09.25.2019

Winthrop University

Wednesday

September 25, 2019

Rock Hill, SC

Sanders speaks

Sen. Bernie Sanders greets rallygoers and supporters after delivering a speech in the Amphitheater on Friday.

Tate Walden/ The Johnsonian

Bernie Sanders and campaign staff headed to Winthrop to host a rally for the 2020 election

Excited students, faculty, community members and press filled the Amphitheater on Friday evening as they awaited presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders to take the stage.

Sanders and staff came to Winthrop to get students and locals informed about his policies and his campaign. Students were given bumper stickers, banners, and t-shirts, free of charge as they entered the rally, which was sponsored by the Winthrop University College Democrats. Some students were given wristbands to be on stage behind the speakers and Sanders.

The event began with Ernest Boston, state field director who also accompanied Sanders on his 2016 campaign, spoke on the importance of having a voting plan.

Joshua Alicea, president of Winthrop’s Political Science Honor Society and chief of staff at Winthrop’s College Democrats spoke to the crowd.

“The road to the White House goes through Winthrop University,” Alicea said.

Certain candidates, like Barack Obama and Donald Trump, who later became presidents shared coming to Winthrop during their campaigns, Alicea said. He hoped the rally and others like it will make students become better informed citizens, as local rallies provide students with better access to the campaigns.

Dr. Cornel West, professor of public philosophy at Harvard University and author hyped the crowd and spoke of Sanders’ credibility.

West said those in the Bible thought to be the “least of the” were the exact people Sanders hopes to represent as

president. “[Sanders] Looks at the world through the lens of everyday people,” West said. This is what sets Sanders apart from his competition, he said.

Danny Glover, actor and political activist, quoted Mark Twain in reference to Sanders’ campaign.

“Courage is resistance to fear.”

Glover spoke on the importance of Sen. Sanders campaign and how important this election was.

Phillip Agnew, co-founder of Smoke Signal Studio and activist spoke, led the crowd in a chant of what he thinks Americans should demand: “power, transformation and love.”

Sanders took stage to welcoming cheers and spoke on his plans to cancel student debt for all students. He plans to make this and his “Medicare for all” plan happen with the general tax base. He speaks of Trumps administration and the tax breaks given to the 1% million and more dollars to help them why can’t the same happen with student debt.

“This is not the kind of America that we have to live in,” says Sanders.

“If you stand together, if you do not allow Trump and his friends to divide us up...if we stand together around an agenda that works for all of us, we can accomplish huge things,” Sanders said.

Sanders talked about his plans to combat climate change.

“We have a president who thinks climate change is a hoax. I think that Trump is a hoax,” Sanders said in response to how the Trump administration has reacted to climate change.

Sanders explained further that now scientists have proven that if action is not taken now the effect our country alone has inflicted on the earth cannot be undone.

A call with Cory

Sanders expressed his intent to legalize marijuana and was met with applause from the audience.

“We’re going to decriminalize and legalize the possession of marijuana in this country,” Sanders said. If elected, Sanders said he would also expunge the records of anyone who has been arrested for possession of marijuana.

As president, Sanders said he would make it easier for workers to join unions, as union workers make higher wages. Sanders voiced his passion for raising the minimum wage across the nation to at least $15 an hour instead of the current “starvation wage” of $7.25. Seven states have already implemented a $15 or higher minimum wage policy.

He spoke of plans to reform the immigration system, to not take children from their mothers and to grant citizenship to those in the DACA program. Sanders said his main goal for this campaign is not to beat Trump, but to make change happen as president.

Freshman elementary education major, Courtney Robertson, had a few concerns as a future educator. She hopes Sanders addresses the inequalities in teaching since it is a predominantly female field. Robertson said the biggest competition in her opinion for the democratic seat would be Julián Castro.

Shaunta Sinclair, an educator from Charlotte, found out about the rally through Facebook. Sinclair has been an educator in South

Democratic nominee hopeful, Cory Booker, went on a call with journalists from multiple schools across America

The future of America is in the hands of college students nationwide.

Senator Cory Booker understands this well, and said on a call with student reporters, “This is a population that could easily determine this election if voting amongst young people was not at its normal level, but in this presidential election, if it was up to 70 percent. Millennials are the biggest population going through America right now. They have the ability to sway most every election.”

On Thursday evening, Booker took a call with student journalists

from around the nation. He first opened with short remarks that emphasized his campaign stance, that empathy will win.

“I’ve been making the theme of my campaign from the very beginning the urgency of a nation. For us to come together, to heal, to recognize that we share so many common challenges, so much common pain and we’ve got to turn that into a sense of common purpose,” Booker said, before turning the conversation to questions from the journalists.

The first question came from a student at Spelman College, who asked Booker about how journalists can push forth the same energy as he has with encouraging unity and change in

mytjnow.com

Oriana Gilmore/ The Johnsonian America.

“One of the most important energies for making change is empathy, courageous empathy, and data and statistics tell, but the real-life stories of individuals, they capture hearts they motivate people to action and we know this through visuals that we have seen,” Booker said. “When journalists are able to capture real-life stories, not just quoting statistics or giving dry data and information, I think that that ultimately moves people’s hearts and motivates them to

Carolina for 20 years. Sinclair has not chosen a candidate yet but likes what Sanders has had to say. She said that Sanders’ ticket would be strong and thinks Elizabeth Warren is his biggest competition, but would be a good running mate.

John Rice, a junior computer science major, expressed concerns within his field of study. Rice hopes Bernie will address workers’ rights in the technology industry. He is concerned as he will be graduating into a projected recession, directly affecting him as a new graduate.

Audrey Atkinson, a junior early childhood education major, attended the event with friends. Atkinson’s biggest concerns as an education major is her right to feel safe in the workplace in response to mass shootings in schools. She wants the candidate she votes for in 2020 to make change in the American education system.

Sanders ended with an inspirational message to students that their vote and voice matters in the future of the country.

“You are enormously powerful people if you choose to exercise that power. The future of this country and the world rests with you,” Sanders said.

Tate Walden/ The Johnsonian

take action and to change.”

A journalist from the University of New Hampshire asked Booker about his plans regarding student loan debt and why his is the best plan to improve the college experience nationwide compared to other candidates.

“I’m confident that our plan is not only good for alleviating the student debt crisis. I believe that we can get our plan done and passed through Congress,” Booker said. “It is reflected in legislation right now that I am a cosponsor of for debt free college.

That involves having the Federal government and state governments both stepping up to relieve the burden of high college costs.”

Booker explained that debts for people going into public interest careers would be forgiven as well as those of low-income Americans. He also spoke about his baby bonds initiative, which would leave American children with thousands of dollars in money from the federal government by the time they turn 18.

4see Booker pg. 2

Index: News 3 | Science & Tech 5 | Sports 6 | Arts & Culture 8 | Opinion 10

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September 25, 2019

theJohnsonian

Bernie Sanders rally in pictures

The crowd listens intently to what the presidential candidate has to say.

Kevin Seabrook/ The Johnsonian

Kevin Seabrook/ The Johnsonian

Kevin Seabrook/ The Johnsonian

Topics Sanders focused on included equal pay, student debt and climate change.

Tate Walden/ The Johnsonian

A woman poses with a Bernie Sanders doll.

Kevin Seabrook/ The Johnsonian

3Booker from front This money could be put toward college, housing or other necessities.

A journalist from The University of Iowa asked Booker if he thought it was possible for the Iowa polling ranks to change and how the senator planned to achieve those changes.

In response, Booker explained that at this same point in their elections, former presidents Clinton and Obama were both polling at the same rate he is.

“We are going to win because we have what those other campaigns had back then,” Booker said, giving credit to the teams on the ground in Iowa,

and throughout the country, for the hard work they are putting in to make the campaign successful.

A reporter from the University of Oklahoma asked the senator about how, as president, he would lessen racist attitudes in America.

“This election is not a referendum on one guy in one office. I think it’s a referendum on who we are and who we are to each other,” Booker said. “I think that this is an election about our virtue, it’s about our hearts, it’s about our spirits, and that’s what I will talk to throughout this election and in any position I hold.”

Unfortunately, there was an issue

with the audio connection of the call, so when the representative from The Johnsonian went to ask about the senator’s climate change policies, the senator was unable to clearly understand the question. He did, however, speak about his general position on climate change and how he would use the role of president to ignite change within the United States.

“Leaders create the conditions that make change possible. We know in the past, namely 2016, the person with the best policy plans lost. And that’s what we have to understand. To win, it takes more than just your policy plan. It takes the ability to inspire,

About The Johnsonian The Johnsonian is the weekly student newspaper of Winthrop University.

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Letters, cartoons and columns reflect the opinion of the authors and are not necessarily the opinions of The Johnsonian Staff.

Editor-in-Chief Anna Sharpe sharpea@mytjnow.com

to engage, to ignite action amongst folks,” Booker said.

The senator feels passionate about reuniting America and getting the country on the same track, on issues including climate change and racism.

“Nothing will change unless we do unless we have a higher level of activism, and that’s the kind of president I’m gonna be. I’ll be demanding more from the ideal and concept of citizenship, I’ll be asking for more engagement because, in the history of our country, a major thing is that change does not come from Washington. It comes to Washington,” Booker said at the end of the call.

Sports Editor Gabby Gardner

Managing Editor Assistant Sports Maggie Claytor La J’ai Reed claytorm@mytjnow.com A&C Editor Ad Manager Laura Munson Victoria Howard howardv@mytjnow.com News Editor Matt Thrift Assistant News KiKi Todman S&T Editor Savannah Scott

Assitant A&C Lauren Griffith Opinion Editor Victoria Howard

Layout Editor Katelyn Miller Graphic Designer Lizzy Talbert Copy Editors Casey Smith Haleigh Altman Jessica Shealy

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September 25, 2019

Run, hide, fight WUPD tackles one of the biggest concerns on campus Matt Thrift thriftm@mytjnow.com Safety on campus has long been an important issue for students.

Many college students are living away from home for the first time, and this comes along with its own set of challenges and—occasionally— dangers.

Shootings at institutions of higher learning are one of the biggest potential dangers, though they are not a new phenomenon. One of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history occurred at the University of Texas in 1966. However, in the wake of mass shootings at Virginia Tech, Umpqua Community College and University of North Carolina-Charlotte, discussions about and research into shootings at universities have increased.

In the face of ongoing senseless violence on campuses, the police department for Winthrop University is taking campus safety very seriously.

On Sept. 16, WUPD Lt. Charles Yearta presented a lecture and slideshow in Dina’s Place on dealing with an “active shooter” situation. The presentation was part of Winthrop’s inaugural Safety Week and was held along with other events focusing on safety around Winthrop’s campus.

Yearta, a Winthrop graduate, described the topic of the presentation as “very important” and said that “the only benefit that comes out of this, really, is if y’all have any questions.” Yearta began his presentation by first looking into what the term “active shooter” means.

“Ironically, with the federal government you may think this is a straightforward thing—it’s not. The federal government regularly revises what they define as an ‘active shooter,’” Yearta said. “This is the current

definition that we’re working under. This is the one that the FBI and Homeland Security finally got together and agreed on and said ‘this works:’ ‘It is an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill numerous people in a confined and populated area.’”

While some mass attacks on campuses do not use firearms, Tate Walden/ The Johnsonian such as the 2016 vehicle-ramming/ Winthrop’s inaugural Safety Week was Sept. 16-Sept.

20. stabbing attack at The Ohio State the student population the most and is staffed by a security guard. She University, Yearta said that in “most they can work together to identify said that it “makes sense to have a cases” the perpetrator of the attack students who may need to have extra security guard that monitors who’s “will use a firearm.” attention paid to them, including going in and out of the building” and Yearta delved into the data on intervention if need be. said that she hopes that Winthrop is school shootings and said that acYearta went on to break down looking into implementing a similar cording to the FBI, there have been a system. Some of the buildings have total of 75 active shooter incidents in the three courses of action that can be taken should one find themselves to be left unlocked due to Winthrop schools between 2000 and Decemin an active shooter situation: run, being a public university, though ber 2018. Yearta said that 15 of the hide, fight. Winthrop has been placYearta said that “it’s one of those attacks were carried out at “instituing placards around campus featursituations where we’re tangled with tions of higher education” which ing the ‘run, hide, fight’ information what we know is going to happen includes both two-year and fourin recent months. and providing a safe, secure enviyear schools.

The ‘run, hide, fight’ method ronment” for students while still “Out of those shootings, 163 vicremaining open to the public. tims have been killed, 270 have been comes from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. DHS recomShould students see or hear wounded, for a total of 437,” Yearta mends identifying multiple exits in something from someone on campus said. “290 of those victims were each building one enters to make that gives them cause for concern students at some level.” escaping easier, securing the door that a potentially violent event might For those who find themselves in take place, Yearta said that stuan active shooting, it may feel like an to a room should one decide to hide and only attempting to take down a dents can “come to campus police” eternity but Yearta said that “stashooter as a final resort. to report an incident that they find tistically” most of the shootings are Yearta emphasized that everyone troubling. Yearta said that WUPD “over in five minutes or less.” will “do an internal report” that “From start to finish, five minutes should have the mindset of figuring out “escape routes” for buildings is “funnelled” to the “behavioral is all we’re talking about,” Yearta that they work in or have classes in. intervention team” who will review said.

At the conclusion of Yearta’s the report. He said that students Yearta said that following the also have the option of reporting shootings at Columbine High School presentation, he opened the floor up to questions. One woman in attenincidents or concerns to the office of and Virginia Tech, the federal govdance raised concerns over the fact the dean of students or health and ernment advised schools to create that some buildings have numerous counseling services. “behavioral intervention teams.” entrances that can be accessed, ei“It doesn’t matter how it gets Yearta said that Winthrop has one of these teams, made up of members ther due to being unlocked or having reported, it’ll get funnelled into that keycard swipes that can be accessed same network,” Yearta said. “The and representatives from campus by most people with a school ID of most important thing though is that police, campus healthcare, the dean some kind. She said that some other it gets reported.” of students office and residence life. schools have a main entrance that This story was sourced from The He said that these groups deal with

Express is fly, but prices are high

Dining services representative explains the reasoning behind prices at Eagle Express, plus more

Beneshia Wadlington staff writer

Anna Sharpe/ The Johnsonain Students have taken advantage of this on camapus store. Eagle Expess sales a variety of products including ramen.

One thing that has been known to make Winthrop University unique compared to other schools is Eagle Express.

Eagle Express is the on-campus convenience store for Winthrop students and is located in Thomson Hall. Products such as snacks, TV dinners, medicine, drinks and personal hygiene items are sold there for students’ convenience. What makes it even more convenient is

that students can purchase these items using a variety of methods including Café Cash, a credit or debit card, cash and even an Eagle Meal swipe for certain items. However, questions have been raised as to why some products are more expensive than what they are in other off-campus sites. After sitting down with dining services representative Bryan Harriss, these questions, and more, were answered.

Matt Thrift | News Editor thriftm@mytjnow.com

“We do what we call zone pricing,” Harriss said after being asked how prices were determined. “So, Sodexo compares pricing from a regional standpoint of like items from like places. We compare ourselves to other local convenience stores. Eagle Express is its own stand-alone unit, and it’s one of our eight different operations that we have. The revenue that comes from that pays our employees and then we purchase inventory every single week, so every Thursday we get restocked.”

Even with this system, some items are priced higher than at other stores. For example, a family pack of Oreos that is usually priced at $3, give or take a few cents is going for $7. A mini bag of Tide Pods is priced at $8, which is not in line with pricing at other stores. However, Harriss said the prices aren’t necessarily permanent.

“If we found that we had items that were priced higher than what we thought they should be priced at, we could certainly take a look at that and determine the different pricing structures for the particular item across the board that we review our pricing annually to make sure that we’re fitting in with the zone that we’re in, regionally.” Harriss also encouraged students to contact Dining Services if they feel like the price

of certain items should be modified.

Some students shared their opinions on the prices, including Annslee Smith, a junior biology major.

“We pay a price for the convenience of having a store on campus, but I think it’s over the top,” Smith said. “I personally like the Starbucks frappuccino cold coffees. Those are priced at $3.09 a bottle, whereas buying them in bulk in other places is under $2 per bottle in most nearby stores. The price for a single drink is nearly doubled. The price of ramen noodles is also doubled in comparison to other nearby stores.”

Tina Carter, a junior accounting major, said that her opinion is that the prices at Eagle Express are too high.

“If I didn’t have Café Cash I would never go there to buy anything unless it was dire,” Carter said.

Harriss said that a few of the dining options on campus, including Starbucks, will add more options for Eagle Meals soon. Students will be able to purchase a drink, as well as another menu item (which has yet to be decided) and that will count as a meal. This Eagle Meal, however, will only be available at certain hours of the day.

Any questions, comments, or concerns can be directed to Dining Services at (803)-323-2211.

theJohnsonian September 25, 2019

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Street Fight Documentary Watch Party A recap of the documentary covering the early rise and accomplishments of Democratic hopeful Cory Booker.

You wouldn’t expect a potential mayoral candidate to spend their night walking down the streets, going from house to house to meet with potential voters. You also wouldn’t expect that after the election, that same man would be on the streets with the people shoveling snow and helping those affected by fire. Fame and power can buy many things, but character and resilience can help unite people.

The Winthrop College Democrats hosted a watch party of the 2005 Academy Award -nominated documentary “Street Fight,” which documents Cory Booker’s 2002 mayoral campaign in Newark, New Jersey and the struggles of fighting a political battle on the streets against Mayor Sharpe James. The documentary sought to show the background of the political machine Booker fought against and the resolve he had when facing adversity. Katarina Moyon, director of the John C. West Forum on Politics and Policy and co-director of HMXP studies, commented on how Booker’s presidential campaign helped organize the watch party for the documentary.

“The campaign organizers for Senator Booker’s campaign approached Winthrop and asked if we would show the documentary to students on campus,” Moyon said.

Rance Graham-Bailey, the South Carolina regional organizing director

for Booker’s campaign, was the host of the watch party. He noted how the strategy of grassroots politics in local government can help gain political experience and working one brick at a time in your campaign.

“It’s that retail politics is like regular politics,” Graham-Bailey said.

“That’s the core message that we have in the campaign you do it with the idea of building it stronger.”

Senior political science and history double major and Chief of Staff for the College Democrats Josh Alicea noted how the College Democrats worked together to bring Democratic candidates, such as Kamala Harris and Bernie Sanders, to the university. He cited Winthrop as a campaign rally point, just like it was during the 2016 election, exemplified by that year’s Democratic Forum.

“If you look at the last election in 2016, I believe that most candidates came to Winthrop to speak more than once,” Alicea said. “We want all the major candidates to come to Winthrop at least once.”

The documentary highlights movements of Booker’s campaign for mayor, showing him living the Brick Towers which is one of the lowest income areas in Newark, and how he faced challenges of smear campaigns and his supporters being intimidated by the incumbent mayor just for supporting him.

“Cory Booker comes off as a personable person. He comes off as a genuine person and that the connection he has is better than any other mayor,” Alicea said.

Correction:

One of the surprising moments of the documentary was a moment where James tries to frame the narrative of Booker as a “white Republican,” showing how people think he wouldn’t represent him due to his education and perception of what it means to be black.

“The use of racial politics to divide are an uncomfortable focus on the black community, showing how it can potentially hurt people,” Graham-Bailey said.

The documentary’s biggest takeaway is that despite the hardships Booker faced in his campaign and the eventual loss, he continued to stick with his goals and strived to work hard on his principles for his next campaign in 2006.

“It motives people on what it’s Courtsey of Marshall Curyr Productions like to be resilient and fight on what Alicea said. “[However] there are too you want to fight for,” Graham-Baimany. Having so many people takes ley said. away from the debates because they A wide array of people in Bookgloss over the issues.” er’s campaign were punished and Apart from the College Democriticized for supporting him, crats and Republicans working to including ministers, police officers bring candidates to Winthrop, Alicea and apartment tenants. One scene brought up how Phi Sigma Alpha, in the documentary shows one of the the political science honor society, aides to James damaging the camera is working to bring former South of the filmmaker and having men Carolina governor Mark Sanford to take down Booker’s campaign signs campus in an effort to bring anothduring election day. Despite this, er side of the issues that are on the it shows the hard work that people minds of voters as the 2020 presiwho supported Booker and his ideas dential election approaches. making sure no one is left behind in “With democracy, you can’t have the United States. just one side [on campaign issues].

“I think it represents that the It’s important to have all sides to an Democratic Party is a big tent party; issue,” Alicea said. “Winthrop should the people are being represented be a place for candidates to come among the different candidates,” and spread ideas.”

In the Sept. 18 issue of The Johnsonian, an article appeared which contained inaccurate quotations.

The reporting for the article was conducted by an individual who is not affiliated with The Johnsonian and was originally published by a separate media outlet.

Let’s talk gerrymandering

Winthrop faculty member John Holder explores the wild world of gerrymandering

Courtesy of Judy Longshaw John Holder spoke to Winthrop students in Dina’s Place in honor of Constitution day.

Matt Thrift thriftm@mytjnow.com In the years since the United States Constitution was signed by the Constitutional Convention in 1787, a great deal has changed. However, sometimes the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Gerrymandering, or the redrawing of voting districts to give one political party a leg up over the other, has remained a hot-button issue for a number of years. Winthrop University adjunct faculty member John T.R. Holder addressed this in a lecture he gave in Dina’s Place.

Holder, who teaches in Winthrop’s political science department, began his talk by explaining that Winthrop holding a Constitution Day event is a federal requirement.

“In 2004, Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia sponsored a federal law that requires all schools receiving federal funding, which is every public school K-12, college, university, in the United States to do a commemoration of the Constitution on or about Sept. 17 of every year,” Holder said. “So this is how Winthrop is fulfilling a legal requirement that makes it possible for you to get your Pell Grants and faculty to get research grants and so forth.”

Holder said that after being asked to make a presentation for the Con-

stitution Day event, which was sponsored by the West Forum, he decided to tackle the issue of gerrymandering, adding that “the Constitution doesn’t actually tell states how to draw their district lines.”

Holder went on to address the origins of the term ‘gerrymandering,’ which is a portmanteau of ‘salamander’ and the last name of Elbridge Gerry, former governor of Massachusetts in the early 1800s. The first use of the term dates back to 1812 and appeared in a political cartoon in an issue of the Boston Gazette. “[Gerry] pronounced his name Gerry with a hard ‘G’ but for reasons unclear, the political practice named for him has come to be called ‘gerrymandering’ pronounced with a soft ‘G,’” Holder said. “So, when Gerry was governor, the Massachusetts legislature drew a districting plan that heavily benefitted his party, and one of the districts that a newspaper cartoonist looked at the map and decided that one of the districts looked like a salamander. So, he drew a political cartoon in the paper, called it a ‘Gerrymander,’ and the name stuck.”

Congressional districts are supposed to be made up of equal population, however that has not always been the case. Holder showed the maps of South Carolina’s congressional districts since the 1970s and explained how they have shifted over

Kiki Todman | Assistant News Editor todmank@mytjnow.com

time.

“Nice, regular lines, you can look at the map and figure out which district you’re in,” Holder said of the 1970s district. According to Holder, the districts were not equal in terms of population. By the time the 1980s rolled around, the courts had begun “enforcing the equal population requirements.”

Holder said that in the 1990s, district lines got “really interesting looking.” He said that South Carolina was legally required to “maximize the opportunity for the election of people from groups that had traditionally been disenfranchised.” “[South Carolina] was required to draw a district that would facilitate the election of an African American member of congress. So what happened is they drew together the African American areas of Charleston, the African American areas of Columbia, Sumter and so forth,” Holder said.

Holder said that states “can’t district on the basis of race, but you can district on the basis of party.” States have gotten creative with drawing district lines to the point that Holder recounted a commentator describing a congressional district map appearing as “Goofy kicking Donald Duck.”

After detailing how North Carolina has drawn districts in such a way that the majority of the representatives from the state are Republican, Holder emphasized that gerrymandering is not limited to just the GOP. “The Democrats do it too,” Holder said. “The Democrats did it in California, the Democrats did it in Illinois, the Democrats did it in Maryland and really in Massachusetts and they did it in New York.

Both sides do it.”

This creative gerrymandering along the lines of political affiliation has resulted in states drawing voting districts that will ensure that one

party consistently beats out the other in elections. Perhaps the most extreme case of this is in Massachusetts where they district lines are drawn in such a way that every representative from the state is a Democrat.

While gerrymandering may appear as something that should be illegal, Holder said that “the federal courts have traditionally not dealt with what they call ‘political questions.’”

“The Constitution gives Congress jurisdiction over federal elections — that is, the U.S. House, the U.S. Senate. Congress and the states share responsibility for presidential elections. State legislatures have jurisdiction over state and local elections.

So, the federal court ordinarily is not going to have jurisdiction to tell North Carolina how to draw its state legislative boundaries or its congressional districts,” Holder said.

Holder said that the federal courts will get involved only if “somebody’s right under the U.S. Constitution are being violated” which falls under the jurisdiction of the federal courts.

In the face of rampant partisan gerrymandering, nine states have adopted an alternative method that utilizes non-elected commissions to draw congressional districts.

“You might have a group of people chosen by the state Democratic party working with people chosen by the state Republican party and maybe some political independents, and they get together and draw a map that they all agree on and then they present it to the legislature and the legislature either approves it or says ‘we don’t like this’ but they can’t amend it. They have to take it or leave it and if they leave it, the commission comes up with another map so you get something that doesn’t favor either party,” Holder said.

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theJohnsonian September 25, 2019

College students’ mental health Mental health is talked about more when it comes to students

Savannah Scott

scotts@mytjnow.com Suicide is one of the top 10 leading causes of death in America, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Lack of help for mental health is one of the reasons suicide is in this category.

55 percent of the 600 students seen in 2018 by Winthrop’s Health Services were diagnosed with some form of anxiety, according to Dr. Gretchen Baldwin, a clinical psychologist with Crawford.

The number of mental illnesses in college students has not grown, but more students are reaching out to obtain help, which is why it seems that the numbers are growing.

The most talked about and seen mental health cases are depression and anxiety. The amount of these cases is higher for a variety of different reasons.

“My opinion personally is that it has a lot to do with the pressure put on our age group is [and it] is to go into college and getting a four

Tate Walden/ The Johnsonian year degree,” said Lindsey Russell, a graduate student psychology major. “Vocational settings are just as important as four year degrees.

I think a lot of college students feel compared to their peers and people are taught to attend four year colleges.”

However, there are various factors leading into this.

“I believe that mental health does not exist in a vacuum, and

it is generated as a result of the various systems which we interact like family, academic, political, spiritual and environmental,” Baldwin said. “If there is unrest or conflict in many of these areas, we will see greater mental illness in the individual.”

There could also be a correlation of these increased numbers of mental health problems to the introduction and use of social

media in the past decade.

“Social media can contribute to the perception of relationship, but these connections are illusory.

Folks we interact with online are usually surface level connections,” Baldwin said. “The impression we manage online is one of beauty, laughter and success, [However,] it leaves no room for real conversation about vulnerability or growth.”

For those who are struggling with mental health you are not alone and can obtain help.

Winthrop Counseling Services are available Monday through Friday. First-time sessions are available on a first-come/ first-serve basis, You can make an appointment in person at Crawford, online through Crawford’s Medicat Patient Portal, or by calling Counseling Services at (803) 323-2206.

If Crawford is not open and you do not feel safe, you can always go to the closest emergency deparment or reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by calling 1-800-273TALK or to the Crisis Text Line by texting Hello to 741741.

You can get a student discount on Adobe Creative Cloud for $20 a month the first year, and $30 a month after that. The nine included programs are used for editing photos, videos and graphics.

Addiction and amphetamines The addiction of Adderall and Vyvanse is growing, especially for college students.

Abi Perito staff writer Addiction is a disease, and an addiction to amphetamines like Adderall and Vyvanse is no different. The misuse of controlled substances is an epidemic that is affecting college students and harming this upcoming generation.

Both Adderall and Vyvanse are central nervous system stimulant medications that are primarily prescribed to those diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

The addictive traits that Vyvanse and Adderall contain correspond

directly with stimulating neurotransmitters in the brain.

People diagnosed with ADHD or ADD, have a decreased level of such neurotransmitters and require a boost, but in people with adequate levels, their brains become overstimulated and this affects the chemical composition of the brain and personality.

People who are prescribed these drugs and don’t feel it necessary to take them sometimes provide the medication to the unprescribed.

“You buy them from people who are prescribed them and aren’t taking them,” Tori Everest, a senior individualized studies

@ WINTHROPDINING1 WINTHROp.sODEXOMYWAY.COM

Tate Walden/ The Johnsonian major, said.

People who are not prescribed to these specific amphetamines may choose to take them in attempts of feeling more focused and energetic.

Because of the side effects that increase mood levels, the risk factor of addiction is exceedingly high.

Short term effects that amphetamines can have on some people are migraines, insomnia, nausea, mood swings and increased anxiety. Abusing amphetamines can also lead to suffering from debilitating mental health problems, such as bipolar disorder, depression and aggressive behavior.

The increase in amphetamine addicts ages 18 to 25 years old can be closely linked with the high pressures of college expectations in schoolwork and social life or new jobs that require increased time and effort.

“There’s this overall need or want to excel and be the best you can whether it is scholarships

Savannah Scott | Science & Technology Editor scotts@mytjnow.com

or GPA. [These unprescribed medications are] perceived an easy path to success,” Lilly Spruill, a mass communication major, said. “I have seen people use it.

I remember a kid in my class admitting to being on in when talking to me. It did shock me but also not really because people do it a lot.”

Students will take these amphetamines as a way to focus on their work because they feel that they can’t otherwise and soon enough they are relying solely on the use of Adderall and Vyvanse to do their work.

“To me there is more pressure put on students than there needs to be,” Tori Everest, a senior individualized studies major, said.

On Winthrop’s campus, Health and Counseling Services may be able to deal with the mental health problems that accompany the abuse of Adderall and Vyvanse, but they are not qualified to treat substance abuse itself.

Dr. Gretchen Baldwin, a licensed psychologist at Winthrop, refers students suffering from substance abuse to the local Rock Hill substance abuse treatment facility, Keystone.

6

SPORTS theJohnsonian September 25, 2019

Stars and goals Women’s Soccer is on a hot streak

La J’ai Reed

reedl@mytjnow.com After a slow start to the season, Winthrop women’s soccer has sparked a flame. With the two victories over South Carolina State and ETSU, the team is now 2–3 overall. The Eagles take pride in carrying a two-game winning streak into conference play.

Along with the team’s wins, came conference recognition for two seniors. Both Allie Thomas and Keeley Leising drew All Big South honors following a major week for the Eagles.

Thomas was named Big South Attacking Player of the Week. In the match against SC State, Thomas scored two goals, and later headed in the game-winner for the match against ETSU. “It’s motivating to receive news like that because it just makes you want to go out every week, perform well for your team, and earn it again,” Thomas said.

Thomas is not a first-time Big South honoree. She has received both Player of the Week and two AllConference team honors.

Thomas has been playing soccer since she was six years old.

According to Winthrop Athletics, in her junior season, Thomas led the team with six goals.

Thomas hopes to continue to carry her leadership and experience into

the remainder of the season.

“We had a tough start to the season with a run of poor results, so it was nice to see things come together in the past week and pick up two good wins,” Thomas said.

“This has given everybody a lift around the team, and hopefully we can keep these results going and have a strong run of games now.”

Alongside Thomas, Leising was recognized as Big South Defensive Player of the Week. Leising racked up four assists in the games against SC State and ETSU. According to Winthrop Athletics,

freshman season.

Now as one of the team’s leaders, Leising is hoping to carry the current momentum to finish out the season.

“We are definitely going to have to keep pushing,” Leising said. “As long as we can keep playing the 90 minutes of good soccer, I feel like we will be really successful.”

Both players spoke on how their recognitions would not have been possible without the other.

“I think the reason we both were honored this week was because of each other,” Thomas said about Leising.

“She played balls into me which I was able to capitalize Photo Provided by the Winthrop Athletics on. Keeley’s a great player and deserves it—I’m happy Leising is leading the Big South in for her.” assists this season and ranks in the Their comments on each other’s top 10 nationally for average assists game is an ode to teamwork. per game.

“It feels really good, Allie Leising has been playing soccer definitely deserves the recognition for 16 years and her recent honor is too,” Leising said. “I wouldn’t an ode to her skill development. have any of the recognition I have “It felt good,” Leising said. “I without her, and it goes both ways— feel like last year I had a dip in my season, so getting my confidence felt since I assisted all the goals she got, and she scored off of all of them.” really good and like I was back on Both players, along with their track again.” teammates, are looking to capitalize This most recent honor is also on the team’s full potential and be not the first for Leising. She was dominant in Big South play. recognized as Big South Freshman of the Week twice during her

Hello, Hall of Fame

Four former Eagles will be joining the ranks of Winthrop Athletics’ Hall of Fame Lilly Fremed

staff writer

It’s official—the inductees for the 2020 Winthrop Hall of Fame have been announced. Started in 2003, the Hall of Fame currently has ninety members, and four more are about to join. As the Winthrop Athletics website states, this honor is given to those “whose outstanding contributions have enriched the athletic program.”

Making great strides in the track and field industry before graduating in 2010, Ashley Howard’s contributions to the athletic department earned her a spot in the upcoming induction. Competing in discus and shot put, Howard qualified for the NCAA Championship in 2010. She finished in 17th, earning her the Honorable Mention All-America Honors. Even more memorable, this was just the second time a female track and field athlete was able to compete in the NCAA Championships. Almost a decade later, Howard still holds the program record for discus.

Tessa Thomas, a four-time All-Conference softball player, felt “truly honoured” when she heard the news that the Hall was recognizing her. In addition, she “felt really grateful for all of [her] teammates and coaches who made [her] time at Winthrop such a success, [because] it wouldn’t have been possible without them.” Before games, Thomas states that “listening to music with teammates” was always “a fun way to get pumped up.” She also was always a good teammate, both on and off the field, and took her conditioning very seriously.

Graduating in 2009, Thomas did not step back onto the field until quite recently. After deciding to come out of retirement, she is having “a lot of fun competing again.”

Her team earned “a silver in 2018 and bronze in 2019 at the Softball Canada Women’s Open National Championships.” With this triumph, “it felt good to be back, I definitely had some rust to shake off though,” Thomas said.

Aside from greatly contributing to Winthrop Athletics, there are other certain qualifications that must be met in order for the Hall of Fame to acknowledge an athlete or coach. A player cannot be inducted until at least five years after their graduation. A coach must be retired or now working elsewhere, as well as having coached a minimum of five seasons at Winthrop. Although the selection committee will have a master list of all eligible candidates, anyone can submit a nomination for an athlete or instructor.

With 92 Eagle tennis career wins between doubles and singles matches, graduating Class of 2000’s Juliana

Marques will be another one of this year’s inductees. Marques was named to the Big South All-Academic Team in 1998. Furthermore, she was the program’s first fourtime All-Conference selection in doubles and the second player to earn All-Conference three times in singles.

Lastly, Cid Carvalho is the only coach the Hall of Fame is inducting during the 2020 ceremony. As a member of Winthrop Athletics, he coached both men’s and women’s tennis, but decided

Gabby Gardner | Sports Editor gardnerg@mytjnow.com

to only work with the women’s team in 2011. Ending his last season with a bang, Carvalho’s Eagles won a Big South Conference title, gaining them the fourth straight win for the program. This accomplishment brought the program to a total of 20 regular season titles and 21 conference championships.

Carvalho greatly appreciates the help and dedication from “the players, coaches and everyone that contributed to the program’s success throughout the years.” When hearing of the news about being accepted into the Winthrop Hall of Fame, he said it is an “honor and a humbling experience” to be included with “such an outstanding group of individuals

that make the 2020 class.” Having retired in May 2019, Carvalho is now “RVing the US and Canada with [his] wife Sherri and [their] two dogs, Columbo and Lola.”

Altogether, these committed athletes and coach will forever be engraved in Winthrop’s athletic history. To honor the new inductees, as well as gifting them with a fancy wooden plaque, there will be the annual Hall of Fame induction banquet on Friday, Jan. 31, 2020.

Attendees must reserve seats for the celebration in Richardson Ballroom ahead of time.

Mars Hogue/The Johnsonian

theJohnsonian

7

September 25, 2019

Winthrop Cross Country

A look back at the Winthrop Cross Country team’s first invitational in the fall 2019 season Joseph Calamia

staff writer

There are multiple sports at Winthrop University that draw crowds of cheering fans to encourage our athletes to do their best. The common elements that each of these teams have is perseverance and the encouragement of their teammates to improve.

The Winthrop men’s and women’s cross country teams competed amongst twelve colleges at the 36th annual Winthrop/ Adidas Invitational with a Men’s 8K and Women’s 5K on Sept. 14.

Held at Winthrop Farm, all twelve colleges competed on a beautiful morning with numerous friends and family cheering them on and giving a sense of high spirits for the Winthrop home course. Winthrop Cross Country Coach Ben Paxton commented that the goal for the cross country team this season was to place in the top three in the Big South Conference and how the recent invitational helped show improvements in our team. “[I] felt that women’s team stepped it up with one of our top five runners not being able to compete. The other ladies ran much better than our opener at Coastal,” Paxton said.

According to Winthrop Athletics, the men’s team placed eighth overall and the women’s team

placed third overall, pulling off an impressive effort for the meet.

Paxton noted the training of the team helps players build up for the upcoming races.

“The team is in the middle of a high volume training cycle. Our ultimate goal is to perform best when the weather cools and we enter our championship season,” Paxton said.

Junior exercise science major and Winthrop athlete, Zachary Hoyt, commented on how the recent invitational was important for new and veteran members of the cross country teams to learn what they can improve on.

“I believe that in the future meets that we a team as a whole will begin to run a lot better because our freshman performed very well especially after this weekend being the first 8k for a lot of them,” Hoyt said.

Among the twelve colleges that participated in the invitational were Coastal Carolina, Marshall University and Charlotte University, which all competed at the Winthrop Farm and provided entertainment for family and our faculty at Winthrop University.

“It is always great to showcase the Winthrop Farm area and our course which we feel is one of the best in the country. Our student athletes got to run in front of family, friends and a huge faculty turn out led by Dr. Mahony and his wife,” Paxton said.

The invitational also sparked

Photo Provided by Winthrop Athletics some ideas for how both cross country teams can improve not during practice but through the bonds they have as student athletes.

“Some improvements that both teams could make are running as a group, staying together as a pack and pulling off of each other when we are tired,” Hoyt said.

Besides the physical aspect of practice on building endurance for athletes, the Winthrop cross country teams focus on the aspects of pushing themselves mentally and physically.

“Our coach stresses that a lot at practice that it is something we need to continue working on as a team. Some ways we have trained is my running tempo endurance workouts such as 1000m intervals, hill fartleks, and steady state 6k9k runs. These types of workouts mentally push us to run at a higher level of performance mainly

because the capacity of this sport is more mental than anything else,” Hoyt said.

One of the inspirational moments of the invitational was a comeback for Hoyt, who enjoys the fact he can continue doing what he loves and has a coach that can help him improve himself every meet.

“I am still in the process of bouncing back but I have come a long way from where I was shortly after my injury which is something.

I’m grateful for during my time so far running at Winthrop,” Hoyt said.

The Winthrop cross country teams will compete again in the Panorama Farms Invitational on Friday, Sept. 27, hosted by the University of Virginia.There are multiple sports at Winthrop University that draw crowds of cheering fans.

Let’s play some basketball Look out for upcoming basketball games

Gwen Wadlington

staff writer

The leaves have started falling and the air is beginning to have that sweet fall breeze. We all know what that means—basketball season is fast approaching. The Winthrop men’s and women’s basketball teams have released their schedules for this year. It is going to be a great season for the Eagles. We sat down with the coaches and players to get the inside scoop on the upcoming season.

Everybody is excited for the season, including Head Coach Pat Kelsey of Winthrop men’s basketball.

“This time of year I’m excited for everything. I’m excited to get going, you know? I’m really excited about our team this year, I think you can go way down our roster and still have potent productive players,” Kelsey said. ”I feel really good about putting anybody in the game and getting productive basketball productive play out of everyone of those guys, I do think our overall strength is our depth.”

There is equal excitement about Winthrop women’s basketball team, especially from Head Coach Lynette Woodard.

“I’m excited for everything. Our new class of freshman, my returning class of ladies; people to help push and tutor [the freshman] in the sport, so that’s very exciting.

Our ladies are working hard giving 100% every day, encouraging one another and their commitment and dedication are ingredients in what we’re trying to do,” Woodard said. ”I’m very positive in what’s going to come out of that. You never know, we had ten wins last year which was more wins than the last three years, so we’re definitely headed in the right direction of Big South champs and definitely getting better and stronger as a program.”

Some of the men’s basketball players weighed in on the excitement too.

“I am really excited about our

non-conference schedule, we have really tough games away and home, and it’s gonna be a great experience for the team and to grow together, I love this year’s team. I think we all really like each other and we are going to have a great season,” Michael Anumba, sophomore said.

“I feel that we are a great team. We are one big family and

we all love each other. Coach reminds us everyday, ‘25 strong’, which includes the players coaches and managers . That is the truth we are 25 strong and can be a very good team,” Russell Jones Jr., freshman, said.

Both the men’s and women’s teams have a very strong ongoing confidence for the upcoming season, even up against some of our biggest competition.

“I just think I’ve come to have so much respect for our league for the coaches in the Big South, for the caliber of play in the Big South.

It’s the type of league where there are no off nights. You have to be ready every single night because top to bottom anybody could beat anybody,” Kelsey said. ”Obviously if you look at some of our, if you wanna call it, markee games, in our non-conference schedule, there is unbelievable competition,” Kelsey added, naming schools such as Duke, St.

Mary’s, Coastal and a few others.

“Our schedule is tough. The guy that taught me how to coach used to say, ‘you can’t sharpen your teeth eating oatmeal’, and I think that applies to our schedule and rigorous competition we have this season that’ll get us ready for the Big South.”

The players have been improving themselves and sharpening their

the Winthrop/Coastal rivalry.

“I was here my first five years when Coastal was in our league and I realized my first year how intense that rivalry is, how tradition-rich that rivalry is, how impactful it is for the community [and] for our student body and how excited they get about it, and it was unfortunate when they left the league that that rivalry wasn’t going to continue.”

Kelsey said. “For us to be able to work out a four year deal with Coastal to reignite that rivalry is something that’s going to galvanize our fanbase, our student body and our community in general. I think it’ll do that for [Coastal] as well. So I think that it’s a great thing and hoping it’s something our students get very excited about.”

“It’s exciting playing against a team that has been our rival for so long, and in addition, a very close friend of mine from England plays at Elizabeth Talbert/ The Johnsonian Coastal Carolina. I’m very excited to play skills to compete with the compethem,” Anumba said. tition.

Winthrop fans should be looking “[I’m] personally preparing forward to the start of the season, for the season by working on my waiting to scream “Rock the Hill” game everyday and getting better and cheer on our fellow Eagles everyday. I am confident in coming from the student section. in and helping the team win in “This is what these guys worked anyway I can,” Jones Jr. said. for the entire off-season. These “I’ve been getting a lot of shots guys go through those hundreds if up, as I want my teammates to not thousands of hours in the gym, trust me to knock down shots conin the hot gym in the weight room, sistently and also I’ve been doing in the summer leagues, they work a lot of conditioning work. I really so hard so that when the lights believe that we are going to domicome on for real, they can show nate the Big South this season, we how much improvement they’ve are very talented and led by a great made, from individuals and colleccoaching staff,” Anumba said. tively as a team,” Kelsey said.

“I am preparing for the season by “So like Forrest Gump said, ‘Life lifting hard and getting my body is like a box of chocolates, you nevright, conditioning hard so that I er know what you’re going to get.’ I can play our style and not get tired, almost feel like each season is that and constantly being in the gym way. Every season is its own being, before and after practice to make circumstances are different, faces sure my game is growing,” Chanchange, strengths and weaknesses dler Vaudrin, junior, said. change from year to year. [It’s all] Like many of us, the coaching staff part of the fun part and part of the is super stoked for the revival of challenge,” Coach Kelsey added.

Gabby Gardner | Sports Editor gardnerg@mytjnow.com

8

September 25, 2019

Three unassuming individuals, two in denial and one cynic are trapped in a room with no exit.

This isn’t a set up for an episode of “The Twilight Zone,” it’s a view on the afterlife and how people tend to project their lives and image of themselves on others.

The Winthrop theatre department is presenting a production of “No Exit,” based on the 1944 one act play by French philosopher and playwright Jean-Paul Sartre in Johnson Studio Theatre. This play is the first production of the Winthrop theatre department this semester, exploring the idea of the afterlife and judgement for three individuals. The director of the play, Winthrop student Jenny Watson, commented on how directing a full production is different from the Spring One Act plays last semester.

“Some of the challenges I have faced with directing this show have been compromising on-set and costume designs with the student works budget, and having to change certain aspects of the show that I initially thought would work that ended up not working out,” said Watson.

Having been introduced to the play in high school, Watson wanted to bring this play to Winthrop to

Community engagement in the face of divisive rhetoric can come from sources as simple as a conversation over a cup of coffee. This concept is the basis for The Democratic Cup, a nationally known “slow activism” project currently on exhibit in the Rutledge Gallery.

The exhibit features handmade mugs representing various social issues to encourage community conversation and engagement. It also features photographs and audio recordings showcasing community engagement throughout the course of the

give students an idea of absurdism and existentialism.

“One of my favorite things about absurdism is the open-endedness of it, which allows people to interpret the show in their own way.

There isn’t just one set takeaway.

I’m really looking forward to the conversations that the show will start,” said Watson.

Sophomore theatre performance major Cameron Muccio plays the role of the Valet, who guides the three souls into Hell and shows his contempt for their lives.

“It’s definitely hard to find the line between what is believable and what isn’t when you’re playing a Valet in Hell. It’s a sort of ridiculous premise, but at the same time it’s dark and evocative. That sort of dichotomy is all over this play.

A lot of it seems a bit too weird at first, but the more you look into it the more you realize it holds a very deep meaning,” said Muccio.

“No Exit” follows three individuals who try to explain how they were good people when they died, but as the play progresses, they criticize each other and open up about their dubious lives.

“They are forced to be each other’s torturers, and there is an underlying theme against fascism that I think is very relevant to our political situation today,” said Watson.

“I think the play will give audi-

project. The exhibition is accompanied by a series of events and “coffee talks”, which kicked off on Sept. 19 with “Artivism in Action: Where to Begin,” a panel discussion in Dina’s Place.

The project was created by ceramicist Ayumi Horie and designer Nick Moen in collaboration with 50 potters and illustrators from around the country; it explores how art can create awareness and community engagement by inspiring meaningful, civil conversations.

The panel event featured Horie and Moen as well as Ursula Hargens, a local organizer for The Democratic Cup in Minnesota and co-founder of Minnesota New Institute for Ceramic Education, and was moderated by Winthrop art history professor Karen Stock.

Horie and Moen created the project during the 2016 presidential election, in response to the

Laura Munson | A&C Editor munsonl@mytjnow.com

ences a lot to think about. There are tons of great questions to debate the answers to. Do the characters deserve the kind of treatment they get? Which one of them most deserves to be in hell? Why did Jean-Paul Sartre choose to write these characters in these specific ways? I think the best theatre is thought-provoking theatre, so I hope this play will start a discussion,” said Muccio.

One goal of this production is to bring the themes of the play into modern day society and spark conversations on how the themes can be applied to our modern lives, along with ideas of how people try to create an image of themselves in the face of others and how the worst of hell isn’t all fire and brimstone, it’s the judgement of other people and the protection of our reputations.

“Our political situation in America today is creeping closer and closer to the fascist side of policy. ‘No Exit’ acts as a wakeup call to exploit how fascism corrupts what it does not agree with,” said Watson.

“I love the play. I think it’s a very interesting look into one author’s vision of what the afterlife might look like. It’s great to have the opportunity to explore such deep, philosophical themes. It’s also fascinating to work on as an actor because it’s a situation no

“disturbing” language and rhetoric surrounding it. They decided to focus on fostering civility and mutual respect in a simple, straightforward way. As Horie says, “There’s something that happens over a cup of coffee. Something very basic.”

The mugs are designed and created using digital technology as well as by hand, with many illustrators and potters collaborating remotely.

The porcelain is also created from scratch using mud from the mountains of North Carolina. The mugs reflect issues that the creators feel strongly about, such as corporate “dark money,” voting, gerrymandering and vaccinations. One cup featured Lady Liberty kissing Lady Justice, while another showed the faces of victims of police brutality accompanied by the phrase, “What did I do? What did I do? Be born black.” Some mugs have un-glazed sections that people can write on.

one really has any frame of reference for. Most of the time you are portraying something that could actually happen in everyday life, but no one knows what hell is really like,” said Muccio.

Muccio has also worked with Watson in previous productions.

“She fosters a really fun rehearsal environment, which helps me stay in a good mood. I think that each time we work together, each of us gets a better sense of the other’s artistic sensibilities and who they are as a person,” said Muccio.

“I think students will find themselves considering questions they never have before. I also think there’s a good chance that they will feel pretty confused by some of the things that happen in the play. I hope they really take the time to think in-depth about the play and engage in conversations about it.

Theatre is at its best when it sparks a discussion,” said Muccio.

“No Exit” runs from Sept. 25 to Sept. 29 at 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday, and is an approved cultural event. Tickets for Wednesday and Thursday shows are $5 dollars with a Winthrop ID and $10 dollars for general public.

Friday through Sunday tickets are $8 dollars with a Winthrop ID and $15 dollars for general public.

Moen discussed the project’s focus on the meaning of objects, and the intimate nature of handmade things. In addition to featuring in exhibitions, the mugs are also created to be sold and shipped throughout the United States and beyond. Those who purchase the mugs are encouraged to interact with the organization on social media by sending photos and videos of their own “coffee talks,” or the ways they interact with the mugs themselves.

Horie believes that there is often a perception of craft as separate from fine art, but can be important and communicative when combined. “It doesn’t have to be framed on the wall to be important and make an impact.” Horie says.

The Democratic Cup holds moderated discussions, such as Hargens’ event in Minnesota, titled “In Service: Engaging and Connecting

9 Through Clay.” The event brought the anxiety and fear that people feel about engaging in these discussions to light, particularly the anxiety about talking with friends, family and neighbors about controversial issues that are easier to simply ignore. Hargens says it is best to approach these discussions from a very basic level, that “everyone wants to be safe and connected,” and people can connect over this common ground. The organizers have also created a “toolkit” with instructions for moderating such discussions.

While most of the artists and

organizers of The Democratic Cup have liberal views, the organizers are considering what it would mean to create a conservative-leaning cup. While they would risk alienating some members of their community, the organizers believe it may be their duty to show these diverse views and could lessen the anxiety of conservative and Republican individuals who are often afraid to engage in The Democratic Cup events.

In Rock Hill, as with all places, the organizers of The Democratic Cup hope to inspire people to ask, “What are the issues

happening here?” as well as to “empower people to become facilitators.” Moen believes that a university campus is the perfect place to foster these discussions, as college students come from many different places and backgrounds and interact with students and faculty with more diverse values than they’ve experienced before.

While change takes time, The Democratic Cup urges small yet impactful engagement that can create significant change over time. The slow nature of change is also reflected in the slow process of creating mugs. As

Moen says, “Conversations don’t happen overnight, and it takes a long time to make cups, too!”

The Democratic Cup exhibition will be on display in Rutledge through Nov. 15. The next “Beyond the Gallery Walls” event will be “Coffee Talk – A Steaming Cup of Civil Dialogue” on Oct. 1 from 7 to 9 p.m.. in Rutledge Gallery. It is a free cultural event with limited space, so students must RSVP at https://tinyurl. com/wugcoffeetalk. For more information, visit https://www. winthrop.edu/galleries/educational-programs.aspx

Coming Soon to Johnson UPCOMING EVENTS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE AND DANCE “The Addams Family a New Musical”

Directed by Matt Ferrell Oct. 5 – 7 at 7:30 p.m. and Oct. 6 at 2 p.m. in Johnson TheatreSpecial outreach performance Oct. 4 at 10 a.m.

Winthrop Dance Theatre

Nov. 7 – 9 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 10 at 2 p.m. in Johnson TheatreSpecial outreach performance Nov. 8 at 10 p.m.

Secondhand clothing is a staple of the broke college student lifestyle as businesses, young people and even Macklemore have recently contributed to a new, fashionable reputation for thrifted clothing. One way students have taken thrifting into their own hands is through online thrift stores.

Winthrop middle level education alumnus Destiny Cumbee started the online store, Vintage Kidz in February of last year, which has expanded into the Charlotte area, held several “pop-up” shops throughout North and South Carolina, created a line of merchandise, and will soon have its own website.

The brand is focused on 80s and 90s style, as well as blurring gender norms and embracing androgyny.

“I started VK for two reasons. I love 80s and 90s culture, and I wanted to sell clothes that people would be comfortable in. I dress very androgynous and I wanted to create a brand that would be centered around that. I wanted to blur the lines of what is men’s wear and what is women’s wear,” Cumbee says.

“I’d really like everyone to know that I am not a strictly online business.

While I do post a lot of things online, I do most of my business in person. I travel to pop-up festivals and events and showcase my brand to a larger audience. By the time this article is published, I will have been involved in 6 pop up markets, with 4 being in

the heart of Charlotte. I love being able to meet people who share a love for what we do.”

Since the beginning of Vintage Kidz, Cumbee has collaborated with fellow Winthrop student, Kaitlyn Dillard. “As soon as she found out my idea, Kaitlyn loved it and wanted to be involved. Ever since then she has been helping with everything, from being in charge of social media to ‘picking,’ to setting up for pop-ups, to modeling and doing anything that is needed.”

Sophomore theatre tech and design major Chloe Wright runs two online shops, Lemon Juice and Pink Lemonade. Wright says Lemon Juice began with a focus on upcycling, painting custom designs on denim, and reducing fashion waste.

Last summer, Wright started Pink Lemonade as a more traditional thrift shop.

“I’ve always loved thrifting, just going in with an open mind and having no idea what you’re going to find. It’s so crazy, the stuff that you find sometimes. And I person-

“No Exit” Directed by Jenny Watson Sept. 25 – 28 at 7:30 p.m. and Sept. 29 at 2 p.m. in Johnson Studio Theatre

“Love Song” Directed by Makala Becker Oct. 30 – Nov. 2 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 3 at 2 p.m. in Johnson Studio Theatre

ally love the upcycling aspect of it because you find this thing that somebody donated that they didn’t want anymore, but you do just a little bit to it and you can give it a new life,” Wright says.

Wright says that anyone who is interested in starting their own thrift store should not be afraid to try. “If you want to try it, try it!

Personally, I was very hesitant to try the thrifting aspect of it, because I had the shop Lemon Juice for a while. I had friends who do the thrifting stuff and I was unsure if people would respond well to it.

But I love it, it’s the coolest community of people, and something that I do in my free time now gets me money for books and school.”

Junior theatre education major Calista Schultz has been running her account since last February, and enjoys finding clothing that fits her unique style and sharing it with others. “I buy things that I think I would wear, or that other people would wear instead of just buying things that I could maybe sell. I

know some other shops make their own stuff and add stuff to it, but I just buy the nicest things I can find.” Schultz says. “I love thrift shopping, and I remember I used to think ‘oh this is so cute, but it’s an extra small or a 3X or whatever’.

And I thought, ‘I can’t get it but somebody else would probably like this.’”

Taylor Evans, a junior theatre and mass communication double major started UrSistersClosett last summer. Evans says the shop was her sister’s idea, and Evans teamed up with her to raise money to study abroad. “My sister’s always been into fashion, and my family has been big thrifters in general. Our family goes to local thrift stores every weekend because my mom is a big DIY person. It’s something we’ve been doing for years and we just wanted to make some money off of it.”

While Evans’ shop is mostly for thrifting, she and her sister sometimes customize pieces. “If we do anything [to the clothing] we will bleach and tie dye to make things more cute and trendy. We also distress certain jeans and patch certain things to make it cuter, but nothing too fancy.”

Wright, Cumbee, Schultz and Evans are planning a collaborative pop-up shop in the Rock Hill area in mid-October. For the official announcement and details of the event, follow their online shops on Instagram at @vintage.kidz, @shopcatsandchamomile, @ shop_pinklemonade and @ursistersclosett.

Kevin Seabrook/ the johnsonian

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OPINION

theJohnsonian

Response to “Social media: the new public forum” September 25, 2019

Social media companies have a right to block those that violate their rules from their sites Téa Franco

staff writer

In an opinion article published in the Sept. 18 issue of The Johnsonian, there was an article critiquing various social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Spotify for banning several alt-right influencers including Alex Jones and Milo Yinnapolous from their sites.

The author of the article claims that under the Constitution, Americans have a right to freedom of speech, but today’s society is not allowing that to happen.

Upon initially reading the article, I disagreed with a lot of what the author said, but partially understood his point of view. He mentioned some good points about how social media has become a primary outlet for many Americans gathering their news and therefore censoring certain users hinders people from seeing issues from multiple points of view. However, upon a second reading, it came to light that there were a lot of factual and logical errors throughout. Both myself and the law disagrees that these social media platforms are out of line for banning certain people for the things they post.

First and foremost, the Constitution is a federal legal document. This means that Americans are able to say what they want free from government consequences.

This means that citizens can say what they want without consequences of the law. It does not mean that citizens are free from the social consequences of what they say. Just because we have free speech does not mean that you can say whatever you want without getting fired from your job or banned from social media. Social media sites are not a public platform, they are private companies.

When you make a social media account, you agree to the platform’s terms and conditions.

Many people don’t read them before they register for an account, however, the agreement includes a set of community standards that you agree to abide by. In signing up for this private platform, you are giving those platforms the right to censor you if you violate their terms as per the contract you made with them.

Jones is the creator of an alt-right conspiracy theorist website called InfoWars. According to Facebook, they banned Jones for violating their bullying and harassment policy on The Alex Jones Channel page, the Alex Jones page, the InfoWars page and the InfoWars Nightly News page. At first, the pages were still up and Jones was banned, however, after further investigation the pages have been taken down “for glorifying violence, which violates our graphic violence policy, and using dehu-

manizing language to describe people who are transgender, Muslims and immigrants, which violates our hate speech policies.”

Additionally, InfoWars was taken down after being reporting for posting fake news, which is in direct contradiction with what the author of the other article wrote when he said that censoring these people is blocking social media users from receiving news.

Many of the people banned from social media claim they no longer have a platform, however, there are plenty of other ways to have your voice heard that is not reliant on social media. Jones’ InfoWars website is still up and running, Yiannopolus still often makes headlines and is involved in alt-right activism. Their “careers” are hardly over.

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. have no obligation to be a pillar of first amendment rights. They are private companies with private interests, and those interests include

Olivia Esselman/The Johnsonian not having people on their websites promoting hate or violence. They are well within their bounds to ban people who are not only offending, but harming people who are not like them. These social media outlets recognize the power of words, and they do not and should not take hate speech lightly.

Harmless fun or a marketing ploy?

Those witty brands on Twitter may not be so friendly after all

Matt Thrift

staff writer

Nothing revolutionized the field of advertising quite like the television. It opened up a new world to advertisers wherein they could flash their products across the screen to people who were waiting for their favorite shows to come back on.

Various statistics have shown that average Americans will be exposed to millions of television commercials in their lifetimes.

However, as the younger generations abandon traditional television in favor of streaming platforms and social media, corporations have been forced to get creative.

It is easy to scroll past advertisements on our social media news feeds or press ‘mute’ while an advertisement plays before a YouTube video (or skip after five seconds, if one is so lucky as to be given that option).

While many corporations maintain an advertising presence in print, on television and on social media, some forward-thinking brands have taken to adopting disingenuous and phony ‘personalities’ on one of the most popular and widely-used social media sites in the world: Twitter.

The Taco Bell Twitter account currently boasts over 1.95 million followers. The account quickly became popular for its deadpan delivery and freewheeling interaction with Twitter users. Taco Bell’s Twitter feed is full of sardonic replies to customers, fans and trolls alike.

Furthermore, the account has also shown to be closely tuned in to what is popular with young people.

Recently, the chain’s vegetarian options were featured in a tweet containing a slick, high-quality photo of

a black bean Crunchwrap Supreme.

At the end of August, the account posted a photo of well known poppunk band Neck Deep eating at the company’s headquarters.

Wendy’s also quickly became another one of the most popular

a care-free manner. In replies to tweets directed at them, the person(s) behind the Wendy’s account use emojis, neglect to capitalize words and disregard punctuation.

This double-sided approach to interacting with a customer base

Mars Hogue/The Johnsonian corporate Twitter accounts, boasting nearly 3.4 million followers. The account responds to serious customer complaints while simultaneously interacting with Twitter users in

Victoria Howard | Opinion Editor howardv@mytjnow.com

(both active and potential) shows a calculated strategy by their social media team.

The Wendy’s Twitter account reached a new level of notoriety in

the spring of 2017, when the brand struck a deal with a young man named Carter Wilkerson: If he could get 18 million retweets, they would give him free chicken nuggets for a year. Social media campaigns have become commonplace whether they be to raise money for someone in need, to get a problematic person fired from their job or, in Wilkeron’s case, to simultaneously get free nuggets and attain the ever-elusive ‘clout.’ The #NuggsForCarter tweet went on to become the most retweeted post in the website’s history.

These quirky, relatable personas put forth by corporate Twitter accounts have not come without their detractors. One theory (which this writer subscribes to) proposes that as television and print advertisements become increasingly irrelevant, corporations have turned to Twitter to target the Millennial and Gen-Z generations. One of the ideas put forth in this theory is that these corporations want Twitter users to believe that the company is like a quick-witted friend, not simply another brand in the stable of some international, multi-billion dollar conglomerate.

If Taco Bell’s nameless, faceless social media manager who fires off zingers from behind an iPhone all day can make you laugh, then maybe you’ll remember that the next time it’s 10 p.m., you’re hungry and a Taco Bell is nearby.

Never mind the fact that Taco Bell is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands which is a publicly traded corporation that happened to net $1.619 billion in 2016, reportedly paid their CEO nearly $14 million in 2018 and generally pays their employees at a rate not far off from the federal minimum wage—quirky and relatable, indeed.

theJohnsonian

11

September 25, 2019

Cancel culture: the inverse effect Can cancel culture exhibit more harm than it does good?

Olivia Thibodeau

staff writer

Cancel culture has changed the way that we communicate online. It encourages people to get angry and harmful for a good cause…mostly.

Cancel culture is an on-going trend that is the cause of the “cancellation” of people and businesses.

This cancellation arrives in the form of an onslaught of people withdrawing support and bashing the person or business who has been canceled.

The reasoning for canceling can range from a simple disagreement about something trivial to a more serious felony that was committed. Canceling someone leaves the person not only swarmed with hate-filled comments, but gives the person affected no remorse or forgiveness.

Why bother giving someone a second chance, when there is a chance that they will make the exact same mistake they made the first time? According to cancel culture, we are not allowed to exhibit mistakes, especially not in the public eye. It is too offensive. That is why cancel culture exists. To prevent those mistakes through anger and mass-hatred.

Many celebrities have been on the receiving end of cancel culture, where it has forced them to put a hiatus on projects or forced them to step down from a job opportunity.

Taylor Swift, a musician, is a celebrity who has been on the receiving end of cancel culture after the public dispute between her and Kayne West. She took a three-year hiatus in which she wrote her album, Reputation, that explains the harsh views everyone had of her and her realization of whose opinion truly matters.

PewDiePie, a well known YouTu-

ber, is another celebrity who has been on the receiving end of cancel culture. In a satirical video, he used racist elements in an attempt to mock the people he was reviewing. He immediately experienced negative backlash and a huge uproar. Since then, he has issued a well constructed apology video for the actions of the other people in the video.

While neither Swift nor PewDiePie has done something worth being put through the wringer, both have encountered a fair share of hatred and aggression thrown their way.

They have been able to rise above hatred and boycotts due to their professions. It is not the same for everyone else.

Let’s talk about people who do not have a large following, what happens when they get canceled? They are shunned and locked out of the community to which they once belonged—a potentially tight-knit community where everyone knows each other and they found solace—only to be thrown out on the street like something worse than a diseased rat by the people who once encouraged you, which must be heartbreakingly painful.

Under what form of unity does cancel culture strike up arms filled with hatred and a passionate fuel to right a wrong? When canceling a person or business for their wrong-

Elizabeth Talbert / The Johnsonian doings is it effective to constantly point out their flaws and wrongdoings? Sure, good intentions are all good until they are not.

Where does the line get drawn?

Call someone out to be canceled once and then let them decide whether or not they will address their own issues.

Do other people who do not know your life have the right to tell you what is right, what is true, what is the right way to think? We con-

form to the pressures of society because society has become full of anger and hatred. A level of aggression that puts fear in people, that prevents them from speaking their minds.

Cancel culture calls for the cancelation of the bad or unjust thing a person has committed, but instead, it cancels a person’s existence by the sheer amount of hate and aggression. Congratulations, bullying is back in style, support cancel

Review: “Steven Universe: The Movie”

“Steven Universe: The Movie” shows what comes after for Steven Universe after he saved the galaxy Gabriel Corbin

staff writer

Sixteen-year-old Steven Universe thinks he’s living happily ever after, but in reality it’s just the calm before the real storm—a new threat that will take everything away from him.

“Steven Universe: The Movie” is a 2019 fantasy musical based on the hit TV show by Rebecca Sugar.

It stars the voice talents of Zach Callison, Estelle, Michaela Dietz and Deedee Magno.

The whole theme of the Steven Universe movie revolves around the concept of happily ever after.

Steven (voiced by Callison) defeated the Diamonds (voiced by Patti LuPone, Lisa Hannigan and Christine Ebersole) and brought peace to the universe. He thinks his time defending the galaxy is over…until a new mysterious antagonistic Gem named Spinel (voiced by Sarah Stiles) teaches him that there’s more after the happily ever after.

The movie takes the idea of happily ever after and runs with it, embracing both Steven’s past and his future through his interactions with the Crystal Gems after Spinel causes them to regress back to their basic forms. Pearl regresses to be an obedient servant, Amethyst regresses back into a child and Garnet, the personified love between two gems Ruby and Sapphire, splits up. She also causes Steven to lose his gem powers after regressing Spinel as well.

Estelle, Dietz and Magno portray the Crystal Gems as the complete opposite of themselves, which was weird, but so impressive at the same time. These were Gems who are completely different from who we all know from our time spent watch-

ing the show, warped into a shadow of who they were.

Luckily, Steven helps the Gems return back to normal by showing them what they were like before Spinel attacked, while also learning about Spinel’s past with his mother, Rose Quartz, aka Pink Diamond.

Stiles tells the story, through her portrayal of Spinel, about how Rose abandoned her on a distant planet and what it does to her mentally and physically. The depth of all these character portrayals is astounding in a way that made long-time viewers feel uncomfortable with the familiar.

The music in Steven Universe was always a pivotal part of the show, and in the movie the importance was heightened and brought out to the extreme. Luckily, the sheer amount of music didn’t slow down the movie. In fact, it heightened its strength of the message. The music helped portray the themes of the movie.

“Disobedient” and “Independent Together” both try to exploit Pearl’s disobedience and remind her of her roots through a rock anthem and a ballad song, respectively. The duet between Dietz and Callison, called “No Matter What,” effortlessly portrays the best friend bond between Amethyst and Steven and plays off each other’s strengths.

One of the strongest songs on the soundtrack was Stiles’ “Drift Away.”

Stiles portrays an emotional depth of Spinel that we didn’t know was possible. She portrays a range of traits: the innocent child, the nostalgic friends, and mostly, the sadness and rage over the fact that her best friend abandoned her on a desolate garden for over 6,000 years. This song adds depth to the story of her trauma, and Stiles, a Broadway star, performs the song beautifully.

Courtesy of Cartoon Network Overall, the combination of music and acting tells a wonderful story—a story that doesn’t need ‘the end’ or ‘to be continued’ to complete it.

Steven Universe grew up before our eyes, transitioning from a naive boy to a strong young adult, and this movie shows us that stories don’t stop after happily ever after. They

keep going, and “Steven Universe: The Movie” sets that up beautifully.

Steven’s story is far from over, and I hope more audiences get to ‘Believe in Steven’ like I did when I first watched this movie.

theJohnsonian

12

September 25, 2019

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