Volume 68, Issue 3

Volume 68 | Issue 3

November 3, 201648

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ELECTION 2016

November 3, 2016

Election stress disorder is a thing High-profile election has increased the need for medical attention

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Caroline Cardoso News Intern Republican candidate Donald Trump has called Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton a crooked, lying criminal. Clinton has called Trump supporters “deplorables” and bigots. Trump supporters are at the throats of Clinton supporters, and vice versa. Many Americans who support neither candidate still have not made a decision what to do come Nov. 8.

According to a report released in 2015 by The American Psychological Association titled “Stress in America,” the nation’s level of anxiety has been mainly focused on this year’s presidential election. It was reported that the election is causing anxiety in almost half of the voting population across the nation over the economy, health, or work. 52 percent of the people surveyed in The APA’s report said, “The election is a very or somewhat significant source [of anxiety] in their lives,” almost breaking even between both Republicans and Democrats.

Political Science major at the University Isabella Johansson, who is supporting Jill Stein, believes that this year’s election is not comparable to past elections when it comes to candidates and stress levels of voters.

“I don’t even think that the 2000 election, with it being so close between

Bush and Gore, even comes close to being as unordinary as this election,” said Johansson. “It has almost become a joke which I can see why many people could be getting frustrated.”

According to the APA, the stress is stretching all across the age spectrum, from college students to baby boomers.

The APA’s associate executive director for policy Lynn Bufka explains to The Washington Post that between the ages, there are many factors from the election that can be contributing to the stress of these anxious voters.

“It could be how negative the whole campaign is, the discourse is particularly heated, we seem to be more polarized,” said Bufka. “We can work ourselves up over what the future president could do and if we get wrapped up in a lot of ‘what if’s,’ that can make us really stressed.”

Many psychologists across the country have felt the effects of the stress themselves. Stan Tatkin Psy.D., is an assistant clinical professor in the Family Medicine Department at the Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Tatkin wrote about what he felt and how similar the feeling is to what he has seen in others.

“As I watched the third presidential debate, I realized just how anxious and

depressed I had become over the last few months of this election cycle,” said Tatkin. After a while, Tatkin came to the conclusion he knew what this feeling was. “Bingo! I’ve been suffering from election stress disorder. No wonder I felt more like reaching for ibuprofen or even Xanax, rather than munching on popcorn, as I watched the TV. Not only that, but I realized how many of my patients are also suffering from this disorder.”

Many first time voters are refusing to cast a vote. Business Management major at the University Josh Blaney is a Bernie Sanders supporter and first time voter considers himself a “die hard liberal.” Blaney believes that if someone does not fit his exact idea of the president, there is only one thing to do - nothing.

“I’m a Bernie Sanders supporter, I always have and I always will be,” said Blaney. “I don’t support Hillary and I will never support Trump; so, what’s my decision? I don’t vote. Simple as that.”

Former Texas Representative Ron Paul of the Republican party told Vice News if Americans do not think voting is worthwhile, then they “just shouldn’t vote at all.”

“This whole obsession with, ‘Your vote makes all the difference, and everyone

has to vote!’ is propaganda,” said Paul.

“Who cares whether they don’t vote, other than the people who want an endorsement for the system of power, and want the public to believe they’ve done something very important?” he asked. “In a free country, you have a right to be apathetic.”

Even those who have made a decision on who they are going to cast their vote for on Nov. 8 are facing the election stress. According to University speechpathology major, and Clinton supporter , Erica Kortland, her decision was easy, but watching the election unfold is not.

“Though I’ve already made my decision and nothing is going to change it, just watching the content of this election is stressful in itself.” said Kortland. “It is so childish how everyone is acting, how people treat Hillary, what people have been saying about each other. It’s upsetting and it disappoints me that is this the first election I can vote in.”

The number of anxious voters are climbing, on and off campus. Old or young, Trump or Clinton, voting or not, before Nov. 8 prepare for election stress disorder before the wrinkles, insomnia, and gray hairs ensue.

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International students speak out about the election NICHOLAS FALCINELLA Contributor While the University’s domestic student cohort has been digesting the 2016 presidential election with profound interest, so too has another cohort at the University — the international community. Attention to the race between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton has peaked with the advent of the presidential debates.

Many international students have chosen to participate in this election at the University, mostly by attending debate viewing sessions and panels. Such sessions have given international students the opportunity to learn more about the American political process, this year’s candidates, and where they fall on the issues. Dr. David A. Caputo, Professor of Political Science who was one of the hosts at this year’s panel, highlighted the unique nature of this election: “This is a very unusual presidential election.

The issue is the fitness of each candidate to be president and there has been little discussion of specific issues.”

This view was echoed by students following the election. Senior International Business major Henrique Viera believes that while the election is viewed by many as chaotic, there are still important issues at stake. “The election is much more focused on personality than what I am used to at home, but their foreign policy views really matter for people all around the world,” he said.

The presidential candidates have opposing views on American foreign policy. Democratic nominee Clinton has significant foreign policy experience: a four-year tenure as US Secretary of State and six years of service on the Senate Armed Services Committee. In contrast, Republican nominee Trump has little, if any, direct diplomatic or

military experience. Many of Trump’s more controversial comments have resulted in negative reactions from both world leaders and international students.

Trump has drawn the ire of a number of world leaders, most notably former British Prime Minister David Cameron, who referred to Trump’s proposed ban on Muslim immigration as “divisive, unhelpful and quite simply, wrong.” Trump has also suggested that the US may not fulfill its obligations as a member of NATO, breaking with 67 years of precedent. This, along with his self-proclaimed admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin, has European leaders up in arms over the US presidential race.

By contrast, Clinton has emphasized her connections with world leaders as former Secretary of State, often alluding to private conversations with leaders who have expressed concern over a Trump presidency. She also emphasizes the outspoken support of many leaders, including Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi. Renzi, a key player in European politics, declared himself a strong supporter of Clinton’s in April, praising her as “a woman able to give security to every partner, to give a message of cooperation, and to continue the good policy of President Obama.”

This view of Clinton as a steady hand and Trump as a dark horse is shared by the students at the University.

Junior business administration major Lukas Krenz believes Clinton is better prepared and a more conventional candidate, saying, “I don’t think Hillary will conduct major changes in foreign policy. She will strengthen relations and work together with other nations to solve global problems.” Clinton has advocated for a temperate response to the Syrian refugee crisis and terrorism in the

United States.

By contrast, Trump’s opposition to Muslim immigration and plan to deport over 11 million undocumented immigrants represents a much tougher stance. These hardline positions align with many populist, far-right leaders in Europe such as France’s Marine Le Pen, yet appear unpopular with University students.

“The Muslim ban is a huge problem as it doesn’t address any problem facing the US. It will further complicate international relations, particularly as the European Union cannot accept such a position, according to their defined values,” said Krenz.

Under the Obama administration, the United States has largely continued its traditional post-Second World War position as the defender of a global liberal order. The enthusiasm for international cooperation, exemplified by the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, represents an altruistic model of foreign relations. While many consider Clinton to be more “hawkish” than Obama, reportedly having favored intervention in Libya in 2011 and additional support to Syrian rebels in 2012, it appears unlikely her administration would dramatically alter the country’s role in the world. Trump proposes a more inward looking model, a change that could have a significant impact on many foreign actors.

While the deliberation on foreign policy surely contributes to interest among international students, it seems that the reality TV-like quality of this election has been its most compelling feature. “The coverage is so dramatic and pervasive, it’s not really possible to ignore it,” said junior media and communications major Julia Zhang. “You might as well go along for the ride!”

Minority voters set record turnout ALIVIA CHEGIA Design Intern

Voting in America has seen a large shift during this elections process. As a result of the 2016 presidential election being one of the most controversial, confusing, and ridiculous elections in electoral history, the U.S. electorate for the 2016 presidential election will be the most diverse in American history.

According to Pew Research, one in three voters in the 2016 election is a minority member, including Asians, Hispanics, African Americans or other racial minorities. A total of 31 percent of the electorate will be made up of minority members. This number is up from 29 percent compared to the 2012 election. The largest factor for this two percent change is the rising number of eligible Hispanic voters, specifically American-born youth.

Alternately, eligible Asian voters have increased not because of age, but because of an increased number of naturalizations.

Since 2012, 60 percent of eligible Asian voters have gained the right to vote by naturalization compared to 26 percent of Hispanics who have only become eligible by this means.

Although this growth in minority voters could have significant impact over the presidential election, if the low turnout of Hispanic and Asian voters follows that of previous elections, the increase in potential voting power will become irrelevant. Both Trump and Clinton’s campaigns have appealed to minority voters with “Get Out The Vote” tactics since minority votes have the potential to have such a strong impact.

During the 2012 election Wall Street Journal voter turnout for non-Hispanic whites was 64 percent compared to 48 percent among Hispanic voters and only 47 percent among Asians. If the 2016 election sees a similar turnout from these two groups, then the increase in eligible Hispanic and Asian voters might not be as impactful to the electorate as predicted.

One factor that may hold great power over a potential increase in Hispanic voter turnout is Donald Trump, the Republican nominee himself.

Trump’s remarks on illegal immigrants, determination for a wall between America and Mexico, and negative comments about previous Florida­—a 99 percent increase from 2012. opponent Jeb Bush’s MexicanNot only has minority voter born wife have all shown American voters where Trump stands regarding his views registration seen a huge increase preceding the 2016 presidential election, but voter on the Hispanic community.

Similar to how in 2012 a strong Black registration as a whole has reached a voter turnout was in direct correlation in historic point. 200 million Americans, and the community wanting to see someone counting, have been registered to vote; who represented them in the oval office; which an impressive figure considering it is possible, and even anticipated by that in 1996 there were not even 200 professionals, that Hispanic voter turnout million people eligible to vote in America.

Seong Min is a professor at the has the potential to be higher in the 2016 election purely because the Hispanic University in the communications community does not want to see someone department who is also a member of the who does not represent them well in the Asian community.

“I expect the turnout to be about Oval Office.

133,000 Hispanic voters have already the same or slightly higher than previous cast their ballot in crucial swing state elections,” Professor Min said when asked

what he believed voter turnout would be during this election. “That being said, this year’s election is unique. It is the most divisive one I’ve ever seen. I think partisan voters will come out to prevent the candidate they don’t like to become the president. So it can be actually higher than previous elections.”

With voter registration at an alltime high, especially within minority communities, the presidential election can be impacted greatly if voters who are registered if they actually turn out to vote this November. America will just have to wait until all the ballots are counted on Nov. 8 to know the impact of the minority vote.

ELECTION 2016

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November 3, 2016

Voters get into political spirit Jessica Kovac News Editor Presidential elections bring out a lot of feelings; Americans must endure the longest presidential election cycle in the world, according to NPR. Because there are about 500 days between runners announcing their candidacy and Election Day, many voters around the country have long lost their patience and are anxiously tapping their feet, waiting to cast their ballot. While some

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continue on with their daily routine until it comes time to go to their designated polling place, others have tapped into their creative side, deciding to make a statement on this year’s presidential race.

In any state, you are bound to see some level of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump propaganda. Swing states and battleground states alike have shown their enthusiasm for their preferred candidate; whether it be stealing Trump signs from their neighbors yards or spending all day in the kitchen making the perfect cookie to resemble Democratic Socialist candidate Bernie Sanders in an effort to fundraise for his campaign, these voters go all out. One of the perks to having a prolonged election cycle is witnessing the hilarious responses people have to the candidates’ gaffes or, retrospectively, to their outstanding moments.

During the last presidential debate, Trump once again dominated the media cycle because of his comment saying that his opponent Clinton was a “nasty woman.” Before the debate, Trump had also received a fair amount of coverage for his disrespectful behavior towards women, including calling former Miss USA Alicia Machado “Miss Piggy” and Fox News host Megyn Kelly a “bimbo.”

After a leaked audio tape surfaced of Trump making lewd comments about women, a number of his past acquaintances have also accused him of sexual assault.

Women took to Twitter almost immediately after the debates, channeling the derogatory term “nasty woman” into a feminist movement that encouraged women to rock the vote come Nov. 8. Merchandise filled stores like Etsy, Poshmark, and Amazon within hours. Everything from T-shirts, mugs, and pins bore the phrase “nasty woman” on it. The merchandise intended to spin the phrase into one that empowered women instead of derogating them.

Some voters look at propaganda as less of a

statement-making tool and more of a casual, fun way to have their voice heard that is less vulnerable to scrutiny than ranting on social media or purchasing a candidate’s official merchandise. Responding to the candidates in humor has surprisingly brought Republicans, Democrats, and third party voters together this election to bond over how unconventional this race has become.

Just a few blocks away from the University, an entrepreneur has set up a boxing bag right at the exit of the pedestrian walkway on the Brooklyn Bridge. On one side is Clinton’s face, the other, Trump’s. For just one dollar, New Yorkers who bleed red, blue, or purple are all welcome to take a swing at a candidate that has been giving them some frustration lately.

Similarly, startup company PooPuppets had an innovative idea of their own. For voters who consider one or both candidates “crap” this election, PooPuppets harnessed voters’ frustration by giving them an opportunity to literally “crap” on the candidate they oppose. The idea is that frustrated voters can use these poop bags to curb their pets and smear dog poop on the printed face of the candidate that they have come to despise these past few months. With voter anxiety at an all time high this election cycle, it is no surprise these bags are selling out. Talk about a great stress reliever.

Presidential elections are no small thing. The right to vote is sacred for Americans, and it is not something to be taken lightly. This fact, however, can often overwhelm the average individual, making political propaganda a useful outlet to turn to in times of stress. At the end of the day, at least some voters will emerge from this election with some interesting-looking dog poop bags and feminist mugs that say “nasty woman” on them.

Russian interference keeps voters on edge CHRISTIAN HALSTEAD News Intern 2016 has seen one of the most contentious, divisive, and, thus, determinant election cycles in the history of America. With so much hanging in the balance for the United States, including the Union’s international reputation, Russia has been working to capitalize on the election’s precarity for its own political and economic gain.

These accusations against Moscow come after a slew of information was leaked which has primarily appeared on three websites: Wikileaks, DCLeaks, and Guccifer2.0. The leaks consist of emails and information stolen from the Democratic National Committee and other prominent organizations and individuals within the party.

The leaked information’s politically one-sided nature has prompted the Director of National Intelligence, James R. Clapper Jr. to overtly conclude in a statement, “These thefts and disclosures are intended to interfere with the US election process.”

The assault against the Democratic party is clear. In July, former Democratic National Committee chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz resigned from her position after emails were leaked which revealed the Committee’s efforts to rig the Democratic primary against Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders in favor of the now

Democratic presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton.

More recently, the Clinton campaign has come under fire after transcripts from a speech Clinton gave to Wall Street executives were published on WikiLeaks.

The many damaging quotes include Clinton’s claim that she would, “like to see more successful business people run for office,” a statement directly antithetical to the left’s supposedly pro-working class agenda.

Leaked information such as this poses an ethical dilemma. On one hand, voters are being presented with more information on the true character of presidential candidates. In this case, Clinton in particular. On the other hand, the recent series of hacks may very well be part of a Russian intelligence plot against American interests.

Professor Huang of the Political Science department is not particularly surprised by these developments.

According to Huang, “Alleged hacking into computer systems by foreign powers to disrupt our political process is just the inconvenience we now have to pay to live in a tech heavy world.”

Russian officials, no stranger to international disinformation projects, referred to there as “dezinformatsiya, has been directly accused of leaking this information according to the US report’s claims that the leaks, “are consistent with

the methods and motivations of Russiandirected efforts.”

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has come out in favor of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s strongarm leadership. It has been reported too that in times of financial ruin, Mr. Trump was granted loans from Russian investors which would have been denied by financiers in the states.

If the US is correct in assuming Russian intelligence is linked to the DNC leaks, Prime Minister Putin likely ordered the leaks on the basis of his vested interest in a Trump presidency due to their political and economic ties, the leaks may very well have been additionally prompted by much larger ambitions on the part of Moscow bureaucrats.

Putin’s desire for a global Russian hegemony is no secret; neither is his abhorrence against the West. Dmitry Kiselyev, Russia’s favorite television personality, was quoted at the Soviet Information Bureau’s 75th anniversary celebration this past summer, saying, “If you can persuade a person, you don’t need to kill him.” It is this exact sentiment which has become the driving force in Russia’s information assault again the West in the past few years.

While the recent Democratic party leaks have been hacked, yet verifiably true information, Russian interference in Western, particularly European, public

opinion has been almost entirely contingent on the spread of false intelligence.

In recent times, English-speaking and internet-based Russian media outlets Sputnik and RT promote “trutherism” against political establishment in NATO countries. One such example of this was over the summer; in the midst of Sweden’s work to further involve themselves in NATO, a slew of disinformation about the supposed dire consequences of this move became ubiquitous, skewing public opinion against it. False information injected by Russian media, including small politically radical Russian news websites, are to blame for the synthesized controversy.

Mark A. Van Slyke, a university senior and political science major, feels what Russia has been doing is inexcusable.

According to Van Slyke, “Although the maintenance of secure elections is essential, especially since the United States has a completely decentralized system, a universal respect for sovereignty is equally important.”

The US election itself will not be tampered with since polling machines are not hooked up to the Internet, but that’s besides the point. Russia should respect the information and sovereign political processes of even their supposed adversaries, namely, the United States.

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Already Decided How the media influences the political process SARAH HARTZELL Co-Executive Editor

A recent study from Quinnipiac University found that 55% of American voters think that the media are biased against Donald Trump, and 42% think there is no bias. These numbers become more startling when broken down along party lines: nearly 90% of Republicans think that news organizations are biased against Trump, while three-fourths of Democrats disagree.

This partisan distinction would suggest that there is some element in political bias in news media. Whether it is in the production or the consumption of media is a much more complex issue.

As human beings, journalists inherently and understandably have their own opinions on important issues, but whether these opinions knowingly or unknowingly make their way into the news they report is almost impossible to determine. Likewise, readers and viewers are ultimately responsible for what news they consume and whether they let implicit or explicit biases affect their own opinions.

Much of the controversy over media bias is in relation to the reporting of facts versus opinions. The debate revolves around whether or not journalistic forums have the responsibility to simply report what the candidates say or if they should be entrusted to fact-check and interpret this information. CNN has previously come under fire for reporting Donald Trump’s statements without correcting his false claims. But in August, the channel made waves with their eye-catching fact-check of Donald Trump’s inflammatory rhetoric.

During a rally in Florida, Trump said that President Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton were the founders of ISIS. CNN’s coverage included a chyron—the graphic on the lower-third of the screen— that said, “Trump calls Obama founder of ISIS (he’s not).”

These parenthetical fact-checks became more and more common on CNN, but they are an overly simplistic response to complex political issues.

While it is certainly true that Obama and Clinton did not found ISIS, the policy and military decisions that they made in the region during their administration had an undeniable effect on the formation of the terrorist group. So CNN is not wrong in refuting Trump’s claim, but their journalistic responsibility to report the news and to clarify political messages for the average person is not necessarily met by that statement alone. Despite the intention of unbiased fact-checking, CNN implicitly enacted a liberal bias by turning a nuanced issue into a cut-and-dry one and siding with Clinton.

Such instances are not limited to television news. Legacy media outlets

like The Atlantic, which are generally more prestigious and trusted than cable news channels, have perhaps overstated the connection between the Republican Party and Russia, by running stories like, “It’s Official: Hillary Clinton Is Running Against Vladimir Putin,” while similar conflicts of interest within the Clinton Foundation have been scrutinized far less. The Washington Post, as well as producers from CNN, were discovered in the latest WikiLeaks dump to have communicated with the Clinton campaign about negative articles they were running on the Democratic candidate in a manner that extends beyond journalistic courtesy.

Whether these emails affected the factual content of the articles is unclear.

But above all else, mainstream media are biased toward seductive news

substantive issues. The Shorenstein report noted that only 11% of coverage focused on candidates’ policies, leadership abilities, and personal or professional histories, compared to 56% on the competitive game of winning and losing.

This has real consequences for the democratic process. “Game-centered reporting has consequences,” the report says. “The media’s tendency to allocate coverage based on winning and losing affects voters’ decisions. The press’s attention to early winners, and its tendency to afford them more positive coverage than their competitors, is not designed to boost their chances, but that’s a predictable effect.”

The narrative of Trump’s gain in momentum throughout the primaries was consistently dominant, whereas

stories that will bring in consumers and advertising revenue. This tends to affect the magnitude of stories, either inflating or minimizing their importance based on their attractiveness to viewers and readers.

The “horse race” model that the media adopt in election coverage does not always reflect reality, but it does help shape it. A report from Harvard Kennedy School’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy found that during the presidential primary season, media outlets over-covered the Trump campaign compared to his opponents and his early polling numbers, and under-covered the Democratic nominees, particularly the Sanders campaign. By May of this year, Trump had received the equivalent of nearly $3 billion dollars in free advertising from media coverage, according to a report from mediaQuant.

From the day Trump announced his candidacy, his story has been far more compelling than his opponents, due to his vast name recognition and polarizing statements. A similar phenomenon happens in just about every election, like Barack Obama in 2008 and John McCain’s “Straight Talk Express” in 2000. The development of candidates as competitors through these narratives contributes to the horse race paradigm that fails to address

Marco Rubio never had a week where his positive coverage outweighed his negative coverage. Even once Trump had clinched the nomination, his campaign continued to receive more coverage than the ongoing Democratic race. “Although Trump no longer had active opposition, he received more news coverage in the last month than did either Clinton or Sanders,” the report says, “a development that has no possible explanation other than journalistic bias.”

Journalistic bias in this respect is far less insidious than the rhetoric surrounding it suggests, at least in a political sense.

With the exception of editorials or official endorsements, media outlets are not looking to sway elections, but their decisions, based on economic interests rather than journalistic integrity, can potentially affect public opinion.

Even so, the fact of the matter is that a majority of journalists are left of center, according to a study out of UCLA. Whether their personal politics extend to their reporting or not, the perception is that mainstream media has a significant liberal bias—a notion that is exacerbated by the rhetoric of people like Trump who claim that the media is “rigging” elections or systematically targeting conservatives. It builds a reasonable distrust of the media when such attacks are waged, but the

consequences of overcorrecting from this phenomenon can be just as dangerous.

The unprecedented divisiveness of this election has given rise to new-media outlets that have avoided the pitfalls of bias by being intentionally partisan. Sites like Conservative Tribune and Liberal America have gained immense momentum thanks to social media. Facebook, which was once accused of having a liberal skew to selected trending topics, has encouraged users to seek out views other than their own, but the site has the ability to create what scholars call an echo chamber, where people only engage with like-minded individuals and media sources. To examine this effect, The Wall Street Journal created a “Blue Feed, Red Feed,” which shows what different people’s newsfeeds would look like based on the same topic. The interactive demonstration draws on a 2015 Facebook study that categorized news sources based on political alignment, from “very conservatively aligned” to “very liberally aligned.” The feeds for gun control issues yield liberal headlines like “The NRA Just Admitted It Was Always Lying About Obama Confiscating Guns” (from Occupy Democrats) and conservative ones like “Hillary Tells MONSTER Lie About Guns in Debate” (from Young Conservatives).

These are both massively oversimplified versions of the truth, and at times they are blatantly false, but they are more or less par for the course when it comes to political news on social media. Shares, likes, and recommended posts make it easier to see only posts that reflect one’s established opinions and do not challenge potential biases or flaws in one’s way of thinking.

As Trevor Noah noted on “The Daily Show” recently, “You don’t get the news, you get your news.”

While it is certainly not an effective way to cultivate an informed populous, it is an understandable reaction to an aggressive, divisive, and stressful campaign. When one is called “deplorable” or “nasty” for their opinions, it does not foster an environment that encourages people to try and see things from the other side. It is a process called confirmation bias—only seeking out news that confirm existing opinions—which grants a certain peace of mind in an otherwise turbulent political landscape.

History will tell if this election is an anomaly or the new business-as-usual for our political system. It is a consequence of having a free press that the media gets to determine its own role in the democratic process: as guardians of the truth, opinion leaders, or somewhere in the middle.

And likewise, it is the responsibility of American voters to be well informed of the role that the media plays in their lives and to take their news into their own hands.

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THE PACE PRESS

November 3, 2016

LETTER fROM THE EDITORS

ediTorial Board maximilliano onofre Editor Chase Ballas Executive Editor sarah Hartzell Executive Editor Jessica Kovac News Editor asia letlow Arts Editor Katrina alonso Features Editor adam manfredi Graphic Design Traci Thomas Social Media amoreena Crispino Editorial Assistant

dr. stephanie Hsu Faculty Consultant The Pace Press is the student newspaper of Pace University’s New York City Campus. It is managed and operated entirely by members of the student body as it appears above.

The Pace Press welcomes guest editorials and letters from students, faculty, administration and staff.

The Pace Press reserves the right to not publish any submitted material, both solicited and unsolicited.

All submissions must include the author’s full name and contact information.

The Pace Press 41 Park Row, Rm. 906 New York, NY 10038 www.thepacepress.org editor@thepacepress.org Copyright 2016

To the Pace Community, After over a year of campaigns, controversies, and contention, Election Day is upon us. On Nov. 8, citizens of all demographics and backgrounds will come together to participate in the most important of American traditions: to vote for those who they feel best represent their beliefs enough to lead them in the ongoing experiment that is the United States government. The American people will decide who will be the next president, who will fill 34 seats in the Senate, 435 seats in the House of Representatives, and countless state and local positions. While they may not all be the most prominent elections this year, they constitute an enormous amount of power in every branch and level of government Unfortunately, this presidential election features two of the most unfavorable candidates to ever represent for the two major parties. We are at a unique and crucial point in our country’s history and it is up to us, the voters, to have our voices heard despite the forces from all sides trying to keep us silent. We cannot become apathetic, disenfranchised, or disillusioned by the reality show that our democracy has become.

Voting is one of the most sacred rights held in this nation, and regardless how you feel about the candidates, it is still your right and obligation as a citizen of this nation to vote.

Because saying, “I don’t like the President” is meaningless if you did not do anything about it.

This issue of the The Pace Press covers major current trends in this election and can be used as a source of reference as you prepare to vote. However, it is far from comprehensive. Depending on where you are registered to vote, there are numerous local elections on your ballot that feature an array of referenda and candidates. It is part of your duty to research all your options and make an informed decision on Election Day. Whatever your opinion of the current state of our country, our 240 years of peaceful transitions of power are a true testament to our democratic process. But it only works with the full participation of we the people of the United States.

Regards, The Editorial Board

disClaimer: These opinions are expressed by contributors (students, faculty, administration and staff) to The Pace Press. These opinions are solely those of the individual writers and do not reflect the opinions of The Pace Press, the members of The Pace Press staff or Pace University. The Pace Press is not responsible and expressly disclaims all liability for damages of any kind of arising out of use or relevance to any information contained in this section.

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ELECTION 2016

The perks of being a political wallflower CHase Ballas Co-Executive Editor While Hillary and Donald command center stage this election season, it is important to look at those who run right beside them. Both Melania Trump and Bill Clinton have played important parts in this election, and the media has treated them and their doings with varying degrees of acceptance. In many ways, their actions mold attitudes towards the frontrunners themselves. Let’s review the options.

Option 1: First Lady Melania Trump. Melania Trump has had a strange relationship with the media, to say the very least. Since her now-notorious speech at the Republican National Convention in July in which many accused her of plagiarizing First Lady Michelle Obama, she has mostly strayed from national attention. Stepdaughter Ivanka Trump has taken over most of her main duties as being the female face of the Trump campaign.

However, when she does take the stage, Melania is greeted b y

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the public eye with great levels of polarization; she is praised by the right and criticized by the left. More recent controversial points brought up around Melania include her stances on her husband’s strict and raciallymotivated immigration policies, her personal immigration history and status, and her husband’s remarks about women, including allegations of sexual assault.

No one has had more fun at Melania’s expense than Stephen Colbert, who recruited the help of Melania Trump doppelgänger, Tony Award-winning actress Laura Benanti. Known primarily for her work in theater, including the 2008 Broadway revival of “Gypsy” and 2016 production of “She Loves Me”, Benanti have appeared in two critically-acclaimed cameos on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert as Melania Trump. Her first appearance mocked the allegations of plagiarism, in which Benanti’s Melania defended her RNC speech by ultimately plagiarizing other politicians such as Sarah Palin, and various well-known commercials and shows, namely, “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” theme and the Kit Kat slogan. In her second appearance, she clarified comments she made during her high profile interview with Anderson Cooper about leaked audio of her husband discussing sexual misconduct with Billy Bush and reports of sexual assault from various women. “Those are all lies, Stephen [Colbert]. Except the ones where there’s video tape. Then it’s locker room talk,” she reassured.

Option 2: First Gentleman Bill Clinton From his presidency in the 1990s to his current seat besides his wife’s campaign as potential “First man,” the media has seemingly always loved Bill Clinton.

Given his youthful essence, laid-back personality, and high approval rating, Bill has remained a media

fixture into the new millennium, particularly through Hillary’s political career. However, during the height of the Monica Lewinsky scandal, Bill’s personal life was a fixture for parody—frequent jabs ranged from his relationship with Hillary to accounts of sexual assault.

Darrell Hammond’s impersonation of the president became a staple on “Saturday Night Live” during the era, but has since revived the act on one occasion during and SNL “Family Feud” skit, in a more revered manner.

Unlike Melania, Bill has deliberately put himself at the forefront of Hillary’s campaign. But like Melania, Bill has made many controversial remarks during this election that have dampened views of the candidates themselves; he has confronted Black Lives Matter protestors, doled out negative remarks against ObamaCare. Continued coverage of past sexual assault allegations has been mentioned on multiple occasions by the Trump campaign.

However, the media has still continued to portray Bill as lovable, suave and cool, while portraying Melania as ditzy, worthy of little attention in the political spotlight.

Washington Times

The blurred line between politics and humor noam sCHuldenrein Staff Writer Ever since the current debates for the upcoming presidential election have been airing on television, “Saturday Night Live” has gone out of its way to create comedic political sketches that essentially poke fun at the debate, ridiculing every word, movement, and statement of both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.

One notable “Saturday Night Live” political sketch that mocked the debate starred Alec Baldwin as Donald Trump.

The sketch encompassed Baldwin acting out the personality and character of Donald Trump in an exaggerated manner.

For instance, closely mirroring Trump’s mannerisms, Baldwin deliberately mispronounced the word “apologize” in an attempt to highlight and mock how much Donald Trump is unwilling to admit that he is wrong and apologize for his words and actions. These sketches have sparked a lot of opinions from different people.

University senior Alanna McCatty weighed in on the comedic representation of the two.

“I feel that you get more information from the political sketches than from the actual presidential debate. They highlight a lot of the key issues,” McCatty began. “[They] give us insight into how terrified

we really should be because we may not really have information as to how each candidate might address the issue. [The sketches] really inform us as to how we should address the issues although it makes fun of them,” she concluded.

Several people share the sentiment that the debate largely involves the candidates insulting each other, rather than actually debating politically. Because these political sketches on “Saturday Night Live” address the political issues at stake while simultaneously mocking the candidates, they give viewers a more holistic perspective of the current political situation in the United States that goes beyond the two candidates merely hurling insults at each other.

In a sense, one may find that this debate is unlike any other insofar as discussion of actual political issues is minimal. In previous elections and debates, the two candidates would have a relatively civil discussion about political matters. This election, however, involves two candidates that have extremely different views and it is to the point where they cannot debate eye-to-eye on the sensitive issues that affect citizens globally. In this way, political comedy sketches such as “Saturday Night Live”

serve to shed light on the various issues that are not fully addressed in the debate. “‘SNL’ is a great way to put the ‘medicine in the candy.’ Some looking for entertainment may find themselves learning about politics,” mused Shawn Antoine, a senior at the University.

Programs such as “Saturday Night Live” strike an excellent balance between providing a form of entertainment for many people and educating people about politics and the different issues involved in politics. Since humor resonates with a lot of people as it casts a comedic perspective on certain ideals and principles, shows such as Saturday Night Live are great

ways to educate people about various political issues while still fulfilling the desire for entertainment. Such shows appeal to what people enjoy while accomplishing the goal of informing them about politics at the same time.

In addition to “Saturday Night Live,” other shows that mock political issues include “The Colbert Report,” “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah,” and “Last Week with John Oliver.” All outlets add up to an excellent comedic representation and are a great way of educating the public about political issues in an efficient and appealing way.

NBC Universal

ELECTION 2016

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November 3, 2016

Do’s and don’ts for first-time voters KelseY niCHolson Features Intern

Election Day is fast approaching, and for the majority of undergraduate students it will be their first time voting in a presidential election. As you know from Gore and Bush’s results in Florida in the year 2000, every vote counts. When voting, you should be well informed on the process and the candidates prior to casting your ballot on Nov. 8. So, here are a couple of things to remember when it comes to casting your vote.

First and foremost, DO remember to vote! It is incredibly important to make your voice heard. University freshman Scarlett Bekus stresses the importance of getting your vote in on time: “The only way we can see change in our government is if we participate in our democracy. Voter apathy leads to extremist candidates, which cause many people to become disillusioned with the voting process.” So, do not abstain from voting just because you dislike all of the candidates. Either way, someone is getting elected, and casting your vote will help prevent the worst from occurring.

DO remember to bring a form of valid I.D. to your polling location. You cannot vote without verifying that you are who you say you are if you have never voted before. If you submitted your voter registration by mail in the state of New York and did not provide a copy of your New York driver’s license, state ID card, or another government document that shows your name and address, you may need to show one when you vote in person on Election Day. DO know the location and hours of your polling place. The majority of locations open at 6 A.M. and close around 8 or 9 P.M., but double check to make sure. You can find out information about your polling location online just by typing your address into Google, followed by “polling location.” Google will also inform you of how to register, voting requirements, and the names and parties of those on the ballot.

DO research the candidates prior to election day. No matter your party, you can vote for any of the four candidates on the ballot: Donald Trump, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Gary Johnson, and Jill Stein. You will also be voting for your state senators and district’s representatives, so you should research those candidates as well. It is likely you will not like everything a single candidate does or has to say, but it is important to choose whose views align with yours the most. Prioritize which issues are the most important to you as an individual and base your decision on those.

DON’T wear any political statements on your clothing the day of the election.

Many states will not allow you to vote if you are wearing any sort of political gear.

Electioneering is illegal within 100 feet of a polling location. Some places may allow you to cover it up before you enter the building, but it is safest just to leave your “Make America Great Again” hat or HRC t-shirt at home.

DO know your voting rights. If your name is not on the list at your polling place, you can cast a “provisional ballot,” which will be counted after your county officials confirm that you are registered to vote.

DON’T just vote for who your parents and friends are voting for! Just because you live in a Jill Stein household does not mean you have to vote for Jill Stein. It is important as adults entering the world of politics that you form your own opinions and cast your ballot as such. No one will know who you voted for if you do not tell them!

DON’T take a picture of your ballot! The snapchat is not worth it, because your vote will not be counted if you are caught. For absentee ballots, the guidelines are even stricter. Any slight mistakes can result in your vote not being counted.

DO mail in your absentee ballot on time. Many students here at the University do not have access to their home town’s polling place Instagram / @justintimberlake on Election Day, as it falls on a Tuesday. Absentee ballots had to have been requested in mid-October, but if you have gotten one, do not forget to mail it in before Nov. 8. In New York, your ballot must be received by Nov. 7, but it varies from state to state.

Give a good week between Election Day and mailing your ballot in to make sure it arrives on time.

DO sign the ballot envelope, as required! If you do not authorize that it is you who is voting, your vote will not count. Your signature must match the one they have on file, so make sure to keep your autograph consistent.

Justin Timberlake might face jail time for his voting selfie

Election Night: Party it up or Netflix and chill saraH HarTZell Co-Executive Editor So you have cast your ballot, proudly slapped that “I Voted” sticker on your chest, and Instagrammed a good post-poll selfie, complete with #ImWithHer or #MakeAmericaGreatAgain. But the polls do not close until 9 pm, and West Coast voters will be casting their ballots until at least 11 pm Eastern Time. There is a lot of time between stepping out of the voting booth and watching the winner get declared—more than enough time to get into a good panic about the future of our country should your candidate lose. You probably will not have time to get your passport renewed or apply for a visa, but whether you want to celebrate democracy with a few rounds or forget about the election altogether, New York City has you covered.

TUNE IN No matter what, the results of this election will be historic. Grab a friend—and, if you are over 21, a stiff drink—and head to one of NYC’s many election results watch-parties for some politically themed fun and games, and maybe a special guest or two.

To round out a full season’s worth of election coverage, the University and Dyson College are hosting a returns watch party in the Bianco room from 6 pm to midnight.

Distilled Bar in TriBeCa is partnering with WIN.NYC, New York’s chapter of the Women’s Information Network, for an Election Night Pantsuit Party in honor of the first female presidential nominee. Attendees are asked to come dressed for the occasion in their finest, most presidential pantsuit.

Proceeds will go to WIN.NYC’s fight against female homelessness.

For political junkies, the Bell House in Gowanus is hosting a live podcast with Slate journalists Jacob Weinberg and Mike Pesca. Other journalists and comedians are expected to make appearances and give live commentary as the results roll in.

To cap off its “Election Fever” series, Housing Works Bookstore Cafe, known for its art and literature events, is holding an election night bash featuring drinking games, special guests, and, of course, snacks.

The Standard Hotel Biergarten on the High Line will be playing “Not Your Standard Bingo” to track election results and maybe just find a little fun in the chaos.

TUNE OUT Does the prospect of sitting through nonstop punditry, speculation, and exit polling cause you more anxiety than the entire election season put together? Then election night is the perfect time to unwind before being bombarded with the frustration of the lame duck period.

If you could use a little nirvana come Nov. 8, Shambhala Yoga and Dance Center in Brooklyn is offering Election Night Slow Flow & Yoga Nidra. Even better, they are offering a student discount. For just $8, University students can mellow out and get their chakras aligned while the rest of the world is anxiously awaiting the election results.

With New Yorkers crowded around TV sets watching returns, the

one place all but guaranteed to be empty is the movie theater. Check out Marvel’s “Doctor Strange,” the animated LSD trip “Trolls,” or Miles Teller’s “Rocky” look-alike “Bleed for This.”

For an even more chill night in, Netflix is unleashing a new crop of titles this month. Catch a belated Halloween classic with Stephen King’s “Cujo,” some comedy with Dana Carvey’s standup special “Straight White Male, 60,” or a thrilling documentary about elephant poaching with “The Ivory Game” (perhaps the only thing more depressing than this election).

ELECTION 2016

November 3, 2016

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Frustrated voters look to a third party for answers CARLY BIVONA Contributor

America’s distaste for the presidential candidates has only grown, leaving many Americans in search for an alternative option. This has led to the rise in popularity of third party candidates in this year’s election. Two third party candidates, Gary Johnson, who is polling at 6.4 percent, and Jill Stein, who is polling at 2.5 percent, have campaigned tirelessly to give voters an alternative to the Republican and Democratic nominees much of the country sees as untrustworthy.

Libertarian nominee Gary Johnson served as Governor of New Mexico as a member of the Republican Party. His policies include a wide range of civil liberties, making him more attractive to young voters.

Johnson believes in marriage equality, a woman’s right to choose, and the legalization of marijuana.

Voters have also questioned his fitness to be President after he repeatedly displayed his lack of international knowledge. Johnson has made such blunders such as asking what Aleppo, the City in Syria currently involved in the war with ISIS, was. When a news reporter asked him to name any foreign leader he admired, he responded by saying, “I am having a brain freeze,” and was unable to come up with an answer.

Trailing behind Johnson by about three points in the polls is Green Party candidate Jill Stein. A physician, Stein has practiced internal medicine for 27 years. Key points to her plan include issues such as the environment, the cornerstone of her party’s platform.

Stein intends on transitioning to all renewable energy resources by the year 2030, and, if elected. Stein’s most popular call for reform is her desire to abolish student debt and guarantee tuition free education.

Though Johnson and Stein are the most popular candidates outside America’s main political candidates, Utah native independent Evan McMullin is representing a voice for many frustrated voters within his home state.

A former CIA agent, McMullin supports the free trade agreement and helping illegal immigrants move toward citizenship. According to recent Rasmussen Reports, McMullin is engaged in a three-way tie between Clinton

and Trump in Utah. His success is seen as less of a personal victory, and more as the result of distaste for the Republican candidate.

The controversy surrounding third party candidates is whether voting for them is really worth it. Some voters see it as a patriotic act of exercising your right to vote while maintaining your morals. Others see it as a waste, when, none of the candidates have a realistic chance at winning the presidency.

University freshman Emma Lord says, “However, some voters argue that casting your ballot for a third party or independent candidate is not only a waste, but could ultimately sway the election towards a more unfavorable candidate come 2016.

This became evident in the 2000 election, when voters who were unhappy with the two main candidates flocked to Green Party candidate Ralph Nader in 2000. With a tight race in Florida, Democratic candidate Al Gore lost the swing state by only 537 votes.

University Political Science and Women’s and Gender Studies Major Larissa Szilagyi says, “Voting is a person’s right. If someone is not satisfied with the candidates, they have the right to vote for another option. Personally, I do not like the two party system and I would love to see the system stray away from two parties. However, right now is not the time for that. The rights of many marginalized groups, such as the LGBTQA+ community, illegal immigrants, communities of color, refugees, etc, are at stake during this election.

The outcome of this election is too scary to risk.”

University freshman Savi Stevenoski emphasized using your vote to make your voice heard, saying, “I think that practicing your right to vote is always important. Although a third party might not win, placing your vote anywhere is better than not voting at all.” said Stevenoski.

The New York Times

The Daily Beast

Trump causes division in GOP Justin Knoepfel Features Intern Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has stirred controversy within minority groups, veterans, civil rights groups, women’s rights groups, and even within his own party. Trump has consistently spoken out against the Republican Party, causing strife between and GOP officials and the candidate himself Through the election season, current and former House Republicans have spoken out against Trump and his campaign such as former Florida RNC chairman Mel Martinez who told The Wall Street Journal in March, “If there is any, any, any other choice, a living, breathing person with a pulse, I would be there.”

Trump goes against the status quo, distancing himself from the Republican political establishment that has received tremendous scrutiny over the past decade since the Bush administration. Being a vocal disparager of the GOP establishment and its politics, Trump has had a turbulent history with the party. From the start of his campaign Trump was criticized and often even mocked by the GOP as not being a “serious candidate” and reduced his candidacy to a “joke.”

At the time, Republican officials were wary of Trump’s inclusion in the race. GOP strategist Rick Wilson said Trump was a “disruptive and dangerous” addition to the primary field who could have the potential to harm the party. Another GOP strategist Ford O’Connell said at the time of the other candidates running against Trump, “If you are one of the other candidates, particularly one that has a window to victory, it’s hard to ignore The Donald, but that is your best bet.”

While many initially dismissed Trump, others saw the potential for a challenging primary race. However, the desire for a reformed system was strong enough for Trump to defeat the competing 16 candidates in the primary making him the 2016 GOP presidential candidate in July of this year.

The general fear amongst Republicans is that Trump does not represent conservative views and in the process has managed to disparage demographic groups that the GOP has tried to appeal to. Marc Rinosa, Business Economics major at Pace agrees with this notion stating.

“The GOP is desperately trying to reach out to a significantly progressive voter base, and trying to align themselves with women, people of color etc. that Trump has continued to denigrate.”

Trump, being prone to controversy on his statements made on the campaign trail, has been consistently criticized by Republican leaders on the tone and message he delivers. 2012 GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney echoed thoughts of fellow Republicans by channeling Ronald Reagan mentioning Reagan’s message to America in the 1964 election as a “time of choosing.” Romney said he saw “two paths for America, one that embraced conservative principles dedicated to lifting people out of poverty… and the other, an oppressive government that would lead America down a darker, less-free path.”

Well-respected Republicans such as Senator John McCain, whom Trump has attacked on the campaign trail pleaded with Republican voters to take careful consideration in their support, saying, “I want Republican voters to pay close attention to what our party’s most respected and knowledgeable leaders and national security

experts are saying about Mr. Trump, and to think long and hard about who they want to be our next Commander-inChief and leader of the free world”.

Meanwhile, House Speaker Paul Ryan, has made it clear that he doesn’t justify Trump’s controversial comments and behavior. Yet he maintains his support and has focused on the Senate positions up for reelection rather than Trump.

Trump continues to emphasize his separation from his own party’s establishment; as he questions the loyalty and effectiveness of the party’s leaders and system.

After multiple Republicans detracted their endorsements and support of Trump after the leak of the infamous and lewd “Trump Tape,” Trump took to Twitter saying, “Our very weak and ineffective leader, Paul Ryan, had a bad conference call where his members went wild at his disloyalty.”

Republican officials have had a difficult time dealing with Trump simply due to his style of campaigning. Trump is known for his “all or nothing” mentality. Without full support of the GOP, Trump holds no obligations to the party.

Trump’s support base continues to fight with Trump until the bitter end. Political science major Melanie Guptar brings up the notion of aggravation saying, “Republicans felt like we had this election, we were sick of Obama and couldn’t imagine four more years of the same thing.” While some may believe so, the support for Donald Trump is clearly a movement, in that voters are tired of the political establishment and have gravitated toward someone they believe will turn things around for themselves, and for the country.

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ARTS

November 3, 2016

Fusions of art and science asia letlow Arts Editor The worlds of art and science, while strikingly different in practice, prove to be similar in nature. “Visual Inquiries: Artists Inspired by Science” honed in on the ways in which the two intersect, highlights how they are parallel to each other, and illustrates that science is an art in and of itself. The gallery exhibit opened on October 11; a press event with the artists took place on the evening of October 18th. The exhibit was curated by University Art professor Daniel Hill, and focuses on works of art in various mediums that illustrate scientific concepts and incite mystery between the two. “I see the art and science connection as a bridge, a door, to providing access to the undervalued benefits of fine art for those who, for whatever reason, have not been able to access this quality of experience,” he stated.

Work by the artists included “AWGP 4” and “AWGP 5” by Deanna Lee, comprised of gouache and acrylic paint on wood. The paintings make use of vibrant colors, lines, and texture, creating sharp images. Lee’s aim was to translate and interpret fundamental parts of science while looking at patterns in nature. “Science is the practice of measuring data to understand. Art also measures in a different way: [it measures] in terms of sensual information, tactile information, and sonic information to understand the world around us,” Lee said. Lee attributed her interest to being the child of scientists. Her piece focuses on color reaction and the experimentation of those elements. Steven Saltzman experimented with quantum physics for one of his pieces, titled “The Single Slit Double Slit Experiment.” His work started off electronically in a digital, graphic design format. He painted the final project for the show. Angie Drakoupolous’ work focused on the movement of energy; symmetry also played a large role.

Abstract concepts inform the nature of her work. Her piece uses cornstarch and water as primary materials.

In searching for the pieces, Hill gave artists the autonomy to choose what they wanted to display, with his advisory; not all the works were picked directly

“AWGP 5,” Deanna Lee by him. Preparation required visits to artists’ studios, and discussion of what fit the nature of the show. In the process, he gained a sense of fulfillment when discussing the methods and concepts, utilizing previous skill to make informed decisions on the art he chose to represent the focus. “Other pieces, I did choose directly. With those, I rely on something decidedly unscientific: intuition, or a trust in the accretion of visual knowledge gained through a lifelong practice of thoughtful observation and creation.”

Each experience Hill has of curating gallery exhibits is as varied as the art included within the galleries themselves. Previously, he co-curated “Emergence and

Structure” in 2012, which, he noted, was “a real eye-opener for me in terms of revealing the degree in the convergence of art and science.” He found that other artists also connected their work to science in some way, shape, or form. His inspiration stems from an array of experiences he has had in both graduate and undergraduate endeavors.

The distance between the fields of art and science are closer than one would typically imagine. The two disciplines work together to form art that incites curiosity and questioning in those who view it, leaving an impressionable sense of wonder and inspiration in everyday life.

The odd characters of Twitter Amoreena crispino Editorial Assistant In 2006, Twitter was launched and allowed people to follow peers and celebrities, and post little blurbs and musings in 140 characters or less. Simple posts on Twitter gave people gratification from celebrity responses, and even expressing what they are in the mood to eat. The landscape of Twitter has transformed into something much more intriguing, and quite honestly, much more scary. Most people nowadays have some sort of Twitter account, and more recently, making funny accounts that have nothing to do with one’s personal life has become very popular. There are hundreds of variations of these comedic accounts, some of them being too funny and strange to not share.

Welcome to the weird side of Twitter.

Some accounts revolve around facts about specific, random objects, and some are so pointless that they prove to be funny. “Lettuce facts” (@reallettucefact) tweets solely about lettuce. “From far away a lettuce looks like a smaller lettuce,” “the Japanese word for lettuce is ‘retasu’ which means ‘the green sphere of crunch’,” “a lettuce does not wear a watch but he will always have time for you,” and “if you rub two lettuces together really fast it will start a fire that will warm your heart but probably not.” Clearly, somebody has too much free time their hands.

Another food-centric account called “egg” (@ dailyeggfacts), similar in nature to the lettuce account, tweets about eggs 95% of the time. They tweet, “Who would want to give birth to a child when you can have an egg,” “Top news tonight: Mother of two violently beats eggs, cooks, then serves their scrambled corpses on a plate for her children,” and “Eggs have poor communication skills :(” Similar to its alimentary counterparts is “Places to eat corn” (@heretherecorn). This account tweets an array of places where you can eat corn—the options are limitless. Some of the tweets include, “dorm shower.”

Some advocate for other wild places, such as a “punk rock show. Pls don’t crowd surf while eating you’ll die probably,” “the set of Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” “bobs discount furniture,” and “an ointment factory.”

Now that this Twitter account exists, everyone is now aware of where they can and cannot eat corn.

There is an account called “I feel like” (@ yoifeellike) that tweets names, objects, or people you might feel like at the moment, or feelings you may resonate with. Some examples: “a potato with a dream,” “Making instant mac and cheese with my tears,” “a text that was read 15 minutes ago,” and “the other members of Maroon 5.”

A few accounts are less complex, one being “big ben” (@big_ben_clock). Big ben announces what time it is on the hour by the number of bongs. For example,

at 7 o’clock, the tweet would read “BONG BONG BONG BONG BONG BONG BONG.” At least there isn’t actually any noise, right?

Another simple Twitter account called “f**k every word” (@f**keveryword) goes through every word in the dictionary and puts the word f**k in front of it.

That’s it. Some alphabetical examples started with the letter G, going through every form of every single word; “f**k grooming,” “f**k grooms,” “f**k groomsman,” “f**k groomsmen,” “f**k groove,” “f**k grooved,” etc. Seems like a good use of someone’s time.

On a more existential note, “Shower Thoughts” (@showerthoughtts), posts deep thoughts or questions that you really only think of when you’re in the shower.

Some of these thoughts include, “Dodge Ram is an oxymoron,” “If people had to pass a drivers test every five years the world would be a better place,” “Hasbro, the company behind the Monopoly board game, has a monopoly on Monopoly,” and “Our eyeballs stare at the back of our eyelids, waiting to look at stuff while we sleep at night.” People are lying if they say they have never thought about at least one of these things in the shower.

So now that there are some weird Twitter accounts being exposed, go find them, retweet them, and laugh at them. We all need something to laugh at; take a break from politics and go deeper into the weird side of Twitter.

November 3, 2016

ARTS

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An intriguing rendition of “Macbeth”

Dare Tactic produces otherworldly interpretation of a classic Kelsey nicholson Features Intern

A rendition of William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” premiered at the St. Paul’s Theatre in Brooklyn on Friday, Oct. 21 and ran until Saturday, Oct. 22 for a total of five performances. The classic tragedy was performed by the Dare Tactic, a performing arts non-profit that aims to produce avante-garde productions and promote artistic expression. The Dare Tactic often uses new and innovative ways to portray classic titles, such as “Bonnie & Clyde,” “Cabaret” with gender-bent casting, and Frederico Garcia Lorca’s “Blood Wedding”.

Going into this production of “Macbeth,” it was a very plain and unsuspecting location—a church not a tenth of a mile away from the Marcy Ave stop on the BMT Jamaica line. To get to the small but well-used theater above the sanctuary, you climb up two flights of stairs. There, patrons were presented with playbills and pews to sit in. A sign warned audience members that the production would utilize flashing lights and a fog machine to enhance the performance, certainly straying away from a traditional rendition of the Scottish play, as the Dare Tactic aims to do.

The performance began with music and dancing by Hecate, played by Mazvita Chanakira, Actors rehearse a scene from the show and the four witches, played by Jesse Rose Krebs, Alexandria Lofton, Gracie Kennedy, and Dinae Anderson, all University students. Interwoven students Sam Ashby, Bleu Santiago, Quinn Corcoran, throughout the show are the Biblical stories of Adam and Isaac Anderson, Rachel Confranciso, Dean Knapp, and Eve, the Song of Solomon, and the story of Cain and Nicholas Jeffs.

Abel. When asked about the Biblical references, director The costumes stood out as well; some performers Vinny Eden Ortega responded, “I started my process very half-dressed in traditional Shakespearian garb such as traditionally. I read the script several times over and did a outerwear and pants, some wore much more modern black lot of research on the play. I was particularly interested in shirts and bras. The set was also unconventional compared audience responses to the play when it was first shown. I to other Shakespearian renditions; the production was found that a lot of original commentary on the play had done with some performers on the stage, usually Hecate to do with religion—the witches’ relationship to religion and Seyton, with the majority of the play occurring on the and Lady Macbeth’s relationship to religion.” floor right in front of the audience. The split-level helped Next, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, played by Karim the audience see Hecate controlling the characters like Nematt and Ayade Rice, appear as Adam and Eve to begin marionettes and the actress’s hands moving as though the show. Also in the cast are the talented University pulling the actors on strings. The four witches were

Corinna Day always positioned on either side of the floor space, often cloaked in swaths of metallic fabric. The experience overall transcended the usual plays of Shakespeare, bringing the production to a new realm entirely. The show was otherworldly.

Many of the actors involved in the show were excited to work with Ortega. University sophomore Confrancisco, who played Ross in the play, said about her experience: “He gave us a lot of freedom to do whatever we wanted because it wasn’t a strict play—it was really satisfying to have that creativity.”

Ortega himself has been credited with writing and directing performances of “Agnes of God,” “HOPELESS: A New Play,” and, with the Dare Tactic, “4.48 Psychosis.”

He strives to use postmodern visual aesthetics to bring viewers to a new state of mind. “In creating work I amplify and manipulate themes from the original text, this is to challenge the audience’s idea of what the work is actually saying,” Ortega said.

The Dare Tactic also strives to provide a broad theater education to those in the area. The group has worked with the Bronx Lab High School by leading them through discussion on the history and current use of theater, followed by a monologue workshop.

Students were given a tour of the University’s Performing Arts program.

The Dare Tactic has also worked with the Lenox Hill Neighborhood House Hospital’s CARE program to create a musical production with patients suffering from dementia. Sessions were lead by New York University art therapy graduate students, followed by musical sessions with Dare Tactic musicians.

In the future, the Dare Tactic will introduce more innovative theater productions as well as outreach programs to other members of the community in order to bring theater into everyone’s lives.

Corinna Day

NEWS

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November 3, 2016

Ignored conflicts leave voters concerned

CarlY BiVona Contributor Historically, less than two weeks before a presidential election, most candidates would have their plans laid out to resolve issues Americans care about most. However, as Election Day inches closer, there are still important issues that are not being discussed by the candidates.

Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and Republican candidate Donald Trump have left questions unanswered, not just on the debate stage, but on the campaign trail as a whole.

Among the topics the candidates remain silent about, the Dakota Access

debate in Las Vegas. It is possible for voters to assume Clinton is against the Dakota Pipeline, because of her disapproval of the Keystone Pipeline.

However, her lack of input on the issue is concerning.

Clinton’s opponent Trump has not only failed to give his opinion, but poses a conflict of interest. The operators of the pipeline, Energy Transfer Partners, have contributed over $100,000 to the Trump campaign.

With “Foreign Hot Spots” as one of the main topics of discussion for the third and final Presidential debate, one major “hot spot” remains undiscussed: Yemen. For over a year and a half, High Country News this violent war has left over 100,000 dead, and according to the United Pipeline is particularly troubling to environmentally cautious voters. If Nations, over 80 percent of Yemen’s completed, the $3.8 billion pipeline will civilians are in need of humanitarian transport domestically produced oil from assistance. Currently, our role in this North Dakota to Illinois. With constant bloodshed is a bleak one and will be protest among Native American people a responsibility passed on to the next whose land is most affected by the pipeline, President of the United States. Much of the as well as passionate environmentalist, the current violence is perpetrated by Saudi controversial construction of the pipeline Arabia with weapons purchased by the has received a fair amount of media United States.

The United States recently announced attention.

However, with over a year to give it would be reviewing its reluctant support the public an opinion on the issue, both of Saudi Arabia in Yemen. However, with candidates have remained silent. Not only the Obama administration coming to an was the pipeline not mentioned at any of end, a new potential leader has yet to give the debates, environmental issues got less the people a plan for future involvement than 90 seconds of coverage at the last in the war torn country. When asked about

the Asian country, Trump said, “They [Iran] get Syria, they get Yemen. Now they didn’t want Yemen, but you ever see the border between Yemen and Saudi Arabia?

They want Saudi Arabia.” His answer, not specifying any real plan or opinion, does not satisfy voters looking for solutions. As for Clinton, this issue does not even appear on the “issues” page of her website, let alone discussed on the debate stage.

The Yemen war could possibly be an unfavorable topic, because of the controversial decision to support Saudi Arabia. It’s possible that the candidates simply do not yet have a clear plan to share with the country on either issue. However, as far as the lack of effective discussion within the debates, it is clear that this is caused by the abundance of personal affairs that are examined in depth on the debate stage. Whether it’s Trump’s offensive remarks about women, Muslims, Mexicans, African Americans, and countless other groups, or Clinton’s emails, these personal topics are fiercely debated onstage, leaving little time to discuss issues that will have an actual impact on voters.

Although these personal subjects are undoubtedly worth noting, doing this at the expense of crucial domestic and foreign issues is worrying many voters who don’t know the candidates stances on certain issues. “Both have done or said things that were wrong, but what are they going to do about turning things around for not only themselves, but for our country? There are many times when the two appear more concerned about their personal affairs than serving the people.” says University Freshman Anna Kralik.

Kralik’s question is a common one that voters across the country share.

Unfortunately, many may not get the answers they are looking for before Nov. 8.

University hosts “Lives Matter” panel deXTer JoHn sCoTT News Intern The Black Lives Matter movement has been in the public eye since its formation in 2013. Cofounders Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors and Opal Tometi started the movement as a reaction to the acquittal of George Zimmerman for the murder of Trayvon Martin. Garza wrote a Facebook post titled "A Love Note to Black People" in which she wrote: "Our Lives Matter, Black Lives Matter," to which Cullors replied with “#BlackLivesMatter.” Tometi added her support, which launched the online campaign that has spread across the world. BLM has been trying to draw attention to the violence and systematic racism that has disparaged black lives. They do this by protesting and promoting discourse on the unequal treatment of black lives, specifically in the criminal justice system.

With the push back from “All Lives Matter” and “Blue Lives Matter” supporters, BLM activists everywhere are looking for more ways to educate people on racial disparity. Here at the University, Black Student Union leaders organized panel discussion on the topic of BLM and its current cultural impact.

The panel consisted of Professors Stephanie Hsu, Satish Kolluri and Demosthenes Long, who teach English, Communication Studies and Criminal Justice, respectively. The University’s Affirmative Action

Officer Lisa Miles was also on the panel.

Each panelist was chosen to provide his or her own unique perspective on BLM. Miles’ profession gives her insight on the need for equality, especially, in the workforce. With that in mind, she was chosen to speak on the emergence of the BLM campaign. She referred to it as a result of the current generation’s “Emmett Till Moment,” which she specified as being the murder of Trayvon Martin. According to Miles, the death of Martin sparked a fire within the black community that has only been stoked by the seemingly endless deaths of unarmed black men and women at the hands of the police. Many of these deaths have been televised, bringing scrutiny to the policing community.

With Professor Long’s background in Criminal Justice, he provided a necessary law enforcement perspective on the movement. He stated that there is no consistent way to calculate how many unarmed black men the police have killed. According to Long, There are different rules around weapon discharge in every state: some states require a full investigation for every shooting and others don’t even require a full report on it. All of these inconsistencies within the police system make it difficult to accurately pinpoint if systemic racism or poor policing causes the deaths of these men.

Professor Kolluri spoke on the impact of hashtag activism, saying that it is a great way to start a movement.

According to Kolluri, hashtag activism is more organic

because it starts from one person and spreads through retweets. A negative of this type of activism is that anybody can use it to spread his or her own personal politics. Kolluri feels that this can draw attention away from the true mission of groups like BLM. Professor Hsu used a video to speak on an example of one-sided politics conflicting with BLM. The video was of Jess Fong, an Asian activist who was protesting the trial of Peter Liang, an Asian cop who killed Akai Gurley in 2014. Fong argued that he was being used as a scapegoat to cover up a corrupt police system. Hsu felt, while Fong’s feelings are valid, their method was drawing attention away from the murder of Akai Gurley. According to Hsu, the protest of the trial is indicative of the privilege and anti-blackness that is instilled in people from birth.

The panelists applauded the students that came for their dedication to this important discussion of race.

They also felt that the history of race and culture needed to be taught and discussed not as a knee jerk reaction to a race-related killing but as a consistent conversation.

Dr. Denise Santiago, Office of Multicultural Affairs Director, agreed with the panelists and said, “I agree with them, that we need to infuse this as a daily discourse throughout the University, so that it’s embedded into the curriculum, so that it’s embedded with the language of the administration, as well.”

November 3, 2016

features

www.thepacepress.org 13

The party didn’t start ‘til Kesha walked in

Students let loose and enjoy spirited night at Homecoming concert

Katrina Alonso

Katrina Alonso Features Editor Overnight, the gymnasium on C-level at One Pace Plaza became completely unrecognizable. A stage was set up with enormous speakers and bright, colorful lights. Giant black curtains separated the crowd from the backstage area and from the fitness center in the back of the gym. What was once a gym like any other where students would come to work out and blow off steam was, for one night, a professional-grade concert venue.

An hour before the doors opened, the line to get in stretched around the block. Students of the University and non-students alike braved the inclement weather to see their favorite artists perform live. With three of the most popular genres of music today being represented by the talent, the crowd was lively and diverse.

“I thought it was really awesome that [the University] had really different artists come because it catered to [our] diverse community,” said University student Marc Kirchner.

An hour after the doors opened, that same crowd was found packed into the gym, straining to get as close to the stage as possible. Ansel Elgort, also known by his stage name Ansolo, was playing the keyboard to his own remix of Calvin Harris’s “This Is What You Came For.” Even those who were not fans of his music found themselves enjoying it and jumping along with everyone else. Ansolo mostly played remixes of Top 40 songs and snuck in some of his own compositions as well. Most notably, he played a rendition of his hit single “Home Alone” to close out his

set. The crowd went wild, singing along passionately to lyrics about not wanting to go home alone.

P.A.C.E. Board hired DJ Spynfo to keep the audience’s energy level up between the big talents, and he played some old favorites like Soulja Boy Tellem’s “Crank That (Soulja Boy),” which got the whole room dancing around and showing off their moves. After DJ Spynfo kept the audience occupied for long enough, Desiigner lept onto the stage, wearing nothing but baggy pants and a giant fur vest, which he shed quickly after beginning his performance.

Desiigner’s energy was through the roof during his performance. He played “Timmy Turner” and “Panda,” which he repeated three times. Almost all of his performance was conducted from the audience, and at one point, he even jumped off of the barriers and tried to crowdsurf—unsuccessfully. Desiigner’s friend who remained unnamed also joined him onstage and sprayed the audience with bottled water, soaking the VIP section.

“It was definitely entertaining and fairly interactive, but a handful of people were upset that they kept tossing water into the crowd and around the stage because it could have ruined the equipment,” said University student Julia Coloso about Desiigner’s performance.

In contrast, the final act of the night was perhaps the most popular amongst University students. Kesha was joined onstage by the band The Creepies, who shredded on the drums and electric guitar, adding backup vocals to the pop singer’s rock-ified performance. Between explosive performances of “Cannibal” and “Your Love Is My Drug,” she connected with the audience and even

mentioned her lawsuit.

“Whatever issues there are beyond these four walls, they don’t matter tonight. You have homework? F*ck that. An ex-boyfriend is bothering you? F*ck that. My lawsuit? F*ck that!” she said with both middle fingers up.

Later in her set, she talked about how hard the past few years had been for her and the audience began chanting “Free Kesha.” She ended her set with a shower of glitter raining down onto the audience after a rousing rendition of “TiK ToK.” The audience was so impassioned that their screams and chants for an encore brought the pop singer back onstage to end the night with a final, life-giving performance of “Die Young.”

“Her set was really amazing because it was rock and roll covers of all her old material. You really got the chance to see how talented she is,” said University junior Savannah Apple.

Getting these amazing artists to perform for the University and putting on such a great concert fell to Austin Napoleon, Rachel Andrade, Danielle Graziano, Caragh Baierlein, and Emily Fischer, the executive board of P.A.C.E. Board, who gathered onstage at the request of DJ Spynfo after Kesha’s set to take their bows as the operators behind the scenes. Co-president Fischer said the process of finding the artists, dealing with the logistics of preparing the venue, and making sure every ticket sold was accounted for was very difficult and time-consuming.

Clearly, their efforts were well worth the trouble because the show turned out to be a big hit amongst all in attendance.

features

14 www.thepacepress.org

November 3, 2016

Wonder Woman appointed U.N. Ambassador

Lynda Carter and Gal Gadot accept Wonder Woman’s award.

Anna Yesilevskiy Staff Writer

The United Nations recently announced that Wonder Woman will officially be appointed as an honorary ambassador on Oct. 21, which will be the seventyfifth anniversary of the character’s first appearance in a comic book. DC Entertainment President Diane Nelson, Lynda Carter–who played Wonder Woman in the 1970s television series–and Gal Gadot–who will play the comic book character in an upcoming movie–were all present at the U.N. ceremony.

The appointment of Wonder Woman as an honorary ambassador is part of Comics Uniting Nations, an initiative that aims to raise awareness about the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals, which include clean water, quality education, and gender equality. “Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world. Providing women and girls with equal access to education, healthcare, decent work, and representation in political and economic decisionmaking processes will fuel sustainable economies and benefit societies and humanity at large,” the U.N. said in a statement.

The choice of Wonder Woman as an honorary ambassador received mixed responses. The Mary Sue, an influential feminist comics site, was happy about the decision and wrote, “Wonder Woman is a great, easily recognizable symbol of what women can become once freed from a patriarchal society.”

Many others, however, are unhappy about the choice of Wonder Woman for an honorary ambassador. Several U.N. employees created a petition that asks the U.N. to reconsider the choice of Wonder Woman. They argue that Wonder Woman’s “current iteration is that of a large breasted, white woman of impossible proportions, scantily clad in a shimmery, thigh-baring bodysuit with an American flag motif and knee high boots–the epitome of a ‘pin-up’ girl.”

According to those employees, Wonder Woman’s heavily-sexualized image does not a gender equality ambassador make. In addition to that, they claimed that it was disappointing that the U.N. “was unable to find a real-life woman that would be able to champion the rights of all women on the issue of gender equality and the fight for their empowerment.”

Anne Marie Goetz, a Global Affairs professor at New York University and a former U.N. adviser, also criticized the U.N. for appointing Wonder Woman as an honorary ambassador. Goetz said, “It’s an insult, frankly. It’s frivolous, it’s fatuous and it reduces an extremely serious human rights problem experienced by half of the world to a cartoon.”

In addition to that, she stated that by selecting Wonder Woman as an honorary ambassador, the U.N. is sending a message to girls and women “that you are expected to meet a male standard in which your significance is reduced to your role as a sexual object.”

Shazia Rafi, a leader of the She4SG campaign, which advocates making the next U.N. secretary general a woman, was also disappointed about the U.N.’s decision. Rafi said that the choice of Wonder Woman is “ridiculous.”

“The campaign for women’s empowerment is represented by a cartoon when there are so many real-life women who could have been chosen,” Rafi added.

A U.N. spokesman responded to these criticisms and said, “In order to reach young people, in order to reach audiences outside this building, we need to be creative.”

However, Rafi dismissed this and said in response, “Younger women no longer look at themselves and think they need to be dressed in cleavage and bustiers to be taken seriously.”

Emily Bent, a Women and Gender Studies professor at the University, said that she agrees with Rafi. “People feel offended because it dismisses the work of real feminist advocates who have been a part of the United Nations since its founding,” Bent said.

She added, “I understand why they have chosen

Inverse.com Wonder Woman. They are trying to appeal to a younger audience. I think it’s shocking and offensive because there are plenty of live women that they could have picked and using a cartoon book character as the symbolism of gender equality doesn’t quite work.”

Bent listed several suggestions of real-life women that the U.N. should have appointed as an honorary ambassador. Among those suggestions were Michelle Bachelet, who is the president of Chile, and Mary Robinson, who is an advocate for women’s rights and served as the first female president of Ireland.

Students at the University also gave their opinions on the appointment of Wonder Woman as an honorary ambassador. “I think that this is strange since Wonder Woman is a character and not a real person. I am sure that the U.N. has its reasons,” University sophomore Stephany Almonte Then said.

Senior Alexandra Emmett said, “I think that this is important because there are many issues with equality between men and women and it will help women get more recognition in the workplace.”

She also added, “I think this will help with equality because more people will realize women are capable of doing the same amount of work as men.”

Despite receiving some criticism regarding their choice for an honorary ambassador, the U.N. will not be going back on its decision. Maher Nasser, a U.N. official, said that they were aware that these concerns would be brought up and said that his team will be working with DC Comics to tone down the sexualized image of Wonder Woman. Nasser stated, “The campaign art that we are working with doesn’t have that caricature image of the wrong stereotype of what a woman should look like.”

“The focus of the U.N. was on her feminist background, being the first female superhero in a world of male superheroes, and that she always fought for fairness, justice and peace.” Nasser said in defense of the U.N.’s decision to appoint Wonder Woman as an honorary ambassador.

features

November 3, 2016

Semester in Pleasantville Anna Yesilevskiy Staff Writer

The University has implemented a new program called Semester in Westchester for students at the New York City campus. University students who apply to this program will be able to live on the Pleasantville campus during the upcoming spring semester.

After students apply, they will begin preparing for their transition to the Pleasantville campus by registering for courses on the Pleasantville campus and by being assigned to a residence hall. Following the spring semester, students will return back to the New York City campus.

There could be several benefits for the students who choose to apply and go through this program, so the program flyers argue. These students will get an experience of living and learning in a more traditional campus setting and will be able to connect and network with Pleasantville students. Furthermore, they will get to enjoy the new academic, research, residential, and athletic facilities on the Pleasantville campus. In addition, students who apply to this program would be able to explore the new Dyson College Nature Center.

Beth Ann Tonner, a senior coordinator at the Advising Center for Exploring Majors on the Pleasantville campus, gave more information about the program and why it was created. Tonner said that the program is “part of the 2010-2015 strategic plan for the university, as was Semester in the City,” which is a program that has been offered to Pleasantville students to live on the NYC campus for several years now.

“Students who are part of the program will get to experience what it is like to reside on a traditional college campus, enjoy the picturesque scenery and brand new facilities, as well as participate in a variety of campus events and activities exclusive to the Pleasantville campus,” Tonner said of the new program.

When asked why only sophomores and juniors are allowed to apply to the program, Tonner replied that it was because “first year students are just getting immersed in college life on their own campus and seniors have specific course requirements to ensure graduation.”

Tonner also added that she hopes that students who choose to participate in the Semester in Westchester program will “have an enriching experience on a different campus that exposes them to other co-curricular activities and helps them to expand their network and diversify their undergraduate experience.”

New York City students also shared what they thought about the new program.

When asked what she thought of this new program, junior Sofia Dipasquale said, “I think it’s a good idea for people who want to get a taste of a more ‘traditional’ college experience. I know a lot of people here who feel like they’re missing out on that aspect.”

Dipasquale, however, said that she would not want to apply to this program. “I love it here in New York City and I purposefully chose to go to school here because I didn’t want a traditional experience and I couldn’t handle living in the middle of nowhere for an entire semester,” she explained.

Just like Dipasquale, senior Laura Russo also thought it was a great idea. Russo said, “Pleasantville is pretty much the complete opposite of New York City so it would be interesting to experience something else for a semester.”

However, Russo also said, “I wouldn’t [apply to this program] just because I’m graduating and a main reason I chose this campus was because I wanted to experience New York City.”

Though not many New York City students would spend a semester at the University’s sister campus, this program is truly a great way to experience college life a different way.

Pace University

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University student starts Feminist Forum Jamie Saunders Contributor

The Feminist Forum is a brand new club at the University, developed and conceptualized by freshman Selin Edebali. The club aims to raise awareness and provide a safe space for discussion of sensitive subjects like body image and internalized misogyny. It is a club for students who want their voices to be heard and who want to listen to other voices as well. Topics of discussion revolve around gender, culture, identity, and what it means to be a feminist.

Edebali is a passionate writer and video-maker from New York. She especially loves poetry, as well as creating and editing her own videos. She has developed two of her own YouTube channels, one in English and one in Turkish, which are titled “Simply Selin” and “Sadece Selin,” respectively. Altogether, Edebali has a viewership of over 133,000 people. While both channels act as vlogs showcasing her thoughts on feminism and her daily life, her Turkish channel also features her responses to viewers’ questions about her American education.

Edebali was the president of a similar forum in high school, which discussed topics like self-love, confidence, sexual assault, gender inequality, and current global issues.

“My biggest inspirations come from the people I see leading our world, whether it be through the media, entertainment industry, or politically, as well as some of my closest friends and family,” she says of what inspired her to start this organization. Edebali says famous figures who have open minds and are honest and eager to learn are the kinds of people who influence her, like singer Taylor Swift and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Edebali has big hopes for the club, but also foresees challenges. Reaching out, engaging, and educating people about difficult subjects such as identity, gender roles, and feminism, and their impact on society will not be easy tasks. Not everyone understands or has the same definition or ideas surrounding feminism, which can lead to misunderstandings. Edebali, however, is ready to embrace these challenges, as they are all the more reason to begin organizations like this that foster positive communication.

According to Edebali, the easiest way to understand others is by listening to their stories, beliefs, ideals, and opinions. The Feminist Forum will be a safe space in which members can do that and learn about relevant concepts like cultural appropriation, prejudice and gender discrimination, among other things. By creating this organization, Edebali hopes “to inspire, to encourage, and to motivate others to stand up for what they believe in.”

Sadece Selin / YouTube

16 www.thepacepress.org

November 3, 2016

Features

University student speaks to U.N. Asia Letlow Arts Editor Rachel Salcedo is a junior University student double majoring in Peace and Justice Studies and Women’s and Gender Studies. She recently gave a speech to the United Nations in regards to disarmament.

The Pace Press: What did you do with the United Nations? How did the opportunity come about?

Rachel Salcedo: Dr. Emily Welty, who is the head of the Peace and Justice Studies department is good friends with my boss from this summer, and they were putting together a statement for the First Committee about disarmament. They wanted to put something together about disarmament and non-proliferation education. Because they both knew me, they wanted me to give the statement because [it] is about education and youth. They thought it would be appropriate for it to come from somebody receiving disarmament education who is also a youth.

TPP: Was it an internship?

RS: It was a Wilson-funded scholarship. The Wilson Center partners with nongovernmental organizations who can’t afford to pay their interns. So then, NGOs are able to hire University students and it’s at no cost to them because the Wilson Center pays you $15 an hour.

TPP: What is disarmament?

RS: Disarmament is thought of as guns in the American context but at the U.N. level it’s more like talking about banning nuclear weapons, and weapons of mass destruction.

I wasn’t advocating for taking guns out of people’s hands. The non-proliferation is “to stop the spread of.” So, basically, the topic of the speech was suggesting that it’s really important for governments to put money into disarmament and on proliferation education because that helps to get youth and women and victims who are survivors of violence involved in peacemaking processes.

TPP: How did you prepare for the speech?

RS: I had very little time to prepare, actually. They asked me on a Sunday and I gave

the speech that Wednesday. I didn’t get the final version until the day I gave the speech.

Preparing was very on-the-fly. I got the first version that Monday, but it was not at all the same version I got on Tuesday. And then on Tuesday I received the first draft and practiced that a bunch, and they told me I was able to edit anything out or edit the language of it or if I didn’t feel comfortable saying anything to let them know, and they would remove it.

TPP: Did you write the speech?

RS: No. I just had a part in giving my say after the fact. They had the idea to do it and then they wrote the speech itself and then allowed me the freedom to change or oppose things.

TPP: Who wrote the speech?

RS: Dr. Matthew Bolton, Dr. Welty–one of my professors and also my advisor–and Alex Hiniker. They put it together and a bunch of NGOs co-signed it.

TPP: Where was the meeting? What was proposed or discussed?

RS: It was in conference room four of the U.N. The whole First Committee is having meetings all month long, and First Committee focuses on disarmament so all sorts of things were covered in this particular meeting of the First Committee and I just happened to focus on disarmament education.

TPP: What inspired you to choose your major? What are you passionate about?

RS: I was originally a history major and it wasn’t doing it for me so I transferred to [the University] and I ended up in a Men and Masculinities class by accident. Every day I went in there I was like “Holy crap! My mind has been blown!” These are things I never thought of.

TPP: How do the two majors you’re pursuing intersect with what you want to do when you graduate?

RS: I think that Peace and Justice Studies is what I want to do. I want to spread peace and justice in some sort of capacity, but I’ve not yet decided. I think Women’s and Gender Studies is very informative of that and I don’t want to focus necessarily on women and girls and gender, but I think it’s really helps give the Peace and Justice Studies a fuller perspective.

Rachel Salcedo