No. 14 (February 2, 2017) by University News

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A student voice of Saint Louis University since 1921

Vol. XCVI No. 14

Students attend March for Life in DC

thousands of people from all over the nation gathered near and around the WashEighteen undergraduington Monument to kick oﬀ ate students and one Jesuit the March for Life Rally. scholastic student from Saint The rally was so crowded, Louis University took a trip many could hardly see or to Washington, D.C. to athear the speakers. Nevertend the 44th Annual March theless, the for Life last spirit of the week. The March filled journey with life and Let this movement began on love was felt be known of love, T h u r s d a y, throughout not anger. Let Jan. 26 at the crowd of this movement the brisk a few hundred hour of be known for thousand in5:30 a.m. dividuals, compassion, not and took both young confrontation. them 800 and old. The When it comes miles across rally includto matters of the six states, ed speakers heart, there is reaching such as KellyD.C. just nothing stronger anne Conway, in time to Counselor than gentlenesss. sleep. Frito President Vice President Mike Pence Trump, who day morning, the expressed day of the promises of March for Life, the students Pro-Life laws becoming a attended a Mass at St. Aloypriority during this presisius Church at Gonzaga Coldential term. The most dislege High School, along with tinguished speaker was Vice hundreds of students from other Jesuit schools across See “March” on Page 3 the country. Following Mass,

Thursday, February 2, 2017

St. Louis mayoral race kicks off

SLU hosts initial debate in BSC

By MARISSA CARLETTA Contributor

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Emma Carmody / The University News

DEBATE: Over a thousand people attend the St. Louis mayoral debate in the Wool Ballrooms on Sunday, Jan. 29. By TOM BERGAN Associate Arts Editor

On Sunday, the city of St. Louis gathered in the Wool Ballroom of the Busch Student Center for the second mayoral debate. Crowd estimates ranged from 1,000 to 1,500 people as citizens listened to five of the mayoral

candidates spar over issues ranging from the proposed MLS soccer stadium to police accountability. The candidates that participated were President of the Board of Aldermen Lewis Reed, Treasurer Tishaura Jones, Aldermen Antonio French, Jeﬀrey Boyd and Lyda Krewson, all running as

members of the Democratic Party. These five are largely considered to be the leaders of the field’s pack, despite two more Democratic candidates, three Republicans, a Libertarian and a Green Party candidate who all have tossed their name in the running. The influx of candidates

can largely be attributed to the lack of an incumbent to take on. Current Mayor Francis Slay announced in April of last year that he would not be seeking another term. Having been the mayor since 2001, by the See “Debate” on Page 2

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Campus bars announce last call By HARITA ABRAHAM Contributor

New Kaldi’s location opening Friday at the corner of Vandeventer and Laclede

On Friday, Jan. 27, it was announced that Diablitos is closing. Saint Louis University owns the building and decided to end the lease. According to shift leader Cindy Hausman, it is uncertain what will happen to the property from here on out. “I assume they will use the lot for parking or student housing,” Cindy said. “But we were not really told what would happen to Diablitos.” The building that currently houses Diablitos has had a diverse history. Five years ago, it was a pasta house and before that it was a coﬀee house. Eighteen SLU students will be aﬀected by this closing because of their varying roles as bartenders, waiters and shift leaders at Diablitos. The owner is hoping to retain as many of his employees as possible with his next venture. “The owner plans on opening a smokehouse steakhouse nearby,” said Hausman. This closing comes

shortly after College Night, which Diablitos hosted the night before closing was announced. At College Night, a handful of students managed to get in with fake IDs and, according to Hausman, an anonymous call was made reporting the acceptance of fake IDs at Diablitos. Therefore, there is a lot of speculation that College

Night was the reason for SLU closing Diablitos. “College Night is not the main factor, but it might have played a role in SLU ending the lease,” Hausman said. Diablitos will be open until Valentine’s Day and during this time they will not be doing any more College Nights. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch announced on Jan.

20 that the restorations to Humphrey’s Restaurant & Tavern have been stalled. This comes after the bar was closed on New Year’s for renovations. Entrepreneur Bernie Squitieri bought the building in May with intentions to make the bar a bigger and See “Diablitos” on Page 2

Emma Carmody / The University News

DIABLITOS: Cantina located next to SLU’s campus set to close on Valentine’s Day.

INSIDE SCOOP:

ARTS

SLAM Underground: Art after dark

Women’s basketball triumphs in Pink Out game

An insight from across the pond

Page 5

Page 7

Page 10

SPORTS

OPINION

2 February 2, 2017

NEWS

Debate: Candidates seek to rally support Continued from Page 1

time he leaves office, he will solidify his title as longest serving mayor of the city. With Slay not in the picture, voters must get to know the new candidates entering the race. This has made the debates and forums taking place all over the city all the more vital to the success of each candidate’s campaign. One topic brought up early in the debate was the call by some for candidates polling particularly low, specifically Boyd, to pull out of the race and support another candidate. Boyd insisted that he will stay in the race until the end, and will be proud regardless of the outcome. This response did not sit too well with the audience. The call for stepping out of the race comes from the fact that currently the black vote of the city is split by four contending candidates in the Democratic Party, whereas Krewson is the only white candidate. With the ticket split four ways, it is believed that the candidates may be giving the election to Krewson, the most conservative of the Democratic candidates. Also affecting Krewson’s position as a favorite is that the St. Louis election is an open primary, in which one does not have to be registered to a party to partake in voting. This leads many residents that would normally vote for a GOP candidate to crossover, considering that the last Republican governor left office in 1949. The debate stood in large contrast to those of the presidential election that were seen by millions in 2016. The answers of candidates were not always fully formulated and well articulated. The crowd felt no need to remain quiet if an answer did not appease them. It was a welcome change of pace from the uber-formality of the presidential cycle. Of the candidates it was Jones who received the most vocal support from the crowd throughout the debate. Her plan to raise the minimum wage of St. Louis to $15 an hour was met with uproarious applause.

Despite this strong support, Jones faltered when pressed by candidates about her usage of Slay’s team from his past campaigns. While formulating a response to these attacks was something Jones took issue with, she won back the crowd when elaborating on why she was the only candidate that did not seek the endorsement of the Police Officers Association (POA). Jeff Roorda, the business manager of the POA, has a long history of clashing with critics of the St. Louis Police, such as leaders of the Ferguson protests. “Anyone who stands with Roorda, I cannot support,” Jones proclaimed, which was met with a deafening applause from the audience. Alternately, Krewson was subject to grilling for receiving the endorsement of the POA. When asked whether she would call for the resignation of Roorda, Krewson did not feel it was her place to call for one due to Roorda not being a public official. This statement brought an onslaught of boos and yells from the audience, so much so that it was necessary for the judges to request that the crowd settle down. French gave a strong showing throughout the debate, receiving strong support for answers in which he slammed the proposed soccer stadium and said he would fire the current St. Louis Police Chief on day one. Though he had vocal support of many, the question in play for French’s campaign is his finances, which last reported he had $209.88 on hand. The race will only heat up from now until the primary on March 7 which will decide which direction the city takes for the next four years. There are many more forums with the candidates, giving them plenty of opportunities to continue to clash with one another. Though the outcome is not yet known, this election can be expected to have a record turnout given the heightened political awareness many citizens have shown in recent months.

Emma Carmody / The University News

MAYORAL RACE: Five mayoral candidates speak to the large crowd of students and members of the community.

‘Alt-Right’ propaganda found at SLU Diablitos: SLU’s

The University News

ALT-RIGHT: Cards like the one above were found in the library. On the back were racist slogans and links to neo-Nazi websites. By KYLE SMITH Editor-in-Chief

On Monday, junior Avery Vogt was at his usual study spot on the fourth floor of the Lewis Annex, when he saw something unexpected. “I went to the desk I usually go to to study and there was this card. I did not pay attention to it at first. And then I sat down and looked at it.” It was a black card, approximately three by two inches, which displayed the words “alt-right” in white letters. Behind the letters was a

purple symbol that resembled “part of a swastika,” according to Vogt. On the back of the card, it said, “America was 90 percent white in 1950. It is now 60 percent. Make America Great Again.” Along the bottom were links to several neo-Nazi websites and the phrase, “Trump was the first step. We’re the next.” “I was taken aback. I was surprised to see something like that at SLU, even though I’m sure there are Trump supporters and people who believe in that movement,” he said.

Vogt said he found five other cards like it that had been placed on several desks on the fourth floor of the Lewis Annex. Vogt said he picked up all the ones he saw and threw them away — but not before tearing them to pieces. “I just felt that keeping them intact would let people see them, and I don’t want people to see them,” he said. “Plus, I guess the anger in me kind of just wanted to see them destroyed.” Vogt did not report the cards to anyone, because he had never seen them before and he doubted that many others had seen them, but says he would file a report if he ever saw something like that again. “I keep my eye out now for things like that,” he said. The “alt-right” is a vague term, whose exact meaning and usage varies greatly. First coined by white supremacist Richard Spencer, it is generally used to describe those on the extreme right wing who reject traditional, mainstream conservatism and embrace racist or white supremacist ideologies. This is not the first time an alt-right group has targeted SLU’s campus. In September, junior Ramon Riesgo reported seeing flyers that said “Identity Evropa” outside Griesedeck. The flyers, which depicted the faces of classical-looking marble statues, looked relatively benign. “At first I thought it

was an advertisement for a speaker series,” said Riesgo. Upon further investigation, however, he realized the posters were actually for a white nationalist organization. He reported them to DPS, who removed them the following day. On their website, Identity Evropa lists SLU as one of the schools it has targeted as a part of its “#ProjectSiege,” a campaign which they call “the beginning of a long term cultural war of attrition” against academia. The group claims to have targeted over two dozen campuses by putting up posters and sending representatives to converse with students. It is unknown what person or group produced the cards found on Monday, or if they have any relation to Identity Evropa. Although Pius does not typically permit anyone to distribute promotional material in the library without permission, the library is open to anyone with a photo ID during the day and is commonly frequented by members of the public. Vogt does not seem to think the alt-right will find much of an audience at SLU. When asked if there were many students who might be influenced by cards like the ones he found, Vogt said, “I think it’s a small group of people. I think people at SLU are mostly open-minded and inclusive about this sort of thing.”

favorites meet their maker

Continued from Page 1

enjoying themselves and she considers the event a sucbetter establishment. Now cess, since an estimated 300 it is possible that he might people attended. have other plans for the The bowling bar in the building. Therefore, demobottom of the Moolah apartlition in March is unlikely. ments has also made an atThe fate of Humphrey’s is tempt to replace Pennies. still a mystery and, to add Specials included $1 Natuto that, a lot of Humphrey’s ral Light and PBR, $2 bowlmemorabilia have been put ing and $2 shoe rental from up for sale on eBay. 10 p.m. until 3 a.m. Moolah In the meantime, to fill Dollar Beer Bowling had the void that was the famous about 200 people attend. Penny PitchStudent Edvier Night at nas VaicikausThe fate of Humphrey’s, kas described students have Humphrey’s is still the vibe of the attended event as bea mystery. other alternaing similar to tives: Hu mp h r e y ’s The Liin the sense brary Annex has started that it was more of a social another version of Pennies. place. “Yes there is good Cover here was $5 for an music playing which is loud hour of penny-pitchers runenough to have a good time ning from 11 p.m. to 12 a.m. but not too loud so you can with the DJ beginning at 11 walk around and talk to evp.m. eryone,” Vaicikauskas said. “We wanted to continue “Also the fact that you can the Wednesday tradition bowl, play pool or ping pong and give students an onreally adds to the fun atmocampus bar to hang out at,” sphere.” bartender Morgan Link said. Although, long-time run“The feel was definitely a litning Humphrey’s and Diablitle diﬀerent from late-night tos are closing, there are still Lannex with brighter lights other options for students. and Adam Casanova as DJ Alongside Penny Pitchers at mixing in a few throwbacks.” Library Annex and Moolah According to Link, everyone Dollar Beer Bowling, there is who attended Penny PitchNarwhal’s as well as Mi Caers at the Library Annex was ribe, so not all hope is lost.

NEWS

FEBRUARY 2, 2017

Let Us Introduce You: Peter Charles By KEVIN MUELLER Contributor

Peter Charles is a junior Billiken studying Accounting and Biology. A St. Louis native, Charles has made a concerted eﬀort to engage the campus community through a variety of organizations. Charles will spend 2017 as president of Sigma Phi Epsilon, a fraternity on campus. Moreover, Charles is an active member of Delta Sigma Pi, one of SLU’s business fraternities. These organizations allow Charles to develop his leadership skills and hone his professional interests. Forming friendships through his involvement on campus as well as in the classroom are some of his fondest memories of being a student at SLU. Charles is unique in his pursuit of a double major in two largely unrelated disciplines. “I came to SLU as a premed student, but eventually decided it wasn’t the path for me. However, I still had a deep love for biology. And once I took my first accounting class, I knew I was pas-

Gaby Lawson / The University News

LUIY: Peter Charles is studying Accounting and Biology. He is currently the President of Sigma Phi Epsilon. sionate about that subject as well, so I decided to continue studying both,” said Charles. Going forward, Charles hopes to work in a capacity that allows him to integrate

knowledge from both majors. He appears to be on track to do so, as he currently works as an accounting intern with Express Scripts, a multinational pharmaceu-

tical company based out of St. Louis. Cheering on the Billikens basketball team is one of Charles’ favorite parts of being a student at SLU. During the Bills’ recent game against UMASS, he was selected to participate as a halftime performer. He dressed up as Wendy from the Wendy’s fast food chain and was greeted by a thundering applause from the fans in the stands. During the summer of 2016, Charles spent five weeks studying abroad in Madrid, Spain. “Spending time in Europe was an exciting, eye-opening experience,” Charles said. He enjoyed being pushed outside of his comfort zone in a foreign environment. Exploring the city and enjoying its culture allowed Charles to learn more about himself and people around the world. He also cites his time abroad as a catalyst for his interest in travelling. Since returning, Charles has developed an interest to visit other international regions, including Asia and Africa.

March: Hundreds of thousands participate

Q&A with Peter Charles

Q. Why did you choose SLU?

I knew I wanted to go to a Catholic Jesuit University like my parents. All the universities are located in cities that provide an outside community filled with great concerts, night life and job opportunities. I had a variety of interests in high school and couldn’t decide what I wanted to major in, so I wanted a school with excellent degree programs in Science, Business and Engineering.

Q. What is your favorite restaurant in St. Louis? Humphrey’s (RIP), Mission Taco and Gioia’s.

Q. Any thoughts on the new Billiken?

I grew up with the old logo and that’ll be the Billiken I know and love. The new one is growing on me, though.

THE SLU SCOOP All Information Provided by Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

Wednesday, January 25 12:58 p.m. ATTEMPTED ROBBERY

Courtesy of Elizabeth Daly

LIFE: The Students for Life group assembles after the annual Jesuit Mass for Life at Saint Aloysius Gonzaga Church. President Mike Pence, along with his wife. This was a historic moment as he was the first vice president and highest-ranking oﬃcial to ever speak in the 44 years of the March for Life. He said, “We will continue to win the hearts and minds of the rising generation if our hearts first break for the young mothers and their unborn children.” The vice president also added, “Let this movement be known of love, not anger. Let this movement be known for compassion, not confrontation. When it comes to matters of the heart, there is nothing stronger than gentleness.” At the conclusion of the rally, the marching began near the Washington Monument and spanned nearly two miles, passing the Capitol, and concluding at the U.S. Supreme Court. During

the march, a multitude of signs were seen with slogans such as, “I am the Pro-Life Generation”, “Pro-Women, Pro-Child, Pro-Life”, “Gays for Life”, “Pro-Science, ProWomen, Pro-Life”, “Muslim Feminists for Life”, “9 weeks after conception a female has ovaries and a uterus” and many other signs denoting representation of an organization, a school, a church or a township for life that included places as far as Texas, North Dakota and Kansas. On Saturday, Saint Louis University’s Students for Life attended the 18th Annual Cardinal O’Connor Conference at Georgetown University. The conference began with the keynote speaker, Reggie Littlejohn. She shed light on the atrocities of China’s family planning policies, forced abortions and sex selective abortions. To combat this issue, Littlejohn has created an organization

called Women’s Rights without Frontiers that supports women throughout their pregnancies. Following the keynote speech, there were eight breakout sessions. The breakout sessions included an hour lecture and some

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The march goes beyond a union of faiths and ages. It creates a unified pro-life mindset that can and will fuel change in our country

“

Continued from Page 1

Therese Madison, freshman question and answer. The breakout sessions topics included Pro-Life politics, a nurse’s perspective, the 21st century healthcare challenge, the death penalty and

pro-life feminism. The conference concluded with a panel that included an author and op-ed columnist for the New York Times, the former spokesperson for the president of the U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops and a member of the Vatican’s secretariat for communications. Following the conference, the students attended Mass at Georgetown, with the Auxiliary Bishop of Washington, D.C. as the primary celebrant. The trip ended Sunday morning with the 14-hour trek back to Saint Louis. This trip was an inspiration to many students who attended, including freshman Therese Madison who said, “The march goes beyond a union of faiths and ages. It creates a unified pro-life mindset that can and will fuel change in our country.”

Students return rested after break By ARJUN BAGAI Contributor

It is finally 2017 — a new year, a new start (even a new president). Filled with resolutions, people all over are ready for another exhilarating year. For students, a new year also means a new semester filled with academics, extracurricular activities and fun with friends. Before getting used to another semester, students had the chance to engage in exciting events around the St. Louis area. Luke Wilson, a freshman at SLU, was happy to return to St. Louis. He enjoys ice skating at Steinberg Skating Rink in Forest Park. Wilson also went to eat at World’s Fair Doughnuts before classes began. Located about half

of a mile south of Interstate 44 and near Missouri’s Botanical Garden, World’s Fair Doughnuts has a variety of delicious donuts. Wilson said, “I’ve never tried such amazing donuts in my life. For anyone who loves donuts, this is the place to go.” Once classes started, Wilson felt both exhilarated and overwhelmed. Seeing his old friends, making new friends and meeting professors made for an eventful, exciting syllabus week, but Wilson knows his classes will be diﬃcult and that his schedule will be demanding. Rucha Patel, a sophomore at SLU, went to the Missouri History Museum, located in North Forest Park, where she learned about toys made during the 50s, 60s and 70s.

A few speakers described what it was like playing with the toys assembled 40-60 years ago. From the 80s to now, there has been a major increase in technological innovation. With television rising in popularity, more toys became related to shows. During syllabus week, Patel enjoyed meeting her new professors. She is taking a lot of writing-intensive courses such as creative writing. Every week, she has to write and analyze several papers. Currently, she is writing an essay about a kid who is stuck in a tomb and seeking help. Patel is also excited to go to the InterFaith Alliance meeting because she makes an eﬀort to try to understand diﬀerent faiths

as well as diﬀerent perspectives and interactions. While many students did activities outside of campus, there were also fun events on campus during the first week of school. Winter Welcome, a series of events similar to Fall Welcome, was created to make the first week of school less stressful. There were events like Bingo, SLU Fair and leadership meetings as well as free hot chocolate, among other giveaways. Next Sunday will be important for sports fans. Feb. 5 marks Super Bowl LI. The Atlanta Falcons are taking on the New England Patriots. SLU has many watch parties during the event. Ready for wings? Nachos? Well, let the semester be wild and fun.

After being notified by Student Conduct, the DPS Investigator contacted a student relative to an “Attempted Robbery”, that occurred on 01/21/17, between the time of 12:01am and 12:05am, that he was the victim of. The student revealed he was approached by an individual who displayed a handgun and demanded his property. No property was obtained by the suspect, who fled east in the alley. St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department was called to respond, however advised that due to the delayed reporting, the student would need to contact them by phone to report the incident. The student stated he would contact the police at a later time. Residence Life professional staff notified. The student was not injured and refused counseling. The Saint Louis University Investigator will review camera footage of the area for any helpful information.

Wednesday, January 25 3:02 p.m. PROPERTY DAMAGE Facilities Management employee reported that between 1/20/17 at 7:00pm and 1/25/17 at 10:00am the electrical wiring controlling the elevator in the garage was cut by some unknown person(s) in some unknown manner, causing the elevator to be disabled. The wires were located in the shaft area, and how anyone was able to get into that area is unclear.

Wednesday, January 25 8:49 p.m. STEALING/U500 Female student reported that between 7:35pm and 8:00pm some unknown person(s) removed her SLU ID card, Illinois driver’s license, a Discover credit card, and a key card to her off campus apartment from her jacket as it hung in a “ cubby” hole compartment in the gym area. Student declined to contact Saint Louis Police.

Monday, January 30 9:25 a.m. ACCIDENTAL INJURY DPS was contacted for an escort to employee health. Upon contact with the requestor, the Officer determined that an accidental injury from yesterday (01/29/2017) had gone unreported. The injured employee was repairing a toilet when he cut his left wrist; another facilities employee drove him to SLU ER. His supervisor was notified.

Be a Responsible Billiken STOP. CALL. REPORT. 314-977-3000 witness.slu.edu dps.slu.edu

4 February 2, 2017

GAMES

Games Across 1 5 9 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 21 23 24 27 28 31 32 35 36 38 40 41 43 44 46 47 48 49 51 53 54 55 58 60 64 66 69 71

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University News 1/19/17 Word Search

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Bud holder Sicilian resort Fish hawk “What was ___ do?” Writer LeShan Dry riverbed Desiccated Lasso Aerobic bit Records Comic Sandler Loaﬁng Hot springs Conceit More, in Madrid Toothed tool

Tornado Alley

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Arts Entertainment SLAM: Underground and on point

February 2, 2017 arts@unewsonline.com Natalie Riopelle, Arts Editor Tom Bergan, Assoc. Arts Editor

HBO gets holy

Nadia Sirajuddin / University News

NIGHTTIMING: The Saint Louis Art Museum transformed into the hottest spot in St. Louis this past Friday, with art and music taking center stage around a theme of the Lunar New Year. By NADIA SIRAJUDDIN Contributor

Located on Art Hill, one of Forest Park’s most charming locations, is the majestic white building with five large pillars supporting what is better known as the Saint Louis Art Museum. This top city attraction is open until 5 p.m. almost everyday. Yet who knew that on the last Friday of every month, this museum has a nightlife better known as SLAM Underground? On January’s last Friday, SLAM Underground decided to celebrate the year of the rooster, hosting a Lunar New Year event from 7-10 p.m. Upon entering

the museum, music is heard blasting from downstairs, and the realization strikes. SLAM Underground is a new side to the art museum that no one was expecting. The spacious lobby was almost the same as what it would have looked like in normal daylight hours. One diﬀerence however was a SLAM Underground information desk placed at the center of the lobby, guarding the steps leading downstairs. The employees waited ex-

citedly to oﬀer a flyer filled with the schedule of events and games such as scavenger hunts. On the left, between some paintings, there was another table with patrons building their own paper lanterns. The table was filled with scissors and diﬀerent colored construction paper, bringing back flashbacks of elementary school crafts; downstairs was more tempting to explore. The heart of the night, it was clear to see, lay down-

SLAM Underground is not a distraction from art but an accomplishment.

stairs. Walking right into a dance floor to find the source of the music, 18andCounting, one could witness this DJ bringing some old school flair, using record players to mix his music. Although there was a dance floor, the surrounding art lovers preferred listening to the music while socializing in place. On the left hand side, there were hallways filled with diﬀerent colored vibrant lights making everything look red, yellow, and green depending on the stretch of hallway. On the right hand side, there was an See “Art” on Page 6

Revisiting the fight for Civil Rights “I Am Not Your Negro” hits hard

By CHANDANA KAMARAJ Staff Writer

Raoul Peck masterfully crafts a political documentary, “I Am Not Your Negro,” (produced by Magnolia Pictures) which has its roots in the thoughts and ideas of James Baldwin, who was a social and political activist and an impactful speaker of his time. The film is based on Baldwin’s unfinished novel “Remember This House,” which provides Baldwin’s commentary on the presence

of racism during the civil rights movement along with his personal views on his relationships with Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Starting out as a narrative by Baldwin, voiced by Samuel L. Jackson, the director creates this powerful cinematic masterpiece by adding various political

cartoons, film scenes, reality TV scenes, and scenes from Baldwin himself on a talk show. All these aspects merely emphasize the message that Baldwin was trying to convey to his listening audience. The documentary begins with a shocking scene from “The Dick Cavett Show,” in which Baldwin declares that he feels

Peck flawlessly manages to take Baldwin’s idea and stresses its timeless aspect.

hopeless for the state of racism in America, to which Cavett stares right back at him in awe. The film is woven with various film clips and pictures which explain why Baldwin believes in the certain values he does and convinces the audience that there is a visible sense of hopelessness regarding racism in America. Peck makes sure to add pieces of Baldwin’s own See “Peck” on Page 6

Photo Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures

HISTORY: An image from “I Am Not Your Negro” shows the crowd that gathered at the Lincoln Memorial for the historic March On Washington which took place on Aug. 28, 1963.

Courtesy of HBO

BLESSED: Jude Law portrays Pope Pius XII in HBO’s newest series that is already creating a buzz. son, which feels organic in this fictional world of politics and church intrigue. Law does a fantastic job In need of a new bingedisplaying extreme condeworthy HBO mini-series sescension, humor and style in ries after “Game of Thrones” the traditionally bland and or “Westworld”? “The Young mundane world of the papaPope”, starring Jude Law as cy and Vatican community the revolutionary protagoat large. nist is an electric new series Although his responses worth your attention. to church matters are abWith a fantastic cast instract and absurd occasioncluding Jude Law, Diane ally, Law’s charisma sells his Keaton, and others, “The actions so well that you folYoung Pope” is both captilow along and even side with vating and bizarre even from him and wish for more of his the opening credits. With all craziness. the overarching themes of Furthermore, Law does Christianity and faith, the a great job conveying the series does not pull punches, complex emotion of a pope is surprisingly dark at times who struggles deeply not and quite funny overall. only with faith and leading “The Young Pope” cena church of over one billion ters on Law’s character people, but also with the Lenny Belardo, or Pope Pius personal ramifications and XIII (‘your holiness’), the problems he has with human first American Pope in the connection, likely a result of Catholic church, and his being abandoned by his parmysterious past and path to ents at such a the popedom. young age. The poLaw’s charisma Another litical intrigue of being the sells his actions so real standout leader of the well that you follow among the cast OrlanRoman Cathoalong and even isdo’sSilvio character, lic Church is side with him and Cardinal Voiexplored in great detail wish for more of his ello, the Cardinal Secretary and is one of craziness. of State and the stranger main conspiraaspects of the tor against Bechurch, with lardo initially. wily cardinals (ie. Voiello) Orlando is a cunning cartrying to out think and overdinal who prefers to rule the step Belardo throughout the Vatican behind the scenes, series, and Belardo balancforcing many tense confroning them out on his own tations between himself and quest for truth. Belardo. What makes the show reBelardo’s and Voiello’s inally fun is Law’s portrayal of dividual quests for power are Lenny Belardo, and his great magnetic on the screen, as chemistry with Diane Keeach tries to supercede the aton, who plays Sister Mary, other with each move, creatand the rest of the fantastic ing a political and religious cast. Sister Mary is a nun and battle royale. Overall, “The mentor of Belardo’s, and she Young Pope” is a refreshgets selected to be a member ing HBO original that can of his small council at the beintrigue all audiences—reginning of the show, indicatligious or not. It touches on ing their close relationship. many human issues, such as In fact, Sister Mary and doubt, faith, desire and failLenny have an extended hisure in very interesting and tory together, as she raised enchanting ways. him from a young age in her Jude Law’s performance orphanage after Belardo’s is especially commendable parents abandoned him. and his complex nature as Thus, the relationship Pope and entertainer is a between Belardo and Sister thrill to view. Mary is that of a mother and By SEAN KELSO Contributor

6 February 2, 2017 What’s up in STL this week?

ARTS

‘Silence’ makes a deafening boom By Karl O’Brien Contributor

Aaron Carter Feb. 4, 8 p.m. The Ready Room The “I Want Candy” singer from everyone’s childhood will transport the crowd to the early 2000s.

“Moonlight” In Theatres Now With eight Oscar nominations, this story of a young man finding himself is told through three chapters of his life.

“Constellations” Through Feb. 5 The Repertory Theatre Utilize the $10 student rush offered at the Rep to witness a story of many worlds in this two person show.

CAM Spring Exhibits Through Apr. 16 Contemporary Art Musem

An aspect of history, and especially Jesuit history, that often does not receive much attention, is the Jesuits’ time in feudal Japan during the 17th century. Though seemingly trivial, this episode shaped many Japanese apprehensions toward contact with the West until the arrival of Commodore Matthew Perry in the 1850s. Such is the scene for “Silence,” a poignant, underrated film that speaks urgently to the notion of staying true to one’s convictions in the midst of hostility. The film represents the culmination of a 28-year eﬀort by director Martin Scorsese to adapt an American film from the 1966 novel by Japanese author Shusaku Endo. He pulled out all the stops in what is set to be one of his most thought-provoking works. The film begins with two Portuguese Jesuits, Sebastio Rodrigues (Andrew Garfield) and Francisco Garupe (Adam Driver) discover that their mentor, Father Cristovao Ferreira (Liam Neeson) has renounced his faith under pain of torture and has not been heard from since his last letter. The two decide to head to Japan to search for Father Ferreira, with the help of a Japanese Christian convert named Kichijiro. Once they reach Japan, they struggle to hide amongst the Japanese converts, but ultimately fall into the trap of the samurai governor of Nagasaki, Inoue Masashige. Rodrigues and

Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

JESUITS: Liam Neeson is front and center as a Jesuit Priest whose goal of missionizing of the people of Japan goes awry. Historical accuracy was paramount in the film’s creation. Garupe bear witness to not only their suffering, but also to that of the Japanese Christians, and begin to wonder if their attempts to spread Christianity are really worth the needless suffering that their faith admonishes them to endure for the sake of Christ. Though “Silence” has been rated R for “some disturbing violent content,” torture scenes are kept to a minimum, but are highly effective when they do occur, serving as a means to further complicate Rodrigues’ and Garupe’s already troubled psyches. Scorsese effectively directs a film that relies more on psychological torment to help the audience connect with the struggles of his protagonists. In many places, the film lives up to its name, utilizing

a minimal musical score to convey the sounds that can be heard in silence—whether they be crickets, the roar of the ocean, the rustling wind, thoughtful medita-

[Scorsese] pulled out all the stops in what is set to be one of his most thoughtprovoking works. tion or psychological agony. This was a device that Scorsese also used to great eﬀect in his psychological thriller “Shutter Island.” The camera angles often widely pan to give a more detached perspective to the story, allowing the viewer to feel an even

Peck creates triumph Continued from Page 5 childhood, such as the time Baldwin had a white female teacher, named “Bill Miller,” who provided a lot of support to Baldwin’s learning and took him to films and plays from which he realized that he could never hate white people. As Baldwin grew up he continued to watch films notably starring the likes of Sidney Poitier and Harry Belafonte from which he drew memorable perceptions of the societal norms. Peck correctly identifies Baldwin’s love for film and intertwines specific scenes from films such as “The Defiant Ones,” which portrays how the black man continues to save the white man, which might not necessarily be how the relationship works when roles are switched, such as in the film “They Won’t Forget,” in which Clinton Rosemond

plays a murder suspect. Peck flawlessly manages to take Baldwin’s idea and stresses its timeless aspect, by mirroring some of Baldwin’s speeches with Barack Obama’s election, the Ferguson incident, and the Nazi uproar. By doing this, Peck proves that the problem of racism that was relevant during the Civil Rights Movement is equally as relevant now, and that Baldwin would probably have the same reaction to these current events. The highlights of the film that make it so influential are both the specificity in the visuals that are chosen and the choice to voice Samuel L. Jackson as James Baldwin. Visually, Peck seems to handpick pictures that express Baldwin’s feelings through his memories such as the pictures from the death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., or even the pictures of both Malcolm X and Bald-

win when they share conversations, as Jackson compares and contrasts their moral and political values through narration. Peck masterfully changes out the visuals, some black and white and some in color to create power through the story. Peck makes a strong choice when opting for Jackson as the voice of Baldwin, who instead of an impersonation, piercingly narrates Baldwin’s thoughts with his deep voice. Peck explores the message of Baldwin that racism is not the problem, but the problem instead lies within American perception itself. With an assortment of shocking visuals and the impactful voice of Samuel L. Jackson, who delves into the character of Baldwin, “I Am Not Your Negro” comes out right in time for Black History Month with a tale of a black man’s truth regarding racism in America.

The spring exhibitions at CAM showcases four artists whose work ranges from photography to the abstract.

Teatopia Cherokee Street The newly opened shop focuses on providing a high quality and wide ranging selection of tea.

Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures

PROTEST: Above is an actual photo taken during an anti-integration protest in Little Rock, Arkansas. The film uses historical photos throughout, adding to its poignancy.

greater sense of powerlessness to intervene as the story takes a turn for the worse. Perhaps because the source material is a novel by a Japanese author, the film depicts the philosophical and cultural obstacles the Jesuits must cross to spread Christianity in great detail. This is especially important when Inoue tells Rodrigues that Japan is a “swamp” where new ideas do not easily take root. When one considers the isolation Japan experienced as an island nation for much of its history, and the isolation it imposed upon Western visitors, the idea of the “swamp” becomes all the more poignant. For a time, Western travelers could enter Japan unhindered. However, as the ruling shoguns realized the

power Christianity had to sway the population, they confined all foreigners, by this point only Dutch traders, to the island of Nagasaki, where many died of starvation. Despite its remarkable historical accuracy, critical praise, and unflinching depiction of serious subject matter, “Silence” has made only $12.5 million at the box oﬃce on a $40 million budget and only received one Oscar nomination for Best Cinematography. However, this lackluster reception should not deter potential viewers, especially those familiar with Martin Scorsese’s work. He has added yet another quality film to his repertoire, and a deeply meditative film that, if a pun can be excused, deserves no more silence about it.

Art at night

Nadia Sirajuddin / University News

ART: The Saint Louis Art Museum lights up inside and out during SLAM Underground. Continued from Page 5 enticing cash bar that many took advantage of along with a fancy photo booth. With a large moon as the background, and plenty of props, the photographer suggested poses, ensuring the perfect complimentary keepsake from the night. Walking past the bar and photo booth was an auditorium, from where you could hear people shouting in unison, “one more song! One more song!” The up-and-coming band, SO MANY DYNAMOS, treated SLAM Underground to two performances that night. Having unfortunately arrived only for the final seconds of their last show, a proper assessment of the music could not be made. However, one thing was for sure; the band must have given a solid show if most of the audience had formed a mosh pit at the front of the stage, and furthermore seats were still filled as well. SLAM Underground was a flashy event, but still managed to not steal any atten-

tion away from the true treasures of the museum that lay upstairs. Almost every exhibit was still open, and while downstairs was crowded with people, there were equally as many art enthusiasts roaming around the exhibits. From high school students to thirty-year-old couples on a date, there were a variety of ages found on every floor of the museum. SLAM Underground is not a distraction from the art but an accompaniment. It is an invitation to come experience the aesthetics of numerous artists, but also to socialize in a setting where all art lovers are brought together under one roof. This February, St. Louis Art Museum is releasing a new exhibit called Art in Bloom. If an opportunity arises the last Friday night of the month, why not make a trip to the free of charge SLAM Underground? See what the new exhibit is about, all while meeting new people and discovering new music along the way.

Sports

February 2, 2017 sports@unewsonline.com Lauren Tondl, Sports Editor Vivek Gorijala, Assoc. Sports Editor

Women take down three top conference competitors By LAUREN TONDL Sports Editor

The women’s basketball team took care of business on their home court, taking down two tough conference competitors, George Washington and Fordham. SLU is now in second place behind Dayton in the current A-10 standings. George Washington brought their A-game. SLU took the lead in the first quarter with a 9-3 lead, but the Colonials answered with 16 points in the tail end of the period. The Billikens trailed George Washington, 19-16. However, the women had the momentum going their way as they entered the second quarter. SLU outscored George Washington, 11-2, in the first two minutes of play to take a 23-21 advantage. GW walked into the locker room with the upper hand, leading 32-29. SLU battled through a tough third quarter and through nine lead changes between teams. SLU found the hoop last, however, taking a 48-46 lead going into the last quarter of play. The Billiken defense buckled down in the beginning of the fourth quarter, only allowing two points in five minutes. A back-to-back 3-point play and 3-pointer from sophomore guard Jordyn Frantz allowed the Billikens to put the nails in the

Saint Louis Athletics

GAME PLAN: The women’s team gathers together in a huddle before the annual Billikens Pink Out game in Chaifetz Arena. They defeated Fordham easily, 82-58. coﬃn, taking a 56-48 lead. Sophomore guard Kerri McMahan also finished two critical free throws to push the lead to 62-55 with two minutes. George Washington found a slight spark at the end of the game, putting in two baskets with 30 seconds left. The Colonials came within three, but more Billiken free throws squandered their chances. SLU came away victorious, 67-59. Turnovers were critical to this matchup. Both teams

conceded 18 turnovers, but SLU was able to capitalize on the chances more eﬃciently. They outscored George Washington, 24-11, in points oﬀ turnovers. Head coach Lisa Stone commented on the game. “We had some people step up when we needed them to. We needed this one. When you’re at home, you have to protect your home court, and we did enough to hang on.” Kemph also discussed the defense and shift in momen-

tum in the second half. “We just weren’t being ourselves. We all knew it needed to be better. Coach Stone got on us, so our defense picked up in the second half.” SLU remained at home to face Fordham in their annual Billikens Pink Out Game and drew a crowd of 6,157. The women won handily, 82-58. While Fordham was towards the top of the rankings in the A-10, SLU had no problem See “Women” on page 8

Swim and dive win double on senior day

Saint Louis Athletics

REACH: Sophomore guard Jordyn Frantz lunges toward the basket. She put up 16 points and four assists.

Billikens 1-1 on the week By BOBBY STILWELL Staff Writer

Saint Louis Athletics

SENIORITY: The seniors of the men’s and women’s swim and dive team pose in front of the pool at the Simon Rec Center. Both teams dominated, with the men and women defeating UMSL and Maryville handily. By MORGAN HOWARD Contributer

This weekend the Saint Louis University Swim and Dive team had a meet at home against University of Missouri, St. Louis and Maryville. Both women’s and men’s teams swam a great meet leading the teams both in a 2-0 victory. The men won vs. Maryville, 134-33 and took home another win vs.

CHEER

UMSL, 117-58. The women won vs. Maryville, 143-49 as well as a win vs. UMSL, 14249. The team won all but two events during the meet moving the men’s team to a 10-2 win for the season and the women 8-9. Saturday, the seniors celebrated their last home meet of the season and ended with a killer finish. The year’s seniors of the team include T. J. Decker, Nick Jessee, Austin Nguyenphu, Bre

JEER WHO TO CHEER ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC The nomadic Swedish striker, despite settling into Manchester United this season, has amassed 14 goals in the EPL, good for second-most behind Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez and Chelsea’s Diego Costa at 15 goals. Ibrahimovic continues to defy his age, scoring a copious amount of goals for a 35-year-old.

for a great final meet of the season. The Billikens showcased tremendous talent, strength and dedication at this weekend’s meet, proving they are the best swim and dive team out there. We look forward to seeing how the team swims for the next 2017-2018 season. The team is traveling to Geneva, Ohio Wednesday, Feb. 15 until Saturday, Feb. 18 for the Atlantic 10 Conference to showcase their skills.

Anderson, Olivia Garrett, Haley Debandt, Alexa Gross and Katee Housner. Gross placed first in the Women’s 100- yard Freestyle finishing with a time of 54.27. Garrett placed first in the Women’s 100- yard Backstroke finishing with a time of 1:00.02. Jessee placed first in the Men’s 100-yard Freestyle finishing with a time of 48.03. Congratulations to the seniors who placed first as well as the rest of the seniors

SLU Men’s Basketball traveled to Washington D.C. on Sat., Jan. 28 to face conference foe George Washington. Despite a strong start and halftime lead, George Washington rallied near the end of the game to defeat the Billikens 63-55. The Billikens had a fast start, making their first eight shots from the field and first five 3-point shots. SLU built a lead as large as 13 points in the first half, led by junior guard Davell Roby who scored eight. SLU took a 29-23 lead to the locker room. The largest lead for the Billikens in the second half was 10, off a 3-pointer by redshirt freshman Elliott Welmer with 12:40 remaining to play. GW rallied with an 8-0 run to cut the lead to two, but the lead again jumped back to five with a 3-pointer from a senior guard Mike Crawford. GW tied the game again minutes later, but Roby hit a trey of his own to put the Billikens on top again. Crawford put the Billikens on top for the final time with 4:24 left after a 3-point play. With less than three minutes to go, GW received points from Pat-

rick Steeves, who hit a basket and Jaren Sina, who hit a trey. SLU was never able to regain the lead. Notables for SLU in this game were Welmer, who shot 7-11 from the field and 4-7 from the arc, scoring 18; Roby, who shot 5-12, scoring 13; and Crawford, who scored eight and pulled down seven rebounds. In contrast to the U-Mass game, where SLU attempted a school record 55 free throws, SLU only attempted six. SLU falls to 6-15 on the year and 2-7 in the A-10. SLU Men’s Basketball hosted George Mason in an A-10 matchup Wed., Feb. 1, winning 76-74 in double overtime. SLU got on the board early, winning the tip-off and scoring off a 3-pointer from junior guard Aaron Hines. Mason broke a scoring drought with a layup at 7:17. This was the start of a 6-0 run, giving Mason a 24-19 lead heading into the third media timeout at 5:57. Junior guard Davell Roby hit a pair of free throws in the final minute to cut the lead to two. Redshirt freshman Elliott See “Men” on Page 8

FEAR WHO TO JEER ST. LOUIS CARDINALS The Cardinals were fined two draft picks and $2 million because Chris Correa hacked into the player database of the Houston Astros. Correa has been given a 46-month jail term. While some argue that a larger penalty was required, the good news is that an individual, not the entire organization, was behind it all.

WHO TO FEAR BOSTON CELTICS For a team that never dipped into free agency to sign brandname superstars, the Celtics are doing well for themselves. They are second in the Eastern Conference and are on a 4-game winning streak. While they’re worse than the Cavaliers on paper, anything can happen when teams reach the playoffs.

8 February 2, 2017 Tweet of the week

@SportsCenter

Lebron James has heard enough from Charles Barkley. Barkley a ‘hater.’

Scores from the week Men’s Basketball Billikens 55 GW 63 Despite holding onto the lead for the majority of the game, the men dropped the decision to the Colonials to fall to 2-7 in conference play. Redshirt freshman center Elliott Welmer led the team with 18 points.

Billikens 76 George Mason 74 Senior guard Mike Crawford had 24 points against George Mason. Two of his points came on a gamewinning layup in double overtime.

Women’s Basketball Billikens 67 GW 59 The Colonials gave SLU a run for their money in the final quarter of the game, but SLU ended their chances by converting on key free throws.

Billikens 82 Fordham 58 SLU dominated Fordham in the annual Billikens Pink Out game, taking an early lead. Senior center Sadie Stipanovich had 22 points.

Billikens 81 Massachusetts 60 Junior guard Jenny Vliet and sophomore guard Jordyn Frantz led Billikens scorers against Massachusetts with 16 points each.

Women’s Tennis Billikens 1 SEMO 6 The Billikens lost only one match to SEMO. Women’s Swim and Dive Billikens 142 UMSL 49 Billikens 143 Maryville 49 Senior Olivia Garrett placed first in the women’s 100yard backstroke with a time of 1:00.02. The seniors were honored for their time on the team before the meet began at the Simon Rec Center.

Men’s Swim and Dive Billikens 117 UMSL 58 Billikens 134 Maryville 33 Senior Nick Jessee placed first in the men’s 100-yard freestyle, finishing with a time of 48.03. The seniors were honored before the meet in at the Simon Rec Center.

SPORTS

This week in sports Thursday, Feb. 2

Friday, Feb. 3

Saturday, Feb. 4

Sunday, Feb. 5

Monday, Feb. 6

Tuesday, Feb. 7

Wednesday, Feb. 8

St. Louis Blues Track & Field Women’s Tennis Women’s Basketball St. Louis Blues St. Louis Blues Women’s Tennis 7 p.m. v. Toronto Maple Meyo Invitational @ South 4:30 p.m. @ SIUE 3 p.m. v. Saint Joseph’s 6:00 p.m. @ Philadelphia 6:30 p.m. @ Ottawa Sen- 12:15 p.m. v. Murray State Leafs Bend, Ind. Men’s Tennis Flyers ators Men’’s Basketball Track & Field 6 p.m. v. Oral Roberts 6 p.m. @ St. Bonaventure Don DeNoon Invitational Men’s Basketball Women’s Basketball @ Carbondale, Ill. 7 p.m. v. North Carolina 7 p.m. v. VCU Men’s and Women’s A&T Tennis 12 p.m. v. Quincy

Track surpasses two records in Thundering Herd Invitational By VIVEK GORIJALA Associate Sports Editor

A trip to the East Coast proved quite successful for the track and field team. Several Billikens performed well and some even broke school records at the Thundering Herd Invitational at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. Senior Griffin McCurren broke the school record in the men’s 400-meter with a time of 49.54, which edges out the previous record of 49.61. The time was set last year by senior Nathan Hall. Sophomore field athlete Jaryn Blackshear-Bryant recorded 4,272 points in the heptathlon, squeaking past his own school record, set last year, of 4,268 points. SLU head coach Jon Bell was pleased with the performances. “This was a good weekend for our student athletes. The men were able to set two new school records and achieve numerous other PRs. The

women’s team followed suit with a large collection of PRs and seasonal best performances. We are looking forward to a good week of practice and concluding our regular season at Notre Dame and SIUC this next weekend,” Bell said. On the men’s side, sophomore Tannock Blair finished fourth in the 800-meter with a time of 1:53.86. Sophomore Colton Nettleton finished eighth in the mile with a time of 4:20.42. SLU men’s 4x400 relay team, composed of senior Kyle Clinkingbeard, sophomore Will Moore, senior Josh Freivogel and McCurren recorded a time of 3:21.21. Sophomore Bobby Jansen finished fourth in the high jump jumping 1.95 meters. Senior Michael Reader finished fifth with a recorded jump that was also 1.95 meters. Blackshear-Bryant’s score of 4,272 was good enough for sixth in the heptathlon event. The women also had

Continued from Page 7

Saint Louis Athletics

JUMP: Sophomore Jaryn Blackshear-Bryant competes in the hurdles at the Thundering Herd Invitational. top-eight performances. Junior Elise Moore finished third in the 800-meter with a time of 2:15.17 and senior Emma Kidd finished fifth with a time of 2:15.67. The 800 proved to be a strong event for the women, as the sixth place finisher was SLU junior Katherine Kelly, with a time of 2:15.93. Finally, the 4x400 relay team

of senior Hannah Rohde, sophomore Ann Harlos, senior Marina White and sophomore Avery Pacella finished eighth in the event with a time of 3:58.28. Next up for the Billikens will be meets at Eastern Illinois and Notre Dame. The team will be split between the two meets on Friday, Feb. 3.

Women’s tennis wins handily, defeats SEMO 6-1 By VIVEK GORIJALA Associate Sports Editor

SLU women’s tennis got back to winning ways with a 6-1 victory over Southeast Missouri on Feb. 1. Several Billikens performed well in the meet, and SLU women’s tennis got back to a .500 2-2 record after playing against Southeast Missouri. Singles competitions went well for the Billikens, as SLU only lost one match. SLU senior Eleonore Tchakarova defeated Southeast Missouri’s Isabella Krupa, by a comprehensive score of 6-2, 6-1. Her sister, SLU senior Verginie Tchakarova, won her match as well, over Southeast Missouri’s

O. Doroshenko, by a score of 4-6, 6-1, 6-2. SLU’s only loss came in two sets on the third court, as Southeast M i s s o u r i ’s Kseniya Zonova defeated SLU sophomore Ally McKenzie by a score of 6-4, 6-0. T h e f o u r t h matchup brought back a SLU victory, with SLU freshman Cassie McKenzie winning her match against Southeast Missouri’s Annisa Warasanti by a score of 6-2, 4-6, 6-2.

By LAUREN TONDL Sports Editor

This past weekend, SLU’s club volleyball team competed in the Billikens Ranking Tournament at Simon Rec Center, taking home first place and only dropping one set. The Bills defeated Bellarmine in the final game, winning 25-18, 25-21. The team started out the day by dominating in pool play, winning all three matches. They defeated SIUE, 17-25, 25-13, 15-6. Their stellar performance helped them sweep the other competition, taking down Lewis, 25-14, 25-18, and Illinois State, 27-25, 25-18. The matchup against Illinois State in pool play was a big win, as it was their toughest competitor of the day and gave them a ticket into the gold bracket. Due to pool play results, SLU drew Illinois State in the first round of the playoffs. They had no problem beating them a second time, 25-17, 25-18. Then, the women faced Arkansas in the semifinals, winning 25-21, 25-17. SLU took first place over Bellarmine to end the tournament. The squad has been competing all year, having full rosters for an A and a B team. Both teams are stacked with former high school players that chose to try out for the club team,

Then, SLU freshman Mariluz Rojo Domingo defeated Southeast Missouri’s Mila Majtan by a score of 7-5, 6-4, to bring a victory in the fifth match. The sixth and final singles match also went to SLU, with freshman Ariana Rodriguez defeating Southeast M i s s o u r i ’s Anais Emelie by a score of 6-4 in both sets. The doubles matchups also went well for the Billikens, as SLU swept Southeast

SLU women’s tennis got back to winning ways with a 6-1 victory over SEMO...

Club volleyball wins at home bringing their competitive energy and dedication back on the court. Sophomore Jen Brennan is currently an outside hitter for the A team. “Since I wasn’t playing a varsity sport in college, I wanted to continue playing at a high level,” she said. Brennan further commented on the team’s success this past weekend. “This was one of the best I’ve seen us play. I’ve watched these girls practice for about two years now, and the communication, execution and energy was all there,” she said. They will continue to compete this semester in another ranking tournament at Ohio State this weekend, then again in Cincinnati after SLU’s spring break. Their end goal, the national tournament, is in Kansas City. Their results in the ranking tournaments will determine their placement in the nationals bracket. The team is striving to continue their success and ultimately go as far as possible in nationals. “Our team is really dedicated and passionate about the game,” Brennan said. “We work well as a team and do the best we can every chance we have to play. Speaking for the team, I believe we want to continue playing the best volleyball we can and come out on top.”

Women: 9-2 home record

Missouri in all three matches. The first pitted SLU’s Tchakarova sisters against Doroshenko and Krupa, and the Tchakarovas won their match 6-4. The SLU McKenzie sisters then won their doubles match against Southeast Missouri’s Emelie and Zonova, by a score of 6-3. Finally, SLU’s Rodriguez and Rojo Domingo won their doubles match 6-1 against Southeast Missouri’s A. Canahuate-Torres and Joanne Hollings. Next up for the Billikens will be a home encounter against Quincy, which will once again take place at the St. Clair Tennis Club in O’Fallon, Missouri, on Feb. 3.

dominating the squad by almost 30 points. Frantz opened up the game by sinking a 3-pointer on the first possession. SLU led, 12-2, after just three minutes of play, and drew ahead, 23-13. Fordham came out stronger in the second quarter when they scored the first five points, but SLU took the permanent lead and finished the half with a 9-0 spurt to lead, 39-29. SLU continued to dominate oﬀensively in the second half as well as frustrating Fordham’s attack to win the game. The women shot 50 percent from behind the arc, their best in an A-10 game this season. The Billikens put on an impressive defensive performance as well. They held the Rams to 36.1 percent overall and 10 percent from the 3-point line. Senior center Sadie Stipanovich put up 22 points, the game-high. She moved into fourth place on SLU’s career scoring list with 1,395 points. The SLU women continued their domination of conference opponents with an 81-60 drubbing of Massachusetts. Junior guard Jenny Vliet and Frantz led the team in scoring with 16 points each. Meanwhile, Kemph was just behind with 14 points, and Stipanovich also contributed 14 points. Stipanovich’s 14 points came alongside 10 rebounds, giving her a double-double for the game. SLU will hope to continue their oﬀensive explosions as they continue to cruise through conference play. Next up for the Billikens will be home Atlantic 10 games against St. Joseph’s and Virginia Commonwealth.

Men: SLU beats GMU on last-second layup Continued from Page 7

Welmer hit a layup with 36 seconds left to tie the game up, and SLU headed to the half tied at 27-27. SLU was trailing 35-29 with 18:22 left in the second half, but rallied back to trail 38-34 with 16:15 to play. Hines stole the ball and hit a trey to bring SLU within one with 14:36 to go. SLU had a brief 4-0 run that pushed them to a 5045 lead with 7:23 to play. George Mason rallied back, leading 54-53 with 3:30 left. Senior guard Mike Crawford hit a pair of free throws to put SLU up 5554 with 2:43 left in the second half. The teams battled back and forth right down to the wire, but Mason hit a free throw to tie the game at 59-59. Nobody else scored, sending the game to overtime. The teams battled back and forth throughout overtime and Welmer tied the game up 64-64 with a free throw, sending the game to double overtime. SLU trailed by as much as five, but SLU eventually regained the lead. A pair of Mason free throws later tied the game up at 74-74, but Crawford answered with a last second layup to win it. Crawford led the team with 24 points and six rebounds, shooting 8-12 from the field. Agbeko hit 17,

Saint Louis Athletics

EYES UP: Redshirt junior Aaron Hines looks over at the bench during their game against the Dayton Flyers. grabbed seven rebounds, and shot 7-12. Roby scored 12, notched five assists, and went 6-7 from the free throw line. SLU hosts North Carolina A&T Sat., Feb. 4 for a 7 p.m. tip-off. Next up for SLU is an out-of-conference matchup vs. North Carolina A&T. Tip-off is scheduled for 7

p.m. Sat., Feb. 4 at Chaifetz Arena. Afterwards, SLU will resume their conference schedule with an away matchup against St. Bonaventure, before returning to take on Duquesne and Dayton at home at Chaifetz Arena. SLU will hope to improve on their poor 6-16 overall record this season.

Opinions Editorials

February 2, 2017 opinion@unewsonline.com Trevor Rogan, Opinion Editor

Editorials are opinion pieces written by the Editorial Board of The University News. The editorials printed in this space represent the opinion of The University News. Commentaries and Letters to the Editor represent the opinions of the signed authors, but do not necessarily represent the opinions of The University News.

SLU should become a sanctuary campus In allegiance with its student body and with its Mission, Saint Louis University should declare its campus a sanctuary to all students, including to all immigrants, no matter their status as citizens or not. Since the election, undocumented students across the country have felt less safe, and by declaring its status as a sanctuary campus, SLU would relieve students’ fears of deportation. The current administration headed by President Trump promised increased deportation of undocumented immigrants on the campaign trail last fall, and the president’s executive order, which denies funds to “sanctuary cities,” penalizes communities that protect immigrants from scrutiny. These sanctuary cities, which include New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, protect undocumented immigrants by limiting their local police forces’ execution of federal law; in these cities, the police only detain undocumented immigrants if they have committed crimes. In a similar manner, a sanctuary campus would order its security oﬃcials not to question students about their immigration status. Students may be especially susceptible to the current administration’s deportation eﬀorts because of former President Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy, which was established by an executive order in 2012. The policy allowed immigrants who entered the U.S. as minors to avoid deportation so long as they were currently in school, had graduated high school or were honorably dis-

Sophie Lappe / Illustrator charged from the military. Now this executive order faces a threat from Trump, who has the power to singlehandedly overturn it. The undocumented immigrants who applied for DACA status would then be vulnerable to deportation, and the government would be able to find them because they identified themselves to the federal government when applying for deferred status. Most of the immigrants that applied for DACA status reside in California and Texas, but no matter the number of undocumented students currently enrolled at SLU, the University should stand with its students against the Trump administration’s executive order. Undocumented immigrants may not be citizens, but they are people—they are our neighbors and co-

workers, our friends and fellow students. They are major contributors to our country, giving roughly $12 billion in taxes each year, according to Politifact. These people do not receive the same benefits, such as Social Security, that citizens receive from the tax dollars they contribute. On the other hand, President Trump, the man who wants to deport these undocumented immigrants, has not paid a dime in income taxes for almost 20 years. Undocumented immigrants do not pose the threat to our country that individuals like Trump have claimed. The Center for Immigration Studies, a nonprofit research organization that is against granting legal status to undocumented immigrants, has not found that undocumented immigrants are more likely to commit crimes. “There’s no evidence that immigrants are either

more or less likely to commit crimes than anyone else in the population,” Janice Kephart, a CIS researcher, said in 2015. In calling upon the University to declare its campus a sanctuary, we acknowledge the University Mission, which states that the University “welcomes students, faculty and staﬀ from all racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds and beliefs and creates a sense of community that facilitates their development as men and women for others.” In this statement, the University urges students to contribute to the rest of society and create an environment where all people feel safe. Through declaring sanctuary status, the University achieves this end. In addition, the University “fosters programs that link University resources to local, national and international communities in collaborative eﬀorts to alleviate ignorance, poverty, injustice and hunger; extend compassionate care to the ill and needy; and maintain and improve the quality of life for all persons.” In these circumstances, those in need are the University’s students and the collective students of the U.S., which include those whom may be undocumented. If the University intends to “improve the quality of life for all persons,” it must know that by making such a statement, what follows is a declaration in kind—one maintaining that this campus is safe for all. There is a petition on change.org that calls on Saint Louis University to declare sanctuary status for its campus. The petition currently has over 700 signatures.

Letters

to the editor The University News reserves the right not to publish any letters that are deemed intentionally and/ or inappropriately inflammatory, more than the 300word limit or unsigned by the orginal author. The following are letters and/or website comments. Because the identities of website posters cannot be verified, all website comments should be treated as anonymous. Actual letters to the editor may be submitted online at unewsonline.com or e-mailed to opinion@unewsonline.com. Please include your cell phone number.

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Quotes of the Week

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We were not really told what would happen to Diablitos.

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Cindy Hausman, Diablitos shift leader, page 1

Plus the anger in me just kind of wanted to see them destroyed. Avery Vogt, junior, page 2

‘I Am Not Your Negro’ comes out...in time for Black History Month with a tale of a black man’s truth regarding racism in America. Chandana Kamaraj, sophomore, page 5

UNews shares their favorite Super Bowl memories Megan H: My favorite Super Bowl memory was when the Seahawks were playing the Patriots. I went to a party at my friend’s house. There were tons of people, food and games. During the game, my friend’s mom took two crock pot lids and challenged the people sitting on the couches to throw pillows at her as she moved through the minefield of seats. Bravely deflecting the missiles, she arrived to the kitchen safely. Now that’s some good entertainment. Vivek G: The very first Super Bowl that I remember was the Patriots against the Rams, way back in the 2001 season. I listened to it on the radio, because my parents forced us to go outside to do some shopping. Listening to the announcers on the radio was surreal because I could imagine every play that they were describing, and the ex-

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cited voices of the commentators during the game-winning field goal are still seared into my mind. Megan A: My favorite Super Bowl memory was also my first gambling experience. Every year, my family goes to a friend’s party; that particular year they decided to play a betting game. Each participant bets on what they think the score will be at the end of each quarter and whoever guesses right wins the money. I couldn’t tell you what the names of the teams playing that year were but I can tell you I won three out of four quarters with a grand total of $25. We’re not betting people. Tom B: Being as big of a fan of the arts as I am, the halftime show has always been my favorite part of the Super Bowl. While I look back at the iconic 2007 performance of Prince in awe

now, I didn’t fully appreciate it at the time of the game. My favorite of more recent memory is Katy Perry’s performance in 2015. The giant lion that she rode in on, the dancing sharks, it was all a grand spectacle in which I enjoyed every second. I am hoping Lady Gaga pushes her way to number one on my list this Sunday, though. Kendra R: Most of the year, I couldn’t care less about football (and most other sports), but when Super Bowl Sunday rolls around, I become a bit of a fanatic. I love the atmosphere of the event: the snacks, the competition, the commercials, the halftime show. I always end up emphatically rooting for the team least likely to win because I love a good underdog story. I remember as a child, I would pick the team that had the prettiest colors or the coolest mas-

cot, but I have a much better system now—root for the team that does poorly so they don’t feel bad about themselves. Trevor R: One of my favorite Super Bowl memories is of a commercial. My favorite commercial was an Audi commercial about some poor guy who didn’t have a date to prom, but his dad let him drive his car, which, as you can guess, was an Audi. The car energizes the downtrodden lad, and he decides to get bold. He parks in a principal’s spot and then heads into the prom, finds the prom queen, and kisses her in front of everyone. He gets a black eye, but hey, it was worth it. Maybe not the best message, but I think it was an eﬀective commercial. Alexis M: My family has never shown much interest in sports, so the first Sunday of every February, we are of-

ten watching reruns or the “Puppy Bowl” rather than the Super Bowl. Super Bowl halftime shows are a time to pull out all the plugs and show the nation just how elaborate, over-the-top, and culturally significant pop culture really can be. Whether it be 2015’s left shark alongside Katy Perry, 2016’s near fall yet choreographedworthy recovery upheld by Beyonce, or 2004’s strategic “wardrobe malfunction” between Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson that changed live television forever, my favorite memories of Super Bowl halftime shows remind the nation what America is all about: quality entertainment to remember for years to come. Natalie: Many moons ago, there was a commercial so hilarious that I proceeded to actually talk about it to multiple people. In real

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life. You know the one. Yes, exactly, the Tide commercial with the talking stain. In the midst of an interview with a potential boss, a man with a large and noticeable stain on his shirt is interrupted every time he speaks by that very stain. The stain’s nonsense-words drown out the interviewee’s answers in a comedic yet poignant fashion. Apart from being a very important message to children—don’t get a job and you don’t have to worry about stains—but also just the funniest, most clever thing I’d seen in at least three hours. You go, talking stain! Correction: A byline on Page 10 of the January 26 issue of The University News referred to the author as Corbin Oliver. The author’s name is Corbin Robinson. We apologize and regret the error.

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10 February 2, 2017

OPINIONS & EDITORIALS

2016: Was it really the worst year yet?

John Schaefer

Success is commonly measured through a series of advancements or drawbacks that occur within a set period of time. If the advancements outweigh the drawbacks, one can typically conclude that success has materialized. This definition of success has been an important marker when reflecting upon the world in this past year. The year 2016 has been publicly addressed in terms of “The Year From Hell” and “The Worst Year in History.” I’m sure if one advanced his search on the matter, he could produce more exceedingly ridiculous labels for a 365 day span that, whether you like it or not, could have been exponentially worse. One of the key areas of concern when analyzing this past year is the uncharacteristically high amount of terroristic activity by various groups, most specifically ISIS. Whether it was shootings in Orlando, bombings in Paris or various violent acts throughout the Middle East, it seemed as if the only way one could evade all of the hatred and trauma was to shut oﬀ the TV and avoid newspapers altogether. Although I agree wholeheartedly that these events have no place within society, unfortunately such tragedy has become commonplace in today’s world. Furthermore, who is to say that any catas-

trophe from 2016 was worse than or more painful than past misfortunes? To even begin and try to compare one event to another is sick, twisted and a poor use of one’s time. Truth be told, affliction is a timeless concept that is quite frankly evident throughout all of history in one form or another. Instead of comparing failures, it makes more sense to view the successes of an era and note that regardless of any trials and tribulations that occured, society as a whole was able to overcome them and advance. The next major concern from 2016 with foreseeable consequences seems to be the future of the government with President-elect Donald Trump set to take office in late January. There was widespread pandemonium and protest that erupted following the business tycoon’s massive upset over Hillary Clinton in November. While I think it is disgusting that our top two candidates for presidency were composed of questionable ethics and pasts plagued with sexual assault allegations and criminal behavior, what’s done is done and there is considerable reason to be optimistic. Never in the history of the United States has a man with no political background been stationed as the head of our country. Perhaps, having a non-politician in office could offer new perspective to a typically closed-minded group of individuals operating in government. As a nation, we should feel a sense of optimism with this new change in store. Whether or not he will serve as a great President and leader is still to be determined; only time

will tell. Although 2016 was seen as repulsive and painful for many, that is no reason to lose hope for what 2017 has in store, especially before the end of January. After all, despite the recent deaths of Prince, Bowie, Ali, Palmer and Harambe, unemployment rates are currently an astonishing two percent ahead of the government’s target percentage. Regardless of nuclear threats from North Korea, an ugly presidential campaign and an increase in internet fraud, healthcare advances, along with widespread awareness efforts, brought us the ALS ice bucket challenge, defense against the Zika Virus and an increase in renewable resources. Make no mistake, there is a difference between optimism and stupidity; however, at this point in time, I truly believe there is good reason to be cautiously hopeful. Are there issues throughout the world? Absolutely. Could things be worse? Absolutely. There are always going to be aspects of life that could be better and, likewise, aspects that could be worse. My recommendation to those claiming that “2016 was the worst year of all time” is to avoid comparing across generations and instead realize that even though we have witnessed many horrific events throughout the course of history, somehow things always seem to end up alright. If you hated 2016, welcome 2017 with open arms as a new beginning; if you are indifferent, don’t lose hope; and if you loved it, carry that same attitude and mentality into the remainder of the new calendar year.

White conservatives: You’re not oppressed

Raquel Domnguez

With the advent of the current wave of populism sweeping the West has come the “freedom” to express views that much of society has perceived with disdain for decades. These include homophobia, transphobia, racism, misogyny, xenophobia and all variants of bigotry that, until recently, were not considered socially acceptable. Many, including myself, deluded themselves into thinking that bigotry was decreasing as society progressed into a more equitable, compassionate place where all people could have basic human rights. We refused to accept the possibility of someone who embodies all of these traits ascending to the most powerful position on the planet because we assumed that America was, finally, better than baseless hatred. Obviously, we were wrong. In its first week, this administration has become such a caricature of fascist regimes straight out of “1984,” “Star Wars” and “The Handmaid’s Tale” that I still find myself asking how this can possibly be real-

Karl O’Brien

As the new year continues to march forward, the wonderful people at DC Comics seem set to bring the world even greater comics than what have already come out of their “Rebirth” initiative. While Marvel may show some mild promise with its “All-New, All-Diﬀerent and Now!” stories, DC has continued to outperform Marvel in sales, and a lot of the success they have experienced stems from their return to familiar and beloved concepts within the established New 52 universe, catering to both old and new fans alike and further deepening an already rich mythos. They have truly abided by the old saying: “If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.” The DC creative team has genuinely catered to its longtime audiences by respecting desires to see old favorite characters as they are remembered, while Marvel continuously reboots its core characters within the main universe instead of within alternate realities where only the most dedicated readers will be able to find them. While this is admirable from a certain perspective, in that many of the new imaginings of characters provide role models for minorities, it can be a potentially devastating business model for the constant shifting in main characters that will continue to lose fans as often as they are removed from main canon. That is, Marvel fans would be done a disservice for losing characters to whom they

The events set the stage for the new Justice League of America series, a team that looks to be the most racially and gender diverse lineup yet. Batman and the gay superhero, the Ray, who can manipulate all forms of light, are the only white men on a team comprised of the freezing meta-human Killer Frost, who showed her good side in the fight against Max Lord, longtime member Black Canary, Lobo, Vixen—an African-American fashion designer and animal rights activist who can assume the powers of any animal she wishes—and Ryan Choi, who has taken up the mantle of the shrinking hero, the Atom. The next major crossover, “Superman Reborn,” finally begins to unravel the mystery surrounding Mr. Oz, who told Superman he was not who he thinks he is. Combining tales from the main Superman series, as well as Action Comics, it will integrate the Lex Luthor Superman into what is already being teased as an emotional thrill ride. Finally, in what is set to be the most important crossover of “Rebirth,” Batman and the Flash, the two greatest detectives, team up in “The Button” to find out what the mysterious, bloodied smiley-face button that showed up in the Batcave when Wally West returned is. Longtime readers will know that this is the Comedian’s button, and that this story could finally introduce the Watchmen into mainstream DC continuity, a moment fans have been eagerly anticipating since they discovered Dr. Manhattan was behind everything. We’ll just have to see what comes of these stories, but one thing is certain: Marvel heads will roll.

ignored by the state and trapped in a cycle of poverty; the people with disabilities who are still not considered autonomous human beings. I could go on, obviously. Most people don’t exist as just one of these identities, and I’m leaving out dozens in the pursuit of brevity. But my point—this is oppression: the systemic and institutionalized barring of marginalized peoples from resources, opportunities and rights they should be granted, if not by virtue of their humanness, then by their citizenship or residency. Being oppressed isn’t having your feelings hurt or having someone disagree with you or having someone protest your bigotry. It’s living in fear of your own home, knowing that people who look like you have been denied personhood, understanding that you matter less because of where your ancestors were born. Oppression is bearing the lifelong burden of understanding that to some people, you’re subhuman and don’t deserve life. So to those who say they are oppressed because they feel alienated due to their bigoted, hateful beliefs: grow up. Recognize your privilege, and if you’re serious about bettering our country, learn how to stand up for all Americans, not just the cisgender, heterosexual, Christian, middle-class ones. Do better because the rest of us are just trying to stay alive.

Siestas: Learning from the Spanish about living a more relaxed life

The year ahead looks bright, at least for DC Comics grow attached. However, the biggest way by far that DC will remain the king of the comics industry is with its multiple crossovers, or storylines told across multiple titles, that are set for release in the first half of this year. The year began with a resounding thunderclap as the event “Justice League vs. Suicide Squad,” the first since “Rebirth,” began last May, which was continued from its beginning at the end of December to give a solid start to this year. In this story, the master manipulator Maxwell Lord IV, an enemy of Superman and leader of Checkmate, the U.N.’s peacekeeping force, frees the original Suicide Squad—composed of the unkillable alien bounty hunter Lobo, the insane magnetism master Doctor Polaris, the futuristic foe Emerald Empress, the unhinged and ghostly Johnny Sorrow and the international terrorist Rustam—for a plan of revenge against Task Force X commander Amanda Waller. Lord seeks the Heart of Darkness, which can awaken in everyone it touches their darkest desires. Together, only the Justice League and Suicide Squad can stop him, which seems to have been planned by Waller to gain legitimacy for her group in the eyes of the World’s Greatest Heroes. The eﬀectiveness of the “Justice League vs. Suicide Squad” event lay in the fact that only Batman (of course) knew of the Suicide Squad’s existence, and the fact that many of their greatest enemies had been hired by the government to carry out black ops missions in return for lessened sentences did not sit well with the rest of the League. However, the teams managed to overcome their diﬀerences and achieve a mutual respect for each other.

ity. Because, as an American citizen, a white-passing, Latinx, cisgender woman and a member of the middle class, I have incredible privileges many others do not. Forgetting, for a moment, the billions of people who have no part in American politics but will be harmed by them nonetheless, let’s consider just the people in our own society that will be intentionally harmed by this administration: the Muslims who are already being persecuted and will now be banned from entering their own country; the refugees who have faced unspeakable horrors only to arrive at a place that refuses them despite their impeccable credentials; the women who will have no access to desperately needed and rightfully deserved health care (particularly women of color); the transgender people who will not be considered actual human beings based oﬀ of false and archaic assumptions; the other members of the queer community who will not be able to participate in one of the most important rituals in our society; the undocumented immigrants, who are the backbone of this economy, who will continue to suﬀer abuse just to keep their families together; the victims of environmental racism in Standing Rock, Flint, and elsewhere; the black men continually being murdered by the state with impunity; the poor always

Vince Nolette

The Fountain of Youth, Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory and Narnia. What is common about all these places? It could be that they all involve a cupboard. I was thinking, though, that they all seem too good to be true. Let me throw another fairy-tale idea into the mix: siestas. An idea that is much more than a simple nap. To an American, the idea of an extended, sanctioned nap in the middle of the day—a work day—is as fantastic and unrealistic as the Fountain of Youth or Narnia. It is an arranged daily break from one’s work that begins with a modest lunch enjoyed in the company of friends and family and ends with you falling into a peaceful, satisfied slumber. When you emerge from your shroud of gratification, you gladly return to your work for a couple of hours. It is much more ritualistic than America’s forced, unsettled routine of napping. I’ve tried many naps. The during-class nap, the ridehome-from-school nap, the nap where you fall asleep when it’s light and wake up when it’s dark. You name it, I’ve tried it. And yet, there has been no single nap that has consistently satisfied my yearning to be rested. That, I think, is because of how we approach naps. What is the common theme of these American naps? They are born of exhaustion. They occur abruptly and are even frowned upon as signs of laziness, stress or disinterest. We hide our naps behind prop eye glasses, whereas in Spain, they embrace the nap. Understanding simple cultural diﬀerences, like the nap, shows broader, more complicated cultural diﬀerences, for in America, we live

to work. Eight hours a day our focus is on deadlines and dollar signs, supplemented with double shots of espresso and who-can-eat-thefastest-alone-at-their-desk lunches. Producing results and making money intoxicates us. And our economy thrives as a result. Maintaining this rate of production, though, requires moving at an unnatural pace. To compensate, the American spirit imposed its will of a sleepwhen-you-can-in-orderto-maximize-productivity attitude. Naps are used as a means to an end. In the end, though, we often burn out. Spain, on the other hand, is the world’s leader in leisure time, and still boasts the 14th highest GDP per capita. They are the masters of tiki-taka, who adhere to the natural rhythms of life, welcoming the ebb and flow of human energy. The whole structure of the Spanish day is thus aﬀected. Work days are longer, but the way in which time is portioned creates a more relaxed environment. You don’t feel as if you are working longer because a constant sense of pressure to produce isn’t apparent. However, declaring an absolute verdict about which approach is better would be naive and impetuous. I will toss in my two cents, though. Perhaps by luck, but more likely by fate, an opportunity to seek out the mythical siesta was presented to me. Academically, I may be studying philosophy in Madrid for the semester. But just as importantly, my acceptance to the program also warranted an acceptance of a duty to understand Spanish culture. I came on a quest to secure a definitive answer about the existence of the siesta in order to thrust open the flood gates of immersion. The first day in Madrid, my buddies and I were fairly jetlagged and weirdly hungry after a night of extensive debate, and reluctant agreement, of whether we were desperate enough to eat airplane food. Yelp may be the greatest app on the planet. And by that I mean we had

already scoured pictures of contenders for lunch; it was about half past tacos o’clock. We all knew what we were going to order. The excitement was increasing minute by minute. 12:30 p.m. Someone screamed “Let’s munch!” The stars were aligned. And this is where my quest reached an abrupt, albeit bittersweet, climax. No tacos were munched that day. No food at all was to be had for that matter. The streets were vacant, the cafes closed. Suddenly it dawned on me: We were in the midst of the daily siesta. Everyone else had already enjoyed lunch and now was napping. It was too late to salvage our mistake. We trudged home, our heads lowered in defeat. But my quest was not over. Resiliency took the reigns, and we tried again the next day. The memory of what could have been was fresh in our minds; there would be no miscalculations. Yet that was our fatal flaw. We were deliberately seeking out what we should have let come to us naturally because that’s what we were used to: forceful imposition of our will. It was not until I voided my internalized notion of punctuality and replaced it with a natural ebband-flow attitude that I was able to experience the siesta in its fullness. I woke a couple days later to the sounds of a siren, decided to go for a run, read and finished homework, enjoyed the company of my friends at lunch and then we all teetered oﬀ into a tranquil slumber. Just like that my quest was fulfilled, and the siesta was no longer foreign to me. I didn’t seek it out. It wasn’t a deadline. It was as natural as breathing, or the sun rising and setting. We try to control everything in our lives, and the siesta is where I think the Spaniards have honed in on a fundamentally necessary activity of life: allowing ourselves to step back from the pressurized world of production and enjoy the natural flow of the day.

February 2, 2017

Photos by: Michelle Peltier

Panda-monium at the Billikenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Game Fans at the Saint Louis University Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Basketball game were treated to a heartstopping halftime show; Krytal Nui, also known as Red Panda, a Unicyclist who balanced a stack of bowls on her head as she wheeled around the court. A former acrobat, Nui has been perforing since the age of seven and her career spans over 20 years according to Sportsonearth.com writer, Alex Wong. Nui certainly gave fans an exciting show as the audience gasped and clapped with every wobble, kick and catch.

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12 February 2, 2017

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