April 25, 2014

The Oberlin Review

APRIL 25, 2014 VOLUME 142, NUMBER 22

Local News Bulletin News briefs from the past week Hair Recycling The Resource Conservation Team hosted a hair recycling event this Tuesday, during which student stylists gave their peers free haircuts. The chopped locks will be donated to the Matter of Trust organization, which then ships the clippings to manufacturers throughout the U.S. who weave them into mats that effectively soak up oil from oil spills.

Cleveland Contender for 2016 DNC The Democratic National Committee may host its 2016 convention in Cleveland, an endeavor that would cost the city between $55 and $60 million.

The biggest factor in the decision is the city’s facilities, including the number of available hotels for visiting officials and media personnel.

Oberlin Autism Film Festival The College will host its first-ever autism film festival in the Nancy Schrom Dye Lecture Hall this weekend. In an effort to raise awareness about autism, films addressing the autism spectrum will be screened. The festival will showcase Mary and Max starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Adam starring Hugh Dancy, OC87 starring director and writer Bud Clayman and Autism in Love starring R.V. Kuser. A 10-minute discussion will follow each film, during which students and faculty members are invited to examine how the media’s depiction of autism affects societal perception of the disability.

Sources: Oberlin Events Calendar, The Chronicle, www.MatterofTrust.org

Mock Headlines Queerfest Programming Elizabeth Dobbins Staff Writer Despite many successes across the board, such as bringing world-famous trans* advocate Janet Mock to speak on Tuesday, Queerfest organizers are concerned that this year’s events will go under-attended.

This year marks the first that students do not need to attend a Queerfest event in order to obtain a ticket to Drag Ball, which punctuates the weeklong series of workshops celebrating LGBTQ identities.

“I sincerely hope that people attend Queerfest events regardless of the voucher situation, as it is vital that our community educate itself about queer and trans* issues,” said College sophomore Kaïa Austin in an email to the Review. “I hope that Drag Ball will continue to be an affirming and validating space for people with non-normative gender identities, and would like to see Oberlin as a whole become more affirming.”

College senior Ale Requena Ruiz is not so optimistic, and instead believes that this change undermines the educational purpose of Queerfest events.

“I hope that people who go [to Queerfest events] just to get a voucher do actually end up learning things from these events,” Ruiz said. “Yesterday I was at the Feve, for example, and someone was like ‘Yeah, you don’t even have to go to a Queerfest event

American trans* rights activist, author and former staff editor of People magazine’s website visited Oberlin on Tuesday as a part of her “Redefining Realness” book tour. During her talk, Mock discussed her experience as a trans woman of color and a best-selling author.

Claire Morton

in order to get a voucher to go to Drag Ball, so you should definitely go to Drag Ball,’ and it’s like, well, you’re kind of missing the point.”

Drag Ball, a perennially popular Queerfest event, is what many students consider to be Queerfest’s main attraction.

Described as an opportunity to “playfully resist gender norms” and speak to “the legacy of activism at Oberlin” by the College’s website, this year’s Drag Ball will boast an astrological theme, and

See page 3

is set to feature Milk Queen from Season six of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Princess Nokia (also known as Wavy Spice), La’Fem Ladosha and Macy Rodman, the currently-reigning Mrs. Williamsburg.

Another highly-anticipated event was a talk by author and trans* advocate Janet Mock, who visited campus last Tuesday to discuss her road to womanhood and self-acceptance.

“I’ve read so many amazing things about Janet Mock on the internet, and I think she’s in-

credible. … I’m really excited to be here,” said College junior Una Creedon-Carey.

Mock, the author of the book Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love & So Much More, is a trans woman and vocal advocate for trans* rights.

Since she publicly came out as a trans woman in 2011, Mock has worked to build awareness around issues trans* people face and encouraging trans women to See Queerfest, page 4

Yedes Fires Back Against Murder Plot Allegations Rosemary Boeglin Editor-in-Chief Muslim Religious Life Affiliate and member of the Comparative Literature and French departments Ali Yedes has been accused by fellow Oberlin faculty member Samir Amin Abdellatif, visiting assistant professor of Arabic, of plotting murder, forging academic credentials, spying on Jews and attempting to bribe a teaching assistant into marriage.

Yedes is fighting back against these allegations, filing a complaint in the Lorain County Court of Common Pleas last Thursday against Abdellatif for two counts of defamation as well as intentional infliction of emotional distress.

The suit takes as its primary concern the claim that Abdellatif publicly hurled injurious and libelous claims at Yedes, resulting in irreparable damage to his reputation and, he claims,

threats on his life. Yedes is seeking a trial by jury and compensatory damages in excess of $25,000.

This case, which has received national media attention from outlets such as Slate and Gawker, is the most recent development in a larger dispute within the shared Arabic and French departments that dates back nearly a decade.

Associate Professor of French and Cinema Studies Grace An filed a lawsuit against the College last month claiming that Yedes has targeted her repeatedly since 2006. An claims the harassment — which includes Yedes allegedly bringing his nephew on a student visa to the U.S. to “stab and kill someone from his department” — was based on her gender and therefore in violation of her employment contract. She is also asking for a trial by jury and compensatory relief exceeding $25,000.

The defendant in the most recent suit, Ab-

Grape Founder Found We finally tracked down the founder of The Grape.

ESTABLISHED 1874 oberlinreview.org

ONLINE & IN PRINT

dellatif, has filed numerous complaints with the College against Yedes during his tenure here, though no lawsuits to date.

This is Yedes’s second suit pertaining to the extended conflict. He filed a suit against the College and former French Department Chair Matthew Senior on March 23, 2012, claiming, among other things, that he was subjected to a hostile work environment because of his race, religion and national origin. The case was eventually dismissed.

For its part, the College has remained tightlipped about the conflict, despite numerous attempts over the last several years to resolve it, all of which, including the hiring of an outside mediator, has proven to be unsuccessful. According to Oberlin Director of Media Relations Scott Wargo, the College will neither comment on pending or ongoing investigations nor on “personnel issues.”

from the Batter Up! Sound and Fury OSlam! members roused the Lord Lounge crowd with intense slam poems.

See page 12

INDEX:

Opinions 5

This Week in Oberlin 8

Spring intramural softball was back in full swing this weekend.

See page 16

Arts 10

Sports 16

WEB

All of the content you see here is also available on our new, redesigned website.

Check back for the latest stories, interactive polls and content from the archives.

Visit oberlinreview.org.

News

Page 2

Oberlin First North American City Designated Climate Positive

The Oberlin Review, April 25, 2014

Feature Photo: Oberlin Community Benefits Coalition Promotes Diversity

Felicia Heiney Although the attention surrounding Oberlin’s switch to carbon neutrality has largely dissipated, the city’s drive toward sustainability is still in the works. Perhaps the city’s largest accomplishment to date is its designation as the first North American city to become a Climate Positive Participant, a title given by the Climate Positive Development Program.

Started by C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group in partnership with the Clinton Climate Initiative in 2009, the CPDP promotes largescale development projects that aim to drive economic growth, meet sustainability targets and fully eliminate greenhouse gas emissions.

According to the CPDP website, the program was founded on the notion that climate change reform must match the rapid increase of urbanization.

“Last year, for the first time, half the world’s population lived in cities,” the website states.

“That figure is expected to grow to 70 percent by 2050. Current urban development patterns will not sustain the projected growth: They must be reinvented.”

Once accepted into the program, each city receives a specific framework that outlines four stages and ensures that cities integrate the Climate Positive goal into their development plans. Each framework takes into account the distinct economic, political and climate challenges of the individual city. After a city has completed the fourth phase, it should effectively produce a net-zero worth of greenhouse gas emissions.

As of last year, Oberlin has officially reached the second stage of its predetermined framework, rendering it the first city in North America to have submitted a strategy. To date, four other cities have achieved the status of Climate Positive Participant: Sydney, Australia; Melbourne, Australia; London, United Kingdom and Sonderborg, Denmark.

The city of Oberlin aims to reach climate positivity by 2050.

The Oberlin Project, which ensured that the city became a Climate Positive Participant, was founded by Paul Sears Distinguished Professor of Environmental Studies and Politics and Special Assistant to the President of Oberlin College David Orr to help the city reach its goal of full-spectrum sustainability.

“The Oberlin Project is helping to implement strategies focused on areas where we have some leverage, such as food and housing,” said David Gard, executive director of the Oberlin Project.

The project is funded by a number of nonprofit foundations dedicated to environmentalism, such as the Kresge Fund, the Joyce Foundation, the Gund Foundation and the Rockefeller Brothers Foundation. The project is specifically involved with the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, which provides it with resources such as informative webinars, conference calls and connections to other cities attempting to reduce their own environmental impact.

Oberlin community member Arlene Dunn presents at one of this week’s Oberlin Community Benefits Coalition meetings.

The coalition held two meetings, during which students, faculty and community members gathered to discuss the coalition’s plans for its recently drafted Community Benefits Agreement. According to Tuesday’s presentation, the CBA is a legally enforceable agreement that serves as a pact between a developer and a community. The agreement will cover major development and construction projects and attempts to assure that tangible economic benefits will accrue for all segments of the community. During the presentation, the coalition listed its objectives for the CBA, the most prominent of which is a partnership with Oberlin City Schools. The group has high hopes that this collabortion will accomplish the coalition’s goals, including local hiring that represents the diversity of the community with a focus on the disadvantaged and unemployed, contracting of local, minority-owned and female-owned businesses for all phases of construction, development of a mentorprotégé program for small subcontractors and local purchasing of materials and services. According to the coalition, this agreement will produce a large range of benefits for the community, such as a raise in the city’s average standard of living, a proliferation of local wealth through local purchasing, the strengthening of the relationship between community and schools and the expansion of career possibilities for students of all races and genders. The coalition is currently seeking a partnership with the school board to incorporate a CBA into all development contracts for design and construction and will continue to work toward rallying support for the ballot measure for levy in November.

Photo by Effie Kline-Salamon, Photo editor

As a direct extension of this relationship, representatives from ProjectZero in Sonderborg, Denmark, visited Oberlin earlier this month in order to share their own experiences as Climate Positive Participants. During the meeting, the representatives told students and faculty what practices and initiatives have worked for them and how they can learn from each other’s experience to reach their goals in the most efficient way possible.

Despite the support that it has received along the way, the sustainability initiative is still expected to encounter several obstacles.

“People are naturally wired for short-term thinking,” Gard said. “We pay most attention to what’s right in front of us and tend to neglect longer-term, important issues.”

As of now, the College is set to reduce its emissions of carbon and similar greenhouse gases to approximately 7,000 metric tons by 2025, though it has pledged to reduce emissions to zero. This shortcoming is due in part to the College’s decision not to invest in global projects using existing voluntary carbon markets. “[The College wants to] keep sustainability

The Oberlin Review — Established 1874 —

Volume 142, 140, Number 22 2

(ISSN 297–256)

April 25, 2014

Published by the students of Oberlin College every Friday during the fall and spring semesters, except holidays and examination periods.

Advertising rates: $18 per column inch. Second-class postage paid at Oberlin, Ohio.

Entered as second-class matter at the Oberlin, Ohio post office April 2, 1911.

POSTMASTER SEND CHANGES TO: Wilder Box 90, Oberlin, Ohio 44074-1081.

Office of Publication: Burton Basement, Oberlin, Ohio 44074.

Phone: (440) 775-8123 Fax: (440) 775-6733 On theOn web: thehttp://www.oberlinreview.org web: oberlinreview.org

investments within the greater Oberlin community,” said Tani Colbert-Sangree, OC ’13, and carbon management fellow of the Carbon Management Fund.

While Colbert-Sangree’s position as carbon management fellow is supported by the Oberlin Project, the funding for the projects he is working on comes from a waivable semesterly fee on the term bill added to the previously existing GreenEDGE Fund Fee. Sixty-five percent of the student body voted in favor of adopting this monetary addition in order to offset carbon emissions from student transportation to and from campus. This additional $10 fee is expected to raise approximately $25,000 a year to be used toward local offset projects.

One of the Carbon Management Fund’s additional initiatives is to reforest 20 acres of land north of the North Fields solar array in order to absorb some of the remaining carbon output of the College and nearby areas.

In Professor John Petersen’s Systems Ecology course, students gathered data from the adjacent 55-year-old forest, whose species makeup is anticipated to be akin to the new forest

Rosemary Liv Boeglin Combe Allegra JuliaKirkland Herbst Samantha Julian Ring Link RosemaryKate Boeglin Gill Madeline Alex Howard Stocker Opinions editor SophiaWill Ottoni-Wilhelm Rubenstein This Week Weekeditor editor Zoë Sarah Strassman Snider Arts editors Phoebe Kara Hammer Brooks Anne Georgia Pride-Wilt Horn Sports editors Nate Quinn Levinson Hull Madeleine SarahO’Meara Orbuch Layout editors Abby Tiffany Carlstad Fung Ben TaliaGarfinkel Rodwin Alanna Sarah Sandoval Snider Photo editors Effie Kline-Salamon Olivia Gericke BrannonRachel Rockwell-Charland Grossman Online editor Business manager Jesse Alanna Neugarten Bennett Editors-in-chief Editors-in-Chief

Managing editor News editors

that has been planted. The students found that the adjacent forest absorbs approximately 120 tons of carbon dioxide each year.

Assistant Professor of Geology Amanda Schmidt’s course is another example of CMF providing research projects for students. One group of students in Applied Geographic Information Systems analyzed the soil of Lorain County to begin the process of creating a carbon soil map. This map allows people like Colbert-Sangree to focus their carbon-reducing efforts on zones that have greater capability to absorb carbon and accurately measure carbon removed from the atmosphere by these carbon offset projects.

According to Gard, some of the changes the Oberlin community can expect to see by 2050 are more farmers growing fruits and vegetables and raising livestock; more community and home gardens; a greater presence of energyefficient buildings; fewer cars on the road; more alternative, environmentally friendly forms of transportation; a more vibrant local economy and lower unemployment rate; and a more waste-conscious mindset.

Ads manager Alex Abromowitz Curtis Cook Business Online editor manager Simeon Savi Sedlacek Deutsch Ads manager Technician Mischa Reshard Lewis-Norelle el-Shair Production manager Sophia Rosalind Bamert Black Production staff Stephanie DanaBonner Belott Emma Abigail Eisenberg Bisesi Louise Taylor Edwards Field Katherine Alice Hamilton Fine Hazel Julia Galloway Hubay Annelise Tracey Giseburt Knott Kiley Noah Petersen Morris Anna Lydia Peckham Smith SilviaErin Sheffield Tesny Bennett DrewWalls Wise Distributors Joe Eliza Camper Kirby Edmund Joseph Dilworth Metzold James Sam White Kuntz

Corrections Corrections: TheisReview is notofaware of The Review not aware any corrections any corrections this week. this week.

The Review strives all The Review strives to print to allprint information as information as accurately as possible. accurately as possible.

If you feel the Review If you feel the Review has made an has made an error, please send an email to error, please send an e-mail to managingeditor@oberlinreview.org. managingeditor@oberlinreview.org.

News

The Oberlin Review, April 25, 2014

Page 3

John Byrne, OC ’03, Former Editor-in-Chief of the Review, and Founder of The Grape and The Raw Story Before Greg Walters, OC ’03, spoke to the Review about his experience working as a journalist in Moscow earlier this month, he indulged a question about the origins of The Grape, which was rumored to have as its creator a former Editor-in-Chief of the Review.

John Byrne, OC ’03, who went on to create the left-wing independent journalism outlet The Raw Story, talked about The Grape, how his staff once mutinied against him and how to make it in journalism.

Why did you choose to come to Oberlin?

I chose Oberlin because it seemed like I could be more of a big fish in a small pond.

That I’d have more opportunity to grow. I don’t know; when I was actually looking at the school I was thinking about starting a publication there, but I had started two publications in high school. So I think I had it on my mind, and Oberlin seemed like a place that would support that, as opposed to a more elitist school where you get sucked into the vortex [in which] everybody follows a straight line.

What was the juiciest story you wrote as a college journalist?

The best story I did at the Review was an exposé on steroid abuse on the football team, which didn’t go over very well. I wasn’t the [Editor-in-Chief] at the time; I was the news editor. They decided not to run it in the commencement issue — you know, where they try to summarize everything — which was not surprising to me, but was amusing.

Can you tell me when and why you decided to found The Grape? I got a version of this story from Greg last week, but I want to hear it straight from the source.

Were you the one who did the piece on The Grape?

Yes, actually.

OK. So I was reading that, and I was thinking of how things have changed. But … the short answer is that I didn’t want to be a copy editor and work my way up through the system; that’s kind of where you start at the Review, so I wanted to start something that was

And she had a lot of problems with minority communities. She was seen [as] not being supportive of their causes. She wasn’t into the Comparative American Studies [department], which eventually passed, and there were some student groups … But, anyway, she saw me as a way to get positive press coverage, but when I started the Muckraker I did the sexual assault story, and that was kind of near and dear to her, and she felt that that was unfair. But the whole reporting process, it’s probably better now, but it wasn’t really transparent. And there were people saying that they were getting screwed and not being treated fairly. And this has become, obviously, a national issue — sexual assault on campuses and in the military. But anyway, she got pissed off by that. She wouldn’t talk to me until I joined the Review, and she was forced to talk to me again.

John Byrne, former Editor-in-Chief of the Review, founder of The Grape and The Raw Story

more focused on politics. So there was sort of a point-counterpoint front page thing, and then we did a more of an editorial publication. Over time it developed more into a ‘Let’s publish on Thursday to beat the Review to the story,’ which we would successfully do.

And you eventually ended up as Editorin-Chief of the Review. How did that happen?

I think it may have been the spring of my freshman year that I started The Grape. And then I was news editor at the Review [ for two semesters until] the fall of my senior year, and then Editor[-in-Chief] in the spring of my senior year. And in between that time, I don’t know exactly when it was, I started a publication called the Muckraker — after The Grape mutinied against me — which was more sort of exposé stuff. And our big story was a piece about how Oberlin had more sexual assault reports than our peer schools. And the College president at the time, we had had a really good relationship.

And, actually, the reason why I think she built The Grape office was that she saw us as a tool in student media coverage because the Review was very critical of her. I doubt people remember her, but it was Nancy Dye.

responded to the area, which was then roped off and barricaded. The grounds crew responded to fill the hole until proper repair is made.

Thursday, April 17

Friday, April 18

10:29 a.m. Custodial staff reported observing graffiti in the first floor restroom at Fairchild House.

The graffiti appeared to be non-offensive and done in black marker.

A work order was filed for removal.

11:18 a.m. Officers responded to assist with an ill student at Fairchild House. An ambulance was requested, and the student was transported to Mercy Allen Hospital for treatment.

3:23 p.m. Custodial staff reported a large hole in the northwest walkway of Harvey House. Officers

8:38 p.m. Officers and members of the Oberlin Fire Department responded to a fire alarm on the second floor of Firelands Apartments. Smoke from hot oil and excessive grease built up on the stove activated the alarm. Residents were advised not to cook until the stove is cleaned.

Saturday, April 19 12:38 a.m. Officers and members of the Oberlin Police Department responded to several noise

So, to clarify, The Grape was founded in 1999?

Well, that would’ve been 2000, because 1999 was in the fall semester. You know, I can go back, I actually have all of the newspapers. … I can scan [them], I mean you’ll probably be shocked. It looks like The New York Times, some of them. It’s the complete opposite of what I’ve heard described, and so when I read your piece I started writing a letter to the editor, and I was like, ‘You know what, I want to write this letter when it’s spring and people can read it when they’re drinking on Friday afternoon,’ so hopefully if I manage to do that, that’ll be when I write a letter. I want it to be humorous without sounding like a douchebag, because it’s like, ‘Oh, you graduated ten years ago, you’re writing a letter to the editor?’ So pathetic.

No, we get those all the time.

I know, but I remember when I was at the Review, I [was] always thinking, ‘These people, what are they doing? They’re reading online the College newspaper? Don’t they have a life?’ And so I have to be really careful in how I write that so I don’t sound stupid.

But I have a lot of funny things to say about both publications. And I can tell you, like, things I remember, like numbers from college. I remember the number of the Review office, and I also remember what a pack of PBR cost, including tax, when I was there.

complaints regarding a party on South Professor Street. By the time the officers arrived, the party was already shut down by hosts due to the large number of attendees.

9:06 p.m. Officers responded to a report of a damaged card swipe at East Hall. The card swipe was no longer attached to the building. A work order was filed.

Sunday, April 20 6:20 p.m. A student who reported that his brother had dislocated his shoulder while playing softball on the fields stopped an officer on patrol near the Grounds Shop. The student requested transportation to the hospital for his brother and himself. The two

How much? $5.83.

Yeah, it’s a little more than that now.

I live in Washington and it’s $12.09. … Not that I know that off the top of my head.

Jumping ahead, what did you do after graduation?

I was thinking about trying to start a college newspaper news service. I don’t know exactly how it would make money, but it would distribute content nationally. After graduating, I was working — my father’s a doctor — and I was working at his office filing medical records and it occurred to me — I don’t know if you’re familiar with the Drudge Report — but there was no liberal version of that. And so, when we started, it was a lot more aggregation, we’ve moved toward writing our [own] content, but it was sort of the liberal alternative to Drudge.

And this was, maybe, three [or] four years before The Huffington Post. And so if The Huffington Post had started before us, I think I would be working for some dying mainstream newspaper. But the timing was good, and it took off, and we didn’t have any overhead as an online publication. We just started adding staff as we made more money.

Aside from your obvious affinity for starting your own publications, can you tell me about the decision to create a news outlet from the ground up instead of applying for jobs at The New York Times or The Washington Post?

The simple answer is that it’s the same reason I didn’t want to work at the Review when I was a freshman, which was like, well, you can spend 10 years working yourself up the line in print to end up working at the Times or the Post, or you could start your own thing and see where it goes. And I’m definitely happy that I didn’t take the print route.

The Raw Story is mostly news aggregation as opposed to original reporting. In today’s media climate, what do you think is the journalistic purpose of those sorts of outlets?

We do some original reporting; it’s not really well highlighted. And we’ve done more

were brought to Mercy Allen Hospital for treatment.

7 p.m. Officers responded to a report of a smokers’ outpost smoking on the east side of Wilder Hall.

The outpost was extinguished with water, and a work order was filed.

8:01 p.m. Officers and members of the Oberlin Fire Department responded to a fire alarm at South Hall. A strong odor of burnt marijuana was detected in a room on the first floor, along with the scent of an air freshener. The alarm was silenced and reset.

Monday, April 21 11:20 a.m. Officers received reports of a strong natural gas odor in the area of West Lorain Street. It was learned that the construction

See Q&A, page 4

company working on the water line struck a gas line. The gas company was on site and repairs were made.

4 p.m. A student reported the theft of their clothing from the laundry area in South Hall. The items were in a blue recycling bag and were left in the laundry area on April 19 and found to be missing on April 21. Value of the missing clothing was estimated at $150.

Tuesday, April 22 12:22 a.m. Officers responded to a report of several students on the roof of Dascomb Hall. Five students were located smoking and drinking beer. The beer was disposed of, and students were warned about being on the roof.

News

Page 4

The Oberlin Review, April 25, 2014

Q&A with Grape Founder John Byrne Continued from page 3 at various points, mainly when I was actually doing reporting. Sorry, I’m trying to avoid that question… Well, for one thing, longer news articles don’t translate well. I know that people like to say that they read long-form journalism online, but it’s just not a medium that’s conducive to that. And I’ve found that a lot of times, Times reporters are burying the ledes of stories.

So what I was able to do a good job of online, and why the site became popular, is that we would find things that people would actually respond to, sometimes that are buried in the articles, sometimes things that people say on TV that they shouldn’t have said. Like, outrageous things, and clip that, rather than people having to watch the entire show. But allowing you to sort of get a broad spectrum of news without necessarily having to read 20 newspapers. And it’s sort of changed over time, I think that the site is more liberal than I am. [Laughs.] And it’s the same thing, I watch MSNBC and think, ‘Man, how can people watch this shit?’ But, you know, you cater to your audience. Online, it’s all about what people click on. I know that BuzzFeed, Huffington Post, even more than us, their reporters [are] tracking their traffic in real time, and their editors are watching their traffic every day. [At] Gawker, I’ve heard that they even pay people more if they get more traffic on their posts. … We’ve done really big stories, and we’re basically going back to doing original reporting. But the economics of aggregate reporting are… it’s hard to get away from. It’s alluring because it’s much more profitable to do

Oberlin?

I had support, but not because I was a successful journalist — which I do think I was at Oberlin and I have been, I’ve just sort of moved away from it — but because I was good at getting money from people. But that’s a thing in life. That’s a skill in life. … I knew how to go to the Student Finance Committee and I was on the Student Finance Committee. Not at the same time, but I knew [them] and I got the [College] president to build me the office in Burton basement with air conditioning.

In an early issue of The Grape, previously referred to as “The Oberlin Grape,” publication founder John Byrne discusses the sanctity of Oberlin College’s rules and regulations. This past week, Byrne spoke with the Review about the inspiration behind the publication, as well as his career as a college journalist.

Courtesy of John Bryne

aggregate, but now that we’re more profitable we’re going back to doing more original reporting and hiring freelancers and trying to figure out what works.

How can aspiring journalists set themselves apart when looking for journalism work after graduation?

I think people need to know how to work online. If you want to make money doing it, it would probably be good to try to get internships or experience at online news outlets. …

Everything you can do. I know, as an employer, the more experience someone has the better.

And since a lot of the jobs are online, the more online experience the better, too. But also, clips that are really good. If you do something at the Review that’s not your standard college article, like some kind of investigative thing, which is hard to do, but if you do something like that and include it in your clips, then that makes you stand out. And also being confident about your work.

Did you find there to be an infrastructure for aspiring journalists when you went to

Interview by Rosemary Boeglin, Editor-in-Chief Photo courtesy of John Byrne

Students Rally to Improve Campus Mental Health Support Kristopher Fraser Staff Writer With the support of other students dissatisfied with Student Health, graduating College junior John Bergen and College first-year Kennedy Carlick are campaigning to change the department themselves.

Carlick is forming a new organization called the Oberlin Listens Project, a peer-to-peer support network.

“It is a way to allow students to provide a listening and emotional ear, and emotional support to other students who reach out,” Carlick said.

As the Counseling Center is unavailable after 4:30 p.m., Carlick and her co-organizers College first-year Ellyn Butler and College first-year Ethan Ableman believe this project is a means to expand mental health resources on campus.

This semester, Bergen has advocated not only for an expansion of the resources that Student Health and the Counseling Center offer, but also for the center’s relocation to a more accessible location on campus. The Counseling Center sits on West Lorain Street across from Mercy Allen Hospital, and is relatively far from central campus.

In previous years, Student Health was located in Peters Hall, a more central, accessible space, according to Bergen.

When the Counseling Center relocated to its current building, the administration immediately encountered criticism about the distance, particularly in light of Oberlin’s notoriously harsh winters and icy

roads. Students argued that depressed peers struggle to wake up in the morning, let alone travel long distances.

“I know friends who have said ‘I’m having a really bad day; I’m potentially in a crisis situation, but I have to decide if I’m bad enough that I’ll walk all the way there, sit there, wait and walk back,’” Bergen said.

Carlick hopes that the Oberlin Listens Project will ultimately become a resource accessible to everyone.

“This project is important because right now there are a lot of people who feel like they have no one to talk to about issues of mental illness and emotional wellbeing,” Carlick explained. “Issues of mental health affect us all and it’s important to make sure that we promote a community of empathy, awareness and support.”

Ableman agreed.

“I’ve been struggling with major depression throughout the last year and a half, but I only recently saw my peers as a resource for me,” Ableman said in an email to the Review.

“Mental health is a very touchy subject, and I didn’t want to make my friends have to hear about my problems. But as I’ve discovered, talking to somebody your age, someone who’s also in college and is working their butt off, can be much more comforting than talking to an adult counselor or therapist.”

Many students on campus believe that the administration does not consider mental health a priority.

“It also sends a message to students that Oberlin College

doesn’t prioritize student mental health,” Bergen said. “These things are only so important, we will put them two blocks away from campus.”

Despite their issues with ––––––––––––––––––––––––

“This project is important because right now there are a lot of people who feel like they have no one to talk to about issues of mental illness and emotional wellbeing.”

Kennedy Carlick College first-year –––––––––––––––––––––––– mental health services on campus, both Bergen and Carlick were not wholly negative in their discussion of campus resources.

“I think [the Counseling Center is] a great resource for short-term counseling,” Carlick said. “They’re also really helpful with finding local therapists who can provide long-term counseling. They’re also really open to feedback if you have a negative experience. I think sometimes people don’t give it a chance because they’ve heard negative things about it. But I think everyone who is thinking about trying it should go and make up their own mind.

Counseling is a really personal thing, and a counselor that is a terrible match for one person might be great for another person.”

Ableman noted that the

Counseling Center can only do so much.

“People complain about the Counseling Center a lot, but I doubt that much of the complaining is rooted in actual experience. I only know of one friend who has been to the Counseling Center and had a genuinely poor experience. I didn’t have a great Counseling Center experience — that is, I didn’t find it extremely helpful for me at that time — but I did find it useful to at least have someone to talk to ... the Counseling Center can only do so much. When my counselor kicked me out, they were very nice about it and gave me a list of other local resources.”

Bergen also referenced the center’s initiatives and recent appointments of new staff.

“They’ve expanded the walk-in hours [over my three years here] ,which is helpful.

Hiring Matthew Hayden as the [assistant] dean of health initiatives has been really important; changes in the sexual offense policy are important to mental health,” Bergen said.

Both Bergen and Carlick emphasized that these initiatives are in their nascent stages; according to Ableman, the Oberlin Listens Project will likely launch next spring.

“I’ve seen certain things the administration has done, and things I’ve seen my peers do, like increasing unofficial support groups. Learning to better support each other has been the biggest thing —figuring out what we need to survive at Oberlin,” Bergen said. “That ultimately is going to be what has the biggest impact.”

Queerfest Redefines Realness Continued from page 1 live visibly. The talk was sponsored by Third World Co-op and ABUSUA as part of the “My Name is My Own” lectureship series.

Mock spoke to a packed Nancy Schrom Dye Lecture Hall about a variety of topics, including her childhood in Hawaii, her thoughts on the concept of “passing” and her involvement in the #GirlsLikeUs movement. Throughout the talk, she emphasized her role as a trans woman of color and how those identities intersect. Mock closed her visit with a reading about Beyoncé from her book. “[Beyoncé] was the mold for me. She made me love being brown, she made me love my adaptable curly hair, she made me love that my thighs touched,” read Mock.

“Transnational And Immigrant Queer Narratives at Oberlin” is also a part of the Immigration Action NOW! series and Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Event planner and College junior Joelle Lingat said that she feels this event reflects the intersection of many different identities.

“If we look critically at what the definitions of ‘immigrant’ and ‘transnational’ and ‘queer’ are, the primary commonality is the liminal experience,” Lingat said in an email to the Review.

“It means not being quite one identity and not being quite the other. These words are defined by the very fluidity of their definitions. These identities occupy a gray space that when in intersection with one another, create multi-dimensional layers to a person’s life. Not one person who is “immigrant” or “queer” or even “immigrant” and “queer” and “transnational” has the same wants and needs and dreams, regardless if they have similar narratives.

These words give us community but also have the danger of boxing us in, inflicting further violence upon us and each other,” said Lingat.

In addition to hosting an array of speakers, other events such as Queer Crafting and Colors of Rhythm approach the topic through a variety of different mediums. Colors of Rhythm, now in its 18th year, is an event that highlights dance forms outside the mainstream campus culture.

The second annual Queer Merengue Madness is another dance-based event in the series. Acting as a fundraiser for Oberlin High School’s Gay Straight Alliance, Queer Merengue Madness hopes to create a safe space and strengthen the ties between the city and College’s LGBTQ communities.

Other speakers involved in Queerfest included a panel on black masculinity and Rhacel Parreñas, a sociologist studying women’s labor and migration.

A panel held Thursday night explored the intersection of immigrant, transnational and queer identities.

“There are queer people with immigrant and transnational experiences on campus and that isn’t really a voice … or voices or experiences or narratives, that get heard a lot on campus because the focus is so much on … white U.S. queer experiences a lot of times when talking about queerness and not acknowledging that people come from diverse backgrounds that influence how they relate to queerness,” said College senior panelist Requena Ruiz.

Opinions The Oberlin Review

April 25, 2014

Letters to the Editors Response to Last Week’s Critical Birthright Op-Ed To the Editor: Yonah London’s article in the April 18 edition of the Review, “Birthright Leaves Young Jews Ill-Equipped to Engage in Difficult Conversations,” failed to take into consideration the wide variety of Birthright trips that exist. While it is true that some Birthright trips include little or no education about the complex issues surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, numerous other trips do.

Taglit-Birthright is an umbrella organization that contracts with many different providers

to plan, organize and staff its tours, which means that the content of any two Birthright trips can vary widely.

For example, Oberlin Hillel’s Birthright trip, which takes place every other year during Winter Term, includes multiple educational sessions before and after the trip. These sessions involve in-depth discussions of Israel-related issues and are partially led by J Street U. On this year’s Oberlin Birthright trip itself, the tour guide discussed wide-ranging issues including the IsraeliPalestinian peace talks, Bedouin rights in Israel, religious pluralism in the country and the legal status of the occupied territories. Nor is Oberlin alone; many other schools

and groups hosting Birthright trips also work with J Street to prepare their participants for the experience and for returning to campus with a nuanced understanding of the country and its complexities.

Taglit-Birthright is an organization whose goal is, as London stated, to enhance its participants’ Jewish identities.

It does not claim to have an educational or an advocacy goal, as London seems to desire. So while it is unfortunate that many participants feel unprepared to engage in Israel-related dialogue upon their return, this is by no means universally true.

Sincerely, –Hannah Seidel

There’s No Place Like Oberlin Aidan Apel Contributing Writer Campus is abuzz with discussion of return on investment, tuition increases, transparency and now, inter-departmental murder plots. What’s happening here? Oberlin students have plenty to complain about these days. But now that the sun is coming out and 25 percent of us are about to leave this place forever, I find that I don’t want to spend my remaining time complaining.

I would rather spend the remaining time being happy and reflecting on the relationship I want with Oberlin after graduation. For all seniors, it’s time to look back on our Oberlin experience and evaluate whether it was all worth it. Was this education a successful endeavor? I think it has been.

Defining success is a deeply personal calculation, but the loose standard I use is this: look back on a decision and don’t wish you had done something else. When I’m at Oberlin, there isn’t anywhere else I want to be. If I could go back in time, I would still choose to come to Oberlin.

Sure, there are things I would change around the edges — professors I would have avoided, activities I would have picked up earlier and so on. And yes, there are plenty of things I would change about Oberlin if I could. But on the whole, I do not regret my decision to come here.

Not in the slightest.

Most importantly, Oberlin has shaped me — and I think all of us — to be mentally active. We are all reading something new, exploring a new theory or struggling with a new problem. Even time spent relaxing is time spent thinking. We find ourselves talking in groups late into the night about social issues, books and politics.

There is ceaseless mental energy on this campus. Oberlin brings together brilliant minds. We all have been in awe of someone else here due to their musical ability, performances, contributions to class discussion, analyses of arguments, writing or personality. You name it. To put that in perspective, we live in a country where 25 percent of Americans did not read a single book last year. Yet we live in an environment where students read multiple books per week.

Oberlin encourages an atmosphere of achievement for everyone. Anyone can be an athlete without prejudice — think of how rare that is. Students are pushed to their maximum capacities, putting on a show and taking four classes and playing in a band and tutoring others on top of a double major and a job. Again, this is so rare. Think of all the party schools where students spend their weeks tailgating and weekends at nightclubs. Contrast that to how you spend your time. We have an environment that lauds quirkiness, conspicuousness, equality, novelty and unorthodox thinking. We are a campus that supports one another.

We have, according to U.S. News & World Report, the third-best undergraduate faculty in the nation. We have all had professors who have impressed us and shaped us from high school seniors into conscientious adults. Obies go on to change the world. And that isn’t a coincidence, it’s a result of the fantastic education we receive.

As we all work for a school that is more accessible, inclusive, sustainable, affordable and united, we cannot forget that we are in a very special place. We are all incredibly privileged to be here. For any of its shortcomings, Oberlin College has shaped us for the better. I find that’s worth applauding.

SUBMISSIONS POLICY The Oberlin Review appreciates and welcomes letters to the editors and column submissions. All submissions are printed at the discretion of the editorial board.

All submissions must be received by Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. at opinions@oberlinreview.org or Wilder Box 90 for inclusion in the following Friday’s Review. Letters may not exceed 600 words and columns may not exceed 800 words, except with the consent of the editorial board. All submissions must include contact information, with full names, for all signers. All electronic submissions from multiple writers should be carbon-copied to all signers to confirm authorship.

The Review reserves the right to edit all submissions for content, space, spelling, grammar and libel. Editors will work with columnists and contributors to edit pieces and will clear major edits with the authors prior to publication.

Editors will contact authors of letters to the editors in the event of edits for anything other than style and grammar.

In no case will editors change the opinions expressed in any submission.

The Opinions section strives to serve as a forum for debate. Review staff will occasionally engage in this debate within the pages of the Review. In these cases, the Review will either seek to create dialogue between the columnist and staff member prior to publication or will wait until the next issue to publish the staff member’s response.

The Review will not print advertisements on its Opinions pages. The Review defines an advertisement as any submission that has the main intent of bringing direct monetary gain to the author of a letter to the editors.

Opinions expressed in letters, columns, essays, cartoons or other Opinions pieces do not necessarily reflect those of the staff of the Review.

Page 5

The Oberlin Review Publication of Record for Oberlin College — Established 1874 —

Editors-in-Chief Rosemary Boeglin Julia Herbst Managing Editor Julian Ring Opinions Editor Sophia Ottoni-Wilhelm

Complex Financial Aid Situation Requires Honesty, Constructive Intent On Sunday, April 13, students drafted a resolution, later endorsed by Student Senate, arguing that the College’s proposed financial aid policy amendment should be formally revoked and, furthermore, that any future changes to College policy be under the purview of attending students. The resolution argues, “under the new policy, there is an increased financial burden on students with reduced meal plans with CDS, OSCA or Kosher Halal Co-op, as financial aid is reduced dollar-for-dollar based on the amount students save by choosing a reduced meal plan with CDS or by choosing Kosher Halal Co-op or OSCA.” The reaction from students in the weeks since the change’s discovery has demonstrated the extent to which these policy modifications impact current Oberlin students. Clearly, there exist undeniably pressing concerns about the College’s proposed financial aid policy change. The College was both cavalier and out of touch with the needs of its students when it attempted to institute a policy that would render those currently in attendance incapable of graduating from this institution, but there are two sides to every coin.

In many cases, the College’s standards for determining an individual’s ability to afford the expenses associated with college life do not accurately reflect reality.

Moreover, many people living and working in OSCA do so to relieve themselves and their families of financial pressure that is overlooked by the school. For some, this accounts for the difference between attending Oberlin and not; for others, it expands the possibilities for summer or Winter Term employment, allowing students to take more prestigious but lower-paying internships that may ultimately make them more competitive job candidates upon graduation.

There is also something important to be said for OSCA’s role on this campus.

OSCA not only provides assistance for many students on the edge of financial stability, but stands as both a historic and vibrant component of the Oberlin community. Members of OSCA formulate their own policies about buying food, which results in a community that is conscious of the moral and nutritional impact of the food it consumes. Additionally, the responsibility of running a kitchen and cooking and cleaning for 50 or more people inspires students to become knowledgeable, take charge and try new things. Students care deeply about their food and community, which leads to respectful discussions and thoughtful consumerist practices.

However, students clamoring — and rightly so — for expanded access to higher education for low-income students do not seem to acknowledge that the College’s proposed policy change was designed with that same principle in mind.

Theoretically, the policy is designed to redirect aid money to students with demonstrated need — determined by the College via standardized forms like the FAFSA — instead of allocating the funds to those who, regardless of need, receive at least $3,662 off their room and board bills by living and/or working in a co-op. Co-op members save the equivalent of making $25 per hour of co-op work, or $100 for Brown Bag Co-op members. In an effort to compromise, the College has offered to supplement OSCA members’ financial aid packages by reimbursing them at a minimum wage rate of $7.95 for every hour of work performed in the co-op. Clearly, there is a significant financial discrepancy between the amount of money co-opers currently save and how much they would make earning minimum wage. This is not to say that the benefits of the additional financial aid funding would outweigh its detrimental effects on current students, but the intention of providing fuller financial aid packages to students who might otherwise not be considered for admittance based on their financial need is unacknowledged as a shared goal between students and administrators.

The College has agreed to preliminary concessions such as delaying implementation by one year and committing to discussions with students, but time will tell what form this dialogue will take and whether cooperation and collaboration will truly result. We submit only that productive discussion is most effective if both the administration and the students desire to acquire (and share) as much information as possible and make a decision that holds the greatest popular support. Acknowledging shared goals and understanding the complexities of the College’s situation is hard work, but work that is not antithetical to maintaining a firm stance on the uncompromisable needs of individuals. Without this sentiment, the political effectiveness of dedicated student activism is likely to be limited.

Editorials are the responsibility of the Review editorial board — the Editors-in-Chief, managing editor and Opinions editor — and do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff of the Review.

Page 6

Opinions

Then and Now

50 years ago, in the spring of 1963, The Oberlin Review published an opinions feature on the “Spring of Our Discontent.”

The following was part of the spread and includes student complaints regarding College transparency and the effects of policy change on co-ops. Sound familiar?

Emma Snape Student Senate Student Senate Plenary was brief this week, and discussion consisted largely of logistics and housekeeping.

We first discussed the use of the Senate office in Wilder Hall and decided we would feel comfortable letting the Student Union repurpose the office for something new next year, as it is used infrequently. Senate agreed to try and transfer all Student Senate records and archives contained in the Senate Office to the Mudd Library archives, where they will be available to all students.

Next, Senate discussed the Senate forum on the proposed Tobacco Ban that occurred earlier in the week, what worked and what didn’t work at the forum, and how future forums could be improved upon. The final forum on

Student Health will occur April 29 at 7:30 p.m. in Wilder Hall, and all students are invited.

Finally, in response to the discussion on the Tobacco Ban forum, the Senators discussed the proposed Tobacco Ban itself. Not all Senators were in agreement on the ban, and the idea of smoking zones, places on campus other than Tappan Square where students would be allowed to smoke, was proposed and discussed.

That discussion will be reopened at this coming Sunday’s plenary session, when Senate will vote on a resolution endorsing the proposed Tobacco Ban. Student Senate plenary sessions are held Sundays at 7 p.m. in Wilder 215 and are always open to all students. All students are encouraged to attend plenary and to bring their thoughts and opinions on the proposed Tobacco Ban.

The Oberlin Review, April 25, 2014

Justice in Higher Ed System Requires Re-evaluation of Equity Sam White Contributing Writer In a 6–2 decision on Tuesday, the United States Supreme Court upheld a Michigan constitutional amendment banning the use of affirmative action in public university admissions. This disheartening ruling not only reflects a national disregard for the all-too-real issues surrounding race and ethnicity but fits into a broader picture of shrinking access to higher education in America. At a time when college costs are skyrocketing — a trend which Oberlin is helping to lead — this decision warrants a fundamental re-evaluation of the idea of equity. That re-evaluation must begin, among other places, here.

Like many of my peers, I’ve spent a lot of time over the past weeks considering (and vehemently opposing) the recent amendments to Oberlin’s financial aid policy, which disproportionately reduce aid awarded to students with high “demonstrated need” by deducting the price difference of lower-cost housing and dining from those students’ “cost of attendance.” Among the aspects of the new policy that I’ve found most troubling is the frequently-cited defense of the policy by those implementing it: that it will make financial aid distribution at Oberlin more “equitable.”

In a meeting with College financial administrators on Thursday, two other students and I attempted to gain a better understanding of this definition of equitability. To briefly paraphrase their arguments: Under the current policy, a student who receives need-based financial aid and chooses lower-cost dining and/or housing options is effectively reducing their “family contribution” toward college costs. By introducing a “downward adjustment” (in the words of the new policy) to this student’s financial aid package, the College is effectively sharing the burden of tuition in a more balanced manner — one that is fairer and more equitable to all students.

In short, allowing lower-income students to contribute less money by selecting cheaper housing and dining options, while receiving unadjusted financial aid, is unjust because it allows these students to receive proportionally more aid than others with less demonstrated need. I responded by expressing my opinion that this is not inequitable; as a student with low financial need myself, I have no issue paying a greater family contribution than these students, especially if that difference in contribution determines their ability to afford Oberlin. Many others in my position, I mentioned, feel the same way. The administrators’ reaction was one of genuine surprise.

In essence, the meeting confirmed what I suspected; these administrators’ conception of equity is my conception of equal treatment, not equal opportunity.

My conception of equity is best expressed by the timeless, simple graphic comparing equity to equality. The graphic shows two images, side by side, depicting two different versions of the same scene; three children, of different heights, are attempting to watch a baseball game over a tall fence.

In the lefthand version of the scene, representing equality, the three children each stand on one crate, but the smallest child, despite the crate, is still too short to see over the fence. In the righthand version, the three crates are redistributed; the tallest child has no crate but can still see over the fence, the middle child stands on one crate and can still see, and the smallest child stands atop two crates and is now

able to see the game. This skewed distribution of resources, which affords equal opportunity to all three children, represents equity.

In a setting such as higher education, where access has historically been contingent on resources and white, male, upper-class privilege, true equity — equal opportunity, with eyes trained on the redress of historic injustices — is paramount. This is the basis for affirmative action in its most basic sense. Enabling race awareness does, indisputably, result in unequal treatment in the immediate present; however, this is simply irrelevant to the purpose of affirmative action policies. Affirmative action is equitable because it exists to address longer-term, structural inequalities that will not disappear without concerted action on the part of those in positions of privilege and access. In the words of dissenting Justice Sonia Sotomayor: “This refusal to accept the stark reality that race matters is regrettable. The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to speak openly and candidly on the subject of race, and to apply the Constitution with eyes open to the unfortunate effects of centuries of racial discrimination.”

I do not doubt that Oberlin College, as an institution, shares this view of affirmative action. President Marvin Krislov’s work defending this approach on behalf of the University of Michigan is well-documented. I am, however, deeply concerned that College administrators evidently do not apply the same standard of equity to Oberlin’s financial aid policies. Without doing so, Oberlin’s commitment to admitting historically underprivileged students is meaningless, as it is not matched by an equal commitment to these students’ continued attendance and graduation.

My view of equity is not limited to the kinds of people (like myself ) whom a nonObie might brand radicals, socialists or anti-capitalists. It’s the simple view that lies at the heart of mainstream liberal politics as defined by the Democratic party in the form of a progressive tax rate. Those who have the resources, this ideology suggests, should contribute proportionally more to the greater good of society; those who have less cannot reasonably be expected to make the same contribution. To quote First Lady Michelle Obama: “When you’ve worked hard, and done well, and walked through that doorway of opportunity, you do not slam it shut behind you.

No, you reach back, and you give other folks the same chances that helped you succeed.”

While Tuesday’s Supreme Court decision is astoundingly backward, I admit I was only mildly surprised; the Court’s conservative membership is a well-known legacy of recent Republican presidencies.

Equally well-known in the world of small liberal arts colleges, however, is Oberlin’s commitment to providing students with the tools necessary to fight for social justice. A financial aid policy that overlooks historic injustice in the same manner that the Supreme Court did on Tuesday has no place at this institution.

Opinions

The Oberlin Review, April 25, 2014

Supporting Athletics a Home Run for All Machmud Makhmudov Columnist It’s not unusual for me to find myself sitting with a group of friends that includes talented musicians, accomplished thespians, passionate political activists and — as hard as it may be to imagine at Oberlin — even a vegetarian or two. Beyond being students, they all share another characteristic: competing as varsity student-athletes for Oberlin.

As a member of the baseball team, I’ll admit that despite Oberlin’s reputation for having independent thinkers, it’s not unusual for athletes on campus to be lumped together as one homogeneous group. In fact, the stereotype of the dumb jock is pervasive across America. In colleges and universities, where athletes are sometimes held to lower admissions standards than other students, the stereotype can be exacerbated. These sentiments contribute to the idea that athletes exist as a separate, academically dysfunctional entity at Oberlin.

However, many athletes excel in the classroom by applying some of the skills that are learned on the field. According to the NCAA, approximately 80 percent of student-athletes graduate from their college or university. Conversely, nonathletes complete their degrees at a rate of 63 percent. Depending on the sport, some teams even boast average GPAs that are higher than the school-wide average. The discipline, motivation and preparation that are gained by being a full-time athlete translate well into the classroom. Put into the context of having to endure the physical exhaustion of morning workouts and afternoon practices, academic accomplishments become even more impressive.

Besides academics, Oberlin athletes are heavily involved in other ways as well.

It’s difficult not to find athletes involved in any aspect of student life on campus. I’ve

seen them tutor in the local schools, serve on student government and complete impressive honors projects. A few brave souls even endure a full double-degree courseload along with their athletic schedules.

If there’s anything that athletes sometimes shy away from, it’s OSCA. Unfortunately, the 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. practice time that most teams utilize — as well as a fulltime competition schedule — prevents a lot of athletes from either being able to attend meals or put in the required work time. The portions of food that co-ops serve are also usually not enough to sustain somebody looking to put on weight. A few people manage to make it work, however. If I have any regrets over my time at Oberlin, it’s the fact that I won’t be able to live or eat in a co-op.

Unfortunately, it sometimes seems as if athletes at Oberlin don’t enjoy the same level of support from their fellow students as other groups do. I, for one, love seeing my friends perform in musicals or concerts. Besides the fact that I enjoy seeing them do something that they’re passionate about, they’re also incredibly talented and a privilege to watch. Oberlin does a tremendous job as a community in supporting one another and attending artistic or political events. We have room to improve in athletics, however, where I’ve noticed that the only people who typically attend games are other student-athletes.

Given that many spring sports seasons are still underway (including baseball), I encourage everybody to catch a game on the weekend if they can. If you’re not interested in sports, just the experience of seeing a friend compete for your school can be exciting as well.

As somebody who at one time was heavily involved in musical theater — with varying levels of success — in between baseball practices, I can assure you that you never know what you’ll find with Oberlin student-athletes. Athletes should be judged just like everybody else at Oberlin: as individuals with their own stories and experiences.

Page 7

Oligarchy Fails as Prevalent International System of Government Sean Para Columnist The recent conflict between Russia and the United States over Ukraine has led to a massive authoritarian crackdown in Russia, where the last independent media outlets and sources of opposition to government policy were silenced. Many Americans decry Russia’s corrupt and oppressive government, run by plutocrats who steal from the Russian people (Putin himself is said to have a fortune hidden in foreign banks) and monopolize political power. China has a similar political system, where power is limited to the upper echelons of the Communist Party, and party leaders and their families amass vast wealth with the tacit consent of the government. These societies are both oligarchies in the truest sense of the word, run by small groups of extremely wealthy and influential people who exert overweening control over national policymaking. However, before we are so critical of the Russian and Chinese political systems, we must recognize that our political system is just as oligarchic.

This may seem like an outrageous statement — America has always represented a shining example of democracy and freedom, so they say. Democracy, however, is not a system of government, but an ideal to strive for.

We live in a republic, and we are afforded the rights of Western society such as freedom of press, freedom of assembly and the right to vote. But how much does an American’s vote count? We are given the choice between two parties with different philosophies and bases of support. But we are not afforded the right to choose between radically different candidates — only those who have enough support from vested interests, mostly corporations, to be put on the ballot. An enormous amount of wealth is in the hands of the rich: the top one percent of Americans held 35 percent of the country’s net worth in 2010 and 42.1 percent of its financial wealth, figures that have stayed steady over the past three decades. The concentration of wealth in the hands of the super rich gives them an incredible amount of power through their ability to finance political campaigns and lobby for the issues most important to them.

Our political system has always been oligarchic. The Founding Fathers were well aware of the fallible nature of popular rule and created a republic that would naturally be led by an educated and wealthy elite. Democratic institutions give every citizen a say in the political process, especially since the franchise was opened to everyone, regardless of class, race or gender.

However, those at the top of society, although theoretically equal to those at the bottom, are able to direct government attention to their interests. Income grew 275 percent for the top one percent of households between 1979 and 2007, compared to an 18 percent increase in income for the bottom 20 percent of households. These glaring inequalities could be fought by raising the minimum wage, creating laws that prevent top executives from making so much more money than those below them and raising the tax rate to funnel more wealth toward the bottom of society through government programs. Yet none of these policies have been implemented due to the influence the rich have on government policy.

All societies tend toward hierarchy. I have yet to see one political system without an elite of some sort. However, this does not justify the dominance of America’s upper class. Our society does afford us many freedoms; the fact that I have the ability to write this article criticizing our government is a testament to the liberties we enjoy. Serious wealth redistribution is the only way to open up our political system. European social democracies enjoy much less inequality than our own society. If wealth can be distributed more evenly and if the middle class can share in the rising incomes of the wealthy, it will create an opportunity for a more open and dynamic political system. On the other hand, if current trends continue and if the rich continue to monopolize political power, our country will become less democratic, less free and more oligarchic. Let’s take the government back for the people.

Editor’s note: A recent study by Princeton and Northwestern Universities concluded that the U.S. government may now reasonably be termed an oligarchy, based on a 20year analysis of voter influence on public policy in relation to income.

Latest Game of Thrones Episode Perpetuates Rape Culture Sophia Ottoni-Wilhelm Opinions Editor This past Sunday night I was doing what most college students do on Sunday nights: homework. Just kidding, I was speeding through my work to make time for Game of Thrones. It’s a show that’s enraptured the nation with copious amounts of blood, sex and dragons. Spoiler alert: In the last scene of the episode preceding this last one, the sadistic boy-king Joffrey Baratheon was poisoned at his wedding feast.

A scene from this Sunday’s episode, “Breaker of Chains,” opens on the sanctuary where Cersei mourns over the body of her recently deceased son. Her brother and exlover, Jaime, enters, and they stand together at the altar. Cersei begs him to avenge the death of their son and to kill the man she believes is responsible. This is the first time in the series that either of them has explicitly stated that they, two siblings, are Joffrey’s parents.

Since he has returned home, Jaime has not successfully rekindled his incestuous romance.

He turns to Cersei, grabbing her and pushing her against the altar, saying, “You’re a hateful woman. Why have the gods made me love a hateful woman?” before kissing her. Pushing him away, Cersei responds, “Jaime, not here,

please. Please. Stop it.” Ignoring her protests, Jaime rips off her underclothes and proceeds to rape her next to the dead body of their son.

This scene has created quite the uproar, and rightly so, garnering criticism from the show’s viewers and non-viewers alike. Dozens of articles have been published in the last several days by a variety of news sources.

I’ve seen a lot of crazy things in this show, but this takes the cake. Watching it made my skin crawl.

What I find particularly alarming is that this rape scene is starkly different from the sex scene described in the books. The third book of George R.R. Martin’s hit series, Storm of Swords, describes the scene with Jaime and Cersei in the sanctuary as the first time they’ve seen each other since Jaime’s return to King’s Landing. As in the episode, the book paints a bleak scene — Cersei standing alone next to her dead son’s body as Jaime approaches. However, after they speak, the books makes it clear that Cersei kisses Jaime first. When he tries to have sex with her, she is initially hesitant because of the location, but quickly gives verbal consent. She’s on her period, and the book says that after they have sex, Jaime wipes her blood off the altar.

The replacement of period sex with rape is a departure that feeds a terrifying rape

culture already omnipresent in the world.

Game of Thrones’s writers and director have mentioned in the past that they attempt to make each episode as unexpected and scandalous as possible. Apparently two of the main characters having sex next to the dead body of their child doesn’t quite cut it.

The sheer magnitude of viewer disapproval has triggered a variety of responses from the director, writers and actors, each comment as misogynistic and utterly disgusting as the next. One writer referred to the change as a “sexy choice,” while another stated that the atrocious act was merely a culmination of Jaime’s understandable frustration with Cersei. That’s right, a justification of rape.

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, the actor who plays Jaime, said in a recent interview, “It was an act of powerlessness.” That’s right, it was an act of powerlessness for the rapist.

But the show’s director, Alex Graves, gives that ridiculous comment a run for its money: “It was not consensual as it began, but …

Ultimately, it was meant to be consensual,” he said in an interview. “The consensual part of it was that she wraps her legs around him, and she’s holding on to the table, clearly not to escape but to get some grounding in what’s going on,” he continued. “She’s sort of cajoled into it, and it is consensual.” She

was “cajoled” into it? Seriously, dude? What century is this?

As difficult as it was to watch, the rape scene in “Breaking of Chains” did serve as a reminder of how far our society has yet to go when it comes to discussing and interacting with instances of sexual assault. I read a comment online that outraged me, which read: “I think that [Jaime] definitely raped her on the show. However — I can’t think of a more deserving character to get raped.” Yes, deserving.

While statements like this are difficult to read, it’s important to know that such problematic understandings of rape not only exist in the world but are alive and well.

It is my hope that the conversation surrounding this rape scene can be productive. Often the things that make me the angriest are the things that motivate me to keep challenging myself and those around me to be aware of the role we play in the perpetuation of rape culture. This needless nonconsensual sex scene fuels the fire of rape culture. We should never be comfortable with rape — not in television shows, not in books, not in any sense. This scene should have made every single viewer incredibly uncomfortable. In fact, this show shouldn’t have included the rape scene that was never present in the books.

Negotiating Respectability: Black Women’s Struggle

An Exploratory Investigation of Word Aversion Psychology What is your project about?

My presentation is about the phenomenon of word aversion. Word aversion is defined as experiencing feelings of distaste or disgust upon hearing seemingly innocent words. The feelings occur for no obvious reason, and it seems as if the word itself is disgusting.

Examples of words that induce word aversion include “moist,” “panties,” “luggage,” “hardscrabble” and “squab.” There haven’t been formal investigations into word aversion in the past, so these were exploratory investigations. Because of that, we only used the word “moist” as it seems to be the most prevalent word that people are averse to.

What is your project about?

My project is an exploration of how African-American women have, through literature, constructed a subject that reflected their own realities rather than that of a pervasive majority. The question of self-representation is vital because a socially constructed image has the ability to moderate the power relationship between the self and society. Black female self-representation adapts to different eras, yet it is complicated by the ideologies of uplift and the politics of respectability. These ideologies have mutated from a useful tool for combating racism into an empty signifier that promotes a classist environment. The progression of forms of self-representation of black females is shown in the three works I examine: Crusade for Justice, Quicksand and Tar Baby. These three works show the development of the black female subject being produced by the individual to gain authority toward a commodification of the individual. However, some of the women I study are able to succeed even within the parameters of respectability. Merely by asserting the need to define the black female subject, Ida B. Wells-Barnett, Nella Larsen and Toni Morrison create space for a new dialogic critique and understanding of identity.

What out?

Ofte diately women verts t weapo islation be recl

What I wa of the of resp Althou restrai often e by a b readin a syste by the Jadine I want differe autobi

What is the most unexpected thing you found out?

The most unexpected thing we found out is that people who are averse to “moist” are more averse to synonyms of “moist” (ex. “damp,” “wet,” “sticky”) than people who are not averse to “moist.”

CALENDAR

What attracted you most to this topic?

I kind of jumped on an ongoing project, but it is an interesting topic in general.

Senior Symposium 2014 Friday, April 25 from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Science Center

Oberlin Autism Film Festival Friday, April 25 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturday, April 26 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Hear students speak on a broad range of topics like Dye Lecture Hall, Science Center

Urinetown: The Musical Friday, April 25 and Saturday, April 26 at 7:30 p.m.

Wilder Main

24-Hour Contact Improv Jam Saturday, April 26 from 12 p.m. to April 27 12 p.m.

Main Space, Warner Center

post-menopausal memory decline and pro-choice activism. The complete schedule can be found on the College’s website.

The Oberlin Musical Theater Association will be performing Urinetown: The Musical, a comedy musical by Mark Hollmann and Greg Kotis about a water shortage that leads to corporate control of toilet use.

Take part in 24 hours of workshops, performances, live music, yoga and open contact improv jams. The complete schedule can be found on the College’s online calendar of events.

The first annual Oberlin Autism Film Festival will be screening Mary and Max, Adam, OC87 and Autism in Love, each followed by a 10-minute discussion, to raise awareness about autism in society and its portrayal in the media.

y: Black Women’s Struggle for Self-Representation

of how African-American e, constructed a subject ties rather than that of estion of self-represenally constructed image the power relationship Black female self-repreras, yet it is complicated the politics of respectmutated from a useful o an empty signifier that ent. The progression of black females is shown ne: Crusade for Justice, hese three works show k female subject being o gain authority toward ividual. However, some to succeed even within ity. Merely by asserting female subject, Ida B. nd Toni Morrison create que and understanding

English

What was the most unexpected thing that you found out?

Often when we consider respectability politics, we immediately assume that they are constrictive, especially to women and minorities. However, Ida B. Wells-Barnett subverts this assumption by wielding respectability politics as a weapon in her fight for racial equality and anti-lynching legislation. Thus, I found that the politics of respectability can be reclaimed for the betterment of women and minorities.

What attracted you most to this topic?

I was attracted to this topic because I noticed a failure of the current criticism to articulate the phenomenon of respectability politics in African-American literature.

Although black feminist literary criticism deals with the restraints put on the black female subject, the criticism often examines the rigid morality or properness exhibited by a black female character, and how this influences the reading of text without recognizing their context within a system of respectability. Additionally, I was fascinated by the similarities between Helga from Quicksand and Jadine from Tar Baby, published more than 50 years apart.

I wanted to examine how their iterations of respectability differed or adhered to the principles set forth in Wells’ autobiography, Crusade for Justice.

Hour Contact Improv Jam urday, April 26 from 12 p.m. to April 27 p.m. n Space, Warner Center

part in 24 hours of workshops, performances, music, yoga and open contact improv jams. The plete schedule can be found on the College’s ne calendar of events.

Between Force and Law: The Early Years of the Pinochet Regime

History

What is your project about?

My project explores the development of the Pinochet regime’s secret police organization, known as the National Intelligence Directorate, or DINA, throughout its first year in power. In operation from 1973—1977, the DINA was largely responsible for the majority of the dictatorship’s human rights violations, including arbitrary arrests, torture and disappearances. As a clandestine apparatus, the DINA is largely absent from the official historical record of the Pinochet regime. However, I ended up locating the DINA and its repressive function in the legal structures of the regime. When I discovered that the Junta had publicly established the DINA through a decree law in 1974, I re-directed my research to explore the perplexing relationship between the regime’s illegal coercion and its constant strive for legal legitimacy. My thesis ultimately proposes the ways in which constitutional and democratic structures can unexpectedly foster and legitimize violent repression.

“i some hear words:” Authors and Authority in Representations of Mormon Prophecy

Musical Studies

What is your project about?

My project involved the composition of a 45-minute historical opera about the Mormon prophet Joseph Smith’s participation in a hunt for buried treasure in rural Pennsylvania. For context, I researched other historical and artistic representations of this event, both from within and without the mainstream Mormon church.

treasure, a handful of Mormon scholars have in recent decades begun to openly embrace Smith’s practice of folk magic, viewing it as a divinely inspired part of his prophetic mission, rather than simply a shameful moment to be covered up.

What attracted you most to this topic?

Having grown up Mormon and having left the What was the most unexpected thing that you church at age 17, I was attracted to this project found out? as a way to reclaim for myself parts of Mormon The most unexpected thing I found out was mythology that have continued to haunt me that while many (if not most) Mormons deny despite my transition into atheism. that Smith used his seer stones to look for buried

This Week Editor: Sarah Snider

Relay for Life Saturday, April 26 from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Clark Bandstand, Tappan Square

Spring Color Festival Sunday, April 27 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Tappan Square

There will be a fundraising fair for the American Cancer Society featuring improv, music and dance performances to raise awareness and money for cancer research and support services.

Enjoy color, live music and food at the annual Colorfest, sponsored by the South Asian Student Association with help from ORSL, Interfaith Student Council and Project Unbound. Wear clothes that can get dirty. All proceeds go to the Lorain County Human Trafficking Collaborative. $3 donation suggested.

Want Practicum in Journalism Credit?

Write for this section!

Email managingeditor@oberlinreview.org

Page 10

Arts The Oberlin Review

April 25, 2014

Deerhoof Hops Genres in Manic ’Sco Blitz Jacob Rivas This semester has already seen more than its fair share of talent take the ’Sco stage. Last Tuesday however, the venue’s booking team managed to outdo itself and step up its indie rock cred yet again, bringing San Francisco’s venerable Deerhoof to campus.

Since its 1994 formation by absurdly talented drummer Greg Saunier, OC ’91, Deerhoof has managed to cross genre lines and avoid being pigeonholed as having a stable sound. While Saunier’s presence is impossible to ignore, since his drumming so defines many songs, the expansive variety of music the band has released comes from its open-ended

songwriting process. In an interview with Pitchfork, guitarist John Dieterich explained that the four-piece’s unique catalog is a product of the variety of tastes and influences each musician contributes and whatever the band happens to be enjoying while writing. Few bands have managed to stay as authentically open-minded as Deerhoof.

Despite its unusual standing as far as published music goes, the band is perhaps best known for its live shows. Tuesday saw Deerhoof live up to and surpass the word-of-mouth buzz surrounding the band’s stage presence. Frontwoman and bassist Satomi Matsuzaki seized every opportunity to perform an assortment of dances, while Saunier, whose drums

Guitarist John Dieterich (left), bassist and vocalist Satomi Matsuazki and drummer Greg Saunier, OC ’91, lived up to the hype surrounding Deerhoof’s live shows on Tuesday. Performing to a nearly sold-out ’Sco, the band showcased a range of genres from jazz to indie rock. Claire Morton

sat at the front of the stage rather than behind the band, literally screamed at his cymbals after each convulsive strike.

While his limbs and head flailed and Matsuzaki’s legs kicked up and down, guitarists Dieterich and Ed Rodriguez remained mostly in place, performing with a more composed and quiet energy.

Despite a small gathering of true fans — as demonstrated by the audience’s failure to fill chorus vocals after a first verse — the ’Sco was at or close to capacity by midnight. While New York rapper Awkwafina’s set received a mixed reaction from the crowd, it took about one and a half Deerhoof songs before audience members rushed the front of the stage as if Saunier’s drums had somehow created a vacuum. While Deerhoof ’s latest releases tend toward noise pop, the band played with a tenacity found more often in aggressive indie or even punk rock, and the crowd loved it. ’Sco audiences often enjoy energy and return the favor with sloppy mosh pits, but this crowd seemed more in tune with the music and well behaved; mosh pits stayed centered, for the most part, and few, if any, concertgoers were dragged in against their will. Adding to the crowd’s enthusiasm was the oft-forgotten crowd surf during the encore. Three different bodies could be seen floating, bouncing and bobbing around. Even the casual side-stage crowd moved around a bit; many head nods could be seen on either side of the stage.

Each band member brought something of their own to the performance and played with visible skill and passion.

The audience was more focused on the livelier Saunier and Matsuzaki, but without skill and poise, the intricate guitar lines and riffs could have thrown the performance off. Fortunately, they were performed excellently. Still, the collec-

tive gaze was aimed toward Saunier’s writhing body. He moved behind the kit as the songs moved, waving his torso back and forth with a fluidity that simply can’t be emulated. His intense presence was matched by his obvious talent.

While Saunier never struggled to keep rhythm, he never hesitated to abandon it either. Rather than playing the usual supporting role of percussion, Saunier’s kit led the band through numerous mid––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Each band member brought something of their own to the performance and played with visible skill and passion.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– song time changes, as if obliterating a tempo were something the group could do on a whim.

Vocals were equally sharp, although Matsuzaki’s presence was more playful than commanding. Her relatively small frame and fun dance moves alongside Saunier’s poundings certainly didn’t detract from her presence. On the contrary, their multidimensional nature transferred well to the stage. As the second most active performer, she garnered much attention — and most likely a large share of the affection — given by the crowd.

This show should land a spot on a shortlist of most memorable concerts the ’Sco has seen in recent years. Whether on account of musicianship, stage presence, the energy bouncing back and forth between the performers and the audience or the crowd’s maturity, Tuesday’s performance radiated something brilliant. Let’s hope the booking office keeps up the good work.

Urinetown’s Irreverent Humor Refreshes Somber Theater Scene Phoebe Hammer Arts Editor

controlling a population — and is able to make light of it. It feels different than any show [OMTA] has done recently.”

But what exactly makes Urinetown so different? First, it is overly dramatic and knows it. It pokes fun at many popular musicals, such as Les Misérables and West Side

decided to emphasize this theme on the stage. The crew took whole pieces of wood from old OMTA productions for use as large barricades in a scene that mimics the faYes, there really is a musical called Urinetown, and mous Les Misérables barricade scene. “I loved the idea of yes, it is about pee. This weekend the Oberlin Musical connecting past decisions with the present reality. Some Theater Association will be performing Mark Hollmann of the old shows were great and some were bad, but they and Greg Kotis’s Tony Award-winning comedy in Wildall ended up as part of Urinetown,” said Palmer. “It’s similar –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– er Main. Directed by College senior Aaron Palmer, the to the way that the show’s past decisions have led to the production is poised to generate laughs and, at times, “I read Urinetown over the summer, and it was current problems in their town.” Additionally, the stage is disgust. set very low to the ground to bring the audience close to irreverently funny, witty, and for all its flaws, it Urinetown takes place in an undisclosed city bethe action in an almost invasive and discomforting way, really is an engaging show. ” sieged by a 20-year drought. In an attempt to regulate in an attempt to reflect the way the citizens feel about the water consumption, the city has outlawed the use of malevolent Urine Good Company.

AARON PALMER private toilets, forcing the citizens to use public payAlthough the show makes fun of the musical steper-use facilities owned by the Urine Good Company, an Director, Urinetown reotype of breaking into song at any given moment, evil corporation run by Caldwell B. Cladwell, played by –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– the music is still brilliant and challenging. Directed Conservatory junior DeRon McDaniel. A brutal police

by College junior Jonathan Jue-Wong, the vocals set a force maintains order, and anyone who disobeys the Story, and even makes fun of its own name in one of the high bar for the cast. “Bobby’s songs demand a lot from law is sent to the mysterious Urinetown. After watching scenes. “If you’re used to rolling your eyes at love at first the singer in range and musicality,” Sargent said. “It has his father’s arrest for urinating in the street, the heroic sight, breaking into song at random moments and start- been a journey the last couple months to work through Bobby Strong, played by Conservatory first-year Eric ing a revolution overnight, we are with you, and the play [these] pieces and come out with something I am very Sargent, decides to fight against the system alongside is making fun of these things in the same way. Think of proud of.”

Hope Cladwell, Cladwell’s optimistic and naïve daugh- it as the ‘anti-musical musical.’” said Goode.

Urinetown is a dark comedy that is being called one ter, played by College sophomore Justine Goode.

Even the characters are purposefully two-dimen- of the best musicals of the decade. “Each joke and gag In a departure from OMTA’s recent dramatic reper- sional and over-the-top, adding to the humor. “My fa- has been neatly placed, and when it’s executed correcttoire, Urinetown is meant for laughs first and thinking vorite part about playing Bobby is getting to be such a ly, it has audiences in hysterics,” Sargent said. “People later. “I read Urinetown over the summer, and it was ir- character,” Sargent said. “Bobby knows how to romance will leave our show laughing and with a few great tunes reverently funny, witty, and, for all its flaws, it really is and lead the people, but when it comes down to critical in their head, but also hopefully with the thought of the an engaging show,” Palmer said. “Especially after last thinking and foresight, his imperfections are gloriously importance of this satire.” year’s theater performances, I wanted to show [where] exposed.”

The production will run from April 24–26, with we could be funny but still have something to say.”

Behind the humor, the show highlights the intercon- shows at 7:30 p.m. in Wilder Main. Tickets can be purGoode agrees, adding that the play is “kind of gross, nectedness of the musical theater community. College chased for $3 in advance at Wilder front desk and $5 at but it does deal with serious issues — a corporation sophomore Kathryn Hobart, the show’s technical director, the door.

Arts

The Oberlin Review, April 25, 2014

Page 11

Despite Virtuosity, Listeners Unconvinced by Hamasyan Show Clara Shannon It’s not on every college campus that students can spend their Saturday night devouring vegan cookies, sipping on peppermint tea and watching a performance of an Armenian award-winning jazz-rock, avant-garde trio — but at Oberlin they can. Renowned musician and composer Tigran Hamasyan took the stage at the Cat in the Cream, greeting a completely packed audience last Saturday.

Since he began playing recitals and music festivals at the age of 13, Hamasyan has earned serious recognition for his piano skill. Aided by the huge success of his five albums, he has performed all over the world, including Montreux, Montreal, North Sea, Juan Les Pins, Marciac, the London Jazz Festivals and the Winter Festival in New York.

Since the release of his fourth album A Fable in 2011, Hamasyan has taken the new music and jazz world by storm.

A Fable sold impressively and garnered

extensive critical acclaim, including the French equivalent of a Grammy Award, and his work has been hailed by legends such as Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock.

Not only has Hamasyan been recognized globally for his multiple jazz albums and compositions, he also won the prestigious 2006 Thelonious Monk Jazz Piano Competition. In 2013, he was named the winner of the Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in Contemporary Music.

Hamasyan’s style lies somewhere between pseudo-folk songs from the eastern Caucasus and head-banging metal — an intriguing and innovative combination, if a little confusing. On Saturday, though, the Armenian musician left the crowd seemingly divided. While many people in the audience bobbed their heads in appreciation, others looked at each other, confused and disappointed.

Most disappointing of all was the monotonous structure of the group’s pieces.

While the songs themselves were dis-

tinguishable, every piece seemed to embody the same form and tone throughout. Nearly every song began with a soft, melodic structure that transitioned awkwardly and abruptly into a gritty and loud rock-influenced middle section that in –––––––––––––––––––––––––––———

Hamasyan’s style lies somewhere between pseudo-folk songs from the eastern Caucasus and head-banging metal — an intriguing and innovative combination, if a little confusing.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––———

some cases was undynamic and went on for far too long. After that interlude, the piece would suddenly switch back into a delicate folk melody before ending. The

set quickly became predictable and many in the audience lost interest.

That’s not to say that the trio’s virtuosity as individual players is in question — actually, it was off the charts. Hamasyan’s sparkling piano skill, the bassist’s hardhitting dexterity and the drummer’s impeccable artistry were all apparent, but something was missing. The use of synth was interesting at best but certainly not anything that left much of an impression.

At times it was completely unnecessary.

The group was certainly innovative and interesting to watch, as it was a wellformed ensemble of three talented musicians. Their efforts fell short due to their lack of imagination regarding their song’s structures, but they still put on a solid show despite the audience’s grousing.

Later that week, the trio’s music flowed through the speakers of a student’s computer in Wilder Bowl on a sunny afternoon — a testament to their appeal, which, while lost on some, was appreciated by many.

On the Record with Editors-in-Chief on 50th Anniversary of Plum Creek Review This semester, the Plum Creek Review — Oberlin’s oldest literary and arts magazine —will be celebrating its 50th anniversary with a special edition to commemorate its history and longstanding presence on campus.

The Review spoke with Editorsin-Chief and College seniors Ryann Eastman and Zack Knoll to get the inside scoop on the production of the Plum Creek Review and what to expect in the anticipated 50th anniversary edition.

Can you tell me a little bit about the Plum Creek Review?

Zack Knoll: What is most unique about the Plum Creek Review is there is no niche to the work we accept, so [we accept] literally anything and everything in written or visual form.

We’re sort of, I think, a nice artistic sounding board for the school, because [the magazine] is all-encompassing in terms of what we see and publish. We get to see the whole landscape of the arts at Oberlin.

Ryann Eastman: I think we’re also very inclusive in terms of how we do things. I’ve always been invested in the Plum Creek Review because of the way in which we create our magazine. It’s really important to us that it’s a democratic process and that nobody’s voice is louder than anyone else’s, and that includes the editors.

As long as [someone] attend[s] three-quarters of the meetings, then their voices will be heard in terms of a vote. Somebody who is just starting the semester carries the same weight as someone who’s been at the Plum Creek Review for several years.

Tell me more about what happens behind the scenes.

ZK: We do a ton of emailing.

RE: Yeah, our lives are hard.

ZK: I think we exist purely digitally sometimes, in terms of being an editor, because it’s difficult coordinating things.

RE: And [we] organize the submissions and make execu-

College seniors and Editors-in-Chief of the Plum Creek Review Zack Knoll (left) and Ryann Eastman met with the Review this week to talk about the publication’s upcoming 50th anniversary issue.

tive decisions now and then.

Submissions are anonymous [during the review process] because there’s a huge emphasis on our part to being as respectful as possible about the pieces and about the different people [submitting]. By keeping it anonymous, we are keeping it as safe a space as possible within the workshop to talk constructively in a way that’s not mean or unproductive.

ZK: Ryann and I will be writing a blurb about what the Plum Creek Review is [in the 50th anniversary magazine], because there are a lot of misconceptions about how the review [process] works. We’ve had a lot of people come up to us asking, “Why didn’t Plum Creek like my submission?” It all works anonymously. And that’s a really important part of how the magazine comes to be. Just because you’re an editor or on staff, your piece doesn’t automatically get in. There are advantages to being on staff because you have an active voice in the conversation, but no one else in the room knows who submitted each piece.

[Eastman and Knoll high five.]

What were some of the highlights of this year’s production?

ZK: It was cool to have the 50th anniversary arts pieces. To commemorate [the anniversary] was special to me as a senior and an Editor-in-Chief.

RE: I really enjoyed the meetings where we were talking about a piece that was really funny or strange. And I distinctly remember we were talking about the [digital painting] piece “Phaena” [by College senior Elena Gold], and everyone in the room kept trying to make statements about it and then dissolving into laughter halfway through. And I really appreciated that, because it felt like such an organic response to the piece. I’m really glad that it got in. I just couldn’t stop laughing, which was extremely unprofes-

sional but also so enjoyable.

ZK: Yeah, and it’s always so lovely to see staff members really just want to talk about art and writing outside of an academic setting, and still feel really invested in the conversation. I think, also, a personal highlight is this is the fastest we’ve done layout! We did layout for three hours on Saturday, and [one of the layout editors] and I did half the magazine. Now we’re putting final touches on it. I can remember years where layout took two weeks, and it was really stressful. The fact that we’ve become so efficient at producing this magazine is just really cool.

The 50th anniversary magazine is coming out. What does that mean to you?

RE: We’re both really honored that we’re the editors this year.

It’s really nice to be able to say that we were the editors of the longest-running magazine on campus, especially because it’s so inclusive and, I think, different from the other magazines available on campus.

ZK: I was talking to an alumna, because I’m a senior and trying to figure out what I’m going to be doing professionally, and I mentioned that I am an editor for the Plum Creek Review and they’re like, “That was around when I was at Oberlin!”

And it’s really cool hearing that and having that level of prestige and to be attached to a magazine that has a long legacy and an important history at Oberlin.

What can Oberlin students expect from the 50th anniversary edition?

ZK: This is the most prose-heavy magazine we’ve had since I’ve been on staff. We’ve never accepted this much prose! [There is] as much prose as poetry, if not more, which is really exciting because it’s often a poetry-heavy magazine. Poetry definitely has its own merits, but as a prose writer, it’s cool to see more getting accepted.

RE: It’s super unusual, and I was really excited about that

too, because I’d always felt like it was not necessarily inclusive of prose, because it seems to be such a short-form magazine.

But I was really happy that we managed to make space for that kind of voice.

ZK: We’re printing fiction, we’re printing non-fiction, and we’re printing a short prose piece, a long prose piece and a prose poem.

RE: I think we’re really living up to the tagline of “all forms of publishable art” this year. We have art interacting with words; we have many different mediums and kinds of art — things that are funny and things that are serious and profound. So we have a lot of diversity this year.

ZK: We also have an incredibly large amount of femalecentered pieces of writing and pieces of art. We’re printing, and we saw a lot of digital manipulation art. We’re printing a couple of GIF sets. There’s digital painting. We’re definitely moving away from just being fine arts painting and fine arts photography, so we are living up to our tagline, but also not taking ourselves too seriously.

RE: There are lots of fun pieces. And we’re printing the first piece in our memory by a non-Oberlin student. We get submissions every year by people outside of the community, and we’re going to be printing two poems by one of them.

Where on campus can we find a copy of the Plum Creek Review?

RE: Everywhere!

ZK: But make sure you get them quickly, because they’ll go fast.

Interview by Vida Weisblum, Staff writer Photo by Rachel Grossman, Photo editor

Arts

Page 12

The Oberlin Review, April 25, 2014

Girls in Motion Brings Community to Cat

Anne Pride-Wilt Arts Editor

It can be easy for Oberlin students to forget that the world isn’t entirely peopled by 18- to 22-year-olds, with the occasional professor thrown in for good measure. The bubble isn’t always a bad thing, but aside from the altruistic souls who volunteer in the community, most of us go weeks without seeing anyone under the age of 13. During the Girls in Motion dance performance in the Cat in the Cream on Wednesday night, any curious college student could have remedied that dearth — the performance was about anything but college students, as local elementary and middle school girls and their families took center stage.

Girls in Motion was founded 10 years ago by Professor of Dance Ann Cooper Albright. At twice-weekly meetings, student mentors lead the girls through physical activities like dance and yoga; the program seeks to foster mentorship between Oberlin girls and Oberlin College students with the goal of encouraging confidence and health. The after-school program for girls began at Oberlin’s Langston Middle School but eventually expanded to Prospect Elementary School and the Oberlin Boys and Girls Club. All three groups were represented in Wednesday’s show.

The audience in the packed Cat was, unsurprisingly, a jumble of local families, complete with countless tottering younger siblings and grandparents. The evening’s unofficial MC, College sophomore and Girls in Motion mentor Emily Schcolnik, kept things moving quickly despite the slightly chaotic atmosphere.

When the first group, about two dozen girls from Prospect Elementary, took the stage, it was in a flutter of giggles, smiles and shy waves to parents in the audience. Pharrell Williams’s “Happy” set the soundtrack for their dance, a charming and kid-friendly choice that was mirrored by the girls’ attitudes. The dance was simple but sweet, and if some of the smaller girls were a little behind the music, who was complaining? Their parents, whooping and cheering in the audience, certainly weren’t.

After the Prospect girls filed off, the Boys and Girls Club of Oberlin (the “Girls” half, that is) and their enthusiastic College mentors performed a dance to “One Step at a Time” by Jordin Sparks. The song’s feel-good, self-empowering lyrics seemed appropriate considering the mission of Girls in Motion. However, the next song, Katy Perry’s “Firework,” performed by next year’s Girls in Motion mentors, didn’t. One wonders if any preteen girl has ever really felt “like a plastic bag,” but nonetheless the five older girls’ dance was languid, pleasant and age-appropriately, a step or two up in difficulty from those of the Prospect

and Boys and Girls Club girls. A pair of the five broke off to do a brief, cartwheel-happy bop to the earworm “A Little Party Never Killed Nobody” by Fergie, and then a second pair did the same for a version of Chris Kenner’s “Land of a Thousand Dances.”

But the dancing wasn’t really the point. After Professor Albright’s mid-show bevy of announcements, the 15 or so College mentors lined up onstage to introduce themselves, with accompanying offstage screams from the girls for particularly beloved mentors, before the mentors turned around to present awards to the girls themselves, culminating in a round of “Happy Birthday” for an adorably starstruck birthday girl.

After a heartwarming, if too-long, slideshow of Girls in Motion photos, the girls all performed their dances again. Then, to the collective groan of the parents in the audience, everyone was invited to the stage to dance with the girls, with many an unenthusiastic sibling hoisted onstage by their sisters.

It wasn’t about the College students, or even the mentors — although they certainly had a little well-earned time in the spotlight — and especially not about whatever random college students happened to wander into the Cat after dinner that evening.

It’s surreal, but a good surreal, to see a space so associated with the College put to such vibrant, cheering, community use.

There are kids in Oberlin, folks, and they dance.

Slam Poets Deliver Honest, Moving Performances in Accessible Environment Clara Shannon As the lights dimmed, the excited chatter of faculty and students filled the tiny Lord Lounge in anticipation of Oberlin’s OSlam! Poetry Showcase on Tuesday, April 22. Three illuminated microphones sat in wait for performers. Abruptly, the chatter burst into explosive applause as the group members appeared on stage and the show began.

Part of Oberlin’s slam poetry group’s mission involves creating a space where art can be shared and accessible in a safe environment, a goal which it definitely achieved Tuesday

night. After a brief preface on the seriousness of the content about to be performed, the group diffused the tension with a fun call-and-response of Beyoncé’s ‘“***Flawless,” with the words “OSlam, OSlam, OSlam!” incorporated at the end. The team performed for a large and highly engaged crowd, which was snapping and screaming in appreciation and solidarity throughout the night.

To begin, OSlam!’s newest members performed as part of the group for the first time. Although visibly nervous, the ‘newbies’ recited their poetry with bravery and received a wave of support from

the audience in return.

The night continued with performances by each member of the OSlam! club, about topics including race, sexuality and love. Every member of the group gave a brave and memorable performance delivered with nothing less than breathtaking passion and hard-hitting emotional drive.

College sophomore B.J. “Bato” Tindal gave a terrific performance of a poem titled “Three Times Triceps,” full of unapologetic charisma, wit and humor that fully engaged the audience.

His magnetism and charm wowed audiences as he performed the body image-themed poem. He also performed a beautiful and heart-warming poem dedicated to his mother.

Another standout performance of the night was OSlam! co-chair and College sophomore Alison Kronstadt’s “Get Him To The Greek,” a poem concerning the sexual assault charges made against a student at Vanderbilt University after a college fraternity party. Kronstadt’s delivery

was chilling with lines like, “The beer in his hand is better than a ‘hello’ / Any doubt in his mind dissolves at the sight of what he wants / What he deserves,” that drew the audience in.

Another highlight of the night was College first-year Joseph Farago’s “The First Time You Called Me Crazy,” a love poem filled with sorrow, laughter and compassion. His delivery was charming and emotional, almost leaving him in tears. He received welldeserved applause that lasted longer than most.

Continuing the intense atmostphere, College first-year Annika Hansteen Izora captivated with pieces on topics ranging from childhood to heartbreak. Her performances were riveting, and she delivered her work with impeccable tonal control and raw turn of phrase.

College first-year Nina Austin also showed exemplary performance quality with her poem titled “Almost,” targeting domestic violence.

It was a heartbreaking and affecting

performance that left the audience breathless but ecstatic, and received a huge wave of applause.

Works such as “Meeting Me” and “I Didn’t,” by College first-year Zachariah Claypole-White were similarly unforgettable. Claypole-White’s delivery, although more subdued than those of his fellow OSlam! members, was also well-received and added variety to the night, as his quieter take provided a pleasant contrast.

Slam poetry — one of the most intensely personal and passionate art forms — requires the ability to pull from within oneself and recite with an enormous amount of perseverance and courage. Every performer did just that on Tuesday. OSlam!’s mission to create a safe space for art was definitely accomplished. Throughout the night, audience members cheered, snapped, laughed and were almost moved to tears at the undeniable talent showcased. It was a true display of overwhelming love and support among artists and their peers.

Feature Photo: Thyagaraja Music Festival College sophomore B.J. Tindal performed a body-imaged themed poem titled “Three Times Triceps” at the annual OSlam! showcase. The event attracted a large and lively crowd to Lord Lounge last Tuesday. Effie Kline-Salamon

(From left) College sophomore Alison Kronstadt, College sophomore B.J. Tindal, College first-year Joseph Farago, College first-year Zachariah Claypole-White, College first-year Nina Austin, College first-year Annika Hansteen Izora and College sophomore Hannah Rosenberg perform a piece together at the OSlam! Showcase last Tuesday. The slam poetry event aimed to promote solidarity and accessibility in spoken word.

Effie Kline-Salamon

Panruti Venkatesan (left) played the thavil drums and Vyasarpadi Kothandaraman and B. Kesanna played a horn-like instrument called the nadaswaram at the Thygaraja Festival last Tuesday. Their performance was one of many during the 12-hour showcase of South Indian music, film and dance hosted at the Apollo Theatre in Oberlin.

Zoë Madonna

The Oberlin Review, April 25, 2014

Upcoming Arts Shows and Events As the year winds down, campus is still abuzz with music, theater, visual art and dance. Check out upcoming shows and events before the craziness of finals week gets underway.

Friday, April 25 t (VFTU .BTUFS $MBTT 'SBODFTDP $FSB IBSQTJDIPSE o 'BJSDIJME $IBQFM Q N t 6SJOFUPXO 5IF .VTJDBM o 8JMEFS .BJO Q N SVOT UISPVHI 4BUVSEBZ

t $JSDVT 4BGBSJ o )BMFT (ZN Q N Saturday, April 26 t )PVS $POUBDU *NQSPW +BN o 8BSOFS $FOUFS CFHJOT Q N t #MBVFS 4BMPO 5BMFOU 4IPX o ,BEF )PVTF Q N t $PNQVUFS 4DJFODF $PNNVOJUZ "SU 4IPX o )BSLOFTT %JOJOH "SFB PQFOT BU Q N QFSGPSNBODFT BOE SFBEJOHT BU Q N t -PTU JO 5JNF 5IF 0CFSUPOFT XJUI 4QFDJBM (VFTU 7J#F 5BQ o 'JOOFZ $IBQFM Q N Sunday, April 27 t 4UVEFOU $IBNCFS .VTJD 4IPXDBTF o %BWJE ) 4UVMM 3FDJUBM )BMM Q N t 4QSJOH $PMPS 'FTUJWBM o 5BQQBO 4RVBSF Q N t 4NBMM +B[[ &OTFNCMFT $PODFSU o UIF $BU JO UIF $SFBN Q N t #JMM *SXJO -FDUVSF BOE 1FSGPSNBODF o 'JOOFZ $IBQFM Q N Monday, April 28 t .BLF ZPVS PXO BSU PS EP ZPVS IPNFXPSL Tuesday, April 29 t .BSUJOF 4ZNT i#MBDL 7FSOBDVMBS -FTTPOT PG UIF 5SBEJUJPOw "SU 5BML o "MMFO .FNPSJBM "SU #VJMEJOH Q N t 5IF *NQPTTJCMF $POWFOUJPO )ZCSJE NVTJD BSU QSBDUJDFT JO (PUIBN BOE #FZPOE o "MMFO .FNPSJBM "SU #VJMEJOH Q N t 4NBMM +B[[ &OTFNCMFT $PODFSU o UIF $BU JO UIF $SFBN Q N Wednesday, April 30 t 3JUNPT -BUJOPT -BUJO .VTJD 8PSLTIPQ o )BSWFZ 4QBOJTI )PVTF Q N t ,PSFP 4IPXDBTF o $BU JO UIF $SFBN Q N t 0CFSMJO #SBTT &OTFNCMF JO $PODFSU .JDIBFM 3PFTU DPOEVDUPS o 'JOOFZ $IBQFM Q N t $BTFZ +BOF &MMJTPO QFSGPSNBODF o 5IF 4DP Q N Thursday, May 1 t 4NBMM +B[[ &OTFNCMFT $PODFSU o $BU JO UIF $SFBN Q N t .BTUFS PG .VTJD 3FDJUBM +FOOJGFS #PXFS IBSQTJDIPSE o 'BJSDIJME $IBQFM Q N t 1* &OTFNCMFT $PODFSU o $BU JO UIF $SFBN Q N

Arts

Page 13

Sports

Page 14

The Oberlin Review, April 25, 2014

IN THE LOCKER ROOM

Intramural Softball

This week the Review sat down with intramural softball captains, senior Michelle Polyak of the Senior Shockers and juniors Dylan Cohen of the Skin Flutes and Maisy Byerly of the Designated $hitters to discuss their team names, how much they value intramural softball and why more people should play.

What first drew you to intramural softball?

Michelle Polyak: I started playing my freshman year because I knew some seniors that were playing and were really enthusiastic about it, and I decided to try it out, and it was really fun. Then I made a team the next year.

Dylan Cohen: I was on an intramural basketball team that had a bunch of players that had started an intramural softball team. I joined them, and it was the perfect way to spend spring semester my freshman year.

Maisy Byerly: I also started spring semester my freshman year. The team I joined was a team of juniors, and half their team was studying abroad, so they recruited me and a couple of my friends to fill their ranks, and we’ve been addicted ever since.

Do you ever find yourself getting competitive and caught up in the heat of the game?

MB: Even in this interview. I think that the Skin Flutes have real rivalries, and then there are loving rivalries. The Skin Flutes and Designated $hitters is a real loving, intense, maternal, paternal, sisterly, brotherly, otherly rivalry.

DC: I got a text from Maisy the day of our rained-out game

What is your favorite thing to do on the softball field?

MP: I love to cheer and also cheer while I’m playing. Every time I run after I hit a ball, I end up yelling something. It just happens.

DC: I like to freak out about really nice catches.

MB: In the last game, I liked the series of line drives and a lot of them coming off the bats of new players. I like cheering for new players.

What is your favorite position to play?

MP: Outfield is totally mine.

DC: Mine’s always been third base.

MB: I think I have to say catcher because it’s a good chance to shit on everyone.

Michelle Polyak, Dylan Cohen and Maisy Byerly last Wednesday, saying, ‘Are you even prepared for this?’ I know the Skin Flutes don’t like the Raw Dogs.

MP: Definitely a lot in the games. We start to name call, but it’s all in good fun.

Have you ever played another sport?

MP: I used to play soccer, but I was never very good. I’m not particularly good at softball, either, but it’s just so fun.

DC: I played basketball, and I played baseball through middle school.

MB: I played softball and [ran] cross country in high school. I played [American Youth Soccer Organization] soccer also. I sailed a little bit.

How did you come up with your team name?

MP: I have been trying to get Senior Shockers to be a thing for the senior class for the whole

year, and I just thought it was fitting. Also, the team has only seniors and higher as players.

DC: I actually don’t know the origin of Skin Flutes. I came into the role of captain of the Skin Flutes in their second iteration. I think we’re just going for a penis-themed name because we’re trying to be funny, kind of. That was definitely the theme of the captain’s meaning two years ago. There was OCOC ‘n’ Balls and other good ones.

MB: I was first on the Willy Nillies, then the team last year was OCOC ‘n’ Balls. This year we are the Designated $hitters. I thought a number of team members would like having a new name every year because there are a wealth of good names for softball teams. My favorite name to date is one this year: Anal in the Outfield. I also like Rings of Uranus. Anything with butts.

Editorial: One Year Later, Boston Marathon Still Rallying Point for Resilient City Continued from page 16 Major League Baseball was also a welcome distraction after 9/11, and played an instrumental role in helping the nation move forward. That year, the Yankees went to the World Series, mounting late-inning comebacks in games four and five at Yankee Stadium. Although they did not win the series, they did bring together a distraught New York community and gave people something to believe in when they had lost so much.

This year, the Boston Marathon has had a similar effect. In 2013, the joy that people found in a 26.2 mile run was shattered. But over the last year, the city of Boston has come together to make this year’s marathon more special than any other.

And that is exactly what happened. 32,408 people showed up at the starting line on Monday morning, almost 10,000 more than the previous year. At 2:49 p.m., the time of the first explosion, the finish line observed a moment of silence to honor Boston and all of the people impacted by the bombings.

At the 26-mile mark, the spot where the first bomb went off, a runner’s legs gave out and he collapsed. Instead of running past him and letting medical staff attend to the fallen runner, four fellow competitors lifted him up and carried the man, determined to help him finish the race. As

the group neared the end, the fallen runner used what little strength he had left to drag himself across the finish line.

It was the little acts of selflessness, the words of encouragement and the enthusiastic crowd that

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––——————

Over the last year, the city of Boston has come together to make this year’s marathon more special than any other.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––—————— propelled this man and so many others across the finish line.

To add to the emotional day, an American won the marathon for the first time since 1985, with a time of two hours, eight minutes and 37 seconds.

His victory was more than just a personal one; it was shared by the entire city of Boston.

For my friend and all the runners who returned to Boston, this year’s marathon helped them find the joy in those 26.2 miles that was lost one year ago. The 2014 marathon brought the city of Boston back together. Although Boston will never be the same, it will always be Boston Strong.

How high up your list of priorities is intramural softball?

MP: It’s number one definitely right now. Last year, I wasn’t as into it, but it’s my last month here and I want to seize the day and have fun with my friends on the softball field.

DC: Number one. It was always number one because it was the place I could guarantee my friends would be on a Wednesday and Saturday afternoon. I knew I’d be able to hang out with them every time, and that’s the key to it for me.

It’s just so much fun to get that competitive with a group of friends in a non-academic setting, but still participating all together. It’s literally the best.

MB: Number one. It was number one for me when I was in the womb, and it will be number one for me when I’m in the grave.

Any last words?

MP: I want to encourage everyone to play. I think it’s a little secret that more underclassmen should know about.

DC: This year I think closer to five percent of people on campus are playing intramural softball and last year it was closer to 10 percent.

When we were freshmen it was closer to 15 percent. That kind of sucks.

This is definitely the most fun you’ll have at Oberlin outside of the thing you do that you’re most interested in.

I hope people look at the intramural schedule and see when they need to sign up. Just shoot Betsy Bruce an email.

MB: Betsy has been open to having lone wolf teams in the past. I talked to people who had never played softball before and their best memories of Oberlin are still on the softball field. It’s an amazing thing for people who don’t even know the sport or give a rat’s ass.

Interview by Nate Levinson, Sports editor Photo by Zach Harvey

Sports

The Oberlin Review, April 25, 2014

Page 15

— Baseball —

Baseball Ready for NCAC Crossover Play Taylor Swift The Yeomen split their doubleheader against The College of Wooster Fighting Scots on their Senior Day this past Saturday. The Yeomen won the first game 3–2 but fell to the Scots 4–2 in 10 innings in the second game.

In the opener, senior Mike McDonald secured his sixth win of the year by striking out eight and allowing only six hits and two runs in what was his team-leading fifth complete game. Saturday’s game marked McDonald’s 15th career win for Oberlin, just one short of tying the school record held by Jack Dunn, OC ’10.

“I think my success this season is due to the work I put in over the summer and due to the support I have had from my team in the field and at the plate,” McDonald said. “We have been hitting great and a lot of young guys have stepped up to aid on the mound.

It makes it a lot easier to pitch when we get a lead early.”

The Yeomen got off to a strong start as RBI singles from juniors Andrew Hutson and Mitch Novak got the Yeomen on the board first and gave them a quick 2–0 lead.

The Scots quickly responded by scoring a run in the top of the second, but the Yeomen got the run back when junior Benjamin Whitener came around to score on two-out RBI single to left field by junior Ryan Bliss.

The Scots scored a second run and put the potential tying run on third base in the sixth

inning, but their efforts fell just short, as McDonald held them scoreless in the seventh to secure the win.

Before the start of the second game, the Yeomen held a ceremony to honor the five graduating Yeomen, as well as to officially recognize the donors that helped pay for the turf infield that was installed this past fall.

The second game was also a nail-biter. The Yeomen took a 2–1 lead in the third inning on RBIs from junior Jeff Schweighoffer and Hutson.

The Yeomen couldn’t hold the lead, though, and allowed the Scots to tally another run in the fourth inning, tying the game at two.

Junior Ben Whitener then traded zeros with several Scots pitchers until the 10th inning, when they got to him for two runs, ultimately saddling him with his third loss of the year.

Despite splitting the doubleheader, the Yeomen were pleased with their efforts, particularly with regard to their pitching performances.

“Wooster is always one of the better hitting teams we have to face,” Novak said. “Our pitchers were able to keep them in check and really helped to keep us in each game and give us a chance to win.”

Last weekend wrapped up the Yeomen’s Conference games, where they finished with a record of 7–9 in the NCAC East and an overall record of 14–16.

With two non-conference teams left to play, the Yeomen are determined to solidify their play to earn more victories.

“Our team has the talent, but we haven’t put it all together at times,” Schweighoffer said. “When the pitching has been there, the hitting has not, and vice versa. I’m hoping that

Junior Mitch Novak fires the ball toward first base in a game at Dill Field. Novak is second on the team with 22 RBIs. Courtesy of Ryan Baker

— Track and Field —

Track and Field Shines at Kenyon Invitational Suzanna Doak Last weekend the track and field team traveled to Gambier, OH, for the Kenyon College invitational.

There they competed against 11 other colleges, including challenging competitors Ohio Wesleyan University, The College of Wooster, Ohio Northern University and Otterbein University. The women placed second overall with a total score of 107.5, falling only to Ohio Wesleyan by 7.5 points. The Yeomen finished in eighth place out of 14 with a total of 48 points.

“It was a wonderful step forward as we move toward the conference meet,” said Head Track and Field Coach Ray Appenheimer. “It’s the time of year where you want to see people throwing farther, jumping higher, and that’s exactly what we saw; there was so much confidence, and in every event we saw personal bests.”

The Yeowomen saw at least one runner finish within the top five of their category and often two, in 11 of 19 different events. Standouts included sophomore Larisa Lewis, who won shotput with a mark of 11.64 meters, while fellow Oberlin competitor, junior Tiffany Henry, took third after throwing 11.08 meters.

Henry was not to be outdone, however, and went on to win the discus throw with 37.23 meters, bumping her to second place in the event for the North Coast Athletic Conference. Falling short of the top throw by just 3.69 meters, Henry was named NCAC Athlete of the Week.

Junior Margaret Miller dominated her events and set new personal season records in the 100- and 200-meter dash. Sitting at 10th in the NCAC for the 100 meters and seventh for the 200, Miller ran a 12.93 and 26.70, respectively. Senior Molly Martorella, one of the team’s strongest runners, easily won the 1500 meters with a time of four minutes and 42.96 seconds, while junior Carey Lyons placed third with a time of 4:55.12.

Appenheimer cited first-year Kyle Tribble as a standout with his third-place run in the men’s 800-meter dash, clocking in at 2:00.25. Sophomore Samuel Black also had great races, finishing third and fifth in his events, the long jump and 100 meters, respectively.

“I was originally a sprinter, so I only worked on sprinting drills, but this past Thursday [Assistant Track and

we make strides to be a more complete team against Case this weekend and carry some momentum into the NCAC crossover series.”

The Yeomen will return to play at home this Sunday as they take on the Case Western Reserve University Spartans with a doubleheader starting at noon.

Field] Coach [Ray] Harris asked me about doing long jump, and I said, ‘Why not?’” Black said. “The practice went well, and he decided to place me in the event for Saturday. I had no idea how I was going to do, so coming in third was a huge surprise! I was very excited that I had found a new event that I could excel at. In the 100 meters, I PR’d by half a second, which was also a total surprise.

[Associate Head Track and Field] Coach [Jason] Hudson told me to become more relaxed while running and not tense up, and obviously it was great advice.”

Distance runner and sophomore Robert Moreton competed in the 1500 and finished with an impressive final time of 4:06.74, placing him fourth in the meet and eighteenth in the NCAC. “The most challenging part was running both the 1500 and the 800. It’s a common thing to do, but that doesn’t make it easy. I was fresh for the 1500, but the 800 was only about two hours later, and I was definitely still tired from the 1500,” Moreton said. “My preparation for the 800 was completely mental; I resigned myself to the pain, and committed to running as hard as I could despite it. Funnily enough, that’s how I prepare for most of my races.”

With the season winding down and NCAC championships approaching, Coach Appenheimer reflected on the growth of the team as a whole this spring on the heels of the satisfying accomplishments at Kenyon. Not only focused on the individual times and results, Appenheimer cited the close-knit unity of the team as a contributing factor.

“I feel it is a typical Oberlin College story, where you take these individuals from different backgrounds, and you watch them become this cohesive, supportive family. It’s what I value the most about working and coaching here,” he said. “The reason why people choose it is because they yearn for community and want to be nurtured and supported. It makes my job easy, because although it may appear to be an individual sport, these students want to come together and find a common ground.”

Individuals have two more opportunities to qualify for the NCAC conference championships at Hillsdale College on Friday, April 25, and at Ashland University on Saturday, April 26 and Sunday, April 27. The team will return home May 2 and 3 to host the conference tournament and hopes to send a strong contingency to the National Championships in late May.

Intramural Softball Ushers in Springtime Continued from page 16 in which we so carelessly reside, but mostly I try and shape their energy and excitement into movements and bursts of athletic genius.”

Her fight and fervor showed the true nature of competition that exists among the softball players here, encouraging those who do not normally consider themselves athletes to own their roles on the field.

Junior Woah Bee Sea (not to be confused with WOBC) members Evan Davies and Sophie Harari also were quick to share their excitement about intramural softball. Still riding high after a big 27–15 win on Monday against the Senior Shockers, they sang the praises of the league.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––———————————

‘My troops rally themselves. They are the people who sacrifice their blood and time on the field. ... Mostly I try and shape their energy and excitement into movements and bursts of athletic genius.’

Maisy Byerly Designated $hitters Team Captain –––––––––––––––––––––––––––——————————— “It’s just such a culture,” Harari said. “People who never knew they were athletes become MVPs on the field.”

“And we’re all MVPs. I just have to say that there are good vibes on and off the field,” Davies added.

“Fun, friends, forever,” Harari concluded.

The league carefully and wonderfully strikes a balance between friendly competition and the drive to win. Spring softball is an opportunity for both varsity athletes and nonathletes to come together to grill burgers and play ball, relieving the stress of school,while indulging in the athletic camaraderie.

“Wonderful, happy people congregating in North Fields — that is the essence of intramural sports,” Byerly said. “Some people like softball and some people couldn’t care less, but it is just about being there on the field and trying something different with your friends there for support.”

Sports The Oberlin Review

The women’s tennis team won its seventh consecutive match last Saturday when it beat the Allegheny College Gators 7–2, advancing its conference record to a perfect 3–0.

This victory pushed the team’s regular season record to 11–8 overall.

Its next match will come in the first round of the NCAC tournament.

“I’d attribute our recent success against conference teams to the hard work we put in as a team over spring break,” junior Grace Porter said. “Close losses to some of the top teams in the country toughened us.”

Though the Yeowomen left Meadville, PA, with a win, the Gators did not let Oberlin walk away easily. “Allegheny played us tough.

Hats off to them, but kudos to our

Junior Grace Porter prepares to hit the ball in a recent match at home. Her strong play has helped the Yeowomen to seven straight victories.

Courtesy of Brian Hodgkin

girls, too, for fighting through some really tough, close matches,” said Head Coach Constantine Ananiadis.

The No. 1 doubles pair of seniors Brenna Sheldon and Porter started the team off on the right foot as they earned an 8–5 victory.

“The match Saturday showed our ability to fight as a team,” said Sheldon. “Even in very windy conditions when we couldn’t hit a clean ball, we were able to be patient and find a way to win against tough opponents.”

The No. 2 doubles pair, first-year Emma Brezel and sophomore Ariana Abayomi, and the No. 3 pair, first-year Olivia Hay and sophomore Erin Johnson, added to the success with wins of 8–2 and 8–6, respectively.

The Yeowomen totaled three doubles victories against the Gators and were brimming with confidence as they headed into singles play.

In the absence of Sheldon in singles, everyone advanced one spot up, challenging the girls to higher competition. Porter played in the first spot and came out on top 6–3, 6–4 against Allegheny’s Sun Mo Koo. “Grace Porter has really elevated her game the last month or so,” Ananiadis said. “She’s undefeated in singles and doubles since coming back from spring break, often winning decisively against good teams [and] opponents. She’s doing a really good job staying within herself and keeping her cool.”

The Yeowomen followed the opening victory with tiebreaker wins from Johnson in the second spot and Brezel in the third spot. Abayomi played in the No. 4 spot against the Gators’ Haley Meekhof and came away with a 7–5, 6–3 victory.

Johnson’s play was an especially welcome sight for Coach Ananiadis.

“Erin Johnson is also starting to put together full matches at a high level, which is nice to see, as I’ve always known she had the potential to play good tennis and she’s worked hard to get where she’s at,” he said.

With Sheldon as the lone senior, the team looks to underclassmen like Johnson to help lead the team.

“We are a young team, but have matured a lot as tennis players this season,” Sheldon said. “We have become better competitors and we have an awesome team dynamic, which makes a huge difference in the way we approach both practice and match play. It has been a great season, and we are looking forward to the conference tournament this weekend at Denison [University].”

Coach Ananiadis has high hopes for his team this weekend.

“We can beat anyone in the conference, but we’ll have to not get too high on the highs or too down with the lows,” he said. “If we do that, we’ll do well.”

The Yeowomen will take on The College of Wooster Fighting Scots on Friday, April 25 at 3 p.m. in Granville, OH, with hopes of advancing to the semifinal round of the NCAC Tournament.

— Intramural Softball —

IM Softball Provides Chance for All to Step Up to the Plate Bronwen Schumacher

Softball is mostly played by “My troops rally them- give a speech or two on seniors who are thinking, selves,” she said. “They are the importance of softball ‘This is it! This is the end!’” the people who sacrifice in the dog-eat-dog world she said. their blood and time on This season started out the field. Sometimes I will See Intramural, page 15 later than expected, as the long winter delayed games until this past weekend.

However, the delay didn’t stop junior Maisy Byerly, team captain of the Designated $hitters, from rallying her troops to win a game against the Skin Flutes last Sunday. The Flutes were ahead 12–7 in the seventh inning, but an impassioned speech by Byerly boosted team morale and pushed the team to victory. Junior and Review Sports Editor Nate Levinson jacked a three-run homerun to tie the game, and a single by junior Jack Redell gave the $hitters a 13–12 victory.

Byerly shied away from acknowledging the influence of her captainship, but her humble anecdote about the win shed light on her leadership ability, Junior Sophie Harari eyes a pitch in an intramural softball as well as on the competi- game last Monday. Intramural softball allows students of all tive yet light-hearted atmo- abilities to compete in a friendly, team-oriented atmosphere. sphere of the games.

Rachel Grossman

It is hard to believe that a whole year has passed since the bombing at the finish line of the 117th Boston Marathon. I had signed up for race alerts for my friend who was running, and when I received a text message saying she had finished, I put away my phone and stopped paying attention to the race.

Two hours later, I walked into Philips gym, only to find it abuzz with panic about a bombing in Boston, specifically at the finish line of the marathon.

I immediately called my friend, and when she did not pick up, I panicked.

That moment of confusion has a spot on my list of top 10 scariest moments.

Fortunately, my friend called me back, said she was in one piece and was safe. But there were many who were not so lucky. The bombs killed three spectators, injured many others and forever changed the significance of the Boston Marathon.

A marathon is one of the most unifying sporting events, and the Boston Marathon is one of the world’s most popular marathons.

Spectators show up to cheer on runners that they do not really know or care about, and the majority of people do not care much about who wins. They are merely there to watch the most determined runners complete 26.2 strenuous miles.

Historically, sporting events have had tremendous power in uniting groups of people from different backgrounds. For example, during the recent Winter Olympics, athletes, spectators and political figures banded together to support gay and lesbian athlete participation.

See Editorial, page 14

the trash — r in r pe

e or compost ycl it ec

Last Sunday afternoon, next to the women’s softball field by North Fields, a group of 40 students sat beneath the evergreen trees, pitched balls to one another and practiced their swings.

Some had a natural talent for the sport, swiftly catching fly balls and casually hitting doubles into the outfield, while others showed little to no knowledge of softball. After an hour on the field, it became clear that intramural softball is as much about the spirit and culture of friendly competition as it is about winning.

The Designated $hitters finished the afternoon with a walk-off win, but win or lose, everyone had fun.

That same sentiment has been true for as long as Director of Recreation and Club Sports Betsy Bruce can remember.

“It’s been going on forever, really. Intramurals were the precursor to varsity sports, particularly for women,” Bruce said. “In-

tramural softball has long provided important opportunities for women, as three or more women are required to be on the field at all times.”

Intramural softball is very accessible and appealing to Oberlin students who don’t get a chance to play club or varsity sports, Bruce noted.

“It’s a great way to get off your butt and do something,” she said. “It’s also a great outlet for students who aren’t committed to a varsity sport to get outside, to get some exercise. It’s outside, it’s a social event; I just think that intramurals are the right thing for a lot of students on this campus.”

Bruce has worked for Oberlin since 1999 and has seen nothing but positive attitudes from students toward the intramural sports here at Oberlin. She organizes year-round outdoor and indoor soccer and winter basketball, in addition to the spring softball league.

“Intramurals are supposed to be fun and social.

Sarah Orbuch Sports Editor

t this new t pu sp a no

Michaela Puterbaugh

Boston United by Marathon

o

Yeowomen Head to NCAC Tournament

ead! Please d

— Women’s Tennis —

April 25, 2014

t ins

Page 16