No. 11 (November 19, 2015) by University News

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A student voice of Saint Louis University since 1919

Thursday, November 19, 2015

An update on OccupySLU and the Clock Tower Accords

Teacher Feature: Nori Katagiri By EMILY HIGGINBOTHAM Associate News Editor

munity Engagement. Dr. Jonathan Smith, a former African American Studies professor, was selected for the position. Since July 1, he has served as the President’s liaison for all matters regarding issues of race, diversity and community engagement. When asked which Accords have been completely

First-year political science professor, Dr. Nori Katagiri, represents many of the characteristics that he says are pronounced traits in his native Japan: He is humble, polite, devoted, works hard and he has sacrificed. While students can see these traits, particularly his humbleness and devotion to international security, shine through as Katagiri conducts his “Introduction to International Politics” course, Katagiri’s sacrifice happened years ago when he came to the United States after high school with the desire to be different. “I grew up like a normal Japanese child, and nothing really special happened until I realized I wanted to change the course of my life,” said Katagiri. “Most Japanese children go on a very similar path of looking to get into good universities and get a good job in Japan. I wanted to be different. So I started studying English, world history, social sciences and I decided to ask for my parents understanding to come to

See “Occupy” on Page 3

See “Katagiri” on Page 3

Sophie Lappe / The University News

By SAM GASKILL Contributor

VonDerrit Myers Jr. was killed by a police officer in the Shaw neighborhood in South St. Louis on Oct. 8, 2014. On the morning of Oct. 13, protestors marched from the Shaw neighborhood, north on Grand Avenue and then turned onto SLU’s campus. They settled at the Clock Tower and thereby started a movement

known as “OccupySLU.” The phrase was soon trending on Twitter and became a national conversation piece. Most protestors left by sunrise; however, around 25 (many of them SLU students) stayed for five days to argue their point and to create a platform to voice their objections to the status quo. Five days later, the administration and the protestors had reached a con-

sensus. They decided on 13 points that would determine the university’s course of action on remedying the issues presented; these became the Clock Tower Accords. In light of recent events at the University of Missouri, it seems natural to revisit the Accords. Has SLU effectively implementing them, and if so, how and where have they been implemented? When asked about the Ac-

cords, sophomore Michelle Mereles said, “Oh yeah, what happened to those? They were such a huge deal for so long and now it seems like no one even cares anymore.” Her comment illustrates a dissonance between the Accords’ execution and student awareness. One of the Accords called for the appointment of a Special Assistant to the President for Diversity and Com-

Community panel assesses local poverty’s many guises By TIM WILHELM News Editor

The public TV and radio talk-show host, Tavis Smiley, brought his nationwide tour, “Ending Poverty: America’s Silent Spaces,” to SLU on Thursday, Nov. 12. While Smiley acknowledged the breadth of topics he discusses, citing health and financial literacy, he said, “I’m stuck, I can’t seem to get over this issue of poverty.” “This is part of a national conversation,” he said. The tour meant to provide a “democratic space for conversations about issues that matter in this country [and to] gain traction with influencers and stakeholders.” He went on to assert: “I believe poverty is the new slavery in this country.” Frustrated by politicians’ insistence on discussing income inequality as opposed to extreme poverty or economic immobility—in which people lack a springboard to move forward financially— he said, “There’s always going to be income inequality.” The problem, he explained, is that poverty accompanies other crises: “Poverty, as you know, has so many tentacles.” For this reason, in Chicago, he addressed poverty and youth crime; in Albuquerque, poverty and immigration; and here, in a city reeling from last year’s conflicts and protests in Ferguson, race and crime. Smiley gave the floor to Norman A. White, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice at SLU, asking, “What does poverty have to do with it?” White’s commentary focused on poverty’s sociological foundations, particularly

“social challenges that make it difficult for people to live and thrive, that contribute to the trauma of people’s lives,” he said. He quickly brought up the police—where a “men’s club” mentality collides with a daily stress that begins as they get dressed to go to work. “We have probably the best trained police in the world,” he said. However, insufficient attention is paid to their mental health. Colonel Jon Belmar, Chief of the St. Louis County Police Department, opened by saying that “Skepticism is probably healthy at some point. When that turns into cynicism, then we have a problem. When we become cynics, then nothing looks good to us anymore.” Confidence, he believes, plays a formative role in an officer’s career. Officers who ignore the help- and hopeseeking of the communities in which they work, he said, are “looking to lose it from the beginning.” He pointed out that areas of 40 percent or greater poverty levels have grown by 130 percent. “That’s not sustainable,” he said. James Clark, Vice President of Community Outreach for Better Family Life, Inc., stressed the importance of jobs and the church within communities, as well as the link between parental neglect and juvenile delinquency. “The system needs to recalibrate itself to become more compassionate to those systematically stuck at the bottom,” he said. He illustrated poverty’s paradox: See “Poverty” on Page 3

Student reactions cross spectrum of opinion By JACKIE STACHIW Staff Writer

On Nov. 13, Saint Louis University gathered at Chaifetz arena to reveal the new logos for the University and Athletics. For the past 18 months, members of the University have worked together to rebrand the Billiken image in an effort to promote marketing. According to an article posted by the University, entitled “SLU to Unveil New Logos for University and Billiken Athletics,” the current fleur-de-lis logo and the Billiken were created over 20 years ago. By modernizing the logos, SLU hopes to seal its status as a leading university in the nation. The Billiken, for SLU, dates back to 1910. While many stories surround how it became SLU’s mascot, the most common ones tie the

Billiken to John Bender. Bender, the football coach at the time, resembled the Billiken. Soon, the football team was known as “Bender’s Billikens,” and it has developed into the well-known Billiken students have come to know over the years. At the unveiling ceremony on Friday afternoon, the anticipation was evident among the students in the crowded stadium. Students were invited to enjoy free refreshments, merchandise and other items during the ceremony. SLU President Fred Pestello was among the presenting members of the SLU community at the event. Following the unveiling ceremony, students were invited to a party at the SLU bookstore, which featured free pizza, raffle drawings and sales on new merchandise featuring the new Billiken. Junior Maddie Marcinc-

Courtesy of the UNews archives

zyk, among the attendees, said, “I really like the idea of bringing the SLU community together to reveal the new logo. It’s great to be part of SLU’s history.” She, like many, felt that this change of logo was a necessary part of SLU’s growth. The new fleur-de-lis features a simplified blue and white design, while the Billiken has a new facial design. In terms of color change, half of its face now is grey. For many, this is a welcomed design change. Senior Mari Kerwin said, “The new, simpler design of the fleir-de-lis looks fantastic. The old one had too much going on.” However, Kerwin and others were unsure how they felt about the new Billiken. For many, the Billiken is a symbol of tradition. This new alteration that will take time to get used to. Marcinczyk added, “I

think the new Billiken will take some time to get used to. However, I am sure that with time, it will too be engraved into our tradition.” As explained in the University article, the designs were created by Olson, a branding firm based in Minneapolis. Together with the help of SLU’s Marketing and Communications and Athletics Department, the new logos were shown to some students, staff and others for input before the big reveal. This culmination of ages and ideas produced the new design. While this is not the first time that the Billiken has experienced major changes, this certainly is a huge modification for the fleur-de-lis. The design still features a shield, cross and crown to not only represent the Jesuit University, but to also represent King St. Louis IX, whom the city is named after.

NEWS

November 19, 2015

Twitter reacts to the new logos

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NEWS

November 19, 2015

Poverty: Smiley deftly mediates public forum Continued from Page 1

“When you have … small pockets of poverty, you know exactly where they are.” Chryl Laird, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Political Science and African American Studies at SLU, targeted poverty’s structure and systemic nature. There exist, she said, “structural aspects that keep people impoverished” and create a “capitalist underclass.” Drawing on her research background, she observed: “We created the poverty conditions that we see.” She gave an emphatic challenge to misconceptions surrounding poverty: “This isn’t someone’s choice.” “Let us not play down the role of race and poverty,” said columnist Sylvester Brown, Jr. He referenced Ferguson, voicing frustration with the police’s handling of the situation. He said to Belmar, “If you know that that situation emanated from a sense of frustration and poverty, you would have acted differently.” Julia Ho, an organizer with Missourians Organizing for Reform and Empowerment, expressed her frustration with panels: “I’ve seen so many panels. … Things haven’t really changed.” She deplored the city’s priorities, citing the contested plans for a new football stadium. “If black lives matter, then our resources should reflect that,” she said. She brought the tensions against Chief Belmar to a head, advising that he resign following his handling

Monday, Nov. 16

8:45 p.m. ROBBERY (FIRST INCIDENT)

A student entering the rear of the University Loft Apartments was robbed at gunpoint and assaulted by three unknown subjects wearing dark colored hooded jackets. The student sustained a minor injury to her lip, but refused medical attention. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department was contacted and is investigating.

8:50 p.m. ATTEMPTED ROBBERY

Ryan Quinn / The University News

MODERATOR: Public media host Tavis Smiley led a panel of seven people representing academia, media, community activism and city institutions to discuss poverty. of Ferguson and criticizing his absence from a public accountability meeting, failing to say “one goddamn word” explaining his actions. Smiley interjected and warned that he would cut her microphone if she used profanity again, demanding “dignified” responses for all opinions expressed. Finally, Dr. Faisal Khan, Director of the St. Louis County Department of Public Health (and self-described “professional-public-health troublemaker”), spoke in a measured, almost severe tone. “Your ZIP code identifies your trajectory through life,” he said, evoking that ubiquitous St. Louis question: “Where did you go to high school?”

He delved further into St. Louis’s geography of poverty, recalling people who advised him, upon moving to the area, to stay west of Highway 270 and south of Interstate 64. “This is one of the most disgustingly segregated places in the country,” he said. He outlined a degenerative cycle of poverty, ill health, unemployment and poverty, which contributes to institutionalized racism. He said, “If you live in this region, you’d better be concerned about this issue.” Smiley seemed genuinely impressed: “I’ve never been in one of these conversations where so much truth has been told.” Following questions from the audience, I asked Smiley about his role as an inter-

mediary in potentially tense conversations. “Being a good moderator, or being a good host or being a good reporter is about listening,” he said. “You have to be a generous listener, a charitable listener. I’ve learned that if you listen well, the conversation will direct you where to go. “Moderators tend to think they’re leading the conversation … You’re not leading, in fact, if you’re doing it right, you’re following. Because if you listen to what the person is saying, they will tell you where the conversation ought to go.” “I’ve found that tension is good for conversation … I can tell you one thing, nobody fell asleep in there tonight.”

Courtesy of Nori Katagiri

AIR FORCE: Dr. Nori Katagiri stands before boarding an Army Blackhawk helicopter en route to a base in Tokyo. The professor took multiple trips to East Asia during his time at the Air War College.

the U.S.” Once Katagiri arrived in the U.S., he plunged into the world of academia, earning his B.A. from the University of South Carolina, a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University and a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Pennsylvania. “Columbia was the place where I realized I wanted to study international security issues. Not just international relations, but also international security,” said Katagiri. “I really benefitted from working and studying with good professors there.” Katagiri says his interest in the field lies in the fact there are still so many questions that haven’t been answered, particularly about terrorism, a topic in which he has not only researched, but experienced. “When I was in graduate school, that was when the unfortunate events of 9/11 took place in New York where I was located at that

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

Katagiri: Learning over oceans and disciplines

Continued from Page 1

time,” Katagiri said. “There are many puzzles about why, for example, terrorism happens the way it does.” Indeed, terrorism continues to be a puzzle and salient issue that affects nations and peoples around the world, noted most recently by the attacks in Paris and Beirut, Lebanon. While these attacks are devastating, Katagiri finds them as motivation to continue his research. “I was motivated to be part of the academic community within the United States to make contributions to research and teaching about social and political issues like that,” said Katagiri. “Even now, with the tragedy in Paris and other places, there are still many questions that we should be striving [to find] answers to.” After receiving his Ph.D., Katagiri found himself somewhere he didn’t completely expect: the Air War College at the Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama. The Air War Col-

lege is a joint military graduate school for senior officers and officials of the U.S. government and international officers at the base. “When I was on the job market, the Air Force was particularly interested in people doing international security … I think the Air Force is also interested in working on the role of air power in countering insurgency situations like that. That’s how I think they found me and my work somehow interesting,” said Katagiri about his start at the War College. Katagiri spent five years of federal service at the base, teaching East Asia and North East Asia politics to colonels, lieutenant colonels, Navy captains and commanders, which he admits is very different compared to teaching civilian, undergraduate students. “When I joined the air force, all of a sudden the student population changed to 40-45 years-old … who have nearly two decades of expe-

rience, combat staff and support, intelligence, various functions, they have a lot of confidence.” He continued: “those officers who get to go to war colleges like that are very promising figures who made a lot of sacrifice to the nation, to their family, and who are going to be very successful.” While Katagiri is currently teaching at a civilian university, where the stakes are arguably much lower, he believes that teaching this information to college students is still very important. Katagiri explained that in this age of globalization, it is critical to learn about nations and cultures outside of the U.S. border, saying: “Making sure that people in the United States have maximum opportunities to learn from foreign cultures, foreign studies [that] is something that we should be doing. There are just so many things that we can take advantage of and that’s why I think it’s important for us to study things like that.”

A student reported she was walking west in the south alley of 3700 block of Laclede, en route to The Standard Apartments, when she was approached by three subjects wearing dark colored hooded jackets. One subject was armed with a handgun. The subjects demanded her money and cell phone. The student continued walking and told the subjects she did not have money or a cellphone. The student reached a well- lighted area behind the Standard and told the suspects there were several cameras there; at which time the subjects ran off west and then south on Vandeventer, out of sight. St. Louis Metropolitan Police were contacted and are investigating.

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

Occupy: A resolution revisited, one year later Continued from Page 1

implemented, Smith answered: “Accord one, the Accord dealing with an increased budget for the African American Studies Program and accord eleven, the Accord that demanded my position be created have both been completed.” Students may not see these policies being put in place, but according to Smith, implementing these Accords will take some time. “I’ve only been in this position since July 1—the progress of the Accords was in a bit of a stasis because it hinged on the appointment of the Special Assistant so that there could be a clear sense of accountability, responsibility and priorities.” He continued: “One of the first things I did when I started on July 1st was to make sure that I met with as many people as possible who are important stakeholders in the Accords. I’ve met with people in senior leadership, I’ve met with faculty, I’ve met with students, civic, community and corporate leaders, and members of the board of trustees, etc., all to really get an accurate assessment of where we are on the Accords.” Meeting with everyone who has a stake therein, it has collectively been decided the best course of action is “to create four working groups which will each be tasked with implementing small groups of similar accords. The four groups will focus on Race, Poverty and Inequality, Recruitment, Admissions, and Retention, Public Art and Aesthetics, and Community and Economic Development. Each group will have representation from students, faculty or professional staff, at least one external stakeholder, and I will be a part of each working group as well. The aim is to have broad, open participation.” Accord six calls for a community center. Asked whether the university had begun building the center, Smith frankly admitted they had not. “The Community and Economic Development group will deal with the Accords pertaining to the community center and the Center for Community and Economic Development. Our goal is to have those two entities be connected. This is, of course, the accord that is granted the longest timeframe to be completed. If we had a site or a building

planned for the center already, we would immediately be limited in the geography and the architecture of that space, which takes the community voices out of the process of creating the space.” The seventh Accord, which some at SLU found controversial, promises to commission artwork upon which both sides agree. The source of controversy was the misconceptions surrounding the Accord. When one thinks of art at SLU, one might picture statues and sculptures, which led many to assume the artwork would be a statue. Some feared it would be blatantly anti-police or possibly depict Michael Brown, which made some people uncomfortable. “The main reason it became so controversial is that there were a number of interesting misconceptions about this Accord in particular from the beginning,” Smith said. “That Accord simply says ‘mutually agreed upon commissioned artwork, so it’s wide open, it’s vague. We essentially have never reached a place where we all mutually agree on what the piece of art should be.” According to SLU’s website, Kyle and Kelly Phelps were commissioned to create a sculpture that encapsulated OccupySLU. However, when asked if there had been an artist commissioned, Smith said, “Actually we’re going to roll that back. The Public Art and Aesthetics workgroup is going to work through a creative process for commissioning the new artwork, and my hope is that it will be a much clearer, transparent process with more voices involved, and it is impossible to say for sure what that might be.” Mereles did not seem satisfied with the administration’s advances. “I can appreciate that the administration is trying to get things started, but even five months is a long time to still be in the process of just starting change. It definitely isn’t enough time to implement the new policies completely, but I feel like they should be farther along than they are,” she said. Who is SLU accountable to? According to Smith, the fact that they gave their word is enough. He said, “It’s our word, it’s our commitment. There is no external agency or institution to whom we have to report, but we as a member of a larger community must be accountable to that community.”

November 19, 2015

NEWS

Games

To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the numbers 1 to 9.

Across 1 5 10 13 14 15 16 17 19 20 22 23 25 28 31 32 33 34 38 39 41 42 46 48 49 50 52 56 57 58 60 63 66 68 69 70 71 72 73

Whizzes Seasonal visitor Blubber Watch part Similar Sine ___ non French romance Sells cheap Chi follower Valuable violin Fabled racer Planted Freshened up Supplant Carol contraction Wistful word Delay Certify Go astray ___ judicata Pastoral place Odium Big ___, CA

Think about writing for

Marker Island fears Stockpiled Email alternative Misplace Lifeless Ultimate degree NJ university Fragrant oil of roses Owned, once Psycho motel Some horses Sailor’s assent Fashion Central part

Down 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

PIN takers Flaky roll ___ de vie Urban problem Police cruiser Em, to Dorothy Rock bottom Philosopher Ventilate Type of bread Freakish Stationed Gullible one

18 21 24 26 27 28 29 30 35 36 37 40 43 44 45 47

Dresser Kind of ticket Saturn’s wife LAX abbr. Short run Hipbones Discharge Primary Rest area sight Faucets Movie genre Out of bed Dawn deity Fitting Essen’s river

48 51 52 53 54

Crayola color Legal witness Top dog Voracious eel Parenthetical comment 55 Simple song 59 Coward of note 61 After septic or

The University News!

62 Store posting (Abbr.) 64 “60 Minutes” network 65 Consume 67 Further

email: managing@unewsonline.com

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTIONS

Solution

House Styles

A FRAME

DOME

PLANTATION

ART DECO

FARMHOUSE

PRAIRIE

ARTS AND CRAFTS

FEDERAL

QUEEN ANNE

BAY AND GABLE

GOTHIC

RANCH

BUNGALOW

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SALTBOX

CAPE COD

LODGE

SHOTGUN

CHALET

LOG

STORYBOOK

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TUDOR

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PALLADIAN

VICTORIAN

COTTAGE

PATIO

VILLA

UNews

Arts Entertainment

November 19, 2015 arts@unewsonline.com Tess Brock, Arts Editor Natalie Riopelle, Assoc. Arts Editor

All Time Low reaches all time high Bond is back By NATALIE RIOPELLE Associate Arts Editor

Alanna Pachl /The University News

DANCE: The pop/punk group brought tangible energy to Chaifetz Stadium complete with collosal beach balls, confetti, and an explosion of screaming fans singing along to every word. Kellin Quinn immediately bounding around the stage with a springiness I never thought possible in paintedon skinny jeans. Opening up with their power-anthemmeets-rock song “Kick Me,” Sleeping with Sirens’ energy made the crowd’s reaction immediate: it was time to get the heck into the music. Sleeping with Siren’s music genre seemed to swing between pop/rock and rock/metal with every song. “Goals,” a “keep-trying” kind of song, felt light, while “Congratulations” (my personal favorite) came in more like a metal song and actually made me want to headbang for a solid two seconds. Regardless of their genre, the band was into the performance and, subsequently, the audience was too. And now, the band that

AAA showcases SLU talent

really brought me back in time: All Time Low. I don’t know how many hours I spent in middle school listening to this pop/punk group of self-professed oddballs, but their live performance certainly left nothing else for my preteen self to desire. With a translucent sheet blocking the front of the stage, the four band members entered—their shadows gliding along the sheet the audience’s only view. Then, while singing “Say Hello,” the sheet dropped and tons of lights colored the stage as All Time Low cranked up the volume. Their set, brimming with old favorites (like “Weightless” AKA the best All Time Low song ever) and plenty of songs from their new album, “Future Hearts,” (check out “Cinderblock Garden”)

made sure that everyone in attendance could find something to sing along to. Between songs, guitarist and lead singer band members chatted with each other and the audience in an endearingly quirky fashion. In those moments, we—the band and the audience— were all simply a bunch of super sweaty friends, just gathered together to listen to some really entertaining music. It was sad when the show ended with “Dear Maria,” but even as it came to a close, All Time Low filled the stadium with both nostalgia and the promise of growth. So maybe middle school wasn’t my favorite, but when I made the trip back to that “bygone era” of pop/punk and insanely-skinny jeans, it was fondness, not ill will, that filled my memory.

“

Oh, middle school: the desolate land of unfortunate growth spurts and equally unfortunate haircuts. The majority of my time spent there has become a memory better left forgotten. Except, of course, for the music that defined that era: punk rock. On Nov. 11, in our very own Chaifetz Arena, I time-travelled back to the late 2000s. Did you really? Yes, yes I did. With the help of headliners Sleeping with Sirens and All Time Low, I was ushered back to my days in middle school. Except this time, it really wasn’t so bad. Opening for the two headliners of the Back to the Future Hearts Tour were One OK Rock and Neck Deep. I’ll be honest here: I didn’t see any of Japanese rock band One OK Rock and I caught maybe two of Neck Deep’s songs (they are a Welsh rock band), but that is the price one pays when one is fashionably late… Neck Deep’s sound was “harder” than their persona on stage, which came complete with sporadic head-banging and spontaneous coordinatedjumping interspersed with lots of standing. While they did have enjoyable amounts of swearing, I just couldn’t call myself a fan of their passively-angry rock. Then it was time for the big boys, one of the two headliners: Sleeping with Sirens. They definitely had more of a stage presence, with lead singer/front man

sight, with Bond exchanging key information between kisses. The second is more of The newest 007 installa victory celebration at the ment is no disappointment. pair’s survival after a terrifyOpening with a thrilling ing attack on a train. scene that takes place in Perhaps, all Bond movies Mexico City, Bond finds must toe the line between himself in the helicopter action and excitement, and of the target he is trying to what audiences are willing to pursue, and kill. As Bond take as believable. The train wrestles for control, the fate scene in “Spectre” might of not only Britain’s greatest leave some dissatisfied with special agent is in question, how Bond and the women but also the thousands of he is charged with protecting spectators gathered for the not only survive the attack celebration of the Day of the by one vary large and deDead. Nearly thrown from termined enemy, but somethe helicopter, which twists, how escape turns and scrutiny or climbs repercusat seemPerhaps, all Bond sions for ingly immovies must toe the destroying a p ossible train’s worth line between action angles, of propand excitement, and Bond, of erty. Specourse, what audiences are cial agents survives, s ome time s willing to take as a n d need to esbelievable. thankcape such fully so, scrutiny in because order for the acthe movie to go on, or in this tion scenes that follow are case, in order for the series no less thrilling. to continue. No Bond movie is comSpeaking of that, Daniel plete, it seems, without Craig is noticeably getting beautiful women for Bond older. He probably could not to pursue and protect. Bond be faulted for making this finds them this time in the his last appearance as Bond. wife of the subject he first Bond movies seem to come pursues and kills, and then out in pairs, separated only in the daughter of another by a few years; so, either the subject who he is asked to next one will be out soon, or find and protect. So, whethperhaps the next movie in er the wife of one assassin, or the series will feature an enthe innocent daughter of antirely new Bond. If the action other, Bond keeps the audiin “Spectre” can be matched ence guessing who, exactly, he will sleep with next. See “007” on Page 6 The first is love at first By PATRICK HYLAND Senior Staff Writer

Aziz Ansari’s ‘Master of None’ is master of comedy By TOM BERGAN Staff Writer

KPOP: Cherry Crush dances to popular Korean pop songs. By KYLIE JENSEN Contributor

As SLUdents, we all attend our share of showcases, profit-shares and speakers, either out of genuine interest or coercion by our friends. What I have discovered is that an ordinary event will leave you impressed, but an extraordinary event will leave you changed. The 10th Annual Asian American Association (AAA) Showcase belongs to the latter. On Saturday, Nov. 14, a long line of students, families and faculty formed outside the Saint Louis Room for “a night on the red carpet” featuring performances by Cherry Crush, SLU Karate and several other groups. After walking the red carpet and posing for paparazzi, guests indulged in Asian cuisine, including jap chae, mapo tofu, fried rice, bok choy and beef bulgogi. AAA then kicked off the event with an advocacy presentation featuring quotes and interview clips from AsianAmerican celebrities and the Model Minority Myth. David Cheung, co-pres-

ident of AAA, commented on the importance of AsianAmerican advocacy, saying, “For years, Asian Americans have been a bit short handed in their access to lead roles in entertainment. Of course there were some exceptions, but traditionally, Hollywood has made it exceptionally hard for Asian Americans to play non-sidekick nonstereotypical roles. We hope that showcase helped SLU open its eyes to these issues.” Following the advocacy presentation, the emcees, Eileen Huang and Derek Nguyen, took the stage to introduce the first performers of the night: Cherry Crush, SLU’s first official Korean pop cover dance group. The first number, “Call Me Baby,” showed off the unity of the team while also highlighting several individuals in short solo sections. Cherry Crush had four other routines throughout the night dancing to: “Pepe,” “Mental Breakdown,” “Never Ever” and “Bang Bang Bang.” With See “AAA” on Page 6

Courtesy of K.C. Bailey / Netflix

NEW SHOW: Aziz Ansari, a star of the hit NBC show “Parks and Recreation,” returns to the small screen with the show “Master of None,” which he wrote and produced. can say they deal with it as masterfully as “Master of None”. The first episode features Dev watching his friends’ two boisterous children while she is at a meeting, and as expected, shenanigans ensue. Rather than just having this be a progression of events, there are f l a s h forward scenes of Dev imagining his future with his own children. The scenes are crafted in a genius manner that not only push the plot forward, but do so in a hilarious manner. Throughout the season Dev runs into a plethora of girls at different events —one turns out to be married, one turns out to be crazy, and

“

another just isn’t interested at the moment. All run of the mill scenarios for comedy shows, and yet “Master” makes it all feel so fresh. It isn’t only Ansari that makes this show as great as it is. He is assisted by former SNL member, Noel We l l s , who is excellent as Rachel— a woman Dev is interested in and who continually pops up throughout the first half of the season. Also adding to the comedic gold that makes up “Master” are Eric Wareheim, who plays Dev’s buddy Arnold, who constantly gives terrible advice, and Lena Waithe who is Dev’s scene stealing friend Denise. All of these actors besides Ansari are fresh

Ansari tackles a very real issue, but does it in a manner that is absolutely hysterical.

“

Jonathan Hwang / Asian American Association

Do you like to laugh? Do you like Netflix, but maybe don’t want the “chill” part that is often associated with it? Well then, Aziz Ansari’s new made for Netflix series “Master of None” is perfect for you. Continuing the streak of high quality shows that Netflix produces, it propels Ansari past the shining ensemble role he held in “Parks and Recreation” as Tom Haverford, and into a role as the star and producer of this show. Not only does he do an adequate job, he thrives. Much like Netflix’s other phenomenal comedy show “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” “Master” follows Ansari’s character Dev as someone trying to navigate New York City in his late twenties. This role as an Indian lead is something that doesn’t happen often, and Ansari addresses it heavily in his show. Throughout the first five episodes, he struggles with finding work as an actor, and when he is cast it is almost always in a stereotypical Indian role. He has a whole scene with fellow Indian actor Ravi Patel about whether or not he should do “the accent” as they refer to it. As with many situations in this show, Ansari tackles a very real issue, but does it in a manner that is absolutely hysterical. The other side of the show that is prominent, besides Dev’s acting career, is his navigation of his love life. Though the scenario of the main character having trouble finding love is incredibly common in shows, very few

faces to the mainstream audience, and after viewing the show, you’ll find yourself asking “Why haven’t I seen them sooner?” The final breakout stars of the show are Ansari’s real life parents, Shoukath and Fatima. They are featured in a few episodes, and play a big part in one of the funniest scenes of the whole show. Dev snakes his way out of helping his dad setup his iPad, and his father’s face is stern, while it goes to a flashback showing how hard he worked to get to America. It had me dying in laughter as I binge-watched the show last week. With only ten episodes at a half hour each, “Master of None” is the perfect length to help you procrastinate on that bio exam or English paper that you want to avoid at all costs. With “Maste of None”, not only will you avoid responsibility, you will be laughing the entire time you do so.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

November 19, 2015

OUT On The

TOWn ArTs ediTOrs’ Picks

Music Dead and Company Scottrade Center Nov. 20, 7:00 p.m. Roge Clyne & The Peacemakers Blueberry Hill Nov. 20, 8:00 p.m. Suits & Boots with Brett Eldredge and Thomas Rhett Chaifetz Arena Nov. 20, 7:30 p.m. Glen Hansard The Pageant Nov. 23, 7:30 p.m.

By TOM BERGAN Staff Writer

Four bands, four different types of punk music and one unforgettable night. That is exactly what took place at The Wonder Years’ headlining show Saturday, Nov. 14, at the Pageant. The first band on the bill was You Blew It! A five piece hailing from Orlando, Florida, they kicked off the evening with their emo flair of punk. Powering through seven songs in a mere 25 minutes, there was barely a moment to take a breath. With the majority of the set coming from their phenomenal 2014 album “Keep Doing What You’re Doing,” which includes lyrics such as “You can always consider me a friend, just strictly in the past tense.” The passion that is in their music bled over to the live setting with ease. Each song came with choruses where up to three of the members were singing, and there was guitar talent to spare. Despite being first on the night, it was a truely incredible performance. Next on the bill was State Champs, hailing from New York. The crowd was incred-

ibly stoked for their set, and showed way more interest than for You Blew It! This was a bit unfortunate, because State Champs isn’t nearly as innovative with their music. Though their set was entertaining, it was filled with angry finger pointing, an overly energetic singer encouraging circle pits between each song and typical riffs and progressions that have been present in pop punk since New Found Glory came onto the scene over 15 years ago. Then it was innovative, now it is uninspiring. Much like The Story So Far and Knuckle Puck before them, State Champs is a relatively new band bound to blow up in the next year, and hopefully with that momentum, they can take some risks in their next album. Third up were the veterans of the bill, Motion City Soundtrack. Though this concert was billed as a coheadliner, they definitely still had the feel of being an opener. Coming off of their ten-year anniversary tour of “Commit This to Memory,” the album that cemented their status as pioneers of the pop punk genre, the

X Ambassadors The Pageant Dec. 1, 8:00 p.m.

Movies The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 The Moolah Through Nov. 26 The Night Before In theaters Currently Spectre In theaters Currently The Martian In theaters Currently Room Tivoli Theatre Through Nov. 24

Theater Crimes of the Heart University Theatre Nov. 20-21, 8:00 p.m. & Nov. 22, 2:00 p.m. Irving Berlin’s White Christmas Fabulous Fox Nov. 17-22 Amy Schumer Scottrade Center Oct. 21-Nov. 2 Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker Fabulous Fox Nov. 30 Wicked Fabulous Fox Dec. 9 - Jan. 3

Courtesy of Def Jam

PURPOSE: Bieber’s first single from his new album, “What Do You Mean?” became his first No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hit. By TESS BROCK Arts Editor

Yes, I am a fan of One Direction and Justin Bieber, and I welcome the hate that I get for loving these heartthrobs. Sometimes you just have to ignore your inner “pretentious music critic” so that you can have some fun. So, along with every middle schooler in America, I was excited for Nov. 13 to roll around because both artists decided to release new albums. The anticipation was high for both, but for different reasons. For One Direction, “Made in the A.M” is their first album without their original fifth member, Zayn Malik. Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, Liam Payne and Zayn Malik formed One Direction dur-

ing the UK’s “The X Factor” in 2010. Since then, they have become one of the biggest names in music due to their catchy hits and army of fans. However, Malik parted ways with the group last March, shattering my heart and the hearts of thousands of tweens across the world. The band, however, decided to stick through his departure and created one more album before they take a two-year hiatus to explore different paths. “Made in the A.M.” is a perfect present to fans before they take this extended break. Is the album a major leap of genius from their previous work? No, it doesn’t stretch far from their last album “Four,” but that does not mean it isn’t good. “Made in the A.M.” is full of One Direction doing what they do

band is older for the genre, but still just as energetic. With a 70-minute set that was heavy on fan favorites, the crowd was significantly smaller than State Champs’, but twice as passionate. Fans screaming every line of every song were all around, and they were first -hand reminders as to why the band has been successful for so long. Their quirky version of pop punk was a fresh break after State Champs, and I couldn’t help but dance during their set. Lastly was the main event; the “dinner and desert” as Motion City Soundtrack referred to them while hyping up the crowd: The Wonder Years. There are no words that could do their 75-minute set justice. Coming out and breaking right into the one-two punch of “Brothers &” and “Cardinals,” the crowd went ballistic. Lead singer Dan Campbell stood with arms outstretched while the song started, and then burst into pouring every ounce of passion that he had into the lyrics. The band pulled heavily from their excellent 2015 release “No Closer to Heaven,” but also

best, singing pop-style, puppy-love songs. “Perfect,” “Olivia” and “History” are just that. They are cheery ballads about young love - like a majority of their past singles. This is the type of music that will never leave your head - you will play this in the car, you will listen to this while you study, you will have these songs in your dreams - they are just that catchy. If you dont want that to happen, stay away from the songs “A.M.” and “Love You Goodbye” For Justin Bieber, his fourth album, “Purpose,” marks a milestone in his fluctuating career. Bieber was discovered on YouTube and immediately flooded the charts with his angelic, up-beat hits. However, with rising stardom, Bieber began garnering an awful reputation. He got arrested multiple times with an assault charge and DUI, made his body guards carry him up the Great Wall of China, and I didn’t think there was any coming back for him when he visited the Anne Frank house and wrote in the guestbook that he hoped she would have been a “Belieber.” Despite these cringeworthy moments, Bieber has climbed his way up from rock-bottom, restoring his image by having a Comedy Central roast for himself, publically apologizing on multiple media outlets and giving an emotional performance of his single “Where Are You Now?” at the 2015

AAA: Performances shine

Tom Bergan / The University News

ROCK: After bands You Blew It!, State Champs, and Motion City Soundtrack, The Wonder Years finally took the stage. played highlights from all of their albums. Tons of sweat was shed from those on stage and in the crowd alike, and the passion from both ends was obviously present. With more mature lyrics and sounds than the average pop punk band, they truly thrive in a live environment. Josh Martin’s bass, Mike Kennedy’s crazy drumming and a trio of guitars played away while perfectly com-

plimenting Campbell’s infectious energy as a frontman. Though the band has graduated from the tiny venues that they once graced, it has been incredible to see their progression along the way. As I mentioned, simply writing about them does not do them justice, for seeing The Wonder Years is a religious experience that must be exactly that, experienced live to be fully understood.

MTV Video Music Awards. Bieber’s album “Purpose” has a similar pattern of repetitiveness seen in “Made in the A.M.,” but not in a good way. When I started listening to the album, I thought I was listening to one really long song, but it turned out to be three completely different tracks. “No Pressure” and “No Sense” are hard to distinguish. The biggest difference is that “No Sense” is much worse. Most of the songs on the new album lack any sort of real hook. However, there are some notable objections that almost make up for this. “Love Yourself,” penned by song-writing pro Ed Sheeran, is a simple song that Bieber uses to cleverly dig at his ex. “Life Is Worth Living” is backed only by piao, and allows Bieber’s harmonic

voice to shine. Other songs, “Where Are You Now?” and “Sorry” rival One Direction in their catchiness and are understandably being played constantly on the radio. If Bieber had stayed away from lifeless beats, his album as a whole would be better. One Direction and Justin Bieber both fall into a pattern of having albums that are filled with similar songs, however One Direction’s tracks are all enjoyable to listen to, while half of Bieber’s put me to sleep. Despite my opinion, “Purpose” and “Made in the A.M.” are battling it out for No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart. Industry predictors are saying the albums are too close in numbers to make a guess for which will earn the coveted top spot.

Courtesy of Modest Management

RECORD-BREAKING: One Direction has earned two double platinum records, “Up All Night” and “Take Me Home,” and two platinum records, “Midnight Memories” and “Four.”

007: ‘Spectre’ Continued from Page 5

Continued from Page 5

each number, the group showed a different side of themselves, from sassy to sexy. The showcase had many other great performances throughout the night. Washington University’s Sensasians incorporated their own style into their a cappella covers of “Out of the Woods” by Taylor Swift and “Reflection” by Lea Salonga. SLU Karate impressed the audience with a routine featuring mock combat and board breaking. SLU’s hip hop crew, XQuizit, contributed a well-choreographed hip hop number. The night also included a fan dance and a fashion show, which

celebrated traditional Asian culture. AAA members Derek Nguyen and Alexa Lasam sang a cover of Britney Spear’s “Toxic.” Finally, David Nasser and Anthony Ton, also AAA members, performed a guitar duo that would rival John Mayer. After the event, George Kung, co-president of AAA, reflected on the evening, saying, “Being on the executive board for the past two showcases has really allowed me to see the passion and hard work that goes into the months of planning an event like this. This year, we put on a performance with a message that I hope touched both the hearts and the minds of everyone who attended. To me, showcase

is really about working together to create a collective production that goes beyond just the boundaries of our organization.” On Saturday, AAA did not just showcase talented performers, they showed the depth and diversity of the Asian American community in and around SLU. The organization put on a phenomenal event that advocated for the Asian American community through words and action. The showcase celebrated Asian American culture in a way that raised awareness and combatted stereotypes. It’s fair to say that guests who attended the AAA showcase this year were impacted and impressed.

in the next Bond movie, Craig will not likely face much criticism if his streak continues. In a thrilling mountain top scene, Bond makes contact with the daughter of a former assassin he attempted to use as a source. Rejecting Bond’s warning, and assistance, the daughter has Bond forcibly removed from the building, only to be taken hostage herself by the enemy. While the hostage takers dart off in a caravan of SUVs, Bond pursues in a single-engine airplane, which turns snow mobile once its wings are chopped off by the mountain trees. Bond is later rewarded for his hard work when the same women ends up saving his own life.

Those with a queasy stomach may find difficulty watching a particularly gruesome torture scene, in which Bond is subjected to drills that threaten to destroy his memory—supposedly coming within inches of wiping his brain of most of his life. Thanks to a special explosive laden watch, Bond is able to remove it and then give it to Lea Seydoux’s character, who then tosses it at the enemy just as it explodes. Bond fans are not likely to be disappointed with “Spectre” which jumps from country to country, villain to villain, and woman to woman as quickly and seamlessly as anyone would expect. For the classic Bond experience, consider catching “Spectre” while it is still in theaters.

UNews

Sports

November 19, 2015 sports@unewsonline.com Lexie Vasos, Sports Editor Lauren Tondl, Assoc. Sports Editor

For continued multimedia coverage of Billiken sporting events, visit unewsonline.com or follow us on Twitter @TheUNewsSports

Men’s Basketball rolls Women’s basketball over Hartford 85-68 topples SEMO 67-52 The SLU Men’s basketball team had their home season opener on Nov. 15 against Hartford. Sophomore center Austin Gillmann lined up for the tip and won the possession for the Billikens. SLU got on the board first as senior guard Ash Yacoubou scored on a turnaround jumper in the paint. The Billikens made a quick defensive stop on the other end and regained possession. Junior forward Mike Crawford drained a three to extend the Billiken lead to five. Hartford was able to get on the board in the next possession, but the Bills quickly responded with an easy layup from Gillmann. SLU continued to push the ball up the court and earned a 16-2 lead after sophomore guard

Marcus Bartley banged in a three, but then the offense went cold and allowed Hartford to claw their way back into the game. With a 16-15 Billiken lead and 11:57 left in the half, freshman center Matt Neufeld scored his first collegiate point on a free throw. He then added two more on a floater to give the Billikens some breathing room. The 18-15 lead for the Bills was short lived, as Hartford stormed down the court and drained a three to tie the game. Hartford’s comeback breathed some life into the Billiken offense. While SLU eventually battled ahead for a seven-point lead, the half ended with a score of 37-32. Hartford did not let up on the gas pedal to start the second half, cutting their deficit to just a basket. Then, Yacoubou backed down his defender in the paint and made a

Ryan Quinn / The University News

FINISH: Sophomore forward Milik Yarbrough takes the ball in for a layup and dominates a Hartford defender.

By VIVEK GORIJALA Senior Staff Writer

Saint Louis University women’s volleyball fell three sets to one to Dayton at home on Saturday, Nov. 14. The loss in the regular season finale means SLU will finish with a 21-9 overall record and a 10-4 A-10 record, good for the second seed in the A-10 conference tournament. SLU finished behind Dayton, which ran the conference table to finish 14-0 and 23-5 overall. SLU and Rhode Island were competing for the second seed, which comes with a first-round bye, but Rhode Island’s Nov. 13 loss left them with a 9-5 A-10 record, behind SLU. The Billikens took on Dayton hoping to avenge an

CHEER

away loss earlier in the season, which the Billikens had also lost three sets to one. SLU fought Dayton close in the first set behind junior outside hitter Danielle Rygelski’s seven kills, but ultimately fell 25-22. The Billikens stormed back in the second set to top Dayton 25-19, behind a team hitting percentage of .519. After the break, sophomore outside hitter Nenye Okoro recorded six kills, but the Billikens fell in another close set, 25-23. Dayton then clinched the match with a 25-17 fourth set win, despite Rygelski’s five kills on fourteen attempts without an error, for a .357 attack percentage. Despite the loss, there were several standout Bil-

JEER

FEAR

WHO TO CHEER: AARON RODGERS After the Packers’ loss to the Lions, Aaron Rodgers geared his post-game interview towards a fan who yelled out a Muslim slur in the moment of silence for Paris. “I was disappointed in the fan that said that. That kind of prejudicial ideology puts us in the position we are today as a world,” he said.

beautiful shot. The Billikens pulled away from Hartford with 18:52 left in the game, and they never looked back. Although Hartford would pull within single digits with under 15 minutes left to play, the Bills scored seven quick points in order to maintain their cushion. The Billikens extended their lead to double digits and maintained it for much of the rest of the second half, although Hartford did make a brief run with four minutes left to pull within nine. The Billikens kept the Hawks at bay with good shooting from the free throw line. The game ended in a 85-68 victory for the Billikens. As a team, SLU shot 52.8 percent from the field. Crawford led the team on offense with 17 points, with Reynolds, Yacoubou and sophomore forward Milik Yarbrough contributing 16, 13 and 13 points respectively. Junior forward Reggie Agbeko led the Bills on the boards with a total of eight rebounds, all of which were defensive. Yacoubou and Yarbrough also came down with an impressive rebound count for the game. Coach Crews commented on the performance from his team, stating “I thought that at the start of the game, our guys did a good job. They defended, rebounded and made some simple plays, and we really got off to a good start … We handled the ball pretty darn well. Seven turnovers and that is better than what we have done, so that was good to see and we were able to punch the ball pretty good inside tonight, so that was nice to see too. The Billikens continued their regular season schedule at SIUE on Nov. 18. SLU won the tip, but SIUE began the game with a 7-0 run. The Billiken offense cut the deficit to three, 9-6. Later, Roby tied the game at 19 with a three from behind the arc. Crawford then followed See “Men’s” on Page 8

liken performances. Okoro and Rygelski both recorded double-doubles, as Okoro tallied 14 kills and 18 digs, while Rygelski scored 19 kills and 10 digs. The match also saw senior middle blocker Megan Gilbert put up 10 kills on 16 attacks with only two errors, for an efficient .500 attack percentage. Senior setter Meredith Boe put up 43 assists in the match. The match also marked this season’s senior night for the Billikens. Gilbert, Boe and outside hitter Nicole Sniffen were all honored prior to the match. Gilbert and Boe were standouts for SLU in their four years of eligibility. Gilbert is among the top attackers in SLU volleyball history, while Boe is one of SLU’s all-time assist leaders.

Ryan Quinn / The University News

PAINT: Junior center Sadie Stipanovich pulls up for a jump shot in the paint. The Billikens have started the season with a 2-0 record, which has not occured since 2006-2007 season. Price drove to the basket to put in a layup. She was fouled and successfully converted on the three-point play. They earned their first double-digit lead of the game, 33-23. Within the next three minutes, the ten-point lead turned into twenty. However, SEMO fought their way back at the tail end of the quarter to make the score 52-37 going into the fourth quarter. SEMO reached within 12 points at the onset of the quarter, but SLU continued to push its offense to keep the lead. SLU continued to widen the gap and finally finished the strong offensive performance by taking the win, 67-52. Kemph led the way for the Billikens with 15 points and five assists, the highest of the game in both categories. Price posted 11 points, and junior center Sadie Stipanovich recorded a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds. Gits posted a career-high 11 points. The Billikens also dominated the defensive side of the ball. Senior forward Denisha Womack collected nine rebounds, while junior forward Olivia Jakubicek

snatched six rebounds, and four of them were offensive rebounds. Head coach Lisa Stone was impressed with her team’s performance, especially the reserves. “The start of the second half was very good,” she said. “We had good momentum, our defense tightened up and we did a better job on ball screens. I credit our bench. Maddie Gits and Jordyn Frantz came in and gave us a big spark, and they had good production on offense.” However, she knows the team has a long way to go if they want to be the championship team that they’re striving to be. “We didn’t play as clean as I’d like, but it’s a W,” Stone said. “We’re short of our offensive goal of 70 points a game, but we’re nearly there. It demonstrated that we have a long way to go.” The Billikens continued to impress on Tuesday night with a win against Tulsa at Chaifetz, 82-73. The women got off to a rocky start in the first quarter, not scoring until almost two minutes in, and falling 11-2 three minutes in. The

As some of SLU’s most honors for their club and decorated players wind high school teams and will down their collegiate camake up a part of SLU’s next reers, a new crop of talent generation of volleyball talprepares to ent. craft their Prior own story to their The match also at Chaifetz arrivals, saw senior middle Arena. Head however, coach Kent SLU will blocker Megan GilMiller conc o m bert put up 10 kills firmed the pete in on 16 attacks with signings of the 2015 only two errors, for defensive speA - 1 0 cialist Katec o n f e ran efficient .500 lyn Bright of e n c e attack percentage . Wi l d w o o d , tour naMissouri, ment. outside hitDayton ter Morgan will face Goodman of Cedar Hill, off against the winner of Missouri, and middle blockthe George Washington vs. er Lauren Mershon of MinVCU match, with George netonka, Minnesota. All Washington as the fourth have won various volleyball seed and VCU as the fifth

seed. Third seed Rhode Island will play against sixth seed Duquesne, with the winner of that match going against SLU. While Dayton will be favorites for the tournament, SLU also boasts a strong team and will expect to compete to win the title, which comes with an automatic place in the NCAA tournament. Last year, the Billikens faced Duquesne in the first round of the A-10 tournament and won 3-1. They are 4-0 against the Dukes in the past two years. Although they did not face VCU in the conference tournament last year, they do pose a greater challenge for SLU. The Rams have a 3-0 lead over the Billikens in the past two years they have played.

By LAUREN TONDL Associate Sports Editor

The women’s basketball team came out on the front foot in their season opener on Nov. 14 beating South East Missouri State 67-52 breaking their five-game losing streak in season openers and showing everyone that this is going to be a championship season. The Billikens had a slight lead at the end of the first quarter, 11-9. Halfway through the second quarter, SEMO found some energy and led 19-15. Sophomore forward Maddison Gits put an end to the Redhawks scoring spell by scoring a layup with five minutes left in the second quarter. Sophomore guard Jackie Kemph put in a free throw to make it 19-18 Redhawks. Freshman guard Jordyn Frantz made a crucial rebound and connected to Gits for another layup to take the lead back, 20-19. SLU kept this lead through the rest of the quarter and led at half, 29-23. The Bills had a 14-4 run to take the momentum. The women came out strong in the third quarter, when senior guard Jamesia

“

By LEXIE VASOS Sports Editor

See “Women’s” on Page 8

BY LAUREN TONDL, ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR WHO TO JEER: ALDON SMITH Oakland Raiders’ linebacker Aldon Smith was suspended for a year without pay for substance abuse. Smith pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor counts of hit-and-run, drunk driving and vandalism in September. He has been arrested five times since 2012, and won’t be able to apply for reinstatement until 60 days before the suspension is up.

WHO TO FEAR: DEMARCUS COUSINS Sacramento Kings center Demarcus Cousins received his third Western Conference Player of the Week award after a three-game win streak and 32.5 points and 11.0 rebounds on average. He scored 40 points against Brooklyn, 19 of these in a row. The Kings were 0-4 without Cousins, and since his return from his injury, they’re now 4-7.

November 19, 2015

This week in sports Tweet of the week @timream5 Thank you St. Louis! It was a great homecoming and a game I will never forget. Until next time @ussoccer#USAvVIN...

Scores from the week Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Soccer Thursday, Nov. 12 Rhode Island Billikens

4 2

Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Basketball Saturday, Nov. 14 SEMO Billikens

52 67

Tuesday, Nov. 17 Tulsa Billikens

73 82

Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Basketball Sunday, Nov. 15 Hartford Billikens

68 85

Wednesday, Nov. 18 SIUE Billikens

60 70

Volleyball Saturday, Nov. 14 Dayton Billikens

3 1

Player of the week Mike Crawford Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Basketball

Billiken Media Relations

Junior guard Mike Crawford scored a game-high 17 points in their season opener against Hartford at Chaifetz last Sunday. The Billikens won 85-68. Crawford hit two of the three Billiken three-pointers of the night, and he was 7 for 8 from the free throw line. He almost surpassed his career-high of 19 points, which he earned last season against Texas PanAmerican. Crawford netted an impressive 15 points against SIUE and was the second-leading scorer of the game. He went 6 for 6 at the free throw lineand grabbed three rebounds, acting as a key player in the 70-60 win against the Redhawks.

Games this week , November 20

, November 21

SPORTS

USMNT comes to Busch Stadium

Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s: Team starts 2-0

ing team USA the 2-1 lead. The menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team was not satisfied with a one goal lead and kept the pressure high. Team USA was granted a corner kick in the 31st minute. Johnson sent the ball into play, looking for midfielder Jermaine Jones, but an attempt by St. Vincent to disrupt the play resulted in a deflection in Altidoreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s direction. Unmarked Altidore had an easy header from the back post to extend the US lead to 3-1. The US had a few good looks in the remaining minutes of the first half, but were unable to take advantage of any, as the half came to an end with a 3-1 US advantage. The US began the second half with the same hunger for the back of the net that they showed in the first. In the 51st minute, another corner kick allowed the Americans to extend their lead. Johnsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s corner was flicked on by Wood near the six-yard box, resulting in a perfectly placed ball for defender Geoff Cameron to head into the right post. Another goal for the menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team came shortly after in the 58th minute, when Cameron pushed the ball up to Altidore, who fed it to forward Gyasi Zardes. Zardesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; composed finish allowed the US to take a 5-1 lead over St. Vincent. Altidore would finish the scoring for team USA with some fancy footwork in the box, which beat a St. Vincent defender and allowed Altidore to tuck the ball into the right-hand corner. The game ended in a 6-1

in the programâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history. The womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team is now 2-0 for the first time since the 2006Bills closed the gap slightly 2007 season. by the end of the first quarStone commented on ter to make in 23-18 in the the game. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m very pleased Golden Hurricanesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; favor. with the win over a qualThe second quarter was ity, well-coached team,â&#x20AC;? she tight between both squads, said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We gave up 73 points, but Tulsa pulled ahead at the which is uncharacteristic break, 37-35. of us, but we also scored 82 Suddenly, it was dĂŠjĂ vu points, which is also pretty for the Billikens in the third uncharacteristic.â&#x20AC;? quarter of play. Womack put She applauds the team one in to put chemistry the Billikens that is hapup 39-37, pening on We talked at halfand the rest the court was history. time about the amongst SLU had a her playthird quarter being nine-point ers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We our quarter, and it lead by the had 25 aswas. We really dug end of the sists on 29 third quarin defensively... made baster, 62-53. kets, which However, -Lisa Stone, Coach s h o w s the women tremenwere tested dous team in the middle of the fourth chemistry.â&#x20AC;? quarter when Tulsa went on Stone also notes the ima 10-4 run to make the score, portance of the third quar66-63. Gits and Womack ter. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We talked at halftime put in a layup a piece to siabout the third quarter being lence the Golden Hurricanes our quarter, and it was. We and take back a comfortable really dug in defensively and lead to finish the game with got our offensive rhythm goa win. ing a little bit better.â&#x20AC;? Stipanovich and Womack The team is looking forboth had strong offensive ward to going on the road performances, both putting with a positive start to the 16 points on the board. Price season. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We played Mercer contributed 14 and Kemph last year and they beat us on followed with 13. Kemph our home court, so this gives also had a career-high 14 asus a good opportunity.â&#x20AC;? sists and registered her secThe women travel to Maond career double-double. con, Georgia, this upcomAnother crucial part of ing Sunday, Nov. 22, to face the win for the Billikens was Mercer at 1 p.m. The Biltheir consistency at the free likens are on the road again throw line. SLU went 17-22 Wednesday, Nov. 25, at Indiwhile Tulsa shot only 7-14. ana State University at 5 p.m. The win marks a big step

By LEXIE VASOS Sports Editor

After a long 26 years, the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers made their electrifying return to St. Louis, as the US Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s National Team played on Nov. 13 in front of a crowd consisting of 43,433 fans. The Americans had possession early, but St. Vincent made a quick play and got a shot off that sailed wide of the goal. Off a quick play, St. Vincent pushed the ball up the left side of the field before cutting to the center. St. Vincent forward Oalex Anderson beat USA goalkeeper Brad Guzan to the right to give St. Vincent a surprising 1-0 lead. Team USA quickly launched a counter attack, with midfielder Michael Bradley feeding the ball into the box for defender DeAndre Yedlin, who assisted forward Bobby Wood in the tying goal in the 11th minute. The national team built off this momentum and began an offensive onslaught. In the 16th minute, midfielder Fabian Johnson got the ball to Wood, who launched a shot that rocked just wide of the St. Vincent goal. Bradley had an open look in the 22nd that was blocked by St. Vincent keeper Kenyan Desmond. A foul committed by St. Vincent on forward Jozy Altidore just outside the box in the 29th minute granted the US a free kick outside. Johnson sent the ball toward the wall, which deflected off a St. Vincent player before flying into the back of the net, giv-

Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s: SLU pulls through in close win at SIUE Continued from Page 7

up with two free throws to extend the Billiken advantage, 23-29. With 4:21 left in the first half, Crawford buried a three to make it 26-21. Reynolds lead the team in points at hall with ten, followed by Yacoubou with 8. The Bills entered the lockerroom with a 32-25 lead. SIUE pulled within three, 38-35, with 15:04 left in regulation. SIUE hit a three coming out of the media timeout to tie the game at 38, but Yacoubou responded with a quick layup to regain the two point lead. SIUE took a 43-42 lead with 12 minutes left in the game. The Bills missed multiple close range shots, and the possession eventually resulted in a traveling call on sophomore forward Milik Yarbrough. Agbeko tied the game from the free throw line and a floater form Yacoubou allowed the Billikens to regain the 45-43 lead. Another lead

change took place with eight minutes left as sharp shooting from behind the free throw line by SIUE allowed them to take a 48-47 lead. Gillmann tied the game at 50 with a beautiful three from the top of the arc. The Billikens capitalized on free throws on the next possession, making the score 52-50 with six minutes left to play. Speed and precision by the Billikens resulted in a 59-53 lead with under four minutes left in regulation. The Bills continued with driving the ball into the paint and decent shooting from behind the free throw line. They held on to defeat SIUE 70-60. Yacoubou led the offense with 22 points as well as the defense with 15 rebounds, the third double-double of his career. Other notable performances included Crawfordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 15 point and three rebound contribution. The Billikens will return to Chaefitz on Nov. 21 to play St. Francis Brooklyn.

victory for the US. In his postgame interview, USA Coach Jurgen Klinsmann commented on the win. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Six goals is a nice thing to have and to show the fans. It is obviously important to start with three points into the qualifying campaign. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a long tournament that we have ahead of us. We expect ourselves to get through this group, get the necessary points one at a time or one game at a time. All together, it will be 16 games that we have to master and this was the first one tonight, so a nice performance by the group and good energy from the players. They always try to add another one against a team that was basically putting a wall around their 18yard box.â&#x20AC;? St. Louis native and Saint Louis University soccer alum Tim Ream was a starting defender for the national team. Ream summarized the emotions of the night by stating â&#x20AC;&#x153;Over 43,000 fans, it was special. I have used that word over and over, but it is something that you wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ever forget. It was exciting, it was fun, it was a terrible start to the game, but it was a great finish and I am glad we can send the fans home happyâ&#x20AC;ŚI left 30 or so (tickets)â&#x20AC;Ś a lot of my friends and family bought tickets ahead of time because they just wanted to see the game.â&#x20AC;? The national team continued their qualifying schedule with a tie against Trinidad and Tobago. They will play Guatemala with the date yet to be announced.

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STRATEGY: Sophomore guard Miles Reynolds carries the ball down the court and prepares to put the offense in gear.

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November 19, 2015 opinion@unewsonline.com Joshua Connelly, Opinion Editor

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Starbucks and the commercialization of Christmas We are not a Christian nation. We are a nation with a higher population of Christians than of any other religion, — 70.6 percent of Americans claim affiliation to a branch of Christianity, according to a May 2015 Pew Research Center poll — but that does not make us a Christian nation. Freedom of religion is established in the First Amendment. The 1797 Treaty of Tripoli states that the U.S. was not, “in any sense, founded on the Christian religion.” According to our Constitution, there is not and can never be a statesponsored religion. Why bring this up? The holiday season is fast approaching, which means that talk about the supposed “War on Christmas” or the “War on Christianity” will ramp up again, thanks to Bill O’Reilly, the dozen or so GOP candidates left in the primary race and your uncle Jed — whose rants and raves can be counted on to ruin Thanksgiving

dinner for the umpteenth year in a row. “War on Christmas” chatter boiled over early this year, stemming from the recent controversy — yes, an actual controversy — over Starbucks’ new holiday cups. These particular cups feature no Christmas designs on them, but instead offer a solid, red background with the Starbucks logo featured prominently in the middle. Good God, what’s next? Sacrificing Christians to the lions again? People were legitimately mad about the new holiday cups. Social media exploded over the lack of specific references to Christmas — although Starbucks as a company has no obligation to celebrate Christmas — and the cup is still red and green, the colors of Christmas. Fox News host Kelly Wright likened Starbucks’ new holiday cups to “Ebenezer Scrooge [trying] to Bah Humbug Christmas.” Donald Trump even went so far as suggesting a boycott of Starbucks, an idea

that garnered applause when he suggested it at a campaign rally. Is this really happening? If we are not a Christian nation, and if freedom of religion is explicitly granted by our Constitution, why then do people feel that others must bend to their will when it comes to which holidays to celebrate, or how we celebrate them? It is an egocentric, mefirst attitude that goes against the spirit of the holidays. Thankfully, the Starbucks controversy died down last week, but not before renewing conversation about the commercialization of Christmas. For years, people complained about the holiday season becoming more about shopping, presents and Santa Claus than about the birth of Jesus. Now, people complain that Starbucks does less to commercialize Christmas than other businesses. Can there be any winners here? Christmas decorations are put up earlier every year. Some stores have their Christmas trees up before Hallow-

een is over; others wait until early November. But regardless of when the tinsel is draped across the shelves, or the ornaments are hung from the trees, the fact still remains that Christmas has passed the point of no return when it comes to commercialization. It has even gotten to the point where Thanksgiving is being affected. For years now, the day after Thanksgiving, Black Friday, has marked the beginning of the holiday shopping season. But over the past few years, stores have opened earlier on Black Friday. First it was 4 a.m., then midnight, then 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving. Now, many stores are beginning sales on Thanksgiving afternoon, before many families would otherwise get a chance to enjoy a meal together. Target and Macy’s will open at 6 p.m. Best Buy and Toys “R” Us open at 5 p.m. J.C. Penney opens at 3 p.m. Meijer and Kmart are opening at 6 a.m. Walmart will be open 24 hours. Staples and REI are two

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of the only big-name retailers to remain closed on Thanksgiving. Sure, everyone loves a sale. Some rely on them in order to afford gifts for their loved ones. But, at what cost do these sales come? Shopping or family time — we should not have to choose. These big-box retailers are not only impacting the holidays of their customers. Employees are affected, too. Thanksgiving used to be a day off, a day reserved for family time. Now, as stores compete for revenue, employees are being forced to skip family dinner in order to keep their

jobs. That is not fair, and it is not right. What does it say about these companies that they are willing to hold profits in higher regard than the holidays of their employees? When you think about it, is that anything more than business as usual? So, big-box stores, open late Thanksgiving night if you must — but do not interrupt prime family bonding time with pure commercialism. A few extra hours of shopping is not worth the harm and stress you cause customers, employees and their families. Choose people over profit.

Takeaway from Mizzou: Be careful what you try to take away The on-campus protests at University of Missouri in early November garnered massive media attention as students rallied against racially biased incidents on campus and the lack of action from the administration in addressing them. The protests started when student Jonathan Butler began a hunger strike on Nov. 3, vowing that he would not eat until then-president Tim Wolfe resigned. Butler was joined in solidarity by student-activist group, Concerned Student 1950, which helped further the protests by setting up a temporary tent circle on the school’s quad. The media spotlight did not envelop the campus, how-

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ever, until black members of the school’s football team announced that they would not practice or play until Wolfe resigned, thereby putting the university in a financial bind — Mizzou would be fined $1 million if it had to forfeit its next game, against BYU. Pressure mounted, and Wolfe resigned on Nov. 9. The protesting students claimed a major victory. But, for better or worse, the story did not end there. Tangles between protesters and members of the media became the new focus of coverage, as protesters demanded a “safe space” free from media presence, despite the fact that they were camped out in a

public space, at a public university. The most widespread example of this conflict came when Tim Tai, a student photojournalist on assignment for ESPN, was pushed and shoved while trying to take pictures of the tent circle, following Wolfe’s resignation. Tai asserted his First Amendment right to be present in the space and to take photographs; but students and faculty members — director of Greek life Janna Basler and assistant communication professor Melissa Click — taking part in the protest yelled at him and prevented him from entering the quad. Some even physically pushed him away.

Much of the immediate response to the barring of media from the quad was outrage. Members of the media were angry that their rights were being unfairly restricted, and student protesters were mad that the narrative shifted away from their hard work to counter the racism on campus. The fiery response to the actions of Basler and Click, however, was warranted. As faculty members, they should be held to a higher standard. They, more than anyone, should understand what can and cannot be done on a college campus, especially Click, who had an honorary title in Mizzou’s journalism school, a title which was since revoked.

In the heat of the moment, people got carried away and made a mistake. It was unfortunate, and it should not have happened. The faculty, especially, should not have been involved. But that does not deserve to be the lasting takeaway from everything that happened at Mizzou. Lots of good happened, and it should not be outweighed by the bad. It is understandable that there was frustration on both sides, and a resolution could have been worked out between the sides, ahead of time, in order to prevent the situation from escalating. Members of the media could have requested specific times to conduct interviews and take

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pictures, and the protesters could have worked to make that happen. That way, both sides would have gotten what they wanted, without conflict. Reporters and photographers have a duty to cover stories without interfering with the events in progress. A compromise beforehand could have allowed the entire event to go off without a hitch. Unfortunately, that did not happen, in this case; perhaps it will next time. Our hope is that this was a learning experience to all involved and that this kind of conflict can be prevented in the future. A little talk from each side can go a long way in preventing conflict.

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November 19, 2015

OPINION & EDITORIALS

Governors’ responses show dark side of humanity

To the governors of Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin and Wyoming: Shame on you. In the days following the Paris terrorist attacks of Nov. 13, the world has seen humanity at its best. Thousands, if not millions, flooded social media with statements of support and prayer. World leaders at the G20 summit held a moment of silence, while sporting games, ranging from international soccer to the WWE to the NFL, followed suit. France saw its citizens unite in support, as twitter hashtags were used to offer safe places to sleep for people on the streets, and many moments of beautiful love toward Muslims and refugees have been exhibited, the world over. Sadly, though, in the days following the Paris terrorist attacks of Nov. 13, the world has also seen humanity at its worst, and America at its worst. To the governors listed above, again: Shame on you. In the days since Nov. 13, these 26 governors have made official statements declaring that their state will seek all legal recourses available, to bar the settling of Syrian refugees; they have written the State Department, asking to not have any refuges sent

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Alexander Hanel

their way; or they have simply Gov. Doug Ducey of Arizona, stated that they were not in where this strategy is being support of resettlement. employed: Shame on you. What these governors are With the exception of doing is legally absurd, logiCharlie Baker of Massachucally inaccurate and morally setts, all have officially cited horrifying. To begin with, security concerns as the mostate governors, or even state tivation behind their opposigovernments, have no ground tion. Hence, they are looking to bar the federal governfor solutions in the wrong ment from admitting certain areas. groups of people. To enter the U.S. as a refuIn terms of legal specificagee, the United Nations High tions, two acts and decisions Commission for Refugees first are important. In the 1941 case verifies that the refugee has a of Hines v. Davidowitz, Justice relative in America or that the Hugo Black wrote: “When the U.S. makes the most sense for national government by treaty resettlement. Then, screenor statute has established rules ings are performed by the and regulations touching the National Counterterrorism rights, priviCenter, the leges, obligaFBI’s Terrortions or burist Screening dens of aliens Center and [S]tate governors as such [i.e. the Departcan allocate or rerefugees], ments of fuse funds in such the treaty or State, Dea way that it would statute is the fense and supreme law Homeland prevent refugees of the land Security. A from accessing … No state final state education-, livingcan add to department and work-related or take from interview aid. the force and verifies that effect of such the applicant treaty or statis, indeed, a ute” (parenthetical added by refugee in need. The process writer). usually takes 18-24 months. Furthermore, under the According to Time, “OfRefugee Act of 1980, it is the ficials say it’s the most intenpresident who may admit sive vetting process of any those facing “persecution or a group that arrives in the U.S.,” well-founded fear of persecuand the UN screening alone tion on account of race, reliinvolves “in-depth refugee gion, nationality, membership interviews, home country in a particular social group, or reference checks and biologipolitical opinion.” cal screenings, such as iris Unfortunately, though, scans. Military combatants state governors can allocate are weeded out.” or refuse funds in such a way To enter the U.S. as a tourthat it would prevent refugees ist, on the other hand, one from accessing education-, must simply fill out a nonliving- and work-related aid. immigrant visa application Furthermore, while attemptform, form DS-160, and then ing to bar Syrian refugees schedule one interview at an would likely result in discrimAmerican consulate, where a ination suits, states can simply passport, the DS-160, a photo, inform the government that and a fee are all processed. they do not have the capacThere are clearly easier ity to accept any refugees. ways to enter this country

for a human wishing to cause harm, yet no one is advocating that we increase security measure there, as well. What U.S. governors are doing is at its best racist, and at its worst, inhumane and tragic – a clear signal to the world that our elected leaders cannot separate thousands of ordinary humans from a twisted and violent few who share similar national origins or faiths (although no one can truly consider the faith that ISIS practices as true Islam). What has been the most horrifying, though, has been the response from several presidential candidates. Recently, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush stated, “There are a lot of Christians in Syria that have no place now ... They’ll be either executed or imprisoned, either by Assad or by ISIS. And I think we should have — we should focus our efforts as it relates to the Christians that are being slaughtered.” Any teenager with Internet access can find scores of documentation detailing how Muslims are also being slaughtered, and there is no conceivable way that Bush is not aware of this. By saying that America should only accept Christians, he is saying that not only should we turn a blind eye to thousands facing bombs, bullets, chemical weapons and scores of other horrors that we can not even imagine, but that we inherently believe that someone’s religion should be the dividing line of who we extend our care and our hands to. While the French president, only days after his nation was attacked, reaffirmed his country’s commitment to continue helping refugees, America began to shut its doors. To everyone who has publically and legally contributed to that: Shame on you.

New SLU logos distract from university’s true mission

I recently learned of some of the habits of a former SLU president, Fr. Paul Reinert, SJ. Reinert, I was told, would occasionally eat meals with students in the residence halls. He would leave Jesuit Hall and mingle with his constituents, unnoticed – just another man in a collar. (Because there was no Internet in those days, Reinert’s face was not plastered on Facebook posts and Parent Updates and schoolwide emails; he was not the victim, as so many university presidents across the country seem to be, of powerful commercialists, people obsessed with a school’s external image.) And he would, on these jaunts, listen to what students had to say. They opened up to him, often unaware that he was the president, unaware that their criticism was meeting the ear of the very man who executed the actions they disliked. Reinert loved this. He kept a low profile. He listened. It was all about hearing the students. This story has become especially pertinent in light of the recent unveiling of SLU’s new logos. Like an NBA team

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Paul Brunkhorst

with 20 straight losing seasons tradition, and we’re not afraid trying to refresh its image to use them, it said. But now, and fan base, the university with the new clip art-like imdisplayed its new look to the age, SLU has professed its deworld on Friday, Nov. 13. Marsire to have its logo be more keting their own marketing, easily transferred across marSLU made public the fruits of keting media. It is less a statemore than a year of planning ment of SLU’s educational and consultation at an overpurposes than a sign (sadly) hyped, ill-attended event at of its commitment to comChaifetz Arena. (When SLU mercializing and competing, athletes are forced to be presin a marketing universe. ent, one can tell that turnout But, don’t take me too is expected to be low.) Gone, seriously. After all, I gladly sadly, are the days of a humble profess that I don’t really care SLU — a for or much Fr. Reinabout the new ert-like logo; I wasn’t It is less a stateinstituat Chaifetz on tion that Friday. But I ment of SLU’s eduknows do care about cational purposes that presthe reasons than a sign (sadly) tige comes behind the of its commitment f r o m change — to commercializing within, what they say and competing in a not from about SLU, branding what values marketing universe. or font they profess type. and espouse. Though not the primary Didn’t Jesus say that the first emphasis of this article, I must shall be last and the last shall devote a paragraph to lambast be first? Educational instituthe new logos: They are not tions attempting to meet the impressive. The Billiken is still demands of the Internet age a tad creepy; extensive plan— constant exposure, relentning, preparation and money less image making — can easiwere not needed to make this ly run contrary to this mantra. creepiness “fiercer,” as some Many worthy things have have described it. And the happened at SLU in the past crest redesign is a mystery; far couple of years and months from being complicated, the — the university bought back old logo, with its “Ad Majorem its hospital, for instance. And Dei Gloriam,” was a testament faculty members have recentto SLU’s academic prowess. ly been extended an increase We have some very meaningin holiday time off, by the ful Latin phrases, the fruits of administration. But when it the great Jesuit educational was revealed that the new lo-

gos were the result of months of planning and consultation with a professional PR firm that has many big, notable clients, it occurred to me that SLU may be overly concerned with its commercial image and not sufficiently appreciative of its less-showy call to serve others and teach. We’re not selling Hot Pockets or chewing gum; we’re learning to be men and women for others. This is a university. Our “brand” is the Society of Jesus – a quiet, low-key, Reinert-esque type of academic rigor that speaks for itself, is honest and doesn’t need to be protected by advertising firms, like the one hired by SLU, that also promote bigtime corporations. This is not the time to lose hope, though. Some of the Facebook comments about the new logos have been particularly alarming — and amusing. One person promised that the trust fund that she had set up for her grandchildren to attend SLU would now be used to pay tuition at Marquette. And a man threatened to withhold donations until SLU reverts back to the old logo. These people are going too far, perhaps, by mistaking the medium for the message. And the Fr. Reinertdining-with-the-studentstype-of-SLU is still out there, behind the grinning imagery. But SLU’s newest façade of marketing fodder seems an unfortunate distraction from this ideal.

Defend, expand ‘gray zone’ by combating Islamophobia tering the U.S. under refugee status are subject to more scrutiny than any other type of incomer. Syrians specifically must undergo an additional layer of screening before they are admitted. Overall, the process generally takes 18 to 24 months. Terrorists wishKyle Smith ing to strike America could certainly find a much quicker and easier way to do so. We’ve been here before. The idea that we should For many of us, 9/11 may turn away Syrian refugees for be nothing more than a disbeing “potential terrorists” is tant childhood memory, but completely ludicrous, not to there are many other times mention immoral. These are we’ve felt the collective fear people who have been forced and uncertainty engendered from their homes, travelled by random, senseless acts of thousands of miles, witnessed violence: the Boston bombsome of the worst atrocities ing, Charlie Hebdo, Sandy humans are capable of—only Hook. to find they are unwelcome For those of us living and suspected of supporting abroad, the reality of the Paris the very people they’re trying attacks was even more proto flee. nounced. My roommate was Besides, by turning away in Paris at the time, as were Syrian refugees, we aren’t doseveral other friends. Just ing ISIS any great disservice; the other week, I had stayed on the contrary, we’re giving at a hostel a few blocks from them exactly what they want. where the first shootings ocThey’ve said as much themcurred. selves. My friends and I stayed In a 10-page editorial glued to our phones that published in the English-lannight, as the facts came franguage ISIS magazine Dabiq, a tically rolling in: At least 18 spokesman for the group calls killed in a shooting in Paris. for the destruction of “the Explosions heard, unclear if gray zone,” which they delinked. Now it’s 31 killed, at scribe as the area occupied by two locations. Four attackers. moderate Muslims between No wait, six. Three locations. the West and Islam. In other Over 100 held hostage in a words, they want to drive a nightclub. Body count hits 43. wedge between average, orEight attackers. More explodinary Muslims around the sions. They killed the hostagworld and their respective soes. Jesus Christ, they killed the cieties, forcing them to flock hostages. to ISIS. It was a horrendous night. The reality is that fear, haBut, as with every terrorist tred and attack, the prejudice tragedy in towards IsParis will lam is preultimately If we want to truly cisely what be defined put an end to Isthese terby our relamic terrorism ... we rorists want sponse. and expect We must must make a confrom us. take care to scious effort to deIt is what temper our fend ‘the gray zone’ breeds disemotional by putting a stop to affected, outrage Islamophobia. marginalwith ratioized indinality and viduals and an apprecommuniciation of ties that feel threatened and political realities. While grief, undervalued by their own anger and shock are natural, society — exactly the kind of we cannot allow them to unpeople ISIS recruits. dermine our compassion. If we want to truly put an Unfortunately, if the past end to Islamic terrorism — few days are any indication, not simply dismantle an orgawe are doing just that. nization, but attack the probSince last Friday, more lem at its roots — then we than two dozen U.S. govermust make a conscious effort nors have vowed to keep Syrto defend and expand “the ian refugees out of their regray zone” by putting a stop to spective states, claiming that Islamophobia. ISIS operatives could potenLet’s start by embracing tially enter posing as refugees the principles enshrined on and carry out attacks on U.S. our Statue of Liberty and welsoil. This fear is based partialcoming the “huddled masses ly on the fact that a fake Syryearning to breathe free.” ian passport was found near In the days following the the body of one of the attacktragedy in Paris, an image ers in Paris. circulated online containing It’s worth noting that the a quote from beloved childnumber of refugees the govhood icon Mister Rogers. It ernment plans to admit over says: “When I was a boy and the next year is only 10,000— I would see scary things in the an absurdly small amount, news, my mother would say to relatively speaking. There are me, ‘Look for the helpers. You four million Syrian refugees will always find people who worldwide; the number of are helping.’” asylum seekers in just GermaFor the sake of the refuny, which has a quarter of the gees, I hope there are people U.S.’s population, is expected out there willing to be the to exceed 800,000 by the end helpers. Because right now it’s of the year. sure as hell not us. Furthermore, people en-

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