, but after hearing from a friend the administration was printing flyers about the petition, he told a group of people at Free Speech Plaza exactly that. The administration then used those statements to get the University Court to convict him of violating the Student Code of Conduct for “telling a lie with the intent to deceive.” He said one of the deans tried to expel him, but Murrill allowed him to remain a student and SG president after he agreed not to discuss the matter for one year or to run for reelection. The Reveille ran a spread featuring student opinions on the potential removal of Schirmer from office. The opinions were
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Former SG president Ted Schirmrer claims the homecoming election of 1976 was rigged against Cynthia Payton on the grounds of race. mostly split: some said he interfered with matters outside of his control, others said they respected him for standing up to the administration. Some said no only because they found him entertaining. “No, he’s the most interesting thing that’s gone on around here. I voted for him so I’d have something to read in The Reveille,” said student Doug Stafford. Schirmer said LSU Greek Life was highly racist at the time, and very few members, if any, would have voted for Payton along with their own members. “When you look at this stuff, just like [former LSU President Troy] Middleton’s letter [against the racial integration of the University], you take a look at this [and] it’s black and white, literally,” Schirmer said. “This was a racist school.” Schirmer said racism was a big problem on campus at the time. He said black students were spit on, had drinks thrown at them, were not let into bars and had trouble renting apartments. A 1976 edition of The Reveille recounted an incident where a black woman named Cecilia Moses tried to attend the “all-white” Douglas Avenue Baptist Church, only to be asked to leave. The article also said the pastor of the church confirmed it had a policy of excluding blacks. The selection process has changed over time, but homecoming court hopefuls currently have to successfully complete an application and interview process to
secure their place in LSU homecoming history. Homecoming court applications for this year were due on Sept. 8. After the Office of the Dean of Students verifies students’ eligibility, candidates’ first round applications are reviewed by at least three LSU faculty and staff judges. The Homecoming Student Committee’s Court Committee selects faculty and staff they feel would be good judges of candidates’ achievements and character. Judges score candidates in four main categories: contributions to campus life, service, strength of application and potential to be a good ambassador for LSU. Students’ GPAs are also considered and are scored on a five-point scale Following the week of first round applications, the 34 candidates who are selected to advance then participate in an interview conducted by a completely new set of judges. The students, alumni, faculty and staff who are selected to be judges score the applicants in the four categories used in the first round application review. Candidates’ highest and lowest scores in each category are dropped in this round, which produces an average score for each candidate based on their remaining scores. Once the scores are tallied and processed by the Homecoming Court Chair with Court Advisor, the 14 applicants selected for the homecoming court are announced.
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NEWS CANDIDATES CLASH
Louisiana gubernatorial candidates continue to face off days before election
BY RAYMOND CONSTANTINO @r_dog_3 The Louisiana governor’s race is heating up days away from election day on Oct. 12 with President Donald Trump holding a rally in Lake Charles on Friday. “Going to Louisiana on Friday night for a big Republican Rally. Keep Democrat Governor Edwards under 50%, force a runoff, and have a great new Republican Governor! Voting on Saturday. Information for Rally to follow,” Trump tweeted. Trump is expected to encourage rally attendees to support either businessman Eddie Rispone or U.S. Rep Ralph Abraham, both Republicans, to force a Nov. 16 runoff election against Democratic incumbent Gov John Bel Edwards. Vice President Mike Pence held a Republican rally in Kenner last Friday, and Donald Trump Jr. held a rally in Lafayette on Monday. Pence and President Trump’s campaigning comes after recent tweets from the President criticized Edwards. So far, a Sept. 26 poll from We Ask America has Edwards with 47%, Rispone with 23% and Abraham with 17%. Edwards did not seem surprised by Trump’s criticism despite having mentioned his desire to work with Trump. “It was to be expected,” Edwards said afterwards at an endorsement event. “The president is tweeting out of Washington. Washington is hyperpartisan. That’s the way they function.” Rispone and Abraham have
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ACADEMICS
LSU publishes inaccurate GPA ad BY BAILEY CHAUVIN, RACHEL MIPRO AND CALEB GREENE @BaileyChauvin, @remroc15 and @cgreene_24
previous sexual assault allegations from his time at Southern University. Then in 2017, an employee in Edwards’ office, Juanita Washington, accused Anderson of sexual assault. Anderson quickly resigned from his position. Abraham brought up the incident at the gubernatorial debate hosted in the LSU Student Union Theater last month. Edwards said he believed Anderson was a good hire at the time because investigation into the complaints from Southern University found no wrongdoing. He added Anderson knew he would be fired if he did not
LSU has repeatedly attempted to quiet the skeptics of the University’s “holistic admissions” policy by publicizing the accomplishments of the incoming freshman class. A recent University magazine advertisement inaccurately stated that this year’s freshman class has the highest GPA. The University published a half-page ad describing the academic accomplishments of the 2019 freshman class in the Sept. 24 edition of the bi-weekly Baton Rouge Business Report. Despite the University’s assertion in the advertisement, the average unweighted GPA for the Fall 2019 freshman class (3.42) slotted below the Fall 2017 freshmen (3.43). LSU Media Relations Director Ernie Ballard said the advertisement used projected statistics for the 2019 class to meet the Business Report’s printing deadline. Future advertisements will reflect the updated data, Ballard said. The projections reflect anticipated ACT and GPA data for the incoming class before the semester begins. Final numbers are gathered after the 14 day of classes, Ballard said. Discrepancies between the projections and final numbers can be attributed
see ELECTION, page 5
see GPA, page 5
AURIANNA CORDERO / The Reveille
(From left to right) Businessman Eddie Rispone, Gov. John Bel Edwards, and U.S. Rep Ralph Abraham all speak during the Gubernatorial debate on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2o19, in the Student Union Theater. feuded in the weeks leading up to the election. Rispone aired an ad last month, criticizing Abraham’s missed votes in Congress, his reneged promise to donate his congressional salary to charity and a 2016 statement Abraham made suggesting then-presidential candidate Trump should consider stepping down from the race after the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape was revealed. Two weeks later, Abraham ran a counter-ad which rebutted Rispone’s claims and accused him of lying about Abraham’s records. Abraham defended his campaign’s decision to run the ad. “It’s unfortunate that we had
to devote time and resources rebutting blatant lies from my Republican opponent,” Abraham said in a statement to the Associated Press. “We will not launch personal attacks against my Republican opponent, but I will defend my conservative record and values.” The two Republican candidates’ fighting has worried some party members with fears that it could hurt their campaigns and assist Edwards. Meanwhile, two Republican groups ran ads criticizing Edwards for his actions following sexual harassment allegations against a former top aide, Johnny Anderson. Edwards hired Anderson despite
STUDENT LIFE
Homecoming webpage updated after social media controversy BY PERLA RODRIGUEZ @perlajasminee In the midst ofhomecoming festivities, there has been some discontent among students regarding the header picture on the LSU Homecoming webpage. The University’s homecoming website originally displayed a picture of 2017 homecoming queen Camille Faircloth, who is white, rather than the most recent homecoming queen, Sarah Perkins. A Baton Rouge native, Perkins is the first AfroIranian queen in the University’s history, the third black queen and first queen not in Greek Life. Perkins and Daniel Wolf were crowned queen and
king in the 2018 “Purple Reign” homecoming game against Mississippi State. Several students, including political science senior Brooklen Farley, expressed their discontent with the situation on social media. Farley posted a screenshot of the Homecoming Court 2019 Selection Voting website on Twitter with the caption, “…Why is this pic on the hoco page to vote? The current hoco queen is a black woman…oof.” Farley said the outdated picture had been brought to the attention of LSU Campus Life months ago. They said the department was busy and doesn’t frequently update the website. However, after the tweet circu-
lated on social media, the website image was updated to a picture of the reigning homecoming king and queen the next day. “This year, a photo from a previous homecoming was on the court page. It did get attention on social media, and we decided that it would be appropriate to update that header image to reflect last year’s king and queen,” LSU Media Relations Director Ernie Ballard said. Many students questioned if the picture not being updated was intentional or simply an oversight on the University’s behalf. Farley doesn’t think the University acted intentionally but feels Perkins deserves more credit for her many accomplish-
ments. “I don’t feel that it was an intentional action from LSU’s part, but it was definitely a very large oversight on many different levels,” Farley said. “[Perkins] got this long laundry list of accomplishments that went unnoticed throughout her entire reign.” Farley also recalled being a freshman on campus and seeing Faircloth, the previous queen, highlighted in marketing campaigns and many other homecoming platforms. “I knew she was the homecoming queen even though I was just a freshman on campus, and I did not see that same promotion towards Sarah that I saw
during the reign of Camille Faircloth,” Farley said. “I thought it was something we should talk about because we go to a university that does pride itself in having the largest and most diverse freshman class.” Perkins, who is currently a student at the LSU Law Center, respectfully declined to speak on the situation. “There isn’t much to be said on behalf of Daniel and I about the website, except that it has now been updated with pictures of us as King and Queen,” Perkins said. Ballard said there was no intention in having an older photo
see HOMECOMING, page 5
Thursday, October 10, 2019
page 4 INTERNATIONAL
Turkey launches offensive against Kurdish fighters in Syria BY LEFTERIS PITARAKIS AND BASSEM MROUE The Associated Press AKCAKALE, Turkey (AP) — Turkey launched a military operation Wednesday against Kurdish fighters in northeastern Syria after U.S. forces pulled back from the area, with a series of airstrikes hitting a town on Syria’s northern border. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the start of the campaign, which followed an abrupt decision Sunday by U.S. President Donald Trump that American troops would step aside to allow for the operation. Trump’s move represented a shift in U.S. policy that essentially abandoned the Syrian Kurdish fighters who have been America’s only allies on the ground in Syria. They were longtime U.S. allies in the fight against the Islamic State group. After Turkey’s offensive began, there was sign of panic in the streets of Ras al-Ayn— one of the towns under attack with residential areas close to the borders. Cars raced to safety, although it was not clear if they were leaving the town or heading away from border areas. Near the town of Qamishli, plumes of smoke were seen rising from an area close to the border after activists reported sounds of explosion nearby. The Kurdish forces have warned of a “humanitarian catastrophe” that could potentially unfold because of the Turkish military operation. “Our mission is to prevent the creation of a terror corridor across our southern border, and to bring peace to the area,” Erdogan said in a tweet. He added that Turkish Armed
Forces, together with Turkishbacked Syrian fighters known as the Syrian National Army, had begun what they called “Operation Peace Spring” against Kurdish fighters to eradicate what Erdogan said was “the threat of terror” against Turkey. Minutes before Erdogan’s announcement, Turkish jets began pounding suspected positions of Syrian Kurdish forces in the town of Ras al Ayn, according to Turkish media and Syrian activists. The sound of explosions could be heard in Turkey. A photograph released to Turkish media showed Erdogan at his desk, reportedly giving orders for the start of the operation. It was difficult to know what was hit in the first hours of the operation. Mustafa Bali, a spokesman for the U.S.-backed Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, said Turkish warplanes were targeting “civilian areas” in northern Syria, causing “a huge panic” in the region. Before Turkey’s attack, Syrian Kurdish forces that are allied with the United States issued a general mobilization call, warning of a “humanitarian catastrophe.”. The Turkish operation meant to create a so-called “safe zone” carries potential gains and risk for Turkey by getting even more deeply involved in the Syria war. It also would ignite new fighting in Syria’s 8-year-old war, potentially displacing hundreds of thousands. Turkey has long threatened to attack the Kurdish fighters whom Ankara considers terrorists allied with a Kurdish insurgency in Turkey. Associated Press journalists on the Turkish side of the border overlooking Tal Abyad saw Turk-
ish forces crossing into Syria in military vehicles Wednesday. Expectations of an invasion increased after Trump’s announcement, although he also threatened to “totally destroy and obliterate” Turkey’s economy if the Turkish push into Syria went too far. Turkey has been massing troops for days along its border with Syria and vowed it would go ahead with the military operation and not bow to the U.S. threat. Trump later cast his decision to pull back U.S. troops from parts of northeast Syria as fulfilling a campaign promise to withdraw from the “endless war” in the Middle East. Republican critics and others said he was sacrificing an ally, the Syrian Kurdish forces, and undermining Washington’s credibility. Fahrettin Altun, the Turkish presidency’s communications director, called on the international community in a Washington Post op-ed published Wednesday to rally behind Ankara, which he said would also take over the fight against the Islamic State group. Turkey aimed to “neutralize” Syrian Kurdish militants in northeastern Syria and to “liberate the local population from the yoke of the armed thugs,” Altun wrote. Erdogan discussed plans for the incursion with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Erdogan’s office said the Turkish leader told his Russian counterpart by phone that the planned military action in the region east of the Euphrates River “will contribute to the peace and stability” and also “pave the way for a political process” in Syria. In its call for a general mobilization, the local civilian Kurdish
authority known as the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, also asked the international community to live up to its responsibilities as “a humanitarian catastrophe might befall our people.” The Kurds also said that they want the U.S.-led coalition to set up a no-fly zone in northeastern Syria to protect the civilian population from Turkish airstrikes. The U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish group urged Moscow to broker and guarantee talks with the Syrian government in Damascus in light of Turkey’s planned military operation. The Syrian Kurdish-led administration said in a statement it is responding positively to calls from Moscow encouraging the Kurds and the Syrian government to settle their difference through talks. Syria’s Foreign Ministry condemned Turkey’s plans, calling it a “blatant violation” of international law and vowing to repel an incursion. Although it blamed some Kurdish groups for what is happening, saying they were being used as a tool to help an alleged “American project,” it said Syria is ready to welcome back its “stray sons if they return to their senses,” referring to the pro-U.S. Kurdish fighters. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused Washington of playing “very dangerous games” with the Syrian Kurds, saying that the U.S. first propped up the Syrian Kurdish “quasi state” in northeastern Syria and is now withdrawing its support. “Such reckless attitude to this highly sensitive subject can set fire to the entire region, and we have to avoid it at any cost,” he said during a visit to Kazakhstan. Russian news media said Moscow
communicated that position to Washington. Earlier Wednesday, IS militants targeted a post of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in the northern Syrian city of Raqqa, which was once the de facto IS capital at the height of the militants’ power in the region. The SDF, which is holding thousands of IS fighters in several detention facilities in northeastern Syria, has warned that a Turkish incursion might lead to the resurgence of the extremists. The U.S.-allied Kurdish-led force captured the last IS area controlled by the militants in eastern Syria in March. In the IS attack, three suicide bombers struck Kurdish positions in Raqqa. There was no immediate word on casualties. An activist collective known as Raqqa is being Silently Slaughtered reported an exchange of fire and an explosion. The Observatory said the attack involved two IS fighters who engaged in a shootout before blowing themselves up. IS claimed responsibility, saying one of its members killed or wounded 13 SDF members. Also Wednesday, Iranian state TV reported a surprise military drill with special operations forces near the country’s border with Turkey, in Iran’s Western Azerbaijan province. The TV didn’t mention the expected Turkish offensive into Syria or elaborate on the reasons for the drill. Mroue reported from Beirut. Associated Press writers Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey; Mehmet Guzel in Akcakale, Turkey; Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran; and Nataliya Vasilyeva in Moscow contributed.
NATIONAL
Biden calls for Trump to be impeached for first time BY BILL BARROW AND HUNTER WOODALL The Associated Press ROCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said Wednesday for the first time that President Donald Trump must be impeached for abusing the powers of his office to help his own reelection. Biden made the remarks as part of a blistering 25-minute campaign speech in New Hampshire. Biden said Trump is “shooting holes in the Constitution” by asking foreign powers to interfere in the 2020 election and then refusing to cooperate with a resulting House impeachment inquiry. “This is a president who has decided this nation doesn’t have the tools, the power, the political will” to punish bad behavior, Biden said. “He’s not just testing us. He’s laughing at us.” Trump quickly shot back in
a tweet that it was “so pathetic” to see Biden calling for his impeachment. The president maintained that he had done nothing wrong. Trump in a July phone call to Ukraine’s leader had asked for “a favor” of investigating Biden and his son Hunter. House Democrats have begun impeachment proceedings against Trump based on a rough transcript of the July 25 telephone call. Trump has repeated his unfounded assertions that Biden, as vice president, used his office to protect his son from corruption investigations in Ukraine. Biden on Wednesday again called those theories “lies” and said Trump was peddling them because he fears facing Biden in a general election. “We’re not going to let Donald Trump pick the Democratic nominee for president,” Biden said. “I’m not going to let him get away with it. He’s picked a fight with the wrong guy.”
THE REVEILLE ARCHIVES
Republican presidential candidate Donald J. Trump delivers a speech on Feb. 11, 2016, during a rally hosted in the Baton Rouge River Center.
Thursday, October 10, 2019
page 5
DINING
459 Commons employee has worked with LSU over 50 years BY KATHERINE MANUEL @kmanuel_2 459 Commons Dining Hall Line server Libby Weathers has worked in LSU Dining for over 50 years. Weathers began working at the University in 1965 and has never called in sick. She said prayers is the secret to working at a place for over 50 years. “A lot of people ask me, how did I work here for that long?” Weathers said. “It’s prayers. I’ve been through a whole lot and I’ve cried a-many days, but prayers kept me going.” Weathers married at 18 after graduating high school and began working at the University at 19. Her sister-in-law worked at Highland Cafeteria, where the Union Parking Garage is now, and invited Weathers to work there with her. Weathers became a supervisor after working at Highland Cafeteria for 20 years. She stepped down from the supervisor position to interact with customers. Weathers began working at the 459 Commons in 2013. She said a lot has changed
GPA, from page 3 to students enrolling in multiple universities or not showing up to campus, among other things. This year’s average high school transcript GPA for freshmen is 3.66. The University used the 3.66 reported average to predict the freshman class’ unweighted GPA, Ballard said. The projected GPAs for 2018 and 2017’s freshman classes were 3.64 and 3.56, respectively, according to a press release. Final numbers revealed unweighted average GPAs of 3.42 in 2018 and 3.43 in 2017. LSU President F. King Alex-
since she began working at the University. “When I first started here, I was making 65 cents an hour, but 65 cents an hour took me a long way” Weathers said. Besides the pay, Weather said the way the food and drinks are made have changed as well. Before the “cold-drink fountains,” the dining employees would make tea and punch for each meal. They would also make their own salad dressing and other food from scratch. Weathers said the way the food is cooked and prepared now is an attempt to make the food healthier for students. When she first started working at Highland Cafeteria, Weather said she was able to connect to the students because some were the same age as her. She said she was able to talk to them easily because they were on the same level. Because she is older now, Weathers talks to the students differently today. “I see all the kids that come through here, and I give them inspiration because a lot of them are sad when it comes around to
their exams,” Weathers said. Weathers said working with the students and customers is her favorite part of working in LSU Dining. “I love customers, and they know that I love them,” Weathers said. She said many students talk to her and hug her when they come to the 459 Commons, and it makes her day. She said both students and employees say seeing her is one of the highlights of their day. Pop-Up Restaurant Employee Terrell Leflore works with Weathers in the 459 Commons and agrees. “Every morning that I come to work, Ms. Libby makes my day when I see her,” Leflore said. 459 Commons Dining Hall Cook Summer Chaney also works alongside Weathers and said Weathers always puts a smile on her face. “Ms. Libby brightens my day every single day,” Chaney said. Weathers said she is not ready to retire anytime soon. She enjoys working at the 459 Commons and uses the income to help put her grandchildren through college.
“As long as I [have] health and strength, I want to do something,” Weathers said. “And this
ander came under intense scrutiny last year after the implementation of the University’s new admissions policy. Holistic admissions de-emphasize standard test scores and GPAs, and instead evaluate applicants using recommendation letters, personal essays and extracurricular activities. Alexander wrote a letter to The Advocate in September detailing the incoming class and applauding the University’s direction, “We are keeping Louisiana’s best and brightest here at home while raiding other states of their top talent.” The University’s website goes further, call-
ing the 2019 freshmen “a class of their own.” “Collectively, our incoming has an average GPA of nearly 3.7 and an ACT score of 26,” Alexander wrote. Holistic admissions drew ire from across the state. The harshest critics, like University benefactor and former Louisiana Board of Regents member Richard Lipsey, believed holistic admissions would lower the academic quality at LSU. In a letter to the editor published in The Advocate last September, Lipsey criticized the University’s move toward holistic admissions, “the unilat-
eral action he [Alexander] has taken to disrupt the admissions process for not only LSU, but schools across our great state is unwise, dangerous and will produce chaos.” The ensuing battle resulted in the Board of Regents launching an audit into admissions standards at public universities throughout the state. The board finished the audit in June, concluding LSU exceeded the Regents’ admission policy for allowable exceptions and should limit the acceptance of lessqualified students. Despite the public debate on the admissions policy, the University welcomed the largest class in campus history for the second consecutive year. Over 6,100 students make up this year’s freshman class, according to a University press release. Diversity within the incoming class also increased by more than 7%, according to the University. Additionally, the 2019 freshman class outperformed the 2018 class in terms of average ACT scores. This year’s class had a mean ACT score of 25.6 compared to 25.5 in 2018, according to the LSU Media Center. The Roger Hadfield Ogden Honors College also broke enrollment records with 789 freshmen this year, up from 745 in 2018. The record-breaking honors class entered with the highest average ACT score of 31.6. “The stat in the ad is still true among Honors College students having the highest freshman GPA ever, but since the overall GPA is just behind the overall record, we tweaked future ads that we would be placing to represent this change,” Ballard said.
RACHEL MIPRO / The Reveille
LSU published an ad in the Sept. 28 edition of the bi-weekly Baton Rouge Business Report inaccurately claiming the LSU 2019 freshman class has highest GPA.
is what I love. And by me loving to do this here, I’m just not ready [to retire].”
KATHERINE MANUEL / The Reveille
459 Commons Dining Hall Line server Libby Weathers serving breakfast to students while giving inspiration and support.
HOMECOMING, from page 3 photo as the header on the homecoming court webpage. He said that it was not meant to slight last year’s king and queen in any way, and that the University is proud to have Perkins represent the University as homecoming queen. However, Farley believes the University still has more work to be done in rectifying the situation, particularly for minorities on campus. “I think there is a larger conversation than them just not updating their website,” Farley said. “I think it’s detrimental to the minority community, specifically, the black community on LSU’s campus since we only make up about 13% of the campus. Whenever we do accomplish these things in these hyperwhite spaces, I think they should be praised. They should be highlighted.” The Reveille reached out to LSU Campus Life, but has not received any comment.
ELECTION, from page 3 resign, and he did not try to speak with Washington. Louisiana’s early voting period was held from Sept. 28 to Oct. 5, and Louisiana voters turned out in record numbers. According to the Monroe News Star, Republican Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin reported 76,874 residents cast their votes on Saturday, Sept. 28 alone. This number is more than double the 37,708 residents who voted on the first day of the 2015 early voting period. The Louisiana primary election will be held this Saturday.
SPORTS
page 6 OPINION
FEHOKO FEVER Defensive lineman Breiden Fehoko stepping up with injury-riddled defensive line, adjusting to practices with explosive offense and Tyler Shelvin’s emergence
The LSU defensive line came into the 2019 season with a strong veteran presence set to provide
the front seven with solid play in the trenches. Quickly however, injuries piled up for the defensive line, as senior Rashard Lawrence and junior Glen Logan both sustained injuries in
week two during LSU’s 45-38 victory over Texas. While this was a setback for the defensive line, it opened the door for senior defensive lineman Breiden Fehoko. Fehoko is quietly having an im-
MYLES KUSS @KussMyles
pressive start to the 2019 season after playing eight games in 2018. He’s bested his tackles-for-loss from a season ago with a team-
Ladies and gentlemen, the time has come. By 7 p.m. on Saturday in Death Valley, the most volatile rivalry in the Southeastern Conference will take place as No. 5 LSU (5-0, 1-0 SEC) takes on the No. 7 Florida Gators (5-0, 2-0). Florida has been the Tigers’ biggest rival for quite some time now, and the matchup has always delivered. Since 2010, LSU leads the series 6-3, but the past three clashes have been decided by seven points or fewer. LSU could be 7-2 against the Gators in its last nine tries, but running back Derrius Guice could not find the end zone from the 1-yardline as the clock ticked to zero in 2016. A series of events that LSU fans do not forget, and LSU players will not let define them. Another aspect that makes this SEC battle interesting is the fact that both defenses are trying to live up to a huge legacy— a legacy of owning the title of “Defensive Back University.” Unlike Texas, this is actually a fair fight. Florida has produced impressive defensive backs in recent years such as C.J. Gardner-Johnson,
see FEHOKO, page 7
see FLORIDA, page 7
AURIANNA CORDERO / The Reveille
BY JACOB BECK @Jacob_Beck25
Column: Rivalry runs deep, no subject off limits
SOCCER
Upperclassmen soccer players seek to leave lasting legacy BY NATASHA MALONE @malone_natasha LSU Soccer’s Chiara RitchieWilliams and Marlena Cutura are undoubtedly going to be names people remember for a long time. Both have had major impacts and left their marks on LSU’s program that can not be easily matched. Ritchie-Williams, the junior defender from London has contributed largely to the Tigers’ success since her arrival in Baton Rouge. As a freshman, RitchieWilliams solidified her reputation as one of the top young defenders in college soccer with an All-Southeastern Conference selection. In her three seasons as a Tiger, Ritchie-Williams has started every single match for the purple and gold except one her sopho-
more year. Not only has she made appearances on the pitch for the Tigers, but she is getting significant playing time as well. In her sophomore year, she played 2,287 minutes of a possible 2,300 minutes at center back to anchor LSU’s defense. Ritchie-Williams has also played a huge role in many record-breaking performances for the Tigers. She was part of LSU’s defensive unit that finished 2018 with the fifth-lowest goals against average (0.98) in the University’s history. Lastly, Ritchie-Williams helped LSU register 10 shutouts in 2018; the second most in a single season in LSU history. “It is hard to believe when people tell me the stats,” said Ritchie-Williams when speaking about being a pivotal part in many record breaking performances. “It’s a crazy honor and
I’m so glad to play a part in it.” In her junior season, RitchieWilliams has played a whopping 996 minutes of the possible 1,043 minutes. Although the numbers will not show it, she has continued her individual success while trying to help out the younger backline players too. “I want to be remembered as someone who set an example for the ones to come after me,” said Ritchie-Williams. “It has been amazing to have this opportunity. It is one that I definitely could not have gotten back home in England.” Much like her teammate, Cutura has been a key member of the Tigers. The senior from Pearl River, Louisiana has appeared in or started every match for the Ti-
MITCHELL SCAGLIONE / The Reveille
see SOCCER, page 7
LSU junior defender Chiara Ritchie-Williams (4) enters the field before the Lady Tigers Game against Arizona State on Sept. 15 in the LSU Soccer Complex.
Thursday, October 10, 2019 FEHOKO, from page 6 leading four in five games. Along with leading the Tigers on the field, Fehoko has been a vocal leader for the defense in practices, notably giving a speech to the defense in reference to their poor tackling during a practice leading up to the Utah State game. “[Fehoko] told us it’s really more of an effort thing,” said Junior linebacker Jacob Phillips. “We need to play with a chip on our shoulder whether its practice or in a game, Monday through Friday and play LSU standard defense.” Fehoko’s speech had an impact on the defense as they held Utah State’s potent offense to just six points and no touchdowns, only missing one tackle the entire game. Fehoko attributed the defense’s ability to be prepared for Utah State, who LSU coach Ed Orgeron said plays at “warp speed” because they’ve been practicing against an offense that itself moves quickly. “The offense did a really great job of simulating that fast, up-tempo style of offense for us and it really wasn’t that difficult for them because they’ve been running a similar style throughout the season,” Fehoko said. “It’s definitely helped us throughout the season, but especially against Utah State.” On Oct. 12, the Tigers take on No. 7 Florida, a team built around its defense and physicality, and Fehoko said it’s the defense’s turn to
page 7 help the offense prepare for what they’ll face Saturday night in Tiger Stadium. “It’s our turn to return the favor so to speak, and help them prepare for the physicality that Florida brings to the table,” Fehoko said. “We know they’re always going to be solid in the trenches but we know that we have to, and will be better.” Along with Fehoko’s play so far, sophomore nose tackle Tyler Shelvin has emerged as a big presence in the middle of the line. Shelvin has 16 total tackles, two pass breakups and one tackle for loss. But even at 346 pounds, has proved to be very athletic. “I don’t know if you’d call it athletic but he does this thing with his stomac,” Fehoko said. “This wave runner type move that I don’t think too many 350 pounders could do, but everyone’s seen that backflip he did in the pool so yeah, he’s a pretty athletic dude.”
FLORIDA, from page 6 Keanu Neal and Joe Haden. While these names are impressive, they have nothing on the names such as Patrick Peterson, Tyrann Mathieu and Tre’Davious White. Nonetheless, the Gators boast a solid defensive squad all around with their strong defensive line and quick corners. Yet, it will all be for not as LSU possesses the best corner in Derek
Stingley, a tremendous linebacking corp led by Jacob Philips, Patrick Queen and K’lavon Chaisson. Oh, and the LSU offense is led by Heisman Candidate Joe Burrow while Florida is relying on first year starter Kyle Trask. Even with these advantages for LSU, the game should be close. Which is why the matchup is so special. Both teams hate the other in the best possible way and, as the years have shown, anyone can get in on the trash-talking act. People such as Florida graduate C’yontai Lewis who tweeted a picture of him holding a skeleton with the caption “Almost three years since that Cat over there died…Its that time again. BEAT LSWHO.” This rivalry runs deep, and no subject is off limits. Another example of similar hostility involves Florida’s coach in 2016, Jim McElwain. He had led his Gators to a hard-fought victory in a game that they should have lost as LSU had the ball at the 1-yard-line with only seconds remaining. But, Florida pulled out the win and McElwain could not wait to give his take on what he thought on LSU. “They got what they deserved,” McElqain said. “And it should have been worse.” As opposed to 2016, LSU boasts a high-powered offense with weapons firing on all cylinders. Florida should not expect a similar result and, if they do, they will
be highly disappointed. This offense will be too much for Florida to handle as their “DBU” status will not hold up against the best offense in the country. While Florida did have an impressive win against Auburn, LSU will not allow an 88-yard rushing touchdown nor a wide receiver pass to a quarterback. There will be no trickery in this game, simply a matchup where LSU forces Trask to make plays. Enter Stingley and Kristian Fulton, who Trask will struggle to gain any momentum against. Florida has nowhere to hide in Death Valley, and the bright lights will be too much for an experienced starter. This is the rivalry that should be on every LSU fan’s mind. If fans bring the same energy as they do to Alabama every two years, Florida will walk away from Death Valley with what they deserve— loss of hope and loss of pride.
rely on, on and off the field,” Cutura said. “Going through all the years, I have fallen in love with my team and this program. I’m so glad I was able to play such a big role.” Now in her senior season, Cutura understands the role she now has on the team. After starting 49 games over her career, she is the most experienced player on this year’s squad. “As a senior, It is my job to lead by action and make every player feel welcome,” Cutura said. “I want people to remember me as someone who can be a role model on and off the field.”
SOCCER, from page 6 gers during her three and a half year tenure in Baton Rouge. Cutura’s appearance on the field has a positive correlation with the team’s overall success. In her sophomore campaign, LSU was 6-0-1 when Cutura registered a goal or an assist and she played a total of 1,889 minutes on the pitch for the Tigers. “I want people to remember me as someone who they can
MITCHELL SCAGLIONE / The Reveille
LSU senior midfielder Marlena Cutura (20) fights for a ball during the Lady Tigers’ 1-0 defeat against Arizona State on Sept. 15 in the LSU Soccer Complex.
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Classifieds
Thursday, October 10, 2019
page 10
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Help Wanted Child Care staffer needed. PLAYDATES Drop In Hourly Child Care is now seeking experienced, or otherwise, applicants for a shift supervisor position. Interested persons must be professional, organized, flexible, and have dependable transportation. Our successful candidate will be someone presently working as licensed child care staff seeking a better opportunity, or someone who has previously worked in such capacity. Applicants must be able to pass a drug test and a criminal background check, and provide at least two work or personal references. Immediate opening. You must apply in person at our center, 8821 Bluebonnet Blvd, between the hours of 10 am and 2 pm weekdays. Ask for Allison, our director.
HELP WANTED LSU Student Media Distribution Assistant LSU Student Media is seeking applicants for the position of Distribution Assistant. This position is responsible for delivery/distribution of The Reveille newspaper and special publications. Applicants must be LSU students enrolled full time and in good standing. Reliable personal transportation and availability in the early morning hours on Mondays and Thursdays are required. Job expectations include attention to detail, good communication skills and the ability to follow instructions precisely. Distribution Assistants are considered brand ambassadors of the Reveille/Student Media and are accountable for the presentation of the publications distributed. Rate of pay is $20/hr. Please submit an application at www.lsureveille.com/application.
Deadline: 12 p.m., three school days prior to the print publication date
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3 Br/2 Ba condominium for lease. 1500 sq. ft. Gated parking, pool,washer/dryer. 3 minutes from the stadium and Vet school. $1200/ month call Tony at 770633-1712
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FOR RELEASE OCTOBER 10, 2019
THE Daily Commuter Puzzle ACROSS 1 Creative notion 5 Simplest game with a ball 10 Male animal 14 Send a quick note to 15 Luau greeting 16 __ avail; uselessly 17 __ up; quit talking 18 Alikeness 20 “__ Anybody Seen My Gal?” 21 Pleasant 22 Good wood for rafts 23 T-Mobile store purchase 25 __ alai 26 Artificial; false 28 Outdoor meal 31 Is a breadwinner 32 Blackboard writer’s “pen” 34 Apple computer 36 Bench board 37 “Seek and ye __ find” 38 Lively 39 Tit for __ 40 Knife part 41 Metal threads 42 Road construction sign 44 Most recent 45 Two months ago: abbr. 46 Realtor’s delights 47 __ off; disregard 50 Stare openmouthed 51 Cry 54 Friendly 57 Headfirst plunge 58 Part of the foot 59 Still breathing 60 __ the moon; elated 61 Farm animal 62 __ from; talk out of 63 Portable shelter DOWN 1 Reason to use Cortaid 2 Fashion designer Oscar __ Renta 3 Irritate greatly
by Jacqueline E. Mathews
Created by Jacqueline E. Mathews
4 Money source, for short 5 Vegas attraction 6 Wonderland visitor 7 “It’s all Greek __!” 8 Actor McBride 9 Actor Linden 10 Overexert 11 Work hard 12 Household pests 13 Spanish romantic artist 19 Taken __; surprised 21 Gives a silent assent 24 Actress Helen 25 Hill climber of nursery rhyme 26 Nuisance 27 Dinner course 28 Like pastel shades 29 Remarkable; notable 30 Is concerned 32 Blacken 33 3rd word in “Old MacDonald” 35 Abnormal sac
10/10/19
Wednesday’s Puzzle Solved
©2019 Tribune Content Agency, LLC All Rights Reserved.
37 Punch 38 Word attached to web or camp 40 Tree limb 41 Go on foot 43 Instructed 44 Attorney 46 Ointment 47 Obstacle 48 Sandwich type
10/10/19
49 Costa __ 50 “True __”; John Wayne film 52 Jenn-Air appliance 53 Ernie’s buddy 55 Rotten 56 Spanish shout 57 On the __; punctual
ENTERTAINMENT A KICK FOR KICKS
page 11
Savvy&Co creates personalized, customized kicks
BY ALEXANDRIA DUQUE @AlexInTheMedia Fashion trends are always changing, and, as the fashion industry grows, it’s hard to keep up with what’s in and what’s out. Shoes have always taken center stage in schools, branding and social statements. With Savvy&Co you can turn any old pair of shoes into a customized piece of art. Savvy&Co is a Baton Rouge shoe designer that can make your wildest ideas or favorite characters come to life on any pair of shoes. You can customize and personalize your kicks for a look that can’t be found in stores. Sakinah Abdul-Aziz is the owner and artist of Savvy&Co custom shoe designs. When she’s not painting shoes, Abdul-Aziz is coaching at her kickboxing gym or studying for her personal trainer certification. The real magic happens behind the scenes when she is home using her creative freedom to give new life and meaning to shoes. Abdul-Aziz has always had a passion for shoes, but it wasn’t until 2017 she decided
to merge her artistic abilities with her love for shoes. Abdul-Aziz’s artistic experience went as far as high school art classes but was something she never thought about pursuing. However, after she found herself with a pair of shoes that didn’t come in the design she wanted, she decided to take matters into her own hands. She watched multiple tutorials and Youtube videos from professional shoe designers to learn the basics in preparation and painting. “I realized people could make a shoe look completely different from the way they were purchased,” Abdul-Aziz said. “If I want a shoe to look a particular way, and it wasn’t sold that way, then I was going to make it look that way.” As Abdul-Aziz’s shoe designs picked up, she remained focused on bringing originality to sneakers rather than making a profit. She knows how competitive the shoe industry can be, and nothing makes you stand out like a rare pair of hand-designed shoes. Each shoe that Abdul-Aziz creates is unique in design and is never repli-
cated. “I just really love and appreciate shoes and the sneaker culture,” Abdul-Aziz said. Savvy&Co can design any pair of sneakers, Vans or heels. Custom shoe designs start at a base price of $100 per pair. Prices vary depending on shoe size,
design and colors. Savvy&Co can create almost any design request or color scheme. Abdul-Aziz can also freestyle a custom design according to your color choices or patterns. You can choose symbols, characters or themes and make them come to life on any pair of shoes.
INSTAGRAM @Savvyynco For specific inquiries, contact Abdul-Aziz directly by email or phone.
COURTESY OF SAKINAH ABDUL-AZIZ
Crybaby Stitch creates colorful, modern embroidery BY MASIE O’TOOLE @massieotoole Think embroidery is just for grandmas and tacky “Home Sweet Home” pillows? Think again. Meghan Daniel of Crybaby Stitch is bringing a fun, vintage twist to home decor with her hand-stitched canvases which juxtaposes modern quotes and designs with classic adornment techniques. The result is lively but timeless, the perfect compliment to any style. The LSU alumna said she was always interested in crafts and sewing, but she gained an interest in embroidery in 2015 while pregnant with her daughter. In the process of designing a nursery, she came across some modern embroidery designs and figured they were simple enough to do herself. As it turns out, embroidery is more difficult than it looks. There are different techniques and stitches that require extensive practice to perfect, even to someone with prior sewing experience.
Nevertheless, Daniel persisted. With the help of YouTube, Skillshare and books on the subject, she gradually built the knowledge base needed to create her ideal decor. Before long, it evolved into a full-time hobby and a business. The personal style that pushed Daniel into the world of embroidery can be seen throughout her original designs. Her pieces feature everything from punchy quotes in graceful fonts to simplistic graphics on clean backgrounds. “I definitely like a vintage aesthetic, like thrift stores,” she said. “Stuff that’s colorful and bold.” It should come as no surprise that Daniel is also a lover of vintage and thrift shopping. She often resells her finds or uses her sewing knowledge to rework the items and give them personal touches. “I want to buy everything, but I can’t house everything,” she said. “So I just sell it.” For those more interested in creating for themselves, Daniel frequently hosts workshops.
Participants of any skill level can pay one rate and have access to all the materials necessary to create a preselected design following a theme. “I love doing workshops,” she said. “It’s always a good group of people that do it— I’ve never had anyone be mean or criticizing, it’s always just been so much fun.”
While learning to embroider can seem old-fashioned or just plain intimidating, Daniel encouraged everyone, especially students at the University, to give it a shot.
“Embroidery is not for grandmas, it’s for relaxing,” she said. “Make something—you’re stressed out, I know you are. It’s a hobby that’s constructive, not destructive.”
INSTAGRAM & ETSY
@crybabystitch EVENT
True Crime and Craft WHERE
Frameworks Gallery WHEN
Oct. 20 TICKETS
available online through Eventbrite COURTESY OF MEGHAN DANIEL
page 12
REV R ANKS
Thursday, October 10, 2019
MOVIE
JOKER Warner Bros
“Joker” is a haunting character study of a man pushed to the brink of madness, an exploration of the dangers of a cruel society, and a love letter to the 70s crime dramas that inspired it. It is an undeniably dark and uncomfortable movie, but it challenges the mind in a way that no comic book film has ever done before. Superhero cinema will never be the same after this, which is exactly what the Joker would have wanted.
Charles Jones @saxycj ALBUM
SUNSHINE KITTY Tove Lo
We see Lo showcasing frustration and heartbreak as she states her previous lover left her in way that some men typically have done to her in the past. She is unafraid to wear her heart on her sleeve, and she wants to have a good time while singing about her most traumatic experiences. Overall, the album did not fully satisfy my Tove Lo craving, especially after her highly enjoyable album “Blue Lips.”
Matthew Hensarling @matthewhenss TV
THE POLITICIAN
Netflix “The Politician” is a show that will make you laugh, make you cry and make you think you about just how much politics has entered our lives in ways we would have never even imagined. Ryan Murphy has outdone himself once again. The sets, locations, fashion, writing, cinematography--everything is absolutely breathtaking. They promised nasty women and bipartisanship, and we got that and so much more.
‘Big Mouth’ season three more creative, intense than ever BY MASIE O’TOOLE @masieotoole After a wholly chaotic and cringe-inducing first two seasons, “Big Mouth” is back and more intense than ever. The animated Netflix show has become well-known for its kids navigating the choppy waters of puberty and all of the massive changes that come with it. Until now, the focus has been mainly on the sexual aspect, but this season tackles more emotional issues as well. Big Mouth has already set a precedent for being experimental, but with the major issues covered in the first two seasons, the writers are stepping truly out of the box. Characters experience everything from the trials and tribulations of questioning their sexuality to being attracted to their cousin, all backed by an overarching theme of one of the largest changes of puberty— becoming your own person. Over the course of the 10 episodes, each character seems to undergo a shift from someone’s child to an individual, each going about this change in their own way. Some go about it
relatively peacefully, like the innocent Missy (Jenny Slate) gradually becoming more comfortable with her sexuality. Others, like Nick (Nick Kroll) have a full-blown public meltdown. Season three gives us a closer look into a few more character’s life and sexual development including Matthew (Andrew Rannells), Missy and Jay (Jason Mantzoukas). Matthew deals with the familiar anxiety of texting your crush while Jay takes a even deeper dive into his own sexual preferences. As well as getting more experimental with the issues they’re covering, the creators of Big Mouth also got more creative with their methods of covering them. The previous seasons had no issues finding ways to work in punchy one-liners and seemingly random musical scenes, but this season takes the cake. The writers somehow managed to naturally work in an episode-long biopic of Duke Ellington (Jordan Peele), a school-wide musical adaptation of the 1994 thriller “Disclosure” and an epic superhero showdown in which characters gain superpowers
with little-to-no explanation as to why. The craziest thing is that these seem totally natural within the script, they just serve to make the writing more interesting. Ten episodes of hormonal middle schoolers being upset at their parents is boring, even a little depressing at times. Instead, “Big Mouth” takes the awkwardness of coming of age and uses it for its comedic value. At some point, everyone had to go through the awkward transition from child to adult, and Big Mouth takes those repressed memories and brings them to the forefront. Though some of the experiences aren’t relatable for most people—I’m looking at you and your cousin, Andrew (John Mulaney)—being awkward and uncomfortable is. “Big Mouth” is created from that universal pubescent discomfort, and once you get past the initial shock value of the children’s animated genitalia, it’s a surprisingly deep and sensitive show that addresses the bigger issues of adulthood openly and candidly.
EnJanae’ Taylor @_queenet_
ALBUM
TURN OFF THE LIGHT
Kim Petras Kim Petras’ Halloween-themed album ‘TURN OFF THE LIGHT’ gives us great songs to dance to all night long on Halloween. It’s hard to find songs that are specifically for Halloween, but she gives listeners 17 songs to celebrate their favorite holiday. Petras does great with the futuristic sound and mixes it well with being spooky and holding you spellbound.
Britney Young @byoun99
Read the full reviews online at lsunow.com/entertainment
COURTESY OF NETFLIX
OCTOBER 7-11 M O N DAY
9:30a.m.-3:30p.m. IN THE MAIN LOBBY
T U E S DAY
9:30a.m.-3:30p.m. IN THE MAIN LOBBY
W E D N E S DAY
9 : 3 0 a . m . - 3 : 3 0 p . m . I N T H E T H E AT E R L O B B Y
T H U R S DAY
9:30a.m.-3:30p.m. IN THE SOUTH LOBBY
F R I DAY
9:30a.m.-3:30p.m. IN THE COMMONS
F O R I N F O V I S I T: w w w. l s u . e d u / s h c
OPINION MISCARRIAGE OF JUSTICE
page 14
Justice system disregards sexual assault survivors’ pain, is broken
I SAID WHAT I SAID MAYA STEVENSON @MayaSStevenson Two years ago, Superior Court of California Judge Aaron Persky sentenced the infamous Stanford rapist to six months’ incarceration in the Santa Clara County jail to be followed by three years of probation. Brock Turner was released three months early, serving only three months for a brutal and violating act that Turner’s father reduced to “20 minutes of action out of his 20 plus years of life.” Turner was an aspiring Olympic swimmer, and on academic scholarship at Stanford when he ruined a life. Turner’s victim, Chanel Miller, released an impact statement. It achieved over eight million views in three days. The statement described the various problems with the justice system, the ways
Turner’s violation of her was affecting her everyday life and articulated her anger with the trial and leniency of Turner’s sentence. Miller also released a memoir in late September, entitled “Know My Name.” When you read a book, you teleport into the world of it. Usually, it’s fun and something to get lost in. This book was not. Teleporting into this book was a painful reminder of everything wrong with our justice system and our country. It was a reminder of who the system is designed to protect, who the people in power see as the future of the U.S. and how little the pain of anyone else matters when caused by people in power. The reminder was necessary because these things are painful, and they need to be corrected. In this book, Miller’s pain is more than palpable. Her pain becomes anyone who consumes her words’ pain. In the introduction, Miller confronts the harsh truth of our justice system,
and everyone who enables the miscarriages of justice that sexual assault cases see so often. “I will use Brock’s name, but the truth is he could be Brad or Brody or Benson, and it doesn’t matter. The point is not the individual significance, but the commonality, all the people enabling a broken system.” In her description of the actual trial, she was, “I had laid my suffering bare, but I lacked a key element. The judge had given Brock something that would never be extended to me: empathy.” And, in one of the most accurate descriptions of the way judges treat sexual assault victims I’ve ever seen: “My pain was never more valuable than his potential.” Because Brock was an excellent swimmer, it was okay to ignore that he was also a rapist, which should have mattered more. Persky saw 90 days of county jail as enough punishment for the “poisoning” of Miller’s life. People serve
longer for misdemeanors. But, as Miller said, the justice system is broken. And the same people who constantly keep it in its unfair state rail against any attempts to change it. The system has chosen who it deems valuable: men like Turner, who, despite his vicious assault of someone which rocked the entire country, had such a bright future to think of. Miller’s pain couldn’t compare to the bright future Brock had, nor was it worth the ruining of said future. We see this phenomenon in the justice system time after time, each time more disheartening. Another example are the allegations Justice Brett Kavanaugh faced in the wake of his Supreme Court confirmation. Kavanaugh recently made his oneyear anniversary of being on the highest court in the land. It’s also been a year since Dr. Christine Blasey Ford gave her testimony about his cruel assault of her during their time in high school together. Ford was victim-blamed
and attacked throughout her testimony, even after it was proven credible. Furthermore, the FBI was reported to have exhibited a lack of willingness to respond to several people contacting them with further information about Kavanaugh’s character, including other sexual assault allegations. In the same old story, Kavanaugh’s potential was worth more than the pain of anyone he hurt. His sitting on the highest court in the land was more important than any sexual assaults he may have committed in the past because, after all, they took too long to speak up, right? These miscarriages of justice in the country are not only wrong but speak to the lack of care the justice system has for assault victims and their pain. It is unacceptable to keep letting abusers get off essentially blemish-free. Maya Stevenson is a 20-year-old English and Philosophy major from Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Joe Burrow is prime candidate to win Heisman Award WRITING UNDER STATELY OAKS CORY KOCH @kochcory The odds of LSU quarterback Joe Burrow winning the Heisman Trophy Award at the beginning of this season was 200-1, according to the Action Network website. The odds have shifted to 9-2, which reflects the momentum and skill shown by Burrow so far. Burrow is going to win the Heisman. Burrow is a prolific passer on an undefeated team with championship aspirations, which is the desired profile of a Heisman winner. Over the past 20 years, all but four of the last 19 winners have been quarterbacks on winning teams. The Heisman race is not a true measure of the best athlete in college football. Tiger fans know this all too well as Tyrann Mathieu and Leonard Fournette were worth the Heisman hype, but fell off due to the politics of college football. Mathieu had to compete with Hall of Famer Charles Woodson’s legacy in order to become the second-ever defensive Heisman winner, but Burrow has history on his side as the list of quarterbacks is far less epic. Several Heisman winners in the 2000s faced incredible struggles after they brought home
the trophy. Former Oklahoma quarterback Jason White was one of the only Heisman winners to never play in the NFL. The award is decided by a committee of voters who are not immune to the narratives that develop throughout college football. Quarterbacks are often seen as the leaders of their team, which gives them a head start in the race for the “most outstanding college football player,” as spelled out by the official Heisman website. In the vote for the award, the all-time lowest margins of victory went to quarterbacks. To put it simply, it is easier to win the Heisman if you are a quarterback. Quarterbacks are recognized as the field generals and leaders of the team so the attention is usually glued on them. This predisposition towards quarterbacks has hurt LSU players in the past, but Burrow is in a position to benefit. There are plenty of uncertainties, but Burrow is on track to create LSU history as the first quarterback to win a Heisman. He’s on pace to throw for over 4,000 yards, and his numbers have been consistent with previous Heisman winners. Last year’s winner Kyler Murray threw for 4,361 yards with 42 touchdowns. Burrow is on pace for 112 more yards and 10 more touchdowns,
eclipsing his numbers last year. Burrow is the only current player in consideration for the award who has perennially top-ranked Alabama ahead on the schedule. There’s still time for Burrow’s Heisman train to be derailed, just like Fournette’s Heisman campaign was shot following a crushing loss to Alabama. The voters are quick to forget a season of dominance when faced with the ugliness of a late-season loss. If Burrow can keep his numbers close to this astronomical level he is playing at, then he will win the Heisman. Even a loss at Bryant-Denning Stadium to the Crimson Tide doesn’t look bad if Burrow passes for more than 300 yards and the offense is competitive. Burrow is on pace to surpass the last three Heisman winners in passing yards, and his team looks like a legitimate contender as well. Despite history working in his favor, Burrow still has to beat Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts, Alabama quarterback Tua Taguavaolia and Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor for the award. The Tigers quarterback has one “X factor” the other athletes are missing though: he is breaking tradition. Hurts, Taguavaolia and Taylor are all the latest of a long line of athletes who did the same things they are doing now.
There have been elite quarterbacks at Oklahoma and Alabama, and elite running backs at Wisconsin, but there’s rarely been an elite quarterback at LSU. Burrow is breaking the ceiling on what people thought was possible for an LSU offense. The chances for a Heisman winner at LSU haven’t looked this good since the heyday of former coach Les Miles. Coach Ed Orgeron and Burrow have both been coy all season in regards to the offensive dominance and for good reason.
There is too much time left in the season and LSU’s hardest opponents are in front of them. Burrow would be the first to tell you that winning games is all of Tiger Nation’s priority and individual awards are only lagniappe. While the Tigers and Burrow aren’t set on winning the Heisman, I am here to tell you that Burrow won’t be watching the Heisman ceremony from his couch. Cory Koch is a 20-year-old political science junior from Alexandria, Louisiana.
CHRISTA MORAN / The Reveille
LSU senior quarterback Joe Burrow (9) run the ball during the Tigers’ 45-38 victory over Texas on Sept. 7, at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium.
Thursday, October 10, 2019
page 15
Letter to the editor: Fake Fans Dear Editor,
CARTOON BY ETHAN GILBERTI / The Reveille
“As opposed to creating a strong defense against Trump in the upcoming elections, the Democratic Party decides to make a giant out of a windmill.”
I have been a die hard LSU fan all my life. I have attended as many games that I was able to. If I am not in the stands, I am watching it on TV. When that’s not avaliable, I watch on my computer. When neither of these were avaliable, I listened to the game on the radio. Due to distance and physical disabilities I am unable to attend the games, but I watch all of them. I have always heard that LSU has the best fans in college football. If that is the truth, then where are the fans? When Mike comes out on the big megatron the fans go wild. They want blood. Yet, when the Tigers draw blood the fans leave the stadium. When the Tigers
are behind needing the fans support and encouragement, you turn your backs on the team by leaving the game. You should be ashamed of yourselves. You are not the best fans in college football. If you are going to wear the badge, then you need to earn it. Stay in the stands fans. When LSU played Troy it was the coldest game I ever sat through. LSU made the biggest comeback. I stayed in the stadium until the clock said 0:00. There were hardly any fans left with me. If the Tigers play for 60 minutes then the fans need to cheer for them for 60 minutes in the stands. If LSU has the best fans in college football, then prove it. -Frances Hays-
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Quote of the Week “There is no magic to achievement. It’s really about hard work, choice, and persistence.”
Michelle Obama Former First Lady 1964 — present
HOMECOMING WEEK 2019 OCTOBER 6–13 THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12
Hispanic Cultural Showcase Hosted by The Office of Multicultural Affairs 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Free Speech Ally
Fall Fest 11 a.m.–2 p.m. LSU Parade Ground
Alligator Cookoff Tailgate 11 a.m.–3 p.m. LSU Parade Ground
Silent Disco & Homecoming Concert Featuring Big Freedia 8 p.m. Pete Maravich Assembly Center Doors open at 7 p.m. LSU students, staff and faculty admitted free with TigerCard. General public $20
Silent disco portion of event limited to the first 600 guests.
Homecoming Court Walks Down Victory Hill 4:30 p.m. Victory Hill
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12 Greek Lawn Decorations Hosted by Greek Life 9 a.m.–6 p.m. West Lakeshore Drive
LSU vs. Florida 7 p.m. Tiger Stadium
Parade 11 a.m. LSU Campus
Homecoming Court Announcement Half-time of Game Tiger Stadium
PARADE ROUTE (indicated in gold) Highland Rd
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HOMECOMING WEEK IS PRESENTED BY
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Questions? Contact LSU Campus Life at 225-578-5160 or campuslife@lsu.edu
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