Vol. 105 Issue 95
@thepittnews
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Pittnews.com
Chasing a dream
Pittsburgh protesters, past and present, march to reject racism and demand equality. Meghan Sunners | Staff Photographer (left) and TPN File Photo (right)
Abbey Reighard, Elizabeth Lepro and Lauren Rosenblatt The Pitt News Staff People of Pittsburgh banded together Sunday night for a 1,000-member march, traveling 2.5 miles through the cold from Oakland to Downtown Pittsburgh, to honor Martin Luther King Jr. and protest racism. The crowd members, many of which were bundled up in coats and hats, held signs with gloved hands that displayed “I’ll die for the cause, but please don’t make me” and “Solidarity, not silence.”
We Change Pittsburgh, an activist group, began organizing the 6 p.m. march more than a month ago. Pittsburgh police accompanied the protesters on bicycles and motorcycles, and police vehicles were parked along the route to close down streets. Officers did not interfere with the protests. We Change Pittsburgh activist Julia Johnson began the rally on Bigelow Boulevard with a moment of silence for worldwide police brutality. The marchers gathered on Bigelow Boulevard and Fifth Avenue.
“Being here is a responsibility of our country. As a white person, I can’t be comfortable, and as a student, I have the power to affect change,” said Hannah Weintraub, an undeclared freshman. “It feels amazing [here]. It feels like part of the community is coming together.” The marchers moved down Fifth Avenue, chanting “Hands up, don’t shoot,” “Show me what democracy looks like” and “Fists up, fight back.” The march featured African and Brazilian drummers, hip-hop artists and poetry. “We are here to honor and celebrate the
life of Dr. King, and the work he started is going to require the work of everyone involved now,” said We Change Pittsburgh activist Michelena Wolf, 43, of Franklin Park. We Change Pittsburgh joined with 45 other organizations in the Pittsburgh area to lead the march. “There’s a lot of really good black people here doing really good things. They’re mentoring me,” Wolf, who is white, said. The rally continued with more speakers
Protest
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January 20, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com
Editor’s Note: On Tuesday Jan. 13, the Pitt News published an article that reported The Pittiful News publishes satirical news articles similar to The Onion and Charlie Hebdo. The Pittiful News does not print articles similar to Charlie Hebdo. The Pitt News apologizes for this error.
Students serve community in honor of M.L.K. Jr. day Kathy Zhao Staff Writer On Monday morning, Sam Sittenfield sat on the floor of the Repair the World building on Broad St. in East Liberty with two Pitt students, Sarah Shaykevich and Leanna Travis. The trio was sorting through cardstock envelopes stuffed with free samples of Post-it notes and highlighter tabs that they would later donate to after-school programs. Sittenfield and the students collected classroom supplies as part of PittServes’ Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service on Monday. Roughly 800 Pitt students signed up to volunteer and worked with nonprofit organizations in the greater Pittsburgh area from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., according to director Misti McKeehen. The office’s mission was to “make it a day on, rather than a day off ” for students, who
volunteered in several neighborhoods, including East Liberty and Point Breeze, or on campus in the William Pitt Union. The Day of Service has grown since its 2001 conception, McKeehen said, when it comprised a service project by just one group, Jumpstart. Students’ participation in the service day then grew each year. Under Sittenfield’s supervision, Shaykevich and Travis organized donations for progams such as the Neighborhood Learning Alliance in Garfield and Higher Achievement in the Hill District. “We collected school supplies, but also things like deodorant,” Sittenfield said. “Sometimes middle schoolers can be smelly.” Rachel Zadnik, outreach coordinator for PittServes, estimated that about 85 percent of the student volunteers signed up in groups, such as social and service
fraternities, student organizations or even as a floor from a residence hall. Zadnik said the other 15 percent signed up as individuals. Zadnik said she reached out to community members and organizations to see who would need volunteers on Monday. “I know that in the past [the organizers] had difficulty finding organizations who were open on Martin Luther King Jr. Day,” Zadnik said. “This year, we really tried to pinpoint projects that students would enjoy.” Some of these projects included cleaning with the Friends of the Hollywood Theater in Dormont, an organization based out of a historic theater that shows old movies and cult classics in special screenings. Students also cleaned and packed laptop and desktop computers for shipment at Computer Reach, an
organization in Point Breeze that ships refurbished technology to third world countries and refugees in Pittsburgh. While other students left campus, Carrie Kramer, a sophomore majoring in political science, worked with a group of five students in the William Pitt Union, where they sorted and counted clothes for the Give a Thread campus campaign. The campaign aims to collect 150,000 articles of clothing, a number that would set a Guinness World Record for largest number of clothes collected for donation or recycle. This year, Kramer said she signed up to volunteer with her honors fraternity, Phi Sigma Pi. Kramer said that she came last year, too, even though she wasn’t yet affiliated with what she endearingly calls “the Pi.” Read the rest online at Pittnews.com.
January 20, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com
EDITORIAL
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OPINIONS
Rachel Levine: The right woman for the job
This weekend, one transgendered woman made news in a positive splash and can continue to make history for our state. On Saturday, Governor-elect Tom Wolf announced several new members of his cabinet, including transgendered woman Rachel Levine for physician general. As physician general, Levine would be responsible for advising Wolf on medical and public health issues. The Senate should confirm the selection, making Levine an educated force in not only overall healthcare but trans healthcare, making Pennsylvania a leader in bold, progressive political appointments. Having a high-ranking government official with the necessary background for the job combined with a fresh perspective on an underrepresented section of our state is beneficial to all in the Commonwealth. Through being exposed to an individual that is “different,” the general population is exposed to new discipline. Not only that, but Levine’s qualifications
are extensive. She graduated from Harvard College in 1979 and then Tulane University School of Medicine in 1983. She found a love for pediatrics and furthered her education at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York. Levine has been a physician at the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center since 1996. She is also a professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at the Penn State College of Medicine. Wolf chose Levine for her medical experience, not her identity as a transgendered woman. However, her development through transitioning from male to female five years ago could prove crucial in her role as physician general. She is familiar with subjugated knowledge that could lend helpful in understanding LGBTQ individuals across the board. A 2010 study by the National Center for Transgender Equality and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force exposes the need for trans knowledge in the medical field. The study uncovered that 28 percent
of respondents were subjected to harassment in medical settings, and two percent were victims of violence in doctors’ offices. Equally upsetting, up to 50 percent of the sample reported having to teach their medical providers about transgender care. The intersections of medical, mental and behavioral health are of the utmost importance, and are a human right, regardless of gender. Who better to start the discussion on these issues than someone who may have experienced them herself? The Affordable Care Act helped open the door for gender reassignment by prohibiting insurance companies from discriminating against transgendered people. Even so, trans citizens still face great adversity and misunderstanding whether it is usage of incorrect pronouns or questioning gender reassignment. Questioning, “why do you need to change genders?” is a form of psychological violence. A political representative for gender minorities, like Levine, is important because she can
aid those individuals with her knowledge and expertise on transitioning or receiving hormone therapy. Having a transgendered woman in a position of power and authority in the medical world will also allow the transgendered community to gain the positive publicity and understanding necessary for their happiness. Positive representation can only help the trans community. It is encouraging that news headlines brim with an encouraging story about a transgendered woman being received positively for her accomplishments. The Pennsylvania Senate must approve the physician general position. Once appointed, Levine could be the highest-ranked transgendered woman in Pennsylvania government history. The totality of Levine’s medical accomplishments, coupled with the relevance of her insight into genderqueer healthcare, makes her the perfect dynamo for physician general, providing for both the majority and non-majority.
TALBERT REPORT
Seven reasons why you should be a liberal Eli Talbert Columnist
It’s 2015, and it’s time to realize that the only political party you should affiliate with is represented by a blue donkey. That’s right, it’s time to lean to the left. Below is a list of seven comprehensive reasons why you should do the intelligent thing and identify as a liberal. 1. All the cool kids are doing it, and the only reason to do anything is to seem cool. And, coincidentally, the majority of celebrities who the cool kids emulate are liberal. Among the liberally inclined are George Clooney, Eminem and Hugh Hefner. After all, the movie stars, rappers and playboys of the world are well-equipped to dispense political advice. While, admittedly, they are not all experts in law, foreign policy
or domestic policy, making it big in Hollywood is equivalent to years of knowledge and practical application. For example, not many policy experts have the street cred of growing up on the mean streets of Detroit, and we all know the wealth of worldly experience and entrepreneurism that Hugh Hefner brings to the table. In short, being liberal is being cool. 2. It makes you special. In a 2013 Gallup poll, 23 percent of Americans identified as liberal compared to 38 percent identifying as conservatives and 34 percent as moderate. Although some would say this suggests that being liberal is more of a fringe movement, it actually shows how the majority of Americans don’t know what is best for them. Quite clearly, being liberal is not something everyone can do and is a step back from the overdone. It simply takes a
transcendental understanding that is not as widespread as the more ordinary “common sense.” If you become a liberal you will show that you, too, possess this most sought-after quality. 3. It makes you seem more humane. Liberals are known for the defense of the lesser privileged. If you become a liberal, you, too, will be known for your concern for the needy. You may even doom the aforementioned impoverished to an endless cycle of reliance on welfare. A recent study done by the Cato Institute indicated that because welfare benefits often exceeded the take home pay of a minimum wage job, it might discourage people from working. But hey, at least you will feel humane. Even if giving money to the poor does indeed discourage them from working, a substandard life of living off the government is better than no
life at all. Bottom line, saying you are liberal is a lot easier than making sure you actually help the poor. 4. It will fix your sense of fairness. Many people in America assume that we are all born with equal opportunities. In actuality, we are not. 15.1 percent of people in America lived under the poverty line in 2010. Poverty has many negative effects — according to a study on poverty and cognition, it can even impact the brain’s ability to think. Once you become liberal, you will realize this and attain the higher truth that being a minority is far worse. In fact, it is so bad that you will argue that minorities need special preference in college admissions, but the poor do not. Being liberal will enlighten you to see that while the poor need food stamps,
Talbert
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January 20, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com
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TALBERT middle- and upper-class minorities need help getting into college. 5. It will remove your jealousy of wealth. Liberals understand that jealousy is bad and there is nothing people covet more than wealth. Despite the top 40 percent of American wage earners paying 106 percent of the taxes, due to refundable tax credits, liberals know that the rich are not doing
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their fair share in alleviating jealousy. Becoming liberal solves the age-old problem of how to become as rich as your neighbor without having to work as hard. If you become liberal and advocate hard enough, eventually you will no longer envy the rich who — thanks to taxes — will earn only slightly more than you. 6. You will fully appreciate the value of peace. Once you become liberal, you discover the little-known fact that war is bad. Not all war, just when the United States goes to war. In fact, you will realize that
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the United States going to war is the worst possible situation, worse than genocide, the use of chemical weapons or unprovoked aggression. This is because while wars cost the American taxpayer resources, genocide — which tends to happen in other countries — does not. As a liberal, you know that the best war to support is a short one with minimal involvement, like in Libya. Messes such as Syria, where the U.N. no longer estimates the death toll after reaching 100,000, require actual work and are simply not worth it. Unlike more ignorant
conservatives, liberals know that human rights are only worth sacrifice within the borders of the United States. 7. You are not a conservative. Everyone knows that being a conservative is the equivalent of being a backwards bigot. There might not be any hard evidence for this, but anyone with a brain just knows. In contrast, liberals are wonderfully perfect beings. Let me be clear: you should be liberal. Eli writes a biweekly satirical column for The Pitt News. Write to Eli at ejt26@pitt.edu.
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January 20, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com
ARTS and ENTERTAINMENT Bulbasaur and Beethoven
ʻPokémon Symphonic Evolutionsʼ caught Heinz Hall Stephanie Roman Staff Writer Cosplayers might usually feel out of place at the symphony, but a recent Heinz Hall performance was a costume-appropriate gala. A Pokémon-themed symphony, starring the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, graced the historic, gilded hall on Saturday, and it was about the most immaculate blend of low and high culture that presently exists. Fans dressed casually for the “Pokémon: Symphonic Evolutions” concert, forgoeing black tie attire for Pikachu suits, Team Rocket shirts, Ash Ketchum costumes, Misty suspenders and many, many hats. “Symphonic Evolutions,” conducted by Susie Benchasil Seiter and composed and arranged by Chad Seiter — the same couple who developed “The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses” — premiered in Washington, D.C., last August. It concluded the 2014 Pokémon World Championships, which is an annual event that crowns the top players in both the trading card game and video games. “Pokémon: Symphonic Evolutions” was
“Prepare for Trouble” debuted Red’s assault against Team Rocket’s secret headquarters and his first battle against the boss, Giovanni. The orchestra’s percussion section, particularly the razoredged snare drum, carried the onslaught from the projections into the seats. The massive string section channeled their bows furiously, urgently sawing in the stakes of Red’s battle and ultimately cranking the volume up to 11. Red’s plight felt real, and a sigh emanated throughout the hall upon the defeat of Giovanni’s Persian. From then on, the program settled into a pattern of three arrangements per Pikachu didn’t conduct, but the Pittsburgh Symphony played only Pokémon tunes on generation (or grouping) of Pokémon Saturday. | Photo courtesy of the Pittsburgh Symphony games. a success in D.C., and it continued to please first encounter with Professor Oak, the wise Highlights included “...” from Generain Pittsburgh, where an overture of the scientist and mentor figure who bequeaths tion II, an assault of a score that was visceral video game’s title screen theme — a rack- the Pokédex, and spurs Red’s most per- and frightening to the core, boasting a huge ing, rousing and get-up-and-go-adventure manent and colossal choice: Charmander, swell into a dark and heavy key of the “Pokécompilement — evoked innumerable gasps Bulbasaur or Squirtle? mon Main Theme” as Ethan scaled Mt. Siland ahhs and brought tears to the audience’s The crowd roared in dissatisfaction ver to confront Red. Generation III’s “Falleyes. The title screens of all six generations when Red chose Charmander, as the com- ing Ashes,” Mt. Chimney’s powerful and of video games flashed across the screen munal favorite — denoted by cheers when uplifting theme, was another high point in above the orchestra, literally setting the it was highlighted — clearly appeared to which Brendan challenges Team Aqua and stage for the mixture of music and visuals be Bulbasaur. thwarts its plans to artificially raise ocean to come. From the idyllic “Pallet Town,” the nar- levels. It sobered up the concert’s tone a bit, Afterward, Seiter stepped off her po- rative and musical arc moved to the notori- considering Generation III’s recognition of dium and exclaimed, “Pittsburgh, I choose ously villainous Team Rocket with “Prepare the climate change problems plaguing the you!,” and threw a stuffed Pikachu toy to a for Trouble,” a title garnering much excite- world presently. lucky trainer seated orchestra-center. ment from the audience for its reference to The intermezzo detailed a delightfully Then, the symphony dove into the heart the bombastically ineffectual trio from the airy arrangement of the Pokémon Center of Pokémon and its origins of “Red,” “Blue” 1997 anime series. This title in particular is theme played almost entirely on bells and and “Yellow” games with the lovable tones why orchestras need to revive scores from marimbas, but the truly memorable episode of “Pallet Town.” Scenes culled from the yesteryear, as orchestra sound is precisely arrived at the show’s false ending. After supgames were projected above the orchestra, how the tinny Game Boy Sound System Pokémon 7 including the main player-character Red’s should be heard and remembered.
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January 20, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com
CINEMA
eastwood paints chilling war picture in ‘sniper’ Andrew Fishman Staff Writer
After Chris Kyle finds out, on his wedding day, that he’ll be shipped out to Iraq, he assures his wife that “it’s all part of the plan, baby.” Little did he know, this plan would make him the
“American Sniper” Director: Clint Eastwood Starring: Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller Grade: A deadliest sniper in American history. Bradley Cooper, in an Oscar-nominated
Sniper
7 Cooper delivers a bracing performance as Chris Kyle. | TNS
January 20, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com FROM PAGE 5
POKÉMON posedly concluding with “Friends, Fights and Finales” from Generation VI, the symphony revealed that it had two more songs to play that required audience interaction. When the familiar trills of “Gotta Catch ‘Em All” erupted from the stage, the concertgoers detonated in their seats. Almost FROM PAGE 6
SNIPER role, plays Navy SEAL Kyle, a man who served for 10 years, amassing four tours, during the peak of the Iraq War. Over that span, Kyle accumulated 160 confirmed kills out of 255 probable kills. “American Sniper” begins where its trailer does — ,Kyle must decide if an Iraqi woman and her young son pose enough of a threat to be killed. As we watch the woman hand off an RKG grenade to the young boy, Kyle realizes what he must do. At this moment, the scene cuts back to the life of a young Kyle, showing us signs of his hard-headed upbringing with a father who encourages fighting with other boys and takes his sons hunting. The flashbacks continue chronologically, moving to scenes of Kyle’s cowboy days, how he decided to become a Navy SEAL, how he met his future wife as well as real footage of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center, giving the audience a context of time. We’re suddenly, but not too abruptly, thrust back to the scene with the bombwielding little boy and, by now, have realized that this will be the first of his many kills. He soon begins killing with less hesitancy and develops a reputation and nickname of “Legend.” As Kyle’s time in Iraq continues, and his legendary status proliferates, so do the realities and hardships of war. Director Clint Eastwood (“Million Dollar Baby,” “Gran Torino”) does a masterful job of showing these realities without painting them as too over-the-top or blunt. The film alternates between Kyle’s four tours and his time at home in between, each visit home showing his progression — or, rather, regression — because of the violence he experiences. These scenes are driven by Kyle’s wife Taya (an electric, emotional Sienna Miller), who sees the differences in her husband more
everybody sang along, and the applause that followed seemed endless. Most importantly, the concert’s attendees didn’t skew in any category, and there was a thorough mix of all kinds of people. Presumably there were a lot more photo-ops than at your usual symphony — surely not nearly as many people arrive in costume — and this is exactly why video game scores need to enter the mainstream. They bring people together in ways that other media can’t. than anyone. When she entertains the idea of coming home for good after their first child is born, Kyle stands by his duty to his country. “You have to be here for us,” she retorts. Instead of confronting this emotional struggle, Kyle buries his problems behind a thick beard and dark-framed sunglasses, continuing to pretend that everything is OK. Any war film walks a thin line between portraying the reality of war and portraying an overly dramatic, shooting-heavy, exaggeration of action. While “American Sniper” had its violent moments, Eastwood succeeded in the former, with bracing, realistic scenes of the intensity of wartime — probably since the film was based on Kyle’s autobiography of the same name. Eastwood’s greatest accomplishment is his portrayal of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Handled delicately and with subtle portrayals, Eastwood’s direction and Cooper’s performance powerfully show the audience what it’s like to suffer from PTSD. Two scenes in particular achieved this chilling effect: Kyle sitting in front of his turned-off television, staring into it as we privily hear inside his head — bullets whizzing and buildings exploding. In another instance, Kyle almost attacks the family dog for playing around with his son before his wife snaps him out of his confused state. The film’s cinematography is equally as effective as Eastwood’s portrayal of wartime themes. Fascinating shots ranged from a peek through Kyle’s sniper lens and intense close-ups depicting raw emotion to extreme long shots from the eyes of helicopter pilots. Since “Sniper” is based on the true story of an American soldier, some viewers may have knowledge of how Kyle’s story tragically ends. The film’s conclusion is a perfect combination of respect, emotion, shock and cinematic expertise that even those who know Kyle’s full story will sit with mouths agape, chills up their spines and, perhaps, a tissue in hand.
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January 20, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com
MEN’S BASKETBALL
SPORTS
Pitt bedeviled by Duke in 79-65 road loss Jasper Wilson Senior Staff Writer
DURHAM, N.C. — Early on, the chant seemed prophetic, a curt premonition of what was to come. “We’re gonna beat the hell out of you.” Delivering the pregame message, en masse, were the Cameron Crazies, the famed student section of the Duke men’s basketball team. While it is, no doubt, a greeting bestowed upon all of the teams that travel to 75-year-old Cameron Indoor Stadium, it seemed especially appropriate on Monday night. Redshirt sophomore Chris Jones said the team didn’t feel intimidated playing in the famous venue. “It was like every other road game, pretty much,” Jones said. “The crowd’s not with you. They’re against you. It’s gonna be loud.” Whatever the cause, early on, the starter and his teammates appeared rattled. Pitt won the opening tip of its nationally televised prime time game against No. 5 Duke on Monday, but that was pretty much all it did well in the first half. Over the next two hours, the Panthers recovered well from that flat start, but not well enough, suffering a 79-65 defeat. History suggested that a win, comeback or otherwise, was unlikely. The Blue Devils lost their first game of the season to Miami here, 90-74, six days ago. In the past 14 seasons, they have only lost more than one game at home twice in a season. The scoreless period at the tip lasted 25 seconds and was the sole tie of the contest, the Blue Devils leading for 39:29 of a possible 40 minutes. Duke (16-2, 4-2 ACC) built its advantage and established its superiority immediately, going on a 7-0 run over 2:22 to start the game. During this same stretch, Pitt (13-
Jamel Artis scored a career-high 21 points in Pitt’s loss to Duke. Meghan Sunners | Staff Photographer
6, 3-3 ACC) missed its first four shots, prompting head coach Jamie Dixon to
call a timeout. “The early missing of shots, good
shots, open shots, put us on our heels and took away some confidence against the zone and kind of got us off to a slow start,” Dixon said. His players appeared rejuvenated by this opportunity to collect themselves, getting on the scoreboard first when play resumed, but the gulf continued to increase, however, in large part because of the success Duke had shooting from 3-point range. Anytime Duke got the ball inside to players like 6-foot-11 freshman Jahlil Okafor, a projected NBA lottery pick, Pitt would double team that player, which freed up a teammate behind the arc for an open look. Most of the shots taken, they made, shooting 7-15 from deep in the first half. “That’s what hurt us a lot,” sophomore Jamel Artis said. Despite picking up two early fouls, which resulted in his benching from 15:16 to 9:47, Artis finished with a career-high 21 points. His performance was among the few fleeting positives for the Panthers. The initial deficit they created remained, and they never led. “If we did get a stop, we’d make a bad turnover or a bad shot,” Artis said. After going into halftime down 4125, the most points it has allowed in that amount of time this season, Pitt outscored the hosts 40-38, getting the difference down to single digits on multiple occasions. “We knew we had to come out fighting, and that’s what we did,” Artis said. “If we didn’t, we would’ve gotten blown out by 30.” The momentum didn’t swing enough, though, and with the final seconds running towards zero, the Crazies had one final message for the Panthers. “Our house,” they said. “Our house.” The Panthers’ next game is at home on Sunday against No. 10 Louisville. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m.
January 20, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com
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WRESTLING
Pitt unable to rebound from slow start against Cowboys Logan Hitchcock Staff Writer
Despite a string of victories from redshirt upperclassmen Tyler Wilps, Max Thomusseit and Nick Bonaccorsi, the Pitt wrestling team couldn’t climb out of an early hole against a top-ranked adversary. A few pivotal moments did not fall in favor of the Panthers (7-3, 2-0 ACC) as they lost in Stillwater, Okla., 25-13, to No. 8 Oklahoma State University (5-2) and its slew of talented wrestlers. In the first of what would be eight matches against ranked opponents, Pitt freshman Dom Forys, coming off a perfect day of wrestling at the Pitt Duals, couldn’t kick-start the Panthers and upset Oklahoma State’s No. 10, Eddie Kilmara at 125 pounds. With the team trailing 3-0, redshirt freshman Nick Zanetta came out strong in his match against Gary Wayne Hard-
ing at 133 pounds, grabbing an early 2-0 lead. Zanetta increased his lead to 4-1 with another takedown, and he headed into the final period leading 4-3. But, in the third period, Harding recorded a three-point near-fall and never relinquished his lead, winning the match 6-4. After Oklahoma State earned bonus points for a fall at 141 pounds, Pitt sophomore Mikey Racciato came up just short in a competitive match with No. 4 Josh Kindig. Racciato, one of Pitt’s most aggressive wrestlers, came out firing in a back-andforth match. With the score 4-3 in favor of Racciato, a wild few seconds led to a takedown accompanied by two near-fall points for Kindig, quickly followed by a Racciato reversal and two near-fall points of his own, before finally allowing Kindig to escape. The loss to No. 8 Oklahoma State was only the Panthers’ third of the year. Nate Smith | Staff Photographer
Read the rest online at Pittnews.com.
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PROTEST reiterating the idea that the cause was about more than just black lives in the United States. Taylor Goel, a member of the Act Now to End War and Stop Terrorism Coalition, or ANSWER, a national activist group, said the march was “about connecting issues at home and abroad.” ANSWER condemns the evils of imperialist wars and capitalism. Other community organizers and activists had the same message, speaking for solidarity with those in the Palestinian territory, Iraq and Ferguson, Mo., as well as victims of gentrification and the prison system who, many speakers said, they felt were all being exploited by “white supremacist America.” The overlap of issues has even strengthened the movement, according to Alana Fields, a first-year sociology graduate student. “People are beginning to realize that everything is connected. And, when we all unite, that’s what’s going to make the move-
January 20, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com ment go somewhere,” Fields said. “You see everyone at this march, old, young, white, black, foreign. It doesn’t seem like a disjointed movement at all.” The mixture of students, residents, activists, children and organizations held signs that read, “I am Ferguson, I am Gaza,
particular should crusade against injustice. “Realize that it’s young people who make a difference,” Leonard said. “Dr. King was in his 20s when he led the movement.” Johnson addressed the crowd at the City-County Building on Grant Street with the same message, urging students to learn
“People are beginning to realize that everything is connected. And, when we all unite, that’s what’s going to make the movement go somewhere.” Alana Fields
I am Human” and “The World is Watching Pittsburgh Police.” A group of people holding light-up letters spelling, “End White Silence” took up the back of the crowd. Pastor Shanea Leonard, of the Judah Fellowship Christian Church in the North Side, marched near the front of the crowd with a sign that read, “Without justice, there can be no love.” She said young people in
from the movement and its participants, but also “unlearn racism.” Pete Shell, a member of the Committee who has experience putting on antiwar protests and helped organize the march with We Change Pittsburgh, was proud that “white and black folks came out to fight together.” “Don’t limit your vision. We just saw the
biggest march against police brutality since 1996,” Shell said, referring to the last large anti-racism march in Pittsburgh, which was in defense of Jonny Gammage, a motorist who suffocated to death after struggling with five police officers during a traffic stop in 1996, and against police brutality. The crowd reached the City-County Building at approximately 8:07 p.m. Five minutes later, the crowd went hush, except for helicopters circling above the city, as the protestors observed a second moment of silence. Johnson ended the silence, chanting “No justice, no peace, no racist police.” Johnson urged the protesters to return to the City-County Building on Tuesday at 10 a.m. for the Pittsburgh City Council meeting. Organizers plan to express their frustrations to Pittsburgh’s City officials and to look at the coalition’s two-page-long list of demands for city government, such as an end to all forms of discrimination and the full recognition of human rights, available on the We Change Pittsburgh website. “Black lives matter, but this justice system doesn’t do a thing for us,” Johnson said.