10-28-20

The Pitt News

T h e i n d e p e n d e n t s t ude nt ne w spap e r of t he U niversity of Pittsburgh | PIttnews.com | OCTOBER 28, 2020 ­| Volume 111 | Issue 42

Promiti Debi | Senior Staff Illustrator

October 28, 2020

News

FIRST-TIME VOTERS FEEL EMPOWERED, FRUSTRATED LEADING UP TO ELECTION DAY

Thea Barrett Staff Writer

Priya Gupta has looked forward to voting in her first election for years, but she said this election season was less than “picture perfect” after she had to chase down a missing ballot.

“It’s frustrating and stressful, but mostly just disappointing,” Gupta, a first-year pre-emergency medicine major, said. “There’s so much buildup to turning 18 and finally being able to have your voice heard, but to feel like it’s such a struggle even as a fairly privileged individual to just get my basic ballot — it’s upsetting.”

Gupta is one of the 24 million Generation Z voters who will have the opportunity to vote on Election Day. Most members of Gen Z still aren’t old enough to vote, but they will represent one in 10 eligible voters in 2020. Some first-time voters at Pitt described their thought process leading up to the election and the issues that sway them the most.

Gupta said she was frustrated when her ballot got lost on the way to Pittsburgh, causing her to spend lots of time on the phone with her hometown election office in New Jersey. She said the election officials knew her by name because she had called so often.

“I put in a request in the third week of August, and I still haven’t gotten it,” Gupta said.

“I’m chasing it down, too, it’s not like I’m just sitting and waiting.”

But Gupta said the trouble is worth it, because she sees her vote as bigger than herself.

Gupta said she’s voting for her friends who feel endangered by President Donald Trump's policies targeting LGBTQ+ people and other marginalized communities.

“Last election, I was paying attention, but I couldn’t do anything,” Gupta said. “It definitely feels empowering but frustrating with the choices and with how hard I feel like I’m fighting the system just to be able to vote.”

Corey Barsky, vice president of Pitt’s College Republicans, also expressed frustration in the

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mail-in ballot process for his first presidential election vote. Barsky — who got his ballot on Monday, eight days before the election — said while it was easy to request a ballot, he felt uncertain about whether it would get mailed to him.

as educated as possible when he casts his ballot. He said this is more difficult for first-time voters.

“I want to make the most informed choice I can, and that research would take some time, whether it’s my first or my 10th time voting,”

Priya Gupta voted for the first time this year but had to track down a missing ballot after it was lost in the mail on the way from New Jersey to Pittsburgh.

Photo Courtesy of Kuhlken Photographers “If mail-in voting is done right, it can be done right, but when it’s done wrong, it can lead to fraud or disenfranchisement,” Barsky, a senior neuroscience major, said. “I’m going to be let down if I can’t use my voice because of a simple logistical issue.”

Voters who change their mind about using a mail-in ballot or misplace it will be required to vote with a provisional ballot at a polling station. If it's determined during ballot counting that someone did return the absentee or mailin ballot, the elections office will tally that one instead of the provisional ballot.

Barsky said this election season is “intense” and “crazy” and that he wants to make sure he’s

Barsky said. “But it definitely can be compounded by figuring things out for the first time.”

Barsky said he’s voting for Trump, but is considering crossing party lines in some down ballot races, such as his state representative.

“It’s mostly just a personal choice out of what I want from my elected officials,” Barsky said. “I think all voters — especially new ones — should consider why they are voting the way they are instead of blindly following something or someone.”

Not every first-time voter decided to use a mail-in ballot, though. Katie Nagy, a first-year political science and urban studies double ma-

October 28, 2020

jor, said she decided to vote in person because she was worried about potential issues with mail-in ballots, such as it getting lost or rejected.

Nagy said she originally planned to vote at her polling location in Allegheny County, but after speaking with a Biden campaign organizer, she found out she could vote early Downtown at the Allegheny County Courthouse.

“The combination of the pandemic going on and the postal service running out of money is really what makes me and so many fearful,” Nagy said. “With the pandemic, so many people were planning to vote by mail, but then I wondered what if my vote doesn’t make it there on time, and as college students away from home that puts a lot of roadblocks up in our ability to vote.”

Voters are using mail-in ballots at high rates across the country because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but there are concerns about the United States Postal Service’s ability to handle the influx of mail, although it said it can handle the election volume. In Allegheny County, about 43% of the county had requests approved to vote by mail-in, absentee or overseas ballots this election.

Nagy said she is voting for Joe Biden for president, even though she doesn’t agree with all of his policies and voted for Bernie Sanders in the primary. She said she also researched down-ballot races, but ended up voting entirely for Democrats because she was scared about the country’s future under a Republican administration.

“For me, voting blue pretty much no matter what feels like the only safe option,” Nagy said.

“I looked into it, but even if I wasn’t planning on voting Democratic, they are the candidates that most align with me.”

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October 28, 2020

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TOGETHER IN ‘COMMUNITY,’ ‘COMPASSION’: COMMUNITY REMEMBERS TREE OF LIFE MASSACRE Maura Scrabis Staff Writer

Just a short ride from Pitt’s campus, the devastating Tree of Life massacre in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood rocked the City to its core. Two years later, the community is still remembering and healing together.

Remembrance and action were the main themes touched upon by family members, friends and fellow congregation members at the two-year Tree of Life commemoration ceremony Tuesday evening. These two themes are also this year’s guiding principles of the ceremony’s host organization 10.27 Healing Partnership, a collaboration between community, government and faith-based organizations.

The Tree of Life massacre took the lives of 11 Jewish worshippers attending Saturday services at the synagogue, located in a close-knit City neighborhood known for its acceptance and tolerance. The worshippers belonged to the three congregations — Dor Hadash, New Light and Tree of Life*Or L’Simcha — which share the Tree of Life building. It is the deadliest attack ever on the Jewish community in the United States, according to the Anti-Defamation League, a nonprofit that fights antiSemitism.

The Pittsburgh-based 10.27 Healing Partnership was created in the wake of the Oct. 27, 2018, massacre to “provide opportunities for reflection, support and connection for those impacted by the tragedy.” This year, the partnership organized a day full of commemorative events, ending with a virtual ceremony to honor the lives lost. The recently released anthology, “Bound in the Bond of Life,” also brings together stories and personal essays from local journalists, spiritual leaders and community members.

At the beginning of the remembrance event, Maggie Feinstein, director of the partnership, reminded attendees of the importance of community action and honoring the lives of the victims.

“We reflect on their lives, as well the community that was impacted by this event two years ago,” Feinstein said. “Although we’re apart physically this year, we are together in both community and in compassion.”

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Much different from last year’s gathering, this year’s memorial featured a series of videos played to more than 1,300 viewers on the livestream Tuesday evening. Videos from victims’ families and fellow congregation members were intertwined with songs from cellist Yo-Yo Ma and singer Elana Arian, as well as readings from various rabbis and local government officials.

In the videos, members from the three congregations came together to reflect on the event and the loss of their friends. They also spoke of the actions they take on a daily

Dana Kellerman, another Dor Hadash member, said she honors Tree of Life victims by advocating for policy changes to help prevent future hateful attacks.

“I remember the victims of Oct. 27, 2018, by advocating for sensible gun policy through Squirrel Hill Stands Against Gun Violence, an organization I co-founded in the wake of the tragedy, and by working to vote out hate on Nov. 3,” Kellerman said.

She also said she remembers her former fellow congregation member Jerry Rabinowitz by following his compassionate principles

The Tree of Life massacre took the lives of 11 Jewish worshippers attending Saturday services at the synagogue two years ago on Oct. 27, 2018, marking the deadliest attack ever on the Jewish community in the United States.

Sarah Cutshall | Visual Editor basis to remember the victims. Anna Coufal, a Dor Hadash member, said she remembers the victims by fighting against hatred in her community.

“I remember those that were lost on Oct. 27 by dismantling systems of hatred and exclusion within myself and my community. I break down structures of white supremacy, of xenophobia, and of the dehumanization of others,” Coufal said. “I replace these systems with the loving infrastructure of hachnasat orchim (welcoming guests), v'ahavta l’reacha kamocha (loving thy neighbor) and b'tselem elohim (recognizing that each person was created in the image of God).”

and urges leaders to do the same.

“Had our leaders lived up to Jerry Rabinowitz’s principles of welcoming the stranger with generosity and passing gun laws to protect us all, instead of fostering an environment where white supremacy, xenophobia and antiSemitism could flourish, I believe that Jerry would be here with us today,” Kellerman said.

As congregation members like Coufal and Kellerman talked about systemic change and the upcoming election, others like Andrew Exler focused on positive personal actions in their communities. Exler, a Tree of Life*Or L’Simcha member, said his pride in the Jewish community grew in the wake of the tragedy.

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“I remember the lives lost by living my life every single day being more proud than ever to be Jewish,” Exler said. “I stand up for the Jewish community in Pittsburgh and worldwide, and I make my best effort to be as kind as possible to every single person I interact with.”

Throughout the event, family members of victims took time to light candles and share three words to describe each of their loved ones. The words loyal, compassionate, trustworthy, vivacious and resilient were used to illustrate the personalities of each victim.

Margaret Durachko, the wife of Richard Gottfried, described her late husband as gentle, intelligent and generous. She also spoke of remembering him through her daily actions.

“I remember him everyday just from my day-to-day life,” Durachko said. “I live in the house we shared for many years together, and in fact, many activities are still definite reminders of him, and I miss him every day.”

Near the end of the livestream, there was a section featuring videos from survivors of the attack. Every individual video lined up so that each survivor read the lines of a famous quote from Holocaust survivor and author Elie Wiesel together, echoing the words “it’s indifference” throughout the first of the two minutes they were on screen.

“The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it's indifference,” the Wiesel quote read.

By taking times like this to remember the victim’s stories, Feinstein said the community helps and supports each other.

“We have a special duty to remember the lives that were taken and lift up their stories whenever we can,” Feinstein said.

Feinstein said this community is a safe place for all people to come together.

“We are here for you, and you are not alone,” Feinstein said. “We’re a gathering place, we offer community building, we offer a place that people can come and offer comfort to each other, and hopefully we’ll be able to do that again soon safely.”

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ELECTION JUDGES PLAY KEY ROLE IN HELPING ELECTION DAY RUN SMOOTHLY

Colm Slevin Staff Writer

Voters may only interact with them for a few moments when voting, but election judges like Nora Blithe Runsdorf make sure that voters’ voices are heard. She said they all carry the responsibility of helping every person, no matter who they’re voting for, through the voting process.

“All of the judges, even the ones who didn’t know they were one till that morning, end up feeling like, ‘I’m gonna get everybody who’s registered to vote, to vote,’” Runsdorf said. “At the end of the day that’s what I feel like. I go home feeling really good if I know I helped a bunch of students [get] to their correct polling location.”

Runsdorf, an election judge for the past 39 years for Pittsburgh Ward 4 District 7, takes on the responsibility of running her polling location at Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall. An election judge is responsible for helping train poll workers and answering all questions that come up and run a fair and clean election on Election Day. Election judges have to be capable of doing every job at the polling location, attend training and run each presidential, state and local election.

Runsdorf said it is a huge responsibility as an election judge to make sure that all elections are fair and the polling location is running smoothly.

“Our responsibility as judges is to make sure that ballots run as efficiently, as neutrally, as cleanly and as perfectly as you can handle several thousand ballots,” Runsdorf said. “The election judge must know how to do each job of the poll workers. Because on an election day, our job is to handle any and every question that comes up.”

Alethea Sims, who has been a poll worker for 55 years, is the election judge for Pittsburgh District 4 Ward 8, which votes in the William Pitt Union. She grew up in a very political time, which she said is how she got involved — Sims was born the same day Rosa Parks refused to give up

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her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama, bus, and her mother was also a poll worker.

“I grew up in the polls,” Sims said. “My mom worked there, so I was there. By the time I was 10, I was putting people in machines.”

Sims said she tries to make the process of voting as smooth as possible. Each judge is given a list of voters registered for their polling location about a week before the election, and Sims always asks for ID to make sure the voter is registered for her

poll worker.

Tim Parenti, who went to Pitt for both undergraduate and graduate school, has served as an election judge for the past two years for Pittsburgh District 4 Ward 14, which votes in Posvar Hall. He said this process requires a lot of time management after seeing a poll worker struggle during the primaries in April.

“During the primary, the person who started filling out the duplicate book got behind,” Parenti said. “And she stayed a

Nora Blithe Runsdorf has been an election judge for the past 39 years in Pittsburgh Ward 4 District 7.

Mackenzie Oster | Staff Photographer polling location.

“When I have between four and five thousand people possibly coming in and not everyone is from this area,” Sims said.

“You get a new crowd every year and some of the names are long, in a crowded room it is easier for the [poll workers] to say, ‘Can I have something with your name on it so I can see it.’”

When voters show up to the polling station, a poll worker copies the voter’s name down into a numbered list of voters — also known as “the book” — which then has to be duplicated, with one copy sent to the county and the other kept by a

good hour and a half [working on the duplicate book] after we were done taking everything down at about 8:40 [p.m.].”

Under Pennsylvania Act 77 of 2019, all voters will record their ballots this year on pen and paper, unlike previous years when voters could use machines. With that comes more work for the election judges, Runsdorf said, as they have to account for every single ballot, even those that are unused.

“The ballots come in packets of 50, and you open the packets one at a time,” Runsdorf said. “Because every package that has been opened has to be counted, if you

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don’t use all of the ballots, the unused ones must also be counted and recorded, because every single ballot must be counted.”

Runsdorf said she is exhausted at the end of an election day, particularly after the April primaries, as part of being an election judge means being on your feet for the entire day.

“I had been on my feet all day, 14 hours, masked and gloved. On [Election Day], we’ll all be masked and gloved,” Runsdorf said. “I sat down at the end of day and we were in Posvar, and when I got up to walk home, I didn’t think I was gonna be able to make it home, essentially four blocks. To take a step was painful.”

Sims also said she feels drained at the end of the day and goes right home to bed.

“I don’t even figure out who won the election till the next day,” Sims said. “I don’t even turn on the TV till the next day.

Undressing is optional.”

Runsdorf said students will not be allowed to vote if they go to the wrong polling location, which is why she suggests students remain at the same polling location for their entire time at Pitt.

“I encourage [the students] in Nordenberg Hall, leave your registration there,” Runsdorf said. “How many times a day do you pass Soldiers and Sailors, you can always vote here. When you graduate and leave, then change your registration. But as long as you’re a student, leave it at the same place, because that makes it so much easier.”

Parenti said it has been hard to prepare Posvar Hall as a polling station with the COVID-19 regulations in place.

“A lot of what you’re going to see, especially at our locations in the Union and Posvar, is a complete separation,” Parenti said. “There will be one door at each of our locations for voters [that keeps the voters separate from the students entering the building.]”

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ELECTION 2020: WHAT’S ON THE BALLOT IN ALLEGHENY COUNTY?

Ashton Crawley

Assistant News Editor Voters will decide on more than just the next president this election. Here’s what is on the ballot in Allegheny County.

President Joe Biden and Kamala Harris (D) The Democratic nominee, Biden previously served as the vice president to Barack Obama from 2008-17. Biden was first elected to the Senate in 1973 and served until 2009. Harris was the first Black woman elected as San Francisco’s district attorney and later became the first Black woman elected California attorney general, overseeing the country’s second largest Justice Department, only behind the U.S. Department of Justice.

Biden and Harris support the Affordable Care Act. Biden also supports building sustainable infrastructure to increase clean energy. Harris co-sponsored the Green New Deal and supports more proactive methods

to combat climate change.

Donald Trump and Mike Pence (R, Incumbent) Currently serving as the 45th president of the United States, Trump is running for his second term. Pence was elected to the United States House of Representatives and served from 2001-13 and later served as the governor of Indiana from 2013-17. As governor, Pence signed a bill that placed new restrictions on abortion providers. He also signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which many saw as an attack on the LGBTQ+ community in Indiana. Trump supports an “America first” position, tougher immigration laws and Second Amendment rights. His campaign also focuses on lowering the corporate tax rate and giving tax cuts to working Americans.

Attorney General Josh Shapiro (D, Incumbent) Shapiro has secured national injunctions

to protect women’s access to no-cost contraception and served as the chairman of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. Shapiro supports criminal justice reform as well as protecting reproductive rights for women and the Affordable Care Act. Heather Heidelbaugh (R) Heidelbaugh’s campaign is focusing on corruption within government, the opioid epidemic and special interest groups within politics. She served as chair of the state advisory commission on selection of a U.S. attorney, United States Marshall and federal judiciary.

Daniel Wassmer (L) Wassmer’s campaign is focusing on bringing political parties together. He supports protecting the Second Amendment as election law reform. Wassmer was formerly the corporate trust administrator at National Westminster Bank and former assistant

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county solicitor for Bucks County.

Richard Weiss Pa State Senate District 43 Jay Costa (D) Costa will run unopposed for the Senate seat. He supports more accessible voting through same-day voter registration. In the past, Costa cosponsored a bill to expand disability benefits for students.

Pa House District 18 Mike Doyle (D, Incumbent) Doyle supports creating common sense gun laws, defending Social Security and protecting the Affordable Care Act. Doyle has been in office since 1995.

Luke Negron (R) Negron is a U.S. Air Force Veteran who wants to “cancel career politicians” and set term limits for congressmen and senators.

Auditor General Nina Ahmad (D) Ahmad was the deputy mayor for public engagement under Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney and supports increased funding for state-supported education programs and stricter gun legislation. According to her website, if elected, Ahmad would be the first woman of color to serve as a statewide executive in the commonwealth’s 233-year history.

Timothy DeFoor (R) DeFoor formerly served as a special investigator in Pennsylvania’s Office of the Inspector General. His campaign goals include ending political loopholes that allow state agencies to keep taxpayer-funded contracts hidden from public knowledge.

Olivia Faison (G) Faison is the chair of the Health Center #4 Advisory Committee and secretary on the board of directors for the City of Philadelphia Health Centers. Faison’s campaign focuses on pollution and the effects it has on lower-income communities.

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Promiti Debi | Senior Staff Illustrator

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October 28, 2020

6

‘PSEUDO-PITT FOR TRUMP’: COLLEGE REPUBLCANS CAMPAIGN FOR TRUMP, LOCAL CANDIDATES Natalie Frank

Senior Staff Writer With election season in full swing, Elizabeth Oresanya, the president of Pitt’s College Republicans, said the group has acted as a “pseudo-Pitt for Trump” group on campus, although it focuses more on local and state races. ”Speaking to the campaign representatives that have spoken to us, we’re much more useful as a College Republicans group that campaigns for the Trump team, more than a ‘Pitt for Trump’ group,” Oresanya, a junior accounting and finance major, said.

Democrats, on the other hand, formed the new group Pitt for Biden in April to handle many campaign-specific initiatives. The group is dedicated to supporting Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden by educating students on Biden’s policies, hosting discussions with political figures and helping register new voters.

Both political parties are seeking to help their respective candidates gain Pennsylvania’s 20 electoral votes. Pennsylvania is one of the most important swing states in the country, with FiveThirtyEight’s presidential race forecast giving President Donald Trump an 84% chance of winning the presidency if he carries the state, and Biden a 96% chance of winning if the state flips blue. With poll averages showing Biden leading Trump by about 5% in Pennsylvania, the race for the state’s electoral votes is likely to be tight.

A group at Pitt solely dedicated to reelecting Trump isn’t necessary, according to Corey Barsky, vice president of the College Republicans, because the president’s campaign team has its own “surrogates” — such as the Trump Victory Committee — that do most of the grassroots campaigning in local communities and suburbs.

He said this gives the College Republicans more time to focus on down-ballot candidates.

Barsky, a senior neuroscience major, said another reason a “Pitt for Trump” group probably doesn’t exist is because of the members of the College Republicans' various backgrounds. Barsky said members fall into different categories of Republican beliefs, from ”more populist Republicans” to “Reagan Republicans.” ”A lot of our members come from very varying backgrounds,” Barsky said. “That’s why we as a group don’t do a ‘Pitt for Trump’ thing as the College Republicans, because a lot of our mem-

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bers have varying beliefs.”

Oresanya said members don’t agree with the president on every issue.

“I think what you’ll find if you get the chance to speak to some of our other members is that everyone kind of has times where they agree with the president and times where they disagree with him strongly,” Oresanya said.

The Pitt News contacted multiple members of the College Republicans for comment, but they did not reply. Oresanya and Barsky did not answer requests to speak with other members.

But Oresanya and Barsky said they both

Court pick Amy Coney Barrett in a 52-48 partyline vote late Monday evening. Senate Republicans pushed forward with Barrett’s confirmation — Trump’s third appointee and the sixth conservative justice on the nine-person bench — to the Supreme Court against Democratic objections.

The Monday vote was the closest Supreme Court nomination ever to a presidential election, according to the Associated Press, and the first in generations with no support from the minority party. Democrats argue that Barrett is “illegitimate,” due to a rushed vote just days before the election, and compare her treatment to

Members of Pitt College Republicans.

Photo Courtesy of Elizabeth Oresanya think the majority of the College Republicans strongly support Trump in the upcoming election.

“It’s definitely a diverse range of ideas,” Oresanya said. “But by and large we're pretty satisfied with his performance the first three and a half years, and we’re really excited for what else is left.”

Barsky said the group supports the current president for a variety of reasons, especially because of his policies involving the judiciary.

“I would say the one major issue that all of our members agree on and are interested in is the judiciary,” Barsky said. “We are for conservative, textualist judges, those being on the federal level and also on the Supreme Court.”

The Senate confirmed Trump’s Supreme

Merrick Garland, who President Barack Obama nominated months before the 2016 election but did not receive a hearing from the Republicancontrolled Senate.

Oresanya said the group is generally pleased with Barrett, who she claimed is a “major selling point” for voters. A slim 51% majority of Americans support Barrett to fill the Supreme Court seat left open due to Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death, according to a recent Gallup poll.

“Having seen Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and now Amy Coney Barrett, we’re very, very happy with his choices in Supreme Court justices and we’re really glad to see that that promise has been upheld without fail,” Oresanya said.

Besides the judiciary, Oresanya said she

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thinks Trump has other successful policies, such as tax cuts. Trump and congressional Republicans passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, which lowered income tax rates, especially for higher-income Americans, and it lowered the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%.

“One of the things that’s been really important — especially for young people entering or hopefully entering the job market — is the tax cuts and seeing how a pro-business administration has not only helped businesses, but also helped individuals to enter their careers and to excel,” Oresanya said.

IRS data on the 2018 tax season released in May 2019 showed that savings for taxpayers were uneven. Low-income families received the least savings, while high-income families saved the most. Corporations paid 22.4% less income tax, and their refunds increased by 33.8% nationally.

Oresanya added that although she is confident in Trump's ability to win, she is concerned by what she sees as a lack of transparency in how votes are counted.

Oresanya said she thinks all voting should be finished on Election Day and worries about how election disputes will be handled. The Supreme Court will allow Pennsylvania to count mail-in ballots received up to three days after Nov. 3, rejecting a Republican-led lawsuit. The justices upheld a state Supreme Court ruling that required county election officials to receive and count mail-in ballots that arrive up until Nov. 6, even if they don’t have a clear postmark, as long as there is no proof a voter mailed their ballot after the polls closed.

Due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic, more people than ever are likely to vote using absentee or mail-in ballots or by taking ballots they’ve filled out at home to a drop box or other secure location, according to the Pew Research Center.

“That’s definitely worrisome because voting should be done on voting day,” Oresanya said.

For down-ballot contests, Barsky said the College Republicans are focusing on electing Sean Parnell, who’s running to represent Penn-

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7

Opinions from the editorial board

Democrats must pack Supreme Court to maintain people’s rights

The Senate confirmed Justice Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court on Monday, cementing a 6-3 conservative majority on the court, following months of outrage about her nomination.

Barrett’s confirmation to the Supreme Court is nothing more than President Donald Trump and the Republican party attempting to forcibly maintain power should they lose the White House in the upcoming Nov. 3 election. They weren’t playing fair throughout the confirmation process, and now it’s time for Democrats to start playing by the GOP’s rules.

Following this election, it’s vital that Democrats do everything in their power to overturn the conservative majority in order to preserve the rights of people of color, women and LGBTQ+ people — and if they have to pack the court to do so, then so be it.

One issue with Barrett’s nomination was hypocrisy. Notably, people cited Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who in 2016 said he wouldn’t confirm a justice during an election year.

"I want you to use my words against me. If there's a Republican president in 2016 and a vacancy occurs in the last year of the first term, you can say Lindsey Graham said let's let the next president, whoever it might be, make that nomination," Graham said.

Well, Graham got his wish — people absolutely used his words against him. He didn’t seem to care, though, as he went back on his word and orchestrated Barrett’s confirmation, despite the fact that she was nominated only a few months away from the general election.

It should be obvious to everyone that Trump rushed to put Barrett on the Supreme Court in order to ensure he has a conservative majority to support him if the election results don’t turn out in his favor — he’s said so himself.

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"I think this will end up in the Supreme Court, and I think it's very important that we have nine justices," Trump said.

Trump has also admitted he won’t accept the election results at face value, claiming that he’ll “have to see.” And now that Barrett is officially sworn into the Supreme Court, Trump has everything he needs to contest or attempt to deny the legitimacy of the election results.

Perhaps most worryingly, the new conservative majority poses a serious threat to established court rulings such as Roe v. Wade, the case that provides foundational abortion protections, and Obergefell v. Hodges, the case that legalized same-sex marriage. Both of these cases provided fundamental civil rights to American citizens, yet there is a possibility these rights will be taken away if the Supreme Court overturns the rulings.

What matters now is that there is a way to reverse the conservative majority and save these vital rulings. The answer is for Democrats to pack the Supreme Court. Should Democrats win the Senate majority following the election, they would be able to appoint a group of Supreme Court justices to overturn the conservative majority.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt wanted to pack the Supreme Court back in the 1930s to get his New Deal legislation through. Senate Democrats need to do it now to ensure that people of color, women and LGBTQ+ people do not lose their rights, because the conservative majority in the Supreme Court is a threat to accessible birth control, abortion and marriage rights.

The Democrats have to play by the GOP’s rules on this one — there is no longer a reason to take the moral high ground. Politics is a game that has to be played dirty sometimes.

ELECTION DAY SHOULD BE A NATIONAL HOLIDAY

Mackenzie Oster Staff Columnist

With the Nov. 3 election less than a week away, we are all sitting on the edges of our seats anticipating the outcome. But even the high stakes in this year’s election may not be enough to drive up the voter turnout, considering many people don’t have the luxury of taking the workday off to wait in line at the polls.

Compared to other established democracies, American voter participation is on the bottom end of the spectrum. Many factors contribute to this, one of which being that Election Day falls on a Tuesday — a busy day for working Americans.

Congress established a national Election Day in 1845 to accommodate the schedule of farmers, allowing them to attend church on Sunday as well as the market on Wednesday. It was decided that farmers may need a day like Monday to get to their polling place, and the tradition has encouraged Tuesday as the chosen day for the election ever since.

Although this discretion seems outdated, the tradition of Election Day falling on a Tuesday would be much less detrimental to voters if it were declared a federal holiday. This would bring us one step closer in guaranteeing everyone an equal opportunity to make it to the polls and cast their ballot — especially in today’s heated political climate, where voter suppression and discrimination is so prevalent.

Making Election Day a federal holiday would bring our country one step closer to giving every American an equal opportunity for their voice to be heard. Especially because Black, Latino and working-class voters are disproportionately affected by the implications of voter suppression — some of the very people whose lives will be the most affected by the outcome of this election.

In fact, a survey conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute and The Atlantic found evidence of voter suppression targeted specifically toward Black and Latino voters in the 2016 election. The poll surveyed voters about their voting experiences and evaluation of the country’s political build, yielding data that revealed

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the heightened barriers that people of color must overcome to cast their ballot. Black and Hispanic Americans reported they were three times as likely to have heard they lacked the correct identification the last time they tried to vote.

The U.S. Census Bureau estimated there were about 245.5 million Americans over the age of 18 in November 2016, with only 157.6 million reported having registered to vote. With 55.7% of the estimated voting-age population turning out in the 2016 election, the United States falls behind most other developed democratic countries.

Declaring Election Day a national holiday could help to combat these discriminatory efforts and encourage all Americans to take to the polls. While states such as Virginia, Delaware, Hawaii, Kentucky and New York have made Election Day a state holiday, the gesture simply is not enough until it is a federal policy for the benefit of all Americans.

Critics of this policy argue that Election Day being a federal holiday still wouldn’t benefit retail, hospital and food employees who all are still required to clock in on holidays and weekends and could skew voter turnout in the favor of whitecollar workers, many of whom don’t have to worry about their voices being heard. But the federal holiday provision could combat this possibility by mandating that any and all workers have several hours of paid time off to provide an equal opportunity to make it to the polls.

Not to mention that having an entire day dedicated to the polls would also decrease the heavy rush hours before and after work, which leads to long wait lines and encourages a lack of voter participation for working-class people.

Adam Bonica, an elections expert at Stanford University, explained that a day dedicated to casting a ballot would allow for a more even flow of participants, cutting wait lines and encouraging civic engagement all together.

Find the full story online at

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8

Devi Ruia

SPEND THE LAST WEEK BEFORE THE ELECTION VOLUNTEERING

Senior Staff Columnist We are officially less than one week away from Election Day. Some have been waiting for this day since Nov. 8, 2016, the date of the last presidential election, when Donald Trump won the presidency and Republicans won the House and the Senate. That night was shocking, terrifying and frustrating for many Americans.

Many of us woke up the next day wishing things were different and that we had done more to ensure a victory for Hillary Clinton and other down-ballot Democrats.

Those of us that are voting for Democrats this cycle don’t want to wake up next Wednesday wishing the same. While casting our ballots for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as well as other Democrats down ballot is one of the most important things that we can do to ensure Democratic victory, we need to do more. It’s important that in this last week before the election we do our best to donate and organize for our preferred candidates.

I hope that many of us have been organizing within our own circles and through volunteering for organizations or campaigns for a while now, but it’s alright if you haven’t because it’s not too late. This isn’t over until the polls close on Nov. 3, so do your best to talk to your friends and family members who might be on the fence about voting for Biden and other down-ballot Democrats or the people you know that are a bit forgetful.

Remind them of the stakes of this election, make things personal for them and convince them to cast their ballots on or before Election Day. If your circles are full of people who have already voted, or if you just want to do some more in the final days, consider donating and/or phone banking or text banking for Biden or for a Democratic Senate or House candidate. Vote Save America has a great volunteer dashboard, or you can visit individual candidates’ websites for more info on how to get involved in their campaigns.

You can get this done from the comfort of your own home, and you can even turn it

into a game with friends. I mean, we’re in the middle of a global pandemic, what else have you got to do?

If you’re not sure what down-ballot races you should donate your time to, I’ve got you covered with some suggestions: Senate It is incredibly vital that we flip the Senate if we have any hope of passing legislation under the Biden administration.

Democrats need to hold all their current seats and flip four seats to win the majority. It is likely that Democrats will flip seats in Arizona, with Mark Kelly, and in Colorado, with John Hickenlooper. Obviously it’s worth your time to volunteer in any Senate race in the lead up to the election, but the toss-ups will need your help a bit more in the final stretch.

Sara Gideon (Maine)

The Empty Man (R) no passes through 11/8/20 Fri - Tue: 4:10, 7:00, 9:50 Wed: 4:10, 7:00, 9:50 Thu: 4:10, 7:00, 9:50 I Am Greta (PG) Fri - Thu: 5:10 PM On the Rocks (R) Fri: 7:20, 9:25 Sat & Sun: 3:00, 7:20, 9:25 Mon & Tue: 7:20, 9:25 Wed: 7:20, 9:25 Thu: 7:20, 9:25 Tenet (PG-13) Fri - Tue: 6:45, 9:45 Wed: 6:45, 9:45 Thu: 6:45, 9:45 V for Vendetta (R) $5 - all shows, all times!

Fri: 7:10 PM Sat & Sun: 2:00, 7:10 Mon - Thu: 7:10 PM Gremlins (1984) (PG) $5 - all shows, all times!

Fri: 4:25 PM Sat & Sun: 2:05, 4:25 Mon - Thu: 4:25 PM Poltergeist (1982) (PG) $5 - all shows, all times!

Fri - Thu: 4:45, 9:55

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden speaks at a drive-in rally event during his Tuesday visit to Atlanta.

Curtis Compton Atlanta Journal Constitution | TNS

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Sara Gideon is running against Susan

October 28, 2020

Collins, who earned the ire of many Democrats by voting to confirm Brett Kavanaugh despite supposedly being a pro-choice Republican. Gideon is the speaker of the Maine House and is committed to expanding access to affordable health care and protecting pre-existing conditions and freedom of choice. This race is leaning Gideon, so it’s important that we do what we can to ensure her victory in these final days.

Jaime Harrison (South Carolina) Harrison is running against Lindsey Graham in a race that no one thought would be as competitive as it now is. Harrison has broken fundraising records, and this race is considered a toss-up. The last days of voting will determine what happens in this election

Find the full story online at

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and can finally eradicate Graham who’s become a gross caricature during the Trump administration.

Cal Cunningham (North Carolina) Cunningham is running in yet another race that’s considered a toss-up. He’s a former state senator and an advocate for education, climate and campaign finance reform.

He’s running against Thom Tillis, who’s yet another example of a Republican who has given up whatever limited principles he had to blindly support Trump administration actions and policies.

Theresa Greenfield (Iowa) Greenfield’s race is also considered a — you guessed it — toss-up. Many never thought that this Senate seat would be in play, but Greenfield has been able to put the Senate seat in play. One incredible moment during a debate where Greenfield’s opponent, Joni Ernst, was unable to name the price of soybeans after Greenfield was able to nail the price of corn highlighted Ernst’s disconnect with the state. It’s part of what’s made this race even closer in the final days, so maybe give it a mention when you talk to voters in Iowa.

Jon Ossoff (Georgia) Ossoff is a former media executive and

9

INSTRUCTORS, CANCEL CLASS ON ELECTION DAY Leah Mensch Opinions Editor

With Election Day less than a week away, anxiety is intensifying.

An Allegheny County contractor distributed nearly 30 thousand incorrect ballots to voters. People are waiting in line for hours to vote early at polling places. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled last week that mail-in ballots could not be rejected solely due to signature mismatches, though it’s concerning that this even made it to the Supreme Court in the first place. Many student voters are still concerned about the status of their mail-in ballots, or what the polls might look like on Election Day for them.

Voter turnout in college-aged students is traditionally low. Only about 48% of college-aged students voted in 2016, and this is a few points higher than 2012. Citing that they were “too busy or had a conflict,” 47% of young non-voters didn’t vote in 2016. Results such as these, in addition to student advocacy, have pushed some universities — including Brown University, American University, University of Utah and Colorado College — to cancel classes entirely on Election Day. Pitt is not mandating that instructors cancel class on Election Day, but individual instructors still have the ability to cancel their classes on Nov. 3. And they should.

Voter accessibility and suppression — factors that contribute to lower turnout rates — have always been a pressing issue, but their effects are heightened this election cycle. It’s vital, then, that we collectively work to make voting as accessible as possible to everyone.

In rural areas, some people have to drive over an hour to their polling location. In New York City, some voters waited in line for over five hours for early voting — casting a bleak picture of what voting on Election Day might look like. Communities of color — specifically Black and Indigenous communities — often face disproportionate voter suppression. Not every Pitt student chose

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to, or could feasibly, return to campus this fall. This means students could be anywhere, facing voting barriers different than what they’d typically face in Pittsburgh.

It’s also important, in the time of COVID-19, for young people to consider working polls. In the 2016 general election, 58% of poll workers were over

Still, professors might face time constraints on their coursework by canceling class. At Pitt, we’re already working on a shortened semester. Instructors are shoving 16 weeks worth of instruction into 14 — and being primarily online seems to make school work and teaching harder for everyone. Many of us feel like this semester has been a constant,

Shruti Talekar | Senior Staff Illustrator 60 — an age group at a higher risk for COVID-19 complications. Some states faced a shortage of poll workers in the 2020 primaries, which decreased voter accessibility by default. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have offered guidelines to make the polling environment safer and cleaner, but there’s always risk involved. Canceling class gives students the chance to do this, and the entire community benefits.

stressful game of catch-up. It’s true that canceling class on Election Day might push professors further behind schedule, and they might not be able to fit all the course material in exactly how they’d planned. There might not be a great way around this, but frankly, one reading, small quiz or lecture is not more important than voting.

Scheduling an asynchronous class — where students complete coursework

October 28, 2020

for the day on their own time — isn’t enough, either. In a lot of ways, this lets professors off the hook on Election Day, but doesn’t have the same effect on students. Students will still have to worry about getting the work done, or watching a lecture, before the day is over. The same goes for making class attendance “optional.” I know for myself, especially as a younger student, I never saw optional classes as truly optional. I always wanted to attend anyway so that the instructor would take note of my dedication. I suspect a handful of other students feel the same sort of pressure.

I know to some instructors, 90 minutes seems insignificant. I know it’s hard to believe that canceling one class, or postponing one assignment, could be the difference between whether or not a student chooses to vote — and in some cases, this might be true. But it’s not really anybody’s place — or business — to decide what some else’s voting barriers might look like.

Canceling class on Election Day is a bipartisan gesture of respect toward democracy. It’s also a gesture of respect toward students — it acknowledges that you might not know what their voting situation is like, but that you want to give them every opportunity to cast their ballot.

There are already so many barriers in the 2020 election. Pitt instructors, please don’t make a discussion board post and a lecture another one.

Leah writes primarily about mental health and the spices of the world. Write to Leah at LEM140@pitt.edu.

10

Culture Ananya Pathapadu

ART EXHIBIT ASKS STUDENTS TO PUT ‘MIND INTO MATTER’

Staff Writer

In a year filled with tension because of the COVID-19 pandemic and upcoming Nov. 3 elections, the National Alliance on Mental Illness at Pitt is using art to remind students to think about mental health.

“Putting Mind Into Matter: An Art Exhibit on Mental Health & Creativity” is a virtual art gallery showcasing pieces that represent and visualize mental health and mental illness. The Center for Creativity and NAMI at Pitt have created this space as a part of Mental Health Awareness Month for students to submit artwork about their experiences. Through mediums such as poetry, drawing and digital art, students have shared more than 20 pieces about their journeys with mental health, and submissions are still open.

Ace McDonald, the events coordinator for Pitt NAMI, said the group originally intended for the gallery to be in person and feature the work of students and professors in the studio arts department.

“Originally we had the idea of having an inperson art gallery, of course. We thought it would be nice to have at Frick Fine Arts and ask the art students and teachers for their work,” McDonald said. “Then the natural idea came about of having an online exhibit.”

Rose Leonard, who submitted art pieces to the exhibit, said she did so hoping to share her art and bring awareness to mental illness.

“Over quarantine, I started to get more into art. It wasn’t something I did in the past, but it is kind of a new hobby that I picked up,” Leonard, a sophomore psychology major, said. “Mental health is important to me, and NAMI has been a club that I enjoyed doing last year, so I thought it was a good combination of the two and a good way for me to keep up with creating art and hopefully spreading a good message.”

Leonard submitted two works of art, each

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discussing a different aspect of mental illness.

One piece shows how mental illness can overwhelm one’s mind and how opening up can allow for growth. Leonard depicts two individuals in this piece, one whose mind is filled with

eating disorder, she found freedom from the scale in realizing that the number on a scale does not define you.

“Like your weight, it doesn’t tell you anything about your worth, who you are,” Leonard said.

Rose Leonard submitted two pieces to the exhibit hoping to share her art and bring awareness to mental illness.

Art by Rose Leonard scribbles, representing negative thoughts, and another whose mind is filled with flowers, which represent positive thoughts.

“I wanted to show how a lot of times with mental illness, our minds can get so consumed with different thoughts and a lot of overwhelming feelings or urges,” Leonard said. “But then with the picture next to it with the mind having flowers and plants, I wanted to show that it can represent growth.”

Leonard said she dedicated her second piece to those struggling with eating disorders. The work shows a weighing scale with no measurement, surrounded by words of affirmation. She explained how, in her personal journey with an

“It was an activity that I did when I was in eating disorder treatment and I remember doing that activity helped me see that there [were] so much more important things than just my weight.”

McDonald said she hopes the art exhibit acts as a platform for artists to share their emotions and connect with the audience — especially those who have had difficult experiences with their own mental health.

“All of the pieces are unique to the individuals and show all of the emotions the artists feel when it is hard to express these thoughts and feelings through words,” McDonald said. “We hope viewers can maybe relate to some of the art and know they are not alone in their journeys.”

October 28, 2020

Many people find that making art about mental illness can be helpful. According to Jennifer Barker, a board-certified art therapist and licensed professional counselor, art therapy focuses on making and interpreting art in the context of mental health.

“The actual act of making art itself can be cathartic, and that’s using art as a form of therapy itself,” Barker said. “And there’s also talking about the art, which is art psychotherapy, where you can talk about the finished product as well.”

While the term “therapy” may make one think of more common behavioral or cognitive therapy, Barker said art therapy is also an option for people of all ages interested in exploring their personal experiences through a more creative lens.

“Anybody can do art therapy, little kids up to older people. I do know that people mostly assume that it would be kids, teenagers, young adults,” Barker said. “In my experience, I think kids and teenagers are more open to experimenting and being a little bit more creative, because I know that sometimes when we grow up, we kind of stop being creative because we don't allow ourselves to have fun.”

Barker added that art can allow people to have conversations about mental health. She said when people visualize their experiences, it helps a larger audience understand more about mental illness, which is often stigmatized.

“Sometimes it’s really hard to verbalize, ‘Hey, you know what, this is what depression is for me,’” Barker said. “Sometimes it’s really hard to verbalize that and it's easier just to show it.”

According to the gallery website, “Putting Mind Into Matter” allows students to discuss mental health and relay their experience through art. And according to Barker, art therapy shows,

Find the full story online at

pittnews.com

11

HOCUS POCUS EQUIPS OAKLAND WITH OCCULT OBJECTS

Julianna Poljak Staff Writer

With Halloween around the corner and spooky season coming to a close, one store in Oakland provides a mystical experience year-round.

Owned by Salem Vastel and Paul Hughes, Hocus Pocus claims to be the oldest occult store in Pittsburgh. Since opening on Meyran Avenue more than 22 years ago, the store “has evolved into a metaphysical haven of love, friendship and guidance for the mystics, poets, witches, shamans, dreamers, healers, seekers and visionaries of all paths,” according to its website.

Vastel said his Romanian ancestry gave him an eclectic background knowledge of sorcery, paganism, shamanism, Taoism, Christianity and other religions that inspired the opening of his shop.

“My family came to America to escape the death camps in Germany. I have grown up my entire life learning all of the different aspects of different paths,” Vastel said. “I have always wanted my entire life to open a shop like this, because I wanted to be able to educate people.”

Vastel added he feels the store is its own living entity and claimed it has a way of providing support to whoever might cross its threshold and ask.

“Several women over the years have come in who could not conceive after years of trying. They stood at the counter stating their desire. Within two weeks they were pregnant,” Vastel said.

“The shop holds the most amazing energy in it. People feel it when they step through the doorway.”

According to Hughes, Hocus Pocus sells a variety of products such as candles, loose-leaf tea, crystals, books, jewelry, sage, spell kits, tarot cards and more. It also has a tattoo parlor on the second floor, which is currently closed

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due to COVID-19.

“We make a lot of our own products.

All of our incenses, custom blended oils, Mystic Sprays, Magickal Occult Waters and all of our Root Magick section is all handmade here at Hocus Pocus,” Hughes said. “We offer to make Mojo Bags for customers and whatever they may need to help them solve any issues that they’re

the world of the discarnate,” Hughes said. “There is also a spell for banishing things from your life that no longer serve you and stepping into the new year with a room for new growth.”

Although some of the items might require a bit of background knowledge, one student who recently visited the store said the owners were more than

better for themselves, friends and family, in a time when the world around them is in turmoil,” Vastel said. “It’s very exciting to talk to them and assist them to empower themselves.”

Hughes said Hocus Pocus focused on building its website while closed throughout March, April and May because of COVID-19. He said he’s grateful for the support of the store’s customers, who donated more than $2,000 to a GoFundMe to help it stay afloat. Despite struggles with the pandemic, Hocus Pocus is currently open from noon to 5 p.m. every day except Sunday and continues to provide customers with an occult experience.

“It was scary, to be honest with you.

We were mandated to stay closed an unknown amount of time. But our landlord still needed his rent to pay his mortgage, so we had to come up with ways to make money,” Hughes said. “We were blessed for those who were able to help us.”

Hocus Pocus, located on Meyran Avenue, claims to be the oldest occult store in Pittsburgh, having opened 22 years ago.

Wu Caiyi | Senior Staff Photographer having.”

For the upcoming holiday of Samhain, the shop sells its special Samhain Cauldron Kits, which contain three different traditional workings with individual purposes. Samhain is a traditional pagan festival marking the beginning of the “dark half of the year.” Festivities typically begin the night of Oct. 31, when celebrants believe the barrier between the spirit world and the physical world is thinner.

“One is to connect with loved ones who have passed beyond the veil. This time of the year the veils are the thinnest between the world of the living and

willing to explain things. Amanda Parent, a senior majoring in gender studies, French and natural sciences, said she thought the store had great customer service.

“They were super willing to help explain things to me,” Parent said. “They also took the time to charge the crystals even though there were people behind me.”

Vastel said he enjoys Pitt students stopping by the store and likes helping them with their own journey of selfdiscovery.

“They want to take control and responsibility of their lives to make things

October 28, 2020

12

Sports

NOTRE DAME DEFEATS PITT IN FRONT OF LIMITED CROWD; PANTHERS LOSE FOURTH STRAIGHT Alex Lehmbeck

Sports Editor Pitt hosted fans at Heinz Field for the first time this season Saturday, but many of them likely wish they had stayed home. The Panthers (3-4, 2-4 ACC) received an old-fashioned 45-3 beat down at the hands of No. 3 Notre Dame (50, 4-0 ACC), their fourth consecutive loss.

Pitt announced before the game that no players would miss Saturday’s game for coronavirusrelated protocols, its fifth straight game without a coronavirus-related absence.

Two weeks after injuring his left ankle at Boston College, Pitt senior quarterback Kenny Pickett missed his second consecutive game on Saturday. Redshirt first-year Joey Yellen, who threw for 277 yards in his debut against Miami, received the nod against Notre Dame. Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi said he expects to see Pickett back on the field this season.

“Hopefully sooner than later,” Narduzzi said.

“He was out there today and he had a good week, he’s doing really well. We’ll see. Might be a stretch for Florida State, I don’t know, but we’ll see.”

Despite the final score, this matchup screamed low-scoring affair the entire week. Pitt’s offense has struggled to put points on the board the whole season, and the absence of Pickett amplified the weak rushing attack. Notre Dame, although bolstered by a stout defense, could only put up 12 points last week against Louisville.

The Panthers and Fighting Irish didn’t showcase the best of their defensive abilities when the game began, though. Irish graduate quarterback Ian Book marched down the field by himself on Notre Dame’s first drive, throwing for 60 yards and adding 19 on the ground. Book found fellow grad student Ben Skowronek wide open in the middle of the field for a 34-yard opening score.

Redshirt senior linebacker Chase Pine said big plays have hurt the Panthers throughout the year. “[We’ve been missing] discipline, details,” Pine said. “They made better plays than we did.”

Yellen got himself in rhythm quickly, looking pretty comfortable in the pocket on Pitt’s first

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drive. He connected with redshirt senior wide receiver Tre Tipton and junior Shocky JacquesLouis on third-and-long plays to move into Irish territory. A couple of drops by Pitt receivers stalled the drive, and senior placekicker Alex Kessman drilled a 45-yard field goal to put Pitt on the board.

The notorious Panther defensive line found its swagger midway through the first quarter.

After a face mask penalty by Pitt redshirt junior

day. The 6-foot-2 receiver skied over 5-foot-9 cornerback Marquis Williams to make the grab, then blew by redshirt sophomore Erick Hallett for the 73-yard score. Notre Dame took a 14-3 lead with eight minutes to play in the first half.

“We brought pressure, we hit the quarterback right as he released it,” Narduzzi said. “You got a [taller] receiver on a smaller corner. I think, a little push off, whatever, a little lean on a guy, and number 11 makes a big play. And then Erick

Notre Dame outgained Pitt 434 to 162 in total offense Saturday, handing the Panthers their fourth consecutive loss in a 45-3 beatdown.

Sarah Cutshall | Visual Editor safety Paris Ford gave the Irish a first down, the Panthers stopped two runs behind the line of scrimmage to force a punt. Pitt’s offense gave the ball right back with a three-and-out, but the defensive line unit came up with another stop by forcing Book out of the pocket.

Pitt’s defensive line kept making plays, but this season’s coverage woes showed up again for the Panthers. After Pitt redshirt senior linebacker Phil Campbell III sacked Book to set up third and long, Skowronek embarrassed Pitt’s secondary for his second touchdown reception of the

came out of the middle of the field and he’s got to finish it up and at least give us another yard to stay in down there.”

Right as the Panther defense regained its footing, a costly mistake from Yellen deflated any potential momentum. Yellen threw a dangerous pass up the middle, which was picked off by Irish junior linebacker Bo Bauer to give Notre Dame optimal field position. Book led the Irish to the goal line, and sophomore running back Kyren Williams punched it into the end zone.

Pitt had one last opportunity to get some sort

October 28, 2020

of offensive production going before halftime.

Sophomore running back Vincent Davis picked up a quick first down, but three ineffective plays after brought Pitt’s special teams unit on the field with 20 seconds remaining. Notre Dame defensive end Isaiah Foskey blocked the punt, before recovering the ball in the end zone to give the Irish a 28-3 lead heading into the break.

The offense didn’t look any better in the second half. A quick punt on the group’s opening possession resulted in a Notre Dame field goal.

Bauer picked off Yellen’s dangerous pass a few plays later, leading to another Book touchdown pass. Yellen threw another interception on the next offensive play, which brought his night to an end as Narduzzi pulled him out of the game. The first-year quarterback completed 10 of his 27 passes for 101 yards with three interceptions.

The Irish capitalized off the turnover, with junior C’Bo Flemister’s touchdown run giving the Irish a 45-3 lead late in the third quarter. Both teams subbed in their backup quarterbacks, with redshirt first-year Davis Beville taking the snaps for Pitt. Beville’s time was short lived — he played one possession before the Panthers put in redshirt sophomore Nick Patti for the scoreless fourth quarter.

The Panthers once again had a forgettable performance on the ground, posting 44 yards on 20 attempts. With a 22-yard performance against Miami, Pitt has averaged just 1.4 yards per carry in its last two games. Redshirt senior offensive lineman Bryce Hargrove credited Notre Dame’s stout defensive line for shutting down the Panthers run game.

“A number of things made it difficult,” Hargrove said. “They’re a good team. We didn’t perform how we’re supposed to.”

Book, who had only thrown three touchdowns this season before Saturday, finished with a season-high 312 yards and three scores on 30 passes.

Pitt now enters its bye week, so it will have two weeks to prepare for a road matchup against Florida State on Nov. 7.

13

‘BIG 4’ SPORTS LEAGUES FOCUS ON SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES IN A YEAR LIKE NO OTHER

Tyler Mathes Staff Writer

Social justice issues plagued the United States long before former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick sat, and subsequently knelt, during the playing of the national anthem in 2016. He wasn’t the first, nor the last, professional athlete to protest injustice, but Kaepernick became the biggest name to protest the national anthem since Denver Nuggets guard Mahmoud AbdulRauf for his religious beliefs in 1996.

Society’s problems have never blended into the sports world the way they have in 2020, though. The COVID-19 pandemic temporarily cut the NBA, MLB and NHL seasons short. As the sports world went on hiatus, the killing of George Floyd under the knee of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin resulted in nationwide protests. By the time sports leagues could return, crowning an NBA champion didn’t appear as significant as everything going on off the field.

The reaction across the country led Los Angeles Lakers small forward LeBron James to enter the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex wearing a black t-shirt with only a white stopwatch on it, displaying the numbers 8:46 — the amount of time Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s neck.

Athletes using their platforms on a massive scale for social justice is relatively new, however, as the NFL didn’t support Kaepernick in 2016 in the way the major leagues have supported the current movements. Let’s take a look at what each league has done to push for equality and justice this year.

NBA While the WNBA remains the most prominent professional sports league to fight social and racial injustice, George Floyd’s killing thrust the NBA back to the forefront of the conversation. But if anyone should lead the charge in men’s sports, it’s the NBA, as they’ve never shied away from activism in the past. The entire league wore “I Can’t Breathe” warmup shirts in December 2014 — 18 years after Abdul-Rauf ’s protest — follow-

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ing Eric Garner’s death at the hands of police.

The association still had never been as closely involved in social justice issues as they have this season.

The league entered its COVID-19 “bubble” in July, recognizing the importance of using its platform to impact positive change.

The courts used in Orlando during the remainder of the season featured the phrase

players to finish out the postseason.

MLB Only one MLB player has ever kneeled for the national anthem prior to the 2020 season — former Oakland Athletics’ catcher Bruce Maxwell knelt in September 2017.

Maxwell explained that his acts did not signify disrespect to the Constitution or the country, but instead amplified voices of those

Colin Kaepernick of the San Francisco 49ers kneels for the national anthem at Levi’s Stadium in October 2016 in Santa Clara, California.

Ezra Shaw | Getty Images “Black Lives Matter” prominently at center court. The NBA allowed players to display social justice-related messages on the backs of their jerseys during play in the bubble.

Although these messages came from a preapproved list, it brought attention to these issues.

NBA players briefly went on strike during the postseason on Aug. 26, following the shooting death of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The league, along with the National Basketball Players Association, established a social justice coalition with the purpose of tackling issues from civic engagement to police and criminal justice reform. This coalition, along with other measures, led the

who had been ignored in the past.

While Maxwell kneeling did not spur similar acts around the leagues in 2017, Floyd’s killing less than three years later led teams across the league to kneel, holding a black rope in unity for all opening weekend games. Teams stenciled the phrase “Black Lives Matter” onto the pitcher’s mound for those opening games as well.

The MLB also allowed players to wear pre-approved social justice messages on their cleats this year, a massive leap forward for a league who normally imposes heavy restrictions on what its players’ footwear looks like.

The MLB pushed three games back due to player protests the same day as the NBA

October 28, 2020

strike began, with seven more postponed the next day. The most moving moment came when the New York Mets and Miami Marlins took the field for 42 seconds — a nod to Jackie Robinson — on Aug. 27, before leaving just a “Black Lives Matter” shirt on home plate and walking off the field.

NHL Another league with little history of social activism prior to 2020, the NHL returned to play in August displaying the message “#WeSkateFor Black Lives” on video screens in the two stadiums used by the league for the remainder of its season in an isolated bubble, and also placed decals with the hashtag on player helmets.

The only league which played on Aug. 26, the day of the NBA strike beginning with the Milwaukee Bucks’ protest of their playoff game against the Orlando Magic, the NHL postponed its games on each of the next two days to stand in solidarity with the other sports leagues.

NFL The NFL has stood at the forefront of sports activism discussions for almost a halfdecade now. Kaepernick’s decision to kneel for the anthem in 2016 set off a media firestorm, with many people praising his silent protest and others calling it disrespectful. Not new to these issues, the NFL launched its “Inspire Change” initiative in partnership with the Players Coalition, an organization similar to the Hockey Diversity Alliance, in January 2019. The initiative aims to address education and economic advancement, police and community relations, and criminal justice reform.

Every season-opening game this season began with the playing of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” often called “The Black National Anthem.” The NFL also took a page out of the NBA’s book, allowing players to wear helmet decals honoring victims of systemic racism and/or police violence. The names come from an approved list, but it is a step forward for another league that is usually stringent on what players can wear.

14

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• EDUCATIONAL • TRAVEL • HEALTH • PARKING • INSURANCE

5X $22.00

$25.00

notices

services

• AUTO • BIKES • BOOKS • MERCHANDISE • FURNITURE • REAL ESTATE • PETS

6X $27.00

$29.10

• ADOPTION • EVENTS • LOST AND FOUND • STUDENT GROUPS • WANTED • OTHER

Add. $30.20

$32.30

+ $5.00

+ $5.40

Word:

Two business days prior by 3pm | Email: advertising@pittnews.com | Phone: 412.648.7978

For Rent

Shadyside

1 BD, 1 BA South Oak‑ land. Newly re­modeled.

Dish­washer. Garage 1 bedroom luxury available. $795/mo.+ apartment. In a beautiful Call (412) 271‑5550 brick home with private 1‑6 bedroom. All newly entry, private laundry, ** 5 Bedroom/2 full re­served parking space, renovated, air‑condi‑ bath; HUGE HOME‑ newly re­modeled tioning, dishwasher, duplex style, three sto‑ wash­er/dryer, and through­out. Kitchen w/ ries. COM­PLETELY park­ing. Most units on Dish­washer, Granite REMOD­ELED, 2 busline and close to Pitt. countertop & more! living rooms, 2 kitch‑ Available Sum­mer 2021. Located on More­wood ens, 2 dining rooms, 412‑915‑0856 or email Avenue, 15 minute walk LAUNDRY, DISH­ kluc­ca@verizon.net. to Pit­t/CMU, Walnut WASHER and a huge Street. 5 minutes to yard to enjoy! Huge Bedrooms! Lo­cated on 1BR/1BA first floor UPMC Shadyside, West apartment in private Dawson Street. PITT Penn Hospi­tal. One residence in Edge­wood.

Shut­tle stops directly block to Busses, hospi‑ Dishwasher, FREE in front of house, only tal/Pit­t/CMU shuttles wash­ e r/dryer, hardwood 15 minute level walk to and many restaurants. floors, fireplace, bed‑ PITT/CMU. $3,595+.

Available 8/1/2021. NO room AC. Porch, Patio Available August 1st, w/grill. Parking, storage, 2021. No Pets. $1195+ PETS. Call Jason at 412‑922‑2141. Pic­tures‑ near busline. $695+util‑ g/e. Call Ja­son at 412‑922‑2141. Pics/info: Info: tinyurl.­com/daw‑ ities. WiFi available.

AVAIL­ABLE IMMEDI­ tinyurl.com/1brmore­ sonhome ATELY! 412‑608‑5729. wood ***AUGUST 2021: 2‑3‑4‑5‑6‑7 bed­room Furnished studios, apartments and houses 1, 2, 3, 4 bedroom avail­able in August apartments. No pets.

2021. Nice, clean, Non‑smokers pre­ 3 BR, 1 FULL BATH, free laundry, in­cludes ferred. 412‑621‑0457.

Col­fax/Allderdice exterior maintenance, Neigh­borhood. Hard‑ new appliances, spa­ **2,3,4 and 6 Bed­room cious, and located on wood floors. Wash­er/ houses/Apart­ments Semple, Oak­land Ave., dryer and Garage on in South Oak­land.

Meyran Ave., Welsford, premise. Available Now! Available for rent Bates, Dawson, and Call 412‑281‑2700 or August 2021. Very Mckee 412‑414‑9629. email clean with dif­ferent dourid­aboudproperty­ barry@blsestate.­com amenities (dishwasher, management.com laun­dry, A/C, washer and dryer, 1‑3 baths, Apartments for rent. 2,3, off‑street parking, & 5 BR. Avail­able for newer ap­pliances 2021‑2022 school year. & sofas). Check out Lo­cated Atwood St., my Face­book page: https:­//www.facebook.­ Dawson St. and Mc­kee Place. For more info com/KenEckenrode­ RealEstate/. Call Ken or sched­ule a view‑ ing, please call mike at Business/CPA stu­dent at 412‑287‑4438 for w/ excel experi­ence. more informa­tion and 412‑849‑8694.

Hourly work with real showings.

South Oakland

Squirrel Hill

Employment Employment Other

pittnews.com

estate company. Contact 412‑281‑2700, barry@blsestate.­com Robb Real Estate Co. is looking for a part‑time Mainte­nance Helper for mainly cleaning/­ painting/landscap­ing.

Most functions are per‑ formed in a con­venient Oakland lo­cation and some lo­cal area apart‑ ment properties ‑ perfect for a student seek­ing part time work!

Contact us today at 412.682.7622 or email joellen@rob­brealestate. com for more informa‑ tion

Services Services Other New insights?

Join us in prayer Support healing Christian Science Church. Sun. 11a, Wed. 7:30p. Live or Zoom by invitation cspittsburgh@ gmail.­com 412 621‑5339 christiansciencepgh.­org New insight needed?

Christian Science Church.

Sun 11a Wed 7:30p Live or Zoom. cspitts‑ burgh@gmail.­com 412‑621‑5339

October 28,2020

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pittnews.com

October 28, 2020

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