The Oracle - 03/21/17

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Tuesday, March 21, 2017

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Russell recommended by SGA for student board seat By CASSIE CONLEY Beat Reporter SGA members favor Nick Russell, a member of the SGA president’s council, as the student representative on the inaugural Tech board of trustees, according to a “secret” ballot vote taken during a previous meeting. Russell received 22 of the 36 votes – 61 percentagainst two other nominees. The names of all three candidates – Russell, graduate student Bobby Adams and Micayla Holton, an SGA senator representing the College of Arts and Sciences – are expected to be forwarded to President Phil Oldham. SGA members voted by secret ballot on which of the three nominees they preferred. Adams received nine votes, and Holton received five, according to the information released by Terri Taylor, an assistant to the president. Taylor released the vote results March 2 in re-

sponse to an open records request submitted by The Oracle. The request was filed after SGA President Alex Martin said the information had to be released by Taylor, and Taylor deferred the request back to the SGA. Martin said the primaRussell ry reason why the vote was not initially released was to ensure the integrity of the interview process the nominees will go through. “When the open records request is fulfilled, then there is a possibility the board would select based on the popular vote of the SGA senate, rather than upon merits,” Martin said in a prepared statement. He said he intended to release the vote results for each nominee once the board reached a final decision.

“I feel very strongly releasing this vote prematurely could result in the corruption of the interview process,” said Martin, who also expressed concerns about the well-being of the individuals nominated. “What useful purpose does it serve to shake the confidence of these individuals before they interview, and cause any of them to feel at a disadvantage to their peers,” Martin said in the release. “I stand firm in withholding the results of the vote until after the board has concluded its selection and the student trustee member is announced.” The Oracle’s Managing Editor Haylee Eaton said she believes the students have a right to know the results of the vote because students elected the SGA members to represent them. Eaton said she believes the student body benefits from knowing how their representatives voted. “Our [The Oracle’s] goal is to share campus news with the student body. It’s important information that they deserve to know,” she said. “I’m glad that we were able to work with SGA through the proper channels to release the information.”

War of the Wings

WING IT: Michael “Buck” Eanes took second place for Pi Kappa Alpha in Kappa Delta’s War of the Wings Thursday. The fundraiser was a part of the sorority’s annual Shamrock Week. Funds from the event as well as other events throughout the week will benefit Prevent Child Abuse America, one of Kappa Delta’s philanthropies.

Christian Oliver | The Oracle

Student struck by car while crossing University Drive Michael Louthan | The Oracle DEBATE - Marcello Gonzales delivers his side of a debate during the Speech and Debate Team event March 1. Gonzales argued for idolizing or supporting celebrities that have distinct accomplishments.

Speech and Debate argues idolizing celebrities By SYDNEY COWAN & DILLON EAKES Beat Reporters

Members of the Tech Speech and Debate Team argued the topic “Should We Idolize People Who are Famous for No Reason” March 1 in the Tech Pride Room of the RUC. Ryan Goke and Angela Jones argued against idolization. Marcello Gonzales and Justin Hilliard argued in support of celebrities who have distinct accomplishments. The supporters argued that celebrities should justify their speRead More Online

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cific reasons for being famous. Goke and Jones contend celebrities like Kylie Jenner, Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton threaten America’s educational values and beauty standards. “You become who you idolize,” Jones said. “Society can admire these celebrities, but no one should idolize them. These celebrities shouldn’t be our standard for the way we see ourselves.” The opposition argued that celebrities took a chance on their life and it worked. Gonzales and Hilliard said a person’s free time is just that, free time. Members of society have a right to choose whom they idolize and what celebrities they follow.

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“Celebrities are humans, too. Everyone messes up and society finds relatable qualities in these famous people,” Gonzales said. “They’ve been through things just like the rest of society has. Not everyone reaches success the same way. You will learn more from your failures than your successes.” The arguments supporting both sides of the issue appeared to have left some audience members without a clear answer to the question. “I thought it was interesting to see both points of views,” Jake Long, a student in general curriculum, said. “By the end of the debate, I was torn on which side to vote for because both sides made such good arguments.”

By HANNAH SARAGO & ASHLEY SARAGO Beat Reporters A student suffered minor injuries Feb. 21 after being struck by a vehicle near Bruner Hall. Megan Winfrey suffered scrapes on her knees and arms and a possible twisted ankle, according to a police report. Winfrey told a Tech police officer she was talking on her cellphone as she crossed the street. She said she saw the vehicle coming, but assumed the driver would stop, according to the report. The student driving the car, Garrett McElderry, told police he was changing the song on the radio and did not see the woman crossing the street. Neither McElderry nor his passenger were injured, according to the report. Winfrey was taken by ambulance to Cookeville Regional Medical Center following the incident.

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OPINION

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

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Disney films reflect progressive culture KATE TREBING Opinions Editor

I am proud to be a Disney fan. To be clear, I’m no Disney expert. I’ve never been to Disneyland (or Walt Disney World), I have a habit of watching the newest productions months after they release on DVD, and I have yet to see “The Jungle Book” from start to finish. Nevertheless, I think of myself as a loyal Disney fan. How can I be anything else, when my childhood was painted by the colors of Walt’s imagination? Today, in light of the newest live action release of a Disney cult classic, “Beauty and the Beast,” an old controversy has risen once more. Are Disney films truly as innocent and motivational as they project themselves to be, or do they encourage children to mold themselves along society’s status quos? Like the majority of other girls my age, my first decade of life (OK, my entire life) has been embellished by daydreams of princesses and castles, magic kingdoms and fairy godmothers, dashing princes and adorable animal sidekicks. Cinderella, Snow White and Ariel were more than just household names; they were icons. Perhaps this idolization is the driving force behind my defensive stance on behalf of Disney films. Reflecting on the influence these films have held in my life, I realize that the critics are right: children are easily swayed. We are guided by what we surround ourselves with; this holds true for any age. Stick with the chain smokers in the parking lot after school, and you’re likely to find yourself smoking a pack a day too. So what exactly was Walt teaching us all those years? It is true that many Disney films portray women in traditional feminine roles. Films such as “Snow White,” “Cinderella,” and “Beauty and the Beast” make women out to be motherly, caring figures in the home. Service before self, to a fault.

Photo courtesy of Public Domain DISNEY'S WORLD - Walt Disney appears in a 1937 commercial to promote his first animated feature film, "Snow White." But given the context of these films, is this portrayal negative? “Snow White,” for example, was the first animated feature film Disney released. The year was 1938, and the United States was just coming out of the Great Depression. Jobs were scarce, and budgets were tight. Census records of the time reveal that the percentage of female workers 14 and up actually increased from 1930 – 1940 by about 2 million jobs Yet, it was those women who stayed at home that found their jobs secured during the hard times. Susan Ware of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History says that women “saw their role in the household enhanced as they juggled to makes ends meet.” Sociologists Robert and Helen Lynd studied this trend in 1937 and observed that “men, cut adrift from their usual routine … dawdled helplessly and dully about the streets; while in the homes the women’s world remained largely intact … if anything more absorbing." Perhaps “Snow White” was actually portraying the fantasy of the woman of the time: to have a cozy home to clean, food to provide for your family, and

(naturally) lots of furry friends to listen as you sing. As children, we were drawn to the bright colors, talking animals, and limitless fantasies of the Disney “cult classics.” We didn’t analyze the significance of Snow White’s eagerness to do household chores. We didn’t suddenly decide to aim to be doting housewives with a naïve trust in creepy old women. Instead, we tried whistling the next time we washed the dishes. We looked for friendly woodland creatures. And we certainly learned the dangers of talking to cloaked strangers. How many other characteristics have I adapted from watching these films daily for the first half of my life? “Cinderella” taught me the significance of kindness to a creature as small and ignoble as a mouse. “Sleeping Beauty” helped me realize the worth of wonderful relatives. Belle identified with my insatiable thirst for adventure, which could only be abated in the pages of a book. And “Snow White” helped me see that naivety can be your greatest

downfall, but friends are the guardians you need to defend against a cruel world. After all, it is not the prince who saves her, not really. It is her friends, the seven little dwarfs who discover Snow White and chase away the evil queen. Without them, no prince would have come. The stereotypical “Disney princess movie” may be all that it is chalked up to be. Yes, the princess is young, innocent and beautiful. Sure, a prince is involved. OK, the enemy is most likely going to be an evil stepmother. But these are only a few of the puzzle pieces that make up the film. Along with the pretty gowns and handsome prince, the princess gains a valuable lesson in the end. Her happy ending was possible after all. Her tenacity did not go unrewarded. No, this may not be the outcome of every real-world story. But children need to hope, to expect their dreams to come to fruition. Whether that dream is to conquer the world or to stay home and raise a family, both girls and boys need to be told that their dreams have merit. No one can make your dream for you, and no one can take it from you. This is a lesson we all need from time to time. All of this being said, it’s little wonder I felt such a thrill at seeing one of these classics recreated and brought “to a theater near you.” When I presented my ticket for a Friday viewing of “Beauty and the Beast,” I was just as excited to see the film as the girls in tutus and yellow dresses. I marveled at the scope of Disney’s audience. Generations of fans, brought together to celebrate a film a piece of cinematic history that touched each and every one of us in some way. Disney films have a legacy. They speak to every age. They reflect the culture of the time. We get to decide how we react to their interpretation.

Kate Trebing is a senior in communication with a concentration in public relations. She can be reached at kdtrebing42@students.tntech.edu.

Equal rights movement must include animals LINDSAY MILLS Guest Critic In the wake of recent political events, protests have been popping up in almost every major city, even in Cookeville. Many of these protests are centered on human rights and administrative concerns. It has been exciting and inspiring to watch millions of people around the world coming together to fight for a common cause. The issue of human rights always has been prevalent throughout history. People are opening their eyes and expanding their compassion. We

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are standing up for our neighbors, for immigrants and for those different from us. We want everyone to have quality of life with equal rights and fair opportunities. There is another group of sentient beings that haven’t gotten as much attention. Our animal friends, specifically farmed animals such as cows, pigs and chickens, have been facing cruelty, slavery and mass murder for years. The animal rights movement is very similar to the human rights movement. Animals are being enslaved and tortured and they

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Tennessee Tech University TTU Box 5072 Cookeville, TN 38505 Managing Editor - HAYLEE EATON Asst. Managing Editor - MALLORY ENGLAND Business Manager - BRIANA SMITH Copy Editor - ASHTON BREEDEN Opinions Editor - KATE TREBING Sports Editor - MARCUS HANSON Asst. Sports Editor - ROBYN HANSON Entertainment Editor - CAMERON FOWLER Entertainment Critic - HANNAH BARGER Circulation Manager - AALIYAH SYMLAR Faculty Adviser - VANESSA CURRY Thanks for reading The Oracle Read more @ tntechoracle.com

after it was revealed that their workers are denied bathroom breaks and forced to wear adult diapers while on shift. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration reported Tyson employees suffer from amputation hazards. Amputations are common among several poultry plants across the country along with many other hazards. Many choices to do good in the world aren't always easy, but this one is. You have the option to choose kindness and compassion over cruelty and suffering three times a day. It’s as simple as

are suffering just like millions of humans in the world. We all care for our fellow humans and we care for our pets, so why not expand our circle of compassion to other animals? Cows, chickens and pigs feel pain similar to how we do. They cry, scream and bleed the very same way we do. They experience tremendous suffering throughout their lives leading up to their inevitable slaughter. Dairy cows are enslaved their entire lives, artificially inseminated to become pregnant and forced to give up their

calves almost as soon as they are born. These animals hurt when their children are taken from them and they desire a good life just like we do. Our efforts to reduce global suffering must be expanded to animals. Leaving animals off your plate is not only a move to reduce animal suffering, but human suffering as well. Employees in factory farms work in terrible conditions. According to NBC News and The Washington Post, Tyson, the nation’s largest meat and poultry processor, recently has been under scrutiny

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2. Originality is required. Plagiarized works will not be considered.

3. For verification, letters and commentaries MUST include your name, e-mail address, FIND AN ERROR? home town and Contact the Managing Editor 1. Letters should not classification or title. exceed 300 words. Haylee Eaton heeaton42@students.tntech.edu Commentaries should 4. Letters may not run (931)-409-7066 be around 500 words in every edition due to and include a picture space. of the writer.

leaving meat and dairy off your plate. By adopting a plant-based diet, you are creating massive amounts of change and reducing the most amount of suffering possible. Consider opting for the veggie burger next time you’re in the Cafe and think about how little suffering went into the making of that burger.

Lindsay Mills is a junior in environmental and sustainability studies. She can be reached at lemills42@ students.tntech.edu

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6. Submissions must be received by 4 p.m. on Friday.

7. Your thoughts are free. Think often, think free.

News content for The Oracle is provided by the Journalism 2220, Journalism 4820 and Journalism 4930 classes. Journalism 3370 provides a majority of the photographs used.

DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed in this newspaper do not necessarily reflect those of Tennessee Tech University’s employees or of its administration.

COOKEVILLE, TN || THE ORACLE || Page 3

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Reviews <<

Photo Courtesy of tvtropes.org

Nintendo’s ‘Legend’ leaps forward while regaining its roots “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wildâ€? marks a daring turn for the series with new gameplay addiĆ&#x;ons and an open world while its sense of mystery and amibiĆ&#x;on recalls the tone that made it a landmark gaming franchise

By CAMERON FOWLER Entertainment Editor P e r s o n a l l y, there’s no way of knowing how it felt when “The Legend of Zelda� released in 1986. At that time, the game’s publisher and developer, Nintendo, was taking a risk releasing such a challenging and well-defined game. However, “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wild� sparks emotions that might feel spiritually similar to how the first game’s release has impacted players. What struck me about the series’ latest game is how daring a leap it is for Nintendo and its new system, the Switch, and the storied, legendary series, yet how much it feels like the sum of its roots. In “Breath of The Wild,� you again play as series protagonist Link. He awakes in Hyrule after a 100-year slumber only to find the world looking grim and distraught. This isn’t a post-apocalyptic distress, but rather a Hyrule that’s moved on. Once he awakes, he finds an ancient device called a Sheikah Slate, which serves as the game’s compendium, and is set forth into Hyrule to destroy Ganon, the series antagonist. There’s no elaborate, hourslong setup like previous “Zelda� titles; you’re simply dropped into Hyrule and allowed to venture anywhere and tackle whatever challenges await after spending some time in the opening area. In this way, “Breath of The Wild� harnesses that same spirit the original “Legend of

Zelda� does -- a refusal to offer suggestion and allowance to let the mind run free with possibilities and ideas of where to go that continues to expand hour after hour. Hyrule’s detailed, breathing world has previously set the bar for gaming, but in “Breath of The Wild,� its density and immersion is so meticulous that it seeps into your brain. Every single thing in the world is there for a reason, be it for a puzzle, a secret passage or an entrance to an entirely new section of the map. Towers stand in certain sections of the map which, when climbed and activated, help give a more detailed view of the area through the Sheikah Slate’s map. They don’t offer collectibles or loot like traditional open-world towers, which is another welcome challenge to modern gaming conventions. Climbing a tower and revealing a detailed view of the map stems from a genuine wish to see more so more exploring can be done. The gameplay shakes up series conventions as well. The combat has the main elements of “Zelda� -- using a sword, shield and dodges to fight enemies -- but throws in weapon degradation. Each weapon and shield you pick up will eventually break after a certain amount of use, and there’s no way to repair it. This initially skews on the frustrating side, but once the game opened up, it began to instill a rhythm of combat that forced me to think quickly when all my best swords break, turning even the simplest fight dour.

Photo Courtesy of theverge.com IT’S DANGEROUS - Link can be struck dead in a lightning storm when weilding a metal weapon. Though you can use weapons, runes are an easy way to creatively defeat enemies and solve puzzles. There are bombs, which aid in defeating enemies and blowing rocks away to find hidden passages; stasis, which freezes objects; magnesis (magnetism) and cryonis, which raises frozen blocks from water. The game encourages you to use runes in unique ways instead of using weapons constantly, which leads to some clever and downright hilarious situations involving the physics of the game. These runes are also used in shrines, which are new to the series. Shrines are bite-sized puzzle rooms found throughout the world that aid in giving Link more stamina or hearts. Shrines can range from pleas-

ant to ambitiously difficult. They cover the world and perfectly suit the portability of the Switch considering some take mere minutes to complete. “Breath of The Wild� also introduces stamina to the series, which dictates how long you can run, swim, climb or use a powerful weapon strike. However, when rain comes, climbing isn’t possible, which left me to stand around and wait until the sun popped back up. This is a continual frustration when I needed to get somewhere important at a certain time. Otherwise, stamina works well and also adds challenge to the traditional freedom of moving fast throughout the world. The game does suffer from performance issues. This review is based on the Wii U ver-

sion, and there is a considerable drop in frame rate in villages and dense areas. This aspect is unfortunately noticeable and did detract from the immersion on several occasions. In many ways, “Breath of The Wild� feels like an unprecedented experience. It deeply alters a familiar formula with no convictions and thrusts the player into Hyrule yet again with some very different expectations and rules. It’s hard to feel anything other than respect and childlike wonder through most of the game, a quality that permeates Nintendo’s best. Yet what makes this game potentially Nintendo’s very best is the feeling of discovery unmatched in a world that we thought has already been fully discovered.

‘Get Out’ bends horror rules By HANNAH BARGER Entertainment Critic

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“Get Out.� It isn’t hard to see why, either. The movie blends a surreal mixture of horror, comedy and social commentary that leaves audiences entertained and aware, but not feeling they were condescended. Chris and his girlfriend Rose are in the midst of planning the always uncomfortable first visit to mom and dad. Chris is an orphaned, award winning photographer who lives in an apartment any 26-year-old artist would dream of, and Rose comes from a very wealthy and very white family. Chris is black, and he’s understandably a little concerned and hurt when Rose mentions that she’s neglected to mention this fact to her parents. Chris worries that Rose is ashamed of him, but she cheerily gives him a line that’s become the rallying cry of well-meaning but patronizing older white couples the nation over -- her parents “don’t see color.� And certainly, Rose’s parents seem nice, if a little intrusive and awkward -- Rose’s mom, a hypnotherapist, seems far too interested in making Chris talk about the night his mother died. Her creepy younger brother keeps trying to get him to wrestle. Her dad won’t stop saying “my man� in that cringe-worthy “I’m a

cool dad� way. And then there are the only other black people in town: Georgina, the housekeeper, who wears her hair like a 50-year-old soccer mom despite looking closer to 30; Walter, the handyman who runs laps around the yard at 3 a.m.; and Logan, who bears a striking resemblance to one of Chris’s old friends. Jordan Peele is best known for his comedy work, so it’s nearly impossible for this film not to feature some scenes that are as funny as any Key and Peele sketch. At the same time, there were more moments that left me unsure of whether I should be laughing. The film utilizes long, uncomfortable shots of character’s faces that elicited more nervous giggling than belly laughs, and it works beautifully. We, as the audience, start to feel firsthand how freaked out Chris has become. Chris is more than just an audience standin. He’s got his own personality, a character arc, vulnerability, and backstory. In a world of horror movies where men, especially black men, are one-dimensional, it’s refreshing to see a real person who we can actually root for to succeed With the current political climate, race relations pose an uncomfortable conversation that can’t be ignored. “Get Out� brings those conversations to light in a way that can easily be understood, and for that, it would be commendable even if it weren’t such a downright scary horror film. Everyone who can see it should, and don’t wait until it comes to RedBox, either.

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

THE ORACLE || COOKEVILLE, TN || PAGE 4

SPORTS

>> Inside the Game

Golden Eagles rally to win 3-0 against SIUE

Alexis Staley | The Oracle GOLDEN EAGLE BASEBALL - Kevin Strohschein hits a fly out to right center this weekend against SIUE. Tech won all three games 13-8, 11-7, and 3-2. By ROBYN HANSON

Asst. Sports Editor

The Golden Eagles pulled a win against Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Friday afternoon. This win propelled Tech to a 13-6 overall standing and 4-0 in the conference season, while SIUE is 10-7 overall and 2-2 in the conference. Tech hit an amazing 10 extra base hits in the game. For the second time this season the Golden

Eagles hit five home runs and five doubles. Matt Jones led the charge in the fifth inning allowing Tech to secure seven runs. Jones finished the contest against SIUE 2-for-4, with two home runs and two runs scored. SIUE hit three runs, taking the lead, but Tech had a homer to to left field, giving the lead back to the Golden Eagles for the rest of the game. The Cougars kept fighting in the final two

frames, getting three runs in the eighth and one in the ninth. Tech still put SIUE down in the game. Tech starter Michael Wood struck out seven and walked two. He also allowed five hits in the game. Wood gathered the team for the fourth victory of the year. The Golden Eagles and SIUE played again in a second game and won again 11-7. The Golden Eagles play Alabama A&M at home 6 p.m. March 22.

Alexis Staley | The Oracle BASEBALL VS. SIUE - Golden Eagles pitcher Chase Burkett leads off the third game of the weekend series against SIUE.

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