September 17th, 2020 edition of The Lorian

Letter from the president:

LONG HAULERS: THE UNHEARD SIDE OF COVID-19

Jim Collins addresses campus Page 3

Page 9

Sept. 17, 2020 — Vol. 99, Issue 1

A SNEAK PEAK OF WHAT’S INSIDE

photo by JULIA MEDINA

Workers remove bushes to break into the stone and expose the base of the Bishop Loras statue. The statue, located at the corner of Loras Boulevard and Alta Vista, was taken down around 2pm on September 8th after research confirmed that Mathias Loras owned a slave.

Athletics: To play or not

Page 12

Senior Spotlight: Emma McLaughlin

Bishop Loras statue removed Historian research confirms Mathias Loras owned a slave

by MEGAN HIMM staff writer

On Sept. 8, Loras College president Jim Collins sent out an announcement regarding the history of its founder, Bishop Mathias Loras. It had recently come to light that Bishop Loras owned a slave, Marie Louise, for 16 years. Addressing the issue, Collins stated: “Slavery is an evil in any age, and its legacy of dehumanizing injustice persists.

Bishop Loras’ abhorrent conduct is antithetical to the mission, vision, values,

and Catholic identity of this institution.

Consistent with these values, Loras College denounces racial injustice and hate in all its forms.”

This announcement came during the national scholar strike; and although surprising, the announcement was fitting.

Because the values of Loras College are not reflected by the actions of Bishop Loras, the Board of Regents met and decided to remove the memorial statue of the Bishop.

College Diversity Officer Sergio Perez was consulted throughout the discussion.

Describing the process, Perez explained that the Board of Regents,“really processed everything that was going on, the new information, and what this meant. I think

they did a very good job of first setting those values of transparency. They then worked on building trust with the campus to know that they took it seriously and wanted to act clearly.”

The statue of Bishop Loras stood on Keane Hill, one of the highest points in Dubuque, along Loras Boulevard. Upon its removal, it was placed in storage until a final decision can be made about what to do with it. In regard to the removal of the statue, Perez commented that “it was a necessary step. It’s not that we are erasing the man, he will always be our founder, but let’s teach the whole story.” continued on Page 2

National Scholars Strike for Racial Justice Black Loras athletes hold panel to increase awareness

by JORGE RAMIREZ staff writer

Four Duhawks were asked to discuss personal anecdotes, experiences and struggles they have had growing up in a society that challenges them due to their skin color.

On Tuesday, Sept. 8, over 150 Loras College students and staff members gathered at Loras College’s AWC to show their support for Black students and condemn systemic racism and police brutality. The event, titled Power in Our Voices, featured a panel of Black student-athletes. Senior Dimitric Young, junior Marion Edwards,

photo by SERGIO PEREZ

Left to right: Dimitric Young, Marion Edwards, Terriana Black, and Tyreke Winston pose for a pict ure after speaking about their personal experience as a black individual on and off campus.

junior Tyreke Winston, and senior Terriana Black were responsible for this event.

“White people that might not be rich in economic or financial terms still get the benefit of the doubt from those in positions of power. People of color never get those benefits,” stated Young.

None of the four students in the panel hesitated to indicate their true beliefs when directing their words to the many people sitting in the stands. continued on Page 2

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Q uarantine life Student shares experience of isolation upon arrival

by JUAN LUNA staff writer

Knock! Knock! Knock! I hear the sound loudly. I’ve been anticipating those knocks all day. I know who is on the other side of the door, so I yell, “Hi Janell, thank you!” I wait, giving Janell time to move away from the door before I open it. I see her as she walks down the basement hall of Binz. I look down to see the bag of goodies she’s left behind for me. My daily sustenance.

My food!

I’m a curious person, so I peak around at the hall. I count the bags outside the other doors. There are at least three of us here who are being isolated. I clutch the bag tightly as I slip back into my room and close the door. I wonder who the others are; how did they end up in quarantine?

My story starts in my home country, Colombia, where everything was a little crazy due to COVID-19. Airports were closed while businesses were just starting to reopen. I chose to return to my school in the United States, Loras College, so I was forced to take a special flight that was strictly for those who could prove their travel was necessary and not tourism.

The flight to the U.S. is always a timeconsuming journey but well worth it to me. I leave from Cali, Colombia, flying across all of Central America to get to Florida.

I have to make several stops on my way back to Loras. My first stop is Fort Lauderdale. I was lucky to have the chance to stay there for two days this time. This time I was able to go to nearby Miami. continued on Page 2

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Sept. 17, 2020

N ews

The Lorian

College Activities Board: Bingo night CAB hosts highly popular Bingo night

by CORA SHEFCHIK staff writer

Back by popular demand, the College Activities Board (CAB) hosted their first Bingo Night this past Friday, Sept 11. It was held in the Fieldhouse from 8 p.m. until 10 p.m. There was approximately 170 Duhawks who came out to try and win prizes. Some of these prizes included a futon, hoverboard, Magic Bullet Blender, Giant Kickball Set, Smart TV, Little Caesars, and more. Senior Meghann Long is one of the Programmers for CAB and was in charge for this event. This event featured some different prizes than CAB normally has.

While they try to mix it up, but also bring back popular prizes, Long “wanted to include both practical and fun prizes.

Many of my friends and fellow CAB members will pick them (prizes) out”. When I asked her how she thinks the event went she said; “I think the event ran smoothly. People followed directions and seemed to have a lot of fun.”

CAB would like to thank everyone who came out in the rain to attend Bingo Night.

They will be hosting another Bingo event next semester.

Their next event will include Slam Poet Kyla Lacey on Sept.

19 in the ACC Courtyard. Stay update to date on CAB events by reading their emails, seeing Posters around campus, and giving them a follow on the Life @ Loras App. Want to get involved? CAB Committee Meetings are on Wednesday night at 8:30 p.m. in the Arizona Room!

Racial Justice: Embracing “Loras Together” continued from Page 1

Black made one of the most astounding remarks of the night.

“All lives will not matter until black lives matter,” she stated.

Her statement was followed by an ovation from the stands.

Justice in the United States has functioned under double standards for way too long, and Loras College students as well as many others from the community fear for their lives. Despite the uncomfortable and disappointing situation the United States is facing in its battle against racial discrimination, Black, an NCAA

National Champion, stated that: “I have to highlight Loras College’s attempt to welcome minor ity students into t his institution. They have been taking action right away rather than just waiting for this situation to dissipate. President Collins, specifically, has been great, too.

He really exemplifies the concept of being Loras Together.”

Power in Our Voices was organized with the help of The Center for Inclusion & Advocacy and Sergio Perez (13’), its Officer as well as the Advisor to the President. Perez, who interacted multiple times with these students

before organizing this event, stated: “It was all about the leadership the students took. After the Kenosha situation developed, they decided to speak up, and put together an event such as this one. They fear actions like these are likely to happen in Dubuque as well, either to themselves, or fellow Duhawks.”

Perez, who is also very proud of the attitude and bravery that these four athletes portray made it clear that Loras College will persevere when it comes to this topic, commenting that: “The Center for Inclusion &

Advocacy has been talking about this issue for a long time already.

Not just now. We’ll be providing our students these spaces throughout the year, in a way in which the panel yesterday is not forgotten. Given the attendance we had, I am expecting students to keep supporting movements like this one. It is important to keep generating awareness.”

As Loras College has stated multiple times on their social media content throughout the past month, “we are a community and we will make it an even better community in the days ahead.”

Loras statue: Focus looking forward continued from Page 1

The name of the college will remain ‘Loras College,’ as the Board agreed that the college has grown to represent more than only the man who created it. Perez states that we need to: “focus our energies on how we move forward.

The idea of giving a new definition to what Loras College will become: a future of diversity, of inclusion, a belonging of everyone regardless of who you are.”

This statement is in line with Loras’ vision to be a campus oriented towards openness and acceptance.

Q uarantine : continued from Page 1

Miami is warm and humid this time of year. Built along the turquoise coastline of the Atlantic Ocean, it’s a city where everyone seems to be on vacation–even during a pandemic.

My stop was productive. The 48-hour layover allowed me to visit my sister and unload most of the stress caused by the challenges and constant changes of travel: the cancellation of my original flight out of Cali; the stressful departure of my rescheduled flight, full of confusion and nausea; and the trauma of seeing people garbed at the airport in full-white hazmat suits.

The next stop after Florida was Chicago. I stayed there for less than one night. I walked to the bus

One of the goals made after the discovery of Bishop Loras’ history was to honor Marie Louise by setting up a scholarship fund in her name that will take effect during the 20212022 school year. Loras will also be setting up another fund in honor of the college’s first black graduate, Fr. Norman Dukette. Both of these scholarships are designed to help students, especially those in minority groups.

Loras plans to stay transparent by sharing more information as it is gathered. Up-to-date information is being provided at https://www. loras.edu/founder/. There, members of the community and alumni can also share their

thoughts. In the closing paragraph of his email, Collins declares his commitment to creating a dialogue about the changes, stating that “We recognize that not everyone will agree with these decisions. I ask that we all pause and reflect first, and then engage openly, honestly, and civilly as we come together as a community to honor Marie Louise and the facts about her enslavement. I am sure you will have questions, and we welcome them.”

While the past cannot be changed, Loras is doing everything in its power to make things right by honoring Maria Louise and helping minorities and the community.

loneliness of confinement

station at four in the morning for my final leg to Dubuque. I talked to a woman who was getting on the bus with me. She let me know she was addicted to heroin. Aaah.

Good times.

When I finally made it to campus I was quickly moved to my temporary home – the basement of Binz – for my mandatory 14day quarantine.

Most of my days are exactly the same. I wake up at 8:30, shower and attend online classes. From 11 to noon I have my lunch, which Janell brought the day before. All three of my daily meals are in that precious bag.

In my free time I do homework and sometimes I play video games or watch movies. I talk with friends virtually or on the phone. I browse social media and

exercise in my room whenever I get random bursts of energy.

Other than the back of Janell as she’s retreating away from my door, I don’t physically see many people. The exception is the occasional visit from my friends.

They come to my basement window and I stare up at them as they stand outside. I scream to them so that they can hear me through the glass and they scream back. In this way, we stay updated on what’s going on in each other’s lives. Although currently my life never really changes much.

My friend Manny visited me at my window the other day. It was the usual hollering back and forth through the window. But this time it was slightly different.

I heard another person scream “Hey Manny!” from another

floor in Binz. It was another friend. Manny shouted, “I’m with Luna!” We then proceeded to have a very loud conversation between two windows and several floors. There’s no privacy in a conversation like that.

B u t , h e y. T h a t ’s l i f e i n quarantine. That’s life during COVID. Life is always a little different for a guy from Colombia who’s living and studying at a small college in Dubuque, Iowa, USA. But this year is downright weird.

Loras has always been a warm and welcoming place. Not so much this year. COVID saw to that.

This one started with me feeling very alone and isolated in the basement of Binz. I’m so ready to get back to normal. Stay safe, everybody.

Iowa dairy princess: Is it just another crown?

by MEGAN GRONAU staff writer

photo by ELLIE SCHILL

Senior Meghann Long gives the thumbs-up to start the event.

photo by ELLIE SCHILL

Prizes that several lucky students got a chance to walk away with. The event was held in the field house in order to follow CDC guidlines involving social distancing and masks.

Have you ever had a once in a lifetime opportunity that would open so many doors that you didn’t think were possible? At the end of this summer, I had one of these experiences and will forever be grateful.

In August, I had t he opportunity to run for the 20202021 Iowa Dairy Princess and potentially my 6th title in the last five years. It all started in 2015, when I ran for Dubuque County 4-H Queen. From there my love for being an ambassador for my county grew and eventually turned into different titles.

If you would have asked me a year and half ago, if I ever thought I would be running for Iowa Dairy

Princess, I would have thought you were crazy. A lot happens in a year that can really change a person and give them opportunities they never thought possible. Being able to run for Iowa Dairy Princess is unlike anything else. I was able to advocate for such an amazing industry that I was fortunate to grow up in.

Many people think that each title is just about having a crown and sash, but it is so much more than that. It isn’t about the crown and sash, it is how you use it that matters. People won’t remember you by just having a crown, they will remember all the good things that you did with it to benefit the community. Each crown means something a little different in the fact that they are all for different

titles. Every crown holds many memories that represent what I did as I wore it. Having a crown is an added bonus to being a role model to others and sharing your own stories and experiences with the world. Whether there is a crown and sash or not, all the girls that ran for the Iowa Dairy Princess are winners because we all have the ability to advocate for one of the greatest industries in American Agriculture.

Before being able to run for Iowa Dairy Princess, you have to hold the title of a county Dairy Princess. From here you have a year to learn from as well as teach your community. This past year has been a whirlwind of fun for me, from scooping dishes of ice cream to handing out cheese sticks

and even being able to share my love for this amazing industry to my community. Over my reign at Dubuque County Dairy Princess, I had one overarching goal; where I wanted to bridge the gap between what people perceive and the reality of the dairy industry. I accomplished this goal by asking people what they know of the dairy industry and informing them on what is really going on.

There are a lot of unknowns in the dairy world that the common eye doesn’t necessarily see. Through my role as Dair y Princess, I was able to advocate for these unknowns of the dairy industry.

Take every opportunity you get to chase your dreams and become an ambassador and role model for your community.

N ews

The Lorian

Sept. 17, 2020

Letter from the President

by JAMES COLLINS president of Loras College

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff, I hope my message finds you doing well, staying healthy, and thriving as it relates to your campus-based or virtual experience.

Last week began with the challenging news of Bishop Loras. As difficult as it was to send and/or receive it, I so appreciate the graciousness which our campus community responded. My prayer is that we can all be as forgiving and acknowledging of our past as we are committed to putting our energies to working together to become a fully inclusive campus.

As difficult as the news above was to receive, the Scholar Strike programming served as an inspiring series of opportunities to experience. I am so grateful to our students, staff, and faculty who worked tirelessly to pull these programs together so quickly and well. Further, the breadth, depth, and substance of each event was positively impactful for us all. I especially wish to commend our students who presented so vulnerably, honestly, and

personally. We must continue our efforts to eradicate racial injustice and find ways to uphold human dignity, especially in these divisive and polarized times.

As we move forward with this semester, I am grateful for all the ways you are making sacrifices. Wearing face coverings, maintaining personal distance, frequently washing hands, and reporting symptoms are important behaviors. I wish again underscore the need for individual and collective efforts to refrain from inappropriate behavior- hosting or participating in large parties, going to crowded bars, etc. As previously shared, we worked hard to get you back. Please help us to keep you here!

Many private colleges are struggling these days, especially relates to the impact of the pandemic. While the implications of the virus have certainly affected Loras, I am pleased to report that our year over year enrollment only decreased from 1,416 to 1,404. We had budgeted for a decline of as many as 125 students. Our first year to sophomore retention actually increased by three percent.

Our student academic profile again remained strong and our year over year increase in first year Students of Color moved from 19% to 24%.

Loras’ national recognition remains strong as US News again ranked Loras as the region’s 16th best institution. In

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the same publication, Loras was the only Iowa institution designated as a top 10 Best Value. I anticipate that Loras will continue to accumulate additional recognitions in the weeks ahead. We will keep you posted.

In closing, I acknowledge that we all have to contend with difficult circumstances related to the pandemic.

Further, I realize that the political and racial unrest only magnifies the anxiety/depression many feel, especially our Students of Color. For all of us who are persons of faith, I intentionally call upon you (us) to demonstrate resilience, empathy, and understanding. As a reminder, we are all created in the image and likeness of God. Let us treat each other as Christ calls us to be.

Loras’ past and current successes are a result of us ensuring a resilient, supportive, and inclusive community.

To that end, we must be united in support for one another.

Be assured of my best wishes and prayers for a great semester. Do not forget #Loras Together #ProDeoetPatria God Bless, James E. Collins ‘84 President

Campus reaction: Bishop Loras statue

by ANNA BRUXVOORT staff writer

President Collin’s mentioned Bishop Loras’,the founder of Loras College, past as a slave owner, and made the decision to remove the statue from its podium in an announcement to the Loras community on Sept. 8. President Jim Collins wrote in a letter to the campus community that the statue of Bishop Loras will be placed in storage “until we have convened as a community to discuss the impact of this knowledge about our founder and, specifically, whether and in what context the statue could or should be displayed in the future.”

Following the news about Bishop Loras, three members of our Loras community have volunteered to share their thoughts and opinions about the removal of Bishop Loras.

Does Bishop Loras’ past change your views about Loras College?

Current first year: “Not really, because he was in fact the founder, but Loras as a college and a community has evolved so much since he has founded it.”

Professor Merkel: “No, not about the college. About Bishop Loras, it has. I haven’t processed it fully, but the fact that he used another person in this way is so inexcusable that it is currently difficult to remember the good stuff. The bishop was our founder, and we do have his name, but who we are as a college as very little to do with the man Bishop Loras was. Our college is really based on the God he served.”

Alumni: “It doesn’t change my view of the school at all. Bishop Loras is a man who lived generations ago. What Loras has done since has no connection to him at all in my mind.”

If you were not apart of the Loras community would you view this statue indifferently?

Current first year: “I don’t really associate Loras with the statue in the first place, so if I didn’t go here, I probably wouldn’t even know there was a statue.”

Professor Merkel: “I don’t think so. I would still agree with removing it. Most likely I wouldn’t feel as heartbroken about why it is being taken down and stored.

That is the biggest difference – this is my community and that make it personal.”

Alumni: “That’s a hard question to answer. Having gone to Loras, the statue was part of the culture, but so was Keane Field, which years ago was torn up to build a new facility. I’m not the one who places much importance on statues and symbols anyway, so it probably wouldn’t really impact me.”

Do you agree with the schools decision to take down the statue?

Current first year: “I feel like its up to the college, and whatever they feel is best.

I don’t really think removing the statue is what matters. I think it is about educating people about the history of Loras, and then how we are going to move forward.”

Alumni: I do agree, if only because of the current climate we are living in. As a public institution, I think it would be a mistake to

have the statue of a known slave owner front and center in the school’s image.”

It’s safe to say that our worlds current racial injustices have sparked many events and protests throughout the world. If this year was not so heavily consumed with racism, do you think Loras would have still decided to remove the statue?

Current first year: “I don’t think Loras would have decided to move it because it sounds like they just started looking into this very recently since this started happening, so if that’s the case, then I don’t think they would have removed it because they wouldn’t have known.”

Professor Merkel: “The worlds current situation has pushed us at L oras to b e more vocal and own our part in the larger problem that is racial injustice. Removing the statue is a similar move to other statues in the country being removed, but I sincerely do not think our administrations decision is influenced by those events. I firmly believe the s t at u e i s c o m i n g down because we are a college are mindful of the messages we send, not only with our words, but our actions and our

symbols. Since I came to Loras 13 years ago, I have witnessed this community take a firm stand against every issue of discrimination that has arisen within and without our campus. We do not tolerate any form of oppression, so it does not surprise me in the least that we are owning and attempting to atone for the sins of our past.”

Alumni: Honestly, I don’t know. Loras has always been a big promoter of social justice, so it’s possible it would have come down anyway. There was already a push to take down confederate statues for the past number of years. But its hard to say.”

photo by JULIA MEDINA

Workers examine the base of the statue to determine what needs to be done to properly remove the statue.

Work began shortly after the president’s email was sent to campus at 10 a.m.

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O pinion

The Lorian

Sept. 17, 2020

Learning to learn online: A new challenge

by KELSEY LANSING

for. Despite the situation, some students have found the silver linings in learning online.

The first and maybe most important “Online learning? This will be great, factor is the comfort of knowing that I can’t wait to stay home all day!” The you can still attend school online infamous phrase thousands of students without risking your health or facing any were saying or thinking when they heard repercussions.

Should COVID-19 flare up school was moving online. After moving again in our communities, we are prepared past the nice thoughts, students eventually to continue our education. bump into reality. Online In addition to this adaptive learning looks a little less mode of education, students While many fun and a lot more stressful. are also learning more The comparison of online schools across self-discipline. With classes learning and in-person the country have being online, we are forced learning is difficult to see, been making to be more responsible for especially in the midst of improvements our education and future. a global pandemic and the to their online Lastly, I believe that online other issues in the world learning allows for students regiments, online at the moment. Either to have a more flexible way you look at it, online schooling has schedule that is suited to learning ends up looking its downsides individual needs. like a chaotic and stressful While many schools experience. across the country have Up until a couple been making improvements and changes months ago, students didn’t truly realize to their online-learning regiments, online what all was involved with online learning. school has its downsides.

The negative Then, after COVID-19 hit in the U.S., they effects of online learning manifest most got launched into a new normal that many clearly in students’ abilities to learn, students, myself included, were not ready staff writer

focus, and stay healthy. Speaking from my personal experience, I feel that I focus better and learn more when I am in class in-person versus when I am at home.

Another downside to online learning is the feeling of being disconnected from professors, classmates and, of course, friends on campus.

Some students joke about attending “zoom university” for the year, but while it can be funny there are also some serious health effects impacting students. COVID-19 and college student debt considered, students have reported shocking statistics in regards to how they are doing during this time. Jeff Craven, a medical journalist, states that “91% of students have reported having stress or anxiety, 81% were disappointed or sad, 80% said they felt lonely or isolated, 56% had relocated as a result of the pandemic, and 48% reported financial setbacks tied to COVID-19.”

As a senior going into my last year, I’m realizing how mentally taxing this year has already been. The majority of that comes from my frustration, inability to focus, and overall lack of motivation. Not only does this pandemic affect a students’ ability to

perform in school, but it also contributes to a slew of mental health issues.

The pandemic has had its own effect on everyone’s mental health, but with schools being back in session it’s only adding to the problem. Mental health issues among college students are not entirely uncommon, but this year the statistics have only increased. Many of the issues stem from the policies regarding COVID-19, like social distancing, online learning, and so on. In an article by Jeff Craven, it states that: “college students felt overwhelmed (86%), felt sad (68%), felt lonely (63%), had overwhelming anxiety (62%), experienced feelings of hopelessness (53%), or were depressed to the point where functioning was difficult (41%).”

Online learning in and of itself is difficult, but add a global pandemic and the world situation to the pile and that combination makes for a chaotic experience. Students should not be afraid to reach out to friends, professors, counselors, or anyone else that could help them during this time. Stress greatly affects a person’s overall health, and health should always be the number one priority.

Christianity and slavery: A horrid era

by DARBY CALLAHAN staff writer

On Sept. 8, Loras College removed the memorial statue of founder Bishop Mathias Loras. This action followed the discovery of the Bishop’s past slave ownership. Bishop Loras purchased a slave named Marie Louise for $800 in 1836 and owned her until 1852. This revelation was sad news for the Loras College community as the college was founded by the Bishop in 1839 and named in his honor.

Given the new knowledge of Bishop Loras, I would like to shed some light on the history of slave ownership in the Christian faith and why it was not recognized as a sin despite its degradation of African Americans and the racism that this led to.

During the 19 century, many Christians would use scripture to defend slavery. According to Christianitytoday.com, some of the verses in scripture that defended slavery include Ephesians chapter six, verses five through eight, which states: “Slaves, be obedient to your human masters with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ, not only when being watched, as currying favor, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, willingly serving the Lord and not human beings, knowing that each will be requited from the Lord for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.”

I do not think that the scriptures are being interpreted correctly here. However, if people at the time read the Bible as fully literal, taking it at face-value only, the defense of slavery at the time could be found here in this verse if read from the wrong perspective. I think we need to dive a little deeper, though, when interpreting slavery in the Bible. We are all servants to our Lord, Jesus Christ, and the term slavery in the Bible may have simply meant servant or simply “one who serves,” yet people wanted to defend their slave-ownership, so they used verses like this to Biblically justify their actions.

Those who used the Bible to justify slavery have used some charitable, evangelistic, and social reasons. I want to let everyone know that just because there were those who condoned the Bishop’s slave ownership, that does not mean it was right. Slavery was a dark time in American history and white people will never understand what it was like to work for free and be bought and sold. Some of the reasons that Bishop Loras may have resorted to when asked how he could be a Catholic Bishop and own a slave were that slavery somehow saved slaves as, Christiantoday. com also says that one of the charitable and evangelistic reasons slavery was tolerated by Christians was due to witchcraft and sorcery practices, stating that “Slavery removes people from a culture that “worshipped the devil, practiced witchcraft, and sorcery” and other evils.”

I am not sure who exactly is being referenced here, but

I have never heard an African American or black person say that their ancestors practiced or currently practice witchcraft or sorcery, so I would have to say I believe that was just a stereotype thrust upon African Americans by Christians who wanted to defend owning slaves. Another charitable and evangelistic reason that is mentioned is that the masters of the slaves would teach religion to the slaves. “Slavery brings heathens to a Christian land where they can hear the gospel. Christian masters provide religious instruction for their slaves” (ChristianityToday).

I do not think this is a very valuable reason to use to be Pro-Slavery. I believe it is degrading to the African Americans to think that they need a master to teach them about religion. I think if they wanted to learn religion they could have found safer ways to do it rather than giving into their master’s way of life and bad treatment. There is no reason someone needs to be sold into slavery to learn about God. In fact, God led His people out of slavery in the Old Testament, why would He condone another form of slavery in America? That is why it is my belief that Christians just found any excuse they could to back up their opinion on slavery much like they due when they want to refute current Christian teachings that Catholics may support or oppose such as gay marriage, abortion, etc.

Another charitable and evangelical “defense” of slavery claimed by Christians is the argument that slaves were treated with respect and that northern visitors could attest to that fact. While that may be the case for some slavemaster relationships, there are numerous stories that attest to the brutality of slavery; stories that tell of slaves being scourged, beaten and raped. I think it is wrong to allow Christians to defend their slave-owning era. We must rise up and call upon the bishops of the world to renounce racism and atone for the sins of their predecessors.

Now to the social justifications Christians used when it comes to slavery in American.

Three verses in the Bible that Christians use according to the ChristianToday.com source, “Just as women are called to play a subordinate role (Eph. 5:22; 1 Tim. 2:11– 15), so slaves are stationed by God in their place. Slavery is God’s means of protecting and providing for an inferior race (suffering the “curse of Ham” in Gen. 9:25 or even the punishment of Cain in Gen. 4:12). Abolition would lead to slave uprisings, bloodshed, and anarchy. Consider the mob’s “rule of terror” during the French Revolution.”

While the Bible may say these things regarding a master and slaves, I think it is all about how people interpret the Bible. There is no way God would lead His people out of slavery, and then allow it later in the New Testament (NT). Their claim that slavery upon people is a “means of protecting and providing for an inferior race” is so misrepresenting what the author of the Bible may have meant by His statement. I do not think that the author was

thinking that anyone should be thrown into slavery for any period of time, but rather he may have been talking about being a servant while serving time. Our prison system is much different than it was back during the Biblical era. There is no way God condones slavery, so let us remember what may have been meant by the words of Scripture. We must end this way of thinking, and we must remember the history of Christianity and know that we have made the necessary changes to become a more just society. We are not one-hundred percent yet, there is more that we can due to protect our African American brothers and sisters in Christ.

According to Archie Epp’s The Christian Doctrine of Slavery: A Theological Analysis, “This text does not condemn or condone the institution or system of slavery; that is not its intent. However, Armstrong on the basis of (sic) slavery was accepted as “essentially” good and proper. This interpretation is based on an inference and contingent on the interpreter’s hermeneutical principle.”

This idea that because it was in Scripture, God must be ok with slavery was a very popular opinion among Christians during the era of slaveholding, but as mentioned before, it was never officially condemned or condoned by the Christian tradition.

The United States and its Christian Church has a long history, and I think we need to shed light on the parts of history--racism and slavery in particular--that have been marginalized for most of that history. I recommend that the Loras College community come together to put the Bishop Loras statue up near his chair and other items in the Center for Dubuque History, in the Miller Academic Resource Center, as an exhibit of where Christianity was on slavery and how far they come to creating a more just society. Near the statue, I think we need to put a plaque that mentions that he was a slave-owner and that we do not condone his actions. I also think that we need to have Archbishop Jackels write a statement on the issue to include in the archives.

I would also like to see a photo or statue of the first African American priest, Fr. Norman Dukette, as well as the slave Marie Louise that Bishop Loras owned put up on campus somewhere to be honored for their contributions and what they experienced as African Americans who lived through an unjust society. Though I believe it does need to be re-erected as a statue in the Center for Dubuque History as part of a “Bishop Loras - Slavery and Christianity” exhibit, I do want to thank Loras College for removing it from its original location because it was in a location that the public saw each and everyday, and I realize that our community does not want to be seen as a college that condones what is going on in America today.

I hope that we can do our jobs as a Catholic institution to teach our community and the nation about the history of slavery in Christianity.

O pinion

The Lorian

Bishop Loras: A public historian’s view

by CONOR J. KELLY staff writer

An announcement from President Jim Collins opened the gates for a broader debate about how we view controversial historical figures and their respective statues.

Last Tuesday, Sept. 8, President Jim Collins revealed that the statue to Bishop Loras, the founder of Loras College, had enslaved a woman, Marie Louise. Despite moving to Iowa, Bishop Loras continued to hold her in bondage, renting her out to others in Mobile, Alabama, until he died in 1852. This is pertinent for Loras and its campus body, as it is faced with questions as to what to do with Bishop Loras’ statue.

More than that, however, the debate over Bishop Loras is part of broader reckoning for our community—a community that has long-neglected questions about the historical usefulness of such a controversial statue.

Insofar as they are used in public, statues are not merely symbols of an abstract historical past; they represent a desired set of values and principles that the public and community must endure.

In Ancient Rome, figures meant to embody the military cast were depicted on horseback, symbolizing their masculinity, militarism, and political potency in the public eye. A sculpture, or statue, is a statement of communal intent, depicting what the people at large hold to be valuable or honorable. They have no historical value on their own.

As I have noted in previous essays, historical context determines an object’s historical value, not the item itself. If anything, objects take on symbolic

significance because of the context from which they were spawned. As such, how we present a figure doesn’t just reflect on the depicted figure alone, but also reflects the society that maintains and perpetuates the sculpture’s existence.

For this reason, historians and the public alike must endeavor to balance conservation and a good public presentation. By this, I mean that a society must preserve its history, photo by JULIA MEDINA but more than that, we Workers use machinery to break the stone must work to preserve foundation for the Bishop Loras statue. it in its proper context. community are given a new opportunity Scholars largely knew of Bishop Loras’ to reassess our history and what it means slave ownership, but those scholars sought to be a part of the broader Catholic to downplay and humanize his oppressive identity. Even for those who do not share ownership. With this in mind, a new in the Catholic tradition, the meaning context is necessary if we are to evolve in of this painful revelation will still be our history. felt, as Catholic social teaching is a vital With the news about Bishop Loras, it component of the college’s curriculum. is increasingly evident that his statue was In the end, the community at large will rightfully removed, but what happens to it have to reckon with the legacy of White from this point is much less clear. Indeed, Supremacy while at the same time, it what is considered “proper context” will must endeavor to preserve the Catholic vary wildly among the student body, but roots that built not only this college but that does not make the discussion any Dubuque itself. But Dubuque is not its less important or worthwhile. For some, past, nor is Loras College. this statue represents the long-respected Loras, like many communities before history of this college and the Catholic it, is ever-changing. It is subject to new identity. However, for others, it is a symbol people, new perspectives, and new ways of of a man who denied the very humanity thinking. Whatever decision is made about of Blacks by his oppressive ownership of Bishop Loras’ statue, it must reflect the a human being. Removing his statue does ever-changing community that we love. not remove his legacy, but it does force us For our sake, and for the sake of those who to recontextualize his legacy and how it come after us. affects us in the modern era.

With the fall of Loras’ statue, we as a

Voting: The mail-in dilemma

by DEVYN SHEA

years. According to “National Geographic,” “33 million votes–almost one-quarter of the total–were cast by mail” in the 2016 Presidential Election.

As the election approaches, many Americans are confused about the rhetoric This is quite a large number and for this behind mail-in voting. Many wonder year it’s likely to be even what mail-in voting is and how it works. bigger. The way mail-in It seems like questions like these would voting works varies have a simple answer, but sadly they don’t; from state to state. the process is actually quite complex and, According to “The depending on the state, very confusing.

New York Times”, Here, I intend to demystify the process of in nine states (plus mail-in voting, the argument against it, Washington D.C.), and the argument for it. ballots are automatically mailed to Mail-in voting was introduced nationregistered voters. The first state to do this wide in 1864. The U.S. was in the process was Oregon in 1998. Most other states of fighting the Civil War and Republican (34) can request an President Abraham absentee ballot due Lincoln was being In one of his rallies to COVID-19 or for challenged by the last week in North no reason at all. In 11 former General of the California, the President states, you need an Army (that Lincoln cited a loophole in the additional reason to had fired years mail-in process, telling request an absentee earlier) George B. or mail-in ballot. voters to vote twice.

McClellan. Many of The opposition Once by mail and again the soldiers fighting to mail-in voting on battlefields miles by person, which is a has been growing away from their felony in many states in strength as we homes had no way approach the election to vote. Because of which is now less this, a nationwide mail-in voting system than two months away. President Trump was introduced. Mail-in voting has been used ever since, although mostly to a much has called mail-in voting a “nightmare.”

Those who argue against mail-in voting lesser extent than we’ve seen in recent staff writer

cite voter fraud as the reason they oppose this voting system. In one of his rallies last week in North Carolina, the President also cited a loophole in the mail-in process, telling voters to vote twice.

Once by mail and again by person, which is a felony in many states. In Georgia, however, 1,000 people double voted in their state’s primary this year.

When it comes to the argument for mail-in voting, proponents state that voter fraud is not a problem and that it helps increase voter turnout. The first state to have an all-mail-in election was Oregon in 1998. In national elections from 1996 to 2000, voter turnout increased roughly 2%. In Oregon within the same time span, it increased from 71.3% to 79.8% (8.5%), according to the Oregon Secretary of State office. “The Washington Post” cited that out of 14.6 million votes in 2016 and 2018, 372 votes were found fraudulent. That is 0.0025%.

I will let you, the reader, decide if voting-by mail is right. I have just given the facts. If you wish to request a ballot, you should visit your state’s election website, check that you’re a registered voter, and follow your state’s instructions on how to request a mail-in ballot.

Sept. 17, 2020

5

THE

EDITORIAL STAFF executive editor: JON QUINN opinion editor: CONOR KELLY sports editor: KEEGAN GODWIN features editor MARY FELLERS executive copy editor and web editor: ROSE GOTTSCHALK assistant copy editor: SARAH LANDERHOM advertising manager: ASHLEIGH DIERKING

ABOUT US Circulation: The Lorian is published on a weekly basis, with exceptions of holiday breaks, examination periods and January Term. The newspaper is available in all main academic buildings and residence halls across campus on Thursdays during the afternoon/evening.

Editorial Policy: The Lorian is the official student-led, award-winning newspaper of Loras College. The opinions expressed in The Lorian are those of individual authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the students, faculty or administration.

The Lorian reserves the right to edit submissions for taste, length and grammar.

CONTACT US On campus: 259 Hoffmann Hall 675 Loras Boulevard Dubuque, IA Phone: 563-588-7954 Mailing address: 1450 Alta Vista Street Box #243 Dubuque, IA 52001 On the web: Email: lorian@loras.edu www.myduhawk.com/thelorian www.issuu.com/thelorian Facebook: facebook.com/thelorian Twitter: @TheLorianLC

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Do you have an opinion on something and want to write a “letter to the editor?”

Do you have more questions about an article you read? Corrections or clarifications? A differing opinion about an issue brought up that you want to be heard?

We want your input.

In every published Lorian, all members of the Loras community are encouraged to write a letter to the editor. We encourage differing opinions, so take the time, and speak your mind.

To submit a letter to the editor, please email Kelsey.Lansing@loras. edu. Letters should be no more than 300 words in length and include the name and article you are referencing. *Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

6

Honey & Tobacco

by AVERY WICKERSHAM staff writer

A honey-tobacco scented candle flickers in the corner of his desk, a gift from a long-ago girlfriend who probably doesn’t even remember giving it to him.

The room fills with a gentle glow, the stillness intermittently interrupted by the occasional wobble of the flame. A page of college-ruled lined paper sits in front of him on the desk, the date meticulously written in pen in the right-hand corner.

“Dear everyone,” it begins. “This decision has been long-coming.”

Smudges in the ink dot the paper as tears roll off his nose. He finishes the letter with “I love you all. Sincerely, Joseph.”

Joseph picks up his death note and folds it carefully in half, then in half again. He pulls an envelope from the top drawer of his desk, slipping the note inside and sealing it with a quick lick to the seal.

He presses the flap closed and flips the envelope over, addressing it: “In the event of my death…”

He sits in his chair, pressing his forehead into his forearms as he leans his head down on the desk. He wonders who’s going to find him first. All of his roommates are gone at the game—he hopes the tailgates and the after parties will keep them occupied. He had to convince them to leave, telling them he’d be alright, that he was just tired and wanted to sleep. Joseph had to push them out the door.

putting them through this. He wants to call his mom, to tell her that he loves her and to let her know he’ll be seeing Dad soon. He refrains, desperate to rip off the bandage and get it over with. He did call one person. He thanked his counselor for the help and that he wished he could’ve been a better patient. Joseph’s counselor was still talking when he hung up the phone.

Joseph had prepared ahead of time, dumping out the rest of his medication.

He takes a deep breath and takes the first dose. Frantic knocks echo on the door to his room, but he ignores it and takes the second dose, succumbing to the heaviness of his eyelids.

Joseph’s roommates lower him into the bed, pushing a water bottle and a bowl of soup towards Joseph. Joseph smiles gratefully, grabbing onto one of his roommates’ hands and gripping it tight as a way to say “thank you.”

Joseph’s other roommate picks up his death note. “What do you want me to do with this?”

Joseph points to the honey-tobacco candle, relit in the corner. “Burn it.”

He feels guilty for lying to them, guilty for

F eatures

The Lorian

Sept. 17, 2020

F eatures

Creative industries

7

by JOSH VOGT staff writer

by ROSE GOTTSCHALK

Society doesn’t know about their reliance on the creative arts.

In most people’s worlds, the arts are just hobbies that don’t get you anywhere in life; they’re for fun. They have a business-oriented mind and think that a job contributes to the economy or furthers society in life. People see it applied often when kids are discouraged from taking an art class in favor of a math class, or when art funding is taken away from schools so they’re in the classroom more.

A statement that sometimes resurfaces on social media is that artists need to get a “real job.” This opinion often undermines the talent and work that goes into projects, whether it’s a painting, a video, a documentary, or any other expression of self. It isn’t valued as much, and people dismiss the time and work dedicated to their art.

The thing is, this creativity is all around us. People go through their days listening to music, looking at the art on the walls, glancing at the television screen, maybe even reading a book.

Coronavirus has helped bring to light the importance of the arts during a time when people are at home all day. There were all kinds of changes happening to society. People had to stay home with their families, many out of school and out of work. Book sales skyrocketed, people were buying and renting more movies, and video game systems were selling out in many stores.

Spending on video games reached its highest point since 2010 in the United States (Gartenberg). Sales were higher this year than last year. In April, box office sales were down 46.2% compared to last year (Clark). Musicians are losing out on money since they’re unable to tour. These numbers only begin to reflect that there have been highs and lows in each individual industry, continually shifting as America continues to fight the virus.

Even as people have been returning to work, these impacts can still be seen as movie theaters begin to reopen, filming can resume, and factories are busy producing again. Throughout this semester, I will be writing about some of these effects on the industries. Whether it’s the introduction of a new movie through a streaming service or the delay of a video game, coronavirus impacting income and production dates in these creative fields, some that could potentially leave a lasting impact on how that world works.

Sept 17, 2020

Tenet: Enjoyably Confusing

against covid executive copy editor

The Lorian

This film was something that I can only describe as an experience, something you simply have to see to believe. It began relatively simply, and I believed it might turn out to be a simple action movie, having looked up nothing about it going in. The movie took a whole of five minutes to start twisting my understanding of what was happening.

What seemed to be a spy movie became something more akin to Donnie Darko, basing much of the film around a unique theory of physics, and explaining it throughout the movie. I still don’t entirely understand the rules of the world I witnessed, but it was amazing to watch all the same. From beginning to end I did not think about how long the movie had left, and at points forgot that I was there to review it. The world and the characters sucked me in so thoroughly that I forgot

about anything else.

The acting from Robert Pattinson, who plays a larger role in the film than I’d expected, really sold me on the whole film. He’s a funny, likable character and shows so much depth every time he is on screen that I couldn’t wait to see him again every time he was gone. He’s skyrocketed up towards the top of my list of favorite actors and he looked like he was having so much fun in every scene.

John David Washington, playing the lead role, was fairly hit or miss throughout the film. I enjoyed his acting in some places, but in others, he felt a little bit too emotionless. This may be intentional, but for me, it was one of the few things that made me pause. When he brought it, he was great, don’t get me wrong, but he didn’t hold that connection throughout the film.

Speaking of things that were just a little off, the

sound mixing for the film was kind of all over the place. The natural sound, or background noises, was extremely loud, even for a theater, while the speaking voices were often mumbled or really quiet. I missed dialogue in places where the sound of waves hitting a boat was so much louder than the actors’ voices.

That issue aside, this film was extremely entertaining, and without giving away the twists of the movie, it actually kind of made sense by the end. While I felt lost at points due to the theoretical physics employed, when the credits rolled, I had bought into the nonsense and loved every minute of it.

Senior Spotlight: Emma McLaughlin

by JORGE RAMIREZ staff writer

Why did you choose to come to Loras?

I decided to come to Loras because as soon as I got to campus, I felt really comfortable and I felt like I was at home. My Dad came to Loras and he really wanted me to come check it out before making a final decision. After visiting, I knew my final call was going to be very easy. Many people from Rockford (my home town) had also said great things about this school, and I knew several friends would be coming here simultaneously. My high school has very strong ties to Loras College. I was offered everything I needed. Additionally, there is also volleyball and the Education program, which were two elements that made everything even better.

Out of everything you’ve been involved in, what was the most significant thing you’ve been involved in?

I would say the study abroad programs have been the most life-changing and significant experiences I’ve been able to be a part of. Not only have they helped me understand and speak the beautiful Spanish language, but they have also ignited a fire in me that wants to travel and get to experience the world. I want to explore new places, new cultures, and after three study abroad programs (Argentina, Costa Rica, Spain), I feel like I have become a better person, and a better student. All the countries that I visited will forever be in my memories and in my heart. It is something I wish upon every single college student out there.

How have you seen yourself change over your four years at Loras?

I feel like I have matured a lot since first-year. When I first came here, I was very young and did not have many experiences. I got here, and I started getting involved in many extracurriculars such as Du-Buddies which really made an impact on me. I want to be a special education teacher, so this is an experience that allowed me to build upon my skills in that area. Besides that, I feel like I have grown as a student, and I have also managed to learn how to communicate professionally. Loras College gives you the option to master all these elements, and they give you the chance of understanding different backgrounds given the number of people that come from diverse cultures. You get to do all this even if it just means attending events on campus or talking to people in class.

What is some advice you would give to a younger student who is just starting their Loras journey?

I suggest they attend as many events as possible as undergraduate students. If they find interest in some of the events taking place on campus, they should definitely pursue those. You will meet new people, experience new things, and it is the best way to embrace the Loras culture throughout your time here.

Emma McLaughlin

If you had one word to sum up your Loras experience, what would it be and why?

Joyful. I have met people and had experiences that made me feel happy throughout my four years on campus. I am very content with the decision I made back in high school to come here because Loras has given me memories that I would have never imagined. I will forever be grateful.

Directions

Disney animal evolution

by JOSH VOGT staff writer

by SARWAN MOGHAMIS staff writer

Falling backwards Nothing there Into darkness Not a care Climbing upwards Into the light Never ceasing Until the night Rolling sideways Out of sight Hoping always To be right Moving forwards Because you must Knowing forever That all will rust.

The Disney Animal Evolution is a story of how society has evolved over time with the use of everyone’s favorite Disney characters. Two stories will be told for each part of the series. One story will focus on the animal society, while the other focuses around the humans who interact with the animal society. There will be many characters that you are familiar with and some that you may even despise, but from the wisdom of the great lion king, Mufasa, “We are all part of the circle of life.”

The Disney Animal Evolution begins in 1545, with Snow White and the Evil Queen. The Evil Queen wanted Snow White killed because of her beauty. Snow White ran away and lived with seven dwarfs. She ate a cursed apple that put her to sleep. Her true love, the Prince, woke her up with a kiss. The Evil Queen was killed by her own doing. Vultures ate whatever remained of her body.

After Snow White and the Prince got married, they took over the Evil Queen’s kingdom. They grew old together and died.

More animals appeared in the jungle. Since the castle was empty and free for the taking, the very first animal king took over, the young King Louie of the Apes. He turned the castle into his palace. The kingdom was over throne by monkeys, which meant all the other animals were left out.

Some animals had to live within their own packs. The wolf pack was one of the more notable packs, as it was also the first animal pack to raise a human child, Mowgli the Man Cub. The elephant heard was the first guard in the jungle, founded by Col. Hathi the Elephant. Some animals were able to live freely without a pack, such as the vultures, Kaa the Snake, Shere Khan the Tiger, Bagheera the Panther, and Baloo the Bear.

As mentioned earlier, Mowgli was one of the first humans to discover the jungle. He was brought up from an Indian village. Unfortunately, his parents passed away. Since his parent’s died, the rest of the village assumed Mowgli was dead too. Since Mowgli was raised by the wolf pack, he was not loyal to the kingdom.

The vultures ate Snow White and the Prince’s corpse.

This left the entire kingdom vacant. The vultures soon reproduced and freely flew around the kingdom.

Due to the disorder that comes with free will, Baloo and Bagheera destroyed King Louie’s palace. When the palace was destroyed, the monkey’s turned against Louie. M.C Monkey took over as the new king. He rebuilt the palace and turned the kingdom into a safe haven for all animals.

A decade later, the kingdom turned into a jungle and the most notable vultures who ran it were Buzzie, Flaps, Dizzy, and Ziggy.

Mowgli was sent back to the Indian village, while Baloo and the rest of his friends stayed in the jungle. It was wise of Mowgli to leave as chaos settled into the jungle.

8

Sept. 17, 2020

H ealth &

The Lorian

In this column by Tricia Borelli, director of Counseling Services, she answers questions from students about their emotional well-being while attending college. Send questions to: Ms. Borelli, Loras, Box 100, or e-mail tricia.borelli@loras.edu.

All names will be kept confidential.

Tips with Trish: Am I Really An Ally?

by TRICIA BORELLI AND ITALEE CASTELLON

counselors of Counseling Center Dear Trish, The past few weeks I have tried to support my friends of color by going to events regarding race. I have tried to touch base more and ask them how they are doing with everything going on but is this enough? What else can I do to support my friends of color and let them know that I care about what is going on in our world and the social injustice surrounding us in this country?

Signed, Am I Really an Ally?

Trish says, We have long known that Black Americans don’t have access to the same things their white peers have access to whether it is adequate health, educational, housing, or economic opportunities. The psychological and physiological impact of racism on Black Americans has always been devastating but for many of us White Americans, we think it was only in the past. Well, there is no better evidence of it still existing than what we have seen in the past several months in this country.

The fact that you are asking about how to be an ally is certainly a start to supporting your friends of color.

The real point here is that now that corporate America has finally woken up to the idea that systemic racism still surrounds us, we need to make sure it doesn’t end with the attendance of a peaceful protest, speaking out on your social media platform or wearing a Black Lives Matter t-shirt every once in a while.

The idea that relating to people who are different from us takes discipline and hard work. It can be anxietyprovoking and depressing at times.

We may feel like it is not making a difference and want to give up at times. The thing is, our friends of color do not have that option so we need to fight through it and not make it

an option for ourselves either. Doing the necessary work to notice, value, connect and respond to others’ needs results in more effective relationships whether socially, professionally or politically.

Look for opportunities to listen and learn about the experiences of others.

Read books on the subject, listen to podcasts, and participate in city meetings that focus on race in your community whether it is in school, at work or in the larger community in which you live. Just show up and keep showing up. Inquire into the experience of others and encourage them to speak while keeping your own experience out of it. This doesn’t mean that you should not process your own experience just be aware that putting your feelings and experiences on your friends of color makes it seem like it should be their job to take care of you. It isn’t their job. Inquiry can be a powerful tool to create connection with others but tread lightly and do it with care. Be sensitive to the social situation. When we focus on the personal lives and racial backgrounds of others we can be invasive and harmful. Remember to be kind and keep in mind that intent is not the same as impact.

For more information, please connect with the Loras College Center for Inclusion and Advocacy. They have provided a plethora of resources regarding these and many issues related to diversity. Please also know that you can seek guidance and support from the Loras College Counseling Services department. We provide a safe space to address all kinds of issues without judgement in an effort to help you understand yourself and make good choices going forward.

Again, thanks for your willingness to be an ally; just make sure it doesn’t end with saying you are one.

Signed, Trish

lifestyle

The science behind “comfort food”

by ROSE GOTTSCHALK executive copy editor

Comfort food is meant to do exactly what it’s named for – comfort you. It gives you a sense of nostalgia and has sentimental appeal, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary.

Most comfort food begins with a traditional recipe, but gets tweaked for each family. For example, there is a very specific branch of comfort food called Southern comfort food. This includes things like grits, mashed potatoes, or fried chicken. But besides that, a new genre of comfort food has emerged: Quarantine comfort food. People were baking and cooking to take up their time, acquiring new skills to be used later down the road when people can have potlucks again.

Cooking evolved to being a comfort during quarantine, and that evolved to eating becoming the real comfort for people. A major trend was bread, with the carbs acting as a comfort, but then new recipes were coming out for foods like spaghetti and mac and cheese.

There’s a whole science behind comfort food. Due to the sense of wellbeing that comes from comfort food, the reward and pleasure centers in the brain get triggered,

in a way that’s similar to drug addictions, (“The Science behind Comfort Food”).

People are able to take comfort in the food due to the gratification that occurs in the brain, as chemicals are released to the reward system in the brain. Basically, comfort food works because your brain rewards your body for eating it. The tie to nostalgia also has a huge impact. It takes you back, especially when you eat something like stuffing, and it takes you back to a Thanksgiving meal.

On the flip side of that, people have to be careful with their intake of comfort food. Eating too much is never a good thing. Comfort food is often loaded with lots of carbohydrates and dense in calories, which can fill someone up. Often, people don’t notice themselves overeating, which can lead to a food coma. Occasionally, this kind of intake in food is okay, but eating too much can negatively impact a person, leading to other health issues.

So yes, take comfort in what you chose to eat during this time. In a constantly changing world, on top of college life, this food is important. But remember to watch how much you eat, and make sure that you throw in plenty of fruits and veggies. A well-balanced diet is almost as important as the comfort food you choose to eat.

Food of quarantine

by ELLIANNA STINE staff writer

I think I speak for everyone when I say eating took up the majority of time spent in isolation. And if you disagree, you’re probably lying because you spent the online-school week binge eating Cheetos and Big Macs.

No worries, I can’t judge because my eating habits were far worse. Imagine you’re standard three meals of the day but triple it to pre-breakfast, breakfast, brunch, snack, lunch, linner, dinner, post-dinner, and then, most importantly, dessert because, let’s be real, I had enough room after eight meals to shovel the entirety of the Death-by-Chocolate ice cream stash into my mouth at ten o’clock at night. But you’re not reading this article because you want to know my routine, you came here to find out what I ate. Well I’m glad you asked!

It all started with tomatoes. Yes, those delicious red spheres that are always caught in the controversial debate of whether they are fruits or vegetables.

I’m sure tomatoes are still figuring it out too. Anyway, they were the focal point of every meal I had whether it was salads, pasta, omelets, salsa (obviously), burgers, or sandwiches. There is always a place for tomatoes. My family felt the same about

the delicious fruit/veggie controversy. I remember trying to hoard all the tomatoes from my brother who would chomp on all the tomatoes in the supply like apples and having to begrudgingly watch my three-year-old sister pluck the sliced salt and pepper tomatoes I would prepare for pre-breakfast but not get to eat.

Because of my tomato-loving appetite, I thought it was a good idea to go on a diet.

I wanted to try [key word: try] and be healthy. I had celery sticks with peanut butter, raw vegetables with veggie dip, but most importantly BLT’s. It is one of my favorite sandwiches, but I learned after I smothered mayo in every layer and stacked my sixth piece of bacon onto the sandwich that the diet wasn’t really cut out for me.

Most people have a go-to food of choice.

Many will sip on their Star Bucks ice coffee for the majority of the day while others will go to crack open the frozen chicken nugget bag that sits in the freezer for the five-year old part of you to get nostalgic.

As much as I can relate to the chicken nuggets bit, I had a secret guilty pleasure. Beef stew. But Elli, that is not tomato-based!

Well you are darn right, Beef stew is a food that I can just pour into a pot and eat all four servings of the can by myself without any remorse, although my parents will question my sanity… and my gut.

H ealth & L ifestyle

The Lorian

Sept. 17, 2020

9

The unheard side of COVID-19: Long haulers

by KELSEY LANSING staff writer

Almost everyone knows and has heard about COVID-19, but do they know about a fraction of people who suffer from COVID-19 that call themselves long haulers? Sara Hosch, a Dubuque County resident, has been dealing with symptoms of COVID-19 since March 17, right around the time that large events started to be cancelled around the world. She dealt with months of symptoms ranging from shortness of breath and chest congestion to extreme fatigue and brain fog.

Lives have been upturned because of a virus, leaving people unable to lead a normal life or even get out of bed for that matter. Hosch is not alone in this, as tens of thousands of people have reported similar experiences. These people call themselves “long haulers”, appropriately dubbed as they can suffer weeks or months at the hand of COVID-19. Symptoms for long haulers are much like that of everyone else, however, for long haulers they can suffer from a bigger variety of symptoms and still deal with a lot of issues even after COVID-19 has run its course. According to Hosch, some of these

symptoms may include a continued loss of taste and smell, brain fog, headache, muscle aches, pins and needles feeling, and extreme fatigue.

The current understanding society has of COVID-19 is based on the idea that this virus will be mild for most people, lasting only a week or so. While this may be true, long haulers and those with pree x ist i ng c ond it i ons are exclude d f rom that. Hosch’s initial s y mpt oms we re mild with a sore throat and sinus infection, which was inconsistent w it h t h e of f i c i a l CD C des cr ipt ion.

D ue to t his, Hos ch was unable to be tested through Test Iowa as she was lacking the “common” symptoms of COVID-19. After about 9 weeks of being ill, she finally was able to be tested and the result was negative. Due to this her doctors continuously prescribed antibiotics and steroids to treat her illness.

After two chest x-rays and a CT scan, it was

finally determined by a pulmonologist in Dubuque, that what Hosch was suffering from was COVID-19. It is unknown why the first test came back as negative for Hosch, there are many long-haulers who have been tested multiple times, with each coming back positive. It was an uphill struggle for Hosch and many other long haulers to be taken seriously. This was largely due to the fact that people simply do not know that long haulers exist.

Long haulers are battling not only the virus, but also with trying to make people understand what they are going through. Many of the long haulers turned to online support groups where they could share their experiences and receive support.

One group on Facebook titled “Survivor Corps” has a little over 102 thousand members. Hosch is one of those members and describes the group as a moral support and educational page. For her it was refreshing to see that she was not alone in

the length and severity of her illness.

Coping with any illness is never easy, but with everyone being so unfamiliar with COVID-19 it makes everything a little worse. For those suffering from COVID-19, it is a physical and mental challenge. Waking up every morning completely exhausted and having the inability to breath properly, it can be scary. After regaining much of her normal function back, Hosch accredits her support system for helping her through.

Next time when you hear that someone is suffering or has suffered from COVID-19, don’t take it lightly. The truth may be that they are struggling to get through this illness both physically and mentally. Support them in any way you can, whether that be listening to them, doing your research, grabbing groceries, and overall offering moral support.

If you or s ome one you k now are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 follow the CDC guidelines and seek medical attention. If you are experiencing any anxiety based around COVID-19, there are resources that are available.

Reach out to your support group or contact the Counseling Center on campus for assistance.

Injustices of Summer: Bigger than people realize

by MARK MEDERSON moderator

Seven minutes and 46 seconds*. That’s how long police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on George Floyd’s neck. If you haven’t seen the May 25 video of Floyd’s arrest then it’s likely you don’t own a screen. Floyd died in the ambulance before reaching the hospital.

An autopsy revealed he died from “asphyxia due to compression of the neck.”

What followed were days of sometimes violent and destructive protests that began in Minneapolis and spread across the nation. Even with the risk of a deadly pandemic, protesters vowed to make their voices heard. One of the common themes was: Black lives matter.

Of the 20 rounds shot by police into the darkness of her Louisville apartment, eight bullets entered the body of 26-yearold Breonna Taylor who was asleep in her bed. Although her killing occurred nearly six weeks before Floyd’s, the protests in Louisville blew up with renewed energy after the video of Floyd’s killing went viral.

The video from August 23 shows Kenosha police shooting 29-year-old Jacob Blake

President of Switching Places Foundation, Dereka Williams leads march. photo by JULIA

MEDINA

continuing to club protesters after they had fallen to the ground.

Many have noticed the similarities between 1968 and 2020. Racial and civil unrest seemed to be rampant.

And, like Donald Trump, Richard Ni x o n , t h e 1 9 6 8 R e p u b l i c a n presidential nominee, ran on a platform of “law and order” claiming he could quell the violence.

In June of this year, the website Vox did a stor y comparing the protests in 1968 to this year’s.

Heather Ann Thompson, a professor of history and Afro-American and African Studies at the University of Michigan was interviewed for the piece. “ There seem to b e so many similar ities,” Thomps on s aid.

“Because racial injustice just seems to be baked into the DNA of this country, periodically and throughout photo by JULIA MEDINA history there come these moments Students and locals march in Dubuque Black Lives Matter protest. College students when people just can’t take it from University of Dubuque, Clarke University, and Loras College were in attendance. anymore. They feel that the injustice multiple times in the back as he attempted Forty-three people were killed and more is so particularly glaring or there’s to enter his vehicle. Violent protests erupted than 3,500 were injured in the unrest. such a compendium of unjust events one in the city. Two days after the shooting On June 5, 1968 Robert F. Kennedy was right after the other that they explode.” a 17-year-old vigilante is seen on video in California for the state’s Democratic The video showing the knee on the neck shooting three protesters with an assault- presidential primary. After celebrating his of George Floyd as he took some of his last style rifle, killing two. primary victory to a cheering crowd of breaths was seen by many as particularly This past spring and summer were violent supporters at the Ambassador Hotel in Los glaring. Then, as Professor Thompson said, and deadly. But it’s not the first spring and Angeles, he exited through the kitchen. He there were more. A whole series of unjust summer where the nation saw racial and was shot several times and died a day later. events, one right after the other. And just civil unrest that resulted in killings and In Au g u s t of t h at s am e ye ar t h e like 52 years ago – it just exploded. deadly protests.

Democratic National Convention was Martin Luther King, Jr. was in Memphis held in Chicago. Tens of thousands of on April 4, 1968 to support African- protesters had gathered outside while *Editor’s Note: The Hennepin County American sanitation workers who were on Hubert Humphrey was accepting his party’s Attorney’s Office acknowledged that the strike. He was leaving room 306 that day nomination inside. Chicago police and the length of time was off by one minute in June. when he was shot and killed on the balcony protesters clashed at Lincoln Park after the Charges will not be changed. of the Lorraine Motel. police lobbed tear gas into the crowd. As Violent protests broke out in more than the protesters dispersed, police beat them 200 U.S. cities that lasted for two weeks. with clubs. Film shows many of the police

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Keeping up with allergies The cause of allergies

by HARRIET SIEGRIST Staff Writer

As if a pandemic wasn’t enough health issues to face, as the weather cools down, allergy season is quickly approaching.

Seasonal allergies may seem inevitable, but with some precautions, you may be able to stop allergies before they get to you. Let’s put an end to all the sneezing and fight allergies.

Like spring allergies, pollen may be the cause of your fall allergies. Pollen are the grains that are produced by plants and when pollen is released into the air, it may end up near our noses instead of the intended plants it was going for. When it gets near our noses, our bodies tend to react, and your immune system will try to attack the allergens near you. While your body is fighting the allergens, histamines are being released into your blood. This release is why your body begins to have symptoms like runny noses. Aside from plant pollen, there are other causes to allergies. It can range from warm weather staying longer than usual, leaves on the ground, especially when you’re raking them, or it can even come from school.

Within a classroom, there can be a few triggers like chalk dust.

Keep an eye on the pollen reports Checking the weather forecast isn’t the only thing you should look at in the

Student discounts that will change the way you save

by CALASANDRA SPRAY mind & soul editor

Tuition, textbooks, calculators, binders, pens, pencils, room and board. The cost of college can add up quickly. Making the decision between working more hours or giving classwork its proper due can become a hard choice in the face of these expenses.

Fortunately, there are lots of scholarships, and grants to help offset these. However, something less known is the amount of discounts for college students to financially assist them in their learning journey.

Looking for a night out? There are lots of budget friendly options for students to partake in including the Dubuque Museum of Art, the Mississippi River Museum, and AMC theater. At the Dubuque Museum of Art student admission is four dollars, you can visit throughout the year as exhibits change every three months.

In a d d i t i o n t o t h e a r t mu s e u m , the National

Mississippi River Museum has a student discount if you present your ID at the door.

If you want to see the latest feature, AMC offers student discounts on Thursdays.

There are even deals on travel, Hotels.com offers a 10% discount for students.

If going out isn’t your thing perhaps a night in with Amazon Prime movies, Hulu Shows, or Spotify music flits your fancy.

Apple music has a deal of $4.99 a month for students. Amazon Prime has a student discount of $6.49 a month, and the first six months are free!

The greatest deal of all is a package deal from Spotify, Hulu and Showtime with a student rate of $4.99 a month for all three.

Participating in these great deals can have you listening, and streaming on a budget.

And what are you streaming on?

Computers, Ipads, and phones are all available at Best Buy with a student discount. The discount varies by product but if there’s something you have your eye on deals are constantly shifting. Presently theres a student special of $100 off a Macbook Air, $50 of IPad Pro and many more.

Don’t forget the best student discount of all, Campus Events! Events on campus are free to students and offer a variety of entertainment.

Follow the Campus Activity B oard (CAB) for more information.

morning. It is important to monitor the pollen reports as well. A popular app that can track pollen is WeatherBug. The app can even give an idea of what allergens will be highest for the day, incase only a few of the common pollens trigger you. If the app doesn’t suit your needs quite right, there are plenty of apps to be found on the app store or Internet.

Try a new drink Who doesn’t love to try a new drink sometimes? Even better, this drink may be the thing you need to stop your allergies.

The next time you feel sniffles coming on, try sipping on green tea. Green tea is a drink filled with natural antihistamines.

These will help your body fight allergies and limit your symptoms. You may even be able to ditch your morning coffee and swap it out for green tea, as it also has caffeine in it. Although hot or cold are both great options, if you feel a scratchy throat, a hot tea may be best for soothing the scratchiness, as well as loosen mucus stuck in your throat.

Changing diets Fueling your body with the best foods for you is important. Although it may sound odd to do so, switching your diet up could limit your allergies. Increasing your fruits and vegetables intake is a great way to add more antioxidants to your diet.

These are going to act as natural chemicals that will fight inflammation.

Reevaluate your medicine cabinet Sometimes your body needs a little help from medicine to get you to feeling better.

Over the counter medicines like Claritin and Zyrtec are great medicines to use for flare ups. If over the counter isn’t strong enough, consider talking to your doctor about getting a prescription to see if it is better for your allergies.

Now that you’re all prepared for allergies and have these tips at hand, go out and enjoy this fall knowing you’ll be keeping pesky allergies at bay.

COVID UPDATE: Total cases

D ubuque . ................................. 2,412 I owa ....................................... 75,391 U nited S tates ........................... 6.61M W orld W ide . ............................29.5M As of Tuesday, Sept. 15

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Cross country: Duhawks fly again some other competition,” Guttormson said after ranking 8th on Loras’ all-time sports writer list. “With missing the outdoor track COVID-19 may have created issues season and nearly every other team in for both the men’s and women’s crossthe country not competing, it makes us country teams, but the Duhawks dusted cherish this time with teammates even their wings off to fly again. On Sept. 12, more.” the Duhawks men’s and women’s crossPlacing second overall, first-year Evan country teams competed in their season Jamrozy flew into second place behind opener at Central College in Pella, Iowa.

Guttormson with a time of 19:31.4 The women’s cross-country team had ranking ninth overall in the program’s seven runners place in the top ten with history. junior Kassandra Rosenbum breaking “Joey Schultz had an excellent start her own Loras record of 17:56.7. to his senior season with a third-place “Due to the hilly course, I finished finish (19:45.5) and Ryan Har vey right on my personal record or beat it by finished fourth in his collegiate debut one second. I wasn’t sure so I had to wait with a time of 19:50.1. First-year Will for about 30 minutes,” Rosenbum said.

Yasdick rounded out the scoring for the photo by LORAS COLLEGE ATHLETICS “The race was tough and I really wanted Junior cross country runner Kassandra Rosenbum races on pace to beat her own Duhawks, posting a sixth-place finish to go out there and PR by much more, but Loras record of 17:56.7. Both men’s and women’s teams traveled to Pella, Iowa last with a time of 20:04.7,” Adlfinger said.

I am very happy with the results. I feel I weekend.

“Wyatt Kelly on Yasdick’s heels, finishing have improved so much so finishing the seventh with a time of 20:04.8 and Ethan so uncertain and we didn’t know if we were earned top-ten finishes in ninth and tenth, season should be a good one.”

Hammerand placed eighth with a time of going to have a season,” E. Osterberger said. respectively.”

The women’s team continued to show out “It was hard to stay motivated, not knowing 20:06.9. ” The men’s cross-country team flew into with respective times in the 5,000-meter if we would get the chance to compete success as well. Junior Luke Guttormson Both the women’s and men’s team won race. Junior Kaylee Osterberger (20.44.6) this fall. One of my biggest blessings was won the 6,000 meter-race with a time of the season opener, placing both teams in the and senior Brianna Renner (20:49.6) having my sister to train with. We hold each 19:25.2. best position to start their season. finished the race in fourth and fifth places other accountable, so lucky we were able to The Duhawks will be competing again on “We were really excited to finally see with junior Ellie Osterberger finishing in 6th motivate each other on our bad days.”

Sept.

26 at 2 p.m. on their home course in another team in a competitive setting. We place with a time of 21:02.9.

Dubuque.

Director of Athletic Communications haven’t been able to race any non-Duhawks “A lot of the challenges I faced during Emily Adlfinger wrote “Marianne Gleason since March so the whole team was really quarantine were mental. Everything was (21:15.9) and Emma Earles (21:53.9) also hungry to see how we measured up against

by MARION EDWARDS

Womens golf competes at Wartburg Invitational

by MEGAN HIMM sports writer

WAVERLY, IA – The Loras women’s golf team traveled to Prairie Links golf course i n Wav e r l y Iow a f or t h e Wartburg invitational. This was the second tournament that the team competed in this season. The golfers played in threesomes with players from University of Dubuque and Central College. Due to COVID, the same threesomes

®

were kept for both days, Sept.

12 and Sept. 13.

Day One: The course presented challenges as it was waterlogged after receiving nine inches of rain. Because of the circumstances, special rules were in place. Lift, clean, and place was in effect everywhere on the course. All bunkers were played as ground under repair.

Unmown areas were treated as lateral hazards. Players could also take free relieve from casual water.

of Dubuque

Not only did the course conditions affect the players, but the weather was also not ideal. The sky was overcast with an occasional mist. A slight breeze would pick up from time to time. The temperature remained around 60 degrees.

Speaking of the conditions, sophomore Carlene Paul said, “This we ekend was a go o d jumping point for us, especially the f irst day. Even with the horrible conditions, it shows what the photo by MEGAN HIMM team is capable of, and what we Sophomore golfer Carlene Paul chips her ball on to the n e e d t o d o t o green. The golf team traveled improve.” to Waverly, IA last weekend for Day Two: The their two-day match up. course remained were really tough on Saturday, in similar conditions. it was nice to be able to play The greens dried up b ot h d ay s t h i s we e ke n d. and ran faster, but C OV I D re a l ly ma ke s me the rest of the course appreciate every round we’re w a s s t i l l w e t . A l l able to have.” of the special rules Mallory Gardiner led the est ablishe d on day team shooting an 87, 95 for a one were kept for day 182. Carlene Paul shot a 92, two. The weather was 94 for a 186. Megan Himm much better during shot a 96, 96 for a 192. Jadyn the match. The sky was Anderson finished up the clear and sunny and scores with a 131, 120 for a the temperature stayed 251. That leaves Loras with a in the 70s, reaching a team score of 811. Loras hosts high of 76 degrees. the next match at their home J u n i o r M a l l o r y course, Thunder Hills Country FREE Gardiner commented Club, on Sept. 19. about the tournament, “I t h i n k t h at e ve n though the conditions

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Mens volleyball: Fall season begins

by KEEGAN GODWIN sports editor

DUBUQUE, IA – They’re back! The Loras Men’s Volleyball team has officially kicked their season off with their first practice. This practice marks the start of their fall season and begins an exciting new future for the team. The men’s team lost two seniors this year, Joe Berka and Ian Walsh, but welcomed eleven new first years. The new class includes athletes from all over the Midwest and gives hope for a bright championship-winning future.

The team has been following Loras College COVID-protocols and working hard to ensure that they can continue to play the sport they love. One of the main differences volleyball is facing right now is the split practices. Due to a large number of current players on the roster, they are not allowed to have all of the team in the gym at the same time. At the moment, they are splitting the team into different groups and are running two practices led by Duhawk Coach Jeremy Thornburg.

These Duhawks have spent their time since arriving back at Loras College working in the weight room with Coach Edwards. Besides that, they have spent lots of time playing in open gyms and hitting the sand court when they have the opportunity.

The men’s season is still questionable, much like a majority of NCAA regulated sports.

However, the team has its eyes on the prize: the conference championship and a chance in the NCAA tournament. Coach Thornburg has made it very obvious to his team: they are not playing just to make it to the conference tournament. They are playing to win it.

The CCIW, the conference where the men’s team plays in, announced the suspension of the women’s fall volleyball season earlier this summer. The official announcement of the men’s season has yet to be released, but everyone is hoping for the opportunity to play volleyball again.

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To play or not to play?

by AVERY WICKERSHAM sports writer

COVID-19 has had a monumental impact on the way our daily lives operate, from grocery stores to restaurants. With the new school year starting, sports teams have had to figure out new ways to play. Loras College has a plethora of collegiate sports for both men and women, but what do their seasons look like now? Men’s Volley ball, Cross Country, and Tennis have all had their seasons impacted, but are still allowed to play, under many different circumstances.

Temperature checks, masks, and sanitation are pretty common for everyone in the United States, but sophomore Colin Hacker, a player on the men’s volleyball team states, “We have to get our temperatures checked every day we have lifting, conditioning, or practice and fill out a wellness report before we go anywhere those days.”

‘‘

We have to get our temperatures checked every day we have lifting, conditioning, or practice and fill out a wellness report before we go anywhere those days.

Colin Hackerh

,,

Volleyball (Sophomore)

This increase in safety has led to shorter practice times and increased cleaning of all equipment after lifting or practice, in addition to a mandatory mask rule at all times. The team has even taken it a step further and split the team into two, ensuring that everyone gets a chance to practice.

Senior Sam Brickley, whose on the tennis team, is incredibly grateful that his season will continue for his last year. However, there have been a lot of changes in the way they play as well. Instead of shaking hands to show solidarity and sportsmanship, the players tap rackets at the beginning of the game. While it may not be as personable, it definitely is a distanced sign of respect for the other team. The tennis team is also taking vans to games in order to social distances, but their travel is limited to a day—

photo by JULIA MEDINA

The scoreboard that looks over Graber Field takes a toll of natural causes. The scoreboard use to be used for soccer games and practices in Graber Field for lower classman teams and competitions.

no overnights. It’s definitely a big shift, but the players are happy to still be able to play and participate.

Tennis and Men’s Volleyball play in the spring, so there’s still time for COVID-19 precautions to ease up before their seasons begin. However, sophomore Marianne Gleason, a runner on the cross country team, is able to participate in the fall sport. She acknowledges that it’s not the same as she’s used to, but the sport is worth the extra safety. While many other sports can wear masks, runners would struggle greatly. Instead, Marianne shared that the meets are distanced and the runners run their races and immediately put their masks back on. Like men’s volleyball, the meets are a lot smaller, with only two to three teams, and of course, there are temperature and wellness checks to make sure no one is infected.

With all of the safety precautions, sports may not be the same, but they’re still in motion.

Loras College has worked tirelessly to provide the best seasons they can, and the players are hard at work, despite the looming threat of COVID-19. Good luck to all of the sports teams at Loras College this semester. Play on!

This increase in safety has led to shorter practice times and increased cleaning of all equipment after lifting or practice, in addition to a mandatory mask rule at all times.

photo by JULIA MEDINA

The bleachers outside of Rholmann hall stand empty. The Rock Bowl has not hosted a NCAA collegiate game since March. The field is used for high school football games for local schools like Wahlert, but not colleges.

NFL football returns

by MATT HADDAD sports writer

IT’S FINALLY BACK! The longawaited time for football is finally upon us and while the stands might not look full, I can guarantee you that people were glued to their T.V.s this weekend.

It started with Thursday night football. To kick off the weekend, t he Houston Texans t ravele d to Kansas City to take on the defending Superbowl champions Kansas City Chiefs. Before the game started players from both te ams l o cke d ar ms at t he 5 0 Yard line in solidarity for Black Lives Matter. The rookie out of LSU Clyde Edwards-Helaire had 25 rushes for 138 yards and a touchdown to cap off his amazing start in the NFL. Chiefs receiver Sammy Watkins had 7 receptions for 82 yards and a touchdown to add to the Chiefs win. He got his fantasy teams 21 points. 2018 MVP Patrick Mahomes threw for 211 yds and three touchdowns. Although Houston Texans Quarterback Deshuan Watson couldn’t lead his team to victory, he put up some respectable numbers, throwing for 1 touchdown, ran for 27 yards, threw for 253 yards and rushed for a touchdown. Texans newest addition David Johnson traded by the Arizona Cardinals had 11 rushes for 77 yards and 3 receptions for 3 2 y ard s w h i l e s c or i ng a touchdown and getting his fantasy teams 19 points in his Texans debut.

In Sunday’s game, the Chicago Bears traveled to Ford Field to pl ay t he D et roit lions. B e ars Quarterback Mitchell Trubisky threw three straight touchdown passes scoring 21 unanswered points against the lions and threw for a total of 242 yards. The Lions had a chance to score with 1:54 left in the game, but a touchdown pass was dropped by rookie running back De’andre Swift out of Georgia.

The Chicago Bears had a miracle comeback, and ended up winning the game 27-23.

Mov ing to t he NFC S out h, the Las Vegas Raiders traveled to Carolina to take on Teddy Bridgewater and the Panthers.

Bridgewater made his debut with the Panthers and threw 22/34 for 270 yards and one touchdown.

Christian McCaffery continues to prove his dominance in the league. McCaffery had 23 rushes for 96 yards and two touchdowns.

However, the Panthers Defense str uggled containing R aiders running back, Josh Jacobs’s three t ou c h d ow n s a n d t h e r a i d e r s offense. The Raiders squeezed by the Panthers with a 34-30 win. It was two Heisman quarterbacks squaring off in Baltimore this

afternoon between the leagues raining MVP Lamar Jackson and the Cleveland Browns first overall pick in 2018, Baker Mayfield.

Lamar Jackson threw 20/25 for 275 yards and three touchdowns, while rushing seven times for 45 yards in a 38-6 win over the Browns.

As Tom Brady tries to continue his legacy in the NFL with his new team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Brady goes 23/36 throwing for 239 yards and two touchdowns.

Chris Godwin caught 6 passes and 79 yards for the buccaneers. But it wasn’t enough to stop the New Orleans Saints from getting the victory 23-34.

Finally, Sunday Night Football w as a nai l bitte r. T he D a l l as Cowboys travel to Los Angeles to f a c e of f ag ai nst t he R ams in their new stadium and new uniforms. Dallas Quarterback Dak Prescott threw 25/39 for 266 and a touchdown. Rookie wide receiver out of Oklahoma, Cede Lamb, made his debut in The Cowboys uniform catching 5 passes for 59 yards, but no touchdowns. The Cowboys star running back Ezekiel Elliot had 22 rushes for 96 yards and a touchdown. While the Cowboys numbers are great for a team fresh out of the post season, it wasn’t enough to win the game against a stellar Los Angeles defense lead by Aaron Donald on the defensive line and Jalen Ramsey coming up clutch in the final minutes of the game.

The Cowboys had a shot to win the game with under 2 minutes left to go in regulation. Dak Prescott takes a shot down field to Michael Gallup which is caught. However, an offensive pass interference called on Cowboys wide receiver Michael Gallup that could have gone either way put the cowboys back at 4th and 20. With no time left on the clock the L.A. Rams sneak out of their new stadium with a 20-17 win over the Dallas Cowboys.

Man, what a first week it has been around the NFL. And the best part about it is that its only week one. We still have 15 more weeks of football left. Not to mention College football with power 5 conference play got underway this weekend as well. Hope everyone enjoyed their weekend and go Duhawks!