SERVING SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI SINCE 1927 • WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM • OCTOBER 20, 2021 | VOLUME 107 | ISSUE 9
SMOKING ON CAMPUS
PG 6
STATE FAIR
PG 10
SOCCER V. RICE
PG 12
Students, administration clash over zero tolerance policy
Sean Smith | Printz
A sign reading “Protect Survivors, Not Rapists” is held in front of the dome of the Lucas Administration building.
MARY MURPHY EXECUTIVE EDITOR Content warning: the following article contains discussions of sexual assault and abuse. tudent protestors gathered in front of campus last Friday to advocate for a zero tolerance sexual assault policy, something which the adminstration has largely remained silent on. The protest, organized by senior English major Rebecca Fish, was held on Oct. 15 near Lake Byron, one of the busiest entrances on campus. Participants, standing in solidarity with sexual assault survivors, held up signs criticizing rape
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culture both on and off campus, chanting slogans like “No means No” and “We see you”. The main goal for this protest, much like a similar event on Oct. 1, was to call for the implementation of a zero tolerance sexual assault policy at Southern Miss. This policy, if implemented, would entirely ban anyone convicted of sexual assault or abuse from entering campus, whether as a student or a guest. Kayla Barnes, a recent psychology graduate from Southern Miss, attended both the Oct. 1 and Oct. 15 protest. She was one of the main speakers at the Oct. 15 event, leading protestors in chants both
before and during the march. “I’m here because survivors deserve to be protected and loved, and your reputation shouldn’t be held over that,” Barnes said. Barnes’s concerns are not unique. Many of the protestors at the event believe Southern Miss’s administration could do a lot more to protect students, especially sexual assault survivors, but simply does not do so. It doesn’t help that there are currently rumors that the administration is considering removing the UPD’s Blue Light system, which would pose a major safety concern for students walking home or to their cars at night. Though there was an offi-
cial university response released through the Office of Student Affairs’s official Instagram, it almost immediately drew criticism. Not only did the response come out two weeks after the Oct. 1 protest, but it did not explicitly refer to the protest at all, including the protestors’ main call for a zero tolerance policy. “Administrators need to be active in this change,” Selma Newbill, the founder of Southern Miss’s Sexual Assault Prevention Ambassadors (SAPA), commented on the
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OCTOBER 20, 2021
PHOTO GALLERY MEET THE CONTRIBUTORS SM2 News Director
Charlie Luttrell charles.luttrell@usm.edu
Executive Editor
Mary Murphy mary.s.murphy@usm.edu
Sports Director
Austin Lindsey austin.lindsey@usm.edu
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Students march again to protest sexual violence SEAN SMITH PHOTOGRAPHER
Creative Team Director Lohn Lenoir lohn.lenoir@usm.edu
Printz Reporters
Morgan Lawrence morgan.lawrence@usm.edu Kyra Lampley kyra.lampley@usm.edu A’Darius McCormick adarius.mccormick@usm.edu Dima Mixon joshua.mixon@usm.edu Jennifer Shields jennifer.shields@usm.edu
Photographers
Scarlett Gully scarlett.gully@usm.edu Sean Smith sean.smith@usm.edu
Bella Brocato (pointing) and Kayla Barnes (pink shirt) lead students in a chant while marching around campus.
The views represented in The Student Printz’s columns and editorials do not represent those of the faculty, staff or administration of The University of Southern Mississippi. We welcome letters to the editor representing similar and contrasting opinions. To be eligible for publication, all submission must include name, class distinction, major, phone number and email address. Submissions should be emailed to printzeditors@gmail.com by 5 p.m. on the Friday before publication. Please limit them to 500 words or less. The Student Printz reserves the right to refuse publication or edit any material on the basis of clarity, space or journalistic ethics.
Opinions expressed in The Student Printz are those of the writer and not necessarily those of The Student Printz, its publication manager, USM, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning or the USM Board of Student Publications.
Students hold signs protesting sexual assault near one of the campus’s busiest entrances on Hardy Street.
PHOTO GALLERY
OCTOBER 20, 2021
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One sign asks for passing cars to “honk if [they] hate rapists”.
One of the many signs criticizing rape culture on college campuses.
Sarah Kways holds a sign directly calling for an end to rape culture.
Protestors round a rock advertising Will Hall’s football team. Brocato and other protestors at the event believe the school values its marketability and reputation more than student safety.
Students march into campus holding signs calling for stronger administration policies, as they want to “leave Southern Miss better than [they] found it”.
NEWS OCTOBER 20, 2021 WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM Students, administration clash CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
post. “We are fighting to be heard and for something to be done, not just to be acknowledged in our fight.” Dee Dee Anderson, the Vice President of Student Affairs at Southern Miss, helped create the response put out by the university. She said the university has heard student concerns, and is working on ways to figure out how to officially incorporate them on campus. “It took some time to do some research and find out some answers, and we’re still not done with that,” Anderson said. “We are still researching some things that the students have asked for [...and] sometimes it takes time to get all of the information that you need to get together.” When asked about the possible removal of the Blue Light system, Anderson said it was “too early” to
say anything definitive. However, she was quick to emphasize that the removal would not be permanent, and that the university wants to update the technology behind the Blue Light system rather than entirely get rid of it. Bella Brocato, the current President of SAPA, was also present at the Oct. 15 protest. They gave a speech a little before the main march happened, explicitly criticizing Southern Miss’s administration throughout and emphasizing the severity of the issue at hand. “Let me tell you about the college experience,” Brocato said. “The college experience is learning that almost every person you know is a survivor of sexual violence or abuse. The college experience is knowing that you’ll face harsher punishments for plagiarizing than you would for sexual assault. The
college experience is watching individuals protect perpetrators because they’re a ‘good person’, [... and accepting] the fact that performative activism is the best you’re going to get [from higher ups].” Cristin Reynolds, the Interim Title IX Coordinator at Southern Miss, primarily helps Southern Miss students and faculty get into contact with sexual assault resources to file complaints or handle cases. She said her office is open to implementing a zero tolerance policy, but is also still held accountable to federal regulations, which can pose a lot of problems. “Our office is bound by federal regulations, what we can and can’t do, [...] which comes into play a lot when we talk about supportive measures with our campus community,” said Reynolds. “It’s very important for us that we help educate our campus community on what support measures can look like, and we help get people connected to those because our office has to remain neutral. We’re not allowed to advocate for different groups on campus. We’re here to administer the process [if] someone wants to come forward and file a formal complaint.” Though Southern Miss students have only gathered to protest sexual assault within the last month, it has long been a problem on col-
lege campuses. RAINN, the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, found that 26.4% of female undergraduate students and 6.8% of male undergraduate students reported being sexually assaulted during their time in school -- and those are only the ones who reported. It is one of the most prevalent crimes on college campuses and one of the most traumatic experiences someone can go through. “This is not an easy fight. It is one that is so personal and so heavy, and, oftentimes, hard to believe that it is even a fight at all,” Brocato said. “So, here is To The Top: we see you, your silence is deafening [and] survivors deserve better. And if they won’t get it from you, then they’re going to get it from us.” If you want to report an incident of sexual misconduct at Southern Miss, or if you’re interested in receiving materials and training regarding sexual assault/ abuse, contact the Title IX Office at 601-266-6804. Fish and other protest organizers have also created a petition calling for Southern Miss to implement a zero tolerance policy. You can find the petition at www.change.org/p/ the-university-of-southern-mississippi-demands-for-the-university-of-southern-mississippi-to-implement-a-zero-tolerance-policy.
NEWS
OCTOBER 20, 2021 WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM
Study abroad adapts to traveling amidst COVID-19 restrictions abroad to be vaccinated for COVID-19, and that is for their safety. That’s so we don’t spread he University of Southit,” Faculty Led Program Manern Mississippi’s study ager Anna Kate Baygents said. abroad program re“It’s also because airlines could turned this semester with new require it any minute, or the regulations after the COVID-19 country the week before could pandemic created many travel be like, ‘Just kidding, you have to restrictions and concerns last have your COVID shot now.’” year. The program’s events and Fourteen students are current- trips were planned and continuly stationed in several different ously planned around the pancountries this semester. Most demic’s numbers and spread. of the students are studying in Before, Baygents and the study Spain, but there are also stuabroad team planned trip after dents spending time in France, trip without issue, and every Ireland, Scotland and South decision was final. Now, howKorea. The program started to ever, travel restrictions from the send students out of the country pandemic have changed their in August, but the process for entire planning method. study abroad has changed since “Our plans could change at the pandemic struck. any minute moving forward “We do require our students with the program, but if France A’DARIUS MCCORMICK PRINTZ REPORTER
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decides the day before that they are not letting us in, we can’t do anything about that. We’re not going,” Baygents said. Last spring semester, students abroad during the height of the pandmeic had to be sent back home from the countries they visited while upcoming summer programs had to be cancelled. This is the first semester since COVID-19 where study abroad has been able to continue under a new normal. The program plans to keep moving forward with all of their upcoming trips and ideas. Students have the opportunity to study abroad from now on if COVID-19 does not change any of the plans. The program has also added new locations to the study abroad options, including a new domestic trip. Students can now participate in programs in France, the United Kingdom,
Italy, Austria and Hawaii. Baygents broke the process of joining study abroad down into simpler terms for people that were interested. She also made sure to mention that the class credits earned abroad are still Southern Miss credits. “In the simplest way, we always say, ‘Study abroad is earning USM credit while getting to travel the world’,” Baygents said. “The credit you earn on our program is USM credit. It’s not transfer. It’s not something else.” Study abroad contains over ten programs for about every major returning this school year. To get involved in any of the programs listed here or on their website, contact the Office of Study Abroad by email at studyabroad@usm.edu or by phone at 601-266-4344. You can also visit their in-person office on the fourth floor of the International Center.
An advertisment for Southern Miss’s study abroad program.
Photo from Study Abroad’s Offical Twitter
NEWS
OCTOBER 20, 2021 WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM
Students, faculty still struggle with smoking on a “smoke free campus” MORGAN LAWRENCE PRINTZ REPORTER
“Everyone who smokes knows it’s bad, but we should not be considered lesser than,” said Haespite Southern Miss being a “tobacco free” ley Beasley, a current Southern Miss student. campus for four years, Beasley first attended Southern students still complain about Miss in 2014 to get her first bachsmoking on campus, exposing the policy's fundamental dysfunc- elor’s degree in Performance. Now, as she works to get her tions. second bachelor’s in English, she In 2017, The University of wishes that there were still desigSouthern Mississippi implenated smoking zones on campus, mented a “tobacco free” policy. This meant removing designated especially since many people still find ways to smoke anyways. smoking zones around campus, “Students and faculty are in a instead replacing them with “no limbo, like, ‘What will happen if smoking or vaping” and “smoke we do smoke?’ People [are] able free campus” signs. Students know that there is no to smoke because no one enforces it,” said Beasley. smoking allowed on campus as If anything, smoking on camsoon as they go through orientation, but, aside from seeing those pus has become a worse problem now that there is a “tobacco “no smoking” signs, not much else is done to enforce this policy. free” policy. Without designated smoking areas, many students According to the official “no and faculty are forced to smoke in smoking” policy, which can be busy locations, especially in lunch found in the “Student Health or study areas. This exposes othServices” section on the Moffitt ers to second-hand smoke, which Health Center’s website, “the responsibility for the enforcement has been proven unhealthy in any and communication of this policy capacity. Even Beasley, who is a ultimately rests with all members smoker herself, does not enjoy being surrounded by smoke when of the University community”. she sits behind the Liberal Arts Basically, the only enforcement Building. for this policy comes from stu“Where there is a lot of students and faculty directly, where they have to call out someone for dent traffic, there shouldn’t be being a smoker. This can quickly smoking,” Beasley said. “The school should invest a little monput all parties in an uncomfortable position, which inadvertently ey into small areas where it isn’t congested to place a smoking keeps everyone quiet. zone.” It doesn’t help that there are Hailey Biggart, a junior elefew consequences for violating mentary education major, has this policy. Other Mississippi also experienced a lot of probschools, like Delta State University, have a much stricter tobacco lems with smoking around campus. free policy. Delta’s university “I still see people, mostly custopolice department enforces their smoking policy, and violators can dial staff, smoking all over campus, so I definitely think having be fined $50 per violation. The smoke zones on the outskirts of most extreme consequence that campus would help with that,” a Southern Miss student could face is to be asked to speak to the Biggart said. “I like that the campus is smoke free because I Dean of Students.
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do not like the smell of cigarettes, but I understand smoking isn’t something someone can just stop doing.” One way that people work to stop smoking is by switching to vapes or other electronic nicotine devices. However, the policy also prohibits these devices. It makes sense that the university wants to prohibit tobacco use for the health of its students, but limiting devices that assist on that journey of quitting does not. “I don’t mind vaping around campus because the smell of vape doesn’t bother me,” Biggart said. “They might allow people to vape on campus but not smoke, but I’m not sure if that’s something they can do.” While many universities have enacted some form of tobacco ban in hopes to encourage better overall student health, Southern Miss’s policy seems counterintuitive, since people are still smoking in secret across campus. This current policy is especially confusing to someone like Beasley, who doesn’t remember hearing students, faculty or staff complaining about smoking before. “When there was no policy
enacted at all, it wasn’t an issue, because people knew that people would smoke and knew where to do it and others knew where to not be around smoke,” Beasley said. “Now that it is a ‘no’ policy, no one is aware of when and where people will be smoking, they don’t know where to not be exposed to the smoke.” It’s clear that, no matter the “enforcement” Southern Miss implements, people will still smoke on campus. And now, because the tobacco policy is not enforced, individuals will smoke anywhere they please on campus. Even if a fine or some other consequence was put in place, people will just find more clever ways to smoke on campus. There are a lot of students who feel that smoking zones would be better than the “tobacco free” policy. The university does not have to condone tobacco use, but they can create places for smokers to smoke in private, even if just to limit tobacco smoke to certain parts on campus.
OCTOBER 20, 2021 WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM NEWS Hattiesburg’s Zoo Boo is coming back to you this Halloween weekend JENNIFER SHIELDS PRINTZ REPORTER
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ctober is not just for Halloween and Harry Potter marathons -- it is also time for the Hattiesburg Zoo’s Annual Zoo Boo. The annual event, which is held in partnership with the Hattiesburg Convention Commission, will be hosted from Friday, Oct. 22 to Saturday, Oct. 30. The event starts at 5:30 p.m. and ends at 8:30 p.m. each night. This family-friendly event has long been a staple of entertainment and excitement for Hattiesburg residents, and has recently gotten bigger with the zoo’s recent expansion. “We recently opened our giraffe exhibit, so that expanded a good portion of the zoo. This year we were able to increase our capacity, since we have a limited number of tickets sold each night. With that extra part of the zoo
open, that’s gonna give us the opportunity to get a few more guests in, but we are expecting a high turnout this year,” said Demetri Kelly, who manages the Hattiesburg Zoo’s Business Operations and Guest Services. Guests will be able to enjoy various attractions and Halloween-themed events around the zoo, which include the Monster Mash Dance, the Spook-tacular Express, Carou-Spell, Eerie Animal Shows and Alarming Animal Encounters. Younger guests can even enjoy roasted marshmallows at Crawly Camp Capybara. There will also be treats available for older guests, too. According to the Hattiesburg Zoo Facebook page, “The Creepy Cantina and Goblin Grill will be open and offering regular menu items with some Spooky Specials and Devil-
ish Drinks that everyone will enjoy!” When asked about attending the event, Khadiya Smith, a senior Accounting and Finance double major, said she would, “Most definitely. I feel like Hattiesburg doesn’t have a lot of events or things going on especially for people to do [despite it being] a college town.” People interested in going may need to purchase their tickets in advance, however, since there will be a limited capacity. Tickets are $13 for ages two and up available for preorder, but there may be $15 tickets available at the gate. Guests will not be able to use an annual pass to enter the Zoo Boo. All zoo attractions are included in the price of admission, but guests will have to pay extra for the Haunted High Ropes Adventure
Course. The Sky-Trail tickets are $10 while the Sky-Tykes tickets are $5. Tickets for these courses can be purchased at the park. If guests are feeling tired or want a front row seat to the Monster Mash Dance Party, they can also rent out the Chilling Cabanas For $75. However, the cabanas are on a “first come, first serve” basis. All ticket sales for the Zoo Boo are final. Though the tickets can be used another night in case of rain, unused tickets will not receive a refund. All guests are also encouraged to dress up in their costumes for the Zoo Boo, but adults are not allowed to wear any masks unless it is for health issues or to prevent the spread of COVID-19. To purchase tickets for the Zoo Boo, visit linktr.ee/Hattiesburgzoo.
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OCTOBER 20, 2021 WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM
Center for Writers announces upcoming Visiting Writers series MARY MURPHY EXECUTIVE EDITOR
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ast week, the Center for Writers announced the three writers that will visit the University of Southern Mississippi as a part of the 2021-2022 Visiting Writers Series. The Visiting Writers Series, maintained by the Partners for the Arts fund, invites nationally acclaimed writers to present their work at Southern Miss and conduct workshops with its students. Some recent visiting writers include Natasha Trethewey, Hanif Abdurraqib, Ben Lerner, Katy Simpson Smith, Ada Limón and Justin Torres. Adam Clay, the Director of the Center for Writers, said he was excited to have these incredible writers appear in person once again, as the COVID-19 pandemic prevented a physical series last year. "After over a year of Zoom events, we're really excited and fortunate to host Forrest Gander (the first Visiting Writer) for an in-person event. Gander's book, ‘Be With’, won the Pulitzer Prize in 2019, and it's a compelling collection that examines and unpacks grief in the way that only poetry can," Clay said.
This year’s series will feature three critically acclaimed poets -Forrest Gander, Maria Kuznetsova and Eloisa Amezcua -- on Oct. 19, Jan. 27, and April 25, respectively. Each reading will begin at 7 p.m., but only the location of Gander’s reading has been announced. Kuznetsova and Amezcua’s visits will also coincide with Southern Miss’s award-winning literary journal, the Mississippi Review’s, fiftieth anniversary. "We're glad to be celebrating [the journal’s anniversary] alongside these innovative and talented writers," Clay said. As mentioned before, Forrest Gander will begin the Visiting Writers series on Oct. 19, appearing in the Ogletree House’s Poynter Room at 7 p.m. Gander is a writer and translator, serving as one of the main editors of several anthologies of Hispanic writing. He is the author of more than a dozen books, including ‘Twice Alive’, ‘Be With’ and ‘Core Samples from the World’, and his essays have appeared in The Nation, The Boston Review, and The New York Times Book Review. Gander has also received a number of fellowships for his
A picture of Forrest Gander, the first writer visiting Southern Miss this year.
Photo from Southern Miss
work, including from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Guggenheim and the Whiting Foundation. The other two writers featured, Maria Kuznetsova and Eloisa Amezcua, are equally acclaimed and celebrated. Kuznetsova is an Assistant Professor of Creative Writing at Auburn University, and has had work appear in literary magazines like Slate, The Yale Review, Threepenny Review, Crazyhorse and Catapult. Amezcua, meanwhile, is a MacDowell fellow
who has had her work appear in the New York Times Magazine, POETRY, and the Kenyon Review, among others. The readings are free and open to the public. For more information about this series, visit the Center for Writers website at www.usm.edu/writers/visiting-writers-series. You can also stop by the Center for Writers in Room 347 in the Liberal Arts Building, or call them for more information at 601-266-5211.
ENTERTAINMENT
OCTOBER 20, 2021 WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM
‘Cry Macho’ elevates Clint Eastwood’s impenetrable cinema legacy LOHN LENOIR CREATIVE TEAM DIRECTOR
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ry Macho’, which was released in theaters Sept. 17, is the latest -- and a fantastic -- addition to director and actor Clint Eastwood’s long list of cinematic accomplishments. Probably the most impressive thing about ‘Cry Macho’ is that it was able to be made at all. Eastwood was 91 years old while working on the movie. Yes, 91 years of age. The fact that he is still in good enough health to finish a movie is remarkable. It’s clear his age influenced a lot of this film, too. Eastwood plays the title character, Miko, who seems to just be waiting for death at this point. He spent years consistently pursuing his dream of becoming a rodeo star. And he did -- he found his true purpose in life and found success in it. Then he looked up one day and realized how many years had passed him by. Now his dream is nothing but a fading memory of his past, and he lives without a true purpose. For Miko, and for many others, time moves forward regardless of age or position. Time is ruthless, insensitive and obeys no one. Life on Miko’s ranch has been stagnant lately, and he finds himself reliving the same day over and over again. As bones age and his heartbeat hinders, each passing day becomes a foreseen statement without adventure. It seems Miko is just waiting for death now. However, a new adventure presents itself. Without giving too much away, this adventure affects Miko and his family, who are also stuck in this same stagnation. And Miko wonders if maybe, just maybe, this adventure can give him life again. Personally, I like this movie.
I could be biased because I am a Clint Eastwood fan, and this movie is a basic Clint Eastwood film. ‘Cry Macho’ has the feel of an old western movie, following a lot of the same plot beats. It tells the story of a man who focuses only on his craft and goes home when his job is done. He is a simple man who keeps to himself and does not bother anybody. But, as soon as trouble emerges, he becomes concerned and guilty. He feels as though he forgot to pay back a debt, like he still owed someone something. So, he returns to the spotlight one last time, just so he can find peace again. Ultimately, a lot of this movie can be accurately guessed, including its ending. You can figure out how the somewhat surprising romantic relationship develops. You can expect shots of beautiful desert scenery, designed to help bolster the main storyline. However, ‘Cry Macho’ is more about the journey to the climax instead of the climax itself. This movie is slow-paced, and has very little action scenes. It is clear that ‘Cry Macho’ is purely focused on the storyline, and it’s one that works well. I thoroughly enjoyed ‘Cry Macho’, and think you can, too. This is the type of movie you can watch either with your family or your significant other. It is truly remarkable to see a man like Eastwood give the majority of his life to his profession, and to see him still able to create another excellent movie. It gives me, and many film fans, a great amount of joy to see Clint Eastwood again on the big screen, even if only for one last time.
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10 OPINION
OCTOBER 20, 2021 WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM
The Mississippi State Fair’s Frontier Village is disgusting KYRA LAMPLEY PRINTZ REPORTER
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acism. It is a six-letter word that makes lumps form in people’s throats. A six-letter word that means more today than it ever has. It is a word that the South was built upon, and one that still carries a significant amount of weight. Despite all of this, the state of Mississippi still seems to not want to acknowledge its own racism at their annual state fair.
This year, the 2021 Mississippi State Fair features a “Mississippi Frontier Village” designed to bring visitors back to the 1800s, a time where being a person of color was heavily looked down upon. Why would the state of Mississippi want to remind its inhabitants about such a grim time in American history? In the 1800s, many people of color, especially in states like Mississippi, were not con-
sidered free citizens and therefore were not extended the same privileges as their white counterparts. Even though Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, enslaved people were not truly free until the end of the Civil War in 1865. Even then, this “freedom” was largely conditional, especially during the years of Jim Crow. It was not until after 1964, when the Civil Rights Act passed, that people of color were finally able to begin receiving equal rights. That is almost 100 years between when people of color were supposed to have rights and when they were lawfully given them. Nothing about the 1800s was positive for people of color. In the world we live in now, with COVID-19 killing thousands of people and systematic racism abusing millions more, we should be celebrating who we are. Why should we now be forced to remember such a horrifying time in history at a state fair, a place that is supposed to be fun and relaxing? No one really knows the answer to this question. As a state, Mississippi is already two steps behind the rest of the United States in education, healthcare and poverty rates. But despite the effort of movements like Black Lives Matter, Mississippi still seems set on continuing onwards
without considering the perspectives of others in even basic matters like the state fair. It should be working on ways to move forwards, not backwards. This is a slap in the face to people of color by the state of Mississippi. It makes people of color realize that we still live in a world where people see the color of their skin rather than what they contribute to society. If the Mississippi State Fair Commission truly cared about people of color, they would not have dedicated a section of the state fair, which is supposed to be all-inclusive, to such a disgraceful time in American history. This is also a slap to the face to many poorer Mississippians. Many struggled to make ends meet before COVID, and looked forward to the fair as an affordable way to make fond memories with their families. And now those “fond memories” are tainted by blatant ignorance. Everything about the Frontier Village is distasteful, and it should not be tolerated. No one should be supporting this year’s state fair, especially people of color. If they’re so determined to keep their Frontier Village, they deserve to lose the monetary support of the people it hurt the most.
SPORTS
OCTOBER 20, 2021
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UAB blanks Southern Miss 34-0
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DIMA MIXON PRINTZ REPORTER
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he University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) shut out the University of Southern Mississippi 34-0 last Saturday afternoon at The Rock, handing the Golden Eagles its fifth straight loss. The loss was the first time Southern Miss was shut out since 2014 and the first time it was shut out at home since 1984. "They beat us at all three phases. They were by far the better football program than us today and you didn't have to be Albert Einstein to see that and figure that out," Head Coach Will Hall said. UAB outgained Southern Miss 388 to 107 yards. The Golden Eagles had its lowest passing totals of the season with only 32 passing yards as Jake Lange only threw for 18 yards before sitting out the second half with an injury.
On the first drive of the game, UAB marched down the field and got inside the five-yard line. On third and goal, facing pressure, Dylan Hopkins threw it into double coverage, and Malik Shorts came up with the pass breakup. Nevertheless, UAB converted on the field goal and took the early lead 3-0. Southern Miss answered with a productive drive of its own, but stalled as Antonio Moultrie stormed into the backfield and sacked Lange. That would only be the start of Southern Miss's offensive woes. On the first play of the second quarter, Hopkins found Gerrit Prince for a 34-yard touchdown. The Blazers then built on that momentum as Grayson Cash blocked Southern Miss's punt on the following drive, recovering it for a touchdown.
UAB extended its lead on a fourplay drive and then took its time on a 12-play drive on its next possession for a 31-0 score. Tee Webb entered the game as quarterback for the Golden Eagles at the start of the second half. This made Webb the fifth quarterback to enter a game for Southern Miss this season. "He [Lange] could have played in the second half," Hall said. "We just felt like with the way the game was going and the game being out of hand that we'd give some guys a shot to try to keep him healthy for the rest of the year." UAB scored once more in the game early in the third quarter as Matt Quinn kicked a 52-yard field goal to make it 34-0. On the next Southern Miss drive, freshman receiver Chandler Pittman came into the game as
quarterback, becoming the sixth quarterback to play for Southern Miss. The Golden Eagles pushed past the 50, but once again punted. Webb later reentered the game, but the Golden Eagles never found a rhythm on offense as UAB ran out the clock. "We have an off week, and we've got to put our heads up and work on us, not UAB, not the opponent next week, but we gotta work on us," Pittman said. "If we do that, we will end up bringing more wins. You will like what you see out there." Southern Miss falls to 1-6 (C-USA 0-3) and has a bye week before traveling to Murfreesboro, Tennessee, to face the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders (2-4, C-USA 1-2).
Southern Miss Volleyball drops series at home AUSTIN LINDSEY SPORTS DIRECTOR outhern Miss Volleyball looked to regroup after a pair of road losses, but skidded to a four-game losing streak after dropping a home series against the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). The Golden Eagles came into the weekend having only lost one game at home, but left the Wellness Center Complex with a 9-3 regular and a 2-6 conference record. In the first match of the weekend, the Miners defeated the Eagles 3-1. UTEP took the first two sets 25-20 and 25-22. In the third set, the Golden Eagles managed to win 25-23, and got the fourth set down to the wire, but the Miners ultimately closed the series 25-16. In a losing effort, the Southern Miss’ outside hitter Mia Wesley broke her Southern Miss career-high in kills with 25. Wesley finished the night with a .333 hitting percentage and ten digs to add
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to her stat sheet. As a team, UTEP limited Southern Miss to a .152 hitting percentage as the Golden Eagles had 28 attack errors. The Miners, meanwhile, hit for .336 and blocked 11 attacks from Southern Miss. Southern Miss fought to the end in the second game, forcing a fifth set, but the Miners prevailed. UTEP's Serena Patterson led the Miners with 25 kills on a .449 hitting percentage as Wesley again broke her Southern Miss career-high kills with 29. Wesley’s all-time career high, set while she went to Portland, is 30 kills. In the first set, the Golden Eagles started hot on an eight-point rally to go 24-18. The Miners did not settle down, though, as they went on a six-point rally to force six setpoints for the Golden Eagles. The set would go into extras as either team needed a two-point lead to win. The Miners rode its
hot streak to close out the set on an ace by Alyssa Sianez at 28-26. “We couldn’t just put the ball away and gave them too many opportunities to come back at us,” Southern Miss Head Coach Stephanie Radecki said on the loss. “Anytime you’re playing a good team that’s going to happen if you don’t put the ball away.” In the second set, the Golden Eagles took control of the set to win 25-15 with Lauren Talbert’s spike to center court. However, the Eagles ultimately couldn't pull away the third set. The Miners flipped the script in the third with a 25-16 win. In the fourth, Wesley seized the set on with her play to force a set point at 24-22. In the next play, the Golden Eagles took care of business with UTEP’s Serena Patterson error at 25-22. This led to a crucial fifth set. In a race to 15 in the fifth set,
Southern Miss took an early 3-1 lead on another Miners error, but UTEP rebounded and put together a six-point rally. The Golden Eagles finally broke the rally, but Ema Uskokovic called the game at 15-9. “They were a little too much for us in the fifth set, but I do think we showed gust and grit today and just wished we would have finished that fifth set,” said Radecki. Southern Miss will have to move forward without starting senior outside hitter Duquesne Moratzka, who Radecki confirmed is out for the season after needing surgery for an injury. Moratzka had 176 kills on a .200 hitting percentage and a total of 210 points on the season. The Golden Eagles now move to play the Rice Owls in Houston, Texas next weekend. Southern Miss is currently 0-6 on the road.
12 SPORTS
OCTOBER 20, 2021
WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM
Southern Miss wins first program win against Rice
Freshman Ilana Izquierdo (right) lifts Southern Miss over Rice for the first time in program history after scoring on a penalty kick in the second overtime period.
CHARLIE LUTTRELL SM2 NEWS DIRECTOR
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fter 12 losses and a tie against Rice, Southern Miss Soccer earned its first program win against the Owls in an incredibly dramatic fashion. With less than four minutes left in the second overtime period, freshman Ilana Izquierdo converted a penalty kick and lifted the Golden Eagles past the Owls 2-1. "I was nervous but I really wanted to win," Izquierdo said. "The team deserved it, so I put my 100% in it and scored." Southern Miss has had a long, tough history with Rice, but many returning players feel the most recent loss stung the most. The Golden Eagles fell to Rice in penalty kicks last season in the C-USA semifinals, knocking them out of the tournament.
Coming into the game, Rice sat atop the Conference USA West Division. With this win, however, the Golden Eagles have now usurped the throne. "Before the game, I told the ladies, ‘Why not us and why not today?’," Head Coach Mohammed El-Zare said. "We have to believe and we have to show up and show it with actions. People talk. Show it with action and those ladies showed up." El-Zare said the team was limited because of its injuries, forcing him to use eight players from the bench. "I'm proud of every single player. We used pretty much everybody in our lineup and everybody contributed," El-Zare said. Sophomore Blessing Kingsley struck first for the Golden Eagles in the thirtieth minute, dribbling to center field and
sending the ball past Rice goalkeeper Bella Kilgore. Lauren Bennett assisted the goal. "It was a beautiful combination, with Blessing running it through the central channel and sliding the ball in," El-Zare said. Southern Miss kept its 1-0 lead until the Owls got a fast start in the second half, scoring ten minutes in with a goal from Delaney Schultz. While Southern Miss outshot Rice 16-9, Kilgore saved seven shots, forcing Southern Miss into overtime for a third consecutive game. After a contested first overtime period, the Golden Eagles got their break as Izquierdo passed the ball to Adaira Nakano, who was fouled in the box, setting up the game-winning penalty kick. "It's amazing, but we need to keep working, we need
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to keep putting our chances away and focus on the next game because it's not done," Izquierdo said. This win is similar to another statement game last season against North Texas, which also marked the first win in program history against the Mean Green. El-Zare said the team will enjoy the victory, but will focus on closing out the season strong. "We have to stay grounded," El-Zare said. "We have to enjoy it, but we have to get back to work tomorrow by taking care of ourselves and healing and doing the little things that a lot of people won't do, which is taking care of ourselves, nutrition, sleep, spending time together. Just doing the little things and being present in everything we do."