November 19th, 2020 edition of The Lorian

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CREATING INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY

CHALLENGES OF A STUDENT ATHLETE

History professor discusses sacramental duty

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The art of balancing academics and athletics

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Nov. 19, 2020 — Vol. 99, Issue 7

The holidays are coming

White supremecy stickers found in Dubuque

by SERGIO PEREZ college diversity officer & advisor to the president

Duhawks – we are at the start of the holiday season and soon we’ll be able to joyfully celebrate sacred traditions with those most important to us. At Loras College, we know the importance of traditions with our annual celebrations of Turkey Day, Advent, and Christmas. What we often don’t realize is that there are days that hold joy and traditions for individuals who aren’t Christian. Some traditions include Diwali, the famed Indian “Festival of Lights” celebrating the victory of good over evil. Diwali was celebrated Nov. 14. Diwali is celebrated by many but primarily celebrated by members of the Hindu, Sikh, and Jain traditions. Our Buddhist siblings celebrate Bodhi Day on Dec. 8. Bodhi Day honors the day in which Siddhartha Gautama sat underneath the Bodhi tree and attained enlightenment officially becoming Buddha. Hanukkah is celebrated by the Jewish community starting on Dec. 10 through Dec. 18. This tradition commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, also known as the festival of lights. Kwanzaa is a week long tradition honoring African American/Black heritage from Dec. 26 through Jan. 1. The name Kwanzaa is derived from the Swahili phrase “matunda ya kwanza” meaning “first fruits of the harvest.” The celebration was first started after the Watts Riots in California. All this to say that there are so many different traditions and holidays in the coming days that we ought to be curious to learn more about them and make space for them alongside the holidays and traditions we hold close to our hearts. With so much division, a curious eye can help build bridges across different groups. No matter the traditions – so many faiths point to positive values, behaviors, and hopes for the future. While I don’t hold any particular faith tradition myself these days, I do know that any positive prayer, any positive celebration, any tradition and it’s hopes are a blessing I welcome, and all should welcome to their lives. Enjoy the holidays ahead of us and take time to get to know other traditions. Remember- a google search costs us nothing and can give us a key to a more loving and understanding world. Vamos Duhawks!

by EMMA HENNESSY staff writer

photo by JON QUINN

Sophomore Keegan Godwin administers a self-COVID test. COVID-19 has infected nearly 8,000 people in Dubuque County. The state of Iowa has recorded more than 191,000 cases since the global pandemic outbreak.

Vaccines on the horizon by JON QUINN

executive editor

A biotechnolog y f irm called Moderna has developed a vaccine that was found to be about 95 percent e f f e c t i v e i n p re v e nt i n g COVID-19. This is the second vaccine in the past week to have over 90 percent effectiveness. Pfizer, a pharmaceutical giant, was the first to report their vaccine last week. After 10 months of COVID-19 in the United States, we are seeing another surge in cases right when people are traveling for Thanksgiving, and other holidays. The vaccine is great news during a raging pandemic. “Today is a great day for science and humanity. The first set of results from our Phase 3 COVID-19 vaccine trail provides the initial evidence of our vaccine’s ability to prevent COVID-19,” said Dr. Albert Bourla, Pfizer chairman and CEO. Although these results from the vaccine come in the first interim analysis, the initial results are far better than expected. The FDA stated earlier that they’d be content with a 50 percent effectiveness. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) commented saying that he’d be happy with a 70 percent effectiveness. The testing of the vaccine enrolled 43,538 participants. Of those enrolled, only 94 individuals tested positive for COVID-19.

The Pfizer press release states “After discussion with the FDA, the companies recently elected to drop the 32-case interim analysis and conduct the first interim analysis at a minimum 62 cases. Upon the conclusion of those discussions, the evaluable case count reached 94 and the DMC performed its first analysis on all cases. The case split between vaccinated individuals and those who received the placebo indicates a vaccine efficacy rate above 90%, at 7 days after the second dose.” In the Iowa state alone, there is a record high for current hospitalizations for COVID-19 patients totaling 1,279. Dubuque C ounty currently has 50 individuals hospitalized. Unfortunately, Dubuque also has a test positivity rate of about 24.8 percent over a 14-day average. There are currently 3,082 active cases of COVID-19 in the Dubuque County, in addition to six long-term care facility outbreaks. The long-term care facilities include Dubuque Specialty Care (6 positives, 2 recoveries), Luther Manor Communities (76 positives, 18 recoveries), ManorCare Health Services (11 positives, 5 recoveries), MercyOne Dyersville Care (35 positives, 5 recoveries), Shady Rest Care Center (7 positives, 2 recoveries), and Sunnycrest Manor (21 positive cases, 18 recoveries). Free, local COVID-19 testing options include two Test Iowa clinics in Dubuque County for all Iowa residents. continued on Page 2

On Nov. 9, Dubuque authorities discovered white supremacist stickers at the McAleece Sports Complex and on lamp posts at The Veterans Memorial Parking Plaza in Chaplain Schmitt Island. These stickers were immediately removed. This act of vandalism was done by a group that has been labeled as a hate group by Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League. According to city officials, they are refusing to publicly identify this white nationalist group in order to avoid giving them the media attention they are looking for. “There is no place in our society for white supremacists and I condemn this behavior on behalf of the City Council and our community. Furthermore, to attempt to promote such an un-American concept near a veterans memorial is an affront to our veterans and their sacrifices to protect our nation,” Mayor Roy D. Buol states. “I disagree with the way the city is deciding to handle this situation, choosing not to publicly identify the group because they don’t want to give the white supremacist group the attention it seeks. It’s honestly the most disturbing way of handling this situation.” Junior Jailani Harris, President of the Loras Forward Thinking and an advocate for Black Lives Matter and Equality, gives her perspective: “the people of Dubuque who did not see the signs have no idea what the signs said or what group put them up. This is bad, we have no idea the kind of people we may be around…Proud Boys? The KKK? But I strongly believe that if the roles were switched, if a black man put up signs demonstrating hate toward white people, we’d be having a different conversation.” Harris goes on to say, “As a black woman studying here in Dubuque, I know that racism is everywhere. Day after day it gets closer to home. Honestly, I am just worried about my black and brown peers. I hope they stay strong during these hard times fighting against racism, a fight we won’t give up on.” This crime is still being investigated and anyone with any information is asked to call (563) 589-4410 or anonymously provide information at www.cityofdubuque.org/police.


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