Issue 5 • Volume 124 Thursday, Oct. 12, 2017 www.thesandspur.org
@thesandspur facebook.com/ thesandspur
HIGH RISK HIGH REWARDS Business professor Allen Kupetz invests in a cannabis-infused beverage company after a Rollins student pitched him the idea.
By Alec Stanley
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astanley@rollins.edu
his past summer, a venture fund managed by Rollins’ Entrepreneur-in-Residence Allen Kupetz invested $125,000 in Mountjoy Sparkling, a cannabis-infused beverage company one of his students is involved with. Luke Horan ’21 is the Search Engine Optimization (SEO) analyst and manager of Social Media and Design for Mountjoy Sparkling, a Northern California-based cannabis infused sparkling water company
that promises to “take the edge off without the hangover.” The sparkling water features the full spectrum of cannabis’ psychoactive compounds, including THC. Luke first got involved in Mountjoy Sparkling when family friend Alex Mountjoy visited his father, seeking a co-founder for the company. According to Horan, “My dad called me to see what I thought about it. I said go all in and I started talking to the CEO and he offered me a position with the company.” Later, Horan was taking Kupetz’s Global Entrepreneurship
Maymester class, which had an assignment to pitch a start-up company. Seeing a valuable opportunity, Horan met with Kupetz to ask if he could pitch Mountjoy in class. Kupetz gained an interest in Mountjoy and flew out to California to meet the founder. Three weeks after the pitch, Kupetz raised a new fund, the Anauj Investment Group, and invested $125,000. Anauj is a venture fund that makes early-stage investments in the growing cannabis sector. The fund derives its name from reversing the last five letters of
“marijuana.” According to Kupetz, “Anauj’s average first investment is $100k and if the business does well, Anauj will continue to invest to fund the company’s growth.” Kupetz and his investors do not plan to stop at Mountjoy. They also recently invested $75,000 in Defonce Chocolate, another California cannabis-infused business. Additionally, Anauj “expects to have invested over $1 million in 5-6 companies within 24 months,” according to Kupetz. Kupetz and Anauj’s inves-
tors understand the high-risk, high-reward nature of investing in a product which remains federally prohibited. “Early-stage investment always carries considerable risk; investing in the cannabis space increases the risk. It is important for potential investors to understand the traditional risk of this asset class and also those risks uniquely associated with this vertical market,” cautioned Kupetz.
‣See HIGH on Page 3
Waterski student suffers critical injury Josh Briant ‘18, an internationally-ranked trick waterskier, required immediate medical attention after a failed ramp jump. By Ellie Rushing
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erushing@rollins.edu
member of the Rollins Waterski Team was critically injured in a jump accident at last week’s NCWSA Eastern Regional ski tournament in Groveland, Fla. Josh Briant ’18 was the final skier of the final event when he
attempted a jump, improperly hit the ramp, and crashed into the water. Upon impact, he suffered a dislocated knee, fractured tibia, and a collapsed lung. The seriousness of his injuries required helicopter transport to the Orlando Regional Medical Center. In a Facebook post from Briant’s sister Michale, he reportedly had surgery late Monday night, a chest tube in-
serted, and a temporary external fixation added to his knee due to extensive swelling. Briant, an Australian native, has been skiing since he was two years old. A few weeks ago, he competed in Paris, France where he earned silver, making him the second-best trick waterskier in the world. His hard work and determination as a watersports athlete earned him a sponsor-
ship from Nautique Boats. Miks Cinis ’18, a friend and teammate of Briant, said, “This kid is a machine, it has been a big part of his life, he has a big love for the sport, and I am sure that he will be counting down the days until he gets to be back on the water, and we will do anything to help him get there.” Briant is known for his jump event. Rafael De Osma ’20, also
a member of the Rollins waterski team, explained this event: “Basically, you hit a ramp as fast as you can to try to go as far as possible; sometimes you make mistakes that lead to crashes. Normally, crashes result in minor injuries, but Josh got quite unlucky with this one.”
‣ See SKI on Page 3
2 • OCTOBER 12, 2017
FEATURES
Republican club founder speaks out
Established in 1894 with the following editorial:
Joseph Klens ‘20 interviews Victoria Scott ‘19 about the challenges of being a republican on a liberal campus. EXECUTIVE STAFF Ellie Rushing Editor-in-Chief Christina Fuleihan Managing Editor
CONTENT STAFF Rebecca Candage Head Copy Editor Morgan McConnell Copy Editor Nilly Kohzad Kira Bernhard Keila Makowski Maura Leaden Writers Kalli Joslin Section Editor Web Editor
DESIGN DEPARTMENT Zoe Kim Head Designer Grace Street Illustrator Dana Wagenhauser Page Designer
BUSINESS & FACULTY Greg Golden
General Manager of Student Media
Dr. Leslie Poole Faculty Advisor David Neitzel Business Manager Taylor McCormack Business Intern Jose Araneta Student Media Graduate Assistant
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as a sanctuary, in essence, for students who are Republican to jklens@rollins.edu voice their opinion. he Sandspur interviewed Victoria Scott ‘19, the K: Could you describe a little the founder of the Rollins process of founding the club? It’s Republican Club, to dis- my understanding that last year, cover her goals and identify her you tried to set up the club, but reasoning for starting this orga- you were unsuccessful. Only nization. three people showed up? Scott noticed on the Rollins S: Yeah, well, three is more of an campus and college campuses exaggeration per se but towards throughout the United States, it the end of Spring semester is more common to see students only about three to five people and faculty with strong liberal showed up. But to be honest, I beliefs than conservative beliefs. don’t believe the club was really She wanted to create a space for established. It was more as a safe haven, but what I really wanted Klens: So Victoria, can you give to do was prove that we could me a general description of your have conservatism on campus time as a conservative during which is why I went through the your college experience? whole process of having the conScott: I was a student at Elon stitution completed, finding an University as a freshman, but I advisor, and going to the meetfelt like I couldn’t voice my opin- ings necessary to start a club. ions all the time, and in general I felt shunned. K: Did you have trouble finding the advisor? K: Would you say that Rollins is S: Finding an advisor has been a better environment to be con- very difficult. I emailed a variety servative? of different professors…. I’d say S: It’s hard to say…not all col- between eight and ten, and I got lege campuses, but the major- either no response or a “no.” ity of them, are very liberal, so I wouldn’t say I feel “safer” K: Typically professors on liberin essence to voice my opin- al arts campuses tend to be left ions because I have definitely inclined to very far left. Do you felt shunned here at times, but have any commentary on the apfor the most part I feel like the parent ideological imbalance? Or school was more open in letting about the lack of ideological neume start the club. It took some trality you have encountered? time but I’m glad it finally got S: Well, people who want to go established. into academia are incredible because they want to better their K: When you say you feel students and make their stu“shunned,” what exactly do you dents leaders, but at the same mean? Threatened? time a lot of them tend to realS: Not necessarily threatened. ly be into academia itself and so I’ve had professors tell me their hold more liberal views. People political views from the get- who work on Wall Street, for go and that made it feel as if I example, are very practically couldn’t freely share my opin- involved, so their positions are ions in class. I’ve witnessed that more conservative. These differon papers as well. I remember ent experiences, I believe, influone professor gave me a lower ence each groups thought. grade on my final exam paper because he didn’t agree with my K: When those twenty-eight or views.... It is what it is, and I’ve so people came to your meeting, come to acknowledge that, so what did you think? I’m glad I have this club to serve S: I’m ecstatic! I actually had peo-
By Joseph Klens
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ple email me today saying they would have liked to come but couldn’t. About thirty-five people expressed interest to me. K: Compared to last year’s turn out, do you suppose this massive growth is because there is a Republican in the White House? S: I’d say so. I think it’s given the Republican party a sense of confidence and empowerment because we definitely lost that during Obama’s presidency but were able to get back up with this past election. K: Do you know of other students who have felt unwelcomed due to their conservative beliefs? Has anyone tried to actively dissuade you from this venture? S: Yeah, there were people who came up to me and said “Why are you doing this? You’re just going to hurt yourself. It’s not worth it, your grades are going to suffer,” from both sides of the political spectrum. Conservative students feel like their grades will suffer if they express a conservative point of view. They are afraid to express Republican ideals. I fear that myself! My grades have been strong but I’ve had professors drop my papers and assignments entire letter grades, and that’s a big jump. I thought about it a lot, and I realized that if I didn’t do anything about this, it would be dishonest. I want to be a leader, I don’t want to be a follower. K: So, Republican and conservative are not technically interchangeable. Is your club more for Republican or conservative ideals? S: Yes, I was considering calling the club the ‘Rollins College Conservative Union’, but I’m by no means a Tea Partier, I’m not really far on the right. As of now, it will stay the Rollins Republicans Club, but I might change the name to incorporate some conservative value.
K: What are your aspirations for club activities? S: Well because there isn’t an election going on, it’s hard now. Really, I’m focused on having the club be a strong base. Right now I just want to have fun activities to get people involved as well as have discussion of current events. It’s sort of a conservative ‘think tank’ where we can freely express and discuss without animosity. K: Do you have any short term goals you’d like to communicate? S: Just growth really. K: Anything you would like to say? S: I’ll say that the majority of college campuses are liberal, perhaps to a fault, and that it is difficult to voice conservative ideas because they feel like they won’t be liked. There is a lot of social pressure to conform. People don’t want to be the outlier, they want to be in the group. When I sent that email, it was kind of audacious like you said, because now people know I’m a Republican and that obviously has negative connotations to some people. K: Would you say that young conservatives tend to be like yourself? Maybe more socially liberal than the older conservatives? S: Yeah, the tide has definitely shifted in that regard. Old Republicans were more by the book in following Republican ideals, and with Trump’s presidency, a lot of people think we are all like Trump, but not all of us are. K: How much do you agree with this statement: ‘College should offer a platform in which different views should be considered and debated.’ S: I’m all for that. Honestly, is there a Democrat Club? If someone would be willing to start a Democrat club I’m all for that! I’m all for that!
Correction from Volume 124, Issue 4: Zach Fitch, the author of the article titled “Doris Burke makes history for women in sports” is a class of 2018 student, not 2021.
FEATURES
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Clothes hanger causes flooding in Pugsley Campus Safety confirms the Puglsey Hall flooding on Sept. 22 was not caused by a system malfunction. By Ellie Rushing
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erushing@rollins.edu
ampus safety and emergency personnel concluded that the flooding in Pugsley Hall a couple of weeks ago was not due to a system malfunction. The general report by the Department of Campus Safety states that upon completion of the investigation by the Winter Park Fire Department, the sprinkler head in the room of Rafael De Osma ‘20 and Joaquin Angulo ‘19 was broken by a clothes hanger, which was hung on the sprinkler head.
HIGH ‣Continued from Page 1 Anauj’s investment reflects a growing trend in the cannabis buisness. Professional institutional capital is now involved. Earlier this summer, the Orlando -based First Green Bank (named for its focus on environmentally conscious investments) became the first financial institution in Florida to bank the Florida medical cannabis license. According to a report from New Frontier Data, the growing legal cannabis market was worth an estimated $7.2 billion in 2016 and is expected to grow at a rate of 17% annually. Sales for adult recreational products in 2016 to-
SKI ‣Continued from Page 1 Cinis went on to explain the initial devastation: “When they pulled him out of the water, we were clearly able to tell that he had suffered a pretty bad injury. It was painful to watch him suffer, and I just felt so helpless. It was unbelievable.” Family and friends have surrounded Briant since the accident. Cinis made it clear that Briant is not alone through his recovery: “This incident has impacted the entire team very heavily. Josh has had a lot of support from the school, athletics, administration, faculty, coach Marc Bedsole, the entire waterski team, his friends from school and fraternity brothers, the entire skiing community outside Rollins, and many, many
Assistant Vice President of Public Safety Ken Miller made it clear this was not a malfunction of the Rollins emergency operating systems. “We put a lot of time and money into ensuring our emergency operating life safety systems run properly. We have a high degree of confidence in our systems because of our inspection and testing process,” said Miller. The incident occurred on Sept. 22 at 11:02 p.m., immediately notifying emergency personnel that the fire alarm and sprinkler system of Pugsley had been activated. The fire department arrived at 11:08 p.m. The
taled to $2.6 billion and are expected to grow to $11.2 billion in 2020. In an effort to continue the growth of Mountjoy and share in the growth of cannabis sector, Jamie Ngo ‘18 and Horan, president and vice president of the Rollins Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization (CEO), will be heading to the national CEO conference in Tampa later this October. There they will pitch the cannabis-infused sparkling beverage company. In addition to pitching Mountjoy, Ngo and Horan will learn more about student enterprise creation at the conference. They hope to bring that knowledge back to the Rollins student body. other people.” Witnessing a friend or family member go through so much pain is difficult, and Cinis reflected on that, stating, “Moments like this make you understand how helpless you are in life and how an unfortunate event can make you re-assess your priorities.” However, Briant’s positive character and strength are what will help him recover after this difficult time. Cinis emphasized, “He is already getting more upbeat every hour, joking all the time, so we know that he is very strong and is ready to take on the challenges ahead of him.”
Katie Diesler, Ally Rost, and Jenna Morgan contributed to this report.
report states that upon entering the room they discovered the sprinkler was set off by a clothes hanger. Firemen found a piece of hanger stuck inside the sprinkler head and the rest of the hanger, along with the black t-shirt hanging on it, was found on the ground beneath the sprinkler. This was eventually determined to be the residents’ property. However, both De Osma and Angulo deny ever placing the hanger on the sprinkler. The report states they suggested that perhaps someone entered their room from the balcony and placed the hanger there.
In the original article titled “Pugsley Soaked” in Issue 3 of Volume 124 of The Sandspur, De Osma suggested that when he had entered his room the door hit the sprinkler and caused the flooding, because the sprinkler was already slightly detached from the ceiling. Miller and personnel tested this theory the day after the incident by measuring the distance between the sprinkler head and the door when opened. Operations Coordinator, Fernando Rodriguez, was able to fit two fingers comfortably within the space between the head and the door. Even when Miller
pulled on the T-pipe, which connects to the sprinkler, the distance between the door and the sprinkler did not change. “The last thing we want is for parents or students to lose confidence in Campus Safety or any life safety system,” said Miller. If students have any questions or concerns regarding the state of their emergency systems, they are welcome to reach out to campus safety. Until then, Rollins wants to remind students not to hang anything on, or attempt to mess with, the fire sprinklers in their residence halls.
SAT, OCT 28
1-4 PM
Rollins College * Holt Avenue
FREE FUN-FILLED DAY FOR THE COMMUNITY
AND MORE! Please Call the Center for Leadership & Community Engagement at Rollins College for questions at (407) 691-1250 Sponsored By: JUMP, WPRK, REP, Residential Life & Explorations, and the Centers for Leadership & Community Engagement and Inclusion & Campus Involvement
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OPINION
By Keila Makowski
kmakowski@rollins.edu
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he second amendment right to bear arms was not meant to allow the right to bear weapons of mass murder—no one argues their right to a bazooka. In 1791, when the Bill of Rights was published, the most advanced firearm was the musket. When James Madison wrote the first ten amendments to our Constitution, he had no way to picture automatic or even semi-automatic weapons. He was more likely thinking of a weapon that took at least 20 seconds to reload after firing a single round and that had an accuracy rate of less than 50 percent. This adds up to a maximum of three rounds a minute. Modern semi-automatic guns can fire the same number of rounds per second. It is mind-blowing how easy it is to access military-grade weapons in the United States. In Florida, one does not even have to be fingerprinted in order to buy a gun, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). Instead, the FDLE runs a background check based on demographic data; the same background check is used for a concealed weapons permit. One does not even need a special permit to buy a gun. If one wishes to buy a rifle or shotgun, one simply needs to pass the background check, be 18 years or older, and be an American citizen, according to the FDLE website. This means one can walk into an arms store without having ever fired a gun and walk out with something used to kill and injure hundreds. Personally, I think that is insane. I do not believe in the total abolishment of gun use. That is
completely unrealistic. There are some merits to gun ownership— hunting, for example. A small firearm, safely kept, can be an asset to a household concerned with safety. However, no one needs a semiautomatic weapon to shoot a deer or an intruder. The only possible purpose for guns like that is mass murder. They are soldiers’ weapons, weapons of war. They have no use outside of that context. I do not claim to know the ins and outs of gun violence. But that is partially because there is little government funding to study the subject due to lobbying from groups like the National Rifle Association. In the view of those groups, even researching the damage guns do will lead to taking guns away and therefore violates the Second Amendment. On the other hand, we cannot know how to fix a problem we cannot study, which is a problem in itself. When the largest massacre in American history becomes a yearly event, something needs to change. There is a problem when children in schools are routinely taught protocol for what to do if a shooter enters the building. People like to say that the moments following a tragedy are not the right time to talk about this. I counter: then when is the right time? When else is the issue so pressing, so urgent, so fresh on our minds? It is easier to see the need for change when you can see the issue in your mind, fresh as blood, so let the government research the issue. Institute more detailed background checks for gun owners. Most importantly, ban the tools of mass murder. People will always find ways to kill—do not make it easier.
25x
The U.S. has the 25x the average gun violence homicide rate of other developed countries.1
Source: Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation via NPR The opinions expressed on this page do not necessarily reflect those of The Sandspur, its staff, or Rollins College.
5
OPINION
In wake of the Las Vegas tragedy, Rollins students weigh the pros and cons of gun ownership Two Rollins students debate the complexities behind gun violence in America and its implications for the future of our right to bear arms.
372
Number of mass shootings in the US in 2015.2
50%
Americans own half of the world’s civilian-owned guns. 1
1 https://everytownresearch.org/gun-violence-by-the-numbers/ 2 https://www.massshootingtracker.org/
Source: Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation via NPR
“
We must reject the idea that every time a law’s broken, society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker.
By Kara Wagstaff
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kwagstaff@rollins.edu
he second amendment right to bear arms was created to protect us as American citizens from our own government, in case our government and its leaders become too powerful and overtake or infringe upon our rights as Americans and individuals. When leaders of other countries in the past have seized power as a dictator, they stripped all their citizens of guns, to ensure no one had any way to defend themselves against the dictator’s orders. Examples I am referring to, such as Adolf Hitler, have not happened all that long ago. Therefore, it is extremely important to have the ability to protect ourselves. In America, we have the freedom to choose. To choose if we want to protect ourselves with a gun or not. To choose what religion we affiliate ourselves with. We also have many other freedoms that should never be imposed upon. And while we look at these freedoms as what makes America so great, it is always upsetting when guns are used by the wrong people at the wrong time. On the other hand, is it the gun’s fault it was used to kill an extensive number of American citizens? No. It took a person with a deranged sense of judgment to use that weapon in this way. It was a man who wanted to kill Americans. If America had strict gun control laws where no one could purchase them at a gun store, would that mean all guns would disappear forever and vanish? It would be extremely difficult to make that happen. Unfortunately, there would still be ways for killings to occur and for people to harm others. My point is, the gun was not to blame for this horrible action, it was the person using the weapon. A gun is a tool that can be used for recreational, sport,
The opinions expressed on this page do not necessarily reflect those of The Sandspur, its staff, or Rollins College.
hunting, and, above all else, personal protection. Guns can be used for means of enjoyment by many Americans, and stripping their right to use them would cause many Americans to no longer have a chance to enjoy their preferred recreational entertainment. Claiming to take away the second amendment groups all law-abiding citizens into the same category as criminals and terrorists (if someone is killing my fellow Americans, I consider them a terrorist). Those who legally buy guns and use them properly with good intentions includes most Americans, while there is a select amount who have the wrong intentions when owning a gun. As former President Ronald Reagan once said, “We must reject the idea that every time a law’s broken, society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker. It is time to restore the American precept that each individual is accountable for his actions.” Therefore, it is wrong to blame our own amendments and all those who own guns and use them responsibly for the reason why a terrorist killed Americans with guns. Terrorists are already going against Americans and breaking our laws. What good would it do to add one more law to their list to deter them from their extreme actions they are already set on taking? It is simple: it would not. If there was a law in place prohibiting the use of guns, the law-abiding citizens of America would obey the law, while terrorists would have a better chance of harming more Americans because the law-abiding citizens would be defenseless. It is the saddest thing to hear how fellow Americans have fallen because of a crime like in Las Vegas earlier this month, especially of that magnitude. However, we must remember that each law-abiding gun owner should not be placed in the same category as Stephen Paddock.
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FEATURES
Questioning the structure of the Emerging Leadership Institute After students were threated by fines, CLCE revises programs involved in the annual ELI retreat. By Kendall Clarke
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kclarke1@rollins.edu
he Emerging Leadership Institute is undergoing changes that may improve the experience and relieve students of an unexpected obligation sprung on them at the end of the retreat. Emerging Leadership Institute (ELI) is an annual weekend-long leadership retreat held by the Center for Leadership and Community Engagement (CLCE). A program specifically for first- and second-year Rollins students, ELI serves as an early introduction into leadership development and includes many activities and reflection exercises to guide students towards becoming the next generation of successful leaders. Leadership is a remarkably vital skill to develop, especially in today’s world. As such, it is
important to make sure that ELI is a worthwhile investment of students’ time and Rollins College funding. After talking to students who participated in ELI, some see it as a rewarding experience. Prince Menckeberg ’19 stated that the “whole trip was full of nothing but great memories.” He explained how the program “helped [him] become a lot more confident,” especially through one activity in which students each had their own mailbox and wrote letters to each other throughout the weekend. Menckeberg said that his mailbox “was filled with the most positive letters, which [he] still holds on to.” However, there was one activity that somewhat marred Menckeberg’s experience of ELI along with many other participating students. At the conclusion of the
weekend retreat, students were told to come up with and implement a service project at Rollins with the guidance of an ally. Failure to do so would incur a hefty fine. Menckeberg expressed how he was initially distressed by this project, but that “it didn’t turn out to be a big deal.” He stated that he “came up with [his] project the day it was due,” and that “no one took it seriously [or] really put much effort into it.” Thus, he and others were able to easily avoid the threatened fine. However, this begs the question: what is the purpose of this activity if the students do not even take it seriously? Krista Peirce, the Graduate Assistant for CLCE, is currently running the Emerging Leadership Institute. She explained that this surprise project at the end of ELI is actually part of a separate
program called the Leadership Ally Program (LAP). The year that Menckeberg participated in ELI, LAP consisted of pairing ELI participants with a staff or faculty mentor in order for the pairs to complete a service project together. However, Krista Peirce expressed how the program faced major issues of accountability. Because of accountability, LAP has been evolving over the years to accommodate these issues while remaining a functional method of guiding students in the development of leadership skills. Kristine Rapprich ’19, a current facilitator of the ELI, explained that last year LAP still involved pairing ELI participants with an ally. However, instead of forcing them to create a service project, the pairs worked together to create leadership goals for the students.
This year, LAP has been completely removed from the Emerging Leadership Institute. Krista Peirce said that they will be “adapting and absorbing elements of [LAP] into ELI,” but the program itself is no longer officially part of ELI. As a result, students will no longer be responsible for meeting the requirements of LAP. Hardly a static program, the CLCE is actively trying to improve the Emerging Leadership Institute to ensure it successfully helps students become upstanding leaders, all while having as much fun as possible. The care that has gone into the maintenance of this program and the receptive nature of those behind it is someething to be thankful for. The new ELI program will be something to look out for in the future.
INFORMATION Session
Applied Behavior Analysis & Clinical Science
Oct 19 6:00 PM
Bieberbach-Reed Conference Room (Cornell Campus Center)
Learn more about Rollins’ masters degree program through an informal conversation with program faculty. The ABACS program will prepare you for professional practice in applied behavior analysis or a Ph.D. program in clinical psychology or applied behavior analysis. Refreshments Provided
RSVP to eveningadmission@rollins.edu
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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Upcoming Campus Events Oct. 12 ‣ Meditation with Sensei Michelle Sullivan in Knowles Chapel, 12-1 p.m.
Pumpkin spice your dorm life
‣ 'I Love Rollins Week'
Improv Show at Fred Stone Theatre, 11 p.m.12 a.m.
By Kira Bernhard
kbernhard@rollins.edu
C
an you see the leaves turning vivid shades of golden brown and hear the crunch of them as you stroll through campus? Yeah, me neither. Even so, I am still embracing all things fall (and, thus, pumpkin) with this pumpkin mug cake! It is incredibly easy to make and dorm room friendly, if you have a microwave. Also, I am sure we could all use an extra dose of potassium and antioxidants that the pumpkin provides. Ingredients: 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree 4 tbsps coconut flour 1 egg 2 tbsps almond milk 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice 1/2 tsp vanilla Chopped walnuts and dried cranberries
Between two worlds 'Between the World and Me' by Ta-Nehisi Coates offers insight to life as an African American. Recipe: 1. Mix all the ingredients in a microwavable safe bowl. 2. Microwave for 3 minutes on full power in one-minute intervals. 3. If you have the luxury to, flip the mug cake onto a sheet of aluminum foil and put it in an oven toaster until golden-brown.
By Keila Makowski
B
kmakowski@rollins.edu
etween the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates is a powerful set of essays describing the life of a black man in America, and the struggles that that entails. The essays are written to his son, in an effort to spread his knowledge and worldview. Throughout the book, Coates uses names most of us are familiar with to emphasize his point: Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and Eric Garner. These are all black men killed by white police officers who were never punished. These examples serve to emphasize Coates overarching point: black bodies are more likely to be taken away, and no one will be punished for it. This is an idea in the streets he grew up in, surrounded not only by police, but gangs and thugs who might shoot him for being in the wrong neighborhood. He goes so far as to claim that even schools demonstrate the ability to lose your body, because if you don’t do well in school you will end up back on the streets. Coates acknowledges that the world his son lives in is safer, but that only makes the re-
alization of the powerlessness of black bodies harder to cope with. Besides the names the nation has become familiar with as the basis of the fight against police brutality, another name drives the book: Prince Jones. Jones was a friend of Coates in college; he was wealthy and cultured, and grew up in private schools rather than the streets. However, none of this saved him from being shot by a police officer searching for someone who looked nothing like Prince. This reinforces the helplessness of black bodies and adds to the narrative of black dads not being there to support their kids, like Ta-Nehisi Coates’s paternal grandfather and his wife’s father. Except Prince did not run away from fatherhood, he was taken away from his pregnant fiancé and his unborn daughter. When all is said and done, Between the World and Me is a difficult book to review because it speaks for itself. This book attempts to bridge the knowledge gap on what it is like to grow up as a black person in America. While this is only one perspective of race in America, it is an important perspective to understand.
The opinions expressed on this page do not necessarily reflect those of The Sandspur, its staff, or Rollins College.
Oct. 14 ‣ Orlando 'Come Out with Pride' Parade, 12-7 p.m.
Oct. 15 ‣ Russian String Orchestra at Tiedtke Concert Hall, 3-5 p.m.
‣ Atlético Madrid vs.
Barcelona - La liga Watch Party at Dave’s Boat House, 3:30-6:30 p.m. Oct. 16 ‣ Still available: 'Time and Thought: Art of the United States' at the Cornell Fine Arts Museum
Oct. 18 ‣ Kappa Delta Carnival Mill’s Lawn, 5 p.m.
Oct. 19 ‣ Throwback Thursday CFAM tour, 12:30 p.m. ‣ The Applied Behavior and Clinical Science Information Session, 6 p.m.
SPORTS
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Hits and misses for the volleyball team
Upcoming Sports Events Oct. 13 ‣ Women’s Golf:: Rollins vs Ruth’s Chris Tar Heel Invitational, Chapel Hill, N.C.
‣ Men’s and Women’s
Cross Country: USF Invitational, Tampa, Fla.
‣ Volleyball @ 2017 South Region Crossover, Hoover, Ala.
Oct. 14 ‣ HOME Women’s Soccer vs Flagler, 4 p.m. ‣ HOME Men’s Soccer vs Flagler, 7 p.m.
After a weekend filled with both wins and losses, Rollins’ volleyball looks ahead undaunted. By Heather Borochaner
hborochaner@rollins.edu
R
ollins’ volleyball team traveled to Barry University last Friday, dropping a tough backand-forth battle on the court. After taking the first two sets 2514 and 25-18, the Tars could not close out the final set to the Bucs and lost the next three, 25-22, 2519, 15-9. However, Rollins refused to let the disappointing match ruin their game-filled weekend. The following day, the Tars traveled to Nova Southeastern to sweep the sharks 3-0, improving to 5-8 overall and 4-5 in Sunshine State Conference action while dropping the Sharks to 4-8, 2-6 SSC. Outside hitter and Team Captain Bri Civiero ‘18, totaled 16 kills, ranking her fifth in the SSC for kills, with Shannon Mc-
By Zach Fitch
Oct. 18 ‣ Women’s Soccer @ St. Leo, 4 p.m
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‣ HOME Volleyball vs Lynn, 7 p.m.
and her teammates, Vincent responded, “I’m confident we are heading down the path we need to be in order to make it as far as we hope into the national tournament.” She continued, “The focus and dedication all 19 of us have been bringing to workouts and practice are enabling us to make great strides each week in preparation for conference games. It’s hard to ask much more from my teammates, but we all expect each other to have belief in our end goals and to bring our best each day.” The Tars’ next home game is against Lynn University on Thursday, October 19 at 7 p.m. For more information on the Rollins volleyball team and their fight to earn ranking in the SSC, visit rollinssports.com.
As Carmelo Anthony leaves the New York Knicks for the Oklahoma City Thunder, the fate of the NBA’s Eastern Conference hangs in the balance.
Oct. 17 ‣ Volleyball @ PBA, 7 p.m.
Oct. 19 ‣ Water Ski @ NCWSA National Championship, Zachary, La. (Tri-Lakes)
since 2010. “Coming in as a freshman, beating Tampa was something I told myself I wanted to work towards by the time I graduated,” said Mary Bethany Vincent ‘18, one of the team captains. “As the dedication and hard work was put in over the past three years by my coaching staff and teammates, it was great to win but it has been something we expected from ourselves for a while,” she said. In the game against Tampa, Civiero had an impressive 17 kills. McDonough had a total of 16 digs, and Cason earned 44 assists in the game. Vincent led the way with 5 blocks and 4 kills herself, while Madison Jenkins ‘20 pulled off a solo block along with two other blocks. The game ended with a 3-1 score. When asked about what she sees in the future for her
Slow death of the NBA’s Eastern Conference
‣ Men’s Tennis: PBA Invitational, West Palm Beach, Fla.
‣ HOME: Men’s Soccer vs St. Leo, 7 p.m.
Donough ‘18 following close behind at seventh. Cassidy Cason ‘20 had 43 assists, making this game another opportunity to further improve her growing skill level, placing her at third place in the SSC for total assists. Sam Schlesman ‘18 put herself out there with four block assists. Head Coach Mika Robinson said, “We did a nice job of playing both aggressively and efficiently on offense today, and any time you can get a 3-0 win on the road in the Sunshine State conference it’s a good day.” This is Robinson’s second season with Rollins. Despite a string of losses at the beginning of the season, Rollins’ volleyball team has made it their personal mission to make history in whatever way possible. This was seen last week with a win against University of Tampa, a team Rollins has not beaten
zfitch@rollins.edu
he highly anticipated Carmelo Anthony trade was finalized in the last days of the NBA offseason. The trade sent Anthony from the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference to the Oklahoma City Thunder (OKC) in the Western Conference. Anthony will join Paul George and reigning MVP Russel Westbrook, making OKC a powerhouse in the NBA. While this has many fans excited for the upcoming 2017-2018 season, NBA fans on the east coast are not as thrilled. Anthony was one of few stars left on an Eastern Conference team. However, there is one big name left. He is the best player in the league and the only hope that the Eastern Conference has left. On the other hand, knowing Lebron James and his tactic of transferring to each season’s ex-
pect champion, that is not much hope at all. Lebron James has one season left on his contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Multiple reports have come out this offseason saying that James has intentions of taking his talents to the Los Angeles Lakers next season. The most sound report came from NBA insider Peter Vecsey. The highly respected reporter guaranteed that James would become a Laker in 2018. However, anyone who has followed the NBA in the past seven years can see this coming. Lebron James is chasing the best team and to earn the highest title he must win championships. It is the same reason he left for the Miami Heat in 2010. It is also the reason he came back in 2014, even though he claimed it was “for Cleveland.” The man wants rings. Championship rings. And if he has to move his family to a city where the team
is loaded with talent, so be it. He has done it twice before with no hesitation. This time, though, his move could dismantle the NBA. The question is, does Lebron James care? The Carmelo Anthony trade and the prediction of Lebron James leaving for LA indicates that there will be little to no superstars left in the Eastern Conference for the 2018-19 season. The Western Conference completely dominates the eastern conference in talent. The stars in Western Conference include: Steph Curry, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, Kawhi Leonard, Damian Lillard, Carmelo Anthony, and Paul George. Besides the biggest star of them all, Kyrie Irving and John Wall are the only superstars left in the Eastern Conference. ESPN and TNT each pay the NBA over one billion dollars a year to show games on national televi-
sion. Without Lebron James, the entire Eastern Conference will crumble. ESPN and TNT are not going to pay billions of dollars for games that are not being watched because the two teams playing are not good. They will force a new deal with the league for less money and much less Eastern Conference television time. The entire playoff seeding system will also be changed so that a team’s conference has nothing to do with a team’s road to the championship. Lebron James’ salary will not be affected. He has a house, a business, and a young point guard in Lonzo Ball waiting for him in LA. Lebron James will do what he always has, chase fellow talent and, therefore, championships. As a result, the NBA will change significantly and the Eastern Conference will be irrelevant for seasons to come.