September 24th, 2020 edition of The Lorian

Men’s & Women’s Tennis Page 12 Ruth Bader Ginsburg Page 4

Sept. 24, 2020 — Vol. 99, Issue 2

Acknowledging our Hispanic side on campus Latinx heritage and culture celebrations on campus

by JORGE RAMIREZ staff writer

It’s that time of year already!

Fall is here, and in addition to being a time when students get to be back on campus, fall is also a time that marks the celebration of Latinx heritage and culture. Starting Sept. 15, Loras College is promoting a communitywide celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month. This is a designated time for students to acknowledge the histories,

cultures, and backgrounds of the American citizens whose ancestors come from a Hispanic nation.

Students who are part of the Loras College chapter of the League of United L atin American Citizens (LULAC) organization hope to continue this celebration of Hispanic heritage in the coming years, as it has been a reality for the past three years already. Antonio Diaz, a senior at Loras College and a social activist for LULAC, expressed his gratitude for a college that understands the importance of diversity and proudly promotes the stories of their Hispanic Duhawks. He comments that:

“After four years of being a Duhawk, I can gladly state that Loras College has done an amazing job at not only attempting to promote Hispanic rights but at bringing more and more people in from different backgrounds. I have definitely noticed a statistical increase in terms of Spanish-speaking students amongst our student body, and it simply cannot be a coincidence. The Center for Inclusion & Advocacy has certainly played a big role in this.”

In celebration, Loras College hosts a variety of activities that allow students to learn more about Hispanic culture. continued on Page 2

photo by JULIA MEDINA

Loras College raised flags for National Hispanic Heritage Month outside of Keane Hall. The flags, from left to right represent Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Panama, Columbia, and Brazil.

Masks to fight COVID-19 Use of masks strongly encouraged by health professionals

by MARK MEDERSON professor & moderator

As Halloween approaches many students are thinking about their choice of costume.

In a presidential election year, a rubber mask of the Republican or Democratic nominee is a simple way to dress up for a party. This year is different. When you hear the word mask you are more likely to envision the medical version.

The mask that we now know is the best defense against spreading COVID-19.

The virus is also known by another name, the novel coronavirus 19. The number 19 is because the virus was first identified in 2019. The novel is because it is new. So new that doctors and health professionals did not know exactly how to deal with the disease in the early days.

In February the government agency, once considered the gold standard for health and medical information, the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, publicly said that masks were not necessary as a defense for average citizens.

The CDC was speaking of N-95 masks, considered to be the most effective in assuring the wearer is safe from infection. Another consideration for the CDC in publicly stating their advice against mask usage was a shortage of N-95 masks. These were desperately needed for hospital medical staff who were working to save the lives of people who were infected with the virus.

In March of this year a YouTube video from a doctor went viral. Dr. Jeffrey VanWingen was showing viewers how and why to sterilize your groceries when you got home. In April a study published in the New England Journal

photo by CONTRIBUTED

LEFT TO RIGHT: Sophomore Kevin Kessel, junior Mary Fellers, and sophomore Keegan Godwin walk through Hoffmann Hall. Students agreed to wear masks in public spaces by choosing to come back to campus.

of Medicine focused on “hand hygiene” noting the importance of cleaning surfaces that may have been infected.

When COVID first hit us, scientists were working from data that had been gathered from experiences with viruses that had been around for years. But after six months of fighting, scientists now have a better idea of what does and does not work in the battle against COVID. Dr. VanWingen’s advice to wipe your apples with bleach was based on experiences with previous viruses that were often transmitted by contacting infected surfaces.

COVID is slightly different.

“It’s not that [surface spread] can’t happen,” Dr. Nahid Bhadelia, M D, an i n fe c t i ou s d i s e a s e s physician and associate professor at the Boston University School of Medicine said, “it’s just that the

likelihood is less than if someone was actually right in front of you breathing live virus in their droplets onto you.”

Health experts now believe the likelihood of infection from these droplets and aerosols, that come from our mouth or nose are far greater than from surface contact. Scientists now say it’s the aerosols that are perhaps the most dangerous.

In an article on the website, Medium, Donald Milton, MD, PhD, a professor of environmental h e a lt h at t h e Un ive r s it y of Maryland, says that for most of us the terminology is often confusing.

“A e r o s o l m e a n s t h a t i t ’s something that can float in the air, and how big it can be depends a lot on how much movement there is in the air,” Milton says. “Fairly large droplets that are coming from people talking, coughing,

sneezing, breathing, singing will float in the air depending on how much air movement we have.”

Experts warn that this does not mean we can stop wiping surfaces or washing our hands. What it does mean is that social distancing and masks are now considered to be the best ways to limit the spread.

Appearing before Congress just last week, Dr. Robert Redfield, the director of the CDC, emphasized the importance of wearing masks.

As he held up a mask, Redfield said, “I might even go so far as to say that this face mask is more guaranteed to protect me against COVID than when I take a COVID vaccine, because it may be 70%,” Redfield said. “And if I don’t get an immune response, the vaccine is not going to protect me.

This face mask will.”

In a press conference the next

day, President Trump said he thought Redfield, who Trump h an dpi cke d to b e t h e C D C director, was “confused” when he made his remarks before Congress.

This isn’t the only time that the Trump administration has been accused of altering messages from the CDC. The New York Times published a story on Sept. 17 that showed officials from the Trump administration had been writing their own recommendations regarding COVID testing while saying the information came directly from the scientists at the CDC. This is in line with Trump’s own words from his interview with journalist Bob Woodward when Trump said he has purposely been downplaying the dangers of COVID. Two weeks ago, Trump, who has rarely been seen in public wearing a mask, asked a journalist to remove his while asking the president a question. Trump has been criticized for not being more forceful about suggesting that all Americans should be wearing masks all the time.

That brings us to the Loras College campus. Students and faculty have been strictly adhering to the protocol of wearing masks in the classrooms. But since we now know about the importance of wearing them when it comes to reducing the spread of the disease, perhaps we need to be even more diligent about wearing our masks all the time. In the dorms.

In apartments. Pretty much any time we’re around other people, including roommates. If we really want to stay healthy we need to wear our masks and keep our distance.

In that same congressional hearing Redfield said if Americans wore face masks for several weeks, “we would bring this pandemic under control,” because there is scientific evidence they work and they are our “best defense.”

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Latinx continued:

Expanding on different experiences

continued from Page 1

Black Lives Matter exhibits on display in Alumni Campus Center

by SERGIO PEREZ college diversity officer & advisor to the president

Student Life, the Black Student Union, and Center for Inclusion & Advocacy opened their Black Lives Matter exhibit this past week. All three groups organized this past summer to provide an education experience for the Loras community.

Walking through the exhibit you see focused attention to the different experiences and community leaders within the Black community. At the start of the exhibit you are welcomed to a table centering Black women and their successes throughout the U.S. This is important to understand why we need to see Black women, and really Black people in general, in a positive light as it disrupts the negative unconscious bias all of us are socialized into believing. The exhibit does the same for Black men in telling a more complete story of Black excellence.

We also see moments of challenge and reflection when stopping at the tables addressing mass incarceration, health inequities, and learning more about the Queer and Trans Black experience. In all of these tables we see a continued failure in addressing the harmful gaps first started and now sustained through systematic racism, sexism, homophobia, and transphobia. After visiting each of these tables one quickly can begin to see why the Black community demands that, “Black Lives Matter.”

While the exhibit is down now, it’s important to understand the demand for Black lives to matter does not go away.

“Having a Black lives matter exhibit shows that the campus stands with the Black community. It creates a space that allows for individuals to see the beauty within the Black community but also some of the dark underlying truths about how Black people are treated in America,” said junior Samantha Watts, the Loras Black Student Union President.

The challenge here is how will we continue the learning Loras has jump started with this exhibit on our own. How will you continue learning about the violent truths this country attempts to hide or ignore? Racism has not gone away, antiBlackness has not lost its footing in our education, healthcare, economic, and social well-being. We have an obligation to learn about our country’s past and understand how it has led us to this very point, but we must go further. We must dismantle racism, anti-Blackness, sexism, homophobia, and transphobia, and that begins with education.

I hope you join me in praying and hoping for a day when the purpose a BLM exhibit on campus in the future serves as a teaching tool referencing a historical movement for human rights versus it being a current movement demanding Black America be treated as humans with full rights and privileges.

photo by JULIA MEDINA

Kyla Jenee Lacey performs her spoken word poetry on Sept. 19, in the St. Joseph Auditorium in Hoffmann Hall. Although some of her poetry is explicit, Lacey tackles domestic violence issues with vigor.

Campus Activity Board: Night of poetry Kyla Jenee Lacey visits campus for the third time in the past four years

by CORA SHEFCHIK staff writer

With a focus on Black Lives Matters hosted by Student Life last week, the College Activities Board book ended the week with Slam Poet Kyla Jenee Lacey. Lacey is a very accomplished spoken word poet. She has gained over a million views on her videos, been showcased on Afropunk, George Takei, Write About Now, All Def Digital, Occupy Democrats, and Golden Mic TV. She’s also written for the Huffington Post, BET.com, and Root Magazine, and has one published book “Hickory Dickery Dock, I Do No Want You C***”. She has been a finalist in the largest regional poetry slam in the country four times, and was nominated as Campus Activities Performer of the Year. With all these accomplishments, CAB was thrilled to be able to host Lacey for the third time.

Many of Lacey’s spoken word comes from her own life experiences, being a female, African American, sexual harassment and abuse, and relationships. From these experiences she is able to speak powerfully and freely. Even though she speaks on such hard topics, the audience is not only able to laugh along with her puns and jokes, they are also able to find ways to relate to Lacey. She shared her art for an hour and then ended with a Question and Answer session. She shared that she wrote her first poem at age 10. While she described it as “A very emo poem” she shared what she remembered of it with the audience. After her performance was done she stayed after to talk with and take pictures with those in the audience.

“Because we felt that she does a good job of talking about her experiences as a black woman in a way that we don’t always see,” Patricia Drossler, the programmer in charge of the event, said when asked why CAB brought Lacey back for the third time.

CAB would like to thank everyone who came out to hear Lacey speak. If you want to learn more about Lacey and or listen to her poems, check her out on the following!

Insta: Kylajlacey Write About Now YouTube: Kyla Laceyhttp://metropolismanagement.com/ portfolio/kyla-jenee-lacey

This year, Dr. Paul Ortiz, director of the Samuel Proctor Oral Histor y Program at the University of Florida and author of An African American and Latinx History of the United States, was the guest of honor through a Zoom call on Sept. 16. Those who participated in the online event learned from Ortiz’s vast knowledge and wisdom on Latin heritage, which highlighted the importance of its celebration.

Besides the Zoom session with Dr. Ortiz, Loras has multiple events planned for this month. Loras will have

Virtual poetry workshop: Featuring Kyla Jenee Lacey

by SARAH LANDERHOLM staff writer

Guests rushed to mute themselves as they tuned in. Rather than taking seats in the 3 floor atrium of the Loras College library, participants of the Virtual Poetry Workshop, featuring spoken-word artist Kyla Jenee Lacey, “Zoomed” in from front porches, classrooms, and offices. Despite the unusual mode of delivery, Lacey was exuberant and undaunted. She engaged her virtual guests in the same way she would if she were in-person, encouraging audience participation through word association exercises and a rapid-fire game of Taboo.

L acey spoke primarily ab out t he me ch an i c s of poetry writing, discussing the poetry “Do’s & Don’ts—or, as Lacey calls them, the “Does & Don’ts.” She highlighted the importance of using literary devices like alliteration, synesthesia, and heterography in poetry and avoiding writer pitfalls such as forcing rhymes and writing in common terms.

A poet who draws from topics such as heartbreak, assault, and social issues, Lacey’s fundamental advice was simple: “Speak about things that are important to you.” In other words, write what you know, and write from a place that is close to you. In her introduction, Lacey posed this question to her audience: “For whom are you writing?”

She went on to discuss h ow p o e t s a re t h e f i r s t re a d e r s of t h e i r w or k s ; they are the first critics and responders. Because of this, she encouraged those in her

a Spanish Mass on Sept. 24 and host a reunion for Latino alumni during Loras’ Homecoming Week (the most important week of the year for many Duhawks).

For the third year in a row, there will also be a Latino Soccer Night hosted at the Rock bowl Stadium on Sept. 25; however, due to COVID-19, the event will have limited in-person viewers.

Nonetheless, the intention of promoting and celebrating Hispanic heritage will still be present throughout the night.

It is important not only to appreciate the diverse cultures on campus but to also celebrate these heritages accordingly. It is time to learn and acknowledge.

workshop to write about things that they know intimately.

The right topic—that which made a poet’s work meaningful and good—has to be about something they know well.

L acey commented that she always challenges herself with this essential question: “Am I being honest about my writing? Am I drawing from my vulnerability and victimhood?”

To not write from a place of familiarity, Lacey suggested, was to miss out on the cathartic power that poetry offers. Those who write about topics and experiences that are foreign to them run the risk of sounding a n d b e i n g “ t r i t e ,” L a c e y cautioned.

As an exercise, Lacey had the audience write two short essays, each from a different perspective. One participant wrote her first essay on what it means to be an American; her second essay was the reverse: what being American looked like to someone from someplace else. The essays, although written about the same topic—being American—were drastically different. Each highlighted a different part of the American experience, with one discussing America’s tragic history from the perspective of a white observer and the other describing that history from the perspective of a black person whose life and family had suffered at the hands of that history. The small exercise provided a powerful lesson: perspective is everything.

As the workshop wrapped up, Lacey gave her thoughts on what separates good poetry from great poetry. After some thought, she cited being truthful and real as the strongest elements of meaningful writing. Her response l i n ke d b a ck to he r e arl i e r statements about drawing from real-life experiences, yet again asking the audience to consider writing as a cathartic practice that creates space to write about the “vulnerability and victimhood” in our own lives.

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Allegations of hysterectomies on immigrant women without consent

by JON QUINN executive editor

A U. S . I m m i g r at i o n a n d Customs Enforcement (ICE) whistle blower has raised the alarm on non-consensual hysterectomies performed on immigrant women in the US. The nurse, identified as Dawn Wooten, filed a complaint with the advocacy group “Project South,” an institute for the elimination of poverty and genocide. The report alleges ‘jarring medical neglect’ during the coronavirus pandemic, including a refusal to test detainees with symptoms and fabricating medical records.

“I became a whistleblower, now I’m a target,” said Ms. Wooten at a press conference. “I’ll be a target anytime [rather than remaining a part of an inhumane system].”

Since the complaint was made public last week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and other Democrats demanded an investigation into the claims made by Ms. Wooten at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Georgia.

According to The Washington Post, the detainees there have been denied of basic medical care and possibly subjected to hysterectomies without their informed consent.

“If true, the appalling conditions described in the whistleblower complaint – including allegations of mass hysterectomies being performed on vulnerable immigrant women – are staggering abuse of human rights,” Pelosi said. “The DHS Inspector General must immediately investigate the

allegations detailed in this complaint.”

The report did not did not detail any detainees who said they had received a hysterectomy against their will; one woman anonymously quoted in the complaint said that she was scheduled for the procedure without her consent but that it was canceled when she tested positive for covid-19. photo by GETTY IMAGES S o cial media rais ed Detainees crammed in a detention center in awareness that the United Weslaco, Texas. These detention centers have States has a history of forced gotten a lot of criticism for their treatment and living sterilization of vulnerable conditions to the people in custody. people. This year, some of example of an unknown detainee who the victims of North Carolina’s Eugenics requested medical service several times in Board which forcibly sterilized thousands one week and did not receive any treatment of its own citizens between 1929 and 1974, until four weeks later. mostly black women and girls, were finally “ICE epidemiologists have been tracking told that the state would begin to pay the outbreak, regularly updating infection reparations in October. prevention and control protocols, and ICE has faced scrutiny over its handling issuing guidance to ICE Health Service of the coronavirus at detention centers, with Corps (IHSC) staff for the screening and inspector general opening an investigation management of potential exposure among of the agency’s practices in May. In a detainees,” the agency said. statement to the Washington Post about But Wooten says there was widespread the allegations, the Agency said “In general, disregard for protecting staff members and anonymous, unproven allegations, made inmates at the Georgia facility. The nurse without any fact-checkable specifics, should worked at Irwin for three years and told be treated with the appropriate skepticism Intercept that she was demoted in July they deserve.” to an on-call position with few hours as Wooten also made claims about the lack retaliation. of medical precautions while operating “They’re still not taking this seriously,” during the covid-19 pandemic, especially Wooten told the Intercept. “Enough was among the detainees. The report cites an enough.”

COVID-19: How it forced farmers to dump their milk

by MEGAN GRONAU staff writer

While the rest of the country shut down, dairy farmers continued to work day in and day out to keep up with the demand.

With more people staying home, there was more product being sold in stores. Although many farmers in Wisconsin faced a dreadful reality: they had to dump milk down drains or in their fields.

With restaurants, schools and many coffee shops shut dow n, t here was now here to ship dair y products. It’s something no one thought would happen and now it is reality for everyone. Processing plants had to shut down or halt production which lead back to farmers wondering if their milk will be picked up or if they would get paid for it. Many farmers wondered what would happen in the near future if

they weren’t paid, or how long they can go with dumping milk. Many retail stores were also limiting how much people could purchase because of the production halt.

Dairy Farmers of America began paying many farmers for dumping their milk, but that only lasted so long because their financial shape was on a downward descent. One family had dumped roughly 600,000 pounds of milk in a month because of the amount of fluid milk in the current market.

With no choice but to dump the milk, many farmers struggled with this idea. All their hard work and years of sweat, tears and blood with this being the outcome isn’t what they initially expected among this pandemic.

At one point, there was around 110 farms that were dumping milk and is now on a downward trend. Many farmers had to sell out because they couldn’t keep their production up with constantly dumping milk and not getting paid.

Months behind us and with the pandemic still going on, thoughts of a brighter future for dairy farmers was in question.

Restaurants, schools and many other places began to slowly open, there was a light at the end of the tunnel. Production increased with places taking in product again, less farmers were dumping milk, and limits were lifted at grocery stores.

Many people questioned why the milk couldn’t be sent to cheese processing plants or turned into dry milk. The plants that are in the Midwest were all running 24/7 trying to keep up with the fluid milk that was coming in. With the consumption taking a steep spi ke dow n, t here was an overabundance that no one accounted for. In terms of dry milk, this is mostly happening in the west coast, which are also working around the clock to produce this. The Midwest is primarily cheese and product s t at e s w h i c h are wor k i ng constantly to produce as much

as they can, but there will always be lag if there isn’t the same amount of consumption there was before Covid-19.

To support these farmers and avoid having to dump more fluid milk, consumers can purchase more dair y products, especially those that are locally produced.

This would help the regional dairy market, the numerous struggling farms, and those employed throughout the process.

One family dumped roughly 600,000 pounds of milk in a month because of the amount of fluid milk in the current market

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Officials to put out more than just wildfires Officials battle conspiracy theories and training inmates while fighting wildfires in western states

by JON QUINN executive editor

Wildfires along the western states, California, Oregon, and Washington have displaced thousands of families, wiped out numerous small towns, and have taken the lives of 40 plus individuals. The fires have devoured historic numbers. In Oregon alone, more than one million acres are burning.

Social media was filled with images of a blood orange sky over the cities in the states listed above. When smoke from active wildfires is in the air, those smoke particles are just the right size to scatter out and eliminate blue light before it reaches our eyes. As a result, only red and yellow light are able to pass through these smoke particles, leading to the blood orange skies.

In addition to the fires, officials in Oregon are having to plead with residents not to believe a QANON conspiracy theory that claims Antifa started the wildfires. One Clackamas county deputy officer was put on leave after being caught on video spreading the conspiracy theory to other residents. In the video, you can hear the officer use expletives when describing the conspiracy theory.

The Federal Bureau of Investigations of Portland tweeted out “Reports that extremists are setting wildfires in Oregon are untrue. Help us stop the spread of misinformation by only sharing information from trusted, official sources.”

In California, the decision was made to train inmates to help fight the fires in attempt to get them contained. These inmate firefighters are risking their life to fight the fires. California Governor Gavin Newsom signed an order that gives some inmates a chance to be firefighters after completing their sentences.

“Thousands of prisoners that are on the front lines, that are near the end of their time in prison, that are getting credits, and want the opportunity because of the training they are receiving; This bill that I’m about to sign will give those prisoners hope of actually getting a job in the profession in which they were trained,” said Newsom.

Historically, inmates who did help with previous California wildfires were originally not granted the opportunity due to their felony charges brought against them. These felony charges prevented the inmates from getting a job in the world after their release from prison. Now, some prisoners will have the opportunity to become firefighters after their sentences are complete.

photo by CNN

Wildfires continue to burn in northern California.

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Racial disparities in healthcare: A crisis of human dignity

by CONOR KELLY opinion editor

When dealing with something as complicated and emotionally potent as the Black Lives Matter movement, most people associate the organization’s concerns as only pertaining to the police. And while there are good reasons for many of these assumptions, fighting the lethality of racism is much more than just a fight against the abuse of power by police. Indeed, the lethality of racism comes not just from a rogue set of white men with guns. It comes through the healthcare system where negligence and disregard for black lives reigns.

In the case of Medicaid, the consequences of ineffectual policies are extensive and vast. Medicaid has been around for over forty years, providing coverage to 68 million Americans since August 2019. Of those 68 million Medicaid enrollees, 20 percent, or 13.6 million, are African American. For many African Americans, Medicaid is a lifeline—a lifeline that is consistently neglected. While a majority of states have enacted Medicaid expansions African Americans who through the Affordable Care Act, many are in their 20s, 30s, and southern states have not. Indeed, the 40s, are more likely to majority of states that have not enacted die from heart disease, the expansion are concentrated in the stroke and diabetes South, where 58 percent of African than White Americans Americans live. of the same age groups, In states that fail to enact a Medicaid according to the Centers expansion, African Americans are for Disease Control statically more likely to be caught in a coverage gap, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Indeed, the South is where the disparities between Black and White Americans are the most extensive.

To be clear, I am not suggesting that the South is solely to blame for the conditions of African American health problems. I am, however, suggesting that refusing to expand Medicaid with such a large African American population will inevitably lead to greater harm to the African American community. The burden of such neglect is staggering.

Due to intense poverty and other factors, African Americans have higher healthcare costs, higher uninsured rates, and higher mortality rates for a wide variety of diseases. Between 1999 and 2015, the mortality rate for African Americans declined by 25 percent, an impressive improvement. However, despite those gains, African Americans’ life-expediencies were still lower than that of their White counterparts, with whites living four years longer than African Americans.

The disparities are evident even in young people. African Americans who are in their 20s, 30s and 40s are more likely to die from heart disease, stroke and diabetes than White Americans of the same age groups, according to the Centers for Disease Control. African American infants are also significantly more likely to die than Whites with a mortality rate of 11 deaths per 1000 in 2017. Within that same year, African American mothers were 2.3 percent more likely to receive late or no prenatal care, as reported by The Department of Health and Human Services.

It is not merely by coincidence that this neglect is happening, but it is observably connected to implicit and in some cases, explicit bias. In 2015, The National Library of Medicine conducted a systemic review of studies that were published prior to that point. The reviews showed that all but one study found some form of implicit bias against Black and Latino people. Another study conducted by The New England Journal of Medicine showed that implicit bias worsened clinical treatments of chest pains for minorities, specifically Black women.

I wish I could say that this is clearly unacceptable, but if it were so clear, these issues would have been addressed long ago. But because our government, and by extension, some of our people, either do not know or do not care, little is done to undo this perpetual neglect. We can’t claim that there is a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness and then ignore the role healthcare plays in all of those things. We have known about the health disparities since the 1980s, but the efforts we have taken on this front have been inadequate at best. If we are to truly embrace the basic concept that Black lives are valued in this country, then all of these problems have to be addressed now. We can’t selectively care for humanity. We all matter or none of us matter.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg (RBG)

photo by NEW YORK TIMES

Ginsburg was on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia for 13 years from 1980-1993. Then president Bill Clinton appointed her to the Supreme Court where she served for 27 years.

RBG: A look back on an American Hero

by DEVYN SHEA staff writer

Ruth Bader Ginsburg, The Notorious R.B.G., Justice Ginsburg, legal pioneer, American icon. There aren’t enough words or names in the English language (or any language) that can completely describe the kind of woman Ruth Bader Ginsburg was. R.B.G. had a huge impact on the lives of millions of Americans. Let’s take a look at who R.B.G. was, what she did, and how her death is going to impact America.

Ruth Joan Bader was born in Brooklyn in 1933 in a community that was poor. She was challenged with obstacles right from the beginning.

Her mother passed away right before her graduation from high school and when she was in college, she was ostracized by her dean, because of her gender. While in college she got married to Martin Ginsburg. Now, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, she and her husband were to get their respected degrees at Harvard. While there, Martin was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Ruth had to juggle being a mom, getting notes from her husband’s classes, while studying for her own classes. Later on, Martin would recover from cancer and eventually they would both get their degrees to start their careers (Ruth getting hers from Columbia Law).

Ginsburg clerked for a judge and was a professor for a number of years after college. Before being appointed to the Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in 1980, she won 5 cases in front of the U.S. Supreme Court. Those cases included one about men being preferred over women when it came to inheritance after death and another where single fathers didn’t get a tax deduction. In these cases, she fought for both men and women, one to make it equal for inheritance and the other to make it equal for single parents.

In 1993, Bill Clinton nominated Ginsburg to the Supreme Court and she became an Associate Justice by a vote of 96-3. While a Justice on the Supreme Court, Ginsburg heard a case about the Virginia Military

Institute refusing to let in women in the landmark case: United States v. Virginia. The U.S. had stated that the institute had violated the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment. The Supreme Court ruled as stated in Ginsburg’s majority opinion that the institute did not show an “exceedingly persuasive justification” for its preferred gender admissions into its school.

Ginsburg, who was liberal leaning, had very good relations with her conservative colleagues, most notably, Antonin Scalia. While on the court, Ginsberg made many famous dissenting opinions, one of the most notable was when she said “I dissent” instead of saying it with a respectful context, which had been previously done in the years before. Her dissent was in opposition of the Supreme Court’s siding with George Bush in the controversial election of 2000. In the past 20 years Ginsburg has been known for supporting civil and voting rights of all kinds. In the past decade she has become a feminist and liberal icon, even getting the nickname the Notorious R.B.G. With the death of Justice Ginsberg, uncertainty follows. Mitch McConnell has already stated he will have the U.S. Senate vote on whoever President Trump picks as his nominee. In 2016, when Barack Obama picked Merrick Garland, Mitch McConnell prevented a vote on the nominee. His reasoning was that it was an election year and the next President should decide, which seems to be something he is backtracking now. As a vote in the U.S. Senate is to ensue, some senators such as Lisa Murkowski (R) of Alaska and Susan Collins (R) of Maine said they will not vote for a nominee until after the election. One thing is certain with the death of R.B.G.: America has lost a hero. It will be hard to fill her shoes.

In the past decade she has become a feminist and liberal icon, even getting the nickname the Notorious R.B.G.

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What’s going on with Tik Tok?

by DARBY CALLAHAN staff writer

The clock is running out for the popular application TikTok. ByteDance is being forced to sell its TikTok U.S. brand due to national security concerns. China has also been known to interfere with users who go against the Chinese government such as the following case; “TikTok’s blunder in temporarily taking down a video of 17-year-old Feroza Aziz criticizing China’s inhumane treatment of Uighur Muslims last week inflamed suspicions about the intentions of ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company. Many young people want to be “TikTok famous” but TikTok is at risk of becoming infamous,” (Financial Times).

President Trump is putting pressure on ByteDance to sell the app in the coming days and has reportedly agreed to extend the deadline to Sept. 27 from the original deadline of Sept. 20.

Regarding the extension of the deadline, Barrons.com reports that the U.S. Department of Commerce mentioned that, “This decision was taken ‘in light of recent positive developments,’ according to a press release issued shortly after Chinese-owned TikTok confirmed a proposed agreement on the management of its US operations involving Oracle as a technology partner and Walmart as a business partner.”

The question remains, what if TikTok does not sell? If ByteDance cannot sell to a U.S.-based company, they will be shut down and TikTok will no longer be available in the United States.

According to reuters.com, “U.S. President Donald Trump does not want China’s ByteDance to maintain a controlling interest in TikTok because it could put Americans’ personal information at risk.” This statement comes a few hours after the New York Times stated that President Trump was reviewing a potential deal that came on Sept. 17. The New York Times reports, “They are still discussing the technical terms.”

I reached out to Richard Hernandez, a junior at Loras College, who is a TikTok user with 45,000+ followers. He says that he has been a user of TikTok since it was first founded under the name Musical.ly. He said that he is not worried about the application

being banned, and he does not think the app will actually be banned, but instead go through many changes. He has been getting updates from the TikTok CEO on social media.

In regards to Chinese interference with users, Hernandez states, “I never worried about Chinese interference with my videos.

When it comes to thinking about making videos I just make them and provide entertainment for my followers and make content on a daily basis where it may be a Chinese based app but I haven’t had any problems using it or with my videos.”

If the app does not get bought out by a United States company, Hernandez said that he will notify followers “to subscribe and follow my other social medias such as Instagram, snapchat and will start up a YouTube and make vlogs on there as well as joining Triller.”

Overall TikTok and any U.S. company need to reach a final Trump-approved deal by Sept. 27, which is Sunday. The concern is that China is overstepping their bounds and spying on Chinese and American citizens through the app. The thought is that this is could lead to national security concerns, especially during an election year in which the Chinese government may work to undermine a candidate and manipulate the election. Regardless of who wins the election, we do not want any foreign involvement in our federal elections. I am not speaking out about this issue for one side or the other. Both parties should be working to get China off our mobile devices, and the only way that is going to work is if U.S.-based companies buy out apps such as TikTok. We have already seen how one foreign entity can altar an election when it has been reported that the Russians have interfered in our elections in 2016, and we do not want any more reports or accusations of another foreign entity interfering with our elections every two to four years.

The electoral debate

by DEVYN SHEA staff writer

Have you ever wondered why America doesn’t only use the popular vote in Presidential elections? Or why we have the Electoral College? Or even, what is the Electoral College? A study done by the Intercollegiate Studies Institute found that 43% of Americans don’t know or understand what the Electoral College really is. Does this number explain why, according to Pew Research, a majority of Americans think that the President should be chosen by who gets the most votes? In this article I will explain what the electoral college is and the sides of the debate to see if we should keep it.

The electoral college is a group that is called to meet after every election to vote on the President of the United States.

The reason this is a system to decide our President is because our founding fathers needed to compromise. Some didn’t like the idea of Congress electing the President, while others thought a direct election was dangerous, because of the mob rule idea.

Thus, came the electoral college. Presently, you must earn 270 electoral votes out of

538 to win the Presidency. In recent years, however, many people have stated that we need to change our system. Let’s dive into the perspectives surrounding the electoral debate.

The first side in the electoral debate is the electoral college itself. Many insist that the electoral college is the only bridge of representation between cities and rural communities. It also gives representation to smaller states, that wouldn’t have as much representation in a popularly elected Presidency. For instance, Wyoming has 1 electoral vote for their congressperson and 2 for their Senators. This helps level the playing field more. In contrast, a popular vote election would give Wyoming far less representation, because less people live there than, say, California. The arguments against this system are being increasingly exemplified in today’s political climate.

One argument is that it is outdated and that the founding fathers wouldn’t have wanted this at our level of prosperity and technological advancement. Another argument against it is that it can go against what most Americans want. For instance, 5 Presidents have been elected without winning the popular vote. Recently, opponents have argued that this system only makes swing states become ones where candidates travel to.

The second is a popular vote election system. Simply, whoever wins the most votes is elected President.

Proponents argue that Americans have

been cheated when it comes to candidates winning the popular vote, but losing the election. Politicians such as Pete Buttigieg and Elizabeth Warren have called for the abolition of the electoral college voting system. Opponents argue that this will only make candidates go to the largest cities in America and that there would be no need for them to go to rural communities. Other opponents argue that this is not what the founding fathers would have wanted or intended.

Finally, the third system is one that has come up in the debate recently. It is a proportional electoral college. The electoral college now awards the winner of the state’s popular vote all of the electoral votes. With the proportional electoral vote system, the candidates are awarded electoral votes based on percentage of the vote in the state. For example, if you win 50% of the vote in Georgia, you win 50% of its electoral votes. Proponents have argued that this is a compromise between the electoral college and popular election voting systems. It gives third party candidates a chance to win, while also still representing the minority interests such as smaller states. A politician that supports this initiative is Andrew Yang.

Opponents argue that this could perhaps incite political gridlock and instability.

They point to countries like Italy who have a proportional parliamentary system and that the coalitions must compromise in order to form government.

With all of this said, what do you think?

Does an explanation of the Electoral College change your judgment? Should we follow in our founding father’s footsteps?

Should we have the person with the most votes win? Or should we reform the electoral college for more representation? I will let you, the reader, decide.

Sept. 24, 2020

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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.

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Sept. 24, 2020

The

F eatures

The Lorian

girl in the pink dress:

Part I

F eatures

The Lorian

Sept. 24, 2020

7

Disney animal evolution: Part II

by SARWAN MOGHAMIS staff writer

by AVERY WICKERSHAM staff writer

Fallen leaves blow across the pavement of the school parking lot, crunching under the feet of the students buzzing about all things Halloween. Talk of parties, pumpkins, and phantoms spill past their lips, broken conversations echoing around Nate as he walks to his rusted pick-up truck and yanks open the handle. He stares at his peers, frustration churning in the pit of his stomach.

“I hate Halloween,” he mutters to himself, sticking his key into the ignition.

The engine sputters before purring to life. Nate pulls out of the crowded parking lot and onto the main street.

The girl laughs, brushing at a dirt mark on her dress. Nate stands with his hands in front of him, clearing his throat as the girl begins to dance in front of him.

“Do you…do you want a ride home?” Nate offers, pointing as his truck.

The girl shakes her head. “No. I’ll be okay.”

“Are you sure?”

A car honks behind Nate’s truck, speeding around his temporary roadblock.

Nate rushes into his truck, closing the door. He sticks his head out the window. “What’s your name?”

Tapping his thumb to the bass line blaring from the radio, Nate turns onto his street, rolling his eyes at the Halloween decorations. He bobs his head in a syncopated rhythm, a little behind the beat, eyeing the décor instead of the road. Nate has a brief thought to drive up on the sidewalk and crash into the life-sized spiders, but he decides against it. Still stuck in his thoughts, he sees a flash of pink in front of his truck, and he slams on the breaks, tires screeching against the rocky asphalt. Nate spits out a strain of swear words under his breath and throws his truck into park, pushing the door open.

Another car honks behind Nate, but before the driver can pull around him, Nate aggressively presses the gas pedal. His truck lurches forward and he stares at Penny in the rearview mirror.

“What are you doing in the middle of the road?” Nate yells, running around to the front of his truck. His mouth opens and closes, awfully fish-like, staring at the young woman walking barefoot on the road.

His girlfriend, Samantha, greets him at the door with a big grin on her face, but Nate’s mind is still focused on Penny.

“I’m sorry,” the girl says sheepishly. “I was on my way home.”

“Home?” Nate laughs. “Where do you live? The cemetery?”

The girl laughs, hopping up on the sidewalk. “It’s Penny! Penny Hodges.”

Nate pulls into his driveway, staring at the little car next to him, muttering, “Shoot. I forgot she was gonna be here.”

“I have a surprise for you!” Samantha squeals. She holds up a dry cleaning bag, shoving it in Nate’s face. “It’s a couple’s costume!”

Nate sighs, dropping his background on the ground. “Great. Let the madness begin.”

Senior Spotlight: Madison Holerud

by ROSE GOTTSCHALK staff writer

Maddi is a senior originally from Anamosa, Iowa, and is majoring in psychology and neuroscience. She has been involved in things like studying abroad in Ireland and working in the Mouse House on campus, taking advantage of every opportunity offered to her.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE LORAS?

They have a good psychology program. I knew I wanted to pursue an education in psychology, and meeting with professors from Loras solidified that I would be challenged yet still supported in a comfortable community.

Creative ---C o rn e r (Content submitted to the lorian)

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE CLASS, AND WHY?

Psychology of Stress, a j-term class taught by Dr. Schilder. It was the first class that really challenged me to think of my habits as a psychology major. We also got to go off campus on a retreat, and that was enjoyable.

Poem: Hope

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LORAS MEMORY?

My favorite Loras memory, that’s a hard one. I really had a good time when we went to a CAB event and played laser tag in the field house. It was a really good time and I got to spend it with some of my closest friends at Loras.

by JOSH VOGT staff writer

CHICKEN NUGGET MONDAY OR TACO TUESDAY?

Sometimes things just

Chicken nugget Monday. Chicken nuggets always smack.

Come out of nowhere

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LOCATION ON CAMPUS?

No time to prepare so

When I think of my favorite place, I think about where I spent the most time, and that would be Hennessy 280. Most of my classes were spent in that room, so I grew a lot as a person there. Other than that, the hill behind Beckman. It was a good time there, hanging out with friends and talking.

IF YOU COULD SUM UP YOUR LORAS EXPERIENCE IN ONE WORD, WHAT WOULD IT BE AND WHY?

You just have to go With what you see And what you know.

Madison Holerud

Growth. I have grown in the best of ways and in such a way that it has reached every aspect of my life, whether it be maturity, socially, or with my academics. I’ve been able to expand myself in every way, in a better way.

WHAT IS SOME ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE TO SOMEONE STARTING THEIR LORAS JOURNEY?

Even though things never Really seem to go away They will always and forever Get just a little bit better.

Meet with your advisor on everything. I’ve had my best conversations with them and they have given me so much direction on what I am choosing without being biased. Even if they weren’t able to give me direct answers to questions, they would direct me to the right person.

So when you’re at the end of your rope,

WHAT ARE YOUR POST-GRADUATION PLANS?

Just never, ever go giving up hope.

Ideally, I want to pursue a master’s in counseling and eventually go on to achieve my Ph.D. in clinical or counseling psychology.

Under M.C Monkey’s rule, animals were dying due to his carelessness to aid the kingdom with proper food and water. He gave away his leadership to the jungle, which created even more chaos. Eventually, some of the animals moved out, including the wolf pack. Baloo, Bagheera, Shere Khan, Kaa, and M.C Monkey passed away.

The lions were the first animals to speak up against the monkeys. Out of respect for M.C Monkey, the monkeys went up against the lions. This started a war between the monkeys and lions.

Leading the lions in this war were two friends named Mohatu and Kusho.

The war between monkeys and lions went on for years. The monkeys were slowly killed off one by one. The monkey’s doctor, the young Rafiki, took leadership over the monkeys and realized that the war had to come to an end.

Rafiki made peace with Mohatu and Kusho.

Shortly after the war ended, Mohatu and Kusho went their separate ways. Mohatu stayed in the jungle and became the new king.

Rafiki was the first to discover mystical powers among the jungle. This mystical power allowed him to communicate with living and non-living souls. Rafiki and Mohatu agreed to keep the mystical power hidden in his new home, a baobab tree.

Mohatu was getting old and knew that someone had to take the throne once he was gone.

He wanted it to be someone who shared his blood. He mated with an unknown lioness and had a baby boy, Ahadi.

Once Mohatu died and Ahadi was old enough, he became the new king of the jungle.

The jungle was given a new name, the Pride Lands. Ahadi ruled from Pride Rock. Out of respect for Rafiki, Ahadi gave him a high position in the kingdom: to be a part of the choosing of the future kings.

Ahadi later fell in love with a lioness, Uru, and as time passed, Ahadi and Uru had their first son, Mufusa. Then, they had their second son, Taka. The two grew up to be loving brothers, until they became young adults.

Rafiki chose Mufusa to be the next king. Taka felt betrayed and went to the dark side.

Taka befriended an Outsider pack, the hyenas. Uru went to the Outsider land to get Taka, but on her journey back home, they got into a terrible accident that caused Uru’s death.

Ahadi, out of rage, scratched Taka across the face, leaving a permanent scar on his eye.

Ahadi sent an army to attack the hyenas, creating negative tension between the prides.

Taka decided to form a secret alliance with the hyenas, who later nicknamed him Scar.

Back with the humans, Mowgli was now a grown man who married his childhood friend, Shanti. The two later had a child, a baby girl named Willow. Some of the hyenas took over their village and killed several of their people.

The tribe began their search for a new home, as hyenas turned their village into their new home, the Elephant Graveyard.

Short story: The beast

by JOSH VOGT staff writer

He was watching, this much was a certainty. He had been watching for several miles and showed no signs of slowing down.

Arak knew that he didn’t have long, not in his condition, not after that last battle between them. Arak grabbed his pack tighter, holding it in place as he climbed over a rocky pile covering the road, likely from a rock slide higher up the mountain, shivering in the freshly falling snowstorm.

He slid over the other side of the pile, tightening the cloak about his face, hoping for a reprieve from this constant storming, but to no avail. The beast was following him, and would not stop until it put him under the snow like his friend…his master and charge. He shook himself, thinking it foolish to remember that night. His master had died, and he had failed him as a guard, but he would dwell on that no longer, pushing onward.

As Arak trudged onwards through the shin-high mounds of snow now covering the path, he heard a loud, piercing howl through the night, and knew the beast was on his scent. Picking up his pace, he reached a dip in the mountain path, with high ridges on either side, perfect for an ambush. He made his way up the right side off of the path, to wait for this foe to find him, and to end this mad chase once and for all.

He found a safe spot to wait atop the right ridge overlooking the path, and crouched among a rocky outcropping, hidden for the most part from anything approaching the

way he had come. The snow had gotten into his boots and gloves at this rate, and he did not look forwards to the wait for that beast.

With any luck, it had been right behind him and would arrive before he froze to death in this damned snow.

A few moments later he heard something crunching through the snow at a frighteningly rapid pace, tearing across the earth after him. Perhaps he could simply let it go past, and maybe it would forget about him, leave him alone…but no, he owed his master that much, that little bit of courage he had lacked when they were attacked.

The beast stopped in the center of the path, the tall hairy creature raising its snout to the sky and sniffing for him. Its body was tall and built like a man, but with a hunched back and elongated arms and legs ending in claws.

The face of it was like that of a wolf, and the whole thing was covered in thick white fur, covered in blood. As it suddenly tensed and looked directly at him, he surprisingly felt very little fear. No, what he felt now was nothing but cold acceptance and resolve he’d never known before. Whether or not he survived this was not the point. His master had laid down his life for Arak, and he would do the same now, even if it was too late to change anything.

So, as the beast charged up the rocky face of the cliff at him, he raised his blade in solemn preparation. This was for his master, for all the others the beast had hurt. He opened his eyes, smiled as he thought of that old friend of his, and then…the beast was upon him.

photo by DENOFGEEK

Ahsoka Tano is a fictional Star Wars character that was introduced in the Cone Wars animated film. She was introduced as a teenager who constantly argued with well-known Jedi Anakin Skywalker.

Why Ahsoka is the best Jedi

by JOSH VOGT staff writer

Ahsoka Tano is a Star Wars character first introduced in the Clone Wars animated film, not to be confused with the second Star Wars film of the prequels, Attack of the Clones. Her introduction came after that, in the height of the clone wars themselves, and many did not like her when she was introduced. She was, at first glance, a bratty little teen that constantly argued with fan-favorite Anakin Skywalker, and did not seem to bring as much to the table. Taking that film alone, she was unique, but not quite an awesome new addition, as we didn’t see as much from her yet.

She grew over the course of seven seasons of the Clone Wars animated television show, from this bratty teen into a compassionate and caring Jedi, following the lessons of popular characters like Obi-Wan Kenobi and the aforementioned Anakin. She became a beautiful mix of these two Jedi, with the wisdom of Kenobi and the skills of Skywalker.

However, her greatest asset is her empathy and compassion towards everything and everyone. Ahsoka learned the names of the clones, the ones that they chose, not the number designations they were given, and she was a respected friend to each of them. She valued their lives in a way not many others did, not seeing them as soldiers created to follow orders and die.

Ahsoka had this moral compass to her that often got her in trouble throughout the show, and found her at odds with the entire Jedi order

when she cared too much. She discovered the hypocrisy of the order, realizing that they are heavily corrupt and have become warriors serving the government rather than peacekeeping, compassionate sages of the galaxy. When she was set up to be imprisoned and the entire Jedi order turned against her, she fought for the truth, and allied herself with old enemies in order to prove she would never betray the Jedi. They did not believe her until the actual culprit was caught, and then wanted to act like they had never doubted her, citing this as a great trial. She did something here that set her apart from other Jedi, and left the order entirely to find her own path.

She came back to help the republic at the end of the Clone Wars show, but not as a Jedi. Ahsoka was a neutral force wielder, with lightsabers designed by Anakin Skywalker, fighting simply for what was right. She took on Darth Maul, who had, in the first of the prequel films, bested a Jedi master, Quigon Jinn, and almost beat Kenobi at the same time. In her duel with Maul, she bested him in a fair fight, showing just how skilled she had become with her dual lightsabers.

Promptly afterwards, the infamous order 66 occurred, with every single clone being turned against the Jedi by chips in their heads. However, due to her deep connection with those who served under her, the clone before her when the order went out, Captain Rex, resisted the influence of the command long enough for her to get him to safety.

Ahsoka was one of a very small percentage to survive the purging of the Jedi, and went on to keep fighting against injustice in the galaxy, being one of the founding members of the rebel alliance seen in the other three Star Wars movies featuring Luke. She was featured often in the Star Wars Rebels animated show, and helped face off against Darth Vader, her former master, managing to survive a one on one fight with the deadly foe.

From here she survived past the Original Trilogy of films and into the Mandalorian show, which has yet to air her episodes. This amazing character, going through all of this pain, facing her master as the one who did all those terrible things, and coming out the other side stronger than ever. While she does not call herself a Jedi, she more exhibits what a Jedi should be, than any other we’ve seen so far.

8

H ealth &

The Lorian

Sept. 24, 2020

lifestyle

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: Songs you probably I don’t get it

by TRICIA BORELLI

director of the counseling center Dear Trish, Going home in March really sucked.

And summer was extremely long. Like most students, I was thrilled to be back on campus this fall. Not only did I just miss Loras, I was excited to be back around people again. I was even okay with most of my classes being online.

And although I get that it is super hard to be back in light of COVID; I’m getting really pissed at people who are being irresponsible and not taking the mask/social distancing thing seriously.

How do people not understand that not following the rules just means that we are all at risk of having to go back home. I want to stay on campus. When I mention these concerns to my friends or complain about the actions of others, they dismiss my feelings and make jokes. They don’t seem to think twice about their behavior.

What do I do about this? It is starting to affect my friendships.

Signed, Following the Rules Trish says, There has definitely been a lot of talk about how people are handling the recommendations regarding COVID and being back on campus. You have a right to be angry and frustrated since you are doing what you can to “Crush the Curve.” I am also impressed that you are directly communicating your concerns to your friends because that is not easy to do. I have had a number of conversations with students on how to at least speak up. Asserting yourself in regards to this is very important. It is much like asserting yourself when you confront a wrongdoing, defend your faith in front of others, or be an active bystander when someone is in trouble. It takes guts.

Not only are some of your classmates putting others in a potentially dangerous situation, they are having an impact on the rest of our futures at Loras. I’ll admit, it has taken some time for me to wrap my mind around how my personal actions may affect others related to COVID. Sadly, the reality came for me this summer when my son became exposed which started the COVID chaos in my world. I remember feeling panicked thinking about those I was around, those I may have infected and those I knew would struggle particularly if I had gotten it from him and unknowingly, passed it on. We also missed a family vacation. I missed a needed medical procedure. My son missed the rest of his baseball season, and so on. I even spent my 50th birthday inside with my

family of five as the remaining four of us waited for our personal COVID results.

Not quite the way I had always planned spending this significant milestone.

I’m only reviewing my personal experience because my getting COVID was pretty uneventful for most of the people in my immediate world.

It still sucked though and was more inconvenient than anything. The hardest part was when my husband tested positive and because of his health issues, he was down and out for about two weeks. This was scary as well as financially challenging since he is selfemployed. Again, I was a little anxious but ultimately we had it better than lots of folks. We kept our jobs, had health insurance, and had a roof over our head to shelter in place, etc. The whole experience was relatively uneventful because the country was still pretty much in lock down mode.

That all went down this past June.

We are in a much different situation at this time. At Loras, like many but not all institutions of higher education, we are attempting to have some new semblance of normal. Those not taking it seriously are going to set us back. So in coming up with suggestions going forward, I would encourage you to continue trying to talk to your peers. If you can focus on the fact that you really want to stay on campus and would appreciate friends and classmates using their mask and social distancing, try to have the hard conversation. Be a role model and a leader and encourage your friends who feel the same way to post pictures on social media while following the rules.

It can be done. Tell your friends that you want them to be supportive and that it is affecting your relationship with them when they don’t take it seriously.

For others of you who are looking to help the situation and stay on campus, be honest with your peers and be respectful of the rules. Whether you believe it is a big deal or not, it is our policy on campus to abide by the set guidelines.

You can say things like, “I’m personally not worried about getting COVID but I want to be respectful of others that are.” Or, “Each day we follow the rules means another day we stay on campus.”

If you have a health condition and are okay with mentioning it, consider doing so. It is okay for people to know that this is real and people need to take caution. In addition, keep coming up with ways to stay connected. I have been impressed with how some people have gotten creative on how to stay in touch.

Think outside the box. This is all of our problem… be a part of the solution.

Thanks for your honesty. Trish

forgot about – Until I reminded you

by CALASANDRA SPRAY mind and soul editor

Windows down, bass up, an endless stretch of road ahead of you. Over the radio Harry Styles melodic voice starts playing “Watermelon Sugar” and off key, you belt out alongside him.

For generations hit songs have come and gone. In the shower, in the car, at parties, or alone in our bedrooms, captivated audiences have rolled with the wave of what’s new and hot in the music industry.

Just as quickly as new songs roll in, old songs fade out and oftentimes are forgotten. In a blast from the past, here’s a few songs you probably forgot about, until I reminded you.

Today we listen to Beyonce’s newest hits as they’re released, but before she was a star on her own she was a member of Destiny’s Child. Popular in the early 2000’s before their split in 2005, this American girl group released hits “Say My Name” and “Independent Woman” in 1999 and “Bootylicious” in 2002. “Say My Name” reached number seven on Billboard’s list of 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs, and won two Grammy awards in 2001. “Independent Woman” was first released in their “Charlie’s Angels” album but was so popular it was also added to their “Survivor” album. Another hit from Beyonce during this time was her mix with Jay-Z: “Crazy In Love.” This song was a number one hit and won three awards in the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards.

Another popular girl group you may have forgotten about is TLC. Wildly popular in the 1990’s, TLC had nine top hits in the Billboard’s Hot 100. “No

Scrubs”, released in 1999 was TLC’s third number one single. Today it is their best selling song.

Nostalgic music for all who were angsty teens in the 2000’s are the recently broken up group All American Rejects. Hit songs like, “Swing Swing,” “Dirty Little Secret,” and “It Ends Tonight” were an essential part of playlists. “Swing Swing” peaked at number eight in the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks. “Dirty Little Secret” was released a few years later and reached top ten in Billboard’s Hot 100 and then kept climbing to reach the number one spot in Billboard’s Hot Digital Songs.

Finally, yet importantly is the singer Avril Lavine with hit songs “Sk8er Boi,” “Girlfriend” and “Complicated” all released in 2002. In the United States “Sk8er Boi” reached 72 on Billboard’s Hot 100 at first but climbed to its peak at number ten becoming her second consecutive top-ten hit. It reached much farther out of the country, topping at number three in Australia, number two in New Zealand, and number one in Brazil.

“Girlfriend” topped the Billboard charts at number five in its debut and soon became Avril’s first song to hit number one in the charts. Scores of songs have peaked charts and silently faded away.

As you listen to “Watermelon Sugar,” “WAP,” and “Blinding Lights,” take time to remember old favorites. Flip on the radio, make or find a playlist, however you listen to music and remember these (or other) forgotten top hits. Listen to them with windows down, bass up, and an endless stretch of road ahead of you.

H ealth & L ifestyle

The Lorian

Sept. 24, 2020

9

Vaping is not vanishing particularly in younger adults for whom the brain is still developing.”

by JON QUINN executive editor

Vaping marijuana and vaping nicotine has had a dramatic rise over the past three years, primarily in 19-22 year olds, according to a 2019 survey from Monitoring the Future (MTF). College students who said they vaped marijuana in the past 30 days rose from 5.2% in 2017, to 14% in 2019. The corresponding percentages for their non-collegeattending peers increased from 7.8% in 2017, to 17% in 2019.

MTF has been studying the trends in substance use in adolescents and adults in the United States since 1980. The study is funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health. The survey is conducted by scientists at the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research, Ann Arbor.

The percentage of college-age individuals (19-22 years old) who vape nicotine also increased in the past three years. In 2017, 6.1% of college students and 7.9% of those not in college said they vaped nicotine in the past month, rising to 22% and 18% respectively in 2019. The increases in vaping marijuana and nicotine mark one of the largest increases in use for any substance reported by this study in its 45-year history.

“We are seeing an increasingly concerning trend,” said Nora D. Volkow, M.D., the director of NIDA. “Many young people may view vaping and cannabis use as ‘safer,’ but the reality is that nicotine is highly addictive, and cannabis can also be addictive,

Marijuana continues to have a high prevalence among college-aged individuals. In 2018, 43% of 19-22 year olds reported using marijuana in the past year. The percentage held at 43% in 2019 as well. However, the daily or near-daily users of marijuana in this age group is at its highest at 15% in 2019.

The survey also revealed trends among other substances. Cigarette smoking has continued a downward trend with about 8% of college students reporting having smoked in the past month. This is an all-time low according to the survey. Amphetamine use has also declined to 8.1% of college students reporting non-medical use in the past year.

Binge drinking (five or more drinks in a row in the past two weeks), which has been declining gradually over the past few decades showed no significant changes for young adults attending or not attending college. In 2019, 33% of college students and 22% of same-age adults not in college reported binge drinking. High-intensity drinking (10 or more drinks in a row in the past two weeks) has stayed level at about 11% since 2015 for people between the ages of 19 and 22, regardless of college attendance.

Loras College has several accessible resources available to current Loras students like the counseling center and the health and wellness center. Both are located in the Alumni Campus Center on the forth floor in the most northeast part of the building.

Message from Black Student Union

by SAMANTHA WATTS black student union president

Julian Lewis, Anthony McClain, Dijon Kizzee, Daminan Daniels. These are just a few of the Black lives lost in Aug. of 2020. This list continues to grow with innocent Black lives being stolen by the hands of the people who swore to protect them. The killing of Black individuals has sparked fear and trauma within the Black community for generations. Every time the news shows another Black individual being brutally killed by the hands of law enforcement, it causes a deep pain within all of us.

The killing and mistreatment of Black individuals must come to an end.

In recent months there have been thousands of petitions that have been signed, letters sent, social media posts, and peaceful demonstrations calling for justice for the Black lives lost. The Black community used our cries to call for justice in a time that seems like there was none.

We filled the streets with nothing but our voices and were greeted with rubber bullets, tear gas, and riot gear. Yet we kept going.

It is important to understand that police brutality happens everywhere and not just in big cities. It is important to understand that showing up to a small protest makes big impact. There was a small demonstration held here in Dubuque at the beginning of Sept. for Jacob Blake. By having different members within the Dubuque community come together to call for justice, it had a lasting impact. Simply showing up meant that you stood with the Black community in a time when we needed it most. It showed that you heard us, even if you don’t face the same issues as us.

together to see real change. We need to come together and create change for the future. A future for our kids and grandkids where they do not have to fear going to get a bag of skittles, go for a run, drive their car, sleep in their homes, or even breathe.

With the elections coming up, it is so important to vote. Vote for someone who respects every ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, economic background, ect. It is so important to vote for the right people who will call for justice and support not only the Black community but all communities. We need someone who will say the names of the innocent Black lives that have been lost.

There must be some type of change that happens so that the trauma that has been felt for generations ends here. As a community we need to stop dividing ourselves and come

COVID UPDATE: Total cases

D ubuque . ................................. 2,870 I owa ....................................... 81,317 U nited S tates ........................... 6.92M W orld W ide . ............................31.5M As of Tuesday, Sept. 22

On campus Covid-19 testing will be held on the dates below in the Athletic and Wellness Center.

Students should enter through the AWC patio door near Graber and exit the AWC patio door near the Physical Plant. Testing is FREE! First come, first served - no appointment needed.

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New hurdle for volleyball

Men’s and Women’s volleyball placed on athletic quarantine to help combat COVID-19

by KEEGAN GODWIN sports editor

DUBUQUE, IA -COVID Alert Yellow; that is what Assistant Dean of Student Molly Burrows Schumacher notified students on Sept. 18.

During the week of Sept. 11 to Sept. 17, Loras saw an additional 85 students and employees test positive for COVID-19. The school stressed to not gather in large groups either inside or out. Those who do gather in small groups should do so outside. Also, designated athletic teams will cease operations, meaning no practices, facility use, or locker room use. These are all done in efforts to combat the virus and slow the spread. One of those teams that have been affected is both the men and women’s volleyball teams.

On Sept. 17, it was announced that the men’s volleyball team would be placed on athletic quarantine – meaning no practice, weight room use, or entry into the Athletic and Wellness Center until Oct. 1. However, the women’s team has been placed on full quarantine to help combat the rising cases on campus. Both teams were notified by Athletic Director Denise Udelhofen and protocols were put in place effective immediately.

Being told to stop playing the sport you love is no easy task, especially with this type of disappointment The Women’s becoming more and more frequent in these season is currently times of uncertainty. postponed due Everyone on the men to COVID-19 but and women’s teams they continue to are aware that doing practice and train this is the best chance for a spring season of everyone having a season, so these actions are taken very seriously.

photo by JULIA MEDINA

Both men and women’s volleyball teams have been practicing and training since returning to campus.

Following campus COVID protocol, both teams have been placed on athletic quarantine.

“I think while we go through this time we have to stay positive and look forward to the next time we can go out onto the court… It’s easy to view this situation as a negative but understanding all the little things makes the experience more rewarding in the long run,” said senior Patrick Hollander.

Many of the players from both teams are finding more and more spare time in their schedules with the pause on the training seasons right now.

“It’s really tough not being able to have your season when you were expecting it but we all have the same goals to play as much of a season as we can when we can,” said sophomore

Abbey Kwiatkoski.

The future is uncertain not just for volleyball, but for every sport. At the moment, both teams are slated to return to practices and training in two weeks’ time. It is everyone’s hope that by following these protocols and procedures, sports will be back in the spring-time and everyone can get back a sense of normality. Like junior David Beach stated, “Always start the day with a positive mental attitude.” When, not if, the volleyball season begins for both teams, the Duhawks will be eager and ready to get back at it.

An unusual time for a rising team Women’s soccer displays young talent in COVID offseason

by JORGE RAMIREZ sports writer

DUBUQUE, IA - Coming back to classes for the Fall semester always means a fresh new start for the Women’s Soccer team in Loras College. New hopes, new players, new goals.

The only exception lies on the fact that due to unprecedented circumstances, this team will not be competing this semester but the following one, which means parents and supporters that come to the games will have to wait a few more months in order to cheer for the Duhawks.

As many people already know, The American Rivers Conference decided to postpone the fall seasons for Football, Volleyball, Men’s Soccer and Women’s Soccer due to COVID-19 related reasons.

This decision means that the Fall semester will now be used as a time to build and strengthen the team, as well as preparing a successful season that could be the start of a sensational generation for Loras College Athletics.

Despite not making it into the National tournament last season after not winning the American Rivers Conference Final, Loras Women’s Soccer was known for having an incredible roster with positive leaders that made a remarkable impact for the program’s history. Is this year going to be similar?

Seniors Katie Celarek and Kiki Cabrera feel very positive about the upcoming freshman ladies who were recruited in order to help the team get back on track, and fight to earn a spot on the National spotlight.

“The seniors who left had an amazing influence on the team, and they will truly

be missed. We were lucky to have them.

Fortunately for us, we also brought a bunch of new players that worked hard over the summer in order to show up in good conditions, and prove that they deserve a spot in the starting lineup. It is one of the greatest first year classes I have seen during my time in Loras. There is a lot of talent amongst all them,” stated Cabrera. The future is looking bright for the Women’s team after welcoming so many prospects who are ready to write history under the guidance of Matt Pucci (08’), and Jill Leibforth (16’).

Celarek is another example of ambition and success in the program. Her main desire is to leave a legacy in Loras not only as a leader, but as a teammate.

“I hope we can strive for success as a team and we set an example for the people coming to play soccer at Loras College in the future. I would really love to graduate after winning an American Rivers Conference Tournament, and making it as far as possible on a National scale,” Celarek said.

“We are trying to be the best we can be both mentally and physically before the season starts. That is what we agreed upon since the beginning of the semester. We are a successful program and we want to keep creating history,” Celarek said when asked about her objectives for the season. Celarek was very clear with the ambition there is amongst the players.

It is just a matter of time until competition returns to the Rock bowl Stadium. The players will have to wait, but it is already time to start building.

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Golf tees off in Decorah

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by MEGAN HIMM sports writer

DECORAH, IA - Playing in their second Luther invitational, the Loras women’s golf team p l ay e d at O n e o t a G o l f a n d Country Club in Decorah, Iowa. This course varied from the previously played links style courses, and the tree lined fairways presented some difficulties. The weather for both days started cool, but got up to the mid-60s by the end of the match.

Moderate wind on the second day affected play.

On the first day, both Head Coach Cole Sondgeroth and Assistant Coach Erin Sondgeroth were present. However, on day two, the men’s team hosted an invitational, so Coach E. Sondgeroth was with the

photo by LORAS COLLEGE ATHLETICS

First year William Schimbke taps a putt in at the Thunder Hills Golf Club. Schimbke finished +16 a the end of the day.

The men’s golf team competes this weekend in Waverly, IA. The women’s team competes this weekend as well in Manchester, IA. women’s team while Coach C. Sondgeroth was with the men.

Loras only brought three golfers, so was not able to score as a team, but competed as individuals. Junior Mallory Gardiner shot an 87, 96 for a 183. Junior Carlene Paul was close behind with an 89, 96 for a 185. First year Megan Himm finished up with a 98, 96 for a 194.

The women next play against Coe College on Sept. 27, at their home course, Thunder Hills Country Club.

photo by LORAS COLLEGE ATHLETICS

Sophomore Jadyn Anderson lines up for a putt at Oneta Golf and Country Club. The team was unable to compete as a team due to only bringing three golfers.

Swim dives into a new season

by HARRIET SIEGRIST sports writer

DUBUQUE, IA – Over 35 Duhawks dove into the San Jose pool water Monday, Sept. 22, marking the official start to the 2020-2021 swim & dive season. Although the season looks different after the announcement of no competition until Jan. 1, 2021, the team is still working hard for what is ahead. Looking forward into improving on the previous year’s finish at the Liberal Arts Championship, the team is also ready for all the challenges that comes with the sport. Last season, the women’s team placed 8 out of 11 teams at the championship meet, and the men’s team placed 6 out of 8 teams. Graduating only 3 women from the previous season, head coach Nick Wyllie is This season I am excited to return all of looking forward to becoming even closer the men’s roster and most of the women’s with a team that roster from the previous will be my second season. family here at Loras Wy l l i e i s “r e a l l y Grace Van Petten l o ok i ng for w ard to First year swimmer continuing the progress from the returners that we made last year. We

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can really hit the ground running since there won’t be as much of an adjustment period. Along with that, I am super excited to work with the large incoming class, every single one of them has a ton of potential and it will be fun helping them go after the goals we set.”

Wyllie went on to say that “as far as goals go, I have specific team goals in mind with accomplishments but my main focus is keeping and building upon strong team cohesion. I want us to finish the season as an extremely strong unit that puts the team first.”

With 13 first-years and transfer students joining the team, everyone is looking forward to coming together and competing as one. First year Grace Van Petten from Glen Ellyn, IL is especially excited for her first season as a Duhawk.

“This season I am looking forward to becoming even closer with a team that will be my second family here at Loras. There are so many amazing people on the team I have met already, and I can’t wait to get to know everyone even more as the season goes on. I am also looking forward to improving all my strokes and hopefully becoming a more versatile swimmer. I made it one of my goals to swim every event at least once. Lastly, I’m looking forward to having the opportunity to swim again because it encourages me to stay healthy, physically and mentally. Going to swim practice is always the highlight of my day.”

First year Jon Broas from Winona, MN shares in van

Petten’s excitement in the season. He looks forward to working towards his goals of “placing and scoring points for the team at the conference meet.”

Although there are no competitions until January of 2021, Wyllie and the team still looks forward to having their championship meet that is currently scheduled for February 10-13 at Coe College.

“Our training, mindset, and end of the season goals will be the same, but it looks a little different.

Monday, September We will have to do a 22nd marked the lot more racing and start of the 2020 testing in prac tice Loras College without dual meets, swim team year. but it will almost be fun in a sense to just There will be no put our heads down competition until and train and be ready January 1st, 2020. to show off what we have been working on come Jan. We will take it one step at a time, but I believe we will still be very successful this season, said Wyllie.”

This season may look different than normal, but if anything is going to be true this year, it’s that the Loras swim and dive team will take on the challenges with resiliency and excitement that comes with the moments and hard work ahead.

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Tennis continues full steam ahead

Women split with Coe and Luther as Men prepare for Conference Tournament

by KONNOR BARTH sports writer

This season has been anything but conventional for all Loras athletics, with tennis being no exception. Yet even in the midst of all the chaos, the drive to improve and win has never wavered. With both men and woman active in some capacity this fall season, these competition-deprived athletes are all waiting for their chance to prove themselves.

On the woman’s side, their internal hunger was finally satisfied with their season opener at home against Coe College. From the start of this match the Duhawks wasted no time making it very clear that they had something to prove.

The Duhawks, with a mix of veteran leadership and underclassmen skill, came out of the gate sweeping doubles.

With the duo of senior Audrey Hinz and senior Maddie Smith at 1 doubles, the duo of sophomore Lauren Diiulio and sophomore Sara Backus at 2 doubles, and pairing of junior Noely Baumann and first year Clair Moore at 3 doubles, the team’s mix of experience and skill proved to be all they needed to get out to a 3-0 lead after doubles. Luckily, doubles only acted as foreshadowing for what was to come in singles.

Starting from top to bottom of the lineup, the Duhawks took 1,3,4,5, and 6 singles only dropping one matchup in total. The closest win for the Duhawks came at the 4 singles position with sophomore Sara Backus. After dropping the first 2-6, Backus came back to win the second set 7-6 thanks to a tiebreaker win for the set. All this led up to a third set super tiebreaker that Backus took, winning it 10-3 and with it also winning the match.

Another notable feat comes from

photo by LORAS COLLEGE ATHLETICS

Junior Noely Baumann sets up in the front court with her partner Claire Moore (not pictured) to receive an incoming serve to start a rally. This was taken during the women’s season opener against Coe College.

Moore winning both her 3 doubles and 5 singles matches to start her college career 2-0. These performances would all lead to not only a commanding 8-1 victory over Coe, but also a clear message being sent to the conference that this Duhawk team is not to be looked over.

Sadly for this Loras College women’s tennis team, their next match wouldn’t yield the same result. The second match of the season pinned them against Luther College. Luther was coming off of an ARC championship title last year, and the match truly showed the importance of fighting for every single point.

Loras went down early after the doubles matchups. Even with the 2 doubles team of Backus and Diiulio pulling off a close 8-7 victory, it wouldn’t be enough for the Duhawks as Luther won at 1 doubles and

edged out Loras at 3 doubles with a close 8-6 victory in their favor.

Going into singles the Duhawks knew they had some ground to make up, but just couldn’t seem to get traction against a tough Luther team. What sealed the fate of this encounter would turn out to be all of the close matches. With two separate singles matches being lost in a third set and the tight loss at 3 doubles, Luther

Women’s Tennis (1-1) will play at Buena Vista (00) on September 27th.

The men’s team will play in the ARC Individual tournament on September 26th in Des Moines

photo by LORAS COLLEGE ATHLETICS

Junior Joe Schneider prepares for the opposing team’s serve at the back line. The team looks to perform well this weekend at the Conference Tournament.

would take 3 out of 4 close matches. The only difference between a 5-4 victory and a 7-2 defeat for Loras was those matchups. Luther would go on the take this match-up 7-2 missing out only on the 2 doubles and the 6 singles flights.

Those 2 wins for Loras, however, will improve the doubles team of Backus and Diiulio to an impressive 2-0 start at the 2 doubles position. And as for Moore she still remains undefeated in singles for Loras as she also improves her record to 2-0.

The woman’s team will hope to regain their footing as they head into their next wave of conference matches, while in the meantime the men’s side are preparing for their only taste of competition this fall with the ARC individual conference tournament to be held in Des Moines on Sept. 26.

The men’s season this fall, for the most part, has been accompanied by an asterisk. Not knowing when or if they would be able to compete at all this fall. Instead of waiting around for competition, Coach Chad Fenwich took it upon himself to make sure the men’s team kept their competitive edge.

Coach Fenwich did this through the introduction of a challenge ladder that pits teammate against teammate as they all fight for a top spot. The rules were simple. If you win the match, you take the higher person’s spot. This seemingly trivial idea was exactly what the team needed. Now as the announcement of the ARC individual conference tournament being back on arrived, the team is prepared with numerous matches already under their belts.

Though only time will tell, it’s fair to say that this Loras College tennis program is determined and ready to make a name for itself as a top contender in the ARC this year.