Vol. 12 (March 8, 2018)

Vol. XCVII No. 11

A student voice of Saint Louis University since 1921

March 8, 2018

2 March 8, 2018

News

INSIDE SCOOP:

Photo courtesy of Krists Luhaers

ARTS Lorde at Saint Louis University Page 6 Nish Gorczyca / The University News

WE GET IT, YOU VAPE: Recent studies show that engaging in that vape life might have unforseeen consequences.

The hidden dangers of vaping

SPORTS Billiken Basketball Star Jalen Johnson Page 15

OPINION The U.S. Midterm Elections Page 20

Study finds high amounts of metals in e-cigarette aerosols

By TANNOCK BLAIR Associate News Editor

Ever since their appearance in 2004, electronic cigarettes have found success by cornering the market as the safer alternative to their traditional counterparts. The assumption has long been that e-cigarettes are harmless because they contain no tobacco and involve no combustion.

However, a new study published by the Environmental Health Perspectives journal last month seems to indicate otherwise. The findings of the study indicate that e-cigarettes could be potentially dangerous sources of exposure to toxic metals like chromium, nickel, and lead and to metals that are toxic when inhaled, such as manganese and zinc.

The study, which was conducted by a team of scientists from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, Maryland, showed that e-cigarettes generate an aerosol by heating a solution with a metallic coil. The purpose of the investigation was to determine whether the transfer of metals from the heating coil to the e-liquid in the e-cigarette tank

was dangerous.

The team, headed by senior study author Ana María Rule, sampled the refilling dispenser, aerosol, and e-liquid tanks from 56 e-cigarette devices of daily e-cigarette users. They found that aerosol mass concentrations for the detected metals exceeded current health-based limits in close to 50 percent or more of the samples for chromium, manganese, nickel and lead.

The ingestion of these metals can lead to a number of health issues. According to the study’s press release, “chronic inhalation of these metals has been linked to lung, liver, immune, cardiovascular, brain damage, and even cancers.”

There has been a steady growth in ecigarette popularity on college campuses all across the country. Like most things these days, its popularity has grown rapidly thanks to the internet culture popularization such as the trending hashtag #VapeNation.

SLU introduced a tobacco-free policy that went into effect on July 1, 2016. The policy includes e-cigarettes (although it technically does not have tobacco). However, college students between the ages of

18 and 24 are still the largest e-cigarette users over all others.

The popularity of vaping comes from the nicotine “hit” experienced, while providing the look and feel of tobacco-smoking.

The assumption that vaping is “safe” has been contested for a while now, however.

This is just one of many studies that has been released over the last year that seems to indicate vaping is not the refuge many initially thought.

It is within the Food and Drug Administration’s ability to regulate e-cigarettes, but the organization is still considering how to do so. This recent study could serve as the most recent development to encourage the FDA to make it a major focus moving forward.

Rule wanted to express that “it’s important for the FDA, the e-cigarette companies and vapers themselves to know that these heating coils, as currently made, seem to be leaking toxic metals—which then get into the aerosols that vapers inhale.”

Rule and her team are now planning further studies of vaping with particular attention paid to how exactly these metal exposures will impact people.

News

March 8, 2018

Rebecca LiVigni / The University News

SGA: Katlyn Martin was elected as new SGA president on Monday, Feb. 26.

Katlyn Martin

Introducing SGA’s new president

By SAVANAH SEYER Staff Writer

In the weeks leading up to the SGA elections this year, it was not uncommon for a particular SGA campaign group to speak at a club or organization meeting.

This group was Team Martin, a team of students campaigning for executive board roles in the Student Government Association. The team was named after and led by current VP of Finance Katlyn Martin, who won the election to be the next SGA president.

Martin has been a part of SGA since the beginning of her freshman year at SLU, after running for and winning a senate position. Over her last three years, she has held various roles in SGA, including first-year senator, senator for the College of Arts and Sciences, Co-Chair of Student Outreach, and the Vice President of Finance, as well as sitting on several SGA committees. Martin said that the decision to run for president in her final year was a natural one.

“I saw that we have a need for change in SGA, especially with communication. I felt that the skills that I bring to the table

were one of the reasons I felt that I wanted to run. I feel that I can create a really good change on campus and in SGA,” said Martin. “Also I like SGA, so the decision to find more ways to get involved wasn’t a hard one.”

Martin made the decision this year to run with a team of students, as opposed to running alone. She said that while her original plan was to run by herself, after speaking to the students who would eventually make up the team, it became apparent that a lot of the issues that were important to her overlapped with issues that other candidates felt passionate about as well. She said that forming the team took about two months to come together to decide their game plan.

Martin, who presented at 62 CSO meetings, or campaign stops, ran on a number of key platform points. The first main point was accessibility of scholarships, especially for upperclassmen. Martin says that she wants to make sure all available scholarships are uploaded online and are made available to each student eligible for them.

The next point was strong communication between food, facilities and SGA. “We really want to make sure that

Housing and Residence Life knows what we want fixed,” said Martin. “I’ve noticed a big disconnect between what we want and what gets fixed. Some people might not want new paint but want their pipes fixed.”

On the food side, SLU’s contract with Aramark will be renegotiated in the next year, and Martin says that she is focused on making sure SLU gets the best quality food out of the contract. She also says one of her main focuses is making sure that the current Aramark employees that are part of the SLU community get to maintain their jobs, no matter what contract the University chooses to pursue.

The third point of Martin’s campaign is, to use her words, “Chipping away at the SLU Bubble.” She wants to make sure that the SGA website and SGA itself is a resource to make sure that students find ways to explore and take advantage of the benefits of living in St. Louis.

“We live in such a great city,” said Martin. “There are all these really cool places that we could be exploring and hanging out at, and many people don’t know where to start looking.”

Martin also hopes to make SGA more accessible and visible to all members of the SLU community.

“One of the things I want to add is a quarterly report of what’s going on. A condensed version of what all has been going on.” said Martin. “I feel like students don’t know where they can go to access information. I want to be able to direct them to it.”

As well as winning her position, Martin said that this year’s election was a win for her in another way.

“This year we had the highest voter turnout we’ve ever had since we’ve had electronic records,” said Martin. “For me, if we had the highest voter turnout ever and we [the team] had lost, it still would have been a win for me.”

Martin says that this year’s election process felt very successful and more engaging than before. She felt that the election commission did a good job, and having the candidate debates streamed was a good move in engaging student voters.

Martin and her team, which now makes up the SGA Executive Board, will be transitioning into their roles during the next few months, before they assume the positions in May. Martin says that if she could give one message to all the students of SLU, it would be a message of thanks.

“Thank you. This is an incredible opportunity for many reasons. I’m very excited, we have a great team,” said Martin.

“We are ready, and we really want to make our University a better place.”

Tweets

3

of the week @nytimes

Over 5 months after Hurricane Maria plowed through Puerto Rico, some parts of the island are still in the dark. It is a long, long way from being back in business.

@CNN

A ‘man of mystery’ with ties to Donald Trump’s team attended secret meetings during the presidential transition between the United Arab Emirates and Trump associates — and he’s now cooperating with special counsel Robert Mueller. @SLUChaifetzBiz

We’re honored to have world-class entrepreneur and SLU alum @ richchaifetz invest in transforming business education for today’s SLU students and the generations to come. From all of us at SLU – thank you Dr. Chaifetz.

@ABC

JUST IN: Office of Special Counsel finds Kellyanne Conway twice violated the Hatch Act and “submitted the report to the President for appropriate disciplinary action.”

@VP

Gary Cohn did a great job as @POTUS’s Director of the National Economic Council - helping pass the largest tax reforms in U.S. history, cutting jobkilling regs & spurring our economy. Thank you Gary for your tireless work on behalf of the American people.

4

March 8, 2018

News

Rebecca LiVigni / The University News

BICENTENNIAL: Saint Louis University celebrates its 200 year anniversary with an exhibition that featured a signing of a commemorative book.

SLU’s history on display “Always at the Frontier”

By MEGAN ANTHONY Editor in Chief

Throughout the school year, Saint Louis University’s bicentennial year has been marked by several events. The most recent was the opening of “Always at the Frontier,” on Friday, March 3, an art exhibit at the Saint Louis University Museum of Art. The exhibit, which will run through Dec. 30, 2018, is based off of a book written

by Dr. Dolores Byrnes, commemorating SLU’s 200 year-long history.

The opening was attended by Jesuits, students, faculty and alumni, who were greeted by a wall of past presidents, dating back to Francois Niel in 1818. Among the guests was one of the men on the wall, Fred Pestello, president of Saint Louis University.

From his spot in the center of the gallery, Pestello thanked the Bicentennial planning committee and praised Byrnes for her dedication. He called the school special because of its status as the oldest university in the Midwest. “It has survived and thrived, not without difficulty,” he acknowledged.

Between the discoveries, speakers and hors d’oeuvres, attendees mingled with old friends as they admired the collection of the past. Petruta Lipan, director of SLUMA, says the purpose of basing the exhibit off of the book was to transition the

visitor from the pages of the book through the history of Saint Louis University. Her thinking process while planning the layout was to balance that engagement and to make the book come to life.

Detailed on the walls is SLU’s journey, from a small band of Jesuits to the opening of Grand Hall, and artifacts and photographs are laid out to guide patrons along. The exhibit also features the University’s accomplishments and advancements. Starting with social justice, SLU’s history of combating injustice is depicted with photos from all decades of students and faculty protesting segregation, racism, police brutality and violence in South America.

From there, the exhibit moves to medical findings, technological advancements and athletic achievements. The exhibit ends with a collage of current students with a quote that reads: “Our future is in good hands. Our students’.”

The exhibit is not only a showcase of the construction of buildings, but a showcase of the people that have made the University what it is today. Such as Emory Webre, a parishioner of College Church, who spent much of his career researching Jesuits, as well as John Waide, who works in the library and graduated from SLU in 1973.

Byrnes, in her closing remarks said, “The stories are so powerful. Be proud of SLU and be proud of your association with it.”

Rebecca LiVigni / The University News

OLYMPIC FENCER: Ibtihaj Muhammad tells her story to Saint Louis University students and answers questions from both Charlie Revord and the crowd.

Combating social norms Ibtihaj Muhammad visits SLU

By MEREDYTH STAUNCH Managing Editor

Attracted to fencing as a teenager because the sport was conducive to her competing in Islamic dress, 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Ibtihaj Muhammad was hosted by the Great Issues Committee at the Wool Ballrooms on the evening of March 1.

Growing up in a competitive household, Muhammad and her siblings participated in sports starting at a young age as it allowed their parents to keep an eye on them from 3 to 5 p.m. daily. While fencing taught Muhammad much about her mental and physical strength, the sport also allowed her to foster strong relationships with her peers instead of perpetuating the idea that girls and Muslims are not athletic.

After graduating from Duke University in 2007 with dual bachelor’s degrees in international relations and African-American studies, and a minor in Arabic, Muhammad discovered to her surprise that a woman of color had never been on the U.S. Women’s Saber Team. Although she was not ranked in the sport at that time and never participated in a senior competition, she trained to qualify for the national team in order to shatter that status quo.

Her first step was to convince her parents to send her to world cups; they supported her decision.

“I got on this ride and never got off,” Muhammad said. “It was never a goal of mine to qualify for the Olympic team when I embarked on this journey, but what has motivated me throughout different parts of my career was being told no.”

After graduating from Duke, Muhammad told her coaches about her goal of qualifying for the national team – they told her it was impossible.

“They told me that everyone who has been on senior teams has been on teams before,” Muhammad said. She was also older than the typical competitor. The other senior team qualifiers were teenagers, while Muhammad was 21-years-old.

Muhammad was perplexed that her coaches had little confidence in her potential because of her faith and her later start in competing nationally. “That has motivated me throughout my career to challenge the misconceptions that people have – not just about my work ethic and showing people how hard I can work, but also changing and challenging the misconceptions that people have about me as a woman in sport,” she said.

See “Olympic” on page 5

News

March 8, 2018

Let Us Introduce You:

5

Trenton Almgren-Davis and Becky LiVigni

Rebecca LiVigni / The University News

Almgren-Davis poses in the Busch Student Center for a photo.

By TANNOCK BLAIR Associate News Editor

Trenton Almgren-Davis is one of the UNews’ fresh photography editors. It’s his first year of SLU, but he is technically a junior. All of his college credits were obtained in Trenton’s time in high school.

When asked how he achieved such a feat, he simply said, “a lot of AP classes.” When he registered for SLU, “they accepted pretty much everything.” Even though he only

started college this year, he will technically be graduating in December 2019.

He’s studying communication here at SLU with a concentration in journalism.

Specifically, his interest in journalism lies in photography. “I love photography. It sounds cliché, but I like to tell stories. You can take a picture of an event and it will change the way you look at that event,” said Trenton. “I like to look at the different perspectives of things.”

Some of his photography role models include Ted Forbes from the “Art of Photography” YouTube channel and Pete Souza, Obama’s photographer. Trenton said his favorite photo is the one of Obama bowing to 5-year-old Jacob Philadelphia who touches the then-president’s hair.

Trenton is particularly interested in sports photography. He first worked for the UNews sports section last week. “It’s a lot faster than high school,” he said. “A lot more ball movement.” He explained his process: “You definitely want to pay attention to the audience— when they’re pumped up, you want to get their reactions. Pay attention to the coach, [and] to the bench. You take different parts, put them together and that tells the story.”

Olympic fencer visits SLU Continued from Page 4 Muhammad could respond, her friend interjected to say that Muhammad was not an Olympian.

“In that moment, I saw myself in this little girl,” Muhammad said. “She saw me as an Olympian, and I thought that this was something I could do. In that moment, I decided to dedicate my life over the next four years to qualifying for the Olympic team. The decision was born out of proving people wrong and proving to myself that with hard work I could do it.”

Muhammad’s Olympic qualification in 2016 came at a paramount time as the presidential election reached its climax.

“We as a community of Americans needed to see a Muslim woman in that space,” she said. “There was so much negative rhetoric around the Muslim community from a lot of the presidential candidates to a point where it was becoming normalized.”

By qualifying for the team, Muhammad

made a statement to show the strength and resilience that Muslim women encompass.

She never thought she would bring home an Olympic medal, but she saw her qualification and the medal as wins more for the Muslim community than herself.

“I wanted the Olympic team for the little girls out there who had been told they didn’t belong,” Muhammad said. “For people who have been told this isn’t a space that they’re welcomed in simply because of the color of their skin.”

In moments of being challenged based off of skin color or religion, Muhammad stressed the importance of remaining true to character. “We will each be challenged in our lives, and someone will make you upset,” she said.

But, combatting these microaggressions is not solely a task for minorities. “Minorities need to be vocal,” Muhammad said.

“It is just as important, though, for white males to be allies in these moments and to say this is not okay. To be silent in these moments is a crime.”

By EM MILLER News Editor

Rebecca LiVigni is a freshman from Mokena, Illinois. With a talent and passion for photography, she is currently one of the UNews’ photo editors and is involved with the Honors Learning Community on campus. LiVigni is a well-rounded academic individual, majoring in neuroscience and pursuing a minor in English.

LiVigni chose to major in neuroscience because of her fascination with the brain, saying, “There’s so much to find out and know about the brain and its cognitive processes, and there’s enough to keep me interested my whole life.”

At the same time, LiVigni chose to pursue an English minor because of her love of reading and her belief in a well-rounded education.

“I’m a total book nerd,” LiVigni said.

“I love reading and talking about books.

I didn’t think I could get through college without taking multiple English classes, and the only way to do that without my advisor yelling at me was to declare a minor.”

In her free time, LiVigni is a huge book lover. Her favorite book is “To Kill a Mockingbird,” which she first read in

Jean Lachat / Jean Lachat Photography

LiVigni poses in her senior portraits. high school. When asked why she liked the book so much, LiVigni commented, “I think the really fascinating thing about ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ is that it deals with these very complex problems that can be hard for adults to truly understand, but the novel is from the perspective of a younger, innocent individual.”

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

Tuesday, March 6 11:16 a.m. AUTO ACCIDENT A Saint Louis University student who was driving her personal vehicle collided with another vehicle on Grand. Both vehicles sustained damage, but no one was injured. The Saint louis Metropolitan Police Department was notified and responded.

Tuesday, March 6 1:50 p.m. PROPERTY DAMAGE / NON CRIMINAL DPS Officers responded to a report of a hole in the western brick wall of the Scranton Parking Lot, along the property line of the Crazy Bowls restaurant. The officers were unable to determine the cause of the damage, and the ownership of the wall was unable to be determined.

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

Arts&Entertainment UNews

March 8, 2018 arts@unewsonline.com Natalie Riopelle, Arts Editor Chandana Kamaraj, Assoc. Arts Editor

U. Theatre presents ‘Rhinoceros’ COIN delivers

By NADIA SIRAJUDDIN Staff Writer

Courtesy of Eric Woolsey

SUCCUMB: From left to right, Berenger (Angre Elsamian), Daisy (Halli Pattison) and Dudard (Valen Piotrowski) are faced with an unusual plague: rhinoceroses.

By BOBBY STILLWELL Sports Editor

Saint Louis University Theatre played host to “Rhinoceros,” a play by Eugene Ionesco. While the play ran March 1-4, the production boggled and entertained the opening night audience.

The play opens on a small French town and the protagonist, Berenger (Andre Elsamian), is portrayed as a drunkard, uncoordinated, and someone unable to function in ‘high class’ society. Berenger and Jean (Zach Bakouris) are arguing about how to stay ‘high class’ when a rhinoceros suddenly barrels through the town (portrayed by a crew member walking in front of the stage and letting out two puffs of dust). The townspeople all gather and mingle about the rhinoceros, before exclaiming “Of all things!” and returning to their normal lives.

By this point, a logician (Caleb Vetter) and an old woman (Erica Withrow) begin pondering the logic of life, with the logician and Jean often echoing each other. The old woman and logician draw a hilarious conclusion that Socrates was a cat, before another Rhinoceros interrupts the exchange.

In the second scene, Berenger goes to work (a local newspaper) where his claims of witnessing both attacks are refuted

by Botard (Jackson Gress), a co-worker who doesn’t believe that a rhinoceros could end up in France. This comes despite multiple newspaper reports to the contrary. Once Mrs. Boeuf (Emily Tobar) arrives to inform the staff that her husband has transformed into a rhinoceros, Berenger and Dudard (Valen Piotrowski) are able to convince Botard that there is a problem.

At the end of the day, Berenger goes to apologize to Jean. The play then takes a more sinister tone and begins to contradict itself, with Jean becoming more and more angry with each passing moment. Jean’s skin turns green and becomes hard. In addition, a bump forms on his head (later becoming a rhinoceros horn), and he then fully transforms into a rhinoceros. By this time, an army of rhinoceroses surround Jean’s apartment building, and Berenger breaks down.

The final scene of the play opens with Berenger waking up from the previous scene, which was a nightmare. However, the situation is dire; the only remaining humans in the

town are Dudard, Daisy (Halli Pattison) and Berenger. Dudard and Daisy both check up on the sick Berenger, but Dudard succumbs to the rhinos, transforming into one himself and leaving Berenger’s apartment. Assuming he has nothing to lose, Berenger professes his love to Daisy, and they initially appear to be in a relationship. However, Daisy ends up succumbing, but tries to convince Berenger to transform as well, before she too departs, leaving Berenger all alone in his apartment. The rhinos continue to torture Berenger, and he too tries to transform, but is unable to do so and cries when he realizes the fact. After accepting his fate, Berenger climbs up to the roof and screams, “I’m not transforming” He then singlehandly decides to take on all the rhinos.

This play makes an audience member think critically when trying to understand the themes of the production.

However, Berenger could represent somebody who is trying to be unique in a world of monotony. As those around him give up and decide to be like everybody else, Berenger vows to remain unique. With the lighting See “Rhinos” on Page 7

On Feb. 27, 2018, COIN came to Delmar Hall. For all those who enjoy listening to indie pop or indie rock, this was the concert to go to.

The show had all of the good aspects one looks for in a concert combined into one experience.

The concert began with an all-girls band, The Aces, as the opener. The Aces is a band that originated from Utah. Although the band released its first single, “Stuck,” in mid-2016, the girls have been playing together since 2008 in their hometown.

Their love for their hometown is evident as one of the first questions they asked the crowd was if anyone was from Utah. Despite the oldest of the group being less than twenty-two-years-old, and having only a handful of songs released, the band looked comfortable on stage.

With so much experience performing despite their career just starting, it’s exciting to wait and see how much potential this band has to unlock for the world.

The lead vocalist of The

Aces, Cristal Ramirez, was a natural. She had a beautiful, pure voice that needs no alterations. Aside from all the flashiness that is existent in the music industry today, Ramirez was a breath of fresh air as she came on stage wearing just some black yoga pants and a t-shirt. As Ramirez effortlessly sang while dancing, The Aces delivered a very down-toearth performance. Although as beautiful as Ramirez’s voice is, I would prefer listening to the band’s recordings compared to a live performance, as Ramirez’s vocals tended to get drowned out by the instruments.

Along with Ramirez, The Aces consists of lead guitarist Katie Henderson, bassist McKenna Petty and drummer Alisa Ramirez. If you’re into indie pop music, and have been craving some new girlband talent, then look no further. The Aces are here. Join its fan base before everyone else discovers them.

After The Aces, the audience waited thirty minutes for the headliner, COIN, to get on stage, which actually went by See “COIN” on Page 8

Nadia Sirajuddin / University News

Arts

March 8, 2018

Walk the Moon shines

7

‘Rhinos’: Join or flee Continued from Page 6

With the bulk of the sound design being captured and subsequently manipulated throughout the play, Bergener could also and recombined, this adds to the ominous be dreaming throughundertones and themes out the third and fourth suggested by the lighting scenes. In scenes one and This play may be mind and portrayal of the charactwo, the town is brightly ters. This play may be mind boggling, but the lit, with scenes three and humor and emotional boggling, but the humor four lit rather dimly. Given and emotional connection connection with the with the characters keeps the fact that Berenger was characters keeps dreaming in scene three, audience members engaged one could also suggest he audience members for the entire 90 minutes. was dreaming in scene The University Theatre did engaged. four, but that would negate a remarkable job with the the entire play and render production, ensuring not a the opening rhinos as isolated events. single detail was amiss.

Madisyn Siebert / The University News

By MADISYN SIEBERT Staff Writer

The Pageant was the place to be on the evening of February 22 because of an almost sold-out show full of bright lights and energy beyond compare that stemmed from the performance by Walk the Moon. The band is on its Press Restart Tour, promoting its latest album, “What If Nothing.”

Walk the Moon gained popularity in late 2011 to early 2012 when its self-produced song “Anna Sun” began to get radio play on alternative rock stations. This led to its members getting signed to RCA Records, and they then released their first studio album, “Walk the Moon.”

The band’s pop-rock sound has an 80s influence, bringing back sounds like synthesizers that not many modern-day rock bands are using. Its success only gained momentum when it second studio album, “Talking is Hard,” was released. The song, “Shut Up and Dance,” is what truly launched the band to stardom when it became the song of the summer for 2015. This led to many performances on Late Night TV and even a performance with Taylor Swift on her 1989 Tour in their hometown of Cincinnati.

The lead singer, Nicholas Petricca, came on to the stage in St. Louis that night with such excitement and hype that it transferred to the audience instantaneously. The moshpit went nuts as Petricca led the crowd in dancing and jumping, keeping the crowd entertained all evening.

The band played songs from its newest album but it also played many of its classic hits, keeping the crowd pleased.

The set list consisted of 19 songs with the kickoff being none other than what the tour was named after: “Press Restart.” In addition, it included crowd favorites such as “Shiver Shiver,” “Tightrope” and “Lisa Baby,” while also promoting songs off its new al-

bum like “Headphones,” “Kamikaze” and “Tiger Teeth.”

I enjoy how Walk the Moon does not play any slow songs. Every song has an exhilarating beat and makes you want to sing at the top of your lungs. No one could sit still in the venue; everyone was up and dancing the night away to the upbeat songs.

One thing I also noticed, is that Walk the Moon has a large audience of fans. Everyone from tweens to middle-aged men and women was in the crowd. Its diversity made the interactions and mingling between fans exciting as so many people came together to just enjoy some good music.

Overall, this concert was one for the books.

The joy and excitement that was in this venue was amazing, and people who only knew one or two songs came out with a newfound love and appreciation for the band.

The band made sure to not only play its music, but to truly perform it with different light displays, fun outfits and just a fun and intriguing vibe that kept everyone excited for the whole duration of the concert. The band even jumped on top of amps to try to involve the audience in its shenanigans.

I did not want the concert end because I would need to trudge into the harsh February cold and return to reality. But sadly, concerts do end and Walk the Moon finished with the song that kick-started its career, “Anna Sun.” I have never seen more people enthusiastically sucked into a song than then. People jumping, dancing and, of course, singing along to the lyrics.

If you ever get the chance to go see Walk the Moon, I highly advise it. The music, energy and overall good feelings you will receive as either a die-hard or brand-new fan will put you over the moon.

Lorde raises up STL

By ALEXIS STOGNER Staff Editor

Last Friday, New Zealand-born singersongwriter Lorde performed at Chaifetz Arena as part of her “Melodrama” World Tour. This was her first trip to St. Louis since March 2014, when she performed a sold out show at the Peabody Opera House. Her jump to larger venues reflects her recent increase in mainstream popularity, following the 2017 release of her sophomore album, “Melodrama,” which earned a Grammy Album of the Year nomination.

Lorde was accompanied by two open-

ing acts: Tove Styrke and Run the Jewels.

Styrke, a Swedish pop artist, had an aesthetic clearly influenced by Lorde, making her a seemingly appropriate choice to open this tour. She performed a set of original songs including her hit single, “Say My Name,” and won the crowd over with a synth-pop cover of Lorde’s “Liability.” Run The Jewels, a duo consisting of rappers Killer Mike and El-P, had many of their own devoted fans in the crowd and played a 45-minute set of original material including “Legend Has It” and “Close Your Eyes.”

See “Lorde” on Page 8

Annette Geneva / Wikimedia Commons

8 March 8, 2018

Arts

Lorde: Return to STL COIN: Worth seeing appreciating an aesthetic experience. The bass drumb of their drum set said, “Baby, I’m freaking out,” hinting to the audience about songs from an album they have not released yet.

Along with songs from its latest 2017 album, “How Will You Know if You Never Try,” the band performed an unreleased song and ended with its most wellknown song, “Talk Too Much,” during which everyone in the crowd was singing along.

One of the most enjoyable things about COIN, in my opinion, was that the band was down-to-earth. Despite its talent and demand, the musicians were as humble as The Aces, a young band on its first North American tour. Lawrence would constantly be thanking his fans between every song, expressing that he still couldn’t believe there were actually people who knew the words to his songs.

Along with Lawrence, COIN consists of guitarist Joe Memmel, bassist Zachary Dyke, and drummer Ryan Winnen. Together, they delivered an excellent concert full of emotion that left you feeling only good things.

Continued from Page 6

faster than expected. With songs playing on the speakers, thirty minutes was a good amount of time to socialize with your friends and fully take in the first band, since usually the audience never recognizes anyone other than the main act.

One of COIN’s first songs performed was “I Don’t Wanna Dance,” which got the crowd excited. Chase Lawrence, the lead vocalist, put all his energy out on the floor with quick feet, smooth dance moves and a ton of hair flips. And as if Lawrence hadn’t won your heart already, he really interacted with the audience by walking over to the crowd several times, and holding on to fans’ hands for a good amount of time.

I applaud COIN’s ability to sound as good as they do in recording. With the perfect amount of lights accenting the stage, and the occasional use of a screen in the back, you were able to really appreciate the music while still Krists Luhaers / Wikimedia Commons

ROYAL: Lorde shot to stardom after the release of her first album in 2013.

Continued from Page 7

Lorde finally took the stage around 9 p.m., opening with “Sober,” one of the tracks from “Melodrama.” During most of the song, she remained hidden in the shadows while her dancers moved around the stage, until the spotlight finally hit her and brought her to the center of attention. The stage was unusually bare for an arena pop tour, remaining mostly empty except for a clear, rectangular box.

Lorde and her dancers entered this box periodically throughout the show, and it often raised, lowered and tilted as dancers moved inside. In the earlier portion of the show, Lorde played quite a few older songs from her 2013 album, “Pure Heroine,” including “Tennis Court,” “Ribs” and “Buzzcut Season”. She also performed a cover of “Magnets,” her 2015 single with electronic duo Disclosure, and “Yellow Flicker Beat,” her own contribution to “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Pt. I” soundtrack which she curated herself.

Throughout the evening, she engaged with the audience, asking how the people were doing and what had been going on in their lives since she last visited St. Louis when she saw Chuck Berry perform at Blueberry Hill. She went on to explain that in the time since she last visited, a lot had been going on with her.

“I put a record out, a really big one

for me. I learned a lot about myself ”, she said before performing “Writer in the Dark”, the first ballad of the evening, during which Lorde remained seated on stage and the arena became illuminated by smartphone lights.

She then performed a cover of Frank Ocean’s “Solo,” after referring to Ocean as “one of the best we have”, and ended this portion of the show with a vulnerable performance of “Liability.”

Next up came the finale, a clear highlight of the evening. Lorde’s performance of “Green Light” was complete with actual green lights flashing across the stage and on the crowd and a blast of confetti, customized with the words “just another graceless night,” a nod to the lyrics from “Perfect Places.” Lorde returned to the stage for an encore, during which she performed “Precious Metals,” an unreleased song left off of “Melodrama.” She closed the show with “Team,” a single from “Pure Heroine,” at one point coming into the crowd and greeting fans.

This was the second show of the North American leg of the “Melodrama” World Tour, which is currently expected to run until mid-April. Tickets are still available for most dates, but I anticipate that changing as word gets out about this incredible show.

“Melodrama” is likely to produce the mustsee tour of 2018, and from Lorde, I wouldn’t expect anything less.

To do in STL Blaze Fast-Fire’d Pizza Opening

The Color Purple

Fri. Mar. 9 1050 S. Kirkwood Rd.

Tues. Mar. 20 - Sun. Apr. 1 The Fabulous Fox

“A Wrinkle in Time” Release: Thurs. Mar. 8

St. Patrick’s Day Parade Sat. Mar. 17 Downtown St. Louis

The Oh Hellos w/ Lowland Hum Fri. Mar. 9 7:00 p.m.

The Pageant

Advertisements

March 8, 2018

Needed: Staff Writers!!!

9

10

Games

March 8, 2018

Games University News 3/7/18 Crossword Across 1 6 11 14 15 16 17 19 20 21 22 23 25 28 31 32 33 34 37 40 42 43 44 46 49 50 51 52 53 57 59 60 62 65 66 69 70

Figure out Ice cover Bawl Bay window Dog-___ Hasten Falling stock prices, at times Belief Sphere Pick up the tab Evita role ___ gin fizz Soft leather Boy Cockpit reading (Abbr.)

Honey maker Self-image Walk through wet snow Wedding rings Harbor boats G.I. entertainers Stir up 18-wheelers ___ cotta Altdorf is its capital Broke bread Nurse a drink Asian holiday Medical image 1961 space chimp ___ Baba Heart valves French possessive Apart (Prefix) Certain sweaters Rodent On the briny

Last Issue’s Solutions

PuzzleJunction.com

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

15

14 17 20 23 28

29

18

19

21

22

24

25

33

35

46

45

54

4

7 6 2 8 3 9 9 4 1 6 7 5 3 8 4 6 7 5 1 2 1 5 6

27

37

38

47

48

55 60

39

49

51

59

6

43

50 53

36

42

41

44

13

32

34

40

26

31

30

12

16

52

57

56

58

61

62

65

66

67

69

70

71

72

73

63

64 68

Copyright ©2018 PuzzleJunction.com

74 Copyright ©2018 PuzzleJunction.com

71 72 73 74

Eagle’s home Sharp curve Microscopic Feather

Down 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

See 11 Across Creme cookie Yarn spinner Action words Stately tree Uncover Gardening tool Mountain nymph Brawl

10 Six-pointers, for short 11 Back down from a fight 12 Hindu sage 13 Red Sea land 18 Coral reef 24 ___ Tunas, Cuba 26 Abate 27 Scorch 28 Permits 29 Chills and fever 30 Zealots 35 Compass pt.

36 Roughhousing 38 Calamitous

39 41 45 47 48 53 54 55 56 58 61 63 64 66 67 68

Buttonhole, e.g.

Grabs a chair Dry, as wine Wash cycle G.I.’s address Inner circle Assumed name Critical Hospital figure Girder material British gun Beige Remove cream Make lace 40 winks Behold

University News 3/7/18 Word Search

PuzzleJunction.co

Musical Instruments Z V Q X P Y S U M C T E N I R A L C

C C Y U I A V B Y Y E J F X O U O D

E A Y H C Y S M C V O U S I T G M X

B S W A C U B N O C B K B E F A Z F

E T R C O A Y R N P O U G A N J T T

R A H I L T O Q C E L L O D N E B N

M N N N O K E C T X D E O J X J Q M

K E M O U G J L A L K L M U R D O B

E T C M S O W Q G R I E Q L O T U M

Y S K R N A G E W N I K R W S G S A

B T O A C O X D K J A N B L L I P R

O D I H Q B L O L D S I A E T E H I

A P Q H A R P B P T Q H R A N V E M

R Z E A M I S B O H S B R T I W Z B

D E N F C Z D S E N O H P O L Y X A

A B U T O B P U A N G N Y Y O N P S

U N G U T E P M U R T O E G I C J J

Copyright ©2018 PuzzleJunction.com

BAGPIPE BANJO BONGOS BUGLE CASTANETS CELLO CLARINET CYMBAL DRUM FIFE

HARMONICA HARP KEYBOARD LUTE MANDOLIN MARACAS MARIMBAS OBOE OCARINA PIANO

PICCOLO REBEC SAXOPHONE SITAR TRIANGLE TRUMPET TUBA UKULELE VIOLIN XYLOPHONE

V M E P I P G A B E Y G S E V C A V

March 8, 2018

Photography

11

VIBE reveals Nick Jonas as spring performer

By TRENTON ALMGREN-DAVIS and REBECCA LIVIGNI Co-Photo Editors

With just a silhouette, Daniel Sprehe identified Nick Jonas as the performer for the April show before the official reveal.

Superfan of Nick Jonas shouts at the announcement of his upcoming concert.

The MC for Student Activities Board energizes the crowd.

Leaning over toward her friend, Sam Ross expresses her excitement for the VIBE artist.

12

Photography

March 8, 2018

Rhinoceros stampedes UTheatre in Xavier Hall

By Trenton Almgren-Davis Co-Photo Editor

Upper Left: The villagers counsel Mrs. Boeuf, played by Emily Tobar, whose cat was crushed by a rhinoceros.

Bottom Left: Zack Bakouris as Jean points ostage at a rhinoceros stomping through the small French village while Emma Glose as the waitress and Andrew Elsamian as Berenger both stare at the unsettling scene.

Upper Right: Jean, portrayed by Zack Bakouris, transforms into a rhinoceros despite his previous outspoken nature against the rhinos, as he stands behind Berenger, played by Andre Elsamian.

Bottom Right: Andre Elsamian, Halli Pattison, and Valen Piotrowski look out to the world surrounded with rhinos symbolizing the conformity during the fascist movement in 20th century Europe.

Photography

March 8, 2018

13

A recital in C minor: reflections on Peter Miyamoto's performance

T

By REBECCA LIVIGNI Photo Editor

he warm light and quietness invited those into the Friday night piano recital out of the stormy weather in St. Louis. The architecture of Saint Xavier College Church as backdrop to the black grand piano made for an incredible vision. Dr. Peter Miyamoto, a professor of piano at the University of Missouri, performed a three-part recital on Friday, Feb. 23 here at SLU. The theme of the recital centered around C minor, a romantic and classical chord. Miyamoto revealed that this concert was a preview to his upcoming CD that will be composed entirely of traditional pieces in C minor. Attendee Joseph Marcus, reflected that the program was “thematically well chosen and a very deep program in an intimate venue.”

As Miyamoto approached the instrument, it was obvious he was gracious and focused on the upcoming set. He began with a dark sound that reverberated beautifully and caught in the tall ceilings despite the somewhat muddling acoustics of the church. The first piece, “Fantasy in C Minor,”

by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, contrasted light touches with very brilliant, fantastic sounds. The driving beat throughout the piece connected the contrasting dynamics. During the performance, Miyamoto was so involved in his art that he played with his eyes closed at times. The second piece, “Sonata in C Minor,” also composed by Mozart, once again illustrated his overwhelming passion and interpretation of the music. A satisfying symmetry, from beginning to end of the Sonata, ended the first portion of the recital.

SLU first-year Marie Downey explained, “You could tell how into the music he was, always moving, feeling the sounds, especially throughout the last movement.” The expressions on Miyamoto’s face conveyed his deep connection to each of the works, ranging from peace and contentment to conflict and sorrow.

Upon completing the first half of his program, Miyamoto graciously bowed for the applauding crowd and began to walk away. However, after a few steps from the piano, he returned to the audience, bowing again with a soft smile across his face. The intermission allowed time for the audience members to converse and reflect upon the inspiring mix of visual and auditory stimuli pervading their eyes and ears.

When Miyamoto returned following the intermission, the audience immediately silenced at the sound of his footsteps. “Sonata in C Minor” by Franz Schubert was his third selection. Each note was articulated with an alluring juxtaposition between the low, deep sounds and the melodic soft tones. The Schubert piece provided a quiet introspection, brimming with a colorful blend of notes and rhythms, into the overarching theme of the recital. The rest of the piece was a consistent balance between quiet tranquility and unease. Each section opposing one another enhanced the next in even more vibrancy. The Sonata ended on a fearless pair of chords, left echoing around college church.

The performance was followed by a Q&A session with Peter Miyamoto. He shared insight into his program with the audience, describing the chord C minor as “bridging classic into romantic overtones,” after jokingly apologizing for only playing C minor. Leaning on the piano, he reminisced on his time in London learning under Maria Curcio. As a broke student, Curcio allowed Miyamoto to live in her house while he took lessons with her. With his bedroom next to the piano room, he recounts how Diamand would knock on his door if he was playing something incorrectly. Smiling, he recalls, “Every time I touched a piano, it was very conscious work.”

When an audience member asked about performing in a venue as beautiful as College Church, he replied, “I was very visually inspired the minute I walked into the church.” Miyamoto’s graceful presence and musical talent highlighted the passion and intent throughout his performance.

14

Photography

March 8, 2018

A visual history of SLU’s 200 years

By REBECCA LIVIGNI Photo Editor

Last Friday, March 2, Saint Louis University’s Museum of Art opened its visual exhibit based on the bicentennial book, “Always at the Frontier: Saint Louis University 1818-2018,” illustrating the monumental history of SLU.

Top Left: Petruta Lipan, Director of SLUMA, is applauded during Dr. Pestello’s speech at the gallery opening.

She describes how in “transitioning from the book to the art exhibit, visitors will walk into the history of SLU.” Middle Left: University President Dr. Fred Pestello welcomes attendees and speaks about the four-year struggle leading up to the bicentennial celebration.

Bottom Left: Staff member in the Family Medicine Department at SLU Virgina Westermeyer reads the biographies of SLU presidents since its founding.

Top Right: Author Dolores Byrnes speaks about the passion and hard work that went into the bicentennial book.

Bottom Right: John Waide enthusiastically recounts his long history and dedication to the University. Waide graduated from SLU in 1973 and subsequently worked in the Saint Louis University Archives until he accepted the part-time position of Outreach Coordinator for for Pius XII Memorial Library.

Sports

March 8, 2018 sports@unewsonline.com Bobby Stilwell, Sports Editor Monica Ryan, Assoc. Sports Editor

Jalen Johnson: The “Bayou Billiken”

By Sam Glass Staff Writer

Saint Louis University Athletics FOCUS: Sophomore forward Jalen Johnson thinks about what to do with the ball.

Johnson came to SLU, and hasn’t looked back since signing with the Billikens.

“Basketball, in general, has changed my life,” said Jalen Johnson, sophomore Billiken basketball star.

Johnson came in as the “Baton Rouge Bomber” but the voice of SLU basketball, Bob Ramsey, decided to change it up, and thus the “Bayou Billiken” was born.

In his second year as a Billiken, Johnson made a big impact on the team with his hard work and 3-point shots. “I ended up at SLU as a late signing,” said Johnson.

“Coach Ford saw me late. When he first got the job he recruited me here and I thought it was a great opportunity, so I took it.”

Since then, he has worked hard to continuously up his game. From the court to the classroom, Johnson stays on top of his obligations as a student athlete.

“You have to exert your body to the fullest, you have to do your homework, [and] make the tests,” said Johnson. “But I love it, because it keeps me on point.”

The 6’7” forward from Baton Rouge, Louisiana has been playing basketball since he was a child and eventually found a deep love for the game in middle school.

Johnson said that period in his life is when he began to work hard in his off time. He would go to the gym and shoot with his dad to improve his game.

The hard work he put in in middle school payed off when Johnson and his high school team won three state championships. That hard work and determination eventually led Johnson to SLU, more than 600 miles away from home.

“My family is my A1 since day one,” said Johnson. “Even though they’re not here, they’re here.” Living far away from home has helped Johnson to grow as an individual, seeing that he cannot rely on his family’s physical presence, and instead allows his family to support him from a distance.

Johnson said his mom offers him strong emotional support and his dad gives him support to keep motivated.

His family keeps him going even when times get tough. And for someone who is

always traveling for games, things can get very difficult.

Johnson said, “every day is important in college, so missing days is really tough… you’ll be sitting on a bus or an airplane and you’ll be tired because you just played, and it’s 11 o’clock at night, and you know you’ve got homework. It’s really tough for the mind.”

But Johnson fights through those tough nights in hopes that he can live out his dream and play in the NBA. Meanwhile he is studying to get a degree in communication, so that he can go into broadcast journalism after his basketball career.

Johnson found the joy of basketball commentary and analysis while attending his little brother’s games. He would sit next to his parents and do commentary while cracking jokes.

From his first year at SLU, through this year, and to the next Johnson has seen his skill as a player and a leader develop. He said that “most people only see the performance.” When fans fill the Chaifetz Arena, there is a lot that happened before that 7 o’clock tip off that makes a game so fun to watch, and for Johnson, his team gets him through it.

Basketball has been Johnson’s Northern Star: “Growing up in the city of Baton Rouge, not everybody makes it out because I still have friends that are in Baton Rouge probably selling drugs, in jail, or not doing anything with their lives,” said Johnson. “Basketball has given me a way out, and SLU basketball has been a major part of that…

SLU has advanced my basketball game and me as a person. I’m here getting an education and doing what I love and Coach Ford, he grooms us to be men, that’s what he does, and I can’t thank him enough for that.”

Vol. XCVII No. 11

A student voice of Saint Louis University since 1921

March 8, 2018

16

Sports

March 8, 2018

Saint Louis University Athletics

LEADERSHIP: Seniors Davell Roby, Aaron Hines, and Rashed Anthony pose for a group picture after the senior day festivities at Chaifetz Arena.

Men drop last two games of regular season

By Bobby Stilwell Sports Editor

The season ended on a sour note for the Billikens, who dropped two of their last three games prior to the A-10 Tournament.

The sole win was a home game against George Washington on Saturday, Feb. 24, when SLU upended the Colonials 62-53.

Early on, shots didn’t fall for either team.

Redshirt junior guard Javon Bess opened scoring at the 18:12 mark with a pair of free throws. The first bucket, a layup, came a minute later from redshirt junior forward D.J. Foreman. The first half was nothing

CHEER

but back-and-forth until the 2:43 mark. A Foreman layup and trey from senior guard Davell Roby put the Billikens ahead 25-19, but a GW answer sent SLU to the half with a 25-22 lead.

Out of the gate in the second half, a layup and dunk from freshman forward Hasahn French built a seven-point cushion. A trey from sophomore forward Jalen Johnson and pair of French free throws further increased the lead to eight points with 2:39 to play in the half.

SLU was fresh off a heartbreaking loss at Dayton, and the short-handed Billikens

WHO TO CHEER JJ WATT Somebody faked Watt’s signature on a football that was auctioned off for charity, signing it “JJ Watts.” On Twitter,Watt offered to send the buyer a real ball with a real signature.

started to get fatigued again. Ford took one look at the team during the 8-minute timeout in the second half and knew that he had to “talk them out of it.”

The Billikens traveled to Duquesne for the penultimate regular season game on Wednesday, Feb. 28. SLU ended up losing 76-69.

Duquesne took an early 16-8 lead at the 12:31 mark of the first half. A layup and trey from redshirt senior guard Aaron Hines closed the gap to three points at the 10:36 mark. Duquesne led by as much as 12 points with 4:57 left in the first half, but SLU

JEER

embarked on an 11-4 run in the final three minutes of the half and went to the locker room trailing by just three points.

SLU ended up taking a late lead in the second half, going ahead 60-57 at the 4:41 mark. Duquesne went on a 9-0 run, and SLU couldn’t come back from the late rally.

The final regular season game for the Billikens was at Chaifetz Arena on Saturday, Mar. 3. St. Bonaventure came to town for Senior Day. The Billikens dropped this game 64-56.

See “Seniors” on Page 18

FEAR WHO TO JEER

WHO TO FEAR

BILL SELF In the game at Oklahoma State, Kansas men’s basketball head coach Bill Self let the officials know what he thought about an offensive foul. He screamed an expletive at the crew. Self immediately recevied a techinical foul in the 82-64 loss.

NCAA/FBI Over 20 Division I men’s basketball teams have been found in violation of NCAA rules through the FBI’s investigation. The schools in question could be facing NCAA sanctions soon when the FBI officially releases their findings.

Sports

Thursday, March 8

Friday, March 9

This week in Sports

Saturday, March 10

Softball Softball Men’s Basketball @ EKU Invitational @ EKU Invitational 7:30 p.m. vs. George 9 a.m. vs. Northern Illinois 9 a.m. vs. Akron Washington 4:30 p.m. vs. Western 11:30 a.m. vs. Eastern A-10 Tournament Carolina Kentucky @ Capital One Arena, Baseball Baseball Washington, D.C. 3 p.m. vs. Oakland 1 p.m. vs. Oakland

March 8, 2018

17

Sunday, March 11

Tuesday, March 13

Friday, March 16

Friday, March 17

Softball @ EKU Invitational 8:30 a.m. vs. Akron Baseball 12 p.m. vs. Oakland

Baseball 5 p.m. vs. SIUE

Softball @ Rock Chalk Challenge 2 p.m vs. Western Illinois 7 p.m. vs. UMKC Baseball 6 p.m vs. Purdue

Baseball 2 p.m vs. Purdue Softball @ Rock Chalk Challenge 4:30 p.m vs. Kansas

Saint Louis University Athletics GOODBYE: Seniors Jackie Kemph, Jenny Vliet, Maddison Gits, Head Coach Lisa Stone, seniors Paige Rakers, Aaliyah Covington, and Shea Shipman are all smiles on senior day.

Women end season with heartbreaking loss to Hawks

By Erin McClelland Staff Writer

The Women’s Basketball team had a busy two weeks, finishing up the regular season and participating in the Atlantic-10 Championship Tournament. After the tournament, SLU finished the season with a 17-15 overall record. Senior Night was held on Feb. 24 in Chaifetz Arena against Dayton, a team that, before their final game, had not lost to a conference foe this season.

SLU saluted their six seniors with an underdog win over Dayton. At the end of the regular season the team finished with

a 15-14 overall and 9-7 A-10 record. After the win, SLU solidified their spot at seventh in the conference and earned a home game for their first round of the Conference Championship.

Following a win on senior night, the Billikens were granted the No. 7 seed for the tournament and matched up with UMass in the first round, which was played at home at Chaifetz Arena. SLU was able to recover from a 16-point deficit in the first half to defeat UMass 70-64 in front of the home crowd. Senior guard Jackie Kemph scored a team high 21 points — 19 coming in the second half — and eight assists

in her last game at Chaifetz Arena. Senior forward Jenny Vliet also finished with double-digit points in her final game at home with 11, putting her into the 1,000-point club for her career.

After defeating UMass, the Bills moved on to face No. 2 seed, Duquesne University in the quarter final in Richmond, Virginia. The Billikens powered past the Dukes for the 71-65 win. Kemph tied her career high with 28 points. Redshirt senior forward Paige Rakers had 15 points on a career high five 3-point field goals and Senior forward Maddison Gits earned her 11th double-double of the season with 10

points and 15 rebounds. Gits set a school record for most single-season boards with 297, breaking the previous high of 284 set last year by Sadie Stipanovich.

The Bills advanced to the semi-final against No. 6 Saint Joseph’s where they fell short of making the final. The game marked the program’s third consecutive semi-final appearance for the Atlantic-10 Tournament. SLU fell to the Hawks in their final game of the season with a hard fought 58-49 loss. The Billikens trailed from early on in the first quarter and were unable to gain the lead back.

18 March 8, 2018 Seniors thankful to be Billikens

Sports

Tennis finding their way early

Continued from Page 16

A quick 5-0 rally erased the Bonnies’ early lead, but the Bonnies led by five points at the 8:02 mark. SLU headed to the locker room on the wrong side of a 31-25 margin.

The second half started off terribly for the Billikens, and the Bonnies led by as much as 15 points at the 8:44 mark. SLU mounted a 10-2 run (with a pair of buckets from Bess, and a Hines trey and a pair of layups from Hines) to close within three points with 2:43 left in the game. The Bonnies went to the line four times in the closing minutes and sunk their free throws to start senior day off on a sour note.

In their senior day speeches, both Anthony and Hines thanked the fans for their support.

Anthony said, “I’ve never seen a student section so lit. Thank you for letting me be a

Billiken.”

Hines simply stated, “I’d like to thank all the fans for coming out.”

Roby gave a heartfelt speech to the arena, ending with a thank you to Ford, “because [Roby] knows [he] can be a case sometimes.” Roby later explained that his “case” comment refers to a “tough love situation” between himself and Ford.

Ford expressed his thank you to everybody in the arena. In his senior day speech, Ford told the crowd, “…team blue is about the [players], the managers, the coaches, and all of [the fans]…”

SLU heads to D.C. and will face George Washington in the second round of the A-10 Tournament on Thursday, Mar. 8. SLU’s game will tip at 7:30 p.m. St. Louis time, and will be carried on NBC Sports Network.

Ibtihaj Muhammad: Successful fencer at Rio Olympics despite adversity

Rebecca LiVigni / The University News DETERMINED: Ibtihaj Muhammad talks about her success in fencing. Muhammad overcame a lot on her way to earning a bronze medal at the Rio Olympics.

By Monica Ryan Associate Sports Editor

On Wednesday, March 28, Olympic bronze medalist Ibtihaj Muhammad came to SLU. The Great Issues Committee invited her to SLU to act as their Spring semester speaker.

Muhammad started fencing in New Jersey at age 14. She never aspired to make it to the Olympics, but yet, at age 30, she was a member of the USA fencing team in Rio. “For me, I think that I have always been a person who sets small goals for myself, and I’ve never thought about the Olympics

or competing in the games or anything like that,” Muhammad said. “I’ve always said, ‘oh I want to go to a really good university, or I want to qualify for the national team. I want to win a medal at World Championships.’ So, I set these benchmarks for myself, and I kept going until I won an Olympic medal.”

Growing up, Muhammad had always participated in sports but found that fencing was a great fit for her due to her religious practice of wearing a hijab.

“I think from an early age I realized that my hijab or even being African American had the power to change how people treat-

Saint Louis University Athletics DETERMINATION: Sophomore Cassie McKenzie awaits the serve. McKenzie posted wins in all of her conference matches last week.

By Michael Treviño Staff Writer

This past weekend marked a grueling time for both the men’s and women’s tennis teams, as each competed in three matches over the weekend along the East Coast. The weekend capped off a strong February for the Billikens, as both the men’s and women’s teams scored a combined eleven-total match wins throughout the month.

The men’s team traveled to Virginia to compete in back-to-back matches on Thursday and Friday against Richmond and VCU, respectively. Both marked disappointing days for the men as the Bills lost 5-2 against Richmond and 4-0 to VCU. However, the team is now on the upswing following Saturday’s match against Saint Joseph’s in Philadelphia where the Billikens easily defeated their Jesuit brothers to the East 6-1, with especially dominating performances coming ed me, and I’ve never really allowed that to dictate how I felt about myself,” Muhammad said. “I’ve never said there are limitations on the things I can do or who I can be because I’m a woman or because I’m black or because I’m Muslim.”

When Muhammad realized in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games that her team was in the bronze medal match, she couldn’t believe it. Muhammad and her teammates, Mariel Zagunis, Monica Aksamit, and Dagmara Wozniak, beat Italy 45-30.

“I was in complete shock and kind of disbelief the entire time, and I just kept saying I can’t believe it, because you work so hard and that’s a moment in your life that you can only dream about,” Muhammad said.

from the Nogalski brothers in the doubles matches defeating Tan and Fick of SJU 6-1.

The women had a rollercoaster of a week, with two wins sandwiching a loss against Fordham on Friday in New York. The two wins, however, seemed to come naturally to the women as they steamrolled over Rhode Island 6-1 on Feb. 28 and Saint Joseph’s 5-2 on March 3.

Sophomore Cassie McKenzie was the only player to record all wins in each of her three matches last week. “[The team] has been looking forward to this trip since the beginning of the year, so, every time we went out on the court our mindset was, ‘we are in a beautiful place with our best friends, doing what we love, so let’s make the most of it on and off the court’” said McKenzie.

Overall, both men’s and women’s teams are looking to improve as the season progresses, and are seeking the Atlantic-10 Conference championship in April.

The road to success hasn’t always been easy, but through Muhammad’s resilience she was able to turn any negativity into motivation.

“I’ve always felt motivated by the naysayers in my life,” Muhammad said.

Since the Olympics, she has been speaking to different groups, writing memoirs and a children’s book; additionally, she has a Barbie doll inspired by her. All of these opportunities are a testament to her resilience. Muhammad believes that anything that is meant to be for her will never miss her.

“I’m just excited for every step of the way,” Muhammad said.

Advertisements

March 8, 2018

VISIT JIMMYJOHNS.COM TO FIND A LOCATION NEAR YOU

19

Opinions&Editorials

March 8, 2018 opinion@unewsonline.com

Fiona Clair, Opinion Editor

How the Democrats are trying to lose

Jakob Benedetti Staff Writer

Midterm elections, like the ones coming up this fall, are often seen as a referendum on the president’s agenda and how he’s handled his time in office so far.

Because of this, much talk has been had of a so-called “blue wave,” with the Democrats looking set to retake majority control of the House of Representatives and possibly gain seats in the Senate. Despite the historical trends and excitement on the left, there are also several factors that could play into the hands of the Republicans and turn the blue wave into little more than a ripple.

Accurate forecasting this far out from an election is difficult, but there are a few key metrics we can use to give us some guidance.

Midterm results are often largely based on presidential approval.

According to the Cook Political Report, when presidential ap-

proval is below 50% heading into a midterm, the president’s party can expect to lose an average of 40 seats in the House and 5 in the Senate (the current Senate map favors Republicans, making a loss of 5 seats unlikely). With FiveThirtyEight‘s average placing Trump’s approval around 40%, that does not bode well for Republicans. Another key metric is the “generic ballot,” which is basically an average of polls that ask people who they would like to control Congress. This number varies more than Trump’s approval, but as of now, it’s sitting at D+8.9 in FiveThirtyEight’s average, meaning that if the election was held today, the Democrats would have a national popular vote advantage of 8.9%. In order to win back the House, the Democrats need the equivalent of at least a 6% advantage nationally, so as of now, they’re in a good position.

In addition to these metrics, the record number of competitive Democratic candidates running in 2018 and the positive results for Democrats in special elections thus far has made a blue wave seem likely, if not inevitable.

Despite these positive signs

for the Democrats, 2018 will not be a cakewalk by any means. For one, by virtue of the Republicans’ own wave in 2010, they have a built-in advantage in House elections; 2010 was the last time that the census took place, and thus Republicans controlled the redistricting process for Congress, allowing them to effectively gerr ymander their way to a much stronger majority. Aside from gerrymandering, the Republicans actually do have a viable economic message they can run on. The stock market has done well since Trump took office, moods about the economy are decidedly positive nationwide and Republican candidates can point to their tax plan as a reason for this. Though not true (many of the positive economic trends seen under Trump were already underway when he took office, and the stock market is not a reflection of how Wall Street is doing to begin with), if confidence in the economy turns into approval of Republican candidates, that could spell disaster for Democrats. Unless, of course, the Democrats come out with their own bold economic agenda and

“Despite these positive signs for the Democrats, 2018 will not be a cakewalk by any means.”

create a coherent message on the tax bill, but both seem unlikely.

All of this notwithstanding, the Democrats may be doomed anyway by their own incompetence. Last week, documents sent from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, or DCCC, to various Democrats running for Congress were leaked to the press and showed that the DCCC was seeking to undermine its own agenda. In the documents, the DCCC urged candidates to “not politicize” the Florida school shooting and to avoid taking strong stances on gun control. Mark Glaze of the gun violence prevention group Guns Down described the documents as “straight out of the NRA’s talking points,” with the implication being that Democratic leaders are afraid greater calls for gun control will hurt their chances in the midterms, despite the fact that fully 70% of Americans now favor greater gun control. How is advocating for a position as popular as gun control supposed to hurt Democrats? If the leadership was politically adept, they would be encouraging candidates to make this a major campaign issue and forcing Republicans in Congress now to take difficult votes on popular gun measures, such as an assault weapons ban.

Gun control isn’t the only issue Democratic leaders are trying to handicap themselves on, however. These documents also showed

that the DCCC adopted conservative talking points often employed by Fox News in order to attack the concept of single-payer or “Medicare for all” healthcare. Instead, candidates were instructed to take few concrete positions on healthcare, if any, and only talk specifics if pressed to do so by constituents. This is, again, despite the fact that fully two-thirds of Democratic voters favor Medicare for all, along with over half of all voters (as of last September).

To anyone still wondering why so many on the left mock the Democratic Party establishment and are actively trying to change the status quo within the party, this is why. If the Democrats were actually good at politics and believed in the principles and policy positions of the voters that elected them, we would already have an assault weapons ban and a public option for healthcare, at least. Instead, we have the same weak politicians hiring the same overpriced consultants to regurgitate the same tired, disproven talking points. The underlying fundamentals of this election might be too strong and they may take back the House anyway, but it could be a much easier ride for the Democrats if they decided to become the progressive party they were meant to be.

THE UNIVERSITY NEWS 2017-18 EDITORIAL unewsonline.com

Founded by Claude Heithaus, S.J.

Busch Student Center Suite 243 20 N. Grand Blvd.

St. Louis, MO 63103

For advertising, call (314) 977-2812 or email advertising@unews.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MEGAN ANTHONY eic@unewsonline.com

OPINION EDITOR FIONA CLAIR opinion@unewsonline.com

ONLINE EDITOR MARGAuX WILHITE

ASSOC. SPORTS EDITOR MONICA RYAN sports@unewsonline.com

MANAGING EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR MEREDYTH STAuNCH BOBBY STILWELL managing@unewsonline.com sports@unewsonline.com webmaster@unewsonline.com

NEWS EDITOR EM MILLER news@unewsonline.com

unewsonline.com ASSOC. NEWS EDITOR facebook.com/theunews TANNOCK BLAIR twitter.com/theunews news@unewsonline.com

ARTS EDITOR NATALIE RIOPELLE arts@unewsonline.com ASSOC. ARTS EDITOR CHANDANA KAMARAJ arts@unewsonline.com

“Freedom of the press–print, online and broadcast–is a basic right in a democratic society and COPY EDITOR COPY EDITOR is valuable in promoting the deALEXIS MCSPARREN SKYLER MILTON velopment of students as socially copy@unewsonline.com copy@unewsonline.com responsible persons ... The University News is a student voice, not the student voice. The views GENERAL MANAGER IDENTITY EDITOR of The University News are the OPEN GRANT MAYFIELD expressions of the students ingrant.mayfield@slu.edu gm@unewsonline.com volved ... If [The University News] PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR can represent a point of view ADVISOR BECKY LIVIGNI & around which discussion may develop, it serves a legitimiate and MICHELLE PELTIER TRENTON ALMGRENneeded purpose.” advisor@unewsonline.com DAVIS - From The University News’ Charphotos@unewsonline.com THE EDITORIAL ter

DESIGN EDITOR NISH GORCZYCA design@unewsonline.com ILLUSTRATOR OPEN design@unewsonline.com

BOARD OF THE UNIVERSITY NEWS RECOGNIZES AVIS MEYER, PH.D., AS THE NEWSPAPER’S FACULTY MENTOR

The University News is a member if the Associated Colegiate Press, the Student Press Law Center, the College Media Advisers and the Missouri College Media Association, a division of the Missouri

Opinions & Editorials

March 8, 2018

21

Digital access codes: One step closer to hell

Em Miller News Editor

In high school, teachers took great pleasure in trying to teach me what college was going to be like.

This involved a variety of false statements like “You can’t miss lectures in college” that were accompanied by flimsy advice on time management. However, all of these helpful bits of advice failed to address one constant irritating detail of college: You aren’t just paying for textbooks that are basically obsolete in a year; you’re also paying an extra $50 to $100 for the privilege of doing your homework. I’m talking, of course, about digital access codes.

Like most first- year college students, I got blindsided by the bookstore and ended up buying and renting some pretty costly textbooks. Also, like most college students, I didn’t get suckered twice.

Instead, I browsed the internet and bought my textbooks for the cheapest amount of money possible. I didn’t care if they were used or written in—if it was legible and cheaper than what the bookstore was offering, it was mine. Even better,when I got the chance, I’d share a textbook with a friend and split the cost in half. Doing this generally saved me at least two hundred dollars a semester, and as a college student, that’s a lot of money.

Digital access codes shot that method of saving money down like a plane in a generic war movie. All of a sudden, I didn’t only have to buy a textbook—I had to also purchase an

access code in order to access parts dents can get immediate feedback. of the textbook, take quizzes and do I can also see why digital access my mandatory graded homework. codes are appealing to publishers, With each access code costing at as they lock students into buying least $70, and multiple classes re- directly from the company. With quiring access codes, the money I digital access codes, there’s no way was shelling out to get my course to share with a friend or check out supplies increased dramatically. the textbook from a library. The This was made exponentially worse student has to purchase the access by the fact that digital access codes code, and in a world where students are a one-time use object—they last have become pretty good at avoidfor one class and one semester be- ing buying books directly from the fore expiring. Because of this, digi- publisher, it’s a form of guaranteed tal access codes tank the resale value income. Neither of these excuses, for textbooks. In the good old days, however, make digital access codes before these awful 16-digit codes, an acceptable thing to force me to it was possible to resell the book to buy. another student.

As a student, You would make “That’s the equivalent of I should have some of the monto pay for the ey back on yourbuying a car, then having to textbook. I unpurchase, and the derstand that. I student you soldpay extra money for the head- shouldn’t have it to would get pay extra lights to be installed after to it for a cheaper money to do the price. It cuts thethe dealer removed them. homework, or ” to take quizzes bookstore and the publishers that make up a out of the equagood chunk of tion and is much more affordable my grade. That’s the equivalent of for students. Now, since each used buying a car, then having to pay book that contained access codes extra money for the headlights to can’t be guaranteed to have a valid be installed after the dealer recode, shopping for used textbooks moved them. You can’t exactly go gets tricky. If an access code is nec- on without the lights, even though essary for a class, three options are you paid for the car, because you available:Buy a used book online will get in trouble with the police. and blindly hope for the best, buy When some classes demand that a used textbook and an access code you have these codes but never use separately, or buy a new book from them more than once or twice, it’s the bookstore and feel part of your even worse. You can’t make a guess soul and wallet slip away from you. on whether the access code is necI can see why digital access essary, because it has the potential codes are appealing to teachers. to sink your grade, but if the profesOnline homework and quizzes ba- sor doesn’t use it too much, you’ve sically grade themselves, and pre- basically thrown away $100. sumably, you would never have to While I might have the worry about a student claiming they money to be able to buy a digital turned their homework in but the access code for whatever website professor lost it. With online home- the professor wants—which could work through digital access codes, be to Sapling, or WebAssign, or any grading becomes easier and stu- of Pearson’s Mastering websites— some students might not have

those funds. College textbooks cost a lot of money when you’re buying them from the bookstore, which is occasionally the only place access codes can be bought, and that money adds up quickly. One access code might not seem like much, but three a semester and no way to make up any of the costs? That can be a lot of money to pony up for a product that isn’t always necessary.

While publishers might brag about how well their products work and how digital access codes fulfill a unique niche in the college education system, they’re not the only options out there for professors.

Online homework can be given and graded through free sites such as WeBWork, and online quizzes can be built and distributed through sites all students have access to, such as Blackboard. In-class questions and quizzes can be run through Socrative instead of through sites that require digital access codes or clickers. All of these options are free and accessible to students, so it’s confusing and frustrating as to why professors constantly ignore them and choose to add yet another cost to the stack of bills college students are already juggling.

To sum it all up: Digital access codes can go rot, and I’m not impressed with the people who make me buy them. It’s the equivalent of a professor making every student buy the updated textbook that they write every year that is also only available in the bookstore. It’s driving up the price of textbooks, and that’s a strain that college students don’t need.

22

Opinions & Editorials

March 8, 2018

Thoughts on Lenten dieting

Madeline Burns Contributor

Almost every person I have met at SLU observes Lent, at least for the first few weeks. As a nonCatholic student, I had never been exposed to Mardi Gras celebrations or Ash Wednesday services, and so the mass observance of Lent is new to me. Growing up in a Presbyterian family, we spoke of Lent, but not in the formalized manner that I have seen practiced at SLU. As a family, we understood Lent to be a time where we prepared our hearts for Jesus’s coming. My parents would decide on something we would do as preparation; normally this was praying for a specific cause or doing a devotional as a family for the 40 days. I have come to realize that this was fairly unique to my family.

After a quick google search, I learned that traditionally Lent was meant for individuals to focus on praying, doing penance, and practicing self-denial. This seems an appropriate response to the weightiness that comes with the realities of Good Friday and Easter.

However, the observance of Lent I have witnessed does not carry this weight. Most people decided

to give up chocolate, desserts, or some kind of unhealthy food. It is interesting that the practice is meant to be spiritual but has been drastically Americanized. It seems that Lent has become a variation of a pre-spring break diet—something you would likely read about on Cosmo. Lent is viewed as an opportunity to get bathing suit ready with the added benefit of sounding religious; I would bet there is little praying or penance involved in saying no to the chocolate ice cream in the freezer.

Now understand that I am not condemning those getting ready for spring break, but I do believe it could be more effective on its own, separate from the spiritual practice. Instead, can you imagine if we, as a body of students who want to honor Jesus’s death and resurrection, decided not to settle for shallow goals but utilized these 40 days? What if we committed to praying for our surrounding community every day and trusted to see God do great things just as He promises? What if we focused our energy on thanking God for what He has given us, namely His Son, instead of complaining and perpetuating our Midterm stress? I believe we would be shocked by the results. SLU would have a student body that is constantly looking to support one another and seeking to be thankful for our many blessings. We would enter into Easter with a correct posture, one of humility and gratitude, instead of the guilt of eating chocolate three weeks early.

“It is interesting that the practice is meant to be spiritual but has been drastically Americanized. ”

A new wave of “fake news”

Vince Nolette Contributor

Consider hearing an audio clip of President Trump, or North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, announcing that either North Korea or the U.S. had fired a nuclear missile.

Would you be able to tell if this was fake? Would you even question it?

It is safe to assume that there are at least some who would answer “no” to one or both questions. That sets a dangerous precedent; destructive actions could arise from a fake audio clip like the one described. Manipulating someone’s voice to the point that you can’t tell the difference between what is real and what is fake is a haunting notion. When audio manipulation is extended to video manipulation, the negative implications are clear: complete trust of any newsource could be compromised. With the proliferation of artificial intelligence , or machine-demonstrated intelligence, a new wave of fake news geared at doing just this is entering the arena.

The exponential growth of AI and its machine-learning abilities is happening at a rate that I fear many of us have not completely grasped.

One of its emerging capabilities is “predictive algorithms,” a technology that can learn what a person’s voice sounds like and then predict what it would sound like in other situations. Hence, the possibility of President Trump “announcing” that North Korea has fired a nuclear missile. Examples of scenarios in which this predictive intelligence could be used are seemingly endless. It could be Trump

praising neo-nazis, aligning with neo-liberalists or condemning important international groups like the United Nations. Moreover, the technology has expanded to predictive video algorithms that have the same intent as audio, with the video adding another layer of persuasive power. It is one thing to hear a person allegedly say something. Such an occurrence can usually be sorted out by contextual clues and past behavioral patterns of that person.

Yet, to hear and see someone make such an alleged statement gives the phrase “I’ll believe it when I see it” a whole new meaning. This type of artificial manipulation thins the line between reality and illusion.

According to Vox, these so called “deepfakes” are popping up all over the internet. Let’s examine the popular social news aggregation, Reddit. Several accounts that have been distributing posts that blur reality with the use of predictive intelligence have gone viral. While these accounts have been aimed primarily at nonconsensual pornography, the fact that there is a market for these visual distortions should be a neon warning sign. People are susceptible to this technology, and the rate at which it is advancing is making it increasingly difficult for humanity to corral AI’s tentacles.

There is no federal agency, no company and no organization that is ahead of the game at this point. We are playing catch-up with AI. If this continues, the statement “perception is fact” will only become more real. Trust in our political institutions, news outlets and, most importantly, with each other could crumble if the distortion of facts as opinions continue to go unchecked and unchallenged.

What can we do in the modern era of information overload and See “Fake news on Page 23

Opinions & Editorials

March 8, 2018

Guest Essay: Sickle Cell Warriors Nia Sumpter

“Every time I go to the hospital, I suit up for battle!”

There are ongoing discussions in the United States’ healthcare system regarding an alarming trend of addiction and drug overdose associated with prescription narcotics. This trend has caused President Trump to issue a public health emergency. Recently, the racial implications of this health epidemic were discussed on St. Louis Public Radio during which drug expert Dr. Andrew Kolodny is quoted saying, “It’s very clear that this epidemic is overwhelmingly white.” Dr. Kolodny’s notion is predicated upon the racial history of the American medical system. This expert’s opinion is that “racial stereotyping of doctors is having a protective effect on non-white communities” when placed in the sociological context of the doctor-physician relationship.

The racialized United States’ healthcare system was used as a tool to spread slavery and preserve the status quo of the era.

The ugly truth about this institution lies with ensconced scientific racism, which has become embedded in its structure. White male physicians claimed medical authority while denigrating black and enslaved physicians as “root doctors” and other less powerful healers. Plantation doctors created racist medical stereotypes that still exist today to justify the institution of slavery and the profit received from the exploitation of black workers. Slavery also offered exclusively white physicians access to human bodies for medical education, experiments and practice.

Sickle Cell Anemia, or SCA, is a disease affecting the shape of red blood cells that decreases their capacity to effectively carry oxygen to the body’s tissues. This lack of oxygen causes cell death, leaving the patient with chronic pain. The key characteristics of the disease are pain, a weak immune system and stunted growth. People with the disease have extreme moments of pain called crises. During these events, circulation is stopped and blood cannot pass through the body. This can happen anywhere in the body.

SCA is a disease that helps to contextualize the racism of the American medical system.

Discovered in 1910, SCA was the first known molecular disease. It was also quickly linked to African ancestry. The uncovering of this link began a trend of low funding for Sickle Cell research.

In 1972, President Richard Nixon signed the Sickle Cell Anemia Control Act to eliminate the discrimination faced by patients with this illness. SCA is the most common genetic disease in the United States, not only affecting people of the African diaspora, but others as well. This disease tends to affect people from geographical regions often associated with Malaria. People of Mediterranean and South Asian descent also have a likelihood of carrying the gene for this disease. Throughout the years, SCA has continued to be a hot button topic because of the increased ER times patients experience and the stigmatization of increasingly scrutinized “faked pain.”

The painful nature of the dis-

Fake News

23

Continued from Page 22

ease and the racialization of the American medical system allow SCA patients to become a scapegoat for the opioid epidemic. The opioid epidemic is the product of several irresponsible medical practices, but too often SCA patients bear the brunt of mistakes made by healthcare providers.

Those that suffer from SCA are often referred to as “sicklers” as they are scoffed at for frequent hospital visits. This however, is not our name! We are Sickle Cell Warriors because we must suit up for battle with a beast that rages war inside our bodies while simultaneously fighting the ugliest beast in American society: racism.

There is more that can be done for the St. Louis sickle cell community and Saint Louis University can help. The medical needs of adult Sickle Cell patients often go unmet and with extremely high cost to patients, insurers and hospitals. Saint Louis University owns a vacant property previously home to Diablitos Cantina.

One potential use for this building is for it to be converted to an expansion to Student health with an infusion clinic for those that suffer from SCA and similar diseases. This infusion center could make care accessible for students suffering from chronic illness with constant doctor visits that make education less attainable for disabled students. To learn more about the socio-medical history and to donate, check out the Sickle Cell Association of St. Louis’s website, www.sicklecellassociation.org.

misrepresentation? We need massive and swift investment across the technology industry, government and civil society.

Dabbling in the uncertainty of AI, specifically these predictive algorithms, has already produced crude and alarming consequences. Echoing Aviv Ovadya, a Chief Technologist at the Center for Social Media Responsibility, or UMSI, we must “monitor the information ecosystem, foster responsible research and design, implement authenticity infrastructure, and ensure information markets reward reality.” In an age where reality and opinion are becoming increasingly synonymical, hindering the progress of socially detrimental technology is crucial for maintaining truth, trust and freedom.

As individuals, each of us need to take our own stand against the subjectification of facts and truth. Start by reading objective reporting at the New York Times, Wall Street Journal or magazines like The Atlantic. Give your partisan grudge a break and read a diverse array of credible news sources. Take a course on journalism or philosophy and refresh yourself on the democratic principles of freedom and truth.

When we are able to remind ourselves that the health, sanity and security of our community and nation depends on integrity, then we might think twice before sharing that photo or news story without vetting it first.

24

March 8, 2018

Advertisements