January 30, 2018

JANUARY 30 - FEBRUARY 5, 2018

SPORTS

UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE

OPINION

PAGE 11

Men’s basketball splits weekend at home

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Op-Ed: The #MeToo movement doesn’t stop at Harvey Weinstein

Cha-cha into spring

Alaska remains No. 1 state for firearm deaths

PHOTO BY CHRISTIAN CIELO

Seth Venhaus and Michelle Holland demonstrating some salsa steps for the Latin dance night on Jan. 23 hosted by Student Activities.

By Malia Barto

arts2@thenorthernlight.org

No experience is needed for UAA Student Activities and Commuter Program’s upcoming Latin dance lessons, which will be held once a month until April in the Student Union cafeteria.‌ Teresa Perez, an event planner for Student Activities, wanted an event that got students moving and learning something new. She was inspired by the Latino Student Union to start the Latin dance lessons since LSU

often goes out dancing. ‌ “[The classes] are all beginner, nothing too complicated.

It’s all learning the basic steps and having fun with it,” Perez said.‌ The classes will happen on the third Tuesday, once a month, taught by instructors at Alaska Dance Promotions. The first class was held Jan. 23, where participants learned the salsa.

Perez said it went “really well” and that there were around 30 students who participated in the salsa lessons.

The remaining classes are

Feb. 20 where they will learn the bachata, March 20 is the merengue and April 17 is the cha-cha.

All lessons start at 7 p.m. and will run for one hour.‌ UAA junior Svetlana Suvorova, finance major, is looking forward to possibly attending some of the lessons if they work with her schedule.‌ Suvorova has some experience in choreography but said she has not practiced in a while,

SEE DANCING

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GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA

By Marie Ries

news2@thenorthernlight.org

On Jan. 10, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finalized their most recent statistics on firearm mortality in the U.S. In Alaska, 177 firearm related deaths occurred in 2016.

This is equivalent to about 23.3 deaths per 100,000 residents —

the highest rate in the nation.‌ In Alaska, the number of deaths is rising. In comparison to 2014 statistics, the absolute number of victims grew by 27 while the rate increased by 4.1 deaths per 100,000 residents. ‌ Nationwide, similar trends

SEE FIREARMS

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Theatre students debut ‘Earthquake ‘64’

Upcoming play focuses on impacts Good Friday earthquake had on state and nation

PHOTO COURTESY OF UAA DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE AND DANCE

“Earthquake ‘64” was built from scratch, from the script to the set, by UAA’s theatre and dance department.

By Joseph Diaz

jdiaz@thenorthernlight.org

The 1964 Alaska earthquake was the second most powerful earthquake in recorded history. thenorthernlight.org

The 9.2 magnitude earthquake left a lasting impact not only on the land it destroyed, but the people who experienced the disaster first hand.

The upcoming debut of the UAA Department of Theatre

and Dance’s “Earthquake ‘64” opens on Feb. 9, and will run until Feb. 18.‌ The play will focus not only on Anchorage and Valdez, but also other areas affected by the earthquake, such as Oregon, Hawaii and Japan. ‌ “We are not just necessarily telling one person’s story and experience, it is very much a collage of stories, ideas and events,” Brian Cook, assistant professor of theatre and director of “Earthquake ‘64,” said. “This is a project we created from scratch, so there was never a script to start off with, like with most plays.”‌ The show is meant to capture the stories of those who lived through the disaster, and it is bringing light to the stories of those who have survived other disasters.‌

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“It is funny, it is sad, you will laugh, you will feel mad about the things that happened, but you will also walk away with a new experience in your pocket,” Angela Colavecchio, theater major and production crew member, said.‌ The inspiration behind the play came from an experience Cook had with his mother one Alaskan summer.‌ “We went to Earthquake Park and we watched a documentary on the history and the science behind the 1964 earthquake. I thought that this would make an interesting show,” Cook said. ‌ “Earthquake ‘64” was devised in Cook’s ecology and dramaturgy course in spring 2017, and his theatrical devising class in the fall, and many of the 12 crew members were students in those two classes. Taran @tnl_updates

Haynes, theatre major, has been working on the play since its production began last year.‌ “We spent a lot of time going to the library and digging through documents and finding people to interview, and figuring out how to fit it all into a play,” Haynes said. “We see the earthquake as a sort of catalyst for change; we wanted to show how much of a mark the earthquake left.”‌ One of the first people the writers interviewed was Colavecchio’s grandmother, who lived through the 1964 earthquake, and her story was incorporated into the plot of the play.‌ “I always remembered her telling me about the earthquake when I was a kid, but to actually

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Drop, duck and cover: How to respond to future earthquakes

By Cheyenne Mathews cmathews@thenorthernlight.org

In the early hours of Jan. 23 many UAA students were awoken by a magnitude 7.9 earthquake 181 miles southeast of Kodiak, according to the Alaska Earthquake Center. The earthquake was followed by a tsunami alert that was sent to the Anchorage area, as well as areas closer to the epicenter of the earthquake.‌ Jody Inman, Associate Director and Operations Manager for University Housing, Dining and Conference Services, said the earthquake wasn’t serious enough to launch an emergency response.

If the earthquake had caused serious damage, Inman said officials at Housing Services would follow the UAA emergency operations plan.‌ “We have people who are trained here at housing who are called CERT members, and it stands for community emergency response team,” Inman said. “The CERT team members would start gathering and start to formulate a plan on how to see how many students are here, who

needs help immediately. They’re trained for light fire suppressions, so if there’s any kind of fires they would get fire extinguishers and help put out fires.”

Inman said that Housing Services employees would take directions from the emergency operations center. In an emergency, another response team, the post disaster assessment team, would inspect university buildings and decide whether they were safe to reenter. ‌ The emergency operations plan states that UPD officers will constitute a search and rescue team.‌ “Establish the police department as the Search & Rescue group under the Operations section. Responders could include the volunteer police auxiliary team, Campus-CERT, activated police officers, and the APD Search Team,” the plan states.

Inman said earthquakes in the winter are the natural disaster that worries him most. ‌ “If we lose heat, if we lose water, we’re going to be in a situation of having to try to get one of the buildings up that we can have heat in, that we can get everyone

into and keep them warm and then worry about restrooms and how to feed them...

That’s probably the one thing that keeps me up at night more than anything else,” Inman said.‌ After the 1964 earthquake, building codes adjusted to consider earthquake safety.‌ “[The Main Apartment Complexes were] built in 1984, so the codes were a little more strict about how to build and what kind of structure you can use, and what kind of bracing and all that,” Inman said. “I would say that they were built to a better standard than what buildings were in 1964 when our big earthquake hit.”‌ The residence halls were built in the late 90s and also follow a stricter set of regulations‌.

On the afternoon following the 7.9 earthquake, Natalia Ruppert from the Alaska Earthquake Center presented and

answered questions about the earthquake through Facebook live.‌ “[There were still] lots of human effects. Like after that tsunami warning was issued there were evacuation orders in Kodiak, so people had to get up in the middle of the night, sirens were really loud, so I think it was still… it had a huge human impact.”

The Alaska Earthquake Center was delayed in its response because of a power outage that was occurring at its location at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.‌ On Jan. 23, UAA published earthquake safety guidelines on the Green and Gold and reminded students to “drop, cover, and hold on!”‌ Last week’s earthquake comes as UAA arts students are putting the finishing touches on a new theatrical production called “Earthquake ‘64,” which debuts Feb. 9.

Alaska Alcohol Beverage Control Board votes to prevent distilleries from serving mixed drinks

By Mariah DeJesus-Remaklus mremaklus@thenorthernlight.org

On Jan. 23, the Alaska Alcohol Beverage Control Board voted 3-1 to approve new regulations prohibiting distilleries from serving and mixing cocktails.‌ These new rules would require distilleries to serve the alcohol separately from the non-alcoholic ingredients, such as orange juice or cream. It would be up to the customer to mix it.‌ A previous bill that was approved in 2014, House Bill 309, stated that distilleries could have tasting rooms and serve a “distillery’s product.” In late 2017, it was brought to the board’s attention that the bill did not specify what exactly that

meant.‌ Was a cocktail still considered a distillery’s product?‌ After months of discussion, the board decided that it wasn’t. In December, Alaska’s Alcohol and Marijuana Office received over 500 letters from Alaskans regarding the issue and Brandon Howard, co-founder of Amalga Distillery in Juneau, is one of the people who reached out to AMCO to express his disapproval.‌ “To be honest, I was not at all surprised... It’s upsetting but it’s also exactly what we expected,” Howard said.‌ Jeff Dumps lives in Fairbanks and has been in Alaska for 16 years. He says that “it’s a shame” more rules are being put in place.‌ “It’s ridiculous,” Dumps said. “Does

that generate more money for [the state]?

Does it do anything effectively to regulate something, like safety?”‌ A draft document of the regulation on AMCO’s website shows an amendment stating that “flavoring ethanol or alcohol that was not distilled in the distillery” would not qualify under a distillery license. It also includes language that says employees are unable to combine the alcohol with other products.‌ For Howard, it’s important to be part of the community. New regulations would affect businesses and consumers.‌ “People love their local breweries, they love their local distilleries. As a craft producer, we love being a part of our community,” Howard said. “It’s a part of our brand.”‌ Robert Klein is the ABC board chairman and also the CEO of the Anchorage Distillery. He did not participate in votes the board held and describes AMCO’s approach as “getting down to dotted i’s and crossed t’s.”‌ “I think there’s always been bar owners who didn’t like the idea that distilleries were serving drinks,” Klein said.

“That’s the contention and that’s what led AMCO to take a closer look at the language.”‌ Dumps also says that the growing popularity of distilleries may have played a role in tighter regulations.‌ “Bars had their, you know, liquor licenses, they were breaking in the money and then come along these distilleries and breweries that are popping up... I think what’s happening is that they’re taking some of that market share from the established liquor vendors and bars,” Dumps said.‌ It was House Majority Leader Chris Tuck who wrote the original bill in 2014.

Earlier this month, he proposed another,

GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA

HB 269, that would make amendments and allow distilleries to serve cocktails.

So far, 11 other representatives have sponsored the bill.‌ Howard says that he looks forward to it passing through legislation.‌ “I’m excited to move forward with getting HB 269 passed,” Howard said. “I think the goal is to keep our heads down and work hard on seeing the passage of that bill... As far as our business goes, I think it’ll be good for people to see how ridiculous it is for us to be serving and handing them a separate glass of gin and a separate glass of tonic.”‌ “I think it’s going to be ultimately up to people voicing their opinions to their representatives,” Dumps said.‌ It is unclear when Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott will be signing the regulation and, as of Jan. 26, a public notice has not yet been released by AMCO.‌ The first public testimony and hearing for HB 269 will occur on Jan. 30.

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2018

| 03

‘Know Your Status’ during FIREARMS: High numbers linked gonorrhea outbreak to lax regulations Continued from cover

GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA

Health professionals at UAA are targeting and treating sexucmathews@thenorthernlight.org ally transmitted disease at a free Know Your Status screening on The Alaska Department Feb. 13 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. at of Health and Social Services the Student Health and Counselwarned Alaskans to be aware of ing Center.‌ a gonorrhea outbreak in a press “On that date, students can release on Oct. 3. The release get gonorrhea, chlamydia [HIV said there was a 31 percent in- and syphilis] testing… men can crease in cases reported from do urine, women can do vaginal 2015 to 2016 and that the trend or urine and then we’ll do other continued into 2017.‌ sites also such as oral or anal de“During the first 6 months of pending on what sexual activ2017, there were 1,035 cases re- ity they’re having,” Betty Bang, ported,” the DHSS release said. family nurse practitioner, said. ‌ “More than half of those cases A typical test can cost any(56 percent) occurred in An- where from $12 to $24, dependchorage, and 58 percent were in ing on whether or not blood individuals aged 29 or younger.”‌ needs to be drawn, at the SHCC. Susan Jones, HIV/STD Pro- Know Your Status offers all gram Manager for the State of testing to students for free. ‌ Alaska, said the infection af“We’re going to encourage all fects all age ranges but particu- students to come to our healthy larly those in the college age de- sexuality resource fair and to the mographic.‌ free testing,” Bang said. “But “In 2017 we are probably go- don’t wait.”‌ ing to have more than 2,000 case Students can visit the SHCC reports of gonorrhea and that, any day to get tested and treated for us, is an outbreak and we for a sexually transmitted disdeclared an outbreak last year ease, and Jones recommends in the summer time because we that students get tested to slow had an increase in case num- the outbreak.‌ bers,” Jones said.‌ “If you think you are at

By Cheyenne Mathews

risk… get tested. If you have an infection, the only way that we can control the outbreak is to get everyone who’s been exposed to your infection to get them treated,” Jones said.‌ Gonorrhea and chlamydia are both treatable diseases but left untreated they can cause serious complications to both male and female reproductive systems.

Jones said there are several behaviors students could adopt to lower their risks of infection.‌ “[The] first piece of advice: don’t have sex. And if you are going to have sex, protect yourself,” Jones said. “There’s a whole range of behaviors that you can do to protect yourself: you can reduce the number of sexual partners you have, you can alter the type of sexual behavior you have so you’re not exchanging bodily fluids and putting yourself at risk for acquiring infection, you can use protection. Latex condoms are really good to protect [from] sexually transmitted diseases.”‌ Pregnant women can also pass the disease on to their children if left untreated.

can be observed. In 2014, the national average amounted to a rate of about 10 deaths per 100,000 residents; two years later, the rate increased by 2.

The recently finalized statistics prompted a response by the Violence Policy Center, a nonprofit organization advocating for gun control in the United States. In a press release from Jan. 17, the organization expressed severe concern about the rising gun death rate.‌ “Gun policy on the federal level, and in too many states, has gone in the wrong direction.

These numbers show that — as a nation — we are facing an escalating gun crisis,” Kristen Rand, legislative director of the VPC said. ‌ In the press release, Alaska’s gun violence prevention laws are described as “extremely lax.” ‌ Alabama and Louisiana placed second and third, with about 21 fatalities per 100,000 residents. Massachusetts registered the lowest rate in the United States at 3.4 fatalities per 100,000 residents. ‌ The VPC defines states with weak gun violence prevention laws as those that “add little or nothing to federal law and have permissive laws governing the… carrying of firearms.”‌ In the statement, the organization links the high victim numbers in these states to lax firearm regulations.‌ Dillon Pratt, aviation major at UAA, does not see a link between the legal setting and the state’s gun death rate. ‌ “I am not fond of the amount of attacks or killings that weapons have played a part in,” Pratt said. “People keep saying that we need to… stop selling [guns], but honestly, I don’t think that will help.”‌ Pratt does not believe that additional laws would solve the fundamental problem, stating

that with more restrictions, people would still find a way to acquire firearms. ‌ “New regulations might slow [the increasing gun death rate] down, but they won’t kill the situation,” Pratt said.‌ According to data of the American Journal of Public Health, about 56 percent of Alaskan households own a gun. ‌ Gabriel Garcia, associate professor of public health at UAA, regards the situation from a health expert’s perspective. He recognizes an increased probability for gun violence based on the permissive laws in Alaska.‌ “In public health, we are taught to make the healthy choice the easy choice,” Garcia said. “The alternative is certainly true as well; that is, when you make it easy to access products that can cause harm, there is greater likelihood that people will be harmed.”‌ Garcia believes that there is a high chance that those who own firearms can cause harm, intentionally or not.‌ Alaska’s suicide rate is an additional factor playing into the alarming numbers for gun deaths. The most recent annual report of the Department of Health and Social Services ranks suicide as the sixth most common cause of death in the state.‌ “It’s not just caused by a single factor, but rather various factors at multiple levels,” Garcia said. ‌ At the individual and interpersonal level, factors such as depression, substance abuse and social isolation can lead to suicide.‌ “At the environmental or macro-level, historical trauma, permissive gun laws, and lack of access to behavioral health services can contribute to the problem of suicide,” Garcia said.‌ The complete statistics for the firearm mortality rate by state can be found at cdc.gov.

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| 04

Generation Action fights against potential new discrimination laws

By Caleigh Jensen

cjensen@thenorthernlight.org

On April 3, Anchorage municipality residents will have the opportunity to vote on the ballot proposition known as Proposition 1. Prop. 1 is Anchorage’s form of the so-called “bathroom bill,” and will require citizens to use public bathrooms that match the gender on their birth certificate, rather than the gender they identify with.‌ The ballot was proposed by Jim Minnery, Alaska Family Council president, and based off a certified petition. The proposition, if passed, does not have direct language determining how it would be enforced.‌ A possible outcome would include enforcers checking a person’s original birth certificate before allowing them to enter public bathroom facilities. This creates further enforcement problems, as most people do not carry their birth certificates with them.‌ Planned Parenthood Generation Action - Students for Reproductive Justice at the University of Alaska Anchorage is strongly against the passing of Proposition 1.‌

Nile Morris, natural science major and secretary of Generation Action, views the proposition as unnecessary and discriminatory. ‌ “Proposition 1 is based on a false statistic. Zero transgender individuals have committed any crime within a municipal restroom in Anchorage, Alaska,” Morris said. “Proposition 1 is a waste of our communities valuable time and resources.”‌ The Anchorage Assembly passed non-discrimination laws in 2015 to protect equal treatment for the community. The equal rights ordinance laws protect the equality of Anchorage citizens, with focus on the transgender community. Since the implementation of the ordinance, there have been no reported problems with bathroom use.‌ Liz Rangel, junior psychology and languages major and incoming president of Generation Action, stands against Proposition 1 to continue to ensure the equal treatment of her peers and community.‌ “Prop. 1 directly attacks civil rights and public health. It’s discriminatory, dangerous, and we can’t allow it in our community, or our campus,” Rangel said.

“Generation Action won’t stand and watch our peers be attacked, and we hope other students won’t either.”‌ Generation Action strives to “achieve reproductive freedom,” as stated on their UAA organization page. As one of the few organizations on campus taking action, they wish to gain the support of as many UAA students as possible.‌ “It’s not equality if it isn’t for everybody,” Rangel said. “Our advocacy is intersectional, and everyone experiences different varieties of injustices. Right now, it’s Anchorage’s trans community that needs the public’s attention and support.”‌ The club hosted a campaign kickoff, as well as phone canvassing and other events. The kickoff sought to educate students on Prop. 1 and introduce ways their voices can be heard on the issue. ‌ “We hope through hosting a series of canvassing days on campus, we can make that more accessible to students,” Rangel said. “We’re passionate about our campaign, and are excited to share it with the rest of UAA.”‌ Generation Action members encourage students to take action by voting in April.‌

PHOTO COURTESY OF LIZ RANGEL

Members of UAA’s Generation Action club help with a rally prior to the Jan. 20 Women’s March in downtown Anchorage. The club is looking to raise awareness on the April vote regarding Proposition 1.

“The students at UAA have a responsibility to vote no on Proposition 1, and to protect those most vulnerable in the community,” Morris said. “Refusing to vote makes you complicit in advancing the potential for harm.”‌

Generation Action’s meetings, open to all students, begin on Friday, Jan. 26 from 11:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. in the Leadership Lab at the Student Union.

General Support Services: More than just a printer

PHOTO BY JOSEPH DIAZ

General Support Services is home to the Copy and Print Center as well as the Seawolf Postal Express. They are located below the UAA Bookstore.

By Joseph Diaz

jdiaz@thenorthernlight.org

Situated beneath the UAA Bookstore, General Support Services is home to the Copy and Print Center. The services provided here are more than just your average printer, providing students with the resources to print posters, stickers, business cards and more.‌ GSS is a service that is available to everyone, yet it is one that seems to go underused.‌ “We do get some external customers, but our primary customers are university departments,” Kim Stanford, director of GSS said.‌ The Seawolf Postal Express

offers most of the services that a normal mailing office would offer. They also sell mailing supplies such as stamps, boxes, tubes and tape.‌ The postal services have two morning and two afternoon routes that deliver university mail and pick up outgoing mail.

The Seawolf Postal Express can ship mail to anywhere around the world, just like a normal post office.‌ “We have freezers here for any fish that people want to ship, which is really nice for the summer when people go fishing,” Stanford said. “We get some really good discounts on FedEx, and anyone can use those services.”‌

Jules Mermelstein, electrical engineering major, has used the mailing services that the GSS provides.‌ “I go there once in a while to mail some things out,” Mermelstein said. “Living at the dorms it is nice because it is located on campus. It is just like an actual postal office.”‌ In addition to their mailing services, the GSS recently purchased an HP Latex 360 printer, allowing them to produce vinyl, canvas and fabric prints.‌ “We haven’t used it too much yet, as it is relatively new,” Stanford said.‌ The Copy and Print Center is also offering a new service called the digital storefront. Us-

ers will have access to all of the services they currently offer by making an account on their website.‌ “We wanted to make sure that it would work well, so we rolled it out softly so we can fix any glitches that come along,” Stanford said. “You are able to order all sorts of different products, from business cards to posters.

The best part is how simple it is.

You just have to upload whatever it is you want to have printed off and then you make your order and come pick it up when it is ready.”‌ The website is not yet able to accept credit cards, requiring payments to be made when a product is picked up from the office.‌ Mermelstein believes the print center could improve on their advertising to students.‌ “It is really convenient, but I don’t think many people know about it. It is right beneath the Bookstore, but it is just kind of out of the way and there aren’t any real clear signs that catch your eye,” Mermelstein said.‌ Stanford said that she and the GSS have been working on a way to better advertise themselves and are always looking for feedback.‌ “With everything we have and with our digital storefront being relatively new, we are always looking for ways to improve,” Stanford said.‌ Also provided through the GSS are their surplus sales, which are held at a warehouse near the University Center. Surplus sales are held every other

month to the public. The dates and location for the sales are posted on their website.‌ “There are all kinds of things from old filing cabinets to computers and chairs. The prices are nice, although some of them may be rather old,” Stanford said.‌ While mailing and surplus services get some general funding, the Copy and Print Center funds everything with the money they make. The center tries to keep their prices low to appeal to students.‌ “It is the kind of industry where the more sales you make, the lower we are able to keep our prices,” Stanford said. “It is challenging to keep your prices low if we don’t get any customers, and that is an issue we have been working with the last several years.”‌ If the print center does not have the equipment needed to do a job, they are able outsource projects to accommodate any need.‌ “We understand that we don’t have everything, so we are always willing to help complete any job that people may have for us,” Stanford said.‌ According to Stanford, one of the best things about the print center is the friendliness of the staff and the distance they are willing to go to be sure customers’ needs are met.‌ “Just know that we will take the time to help you,” Stanford said.‌ The Copy and Print Center and Seawolf Postal Express are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

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| 05

Preserving Alaska’s native culture Native Student Council engages community through strong cultural ties

By Caleigh Jensen

cjensen@thenorthernlight.org

Native Student Council, one of the UAA’s cultural organizations, focuses on community engagement, volunteering and collaboration. Through numerous events, they aide in the preservation and spread of Alaska Native culture.‌ Nearly every Alaska Native group is recognized in the council, from Yupik and Athabaskan, to Haida. Some Lower 48 tribes are also included, as well as non-natives and groups from countries outside of the United States. The Native Student Council is inclusive to anyone who wants to join, focusing on togetherness.‌ “We create a home away from home,” Aaron Tolen, anthropology major and president of the NSC, said. “It’s a place to come for information, but also to meet new people and make new friends that share an interest in the culture. We work to make students feel welcomed.”‌ From Inupiaq and Tlingit background, Tolen grew up very involved with Alaska Native culture in Nome and Ketchikan.

He joined the council four years ago, working his way up to the president position, which he’s held for two years. He runs many of the events that the NSC puts on.

Aside from their biweekly meetings, the Native Student Council host cultural events, one being dance groups. They feature volunteer community members from different regions of Alaska, who teach traditional songs and dances. Although the dance lessons are not offered due to schedule conflicts, the

PHOTO COURTESY OF UAA NATIVE STUDENT COUNCIL

Local dancers perform for the audience at the 2016 Giving Thanks Festival.

club hopes to have them up and running soon.‌ “They’re fun when we’re doing them, and I believe structure would help us gain ground and people,” Tolen said. “People who were not already a member of the NSC joined after participating in the dances. They promote engaged native culture on campus.”‌ The biggest event the Native Student Council puts on is their annual dance festival and potluck the week before Thanksgiving. The event features performances from up to five native dance groups from around Alaska. The festival is open to the public, and includes prizes and free food. Attendance has increased from years past, reaching as many as 500 people. The event has become so large that

native corporations such as the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation and Cook Inlet Region, Inc. have taken interest in getting involved.‌ The NSC is also involved with various community events, including both the Native Youth and Junior Olympics, the Alaska Federation of Natives, the Elders and Youth Conference and regalia shows, or fashion show-like events that showcase traditional Native clothing. These events help members of the council give back to the community.

“I joined NSC because I loved being involved and helping the native community. I have always wanted to do something that can make a change,” Sierra Daugherty, former president of the Native Student Council, said. “It is all a team effort, nothing is done

by oneself.”‌ Daugherty, from Alutiiq and Aleut background, was a part of the club for three years, one as president. Although she is no longer an active member, she still enjoys volunteering occasionally due to the long lasting friendships she created.‌ Community involvement has created a lot of opportunities for members of the council to get involved and positively represent their native culture. Olivia Shields, elementary education major, joined NSC in 2012. She held positions as a regular member, president and co-chair of the club. ‌ Although she is currently an inactive member of the council, Shields is holding a position as Miss World Eskimo Indian Olympics, and participating in

the Miss Indian World pageant.

These commitments allow her to share the culture she was fortunate enough to grow up around to others who did not have that privilege. Shields also believes that native people are often negatively stereotyped in the media.

Through her duties, she wishes to shed a more positive light on Alaska Natives. ‌ “Not everyone had the opportunity to learn their language, culture, dances and songs like I did,” Shields said. “ It’s important for Alaska Native people to see someone from their culture being successful and carrying on the cultural traditions and language. My position as Miss WEIO and participation in the Miss Indian World pageant have opened doors for me to reach more people.”‌ Shields is a very active member in the Anchorage community and beyond. Under her titles, she attends cultural events, visits local schools, creates YouTube videos for educational purposes, hosts and participates in dance workshops both in Alaska and the Lower 48, and volunteers in UAA native programs. ‌ “It’s been a lifelong journey of culture and language maintenance efforts,” Shields said. “It’s helped me as a person.”‌ The NSC meets every other Friday at 5 p.m. The location varies between the Cama-i Room in the Gorsuch Commons, The Native Student Services Lab in Rasmuson Hall, Room 108 and the Professional Studies Building, room 214 B.‌ Updates on the specific meeting locations, as well as other events and information are posted on their Facebook page, UAA Native Student Council.

06 | FEATURES

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2018

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2018

| 07

College Cookbook: Cafe Du DANCING: Monthly lessons inspired by Monde beignets at home

By Victoria Petersen copy@thenorthernlight.org

Over break, I toured America’s southeast, from Washington D.C. to the Big Easy, New Orleans. I waited in a long line for the famous French doughnut offered at Cafe Du Monde.

Their beignets are known worldwide and New Orleans has been serving them in the French Quarter since 1862. To satiate my cravings, I decided to make them at home. You can order their beignet mix online, or you can follow this copycat recipe I found through The Food Hacker. It will take a little bit of work, and unfortunately there’s no curb-side jazz music to accompany the wait for these powdered sugared morsels. You’ll need a frying pan. Cafe Du Monde frys their beignets with cottonseed oil, but any vegetable oil you want to use is fine.

Ingredients • 3/4 cup warm water (105 to 110 degrees)‌

• 3 1/2 cups flour‌

• 1 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast‌

• 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening, melted‌

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar‌ • 1/2 cup whole milk‌ • 1 egg, beaten‌ • 3/4 teaspoon salt‌

• Cottonseed oil, or vegetable oil of your choice for frying‌ • Plenty of powdered sugar to dust on top when complete

Directions 1. In a large mixing bowl dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let it sit for about 15 minutes until frothy.

2. Add the milk, egg and salt to the mixing bowl.

Whisk it together. Add in half of the flour and mix in with a large spoon. Mix in the shortening.

3. Add the rest of the flour and mix until you are able to knead dough with your hands. Put out on a floured surface and knead

PHOTO BY VICTORIA PETERSEN

until the dough is smooth.

4. Let the dough double in size in an oiled bowl, covered with plastic wrap or a damp cloth for an hour.

5. Heat 2 to 3 inches of oil to 370 degrees in a frying pan.

6. Roll out the dough on a floured surface until it is 1/4 inch thick. Cut the dough into 2 inch squares. Fry 3 to 4 squares at a time. Don’t fry too many at once or the temperature of the oil will fall and the beignets won’t turn out puffy. Drop each square into the oil and use a spoon to splash the oil on top of the dough as it floats. Do this for 45 seconds and then flip the beignet over and repeat the splashing on the other side. Keep flipping the beignet over until they achieve a golden brown color. This process should take about three minutes.

Place them on a plate covered with a paper towel to cool. Dust them with powdered sugar.

Latino Student Union Continued from cover making these lessons a good way to learn something new and get back into dancing.‌ Michael Stevenson, UAA public health grad student, said these lessons are not only a way for him to have fun with dancing but to also encourage and build a dancing community in Anchorage. Stevenson has nearly three years in dance experience in multiple genres of dance including tango, swing, salsa and ballroom-type dances. He

said that dancing was a way to relieve stress from working toward his degree and his job at the time and has since become “obsessed” with it. ‌ “We need to bring more activities such as dance... into UAA. It is an indoor activity that promotes health and wellness. It is a real skill that you can use well into your elderly years,” Stevenson said.‌ The lessons are free to all UAA students taking six or more credits with valid student ID.

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THENORTHERNLIGHT

TUESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2018

Get off the couch!

Free lectures, snowshoeing and ‘Harry Potter’ event

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EARTHQUAKE: Production begins Feb. 9

“Let Your Memoir Be Your Resistance”

TNL Staff

What: Author Yvette Johnson presents her book “Let Your Memoir Be Your Resistance,” a book about her journey to Greenwood, Mississippi to find more about her late grandfather, Booker Wright, and findings about what life was like for blacks in Greenwood.

When: Monday, Feb. 5 at 5 - 7 p.m.

Where: UAA Bookstore, The Loft Cost: Free and open to the public

Around town At UAA “Collective Impact: Bending Toward Justice” What: Marika Anthony-Shaw, creator of Plus1, will host a free keynote, talking about her experience working with philanthropic organizations and gives advice on how to get involved.

When: Thursday, Feb. 1 at 7:30 p.m.

Where: Wendy Williamson Auditorium Cost: Free and open to the public Paint Night

1 Million Cups - “Quick Cup” What: A weekly networking event that hosts a local entrepreneur who explains their local business or startup. “Quick Cup” is the startup featured, a technology that allows for individuals to purchase drinks ahead of time at various coffee shops. Free coffee provided.

When: Wednesday, Jan. 31 at 9 - 10 a.m.

Where: 1 Million Cups Anchorage (601 W Fifth Ave.), second floor, The Boardroom Cost: Free

What: Join Arctic Crown Canvas for another paint night at UAA. A step-bystep taught course, painters will be painting a mountain and tree scenery. Light refreshments will be provided.

When: Friday, Feb. 2 at 7 p.m.

Where: UAA Student Union Cafeteria Cost: $5 for students with valid UAA ID. $20 for general public. Tickets can be purchased at UAAtix.com

“Harry Potter” Book Night

Explore More: Snowshoeing

Birds & Brews

What: UAA’s newest activity series, “Explore More,” will start their first adventure snowshoeing. Rentals and transportation are free.

When: Saturday, Feb. 2 at 12 - 3 p.m.

Where: Snowshoeing at Hillside, but meet at the UAA Bookstore at noon.

Cost: Free for UAA students taking 6 or more credits.

What: Celebrate the 20th anniversary of U.S. publication, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.” Activities and crafts are a part of the book night and costumes are encouraged.

When: Saturday, Jan. 3 at 6 p.m.

Where: Barnes & Noble (200 E Northern Lights Blvd) Cost: Free, but must call to reserve spot(s)

What: Test your bird IQ with a bird ID and call quiz and drink craft beers at this event hosted by Audubon Alaska.

Any guests under the age of 21 must be accompanied by a guardian.

When: Tuesday, Feb. 6 at 5:30 - 7 p.m.

Where: Resolution Brewing Company (3024 Mountain View Drive) Cost: Free, beers for purchase

PHOTO COURTESY OF UAA DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE AND DANCE

Actors in “Earthquake ‘64” use cloth and unique dances to represent tsunamis and flooding on stage.

Continued from cover record that and put it in a play is a whole new experience,” Colavecchio said.‌ The play aims to express these emotions and experiences through visuals and movement.‌ According to Cook, one of the challenges in making a play revolving around an earthquake was finding out how to simulate an earthquake on stage. Challenges like this called for unique visuals.‌ “We kind of use our bodies as an instrument to relay a story, and it is something that I was new to, but it has turned out to be an absolute blast, and it is some-

thing I am excited to be doing,” Devan Hawkins, social work major and cast member, said. “It is very much a visual and a sensory experience.”‌ Cook and the cast meet four days a week to rehearse and work on the play.

Over the past year, hundreds of hours have been put into its creation.‌ “It has not always been easy,” Haynes said. “This has been a hard process... it has made both us and the play stronger as a result.”‌ “Earthquake ‘64” opens on Feb. 9 at the Mainstage Theater in the Arts Building. Tickets are available through ArtsUAA.com, and are $9.99 for students, $19.99 for adults and $14.99 for a military and senior discount.

A&E

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2018

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10 | A&E

THENORTHERNLIGHT

TUESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2018

Revenge is cold as can be in ‘Bad Day for the Cut’

By Jacob Holley-Kline Contributor

TITLE “Bad Day for the Cut”

DIRECTOR Chris Baugh

RELEASE DATE Oct. 20, 2017

COUNTRY United Kingdom

GENRE Thriller

For how gray the Irish revenge tale “Bad for the Cut” feels, it’s surprisingly black-and-white.

There are clear cut good guys and bad guys (and one woman), but who you root for depends on the time. Years before the movie starts, someone did something that later drives someone else to seek revenge. It’s this cycle, not its morality, that director Chris Baugh is interested in.‌ Even violence takes a back seat to these concerns. After I finished “Bad Day for the Cut,” I remembered it as brutal and gory. Looking back on it now, that’s only half true. The movie’s brutality is emotional and its gore is implied. It’s shown outright once, and even then only for a split second. Thanks to the cast’s enthralling performances, a split second is all it takes to rip

your heart in two. ‌ Nigel O’Neill leads the pack as protagonist Donal, the fiercely loyal son of Florence (Stella McCusker) who fills his days looking after his mother and their farm. One night, he drinks himself to sleep and wakes up to see a “fancy sort of boy” and his shadowy associate leaving his home. Inside, he finds his mother bludgeoned to death on the carpet, her mantle clock as the murder weapon. ‌ Donal tries to continue his life in the farmhouse until two masked men break in to finish the job. In one of the movie’s funniest scenes, the hitmen fail and only one is left alive. His name is Bartosz (Józef Pawlowski) and his sister, Kaja (Anna Próchniak), is being trafficked by the same people who murdered Florence. Him and Donal build an uneasy friendship, becoming something like family before things fall apart. ‌

Baugh blazes through their development with grindhouse efficiency, never lingering too long on a meaningful piece of dialogue or sentimental moment. Such expediency is good and bad. On the one hand, you get to the meat of the story quickly, but on the other, some of the characters feel undercooked. Kaja especially.‌ “Bad Day for the Cut” is an achingly melancholy story that’s funnier than it has any right to be. It can afford that humor, though, because it knows exactly what it is. It is not interested in violence, but the trauma it leaves behind. Plenty of revenge thrillers carry that message. Revenge is an empty pursuit, futile in its ends, but “Bad for the Cut” goes a step further: revenge is not only futile, it’s inevitable and endless. No matter who you gun down, there will be another to gun you down in kind.

SPORTS

THENORTHERNLIGHT

TUESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2018

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Men’s basketball hover near the end of GNAC standings

By Lauren Cuddihy

sports2@thenorthernlight.org

The UAA men’s basketball team was fortunate to have a home court advantage for the weekend of Jan. 25-27 that ended up in one win and one loss. ‌ The Seawolves beat No. 11 Concordia and lost to No. 1 Western Oregon. This was a quite a different turnout compared to the outcomes seen in last year’s mid-January matchups, with the Seawolves beating out both teams, Concordia by only 2 points (77-75) and Western Oregon by 8 points (81-73).‌ Their most recent weekend win against Concordia was only the Seawolves second win in the past seven games, with only a total of five wins in GNAC. ‌ “We stayed confident the entire time [during our four-game loss streak], we have shown that we can play and compete against anyone in the league,” Malik Clements, junior guard, said.‌ UAA started out on Jan. 25 with Concordia’s team traveling up to Alaska from Portland, Oregon. At the back of the GNAC standings, his game only extended Concordia’s streak of 15 losses. ‌ “[Concordia is], in a lot of ways, [similar to us] even though they have a few more losses than we do, but they’ve lost a lot of close ones lately, so I have a lot of respect for Coach Barbaric, he always gets his guys to play hard no matter what point of the season it is or how they’re playing,” Head Coach Rusty Osborne said.‌ However, Concordia’s loss wasn’t by much. UAA was only able to prevail over them by a meager 5 points.‌ Sophomore guard Jack Macdonald was able to see the most playing time of the night with a total of 31 minutes; senior guard D.J. Ursery played a total of 30 minutes. ‌ As the highest scorer for the night, Ursery managed to score 20 points and 6 rebounds. Ursery tied for the second highest rebounder with sophomore forward Curtis Ryan. Junior guard Josiah Wood accumulated 7 rebounds.‌ Ursery maintained his highest scorer status for the night, not only compared to the Seawolves but also of the Cavaliers, with only Concordia’s Bryan Michaels coming close at 15 points. ‌ Ursery was able to out-score everyone by at least 11 points, with Peterson as runner-up with

PHOTOS BY CHRISTIAN CIELO

Jack MacDonald defends against Darius Lubom from Western Oregon University during the game at the Alaska Airlines Center on Jan. 27.

9 points and Macdonald behind him with 8 points. ‌ These players were able to help maintain UAA’s total field goal percentage of 45.5 percent, with a 42.4 percent average in the first half and a 50.0 percent average in the second half. This out averaged Concordia’s by 5.1 percent overall. ‌ At halftime, the Seawolves were up 9 points, after scoring 34 while Concordia scored 25.

In the second half, the Cavaliers proved to be the higher scorers, but only missing the win by five points. Concordia finished off with 32 points in the second half while UAA managed 28. ‌ The outscoring by UAA in the first half solidified their largest lead, by ten points, when the Cavs were only at 21 while the Seawolves were at 31, their lead lasted for nine more points until the game tied at 40-40. Only four and a half minutes of the game were spent in a tie until the Seawolves returned to the lead, spending nearly 32 minutes in lead. ‌ “I thought that was a terrific team effort from our guys tonight, I was pleased with our interior defense, and we were able to get contributions up and down the lineup,” Osborne said.

“D.J. [Ursery] will have the scoring numbers that jump out at you, but it was because of efforts from people like Wood and Ryan that we were able to win this one.”‌ The Seawolves suffered a close loss on Jan. 27, trailing the No. 1 GNAC seed and No.

PHOTO BY CHRISTIAN CIELO

Josiah Wood passes to Curtis Ryan over top of Western Oregon’s defense. Wood and Ryan accumulated 6 and 7 rebounds respectively in the Jan. 25 game against Concorida.

6 national seed Western Oregon Wolves by ten points (62-72).‌ Senior guard and forward Drew Peterson scored a careerhigh 15 points over the duration of his 24-minutes of play time, being the highest scorer for the Seawolvess on Saturday evening. ‌ Clements scored a total of 14

points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists.

Ursery and Brian Pearson both accumulated ten points each, with Ursery picking up 3 assists.‌ The Seawolves saw a more successful turnover with a game average of 45.2 percent, higher than the 42.9 percent managed

by Western Oregon. ‌ UAA did not maintain a lead

at all during the game. Western Oregon led for nearly 39-minutes, and even had a 21-point lead in the second half. ‌ The Seawolves travel to Washington on Feb. 1-3 to play against Seattle Pacific and Saint Martin’s Universities.

SPORTS

THENORTHERNLIGHT

TUESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2018

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Seawolves face off with WCHA top seed UAA hockey challenges No. 1 Northern Michigan and themselves in weekend losses

By Lauren Cuddihy

sports2@thenorthernlight.org

Adding to their current loss streak, the Seawolves accumulated two more loses to extend their streak to four loses, since their win against AlabamaHuntsville on January 13. ‌ The Seawolves put up a fight on Jan. 26, managing to accumulate two points, half that of Northern Michigan’s final score.

On Jan. 27, the teams finished with a final score of 3-5.‌ The team and Head Coach Matt Thomas knew it wasn’t going to be an easy weekend but took it as a way to challenge themselves. ‌ “I think we had a good challenge coming in here, with an opportunity to play against a team that is obviously finding ways to win,” Thomas said.‌ These final scores are a much recognized improvement from last years dual against Northern Michigan in mid-January. The first game proved to be a complete blow-out, with the Seawolves losing at 1-6, the second game not much of an improvement at 0-4. ‌ In only one game this year the Seawolves managed to score more than they did in both games last year, with credit going to senior forward Alec Butcher for two points on Friday night during the 2-hour and 10-minute game. ‌ The Seawolves all together made drastic improvements from the dual they had last year, as seen by assistant coach Louis Mass.‌ “[Attitude] is the thing, especially with having a lot of young guys on the team, it’s a big step for them, learning how to be resilient in the situation they’re in and learning how to power through it,” Mass said.‌ However, those goals were not accumulated until late in the game when Northern Michigan already had a two point lead over the Seawolves. NMU initially scored quick, only a minute and a half into the first period with a goal from Luke Votlin.‌ They scored again towards the end of the second period, by Zach Diamantoni. ‌ Their final two points were staggered between UAA’s point accumulations in the third period, with credit going to Troy Loggins and Adam Rockwood.

Rockwood scored with only one second remaining in the game, to further extend their lead. ‌ The Seawolves not only scored less on Friday night, but they also attempted less shots, in attempt to keep their defense up to battle NMU’s aggressive offense. UAA managed to accumulate seven, six and seven shots for each period, respectively, finishing with a total of 20 attempts. ‌ Northern Michigan out-shot the Seawolves with a total of 30 shots by the end of the game, this added up with seven, 12 and 11 per period. ‌ While NMU focused on their

PHOTOS BY CHRISTIAN CIELO

Jonah Renouf calls to teammates for the puck during Jan. 27’s game against Northern Michigan. Jonah Renouf assisted in Nathan Renouf’s second period goal.

PHOTO BY CHRISTIAN CIELO

Brandon Switzer fights for the puck with Northern Michigan’s Robert Fosdick.

offense, UAA goaltender Olivier Mantha had to be at the top of his game, ultimately finishing with 26 saves. Mantha finished with eight more saves than Northern Michigans’s goaltender Atte Tolvanen. ‌ “[In order to keep the morale up] I think you just have to keep working, we have to keep working and working, that’s the only way to get a win, that’s the only way you get those chances,” Mantha said.‌ Just as the Seawolves put up a fight on Thursday, they came back with the same demeanor on Saturday evening. ‌ Earning one more point than they did on Thursday, UAA came back and challenged NMU, finishing with a final score of 3-5.

Although finishing out with two losses, the Seawolves managed

to score a total of five points on the No. 1 WCHA seed, and No. 20 Div. II seed, over the course of the two games. ‌ Although two losses, the Seawolves put up a fight.‌ “We are trying to find the right set of guys that will have the right attitude going into the night each and every time, we have to have the attitude that they are in our way and we have to play harder than the other team,” Thomas said.‌ The Seawolves initially suffered Saturday evening, with NMU attacking early to pick up a 3-0 lead in the first period.

Northern Michigan was able to utilize the Seawolves losses, when freshmen defensemen Aaron McPheters managed a five minute penalty a minute and a half into the game.‌

It wasn’t until half-way through the second period that UAA got a couple points on the board, and then again late in the third period. ‌ These points can be credited to junior forward Nicolas ErbEkholm, sophomore forward Nathan Renouf and Butcher. ‌ Erb-Ekholm was the first to score, with an assist from Butcher and Jarret Brown, to kick off the points for the Seawolves. Soon after, the Renouf twins came through with an assist from Jonah Renouf and Trey deGraaf to let Nathan Renouf get a point in. ‌ Nathan Renouf’s goal was just his second goal of the season. He was able to attempt two shots, being successful with one.‌ The team as a whole was outattempted by NMU, with the

Seawolves producing 10, five and eight attempt, in each respective period, in comparison to NMU’s 10, eight and nine. ‌ However, with only five attempts in the second period, UAA was successful with two of them, producing a 40.0 percent score average in that period and a 13.0 percent average overall. NMU had their highest average in period one with a 30.0 percent, and an 18.5 percent for the entire game.‌ Mantha was at the net again, accumulating a total of 22 saves, compared to NMU’s 20 saves. ‌ The Seawolves will be back in action on Feb. 2-3 in Minnesota, against Minnesota State, Mankato.

OPINION

THENORTHERNLIGHT

TUESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2018

| 14

Aziz Ansari is guilty, but so are we

PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID SHANKBONE

Aziz Ansari is facing sexual assault allegations after an anonymous article recalled an encounter with the actor.

By Mariah DeJesus-Remaklus mremaklus@thenorthernlight.org

Earlier this month, babe.net published a story about a woman named “Grace” whose date with actor Aziz Ansari was “the worst night” of her life. She had recounted the first time they’d met and then her night with him, describing their dinner and later, the sexual encounter at his apartment building that left her feeling violated.‌ The responses to Grace’s story have been a mixed chorus of support and dissent, but there is a common theme among the voices: our society has difficulty deciding who was wrong and why.‌ We only have ourselves to

blame for that.‌ Much of the outcry has been directed at Grace and her inability to refuse Ansari’s advances.

She should’ve “just said no” or simply left, some say, but it’s never been that easy.‌ Allegedly, Grace used both verbal and non-verbal cues to express her discomfort and Ansari either didn’t notice or didn’t care. At one point, she said she didn’t want to feel forced and he responded with, “Oh, of course, it’s only fun if we’re both having fun.”‌ In 1999, Celia Kitzinger and Hannah Frith published an article in Discourse and Society, an international social science journal, about analyzing conversations and communication

in sexual refusal. After drawing from other studies and collecting their own data from focus groups of 58 female school and university students in the U.K., they concluded that women find it hard to “just say no” and this can actually be true in any context. People can experience difficulty rejecting offers or invitations and doing so nicely seems to be part of etiquette.‌ Kitzinger and Frith also wrote that: “[both] men and women have a sophisticated ability to convey and to comprehend refusals, including refusals which do not include the word ‘no’, and we suggest that male claims not to have ‘understood’ refusals which conform to culturally normative patterns can only be heard as self-interested justifications for coercive behavior.”‌ This, coupled with gendered social norms and expectations has misconstrued people’s definition of sexual misconduct and enthusiastic consent.‌ We use verbal and non-verbal cues in our everyday lives in a variety of circumstances. Ansari should not be given a free pass for supposedly missing Grace’s repeated cues, and people should not blame her for feeling pressured and unable to give explicit refusal.‌ For a long time, we’ve expected women to overlook their uneasiness, just as we’ve allowed men to be part of it.‌ A woman’s lack of explicit refusal is often interpreted as consent and then later, after she speaks up about it, it’s seen as an

indication that she was just weak and couldn’t stand up for herself.

But at what price should a woman give a man sexual pleasure?‌ People have said that Grace’s story discredits the #MeToo movement and those who have survived serious cases of sexual assault. Perhaps we need to ask ourselves why we are discrediting her experience. Is it only rape or sexual assault if the victim is screaming and fighting back or unconscious?‌ Let’s stop paying attention to what Grace did or did not do. Instead, evaluate the widespread discussion that this story has sparked and find out what can be fixed.‌ Don’t define a person’s experience and dismiss it as just a “bad date”; listen to them. Our society has just witnessed the Weinstein effect and the sentencing of former sports doctor Larry Nassar. Is it really appropriate for us to be invalidating young women’s experiences?‌ Don’t talk; listen and address it properly. Ansari did.‌ Don’t call out only the really bad, obvious predators; take every encounter into consideration and wonder why a man’s desire takes precedence over her feelings.‌ #MeToo is not about how we define sexual assault or misconduct. It’s about how we look at the experiences of those who spoke out against Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey and Ansari, and ask ourselves what is going to be done about it and why it matters. Why do these events

happen? How do we support our fellow men and women to create a culture of respect and understanding?‌ Many women have publicly empathized with Grace’s experience. This shows that what some might dismiss as a “bad date” is representative of rape culture, where men aren’t aware or asking if their partner is okay and women find themselves unable to be more assertive. ‌ We all would like to think we’d handle a situation like this properly but reality does not always work that way. For those of us asking why Grace didn’t do this or that, why she stayed, why she went on a date and didn’t expect it “to go somewhere”… we need to be asking questions of Ansari.‌ Ansari may not have aggressively forced her to stay and he may not have had nonconsensual sex with her, but he still ignored her discomfort. He still didn’t stop to make sure what they were doing was okay. He still did not show an ounce of respect for her sexual boundaries.

Though his intentions might not have been malicious, that does not mean his actions weren’t wrong.‌ This has to change. ‌ We need to educate ourselves and each other. In order to prevent unwanted sexual encounters and combat rape culture, we have to invest in proper sex education and revisit the notion of respect.‌ Until then, we have no one to point fingers at but ourselves.

Senate filibuster needs to be abolished

By Caleb Berry

cberry@thenorthernlight.org

In the practice of creating political spectacles, there is no technique more spectacular or theatrical than the filibuster.

The mere threat by a lone senator to filibuster has been enough to stop bills in their track. While dramatic, filibusters are also a dangerous tool that, when abused, threaten the function of the government, the purpose of Congress and the democratic process itself. The recent 2018

federal government shutdown is evidence of the obstructive nature of senate filibusters and illustrates that the concept has no place in an effective assembly. ‌ The filibuster is an obstructive tactic used to keep a measure from being voted on upon the floor. A filibuster usually takes the form of either a lone senator or a coalition of senators extending debate on a measure to an extreme length in an effort to fatigue the opposition.

According to Rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the United States Senate, a supermajority of three-fifth of the senate quorum is required to end a filibuster.

This means that, assuming all 100 members of the Senate are present for session, 60 senators are required to agree to bring the debate to a close, before the filibuster can be ended. ‌ The filibuster process is an absurd tool used by those who wish to use underhanded tactics to fatigue their political opposition rather than subsistently argue the merits of the bill being

considered. In September 2013, Sen. Ted Cruz from Texas delivered a 21 hour speech prior to a vote to fund provisions allotted under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. For 21 hours Cruz delayed business on the Senate floor as he discussed everything from his constituents to Ashton Kutcher. Cruz talked about life, his family and in between discussing topics relevant to Congress read Green Eggs and Ham to his daughters on live television. It was a waste of time.

If a senator disagrees with the Affordable Care Act that is acceptable, but the senator should make intelligent and dignified arguments to fight efforts that are disagreeable instead of resorting to outlandish theatrics in an attempt to wear out political opponents. ‌ While leaders of both parties have recently negotiated to pass a bill to temporarily fund our government, it is unfortunate that the matter is not fully resolved. The shutdown happened

after leaders in the democratic party, chiefly Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, encouraged democratic senators to invoke a filibuster to stall a vote on a bill to fund the federal government. The democrats main motivation to invoke the filibuster to stall a vote on the bill was because the bill did not included a satisfactory solution concerning Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. ‌ Regardless of one’s opinion on DACA, or any other political issue, there is a way to go about conducting the business of government in a dignified and open way. It can be appreciated that we have democratic senators that want to keep the DACA program funded but the strategies they employed to go about this task are underhanded and have produced negative consequences. This shutdown has affected nearly a million government employees. Furloughs have been issued, soldiers have worked and trained without pay, students here on this campus have had

their livelihoods affected.

If democratic senators do not wish to vote for a bill to fund the government that does not include provisions to fund DACA, then they should allow the bill to go to the floor and vote no on it. Instead, a coalition of members from the minority party have banded together to keep a bill to fund our federal government from even reaching a point where it can be voted on. The filibuster process essentially allows a minority of congress to hold the Senate hostage. It is wrong to do this and members of both major parties are guilty of this.

The solution is simple, the Standing Rules of the United States Senate should be amended to implement standard time limits for debates on motions.

This would ensure that senators have a reasonable amount of time to speak about important business but not delay the democratic process. ‌

CONTACT

THENORTHERNLIGHT

TUESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2018

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